Why visual science communication?
Science communication is more crucial than ever. Increasingly, grant funding includes a requirement to share research findings beyond academic circles—and for good reason. Your research has the potential to benefit society, but for that to happen, it needs to reach the public. Yet, communicating complex findings to a non-specialist audience can be challenging. Academics are trained to use technical language and publish in journals that are often locked behind paywalls, limiting access to those who could benefit most from the knowledge. This is where good science communication comes in play.
visual | research setup
visual | my dissertation
dissertation |
Beyond Brain Games
Research Visuals
Conveying research in a simple, engaging way is no easy task. Visual storytelling offers a powerful alternative. Research visuals can distill complex ideas into digestible, creative illustrations that speak to a wider audience. Therefore, they are an innovative way to highlight key findings, depict experimental setups, or showcase your unique research design - an accessible, memorable way to share your findings.
Potential products:
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visual summaries of science projects and papers, for instance in cartoon form
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infographics of scientific results
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graphic summary of events and meetings
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creating scientific figures, such as an experimental set-up
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illustrations and visuals for presentations, (scientific) posters, videos, scientific books​
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illustrations of researchers to visualise the face behind the research
Examples
of research visuals
my dissertation in pictures
For my own dissertation, I chose to create cartoons as a way to summarize and share my research, making it accessible to non-academic audiences—like my own family! Through these cartoons, I break down the core theories, methodologies, and findings of my work. I even illustrated myself as a guide, leading readers through each section of the dissertation. This visual approach invites people outside of academia to engage with complex ideas in a friendly and understandable way.
You can find the whole dissertation here.
research set-up illustration
researcher illustration
In my dissertation, I included a section about myself as the researcher behind the science. To highlight this, I created a visual representation of myself, giving my research a personal face.
For another dissertation, I illustrated the research setup: a computer-based learning program designed to help individuals with schizophrenia improve daily functioning while receiving transcranial direct current stimulation. Visualisations like these give readers a clearer understanding of how the experiments were structured and conducted.
You can find the whole dissertation here.
Dissertation Design
After years of hard work, you’ve finally hit “submit” on your dissertation—congratulations! Now, before your defense, it's time to give your thesis the polished, personalized look it deserves. That’s where I come in. I offer custom cover designs that reflect your research topic, along with professional layout services for the entire dissertation, ensuring it looks as impressive as the work inside. ​
Examples
of dissertations
Beyond Brain Games
Anika’s dissertation focused on cognitive remediation—using “brain games” to enhance daily functioning in individuals with severe mental illness. Her cover design mirrors this theme, featuring a maze that symbolizes the cognitive exercises used in her training program. As readers navigate the maze, each illustration they encounter represents one of her empirical chapters, guiding them through her research.
You can find her whole dissertation here.
Young Students with a Refugee Background in Primary Education
In her dissertation, Hanneke studied primary school students with refugee backgrounds, specifically examining their well-being and language acquisition. She developed a screening tool to identify signs of trauma in these children. Her cover art features "Kintsugi," the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold, symbolizing how something “broken” can be transformed into something even more beautiful and unique—a powerful metaphor for resilience after trauma.
You can find her whole dissertation here.
Fostering Student Well-being in Higher Education
In my own PhD research, I explored university students' well-being and how the learning environment can help foster it. As part of this, I developed an in-class intervention—a board game centered on the three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The cover features a student holding the game board, and the entire dissertation reflects the colors representing these core needs.
You can find the whole dissertation here.
For my own dissertation, I chose to create cartoons as a way to summarize and share my research, making it accessible to non-academic audiences—like my own family! Through these cartoons, I break down the core theories, methodologies, and findings of my work. I even illustrated myself as a guide, leading readers through each section of the dissertation. This visual approach invites people outside of academia to engage with complex ideas in a friendly and understandable way.
You can find the whole dissertation here.
Inner layouting
Each dissertation design includes a matching bookmark, a set of propositions, and a thoughtfully styled inner layout, with attention to details like tables and figures that depict theoretical constructs or provide chapter overviews. Every dissertation is uniquely crafted, tailored to the specific research topic and personalized visualisation preferences.
