2008 Science Idol Winner
Justin Bilicki of Brooklyn, New York
Justin Bilicki never got less than an "A" in a science class. But he didn't succeed by writing down scientific formulas or taking detailed notes on the theories he was learning.
He drew them.
"I understood pictures more than words," Justin says. "I drew to make sense of what was happening around me."
His penchant for the pen has paid off well. A full-time senior art director at the advertising agency Avenue A | Razorfish, Justin has a blossoming editorial cartooning side career. He won the John Locher Memorial Award for Best College Cartoonist in 2000 and has been published in everything from the Los Angeles Times to Congressional Quarterly. And now, he's claimed the title of "Science Idol" in the UCS annual scientific integrity cartoon contest.
The Competition
This spring, creative minds throughout the United States submitted hundreds of cartoons lampooning the distortion, manipulation, and suppression of federal government science. The entries were narrowed down to just twelve finalists by a panel of award-winning cartoonists. Then it was the public's chance to vote, and after more than 20,000 votes were cast, Justin's entry came out on top.
"It has become increasingly difficult to trust anything or anyone associated with power," Justin says. "If you can simplify social and political messages, they become powerful and influential. Drawing this cartoon was my small effort at fixing a large problem."
A Conversation Catalyst
While Justin has been drawing for as long as he can remember, his cartoons didn't enter the realm of social commentary until his first editorial cartooning gig with the Michigan State newspaper, The State News, where he produced five cartoons per week.
"I love to draw and I'm opinionated, so it was a perfect fit," he says. "Instead of complaining, I was given the chance to be proactive in front of a large audience and get them talking."
It didn't take long for him to start getting attention.
"The reactions to my cartoons were amazing and plentiful. I did some cartoons that some would frame and put on their wall. I also did some cartoons that would go straight into the trash can." he says. But most critical to Justin was that the cartoons would start a conversation.
Starting the Conversation on your Wall or Door
To help elevate the conversation about defending science from political interference, a 2009 calendar featuring all 12 finalists and several previously unseen bonus cartoons has been published and is available for purchase on the UCS website. And Justin's cartoon graces the cover.
He expressed cautious optimism for the next administration. "I hope the next president will experiment more with democracy and take an open-eared approach to issues. Our leaders should be open to criticism, especially if it's the majority who's voicing that criticism."
No matter who takes office in January, Justin and his fellow editorial cartoonists will be armed with pen in hand to facilitate deeper thinking about the complex challenges that face the United States today.
"The Bush presidency has brought us eight years of fantastic cartooning," says Justin. "It was not hard to find jest or an atrocity within this administration. The challenge is to draw cartoons that break through the criticism and work at motivating the public to come up with realistic solutions."
Check out Justin's other cartoons, his blog, and his company's website.
