Xin Liu, arts curator in the Space Exploration Initiative and alum of the Fluid Interfaces group, and Chloe Bensahel, affiliate researcher with the Future Sketches group, have been named finalists in the Art and Science category as part of the 2025 Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year competition.

The competition is part of The Falling Walls Science Summit, which celebrates research and innovation across disciplines, and honors projects that break boundaries between science and society.

Read more about these finalists' projects below: 

• "Breaking the Wall of Material Science & Artistic Innovation - The Permanent and Insatiable:" Xin Liu’s multidisciplinary practice integrates art, engineering, and space research to explore verticality, cosmic metabolism, and extraterrestrial exploration through sculptures, digital works, and film.
  
• "Breaking the Wall of Craft and Technology - Weaving Hybridity:" Chloe Bensahel’s research bridges textiles, performance, and technology, examining how materials carry narrative and cultural meaning through coded and embodied language.