Digital Edge Award winner Debasmita Banerjee tells stories at the intersection of art and physics
Image source: Debasmita Banerjee.
Unless they have a doctorate in advanced physics, the average person spends little time thinking about quantum optics. And yet, the study of how photons of light interact with atoms and molecules is vital to understanding life. What’s more, the advances being made in quantum computing today will no doubt be part of the technologies that will power society in the future.
Thankfully for those of us without a scientific background, there are people like Debasmita Banerjee who are on a mission to make complex topics like quantum optics both accessible and fun for the wider population. The third-year PhD student at the University of Florida’s CREOL College of Optics and Photonics, and winner of this year’s Adobe Digital Edge Award for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Debasmita has a deep appreciation for the relationship between art, nature, and science, and invites the world to share that passion through her clear and informative videos.
Her animated debut, “Quanticle: A Saga of Non-realism,” is a showcase for Debasmita’s uncanny storytelling talent. In it, she condenses the history, applications, and future of quantum optics into a 12-minute film that is as absorbing as it is revelatory. Commenting on “Quanticle,” the judges of this year’s Digital Edge Awards were impressed by the sense of wonder and accessibility that Debasmita projected in her film, which made it both inviting and compelling for non-experts. The judges also noted Debasmita’s clever use of examples to clarify complex ideas, which she developed with the help of Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Stock.
A dance of wonder and innovation
The Digital Edge Awards celebrate university students and their potential to change the world. With the help of Adobe Creative Cloud and Adobe Express, this year’s award winners wowed the judges by using their impressive skillsets to demonstrate competency in digital literacy using mediums they are passionate about, and sparking imagination and creativity, with the top entries receiving a prize of $7,500.
For Debasmita, that meant advancing humanity’s understanding of powerful scientific concepts, specifically quantum physics. She was first introduced to the field during her undergrad studies, but it was only after she audited a course called Applied Quantum Mechanics that she began to appreciate the philosophical implications of what she was learning.
Debasmita Banerjee. Image source: Debasmita Banerjee.
“Hearing about great thinkers like Schrodinger and their research was a turning point for me. It’s humbling to think that people’s perception of the world is not just based on what we see or what we think we know, and that the key to solving the mysteries of life lies in phenomena that are hidden to most of the population,” says Debasmita.
As her studies grew deeper and more complex, Debasmita decided everyone should know a bit about quantum theory and began exploring ways to bridge the worlds of academic discussion and general human knowledge. From that initial concept came “Quanticle.” Debasmita has always had a passion for art, and her goal of telling the story of quantum optics in a creative, accessible way was the perfect opportunity to indulge her creative side while making complicated scientific concepts easier for people to understand.
“Video is my go-to medium for learning. When I want to clarify a point on the Fourier Transform or get tips on how to create motion graphics with Adobe Illustrator, I go to YouTube for the answer. Given that, it was only natural that I use video as the platform to share my own expertise with the world.”
— Debasmita Banerjee, PhD student, optics & photonics, and digital creator
Asking the big questions
To storyboard “Quanticle,” Debasmita knew she had to start from the beginning. Placing herself in the shoes of her university professors and inspired by her own course syllabus, she began to sketch out a story arc for the film, beginning with Albert Einstein’s discovery of the photon in 1905. From there, she broke down the history of quantum optics and highlighted key milestones in quantum research over the years.
With that foundation in place, Debasmita then illustrated how quantum optics is being applied today and where scientific research around photons will take us in the future. She accomplished all of this without losing sight of her goal, which was to educate the public on complex topics in clear and simple terms.
Adobe Creative Cloud was instrumental in helping Debasmita bring her vision to life. She used After Effects to develop all the motion graphics in “Quanticle,” Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Fresco to create her animations, and Premiere Pro to edit and piece the final film together. As for the “Quanticle” soundtrack, Debasmita sourced most of the film’s audio files from Adobe Stock, even finding a sound called “photon” that worked perfectly with her visual style.
The final cut of “Quanticle” is a testament to Debasmita’s talents as an artist and educator, but its impact goes much deeper. As the Digital Edge Awards judges noted, the real power of Debasmita’s film lies in the way it invites viewers to explore the unknown and ask themselves big questions.
For physicists like Debasmita, the photon holds the key to answering enigmatic questions that have consumed scientists and philosophers for millennia, like “Who are we?” and “Why are we here?.” Through “Quanticle,” she hopes to inspire the same curiosity and pursuit of knowledge among academic and non-academic minds alike.
“The photon is one of the fundamental particles of our existence, not just as humans but of the entire universe around us. That makes it a fascinating topic for everyone, and by creating films like “Quanticle” my hope is to help as many people as possible see that for themselves.”
— Debasmita Banerjee, PhD student, optics & photonics, and digital creator
Inspiring the STEM leaders of tomorrow
Reflecting on the creation of “Quanticle” and her Digital Edge Award, Debasmita has lost none of the passion and sense of wonder that made her entry stand out from the pack. Among the many trends being driven by quantum physics today is a hope that the burgeoning field will inspire more young people to study STEM topics. For Debasmita, her role as an educator is as much about sharing her knowledge as it is about helping people to develop a love for science and pursue careers in the field.
“Many people hear the term “quantum physics” and instantly feel intimidated, as if they are not smart enough to discuss the topic. I don't believe that's true,” says Debasmita. “I don’t feel smarter than anybody else, and if I can contribute in some way to helping people gain the confidence to pursue STEM careers, that makes the research and work I do all the more rewarding.”
To learn more about Debasmita and her work, follow her on Behance.
And for the entire list of 2024 Adobe Digital Edge Awards winners, click here.