_edited.png)
Biology Through Art
Our Mission
Biology through Art is a collaborative network of biologists and artists that explores the integration of biology education and artistic expression. This approach builds on the demonstrated cognitive and academic benefits of art-enhanced education in biology to increase creativity, course engagement, and concept comprehension by diverse students: biology majors, non-majors, and non-traditional students. To engage learners, we emphasize immediate expression of course concepts, and encourage thinking about concepts from diverse perspectives. Biology through Art is additionally motivated by recent calls from national advisory bodies for the integration of education in the sciences with the arts and humanities, with an emphasis on the student as a scientifically literate member of society.
Photo credits: Amy Keagy, DANIEL LANG, Mike Maxwell.
InvestigatorS
Michael Maxwell
PhD Animal Behavior
Biologist
National University,
San Diego, California
Principal Investigator; Steering Committee
Ecology, animal behavior, invertebrate zoology.
Painting, drawing, sumi-e ink wash.
​
Contact
(858) 642-8413
​
Veronica
Ardi-Pastores
PhD
Biologist
National University,
San Diego, California
​
co-Principal Investigator; Steering Committee
Cancer/cell biology, microbiology, immunology, non-majors biology,
water quality.
Agar art, photography.
​
Contact
(858) 642-8647
​
Kristy Forsgren
PhD
Biologist
California State University, Fullerton
​
co-Principal Investigator; Steering Committee
Fish reproductive morphology, physiology, and endocrinology.
​
Contact
657-278-4573
​
Jennifer Landin
PhD
Biologist
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
​
co-Principal Investigator; Steering Committee
Biodiversity, ecology and evolution, sustainability.
Scientific illustration, Doodl-Ed, visual communication of science.
​
Contact
919-513-0241
​
Funding and Support
Biology through Art is funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Undergraduate Education, Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Initiative. NSF-DUE grant #2315749.​ Previous funding by NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, as part of efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action. NSF-DBI-UBE grant #2120607.
