About Us
Image credit: Sayo Studio, member since 2003
HISTORY
GNSI began when a small group of illustrators at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, convened in 1968 over a series of luncheons organized by Carolyn Bartlett Gast and Elaine R.S. Hodges. By December of that year they had written GNSI’s first constitution and chose Larry Isham as their president.
The original group connected illustrators working in different departments of the Smithsonian and allowed them to share techniques and ideas. Their frequent meetings soon blossomed into a published newsletter which became the seeds of several GNSI staples today: the Journal of Natural Science Illustration, the Education Series Workshops, and The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration.
GNSI Today
GNSI is a global non-profit professional organization for all artists who work in the realm of visual science communication, from illustration, animation, and comics to museum exhibits, photography, printmaking, video, and many others. We welcome U.S. members and international members with expertise in life and earth sciences, ranging from astronomy to molecular biology.
The GNSI community is supportive, generous, passionate and energetic. Our 55-year history is a rich legacy in which new and seasoned members can participate. We provide professional development opportunities through educational workshops, publications, an annual conference, exhibits, and networking opportunities. We maintain high standards of competence and professional ethics by increasing communication among our members. We also seek to promote understanding of visual science communication among the public and potential clients.
Image credit: Jenn Beachler, member since 2023
OUR MISSION
The GNSI connects professionals who promote, educate and celebrate the visual communication of science.
OUR VISION
We are an association of individuals who communicate science visually and clarify scientific ideas. GNSI brings together these individuals and provides networking and professional development opportunities.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is made up of accomplished visual science communicators who believe in the importance of lifting up other professionals in the field. They share a conviction that science education and science literacy are made more accessible when visual arts are employed in the service of science. Board members are elected by our community and serve two-year terms, with the exception of President-Elect and Past-President (each serves a 1 year term). Are you motivated and interested in serving the GNSI community in this way? See all of our volunteer opportunities.
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Volunteer Committees
Image credit: Mafalda Paiva, member since 2011
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Image credit: Claudia Roman, member since 2021