Excite. Educate. Empower.
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Alice Chen Kitterman
Degrees: M.Sc. BMC 1997, University of Toronto.
B.S. Chemistry (Completed requirements to earn a B.A. in Studio Arts) 1993, The College of William and Mary. Memberships: Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) aychen_702@yahoo.com |
Hi! I'm Alice, Scientific Illustrator contracted to the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).
Ever since I can remember, I was always drawing, or making things out of construction paper, empty jars, egg cartons, and whatever I could swipe from my dad's desk. Growing up in a family of scientists, my interest in science was strong, but my love for creating and storytelling was greater. And though I never saw myself as a researcher, I ended up in a lab after graduating college, where the people with whom I worked changed the course of my life.
Ever since I can remember, I was always drawing, or making things out of construction paper, empty jars, egg cartons, and whatever I could swipe from my dad's desk. Growing up in a family of scientists, my interest in science was strong, but my love for creating and storytelling was greater. And though I never saw myself as a researcher, I ended up in a lab after graduating college, where the people with whom I worked changed the course of my life.
At NSF, I create conceptual illustrations to promote NSF-supported events such as this one in an upcoming panel discussion at SXSW on March 14, 2023. If you're headed to Austin, check it out! https://schedule.sxsw.com/2023/events/PP128351
Design and layout by Lily Le/NSF; Illustration by Alice Kitterman/NSF.
Design and layout by Lily Le/NSF; Illustration by Alice Kitterman/NSF.
I've also began creating visuals for their Science Matters articles (check out the Animation section for more details), the latest of which I delivered a package of visuals that coordinate with the color palette of the photos. The suite included this conceptual hero illustration, a huge departure from my regular straight-up science stuff, plus a 2-part infographic, each with its own animated component:
https://beta.nsf.gov/science-matters/bubble-bursting-causality-revealing-awesomeness-randomized-controlled-trials?
https://beta.nsf.gov/science-matters/bubble-bursting-causality-revealing-awesomeness-randomized-controlled-trials?
Prior to working for NSF, I was a Scientific Illustrator for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), cranking out 2D and 3D artwork for the flagship print journal Science and the online journals Translational Medicine, Signaling, Immunology, and Robotics.
In December 2021, I wrote an editorial for Science Robotics, which has recently been made free (forever!) to access:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abn1724
I wrote several blogs detailing my trials and tribulations in creating effective scientific communications:
Reexamining "re" in the creative process:
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/vis/2021/02/05/reexamining-re-in-the-creative-process/
And...action! Animating illustrations for Instagram:
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/vis/2020/07/17/and-action-animating-illustrations-for-instagram/
To 3D or not to 3D:
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/vis/2019/11/25/to-3d-or-not-to-3d/
In December 2021, I wrote an editorial for Science Robotics, which has recently been made free (forever!) to access:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abn1724
I wrote several blogs detailing my trials and tribulations in creating effective scientific communications:
Reexamining "re" in the creative process:
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/vis/2021/02/05/reexamining-re-in-the-creative-process/
And...action! Animating illustrations for Instagram:
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/vis/2020/07/17/and-action-animating-illustrations-for-instagram/
To 3D or not to 3D:
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/vis/2019/11/25/to-3d-or-not-to-3d/
And in 2021, I was invited to "virtually speak" at several conferences listed below, on the processes I've developed to create graphic abstracts hastily, that would still effectively communicate the science:
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