September 30, 2026
Naudia Watkins, B.S. ‘26, has left a colorful legacy on the Chemical Engineering Department — a mural ascending the stairwell of Benson Hall.
The mural starts in the basement, with a sign that says “Welcome to ChemE” and a depiction of the outside of Benson Hall. “I tried to make it a little prettier,” Watkins says of the building, “but it’s still ominous.”
Watkins in front of the continuous stirred-tank reactor.
Ascending the stairs are illustrations of equipment and concepts students will see throughout their education – everything from a continuous stirred-tank reactor and a distillation column to mammalian cells and phase diagrams.
“Growing up with dyslexia, my brain is wired differently than most,” Watkins wrote in her artist statement. “Engineering is a creative outlet for my brain to solve problems in a way that brings the complexity of math with the out-of-box ideas for trying something new. In the mural, I aimed to express the diversity of chemical engineering not just as a scientific field but also as an educational experience.”
To add more color and cheer, Watkins added flowers and plants iconic to Washington and Seattle campus such as cherry blossoms, tulips and hydrangeas. The third floor features a painting of UW’s beloved mascot, Dubs. There are also hidden references to the department over the last year, including a replica of the 2025-2026 ChemE Car, and a distiller that resembles ChemE Brew Club merchandise.
Hydrangeas and hidden paw prints bring color to phase diagrams common in chemical engineering.
Watkins has also left space for future students to add to this legacy. When they graduate, each student is invited to sign their name in the pink cherry blossom trees at the top of the stairwell. She envisions students signing their names as a cohort, adding a layer of camaraderie to the new tradition.
She hopes the mural will remind future students to continue to foster their passions even as they progress in their education and careers. She hopes signing the cherry blossoms will help “keep everyone excited and remembering that they can do anything they want to do,” she says.
Creativity has always been part of Watkins’ life, she says, including drawing, painting and dance. She previously painted murals in her elementary school, and welcomed the opportunity to paint a mural in another school she attended.
“I just love growing this mural and creating it,” she says. ‘It’s such a juxtaposition to my undergrad — being a chemical engineer — to now get to paint the buildings. It’s been a blast.”