Elizabeth Nixon, a UGA undergraduate double major in Ecology and Scientific Illustration, won two awards at the 17th annual Science and Medical Illustration Exhibition, held from Feb. 23 – March 8 at the UGA Lamar Dodd School of Art. The exhibition showcases the work of undergraduate scientific illustration students from UGA and graduate medical illustration students from the Medical College of Georgia, and is juried by faculty from both institutions.

Nixon won the Lloyd Logan Award of Excellence for her illustration “The Lifecycle of the Eastern Newt,” and the Joshua Laerm Award of Excellence for her illustration “The Dissection of a Bullfrog.” “Both of these awards are given in respect to the overall excellence of a piece of artwork,” said Gene Wright, associate professor in the School of Art who leads the Scientific Illustration program.

The Logan award, given in honor of Lloyd Logan, who retired as head of the Science Illustration program in 1992, is judged by a team of seven professional medical and science illustrators.

The Laerm Award was established in 1998 in honor of the late Joshua Laerm, past director of the Georgia Museum of Natural History and a strong supporter of the scientific illustration program at UGA. Gene Wright selects the winner of the Laerm award. “I am in the position to recognize improvement and outright impressive behavior in regards to research, artistic merit and general good nature and responsibility. It is for those reasons that I gave the award to Liz this year.”

Nixon, a fourth year student from Marietta, Georgia, has always been interested in both science and art. “I was that kid in the neighborhood who was always out catching frogs and fish,” she said, “and I was always drawing.” She chose UGA because of its strength in both areas, and appreciates the support she’s received from both schools. “Most of the Scientific Illustration students are interested in medical illustration, but I’m interested in natural history,” she explained. “The program here has the flexibility to allow me to tailor it to my interests. Both art and ecology offer the perfect environment for that.”

“Elizabeth Nixon is our dream student,” said James Richardson, adjunct research professor and undergraduate coordinator at the Odum School of Ecology. “She brings together a broad understanding of a functioning environment with the presentation skills to share her vision with the world. We are so very fortunate that she chose to cross her path with our Odum School.”