About the Logo

The logo for ICQ9 includes the as-grown structures for decagonal and icosahedral quasicrystals. Researchers at Ames Laboratory are well-known for their ability to grow large quasicrystals. As Iowa is known for growing corn, a secondary interpretation is that the decagonal shape represents the grain silos found throughout Iowa and the yellow decagon represents a kernel of corn. Both sit upon the green rolling hills seen in Iowa in the spring. The logo was drawn by Melissa Meyers, currently a graduate student in graphics arts in Savanna, Georgia USA.