Moving from why we communicate to improving how we do it
In this article in the journal Natural Sciences Education, faculty from Kansas State University describe a watercolor training assignment that enhanced undergraduate ornithology students’ ability to identify several species of waterfowl.
NOAA has archived a webinar focused on visual communication of research results.
Artist Mike O’Brien shares the drawing resource that has been most impactful for enhancing his ability to draw people. Read through the comments for trouble-shooting tips, if you have issues downloading the files in the linked-to article.
Carolyn Trietsch writes in Science about the significant role that regular craft-making has assumed in her entomology department at Pennsylvania State University-University Park. The article points to valuable benefits including transdisciplinary collaborations and networking across labs, art-based science communication and outreach, and entomological collections curation.
If you are working in, interested in, and/or supportive of art-science integration, this extensive list of citations curated by Art = Opportunity may be useful for your project justification, fundraising efforts, etc. Excerpt from the Art = Opportunity project website: “ART=OPPORTUNITY is a campaign started in San Diego County, funded by a grant from theRead more about Resource of the Week: Art = Opportunity (research-based talking points with citations)[…]
Excerpt from the paper Ten simple rules for drawing scientific comics: There are few scientists who haven’t heard of Randall Munroe, the artist behind the web comic “xkcd,” which features amazing graphic explanations on everything from climate change to data storage. These comics are widely appealing to a diverse audience and are posted on walls in laboratoriesRead more about Resource of the Week: 10 (ten) simple rules for drawing scientific comics[…]
Image: screenshot from the book’s website Looking for inspiration for how to communicate about the complex topics you study or work to share? We recently came across a graphic novel that might give you ideas. From the publisher: “Do you know what your brain is made of? How does memory function? What is a neuronRead more about Resource of the Week: Neurocomic (visual scicomm, inspiration)[…]
This week, Bethann Garramon Merkle responds to the #MySciComm questions!
Bethann is an artist, writer, instructor, editor, and consultant who blends visual storytelling and science communication. She’s also a SciComm Section co-founder, the section chair-elect, and our webmaster. She is passionate about a) integrating drawing into education, research, and communication efforts, and b) the role stories play in shaping public perspectives of science and ecology topics. Connect with her @CommNatural and www.ecologicallytruestory.org.
The #MySciComm series features a host of SciComm professionals. We’re looking for more contributors, so please get in touch if you’d like to write a post!
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I have my high school biology and art teachers to thank. Read more about #MySciComm: Bethann Garramon Merkle on merging art and science to enhance scicomm …
#sketchyourscience at #ESA100 settled it. This will be an #ESASciComm tradition for years to come! pic.twitter.com/Ta8YIVo5BZ
— CommNatural, MFA (@commnatural) August 17, 2015
At ESA’s annual conference/meeting (#ESA100) our section had a booth at which we encouraged folks to sketch their science.
Read more about #Sketchyourscience a hit at #ESA100…so what? …
Guest post by Bethann Garramon Merkle
Sketching in the field to complement data collection? #doodling4science #outofthebox #scicomm #ESA2014 #pinkjuniper pic.twitter.com/VxEzvMpGbn
— Pika Jo Varner (@johannavarner) August 10, 2014
There is even evidence that collaboration between scientists and artists may result in better science.
Read more about Drawn to Ecology: How sketch notes can enhance your science experience …