Expanding the scientist's palette: factors ofengagement with the Arts in geosciences and biology research

Abstract

Artistic work can offer powerful ways to enhance the societal impact and dissemination of scientific research. The practice of engaging with the Arts, however, is still far from widespread among scientists. In this study, we examine the factors that increase the likelihood that a principal investigator (PI) integrates some engagement with the Arts in the design of a research project. We draw on a database of 31,859 NSF standard grants (2003–2023) in geosciences and biology. Through a search for a set of keywords in project descriptions, we identify the rare projects that engage with the Arts. We find that projects designed by female scientists, in universities of lower research intensity, are most likely to engage with the Arts. Moreover, occurrences of this practice vary considerably across scientific subdomains. Additionally, addressing a sustainable development goal may either increase or decrease the likelihood that a project engages with the Arts, depending on the specific goal at hand.