Illustration for Communicating Science
Tom Davis is the 2015 Illustration Intern at the California Academy of Sciences Summer Systematics Institute. Work completed during the internship will be displayed and provide an example of the use of visual tools for conveying scientific information within the scientific community. In addition, while an intern at the Academy, Tom will observe the ways in which art is used to teach science to students, and the ways that visualization is used to explain science to the public.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Tom Davis has worked as a wildlife biologist and environmental consultant for over 10 years. He credits field sketching as his formal training in wildlife biology and ecology. As an educator at the Lawrence Hall of Science and Aquarium of the Bay, Tom skipped over technical explanations and encouraged students to observe, draw, and play with their surroundings. He sees observational illustration as a place where art and science are indistinguishable yet symbiotic; visual analysis allows for intuitive understanding, while scientific accuracy lends a powerful visual legitimacy.
Illustrator/Wildlife Biologist
California College of the Arts
Tom Davis works at the intersection of natural sciences and art, combining his experiences as a wildlife biologist and illustration to communicate ideas about the natural world.
