After writing about anatomical illustrations, I stayed in graphic mode and found another great link with a story, thanks to Visuality.
The US National Science Foundation is taking submissions between Sept. 28, 2007 and May 31, 2008 for its Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge in each of five categories: photographs, illustrations, informational graphics, interactive media, and non-interactive media. The message is: to improve science literacy and the communication between science “and other citizens” through the use of illustrations. They word it so nicely:
Some of science’s most powerful statements are not made in words. From the diagrams of DaVinci to Hooke’s microscopic bestiary, the beaks of Darwin’s finches, Rosalind Franklin’s x-rays or the latest photographic marvels retrieved from the remotest galactic outback, visualization of research has a long and literally illustrious history. To illustrate is, etymologically and actually, to enlighten.
Visualization of research is another example of technical communication. STC has members who are illustrators and visual designers, in case you didn’t know. I plan to share this news with my technical communication discussion lists.