Savannah Tallino 

 I'm an Alaskan-raised, full-time scientist working on Alzheimer's research within the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at ASU's Biodesign Institute. In my free time, I love to create science art. While not formally trained as an artist, I feel that my art is an important outlet and meaningful way for me to engage in science outreach. Science is a blend of working to uncover hidden truths and presenting those truths by storytelling; creativity underlies much of the routine problem-solving in the lab, as well as the intuitive leaps of insight that propel ideas forward. Meanwhile, art is a means to connect with others to tell a story, and can speak to "non-scientists" in a way that technical documents often cannot. I also firmly believe we all start out as both scientists and artists as children; however, some of us may forget the thrill of discovery or begin to feel self-conscious of our creative sides as we age into adulthood. Merging science and art together is a way for me to hopefully bring that childlike sense of wonder back to the forefront of your mind. 

 Original 9" x 12" Watercolor of a whimsical neuron-tree hybrid. I am fascinated with the design similarities between anatomical features and nature; neurons contain intricate, branched networks, much like the branches and roots of a tree. In a human, these branches allow the breathtaking array of connections possible between the billions of neurons that make their home within the central nervous system.

Instagram - @the_artful_biologist