Fusion of Biology and Art

Knowledge of scientific principles and practices is vital to creating informed citizens. At its core, science helps create citizens who question the why and how of things, while also increasing knowledge of the world and beyond. Humans by nature are curious and thrive when they are engaged in learning that relates to real-world situations relevant to their lives. Unfortunately, many scientific courses are based on rote memorization and regurgitation of knowledge taught in a lecture format. Active learning, on the other hand, in co-taught non-majors biology classes has been found to be an effective methodology that allows students to more easily understand presented concepts. This paper will detail activities and student data for an elective interdisciplinary non-majors biology course taught at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Titled “The Visual Art of Biology,” this class was a collaboration between the Biology and the Art departments. It was offered in Spring 2022 and had 12 students from various majors, including graphic design, biology–pre-physician assistant, studio art, art education, and business management. The class was structured so students would learn biological con