The Exploring Scientist's Sketchbook

I'm thrilled to share that a publisher has invited me to pitch a book — and I need your help to find scientists to profile for it!

The Book Concept

'The Exploring Scientist's Sketchbook' is a nonfiction illustrated book for children ages 8+, with each chapter following a different scientist on their trips into the backcountry to conduct environmental research and conservation projects.

The stories will weave science concepts with the adventure of the work: everything from the banter of the field crew around the campfire, to maps and diagrams, to the 'type two fun' inherent in fieldwork (storms, extreme weather, unpredictable wildlife). It will be densely illustrated with watercolor and ink in the style of an explorers’ sketchbook - you can see similar examples of my work here. The purpose is to share narratives of courage, climate action, and hope, and harness the power of representation to encourage a diverse new generation of young people to pursue careers in environmental sciences.

The Inspiration

This project is inspired by the scientists I met while working in Grand Canyon National Park from 2016 to 2018, when I worked alongside staff from the Science and Resource Management Division. So far I have two confirmed collaborators for this book project: Hannah Chambless, an NPS hydrologist working with the park service in Grand Canyon, USA, and Brook Thompson, a Yurok and Karuk native and Ph.D. student, working to restore the Klamath River in California, USA. That list is rapidly growing: I'm talking with dozens of other incredible scientists from all over the world who've responded to my recent social media posts.

What Collaboration Entails

I'm still in the early stages of shaping my approach to researching each scientist’s process. Right now, I’m primarily seeking opportunities to personally accompany scientists into the field so I can gather reference materials—photos, audio, video—to write and illustrate from. (I should add that I’m an experienced backpacker who has led multi-day trips in Grand Canyon National Park, and I would bring all my own gear and supplies.)

That said, I’m also building flexibility into my approach—if it works better, I’m open to conducting interviews via Zoom and working from photos and videos of field work that scientists provide.

How To Get involved

If you or someone you know interested in getting involved, please email me at claireloonbaldwin@gmail.com. I’d love to learn more about the research, how the fieldwork is structured, and what it would take for me to accompany you on a trip (if that’s feasible). For each collaborator, I plan to conduct pre- and post-trip interviews and share a draft of their chapter for review to ensure authenticity and accuracy.

Thank you so much for helping to get the word out about this project! Now more than ever, it's so important to share scientist's stories.