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The Benzine - Spring 2021 Issue

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Issue 2 Spring 2021An Art-Chem Zine

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Content01 Letter From the EditorsThe Benzine Editorial Board 02 What is a zine? What is The Benzine?The Benzine Editorial Board03 LovalotAmber Lim (Fredrickson Group) 04 Woodland BloodAmber Lim (Fredrickson Group)05 Snake PlantCaroline Anastasia (Pedersen Group) 06 Dawn on the RiverLaura Elmendorf (Brunold Group)07 StuckMelissa Cendejas (Hermans Group)08 Sta Spotlight - Rachel BainThe Benzine Editorial Board

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09 MirrorLauren Ehehalt (Weix Group)10 UntitledMackinsey Smith (Goldsmith Group)11 Ande the OkapiPeyton Higgins (Buller Group)12 Furry FriendsPet photos arranged by Danica Gressel (Fredrickson Group)13 Cactus Meets SkyLaura Elmendorf (Brunold Group)14 Block 100Angie Xu (Gellman Group Undergraduate)15 UntitledManar Alhrech (Stahl Group) 16 Clis of DoverJohn Mannone (Gellman Group)17 Terphenyl RapDeseree Dufek (Gellman Group Undergraduate)

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18 RelativityOlga Riusech (Li Group)19 Good Day Dearest - Spam PoetrySpam arranged by Ray Czerwinski (Goldsmith Group)20 Novel high-throughput synthesis of bananoparticlesPaige Kinsley (Hamers Group)21 needle and threadRay Czerwinski (Goldsmith Group)22 to daedalusRay Czerwinski (Goldsmith Group)23 Find a patternIzzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group)24 Becoming a ghostIzzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group) 25 Disorder of my natureIzzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group)26 Developing our wingsIzzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group)

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27 WaitingMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)28 UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)29 UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)30 UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)31 Falafel RecipeRylie Morris (Gellman Group)32 Winter train on the portage lake lift bridgeMeg Tetzlo (Boydston Group)33 The Kiss of VenusKris Aguayo (Pazicni Group)34 The New WorldKris Aguayo (Pazicni Group)35 Microbial FloraSamantha Knott (Ge Group)

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36 A Good DeathSamantha Knott (Ge Group)37 Window to the Soul Samantha Knott (Ge Group)38 Reconnecting...Lauren Ehehalt (Weix Group)39 Prima DonnaAndjela Radmilovic (Choi Group)40 UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)41 Chilly Spring SunsetDominic Mattock (Wang Group)42 UntitledTae Wook Kim (Gellman Group)43 UntitledTae Wook Kim (Gellman Group)44 Her LunacyKyana Sanders (Fredrickson Group)

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45 Celestial InsomniaIurii Gurkov (Wang Group)46 Meet the Editorial BoardThe Benzine Editorial Board47 Thank you to...The Benzine Editorial Board48 Interested in submitting your work to The Benzine?The Benzine Editorial BoardFront and Back Covers Robin Morgenstern (Pazicni Group)All content appearing in this issue of The Benzine represents only the views and opinions of its individual contributor(s). Content published in The Benzine does not represent the views or opinions of the editorial board, UW-Madison or the UW-Madison Department of Chemistry. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact the editorial board at: thebenzine@chem.wisc.edu

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Fellow chemists, artists, thinkers, creatives and friends,We present to you the Spring 2021 issue of The Benzine, a publication celebrating art and science in the UW-Madison chemistry community. Amidst the stressors of grad school as well as the outside world, putting this zine together has been a genuine joy. The number and variety of submissions we received this semester were overwhelming, and we are once again inspired by the talent and passion in our department. In this zine, you’ll see artwork from 26 dierent scientists across 17 groups, from undergraduates to postdoctoral researchers. As you ip through its pages, we hope this publication makes you feel a bit closer to the incredible group of people who are the Badger chemists. - The Benzine Editorial Board@The_Benzine01Letter From the Editors

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A zine is a self-published, non-commercial publication that can come in many forms and styles, ranging from avant-garde to punk. Zines are important because they oer space for community members to share their passions, especially work that may be too niche for traditional publications. The Benzine is an art and chemistry zine! We are a peer-led publication that aims to celebrate the chemistry, art, hobbies and interests of our department. Our goal is to produce a causal, self-sustaining art and chemistry publication that promotes great artwork by brilliant scientists in the UW-Madison chemistry community.02What is a zine? What is The Benzine?

