What is the
Figure Zero Project?
We are a student-run organization committed to making science more engaging and accessible to the public.
Many journals do not have graphic designers for their covers and illustrations, yet visuals are what aid understanding and grab people's attention. We achieve our goal of elevating science by recruiting passionate artists and writers who value self-expression from human creativity in the rising age of AI.
While students benefit by building robust and meaningful portfolios, journals and researchers gain original artwork and writing that highlight their research. Together, we build a diverse community connected by scientific journals' cover page—Figure Zero.
Vision
We envision a future where science is visually engaging, accessible, and understandable to all; where young artists have opportunities to transform scientific research into visual stories that elevate academic communication; and where writers increase health literacy. We envision a future in which human creativity is preserved and encouraged through collaboration with artists and writers, even as AI use continues to grow.
Mission
At a time when AI-generated images and writing are becoming increasingly common, our mission is to preserve human emotion and increase health literacy. We provide students with opportunities to create meaningful visual content while collaborating with stakeholders that share our vision. Additionally, we aim to create informational resources that present scientific information in an accessible, engaging, and understandable manner. We strive to build a community where art and science can enhance each other, and students can continue their passions in interdisciplinary fields.
Our story
It started on a FaceTime call.
The Figure Zero Project was founded by two high school friends, Leslie and Yolanda. Honestly, they didn't have a lot in common. Yolanda can be quite calm; Leslie, not so much. Despite this, they shared a similar passion for catching sunrises at Woodbine Beach, crying at the Eras Tour, hwachae, almost peeing their pants laughing at photo booths, and, most importantly, art.
Although they eventually found themselves pursuing science, they found a way to bring art and scientific research together through the Figure Zero Project. Their journey began with illustrating journal covers, which soon grew to include a larger team that designs journal layouts and visual abstracts, and translates complex articles into words that anyone can understand. What started as an ordinary idea during a FaceTime call turned into a growing contribution to scientific communication. And they are only getting started.
Testimonies
“
Working with the Figure Zero Project team on our Volume 10, Issue 2 was a fantastic experience and reminded us that research does not end when it is written; it finds new life when it is shared. With professionalism, care, and remarkable creative sensitivity, their team was a joy to work with and produced a beautiful original cover illustration that perfectly captured the spirit of our publication.
Their work honoured the care and curiosity behind our authors' research, strengthened the identity of our journal, and revealed what becomes possible when research and human creativity meet with purpose. We are grateful for a collaboration that not only enriched our journal but also affirmed the lasting power of artists and researchers coming together to make knowledge seen, felt, and remembered, and look forward to working with their artists again.
”— Canadian Journal of Undergraduate Research “
Working with the Figure Zero Project team was such a positive and collaborative experience. Leslie, Yolanda, and their artists were thoughtful, creative, and incredibly receptive to our vision, and they brought the theme of our issue to life beautifully. We would be delighted to work with them again on a future issue.
”— University of Toronto Journal of Public Health