Stop what you’re doing, open your calendar, and schedule a visit to the 3rd floor of Gilmore Hall next Halloween 2023, because the jack-o-lanterns sculpted by CTAHR students will be nothing short of astonishing.
Need proof? Check out this year’s entries for the pumpkin carving contest sponsored by the Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences. The remarkably unique and creative designs made choosing a winner very difficult for the judges, resulting in “a very, VERY close contest,” says Michelle Isaacs.
1st Place - Menehune Wasp
Ali Miarkiani & Laura Doucette from Mark Wright’s lab took home the crown, along with various prizes from CTAHR’s Office of Communication Services. Their inspiration came from fellow labmate David Honsberger’s discovery of the Menehune Wasp (Mymaromma Menehune). Since they wanted “to symbolize discovering something or shining a light on some new discovery,” they carved themselves, their lab mates, and Mark’s face on Menehune bodies shining a light on the wasp.
2nd Place - The Rat
Alexandra Kong from Michael Melzer’s lab created a 3D design of rats cooking another rat. It captivated the judges, and was inspired by the time a rat crept out of Alexandra’s toilet. Despite the scare, she wishes the rat well and hopes “he is living somewhere nice. Like in a cute pumpkin house!”
3rd Place - The Angel of Death
Hanul Seo from Mohammad Arif’s lab brought out the menacing spirit of “the angel of death.” His representation conveyed the idea that “Death’s own take on trick-or-treating is looking for tasty souls to harvest and spirit away,” especially by an angel holding a lantern. Hanul was inspired by artists William Holman Hunt, Edmund Dulac, and Harry Clarke.
Congratulations to all the participants from this year’s PEPS pumpkin carving contest! No two designs were alike, and each pumpkin bore extreme attention to detail that brought the theme to life.