Victoria Uribe is in her last year of Honors Science at the University of Waterloo with a minor in Biology and French. Ever since she was little, she has loved art and to this day she still draws and paints. While her paintings are more self-expressive and abstract, her passion lies with scientific illustration.
She draws digitally and on-paper to demonstrate processes so others can understand topics in Biology, anatomy, zoology, botany, etc:
By Victoria Uribe: Labelled freshwater clam inspired by zoology lab drawings
Understanding that you enjoy both illustration and the sciences, what is your career goal? Why do you find that goal appealing to you?
When I was in grade 10, I took this class in summer school called careers and civics. For careers, they basically taught us about how to write cover letters and resumes; anyways, one of the tasks we had to do was take this giant questionnaire about our interests and skills and it supposedly would tell us what career would suit us best.
My result was medical illustration. Grade 10 me had no idea what that meant but it all started to make sense. I always wondered who drew the medical posters in the doctor's office or the tooth decay illustrations in the dentist’s office.
Since then, my goal has been a career in medical illustration and or animation and to be a science communicator and advocate for STEM. This to me would so incredible because I would get to apply my visual artistry skills to a field I love and am amazed by so much.
Why art?
Art has always been a part of my life. My parents always appreciated the arts, and so when I was able to hold a pen at 3 years, my mom would encourage my toddler doodles by providing me with napkins and scraps of paper.
She later transitioned her computer science career into a painting and being an artist so I think that having a present role model in my family really influenced me. Growing up, art was always my favorite subject, and I found ways to always stay involved in it. Art for myself feels so freeing and frustrating at the same time— you can create not only beautiful things but also convey meaning, a message and communicate information. Images are a universal language and I also felt driven to art because I am a very visual and observant individual.
By Victoria Uribe: Starfish dissection process inspired by zoology lab experience
What has been a seminal experience for your project? And what goals do you have for your project?
I would say being able to explain difficult processes using drawings to others. For instance, I was a zoology laboratory TA in my second year and I remember using drawings to explain to students how to use their scalpel to cut the specimen.
Goals I have for my illustration are just to keep practising, get better with different drawing softwares and find more opportunities where I can use my illustrations to help others.
What do you like the most about working on your passion project?
What I like most about illustrating scientific topics is being able to apply my artistic abilities into something that will help teach or make a complex topic more easy to understand. It will help people understand science because anyone can understand the language of an image.
What are some major obstacles you encountered working on your passion project?
I would say just being able to balance my passion for drawing along with school, social aspects, and work.
Especially in the first couple of years of university, you can really be entered on connecting with other students, building your social circles and adapting to college life. The biggest thing is to really learn to prioritize what is most important to you, learning to say no, not take on more than you really can tackle. Also multi-tasking feels “productive” but it’s actually so horrible— don’t do it.
How has your passion project benefited your studies?
I would say it has helped me better appreciate each course that I’ve taken.
For instance, I used to believe molecular biology was a very dry course and many of my friends who had taken it before would complain about how bad it was. There were times where I didn’t understand a protein mechanism and I would draw it out. Being in tune with my visual side, I was able to better understand something that seemed so complicated.
I also use my school notes as sources of inspiration for new artistic projects.
What advice would you give to a student hoping to major in science at an university?
Try to enroll into a university that gives you a co-op option or internship option. If not, try to seek out your own full-time work experiences. I think work experiences are really important in helping you develop a better idea you want to do in the future. As well, make sure to network and get to know your professors/ instructors well. You never know when you may need their help. Thirdly, don’t stress so much about marks, THEY ARE NOT EVERYTHING, experience, having the right skills and being valuable is more important. Lastly, learn how you learn best. Often, less is more.
Interviewer's Takeaway:
In such a demanding field such as science, it is important to note that process is more important than destination; Along the route of studying and research, one may realize so many opportunities and understand more about their values.
From something as simple as being attentive to posters in doctor offices, Victoria was able to open many doors to potential opportunities and also recognize her passion. On her way to become a scientific illustrator, she emphasizes her values of empathy by assisting others.
Arriving at your destination may give you that spike of dopamine, but along the way, you learn and give so much, and you might as well enjoy the process.
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Thank you Victoria Uribe for agreeing to this interview. Please follow her on instagram: @bio_visuals and check out her other works!
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