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03Lovalot Amber Lim (Fredrickson Group) Digital Painting“Sometimes you just put on your headphones and just let the art out on its own.”

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04 Woodland Blood Amber Lim (Fredrickson Group) Acrylic Ink, India Ink

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05 Snake PlantCaroline Anastasia (Pedersen Group) Digital Painting

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06Dawn on the RiverLaura Elmendorf (Brunold Group)Pen and Watercolor

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Eleanor the pad of sticky notes had dreams of grandeur and excitement; of reminding someone of a meeting and holding the place in a book. Oh! The countless things she and her pages could do! All those dreams were soon to be reality. She’d been recently purchased and pulled from the drawer to the bigger and better world of life on the desk. The desk stood in the corner in the room, brick to the side and a window to the front. Its top was unblemished but for a few stray dots of teal nail polish and pencil drawings left by former owners. The wheel systems of the drawers were in need of some care and grease, but that was her only complaint. Beside her sat a lamp, a textbook, and a pile of folders and notebooks. In the evenings, the setting sun cast a hazy yellow-orange glow over them all. But life on the desk was much less interesting than Eleanor had imagined. For weeks, she sat between the lamp and the textbook, unused, all one hundred of her individual sheets still connected. Why, she wondered, would someone purchase her, only to leave her untouched? She didn’t get it. She was not alone. The lamp had only been used twice and the textbook remained unopened. Eleanor’s owner, Randal, was far from studious. Instead of reading books and taking notes, he preferred to play video games while smoking a joint. He lived a life of nonsense and silliness, complete with two friends of similar disposition. The three boys – Randal, Kenneth, and Cody – lived together in a campus apartment, which they kept a smoky 71 degrees and only cleaned once a month, 07StuckMelissa Cendejas (Hermans Group)Short StoryContent Warning: Mentions of drug use, passing mentions of sexual content

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or when one of their moms came to visit. One day, all the boys were gathered in Randal’s room and Cody, the shortest, walked over to the desk and picked up Eleanor. She was exhilarated! This is was what she had dreamt of since the day she left the factory. This would be the start of a new life – one where she would be appreciated and stuck on all sorts of surfaces. “Meeting, 5pm, Rm 312,” someone would write on her, or “Dinner?” She dared to hope that her dreams would soon be realized. Cody took one sticky note from her and put her back on the desk. He folded the sticky part over itself and then folded the whole piece in half. He set it on the desk and poured from a metal cylinder what appeared to Eleanor to be chopped-up leaves. Then he picked up the note, carried it to the other side of the room, and dropped the leaves into a small glass bowl. This left Eleanor in disarray. She was glad that someone has found some use for her, but still. She watched the boys for the rest of the night, and nally, though she was confused, felt some pride that her one folded square could be of so much use. A week later, in a moment of pure ingenuity (and in an aected state), Randal grabbed Eleanor and a black pen and walked into the bathroom. He put her on the windowsill next to the toilet. Taking up the pen, he wrote “Shit Thoughts” on one of her pages, which he then stuck to the wall. He left her on the windowsill with the apparent intention that the others would add to his work. And boy, did they! Within a week, Eleanor had seen more use than she had in two months. The boys were writing strange things and sticking her pages to the walls. She felt like she was really getting to know them through their uninhibited thoughts. Some she didn’t understand, like, “I don’t think there’s any situation where I wouldn’t accept a blowjob.” Others she found delightful, like a drawing of a fat man and the phrase, “Have a nice poop!” She decided that she liked all of this. They were using her and writing funny things on her. They even made a story using at least six squares.

