How does your project communicate the relationship between the environment and health?

This piece is meant to initially catch the eye of the beholder through the bright colors of the bacteria on each of the hands. As the viewer moves closer, they begin to notice the names of several bacteria that have been identified as a part of their microbiome. Hard to spot for a viewer looking at the piece in daylight, the entire piece is covered with glow-in-the-dark painted bacteria, symbolizing both an entire world of bacteria that exists in the environment as well as how much we have yet to learn about the microbiome's power and influence. I chose to depict several hands approaching each other because I wanted to show how everyone's microbiome is different based on the experiences we have had in our different environments. If you look carefully, some hands have microbes that others are missing and vise versa. I also wanted to symbolize collaboration between scientists studying the microbiome as the field continues to grow and make huge contributions to medicine.

Who is your target audience?

My target audience is anyone who is interested in biology, medicine, or STEM in general but who isn’t necessarily familiar with the microbiome or its importance. I want people to want to explore the microbiome after looking at this piece. I also I hope to inspire the next generation of scientists to consider using their skills to further explore the microbiome and hopefully find innovative methods for curing disease.

As an Ambassador, how do you plan to share your message with your target audience?

I will be displaying this art piece at ISB and/or the P4 Medicine Institute, where anyone interested in experiencing preventative, personalized, predictive, and participatory medicine can view this piece and consider learning more about their microbiomes.