This year at vEGU21 we have a whole range of brilliant science-art activities, events and sessions taking place over the two weeks to entertain, educate and inspire you! From the special session on the Art-Science interface, EOS 7.4 to the Kids Art initiative being run by our Cryospheric Science and Natural Hazards Divisions, the #ActualLivingScientist gallery, to show the diversity of people and research that makes up our community, to the vote for the 2021 EGU Photo Competition winners, and the many pop-up networking events, Sci-Art is liberally scattered through the General Assembly this year, a testiment to the creativity and imagination of our members.
Kelly Stanford, one of the conveners of the Art-Science interface session, and one of our four Artists (not) in Residence is excited for the two weeks of interaction with other researchers and scientists:
I’m really looking forward to seeing the diversity in topics across the conference and meeting the authors behind them! Integrating science with art is important for a number of reasons. One of which is that it helps break down stereotypes – humanising the subject by giving it a more approachable form (art) and helping open wider discussion between experts and the public. I’m hoping with the work I create at this year’s EGU conference I’m able to capture this in my sci-portraits that strive to combine scientist portraits with their research visually.
The place to go to find all our Sci-Art in one place in the Virtual Conference Centre is the EGUart room, but of course you can also find lots of it on social media – just make sure you search using the hashtag #EGUart! When searching the pop-up networking programme use the filter for science-art to see all the special science-art focused networking events being organised.
One of our main highlights as with any year, are the Artists (not) in Residence. This year we are delighted to have four wonderful artists sharing their work in a gallery in the conference centre, but also through the week we will be collecting and sharing their work here in the vEGU21 Artists (not) in Residence gallery, so keep checking back to find your favourite!
Stacy Phillips @Shtacy_Phillips 
Stacy is a self-described ‘Lego photographer’ who illustrates her own research using still images and stop-motion animations of the minifigures and bricks. She will be photographing Lego scenes that are based on new research presented at the conference and will also engage with interested meeting attendees to create a series of ‘Lego scientist portraits’. Stacy returns to the EGU General Assembly after sharing her brilliant Lego illustrations with us last year, at #shareEGU20.
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- Image credit: Stacy Phillips, EGU Artist (not) in Residence 2021.
Andy Emery @AndyDoggerBank 
Andy is a Scottish-based geologist, geophysicist, climber, and creative writer working for Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions. A specialist in reconstructing past landscapes, Emery uses poetic prose to help communicate the latest research to other geoscientists and the public to help them understand why the work that geoscientists do is so important for addressing societal challenges.
Escalating geoscience – 26 April 2021
Nature-based harmony – 28 April 2021
Deep time, deep circulation, deep thinking – 29 April 2021
Atmospheric rivers – 29 April 2021
Kaleidoscopic ice – 30 April 2021
Plastic problems, hurdles and nurdles – 30 April 2021
Kelly Stanford @TheLabArtist 
Kelly is a Manchester, UK-based science communicator and geography MSc student from the University of Hull’s Energy and Environment Institute who uses the visual arts and other exciting interdisciplinary methods to help scientists worldwide communicate their work to the wider public. Her thesis is investigating how art and tabletop games can be used to enhance public understanding of flood risk, resilience, and climate-change topics. Stanford plans to create a series of “Sci-portraits” (portraits that fuse the scientists with their research) of geoscientists participating in the meeting. Along with Dan Parsons and Kostya Novoselov, she is also convening the hybrid research/art Education and Outreach Session Exploring the Art-Science Interface, which aims to showcase research and art collaboration alongside one another.
Kelly has also created the illustrations for the EGU Colouring Book vEGU21 edition!
Priyanka das Rajkakti @PriyankaSpace 
Priyanka is a hobby artist who creates artwork using a wide variety of mediums, including acrylics and pastels as well as origami. At the meeting, she will focus on producing digital artwork. Priyanka, who recently completed an analogue-astronaut simulation at HI-SEAS Hawaii and will be conducting fieldwork in Antarctica, has found a unique venue for her creations: the European Space Agency will be sending her first algorithmic image, NightSky, to the Moon in 2022.
