In the Spring we were contacted by a student called Caitlin who was studying fine arts in London. She was looking for networking and work experience opportunities in the sci-arts sector over the summer before starting a Masters in Biology in September.
We are always keen to meet people who are interested in cross-disciplinary approaches and to share the SAW methodology with them. After a zoom chat it was decided that the best route forward was to invite Caitlin to join a SAW team as the artist.
We really enjoyed working with Caitlin and hope she might come back and work with us again sometime!
Here’s her take on the experience!
Joining a SAW Team
I am a London based student and so planning for the project with the Norwich team started off remotely. Despite being online, the meetings contained lots of energy and enthusiasm and I felt welcomed into the creative project development right away.
Discussions about the lesson plan for the project day were super interesting as individuals of different career backgrounds put forward their ideas and shared their unique outlook.
Commonalities and synergies emerged between the different disciplines such as teaching scientific terms and using new vocabulary in creative writing and personally, I loved the prospect of developing ways of explaining and teaching science through the creativity and freedom of art.
Getting to grips with the science to inform my art process
I was really happy to have a debrief chat with Emily, a PhD student from the lab on the project, where I learned a lot about plant immunity and the aims of the Banfeild group’s research.
As I was trying to make sense of complex biological systems acting in plant defense I started to imagine a sequence and a story with different characters in the push and pull between pathogen and plant. I realised this could be a way to explain plant science to the children as well so I went about designing more fully fledged superheroes and villains. Jenni and Chris loved the idea and on our next zoom call we developed the rest of the activities and produced a lesson plan with lots of links between art activities and scientific themes.
Arriving in Norwich!
When I First arrived in Norwich Jenni picked me up from the station and we had a lovely conversation about her work and career on the way to SAW’s headquarters at the John Innes Centre.
Once we got there Jenni showed me around and introduced me to colleagues and scientists as we gathered materials ready for the project day. It was great to see all the plant research in situ and some of the odd-looking equipment and scientific instruments.
I loved visiting Jenni’s Tetris office with stacks of arts and crafts supplies, mini microscopes and oodles of felt tip pens. That evening the team met for dinner at a local pub and I got to know Chris, the other artists, and the PhD students from JIC better.
The SAW day
The next morning was an early start, and I was feeling a little nervous for the day ahead but also excited to deliver the project and see how it gelled with what the writer and scientists had planned.
The kids were lovely and were truly engaged throughout the day which was so wonderful to see. It was hard work to remain entertaining and in teacher mode the whole time and I was a little scared standing in front of the class at first but encouragement from my colleagues and seeing the kids having fun put my mind at ease. The activities went really well, and the writing and artwork created were very impressive.
We ended the day by curating the 2D and 3D art pieces as a mini exhibition of the learning and creativity achieved by the students.
Reflecting back
Overall, delivering the project was so fulfilling. I learnt a lot during my time with SAW from a more in-depth understanding of plant immunity, planning and facilitating good student engagement, working in interdisciplinary focus groups to creating lesson plans. I do hope to get involved with the charity again as I pursue the next stage of my education in science as I am keen to keep an artistic outlook and a passion for wider engagement.
Main image: SAW team photo with (left to right) Josh Williams (JIC), Mark Banfield (JIC), Chris Hann (artist), Andy McDonnell (writer), Emma Turley (JIC), Josh Bennett (JIC) and SAW Intern Caitlin Lynch.
