性吧导航

"All of science began with the arts,鈥� said Dr. Chris Pierret, professor and department head of biological sciences at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. 鈥淲e have the same job: We look out the window and describe the world around us. Scientists just use a different set of tools."

That philosophy was on display this summer as three 性吧导航 art students earned a combined $1,000 in awards from the Integrated Science Education Outreach (InSciEd Out) Foundation for their work in Artistic Anatomy.

The competition grew from conversations between faculty in the Department of Art and Design and the Department of Biological Sciences about creating more opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. Students were challenged to create original artwork inspired by human anatomy, blending artistic vision with scientific accuracy.

Award-winning works were created by Natalie Miller, Erin Seiter, and Seth Secrease.

Natalie drew inspiration from Psyche Revived by the Kiss of Love, Antonio Canova's celebrated marble sculpture depicting the embrace of Cupid and Psyche. "I've been back and forth between a couple of different ideas, but this has always been one of my favorite sculptures," Natalie said. Reinterpreting the work through an anatomical lens required some creative problem-solving. "The angle I wanted to show didn't fit with the reference photos I took, so I kind of had to make it as I went. But I think I know enough anatomy to figure it out."

Erin鈥檚 piece focused on the cervical vertebrae, drawing on a lifelong familiarity with the medical textbooks her father kept in his office. While working on the drawing, she said, she periodically paused to feel the bones of her own neck and clavicle, tracing the anatomy beneath the skin to better understand how the pieces interlocked.

Seth produced a film noir-inspired illustration centered on the musculature and skeletal structure of an arm. 鈥淲hen the contest came out, I thought of science class diagrams and anatomy illustrations,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen I started thinking about movie posters and comic books - the things that make this stuff feel alive.鈥�

Pierret noted that judges were drawn to the piece for its complexity. "Beyond the anatomy, you could feel the movement. You could feel the tension, and that was really attractive to us during judging," he said.

Toni Alexander, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the competition aligns beautifully with the college鈥檚 view of interdisciplinary learning as central to the study of the liberal arts.

"If you look at the old naturalists - Darwin and others - it's all drawing and sketching," said Jason Ortega, assistant professor of biological sciences. "The digitization of everything has kind of pulled us away from those roots."

鈥淪o we're trying to find ways that we can get cross-trained, so we can be better scientists by talking to artists," Pierret added. "We're trying to bring illustrative art back into the classroom as a way for students to deeply connect with plants and animals."

For Earnest Cialone, professor of art, the contest emerged from the kind of cross-campus connection he is always looking to build.

鈥淚 met Dr. Pierret in August 2025,鈥� Cialone said. 鈥淗e was new to 性吧导航, and when I learned what his field was, I asked if he would like to see some drawings from the Artistic Anatomy class from the previous spring. The work made a real connection with him and led to this contest.鈥�

The awards were supported by the Integrated Science Education Outreach Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming science education through research-based, experiential learning. Founded in 2009, InSciEd Out works with educators and students around the world to strengthen science education and foster meaningful connections between scientific inquiry and local communities.

Natalie received first place and $500, Erin received second place and $300, and Seth received third place and $200.