In a previous life, Curt Pollman was an environmental research scientist and holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida (1983). His expertise was in chemical limnology, which derives from the Greek word for lakes (limnee). During his career he has focused on studying and mathematically modeling the effects of acidic deposition, mercury pollution and nutrient enrichment on wetlands, lakes and streams.
Science is very much about illuminating that which is hidden. Often that requires examining data from a different perspective, and looking for relationships that are obscured by the obvious. I believe that good photography often requires and reflects the same traits. Restated, I perceive that photography often is all about abstracting that which is important and discarding that which is extraneous and distracting. Likewise, good science has a similar challenge, and that often requires an elegant, clear solution to a problem which on the surface is rife with complexity. I would like to think that the practice of science and photography in my life has each helped inform the other and sharpen the knife of creativity.
