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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

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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.

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Contact

mmaxwell@nu.edu

(858) 642-8413

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    Veronica
    Ardi-Pastores

    PhD 

    Biologist

    National University,

    San Diego, California

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    co-Principal Investigator; Steering Committee

     

    Cancer/cell biology, microbiology, immunology, non-majors biology, 

    water quality.  

     

    Agar art, photography.

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    Contact

    vardi@nu.edu

    (858) 642-8647

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      Kristy Forsgren

      PhD

      Biologist

      California State University, Fullerton

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      co-Principal Investigator; Steering Committee

       

      Fish reproductive morphology, physiology, and endocrinology.

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      Contact

      kforsgren@fullerton.edu

      657-278-4573

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        Jennifer Landin

        PhD

        Biologist

        North Carolina State University, Raleigh 

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        co-Principal Investigator; Steering Committee

         

        Biodiversity, ecology and evolution, sustainability.

         

        Scientific illustration, Doodl-Ed, visual communication of science.

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        Contact

        jmlandin@ncsu.edu

        919-513-0241

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          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.

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