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Her satisfaction lasted for months. Pages were scattered about the walls, entertaining bathroom-goers. But time after time shewatched her squares leave the wall and oat, like a leaf, to the oor. This reminded her that she wasn’t going to last forever. Someday, every last part of her would fall from the walls and be gone. Did she really want all of her pages lled with meta-thoughts and attempted philosophy? She remembered her dreams of gracing the pages of a chemistry textbook and nestling in the heart of some famous novel. She used to have hopes and aspirations. Now her pages were warped from the rain. She thought back on her time in the bedroom. There were many times when Randal would sit down at the desk and Eleanor would start to think that maybe this time, he’ll nd some use for her. But more often than not, he would sit and play with his chopped up green leaves, leaving Eleanor disappointed. Once, however, Randal sat at the desk, took up the textbook and a notebook, and began taking notes. He worked until the early hours of the mornings, nishingwith at least fteen pages. Eleanor was lled with pride, which lasted until Cody took another sheet from her. And what of Randal? She had to believe that he wanted more than blowing rings of smoke with his friends. He must have had something in mind when he bought her, right? She remembered a conversation she had overheard between Randal and his parents when they moved in. They were talking about how college would be a new start and how, even though he didn’t know what he wanted to do, Randal would be able to take classes in every subject and nd something he loved. Randal had seemed so excited about his new academic career and his parents were so proud. Eleanor wished she could understand what happened. Soon after that realization, she could feel herself wearing thin. By her estimate, she had no more than twelve notes left, and ever fewer were still on the walls. She read, “Is a sticky note still a sticky note if it’s no longer sticky?” The question haunted her.

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One brisk afternoon, Eleanor’s last pages – just like they had to – started to fall. She clung to the wall with her last functional bits of glue, desperately holding on to her former usefulness. She felt her contact with the wall vanish and hit the tiled oor of the stall, knowing she was destined to mingle with the used paper towels in the black container by the door. She spent the night on the oor thinking about her short life and all she had seen and done. All the silly notes and meaningless drawings. She wondered what had become of the notebooks and folders. Had the lamp found more use? She thought that maybe she had served her purpose. At the very least, each of her sheets had been used. As a stranger moved her from the oor to the black container, she was comforted by the thought that, although she did not live the life she had imagined, she had been of use to something greater than herself. Maybe that’s all a pad of sticky notes can ask for.

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The Benzine Editors: What is your position with the department of chemistry? Could you talk a bit about your career progression, and how you reached that point?Rachel: I function as the coordinator of instructional technology for much of the undergraduate program, as well as supporting both un-dergraduate and graduate courses in their use of Canvas and oth-er technology tools. It certainly isn’t where I expected to end up when I nished graduate school! After earning my PhD in inorganic chemistry from Northwestern University, I spent a year as director of research for a small company in central Illinois while my husband nished up his postdoc, then we taught in a small liberal arts college (we WERE the chemistry department) for several years. After moving to Madison, I worked in the Chemistry Learning Center for three se-mesters before taking some time o when our daughter was born. I came back into the department when they needed someone to make weekly backups of the learning management system gradebooks; it was only a few hours a week and could be done from home if a child was sick or o school. At that point I knew very little about technol-ogy at all. Next John Moore needed help with the online homework questions that he and his group were developing, and then someone else had a tech project here, and someone else had a tech some-thing there, and pretty soon I was juggling several part-time positions each semester, guring out what I needed to know about each new bit of technology as I went. Eventually it was pretty clear that the work was enough for a full-time position, so the department created a new position for which I applied and was selected.08Sta Spotlight - Rachel BainThe sta spotlight is designed to highlight our department’s important sta who keep our community running. This feature lets you learn about their life, work and art!

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The Benzine Editors: What is your favorite part of your job? Is there anything in particular that excites you about your work?Rachel: I am a helper by nature, and my favorite part of each day is being able to help someone with something. Sometimes it’s as sim-ple as doing some routine Canvas work to make someone’s life easi-er. Other times it might be helping someone come up with a solution for a problem in their course, or guring out how to implement an idea that a professor has, or working with a student to get their computer to work with our systems, or (heaven forbid) assisting an instructor in their eorts to gure out who is cheating on a particular assignment. Honestly, the technology itself is secondary -- it’s adding value to the lives of the people around me that excites me the most.The Benzine Editors: How does art, specically your music, aect your life? What do you gain from creating your own art, and what do you gain from appreciating others’?Rachel: My dad was a band director, so music has always been part of my life. It is my emotional release, both in listening to others per-form and in playing or singing myself. Listening to others allows me to escape the stresses of life and just immerse myself into something wonderful that someone else has created. Creating my own music, whether it is arranging some piece or playing from sheet music that already exists, is cathartic and envigorating and exciting and often maddening. And the absolute best situation is when I get to play in an ensemble, combining the appreciation of others’ talents with the experience of performing myself. That has been what I have missed most during the pandemic. While I have worked on a fair amount of music on my own, it just isn’t the same as collaborating with other musicians.

