A bridge between science and people

By Chelsea Starr

3 Sept 2014

Sketch paintings I made while at Cocha Cashu. The small creatures fascinated me the most, as they are often overlooked. This small, vibrant frog and an impressively marked caterpillar were too cool not to draw

A lot can be learned from primary research and scientific lectures, especially in a place as rich and diverse as the Peruvian Amazon. But these methods of learning only reach a very small fraction of society.

There is a disconnect when the everyday person cannot experience a place like Cocha Cashu for themselves and have little time or interest in digging into the world of science to discover meaningful information. There needs to be a connection, a bridge. A bridge that translates the science to the society. 

That bridge is art. Art in every form. From film to dance, a painting to a song. Beautiful and significant stories can be told in a single photograph. And not only can art convey truth and the awareness of reality, but it also has the ability to unveil powerful emotions that may motivate individuals to act in a way that promotes a responsible future. 

Dano explaining the fundamentals of nature photography

Today we had the pleasure of hearing from Dano Grayson, a professional wildlife photographer. 

We learned about the basics of wildlife photography, but we were also able to practice with some pretty impressive equipment. He expressed to us that photography can be a tool for communication and validity. 

One cannot forget that sketching and photography are also classic ways to document and gather data during research.

Rylie Robles takes the opportunity to try out one of Dano’s impressive cameras

But equipment and experience aside, everyone is capable of bringing the beauty of the natural world to the public, especially with the social media available today. 

And in turn, this has the ability to create an appreciation that is vital to the collective scientific progress of society. 

One of my ink sketches,  a tree that graced itself in the middle of the station. It was an impressive example of how epiphytes and vines formed part of the  large amounts of biomass found above the Amazonian forest floor.

Chelsea Starr

I am graduating this fall with a major in Biology and a minor in Environmental Science and Resource Management. After graduation I plan on exploring the world of art a little more, specifically scientific illustration.