Science and Art are as similar 

as the Sonoran Desert and the Arctic

 The artificial divide that currently exists between science and art has not always existed. Some of history's most famous artists were also scientists! (Think about Leonardo da Vinci who not only created famous works of art like the Mona Lisa, but also studied anatomy and designed flying machines.) Scientists throughout history have needed to illustrate their work, and as such were also accomplished artists. (Famous polar explorers like Edward Wilson were natural historians who depicted newly-discovered organisms and landscapes through beautiful paintings.) 

The divide between science and art that treats them as 'polar opposite' disciplines is merely a modern one. In fact, these two fields actually require a similar set of skills: observation, interpretation, creativity, and communication. 

BioArt: Sonoran and Arctic Environments is an interdisciplinary project that pairs university science and art majors to conduct independent scientific research and science communication through art. Students in this course hone their skills by studying both art and science in two ecosystems that are also considered to be very different, yet in fact similar in many ways: the Sonoran Desert and the Arctic. The goal is to train a broader group of students in both disciplines and engage them in research and science communication. 

The work created in the course is the product of one of those scientist-artist teams. Their work includes the traditional scientific presentation of their research (a research poster), as well as the creative work that conveys the research through a different medium (the artwork). View their work in the Virtual Exhibit!