Science and art may seem as collaborative as oil and water, but they actually mix quite well. According to Dr. Jerome Kagan, of Harvard, the arts supplement the sciences by using motor skills, perceptual representation and language that improve the understanding of self and the world. Science regularly meets art in several career choices that may surprise you.
The Culinary Arts
Many educators and researchers take a scientific approach to the culinary arts, including New York's Culinary Institute of America. Its cross-disciplinary scholarly work is rooted in science, exploring new solutions to food-service problems. This includes researching how menu descriptions affect purchases; the effects of the restaurant environment on perceived food quality; flavor discovery; scientific queries on food and beverage pairings; and the development of recipes that reduce trans-fats without affecting quality. One collaboration between Thierry Marx, double-Michelin-star chef, and Jerome Bibette, colloid scientist, led to an inhale-able chocolate product that provides a craving-satisfying mist of low-calorie chocolate.
Video Game Design
Video game designers imagine pretty much everything in the video game. They decide what goes into it, how it functions and what facilitates the best function for all users. They also need to know how to, or work with people capable of, programming. Designers create the plot, characters, worlds and game-play and use skills rooted in computer science to make their designs function in the game. Designers use scripting languages to control applications and test their ideas in the game world. Working in game development is a good choice for people interested in computer science, information technology and artistic expression.
Architecture
Architects employ both artistic and scientific expertise to design aesthetically and environmentally sound structures. When an architect has an idea for a design, she uses computer design programs to draft architectural drawings and blueprints. She then meets with clients to create construction plans and go over the budget. Architects employ artistic sensibility to create beauty of form, adaptation and connection. They use the logic of science to perform exact measurements and implement their designs in a possible space.
Scientific Illustration and Animation
Science illustrators and animators work with scientific researchers to design illustrations and animations that point out key concepts for an audience. Science illustrators create more than simply graphs and charts, and use animation as a tool to understand the complexities of scientific concepts. Many science illustrators brand and market scientific institutions through their images. They contemplate how to display scientific data in technical documents or in presentations. Many scientific illustrators work on a freelance basis or start their own business.
References
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Architects
- Chemical and Engineering News: Where Art Meets Science
- Scientific American: From STEM to STEAM - Science and the Arts Go Hand in Hand
- MIT Admissions: Combining The Arts and The Sciences
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Work For Play - Careers in Video Game Development
- Harvard Magazine: A Laboratory for Mixing Art and Science
Writer Bio
Johnny Kilhefner is a writer with a focus on technology, design and marketing. Writing for more than five years, he has contributed to Writer's Weekly, PopMatters, Bridged Design and APMP, among many other outlets.