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The Benzine Editors: How does your artistic life relate to your sci-entic life? Do you think one aects the other?Rachel: Where my work is my mind, my music is my soul, and as such they complement each other really well. Of course, they aren’t mutually exclusive -- the analytical work nds its way into breaking down and practicing a piece of music, and the passion of performing appears when working on a particularly interesting problem at work. I nd that the characteristics of one fuel the other, feeding creativity into my work and rigor into my music. I really think science and mu-sic are related; I’m always amazed at the number of scientists that I know who are also musicians (current or former). Wouldn’t it be interesting to put together a departmental band or orchestra?

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The Benzine Editors: What advice would you like to give to stu-dents in the department interested in creating their own art?Rachel: While it can be hard to nd the time, it’s always worth ex-ploring your artistic passions. Painting, drawing, crafting, cooking, acting, making music -- not only do they awaken your creative side (which can be especially useful in the research lab!), but they supply a break from the day-to-day stu that tends to weigh us down. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries after a tough day in the lab or classroom. Sometimes it results in something beautiful that you want to share, and sometimes it doesn’t, and at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter.

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09Mirror Lauren Ehehalt (Weix Group)Acrylic Painting“A dear friend of mine once asked if this painting was ‘meant to represent the duality in humans. On the left is how a person can persevere even in dire circumstances and the right showing how people can be horrible even when they have everything.’ And it wasn’t, but I like it better when other people get some meaning from one of my paintings on their own.”

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10 UntitledMackinsey Smith (Goldsmith Group)Crochet

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11Ande the OkapiPeyton Higgins (Buller Group)Knitting“Fun fact – The okapi is the closestliving relative to the girae!”

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13Cactus Meets Sky Laura Elmendorf (Brunold Group)Pen and Watercolor

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14 Block 100 Angie Xu (Gellman Group Undergrad) Ink and Marker

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15Untitled Manar Alhrech (Stahl Group)Digital Photography

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16Clis of Dover John Mannone (Gellman Group) Musical Cover

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17 Terphenyl Rap Deseree Dufek (Gellman Group Undergrad) Music Video

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18 RelativityOlga Riusech (Li Group)PoetryRelative to me, I am a chefTossing onions over a gas re,Swaddled in the familiar aromas of cilantro and turmericRelative to you, I am a stranger.Relative to me, I am a travelerHiking through the streets with curiosityEqual to that of an ecologistAdmiring the neon store signs overheadAs if they were lush green oaks growing from the swarth;Relative to you, I am a stranger.Relative to me, I am a prismCapable of diverting a single photon of an ideaInto a spectrum of independent concepts;Some which I absorb in words,Some pass through and are lost from my mind foreverRelative to you, I am a stranger.

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Relative to me, I am a travelerHiking through the streets with curiosityEqual to that of an ecologistAdmiring the neon store signs overheadAs if they were lush green oaks growing from the swarth;Relative to you, I am a stranger.Relative to me, I am a prismCapable of diverting a single photon of an ideaInto a spectrum of independent concepts;Some which I absorb in words,Some pass through and are lost from my mind foreverRelative to you, I am a stranger.Relative to me, I am a polymerHolding together functional groups of friendsBuilding on terminal endsUsing music-initiated catalysisRelative to you, I am a stranger.Relative to me, you are a strangerUnited by a common ambitionSeparated by history.Relative to you… Who are you?

