Embedded Files
A comic adventure in three languages: Exploring acoustic metamaterials with humor, culture, and science
The Challenge
The Challenge
When my EF929 professor, Olivier Robin, approached me about illustrating a two-page comic on his collaborative research with the University of Chile, I immediately said yes—even though the topic, acoustic metamaterials, was outside my PhD research. The goal was ambitious: create a multilingual piece (English, French, and Spanish) accessible to students from middle school to early undergrad.
What drew me in wasn’t just the science—it was the opportunity to translate complex wave physics into a playful, visual, and multilingual narrative, blending humor, analogies, and cultural references from both Chile and Québec.
Despite being in theoretical bioinformatics, I felt at home. My undergraduate years at UNAM’s CFATA exposed me to optics and material science environments, so the terminology wasn’t entirely foreign—and the storytelling potential was too rich to ignore.
Background Check & Brainstorming
Background Check & Brainstorming
To design something scientifically accurate and compelling, I started by digesting three full research papers. Here’s what I pulled out as key:
Metamaterials
Engineered, periodic structures that can control acoustic waves—amplifying, blocking, or guiding them at selected frequencies.
Band gaps
These prevent certain vibrations, enabling noise cancellation or vibration isolation.
Cantilever beams
The star of the design—simple, elegant, and everywhere in engineering, from door handles to skyscrapers.
Visual metaphors that sparked ideas:
Visual metaphors that sparked ideas:
A mythical creature (like a chimera) vs. a real one to explain how metamaterials go beyond natural capabilities.
“You shall not pass!” as a punchy line for wave-blocking band gaps.
A tribute to Chilean culture through penguins, the Andes, 31 Minutos, and Rapa Nui statues—though some were left on the sketch floor.
A leashed wave doing tricks: metamaterials as wave trainers.
Inspired by M.C. Escher’s tessellations, I imagined complex periodic patterns transforming gradually—just like acoustic structures.
I also had to make strategic choices to keep things scientifically grounded, culturally sensitive, and space-efficient—especially across three languages.
Design Decisions
Design Decisions
“How to Train Your Wave” became the narrative hook
Instead of starting with definitions, I framed the story around what we can do with waves, ending on an open-ended, imaginative twist.
Wave on a leash
A wave doing tricks was originally the opener but moved to the ending to invite the reader’s imagination.
Letting go of outdated metaphors
A wave doing tricks was originally the opener but moved to the ending to invite the reader’s imagination.
Humor with purpose
The alpaca/unicorn visual explained the metamaterial vs. material distinction in a relatable, absurd way—while also slipping in Chilean flair.
Cultural & linguistic adaptability
Translating punchlines and pacing across three languages was tough. I designed visual jokes that worked beyond words, ensuring the humor survived translation even when word counts didn’t.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
This project became more than just a comic. It was a cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural experiment in accessible science, visual translation, and narrative design. It reminded me that science communication doesn’t require simplifying the science—just reimagining the story.
See the final result
See the final result
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse