FRS 002I —
Sec. 001 —
(2 units) — CRN 55906 — W 2:10-4:00pm — 158 Briggs
Scientific Illustration in Public Murals
Instructor: Diane Ullman, Department of Entomology, College
of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences
Description: This course will teach use of
scientific illustration
to convey concepts in insect biology, natural history and
insect-human interactions.
Students will be taught elements of design, drawing, research
strategies for developing
an illustrative concept and the specific techniques needed to implement a large
scale public mural. The goal of this course is to teach students how scientific
observation and experimentation is fused with art. The focus will be on the use
of graphics in large scale public murals to convey concepts in insect biology,
natural history and insect interactions with humans. Students will
learn how to:
a) design a public mural; b) develop a proposal for acceptance; and,
c) implement
the mural. Hence, the course content will involve instruction in basic elements
of design, scientific illustration, development of research on insect biology
and natural history as it relates to concept development and technical aspects
of implementing a mural. A significant amount of time in the course
will be involved
in actual implementation of a large-scale public mural designed by
the students.
Sarina Jepsen, a graduate student in Entomology will assist
significantly in this
effort.
Format: Students will have to use time outside the classroom
to research and design their proposals (due Week 3). Actual completion of the
mural may require effort outside the scheduled contact hours. Our expectation
is that each student in this course may need to spend 2-4 hours
spread over weeks
4-10 of additional time on the mural. We plan to work with the Davis Community
in placing this mural in a location that will benefit and educate the public.
If we are successful in this, students will work in a public location
during weeks
4-10. If we don’t find a site in the community at large, a wall
is committed
for this purpose in the Department of
Entomology.Grading:
Students will receive half their grade based on their proposals (50%
of the assignment
will be a written and illustrated mural proposal and 50% will be an
oral presentation
of the proposal). The other half of their grade will be based on
their participation
in implementing the mural.
About the Instructor: Professor Diane E. Ullman is a member of
the faculty in the Department of Entomology. Her research interests
revolve around
insects that transmit plant viruses. Her emphasis has been on
understanding mechanisms
underlying insect acquisition of semi-persistently transmitted
viruses and viruses
that have a circulative relationship with their insect vector and revealing the
role of insects in virus evolution and genetic diversity. Current
projects include
understanding the role of aphids in Citrus tristeza virus evolution and spread
and searching for a thrips receptor for tospoviruses. Dr. Ullman also
has a strong
interest in developing new strategies for providing science education
and pioneered
the use of art to teach concepts in entomology.