In mid-May artist Samm Newton drew the tubular mouthpiece, transparent shell, and delicate swimming foot of a heteropod from the Sargasso Sea, a type of tiny sea snail studied by BIOS biologist Amy Maas and collaborator David Murphy from the University of South Florida. Newton spent several hours repeatedly watching the video to reconstruct the creature’s anatomy. Her sketches will form the base of a series of much larger acrylic paintings destined for an upcoming Oregon-based art exhibit.

Scientific conferences are an important, if not essential, part of a scientist’s life, both in academic and applied research. These gatherings, which often take place on an international scale, offer attendees the chance to learn about novel research, give presentations on their own research, and develop professional collaborations that can result in publications and funding opportunities.