Department Icons for the Mellon College of Science
Icon design, Motion design | 2024The Mellon College of Science needed an updated set of simple visual markers distinguish between their four academic departments: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics. The deliverables for this project include an icon set, a use-case document, multi-format files, and animated gifs for web integration.
Opportunity
The goal was to design a set of icons, both still and animated, that clearly represented the four departments of the science college. The previous visuals in use were not scalable, lacked consistency across digital and print materials, and conflicted with CMU brand guidelines.
Action
I started by reviewing the old icons and collaborating with the communications team to identify key issues. After gathering feedback from faculty and staff about the existing designs, I developed a visual style for the new icons. I created initial drafts, incorporating feedback from each department, and refined the designs based on their input.
Challenges
Not *technically* branding
Any creative assets within a CMU Department or College could not present new “branding”, per university marketing guidelines. So, these icons needed to complement current CMU branding, without seeming to replace or stand-in for it. The icons needed to maintain a balance of distinct identity while standing to the side of CMU unitmarks and wordmarks.
Distilling down to basics
There are an overwhelming amount of subjects within each department study area, yet the goal was to identify each by a simple visual. After researching topics and soliciting feedback from university department heads, I was able to pare down each subject into a single, unified visual marker. Biological Sciences, the studies of living things was represented by DNA’s double-helix structure. Chemistry, the identification of matter’s most basic substances, indicated by a molecule. Mathematical Sciences — an abstract study of number, quantity, and space, shown as an infinitely looping fractal. Physics, the study of matter and energy — broken down into the dynamic atom.
Solution
To evolve the college’s visual language, I developed a suite of adaptable icons that represent the core pillars of scientific inquiry, visualizing each as follows:
Biological Sciences: Visualized through the foundational geometry of the DNA double-helix.
Chemistry: Represented by a molecular structure to symbolize the study of matter’s basic substances.
Mathematical Sciences: Encapsulated as an infinitely looping fractal to reflect the abstract study of quantity and space.
Physics: Refined into a dynamic atom, capturing the core relationship between matter and energy.
The icons were approved by CMU’s marketing team and implemented across the MCS website, as well as on customized templates for faculty business cards and letterheads.
This project reinforced the importance of simplicity. By streamlining the design, reducing color variations, and aligning with CMU's brand, I created clear, cohesive icons that effectively represented each department's identity.