Volunteer
Help GNSI thrive

Volunteer Now!

Image credit: Tanya Young, member since 2012

Help Move Us Forward

We can’t do this alone! We need YOU!


GNSI is a 501(c)(3) organization run by volunteers. We put on a Visual SciComm Conference for between 150-300 people each year with affordable workshops and presentations from industry leaders. We produce a beautiful image-forward journal that offers insights into projects, techniques and trends in the field three times a year. We create a monthly newsletter and host a job board to keep you updated on the latest news and opportunities. We do this because we care about visual science communication and believe our continued success hinges on how we support each other as we learn, share and grow. 

Why volunteer?

meet colleagues


Visual science communicators are often the only one with their skills and interests in the room. GNSI volunteer opportunities are a great way to meet and work with other like-minded individuals.


give back


If you’ve learned from the affordable and accessible world-class workshops and conferences GNSI puts on, consider giving back and supporting what we do by volunteering your time.


learn valuable skills


 Many of the GNSI volunteer positions allow you to gain and practice critical new skills that just might help you land that next job! Examples include marketing, copyediting, layout and design. 

Image credit: Sara McCormick, member since 2021

Volunteer Opportunities

so many ways to contribute:

  • VISUAL SCICOMM GALLERY

    CONFERENCE PLANNING: organize and run in-person and online conferences

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  • Image © Chris Bickel

    2023 MEMBERS' EXHIBIT

    EDUCATION FUND GRANTS COMMITTEE: evaluate applications to our small grants program

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  • JOURNAL OF NATURAL SCIENCE ILLUSTRATION

    JOURNAL OF NATURAL SCIENCE ILLUSTRATION: help produce GNSI's premier periodical

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  • Image © Chris Bickel

    VISUAL SCICOMM GALLERY

    GNSI'S WORKSHOP SERIES: organize and run valuable continuing education workshops

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  • Image © Chris Bickel

    2023 MEMBERS' EXHIBIT

    ACCESSIBILITY COMMITTEE: advise the Board and run the grants process for our Accessibility Grant Fund

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  • JOURNAL OF NATURAL SCIENCE ILLUSTRATION

    ONLINE TEAM: shape GNSI's online presence through web, social, and member communications

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    LOCAL CHAPTERS & GROUPS: organize local events 

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  • Online Team

    Our Online Team manages our web presence. In today's connected world, this team is  indispensible as they update our website, send out newsletter communications, manage our social media accounts, and help troubleshoot membership portal issues. 



    Social Media Manager

    Jenn Deutscher


    Newsletter Editor

    Sarah Creekmill


    Webmaster

    Rebecca Gelernter


    Web Editor

    vacant

  • Journal Editorial Team

    The Journal Team is responsible for creating an average of three published journals each year. This highly productive team invites authors to contribute articles, then copyedits, designs and lays out the journal before sending it to our publisher to be sent to membership. Volunteers in these roles gain valuable skills in art direction, production management, editing, copyediting, layout, and design.


    Managing Editor: 

    vacant


    Production Editor: 

    Fiona Martin


    Senior Consulting Editor: 

    Britt Griswold


    Layout Editor: 

    Sarah McNaboe


    Layout Designer:

    Autumn Von Plinsky


    Technical Editor: 

    Caitlin O'Connell


    Content Editors: 

    Kathleen Garness

    Anna McGaraghan

    Julianne Snider

    Laura Sohl-Smith

    Cheryl Wendling


    Post-Production:

    Jennifer Lucas

    Olivia V. Ambrogio

    Gail Guth

    Jennifer Wang


  • Education Fund Granting Committee

    The Education Fund Granting Committee meets twice a year to evaluate applications for funding from the Education Fund. Under the direction of the Education Director on the Board, they award grants up to $1500 to project proposals submitted by members. Applications are due April 1 and October 1 of each year. To learn more, visit our Education Fund information page.


    Chair: 

    Gloria Fuentes, Education Director


    Members: 

    Lucy Gagliardo

    Nancy Hart

    MaryBeth Hinrichs

    Frank Ippolito

    Christina Spence Morgan

    Kimberley Moss

    Laura Gleason

  • Workshop Series Team

    Throughout the year, GNSI offers valuable professional development workshops for all levels. The Workshop Series Team works with our Education Director to plan and run these important events.


    2024 Workshop Series Team:

    Gloria Fuentes

    Lilly Eluvathingal Linden

  • Visual SciComm Conference Planning Team

    The GNSI Visual SciComm Conference is our biggest event of the year, drawing hundreds of people from all over the world. In years when we meet in person, conference teams of up to 20 people coalesce in a concentrated geographical region to put on a conference for up to 200 people from around the country. Every other year, we hold our conference online, allowing us to engage a much broader audience and speaker line-up - the sky's the limit! Conference teams manage everything from programming to registration to the annual auction and Juried Members' Exhibit.  


    2023 Planning Team:


    Presentations Lead: Jen Christiansen

    Presentations Support: Lilly Linden

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    Logo: Mesa Shumacher

    Portfolio Sharing & Tweetstorm: Jenn Deutscher

    Juried Members' Exhibit: Jess Sorensen, Gloria Fuentes, Kalliopi Monoyios

    Jurors: Alex Warnick, Beth Zaiken, Joris de Raedt, Anna Kaye

    Host: Sara Taliaferro

    Event Admins: Morgan McCullin, Mark Kesling, Britt Griswold

    Tech Team: Deb Shaw, Lilly Linden, yyy, Cordelia Norris

    Website: Andrew McAfee

    Grants Committee: Marla Coppolino, Elizabeth Morales

    Merchandise: Caitlin O'Connell

    Newsletter: Trenton Jung

    Additional Support: Joel Floyd






  • Exhibit Team

    Most years, the GNSI's Annual Juried Members' Exhibit takes place under the larger umbrella of conference planning. In 2024, however, we conducted the exhibit separately. 


    2024 Exhibit Team

    Smita Debnath

    Nadya Steare

    Kalliopi Monoyios


    2024 Jurors

    William Westwood, MS, CMI

    Amanda Konishi

    Dr. Joanna Butler

    Giovanni Aloi

  • Conference Oversight Committee

    The Conference Oversight Committee (COC) consists of volunteers who have experience putting on conferences in past years. They help guide the current team of conference planners and look ahead to recruit future planning teams. 


    Chair: Open


    COC Team A: 


    COC Team B:

  • Accessibility Committee

    The Accessibility Committee advises the Board on policies that might further our efforts to make GNSI open to people from all walks of life. As part of this work, they run the application process for grants from our newly founded Accessibility Grants Fund.


    Accessibility Committee:

    Marla Coppolino

    Elizabeth Morales

  • Nominations & Awards Committee

    The Nominations & Awards Committee help the Board identify individuals who are qualified for leadership positions within the organization. They also nominate and distribute awards to members who have gone above and beyond in making GNSI the vibrant institution it is to this day.

Image credit: Mafalda Paiva, member since 2011

Interested in volunteering?


Drop us a line:

Volunteer Inquiry Form (Volunteer page)

Image credit: Erin Hunter, member since 2005