About me
Ale Garin-Fernandez, PhD
Hi! My name is Ale Garin-Fernandez (they/he), I’m a trans nobinary, queer person from northern Chile, from Aymara family, and I’m living in Bremen, Germany. Furthermore, I’m scicommer interested in sharing scientific knowledge and research through captivating formats, such as illustrations, infographics, comics and other (audio)visual formats.
More about myself
My path in science and arts
After my undergrad studies in Biotechnology at the Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile, I awarded a DAAD scholarship for my doctoral studies in Germany. Here, I joined the International Max Planck Research School of Marine Microbiology (MarMic), together with the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI-MM), the Biological Institute Helgoland (BAH) of the Alfred Wegener Institute – Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and the Jacobs University Bremen (Currently known as Constructor University Bremen). My thesis(*) in virus ecology was focused in the relationship between marine bacteria and their viruses from the North Sea. Since then, I’ve given graphical support to scientists for their papers and presentations, creation of infographics, as well as transdisciplinary sciart and scicomm projects under a unique scope.
Besides my academic background, I studied at Liceo Experimental Artístico, an art College in Antofagasta Chile. There I majored in theater, and continued non-formal training in visual media, including self-taught study, as well as workshops in visual arts, graphic narrative and illustration. Here in Bremen, I’m part of the queer collective Garabatos Atelier, where I get inspired and learn new techniques, approaches and perspectives.
At the moment I’m embracing my own diversity and generational history. My intersectional experiences as part of the LGBT+ community, neurodivergent, BIPoC and migrant, pass through my work and are reflected in the scope of my project approaches. In this way, accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity in STEAM are integrated as relevant topics.
Transitions from diversity
To cross and transit between different contexts are connection and the main motivation of my work. Part of this exploration are the themes shaped by science and art dialogs, to the creation of pieces using different visual techniques. These explorations are always crossed by an intersectional lens from my personal life experiences. This novel approach, gives a refreshing view to scientific activities, which invites us to question our own biases and open our perspectives, as always with a scientific knowledge ground.
Therefore, the driving force is diversity, both human and microbial. Through microbial metaphors, I aim to validate diversity as a strength, engage and motivate people to be involved in the knowledge generation process. At present, I’m exploring new artistic media to communicate science, as well as narratives inspired by my personal transition processes.
Mixed techniques
Within the same principle of transit between contexts, my works are made on digital, traditional and mixed media. The techniques used are also designed to create accessible and affordable products, in terms of readability, comprehension, cost and distribution.
Notes:
Sciart is the transdisciplinary connection between science and arts.
Scicomm is the abbreviation for science communitation, a field that includes scientific outreach and scientific literacy, among others.
BIPoC stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color.
STEAM+ is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and related fields.
LGBTQA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual and more from this broad spectrum of genders and sexualities.
*= I’m a trans person (Divers*), and some shared documents still have the death name.
Please dismiss that name mentioned there, because mine is Ale and respect the mentioned pronouns.
