Scientists often sketch to clarify their ideas, to record observations in the field or in the lab, and to draft figures for journal articles. Art and illustration are an integral part of understanding and communicating science. Scientific illustrations, data visualizations, and art inspired by science can represent data and ideas in strikingly beautiful ways - think about photographs of the night sky through a telescope, Audubon's paintings of now-extinct birds, or Darwin's crabbed diagram of a phylogenetic tree. And yet, drawing is often left out of science education.

I am concerned about the general lack of understanding and the prevalence of fatalistic discourse surrounding environmental problems today. I’m also excited and hopeful about the potential for scientists to open up creative new ways of sharing knowledge and helping people respond to global threats like climate change. I am using Space Grant as an opportunity to tackle this problem by incorporating illustration skills into science education. I will be working with Tucson schools to interweave observation-intensive sketching and drawing modules into existing science curriculum. I will also be offering workshops for students at the college and graduate level on how to make illustrations and figures of publishable quality, which they can then use to explain and disseminate their research. Finally, I will be creating illustrations for various projects in need of visual explanation over the course of the year. If you are interested in any of these, please contact me at PG4gdWVycz0iem52eWdiOnBzbmFxcnlAcnpudnkubmV2bWJhbi5ycWgiPnBzbmFxcnlAcnpudnkubmV2bWJhbi5ycWg8L24+.