What does the intersection of science and art do for us today? How can it be implemented in the classroom?

Leonardo da Vinci is known for being an incredible artist and scientist and combining the two disciplines. He correctly drew models of the circulatory system, and noticed the difference between arteries carrying blood from the heart and veins carrying it back. He also had groundbreaking paintings because he was the first to show accurate musculature in the face and in the neck!

Drawing remains a valuable tool for natural science courses and research, but few instructors or students are confident in implementing it. BI faculty Bethann Garramon Merkle and Dr. Brian Barber, along with Dr. Matt Carling, sought to “explain how art makes sense in a science space” today. Together they found that training by an artist helps instructors overcome concerns about integrating art, and that drawing training enhances students' capacity to use drawing as a learning tool. The artist‐facilitated training can also reconnect natural scientists at all career levels to drawing as a valuable, professional tool.

Lead author Bethann said their main goal is to “share this approach - that’s been working well for us - with other instructors. The publication is open-access, so we hope to also share it with K-12 instructors.”

Their results were published in a university-focused issue of Natural Sciences Education. To read the final, open-access paper, “Drawn to Natural History: Enhancing Field Courses with Drawing and Field Journal Instruction,” visit https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20019. Feel free to also contact Bethann at bmerkle@uwyo.edu. 

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