#7 -- like the art but perhaps should be stylized to more closely resemble a sun (pointed tips on the starburst? 8 points instead of 6? right now it looks more like an orange snowflake). also, we like the orange/grey color combo on the text here better than the orange/light orange combo that you used elsewhere.
#8 -- this art reminds us too much of an RSS feed
#9 -- this art is actually very similar to the art that's in the logo used by Agilent Technologies, who manufacture analytical equipment used by us and many of our colleagues...might appear to them that we're ripping off Agilent, since they are all familiar with Agilent.
Would it be possible to make the edges on the font a little sharper, not so rounded off?
Yes, we like the new look of the letters and sunburst!
Half of our research focus involves batteries...lithium batteries for applications such as all-electric vehicles. The solar half of the research is well-represented in this graphic, but if you can think of another abstract mark that could represent the battery half that would really put this logo at the top of our ranks.
I can see what you are going for and I can absolutely continue to tweak this logo and incorporate the additions you mentioned. I didn't want to move forward without sharing some thoughts, in my professional understanding of logo development. When a logo tries to say too much there is a fine line where it can begin to in fact lose it's power. This logo burst image is simple and clean and captures the overall feel and field of your work. The burst to me is subtle and represents energy as a whole. A final note, the most recognizable logos are simple, because they are easy to recall and because they elicit a feeling. A logo doesn't necessarily need to be the whole story, it's best if it elicits a feeling and is a brushstorke of an idea that draws people in to find out more.
In the context of the particular logo that you've developed, we do agree with what you are saying--less is more for your chosen graphic. We think the addition of the lightning bolt and battery made the logo a little too cartoonish, and overloaded.
#23 continues to be one of our top choices. The only thing holding us back is that for some of our voting committee, the appearance of this starburst reminds them of a laser rather than solar energy. You can use that thought as insipiration for additional tweaks if you'd like.
Just to see a color variation, can we please see a design where CST is orange and another color (a blue or grey) is used for EFRC?
Some of the voting committee feel that it's more appropriate for CST to be orange, because the CST part is the part that is unique to U. Texas, and thus is makes sense to have that part be the Texas color. (There are 45 other EFRCs in the US.) We'd just like to see how your logo would look with that color swap.
i think this icon is my favorite - think it say solar - energy - charge. not sure i like the color as much as the original - let me know your thoughts.