ENHANCING VISUAL LITERACY IN SCIENCE: EXPERIENCES WITH INFOGRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATING RESEARCH

In my experience, folks are generally surprised when I tell them that I am both a scientist and an artist. In reality, I think there are a lot more scientists with an inclination toward art in many forms, including visual, than is commonly perceived. The use of specialized language and figures in many fields by more traditional forms of science communication, such as scientific papers or conference presentations, can create a barrier for the general public to current science discovery and insights. Consequently, non-scientists can be unaware of or hostile to understanding ongoing scientific insights. Because of this, I think it is important for scientists to explore their creativity when it comes to communication and incorporate art into presentations, papers, and classes. Non-traditional forms of communicating science, including succinct but accessible visual communication, can be particularly effective in reaching and engaging the broader community of which scientists are a part. I will share my own work and experiences with communicating science visually and provide tools and resources that I have found helpful in my work as an artist. I will also provide some suggestions for funding science art, useful courses for artistically inclined scientists, and other tips for engaging with non-scientists.