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It is understandable that you may be a bit apprehensive.I seek for:‘Hello,How are you doing today?’Because you do not know me,as far as is genuine-I don’t think you know what you do.You smiled and talked to me of nothing and I felt that for this I had been waiting long.My dear,you think that might help? During my search for more details about me,I took the opportunity to write to you.I feel like communicating with you, in trust, about myselfand my reasons and purpose.I’ll like to know if you can help. And do let me know your area, including your Home, andwhatever you have passed through in the past will be taken care of.So there is no problem. After the pandemic is over…I will like to know if you would be available.I would provide you with more.I will so much appreciate it if we can click together as one great friend.Looking to hear from you again.19Good Day Dearest - Spam PoetryArranged by Ray Czerwinski (Goldsmith Group)Poetry“Our editorial board, amused and inspired by the endless barrage of spam emails our inboxes seem to catch, decided to compile some of their more evocative lines into a singular poem. We hope you enjoy, and always be careful what links you click!”

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It is understandable that you may be a bit apprehensive.I seek for:‘Hello,How are you doing today?’Because you do not know me,as far as is genuine-I don’t think you know what you do.You smiled and talked to me of nothing and I felt that for this I had been waiting long.My dear,you think that might help? During my search for more details about me,I took the opportunity to write to you.I feel like communicating with you, in trust, about myselfand my reasons and purpose.I’ll like to know if you can help. And do let me know your area, including your Home, andwhatever you have passed through in the past will be taken care of.So there is no problem. After the pandemic is over…I will like to know if you would be available.I would provide you with more.I will so much appreciate it if we can click together as one great friend.Looking to hear from you again.everyone@chem.wisc.edu

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There has been an increased interest in recent years in the application of bananoparticles in a number of elds, ranging from agriculture to battery technology to nano-monkeys. However, the application of these particles is limited by syntheses producing only milligrams of particles at a time. Here, we present a novel synthesis method for producing kilograms of bananoparticles each batch, increasing the industrial accessibility of this impressive material. Using RuntsTM banana candy as a precursor, the macro bananas were mechanically broken down by hammering, creating micro bananas. Further processing by ball milling with zirconia particles produced bananoparticles with a low polydispersity and length of 5 nm. We were able to produce 5 kg of particles in a batch, but we believe the synthesis can be scaled up by many more times using industrial machinery. Increased accessibility of bananoparticles could revolutionize many industries and, they are another example of the exciting application of nanotechnology.20Novel high-throughput synthesis of bananoparticlesHannah B. Nana [Paige Kinsley (Hamers Group)]

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There has been an increased interest in recent years in the application of bananoparticles in a number of elds, ranging from agriculture to battery technology to nano-monkeys. However, the application of these particles is limited by syntheses producing only milligrams of particles at a time. Here, we present a novel synthesis method for producing kilograms of bananoparticles each batch, increasing the industrial accessibility of this impressive material. Using RuntsTM banana candy as a precursor, the macro bananas were mechanically broken down by hammering, creating micro bananas. Further processing by ball milling with zirconia particles produced bananoparticles with a low polydispersity and length of 5 nm. We were able to produce 5 kg of particles in a batch, but we believe the synthesis can be scaled up by many more times using industrial machinery. Increased accessibility of bananoparticles could revolutionize many industries and, they are another example of the exciting application of nanotechnology.20Novel high-throughput synthesis of bananoparticlesHannah B. Nana [Paige Kinsley (Hamers Group)]

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when you wish to truly know a woman,watch for the things she chooses to mend.search for the places in the worldwhere her ngers have placedstitch,stitch,after fumbling stitch,notice how they even out as she learns.some things can be replaced.some cannot be.others shouldn’t.so watch her sew,and try to understand it.not everything can be salvaged.learn what isthis woman will work to preserve.21 needle and thread Ray Czerwinski (Goldsmith Group)Poetry

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and if i fell-so what?i fell setting the world on re,even if it began with my own wings.the hot waxsears my skinand the sea belowshines cold and inviting.they will say i died here,but re and ice,wind whipping, wind ripping meto shreds,my mouth open in desperate cry and strangeexhilarationall at once - if this is death,what ever thenwas life?22to daedalus Ray Czerwinski (Goldsmith Group)Poetry

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23 Find a pattern Izzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group) Digital Drawing @izzy_aka_gg

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24 Becoming a ghost Izzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group) Digital Drawing @izzy_aka_gg

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25 Disorder of my natureIzzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group) Digital Drawing @izzy_aka_gg

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26 Developing our wingsIzzy Foreman-Ortiz (Pedersen Group) Digital Drawing @izzy_aka_gg

