Harnessing the universal language of art, a University of Texas at Dallas alum and microbiologist is on a mission to bridge the gap between science and society.
Recently accepted into the Scripps Institution of Oceanography PhD program at the University of California, San Diego this fall, Freya Hammar BS’21, MS’22 seems to do it all. Her roles as a researcher, multimedia artist, podcast host and social media content creator are all rooted in one mission: to connect people through discovery.
“The best scientists are the ones who can communicate their ideas,” said Hammar, a National Merit Scholar who studied biology and biotechnology in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UT Dallas. “In my opinion, art is the best way to make science accessible.”
Diving Deep
For years, Hammar has been drawing merfolk, or mermaid people, as a hobby for a science-fiction project, but when she partnered with science communicator Lilianna Watson, her drawings became part of a bigger story.
Hammar is the concept artist and illustrator of Swim Down, a digital graphic novel about a neurodivergent teenager’s transformative journey in the deep sea. Written by Watson, the book explores how Mari, the main character, uses her sensory differences as powerful adaptations that allow her to form deeper connections to her environment.
“So much science is going over people’s heads. Not because they’re not intelligent enough to understand it or lack the background knowledge, but because we’re not putting in the effort to make it easily consumable.”
Freya Hammar BS’21, MS’22
“Neurodivergence has advantages, but they’re often overlooked because we live in a society that’s built for neurotypical people,” Hammar said. “I think it’s really good to talk about what we can gain from our differences.”
Mari’s sensitivities to light, noise and touch harmonize with deep-sea conditions such as darkness, quiet and pressure, allowing her to feel seen for the first time. Along the way, she meets unusual creatures, such as a Dall’s porpoise, a crystal amphipod and a bloody-belly comb jelly.
In April, Hammar presented Swim Down at the Cool Science Showcase, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
“When you’re in the angsty adolescent years, it can feel the most isolating,” Hammar said. “I took a lot of solace in fiction at that age, relating with the characters during their struggles and triumphs.
“I feel like there’s not enough out there, not just for the ocean sciences but for neurodivergent people in general, to really embrace the strengths of their minds. So, combining that with an interest in the ocean sciences, [the book] might speak to neurotypical people who are interested in the ocean sciences or to neurodiverse people who aren’t.”
The Girl and the Creatures
Swim Down
Check out a video of the digital graphic novel on YouTube.
Hammar, who has a bloody-belly comb jelly sticker on her phone case, said her ability to juggle so many personal projects is fueled by her attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Adding to her list of hobbies, she also leads an online fan community for Creatures, an artificial life simulation game. What started as a childhood obsession has grown into a collaboration with the video game’s creator, Steve Grand. She now works as an illustrator and social media guru for the British computer scientist and roboticist.
“I credit Creatures as the reason I got interested in biology in the first place,” said Hammar, who started playing the game in kindergarten.
When she was 12, she sent Grand a fan letter in the mail asking how she could donate to his new project. To her amazement, he wrote back.
“Freya is decidedly her own person with her own dreams and ideas, but if we both happen to be walking along the same path for a few years, then I’m quite happy to hold the flashlight,” Grand said.
Demystifying Science
Several hundred miles from the coast of Ecuador, Hammar’s first snorkeling experience solidified her future in marine biology. In 2020 she went on a study abroad trip to the Galápagos Islands.
“I fell in love with those islands,” Hammar said. “I fell in love with the sea.”
Already working with slime molds as a student researcher in the microbiology lab of Dr. Dennis Miller, associate professor emeritus of biological sciences, she shifted her focus to marine microbes and organisms like algae and phytoplankton.
When Hammar first entered the research environment, she saw that science communication was “always an afterthought.” After producing diagrams and illustrations for several scientific articles, she recognized how difficult it was to explain complex concepts to a layperson.
Since then, Hammar has provided illustrations and diagrams for various published articles, both during her time at UT Dallas and after graduation. Her work was featured on the cover of Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans last year.
She also hosts the podcast “Beneath the Surface,” aimed at demystifying current scientific literature about the ocean sciences.
“So much science is going over people’s heads,” she said. “Not because they’re not intelligent enough to understand it or lack the background knowledge, but because we’re not putting in the effort to make it easily consumable.”