Collaboration across different fields is an important part of our work as biologists and something we are very proud of doing at the Natural History Museum. This spring, two of us at CEG were asked to take part in an educational project bringing together two areas that rarely meet: art and science. Combining them led to Visual Science, a project aiming to translate natural science research into engaging visual communication and exhibition‑ready posters.
Researchers at the museum were paired with students from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Art Direction from Westerdals Department of Creativity and Design. The students got an assignment to develop and produce an exhibition based on research projects from NHM. Each student was asked to design a poster about a specific project, which would be mounted on a stand and exhibited in the Botanical Garden. As researchers, we contributed with a simple brief about our own research, acting as potential customers for future art directors.
The students had two weeks to complete the assignment, and throughout this time we provided feedback on their poster drafts and clarification on the scientific content. It was challenging but interesting to answer questions that made us look into our research in a different way than we are used to. Thinking about our projects in a simpler way helped us gain a different perspective on them and their relevance to society.
The exhibition was inaugurated on June 8th, and so far it has been a success! Both students and researchers were thrilled with the results, and everyone agreed it was a fruitful collaboration.
We got support in communicating our research visually and accessibly to a wider audience. The dialogue with the students led us back to the core of our research, rediscovering why it matters and the future impacts it may have. And finally, we got excellent finished posters that we can use for conferences, events and public dissemination.
The students gained experience working with real-world briefs, real stakeholders and complex academic content. They were also trained in how to use design as a strategic communication tool, to prioritise ideas, and to collaborate across disciplines.
Furthermore, the project strengthened dialogue between academia, artistic research and the public, creating mutual value, learning and understanding across fields.
We hope NHM will continue this collaboration in the coming years!
