Science Visualization, Rhode Island College
Jillian (Jill) Nash, undergraduate Biology major with a minor in Studio Art, and Amanda Solano, graduate Biology student, are research assistants in Dr. Anabela Maia’s lab at Rhode Island College (RIC). Jill’s research position is funded by Dr. Maia’s RI-INBRE Early Career Development grant. Amanda’s research is expanding on Dr. Maia’s grant by using neurophysiology techniques.
The pair participated in the 2024 Vis-a-Thon at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD); a program at RISD where artists pair with scientists to make science inspired art installations. The goal of Jill and Amanda’s project connects the past, present, and future of the Maia Lab’s main project “Neurophysiology of the Mechanosensors in Bluegill dorsal fins.” This project symbolizes the fish fin innervation and how it can be applied to future hand prosthetics. By furthering the understanding of fish neuroanatomy, strides can be made in the word of sensory-controlled prosthetics.