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27WaitingMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)Digital Photography

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28 UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)Digital Photography

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29UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)Digital Photography

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30UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)Digital Photography

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31 Falafel RecipeRylie Morris (Gellman Group)This recipe is one that I make almost weekly at this point. It contains easy pantry staples, and once it’s made you have a tasty dinner on call for the rest of the week. Most of these ingredients are shelf-sta-ble, but the herbs are another story. Having the herbs on hand is dicult if you don’t have a garden, and I somehow always nd myself waiting slightly too long to use them and nding they’ve gone bad. Recently, however I’ve taken to freezing bunches of herbs right after going to the grocery store. This makes sure they’re readily on-hand and you don’t have to worry about spoil-age and wasting money. Once properly frozen, they can keep for up to a year. These are particularly good for blended recipes, such as soups, chutneys or this falafel recipe.

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The falafel itself also freezes very well. I like to take a day on the weekend to make the falafel so then I can thaw them out throughout the week for easy lunches and dinners. I like to make falafel grain bowls with rice/quinoa, mixed greens, tzatziki, kalamata olives, cucumber, tomato, feta, and baba ganoush if I have it on-hand. If you pre-prepare the rice and tzatziki, this is an easy-to prepare lunch throughout the week.

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Ingredients1 can chickpeas (or one cup dried chickpeas rehydrated overnight)¾ cup cilantro½ cup parsley1 small onion (or half large onion)2-3 cloves garlic½ tsp cumin1 tsp cardamom1 ½ tsp salt1 tsp baking powderChickpea ourMakes about 20 falafel pattiesPrep time: 20 minutesFry time: about 20 minutesBake time: about 40 minutesInstructions (adapted from themediterraneandish)1) Drain the chickpeas and rinse o any remaining liquid. You can also use dried chickpeas that have been rehydrated overnight, but I don’t mind the texture with canned.2) Blitz the chickpeas in a food pro-cessor until you get a coarse-grain texture then place in a separate bowl.3) Place cilantro, parsley, onion, and garlic in the food processor and blitz until also coarsely ground and no large chunks of onion remain.

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4) Combine chickpeas, herb mixture, cumin, salt, and cardamom. The mixture will be quite wet at this point. 5) Add chickpea our until the mixture rms up. This can be between ¼ and ½ cup of chickpea our. You want to add until it starts to resemble more of a dough-texture and and you can form a patty that holds its shape. This is particularly important if you plan to fry the falafel patties. They will need to have structural integrity when they go into the fry oil. 6) Add the baking powder and form the falafel into evenly sized pat-ties.

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7) From here, there are a few options:a. Freezing. These falafel freeze really well. I would recommend placing the formed patties on a plate such as those shown above then placing the plate in the freezer until the falafel patties are fro-zen through. These can then be taken and placed into a freezer bag for storage. Thaw and cook when ready to eat. b. Frying. Heat about 2 inches of oil to 330 degrees F in a large stockpot or pan. Place falafel in hot oil and cook until crisp (about 5 minutes per side)c. Baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 40 minutes until golden, ipping halfway through. 8) Serve and enjoy!

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32Winter train on the portage lake lift bridge Meg Tetzlo (Boydston Group) Watercolor Painting

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32Winter train on the portage lake lift bridge Meg Tetzlo (Boydston Group) Watercolor Painting

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33e Kiss of Venus Kris Aguayo (Pazicni Group)Poetry, Digital PainngMy being is psychic maer found in the spaces between synapsesI am unsure of what state I am can be commonly be found in.My stars tell me that I am rooted in neptune,at like the universe, I am an ocean with no observable bounds.I’ve debated the truth of this in my mind when the world integrated me nite.at I have only so many spaces between synapses for waves to crash inI was told I needed to internalize this into my genes to succeedSo when my painngs and poetry would grew me third heads,I hacked them down as they whispered “you are more than they’ve been taught to be”e wounds belted out songs to which I found myself concedeWith my 6 eyes I began to see the 4th and 5th dimensional waves crashing inside of meAnd they told me in hymns that my liberaon, will only be found from within.

