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Simons Foundation Presents: Science, Illustrated

Community Culture Education

7/18

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

REGISTER HERE!

Simons Foundation, Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium, 160 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

*Please note that the entrance is on W 21st St between 5th and 6th Aves*

We often say we need to “see it to believe it,” but what happens when the thing we’re trying to see is too small, abstract, or complex to visualize? Whether it’s visualizing how the fabric of space-time is warped around a black hole or showing how Alzheimer’s disease unfolds in the brain, the frontiers of basic science challenge our understanding and imagination.

In this conversation, we’ll explore the creative minds behind the visuals that bring complex science to life. Whether through conceptual illustrations, graphics or editorial design, artists and editors help audiences grasp ideas that can’t always be photographed or easily pictured in our heads. But how do these expert communicators decide what to show and what to leave to the imagination? What’s the line between metaphor and scientific diagram? What’s the relationship between language and visuals in communicating a message?

Join us for a conversation with illustrator and animator Jun Cen, known for his minimalist, emotionally resonant work in The New York Times and The New Yorker; Rebecca Horne, art director at The Transmitter, where she leads the magazine’s visual storytelling; and Matt Carlstrom, senior engagement editor at Quanta Magazine, where design and data play a central role in how science is communicated. Moderated by John Tracey, program director for Science, Society & Culture at the Simons Foundation, this conversation will peel back the layers of how science gets illustrated and how collaboration between scientists, artists, and editors shapes how we interpret scientific information.

About the Speakers:

Cen is a New York–based illustrator and animated short film director whose work combines dreamlike minimalism with architectural precision. Originally from China, he earned an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Cen’s work has earned international recognition, including a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators and the New Talent award from the U.K.’s Association of Illustrators. Cen creates illustrations that are visually restrained yet emotionally resonant. His digital practice enables global collaboration, producing work across diverse fields such as finance, healthcare, travel, politics and fashion. His clients include The New York Times, The New Yorker, Burberry, and Rimowa.

Horne is the art director for The Transmitter, where she leads multimedia strategy and commissions visual content including illustrations, photography, and video. She previously served as Photography Director at Discover Magazine and The Wall Street Journal, earning multiple industry awards for her work. Horne’s career also includes roles as an art producer at Addison Design and a photography producer at Airbnb. She is an independent artist and freelance writer, and taught photography at the California College of the Arts and Rutgers University. Her writing on the intersection of art and science has appeared in Wired, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Nautilus and others. Horne holds an MFA from Rutgers University and a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute.

Carlstrom is the senior engagement editor at Quanta Magazine, leading social media, newsletters, syndication and data analytics. He joined Quanta in 2020 as the magazine’s first engagement editor and is focused on adapting the publication’s content for a broad audience across a wide array of channels. Previously, he produced live events on topics like computer science, physics, and neuroscience for the World Science Festival. At Big Think, he created video interviews with notable figures such as E.O. Wilson, Jennifer Doudna and Ronan Farrow. Earlier in his career, he worked in digital advertising for clients including Google and HP. Carlstrom studied advertising research and strategy at Temple University.

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