Cameron Slayden

Bearing Witness to the Singularity: How Artificial Intelligence is Changing The Stories We Tell and How We Tell Them

In the last 3 to 5 years, there has been an explosion in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to drive discoveries that were previously impossible. Therapeutics can be designed from the ground up, starting with desired outcomes rather than a hunch that a particular molecule might do something useful. Over the next decade, this will change how we experience medicine and change the kinds of stories we tell. Additionally, tools are coming into public use that streamline the production process in ways that make ultra high quality imagery easier to create than ever. The key to navigating this time of great change is to welcome it, and explore how it can benefit us all.

Speaker Biography (he/him)

Cameron Slayden and founded Microverse Studios in 2003, and since then he has served the biotech and pharmaceutical companies by providing cutting edge biomedical animation. His work has one numerous awards, including Tellys and the AMI award of excellence. In addition to operating Microverse Studios, He is currently an assistant clinical professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago where he hopes to provide the next generation of animators with skills that will advance our growing field.

Dan Hermansen, Man-San Ma, and Farah Hamade

Osso VR: Medical Illustration Leading the Surgical Training Renaissance

Osso VR is the leading virtual reality (VR) surgical training and assessment platform, with a mission to improve patient outcomes, increase the adoption of higher-value medical technologies, and democratize global access to the latest surgical techniques. To do all of this, we rely on the incredible talents of 200+ people—including the largest medical illustration team in the world. Working in our MedTech and Art Department teams, medical illustrators help design clinically accurate VR modules and create the anatomy, surgical instruments, and environments that bring our procedures to life. Join us as we discuss the role of medical illustrators at Osso VR so that you get to knOsso!

Speaker Biographies

Dan Hermansen (he/him) was the first medical illustrator hired at Osso, and currently works as the Director of Clinical Design, reviewing VR clinical training design decisions and works in progress to ensure experiential accuracy and consistency. Man-San Ma (she/her [1T4]) is a Senior Organic Artist and Farah Hamade (she/her [2T0]) is an Organic Artist. Both are BMC alumni who work as part of the Art Department, which is responsible for crafting the amazing anatomy, tools and environments that set Osso apart.

Hillary Wilson

The Beauty of Human Variation: Tips and Techniques for Painting Diverse Skin Tones and Features

Human beings present a unique challenge for artists: We're almost endlessly diverse, and at times dauntingly complicated. This presentation will touch on why it's important (and fun) to face the reality of human variation head on. I will provide tips and techniques for painting vibrant skin tones, particularly darker ones, and creating diverse faces and features without relying on the likeness of any particular individual. I will also discuss my process for finding effective reference material and inspiration.

Speaker Biography (she/her)

Raised by an endlessly supportive, adventure loving family, Hillary has a deep appreciation for effective storytelling and exploring the natural world. She received a master's degree in Medical Illustration from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and spends her professional time striking a balance between medical and general illustration. She is particularly invested in creating work that celebrates underrepresented groups and the beauty of human variation.

Mark Belan

Making Infographics with Visual Capitalist

This presentation will talk about my personal career journey creating scientific visuals and infographics. It will also trace my path to working with Visual Capitalist, an online visual media company that specializes in infographics and data visualizations. There will be a suite of examples of artwork and visualization graphics, along with a feature of the Creator Program: a monetized platform on Visual Capitalist for any and all visual communicators and data designers—including you!

Speaker Biography (he/him)

My name's Mark and I'm the Visual Scientific Communications Specialist at Visual Capitalist, an online visual media company specializing in infographics and data visualizations. Since graduating from the BMC-1T7 cohort, I have built a career in visually communicating all things science, from infographics to research diagrams to museum and exhibition materials. Check out artscistudios.com for more of my work!

Julie Man

The Evolution of Man 👶👩🧑🧓

I graduated BMC in 2011 and was convinced that I had NO FUTURE in the industry. My portfolio wasn't the best and I believed I was a mid-tier student/artist/designer. Fortunately, reality proved me right and wrong—I ended up doing BMC-adjacent work! I will share some personal and work-related highlights, with the goal of broadening views of what's possible and what the relative importance of career could be throughout life.

Speaker Biography (she/any)

I'm a multidisciplinary designer, creative, and storyteller who has worked in various healthcare sectors (government, pharma, public and private practices, etc.). I am fortunate to have dabbled in many types of projects—education for patients and healthcare providers, client/team/project management, consulting, knowledge management, coaching, and more! My favourite part of any project is learning what needs people have and then designing tangible solutions to improve their experiences. I also self-publish weird comics, zines, and games.

Geoffrey Lok-Fay Cheung

A scientist’s journey into visual arts

I have always been, and continue to be, passionate about science. However, during my nearly twenty years working in Biomedical Communications, I couldn’t help but notice that I was always drawn to the conceptual, qualitative, and social aspects of our work. In acknowledging this, I decided to make a jump into visual arts. Since then, I’ve been challenged with new ways of thinking. I’ve also been surprised to find that old skills and methods, honed in the name of science and communication, continue to serve me well. I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned on my journey into fine arts.

Speaker Biography (he/him)

I’m an artist interested themes of tension, memory, and land in relation to issues of identity, culture, and the immigrant experience. My current research is autoethnographical, informed by lived experiences growing up as a queer first-generation Chinese-Canadian. I’m now living in Vancouver in pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts degree from Emily Carr University. Previously, I worked as an independent Science Communicator in Toronto, and before that, I had also worked for various studios in Boston and New York. I received my Master of Science from the University of Toronto, and Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University.