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34e New World Kris Aguayo (Pazicni Group)Poetry, Digital PainngRecommended listening.Today I have accepted that I have no control over capitalism, White supremacy, and climate change. e earth may be rightfully unforgiving for the bastardizaon we’ve inicted on her. With this sense of doom subsiding, I am declaring myself liberated for I am no longer clinging onto a world thatdoes not preserve the humanity of those I love or my own. I am bracing for the opportunity to create the tools so that my descendants may build a world that not only preserves - but celebrates our humanity.

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35Microbial Flora Samantha Knott (Ge Group)Mixed Media and Oil Painting Content Warning:
Painted depictions of blood and gore.

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Click to reveal

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Content Warning:Painted depiction of injection, themes of physician-assisted suicide 36 A Good Death Samantha Knott (Ge Group)Mixed Media and Oil Painting

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Click to reveal “The integration of alternative materials is used to depict the chemistry behind the practice of euthanasia in other countries and the associated visceral emotional response.”

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37Window to the Soul Samantha Knott (Ge Group)Mixed Media and Oil Painting“This work explores the amyloid plaque and process of aging in the elderly.”

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38 Reconnecting...Lauren Ehehalt (Weix Group)Acrylic Painting“This was created on March 13, 2020 if that tells you anything of the supposed ‘meaning.’”

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39 Prima Donna Andjela Radmilovic (Choi Group) Pencil on Paper

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40UntitledMorgan Howe (Pazicni Group)Digital Photography

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41Chilly Spring SunsetDominic Mattock (Wang Group)Digital Photography

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42Untitled Tae Wook Kim (Gellman Group)Digital Photography

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43Untitled Tae Wook Kim (Gellman Group)Digital Photography

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44Her LunacyKyana Sanders (Fredrickson Group)Digital Painting

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45 Celestial InsomniaIurii Gurkov (Wang Group)Digital Render

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“Work I did over the last summer when I was in COVID isolation and questioning my life choices. It’s a digital rendering that I did overnight when I could not sleep, hence the name of the work is ‘Celestial Insomnia’”

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46Meet the Editorial BoardRay Czerwinski – Ray is the best. She loves hiking, plays D&D, is an amazing writer and has wacky stories to tell about her siblings (seriously, ask her). rczerwinski@wisc.eduDanica Gressel – Danica has a formidable artistic mind. She loves her cat and is always down for adventures with friends. Ask her about food challenges. gressel@wisc.eduSophya Alamudun – Sophya is a chemist, embroiderist and baker. She likes to spread cheer with year-round Christmas music and funny tweets.alamudun@wisc.edu

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Philip Lampkin – Philip is an amazing person. His energy is infectious, his ideas are endless, and he inspires everyone to look at the world in new ways. plampkin@wisc.eduRobin Morgenstern – Robin is a great friend to have around. They’re creative, kind, passionate, and a very important part of the editorial board artistic duo!hmorgenstern@wisc.eduJairo Villalona – Jairo is a tireless promoter of important causes. He always goes above and beyond in support of those around him. Plus, he’s an excellent cook. villalona@wisc.edu

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47Thank you to...Our second issue wouldn’t have been possible without the advice, support and hard work of the following people:Dr. Judith Burstyn and Dr. Arrietta ClaussDr. Desiree Bates and Dr. John BerryTatum LylesThe GSFLCOur PIs: - Dr. Andrew Buller- Dr. Danny Fredrickson- Dr. Sam Gellman- Dr. Randy Goldsmith- Dr. Sam Pazicni- Dr. Kyoung-Shin ChoiOur contributorsAgain, thank you. We appreciate your support.

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48Interested in submitting your work to The Benzine?We hope you enjoyed the work presented in our second issue! Our next issue will be released in the Fall of 2021. Anyone currently pursuing their education in chemistry within the department is encouraged to submit their original artwork to The Benzine. This includes postdocs, graduate students and undergraduate students. Please submit your original work to:thebenzine@chem.wisc.edu We accept a wide range of content including:- Paintings- Photography- Creative Writing- Recipes- Poetry- Music- And much more! The Benzine Editorial Board reserves the right to decide what material is published. Content published in The Benzine represents the views of the contributors alone.Follow us on twitter to keep up-to-date with releases:@The_Benzine

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