Augusta University’s Medical Illustration graduate program has completed a six-week project in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), where students created visual materials to explain animal anatomy for use in public education.
The collaboration involved nine third-year and one fourth-year undergraduate student, who developed infographic posters and presentation slides focusing on topics such as turkeys, ducks’ plumage and digestive systems, chronic wasting disease in deer, antler development, largemouth bass, and trout. These resources will be used by DNR staff in community outreach across Georgia.
Amanda Behr, PhD, department chair and professor at Augusta University (AU), highlighted the importance of practical experience for students. “One of the most common questions I receive whenever I’m giving recommendations is ‘How fast can they produce? How long will it take them to get up to speed to a professional level?’ As much as we can provide opportunities like this, I think it gets them not only that concept of the steps of working with a client but also practicing their skills of working with a client. They know they’re working with an educational group, and so we can train them how to interact professionally.”
Cory Bohannon from the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division participated in the project by teaching students about fish biology and conservation issues. He noted that some illustrations addressed Georgia’s status as a chronic wasting disease state. “I think as a team we can come up with something great. Not only will it help me with my education programs and further develop the youth and getting people outdoors, but it will also help them understand the inside of nature,” Bohannon said. “They got to see what we do as an agency, with Wildlife Resource Division and Law Enforcement Division. It comes full circle. We’re all working together for the same goal.”
Bohannon also discussed how using illustration helps clarify complex biological processes for diverse audiences: “Not everyone is an outdoors person, so there’s going to be misconceptions,” he said. “It’s exciting to know people are going to get a high level of education, but, in a very simplistic way of having an illustrator in front of them, part A affects part B, C and D all throughout the system. I think anything you can bring to people, whether they’re outdoorsmen or not, may catch their interest.”
Chalisa Fabillar, area manager for McDuffie Public Fishing Area and Hatchery at Georgia DNR and AU alumna, explained that collaborations like this offer research opportunities that her agency cannot always support due to limited resources. “The research opportunities that we have out here for students and for professors are kind of limitless,” Fabillar said. “At Georgia DNR, we have many topics that we’ve explored, but we don’t have the resources to put toward them because of the workload that we have. With this particular collaboration with the medical illustration students and what they’re going to be doing, they’re seeing a project start to finish and what it looks like.”
Mandy Root-Thompson joined AU as a professor in August after years as a self-employed medical illustrator. She described how fieldwork during this project helped students generate ideas: “I think, from my perspective, I love the idea that it gets them out in the field doing research, and I hope that in the future it teaches them that instead of just going to anatomy atlases, books and internet for resources, that they learn that they can go out in the field and find and talk with the experts, learn and experiment with it themselves,” she said.
Bohannon attended four meetings with students during which he reviewed their concept drawings: “Having this experience outside of law enforcement and a lot of what we do is conservation through education, just being able to experience this kind of collaboration has been a fantastic opportunity,” Bohannon said. “Not only have I learned things, but it seems the medical illustration class has been able to learn as well.
“I didn’t know what I was getting into when I got the call to be a part of this… It’s been such a pleasure seeing the students heavily involved and focused… Every one of them has had positive feedback… As a Georgia game warden…it’s an honor to help provide an experience that bridges wildlife conservation, law enforcement and the art of scientific illustration.”
First-year student Lily Jordan worked on deer antler growth illustrations: “I am really glad to have the opportunity to come out here and do something out in nature… Getting an understanding of practical applications… is important… Coming out here… gives us valuable insight into the process…”
Augusta University is one of only four institutions nationwide offering graduate-level medical illustration programs.
