PWR 91MF: Art in/and Science Communication

Art and science communication share a long and intersecting history. From Galileo’s reliance on engraving and print making to convince skeptics of his observations of the moon, to the role that illustration has played for centuries in documenting and organizing our understanding of the natural world, art has helped scientists and science communicators to more effectively share their knowledge. Art forms as varied as photography, illustration, film, literature, and weaving continue to demonstrate their potential to engage both technical and public audiences in science: sparking curiosity, provoking questions and critique, and facilitating the understanding of complex ideas. This course will give students the opportunity to explore the integral role of art in science communication. We will consider not just how different artistic techniques are useful for communicating science, but also what we can learn from artists’ processes for carefully considering their audiences, and how those approaches might be adapted for science communicators working across genres.

Each week will be organized around a different form of art and the ways in which it has been used to communicate science, offering students both historical and contemporary examples that engage a range of different audiences and types of science. Readings will include case studies of artwork used to communicate science alongside brief, insightful readings from artists, historians, and science communicators that can help us interpret key examples and understand how and why art plays such an important role in science communication. For example, during a week on Scientific Illustration, on one day we might look at examples of 19th century geology illustrations alongside historian Martin Rudwick’s scholarship on the “Emergence of a Visual Language for Geological Science.” And, then for the next class on that topic, we might zoom forward in time to consider recent work by scientific illustrator Matteo Farinella alongside his short essay “Why Science Communication Needs Visuals” which considers the deliberate choices that go into skillful illustration and raises concerns about AI art. During a week focused on science communication through theater and film, we would read Copenhagen (which grapples with quantum theory), watch Wit (which explores communication of medical knowledge between doctors and patients) and read selections from Kirsten Shepher-Barr’s Science on Stage to help us understand these examples within the longer history of theater and science. 

Beyond readings, the class will make use of archives and collections on campus that offer additional examples of the intersections of science communication and art, including Buckminster Fuller’s papers in special collections, exhibitions at Cantor and the Anderson Collection, and public art and performances that engage art and science. 

In addition to weekly readings, mini-workshops on specific art practices, and discussions, you will complete a final project for the course which can be either:

(1) A review of a piece of art (or piece of science communication that relies heavily on art) that details an understanding of how the integration of art influenced the effectiveness of the science communication and engaged audiences or 

(2) A substantial piece of science communication that integrates art practice, accompanied with a reflection that describes why the art form was chosen and describes how the integration of art helps them explore the scientific topic and engage their audience.

For NSC students, either final project can be included as an artifact in your ePortfolio.