Under Extreme Conditions: behind the book project
Pictures I used for the promotion of the book in social media.
Surrounding us
is a whole world of living beings that can be seen only through the microscope, the microbes. These tiny creatures can be found everywhere on earth and can even survive in harsh conditions such as industrial contamination or in frozen water. We environmental microbiologists are the ones in charge of studying microbes.
Here I will talk about the creative process behind the illustrated memoir of my first trip to Svalbard – an archipelago well north of the Arctic Circle – in the search for microbial life.
Before traveling
For my PhD, I collected and studied bacteria from mine-contaminated sites in Finland. At a conference, I met Prof. David Pearce, and to establish a collaboration between the University of Northumbria and the University of Oulu, I joined their research trip to Svalbard. The goal of the trip was to collect soil samples from mining-contaminated sites in Svalbard to study the bacteria.
Before starting my journey, I knew I wanted to pursue a side project alongside the sampling itself. So, I took pictures of everything, documented all the emotions I experienced in my journal, and embraced every moment like a sponge absorbing new stimuli. I wasn’t sure what my project would be, but I wanted to gather as much material as possible.
During the trip
I was very nervous about leaving the settlements of Longyearbyen to explore the wilderness of Svalbard. Once I returned home, I decided to organize all the material I had collected for my project and came up with the idea of turning it into a memoir. I wanted to create something that would make science accessible to everyone, and why not with my illustrations and texts?
I applied for funding from Biodiverse Anthropocenes, a research program at the University of Oulu supported by the Academy of Finland, to support my science communication project. About a month later, I received the news my project was granted and began working on the first drafts.
Snapshot of my personal journal in which I documented my experience during those days.
My creative process
As I usually do with almost everything, I wrote everything down. This time, I included all the ideas I wanted to incorporate into the memoir. I realized my book centered around three main themes: Bacteria, Pollutants, and the Arctic. I also wanted to ensure the book reflected both my scientific perspective and personal experiences.
I came across with the idea to highlight the elements related to the research with one color and the others relaed to my personal experience with another. I love making graphs, even for artistic projects. Therefore, to organize my thoughts, I created a kind of Venn diagram with the three main themes as circles and added the elements using post-its—pink for scientific concepts and blue for personal reflections. This method helped me find the balance I was looking for in writing the book.
I asked friends and scientific colleagues to "peer review" my text, and their feedback was incredibly insightful. Alongside the writing process, I also worked on the book’s illustrations.
My room (and maybe mind) during the months of work.
Once I finished writing, I sent the text to a language editor, Dr. Andrew Pattison. Although I love digital illustrations, I wanted the book to have a professional look, especially in terms of design. Once the illustrations were complete, I forwarded all the content to a graphic designer, Sara Kurti, to create the layout. I still remember how excited I was when I finally saw the printed copies!
Days of pizza and decisions with the graphic designer, Sara.
For promoting the release of the book
I announced it on social media as well as on the University of Oulu’s website. For the event, I wanted it to take place in the city center rather than at the university, to attract as many people as possible from outside academia. I chose Oulu Kulttuurilaboratorio, an experimental cultural space at the Pikisaari wool factory, which has also been the venue for many night events I’ve enjoyed.
Days before the launch, I was thrilled to see that more than 60 people had signed up for the event—half from the university and the other half from the city. Unexpectedly, many of them were people I did not know. Most had heard about the event through newsletters or friends.
Flyer I used for the presentation day.
The launch day
I was nervous but mostly focused on enjoying the day. After many months of work, the moment had finally arrived.
My friend Tuomas Tervonen helped with the lighting and organizing the space, while another friend, Surasith, was the official DJ for the event. My supervisor gave a brief three-minute introduction to present both the book and myself. Then, I spoke.
I shared with the audience my experiences during the expedition, the writing process, and the creative journey behind the book. The questions were as diverse as the audience, and I received comments and feedback from many different people. Afterward, I signed books, and we all enjoyed a meal together.
Where can the book be found?
The main goal of creating the illustrated book was to make science accessible to everyone. I gifted copies to attendees at the launch event for free. I have also shared the book with other researchers at scientific conferences such as (Un)Common Worlds III and Science Talk 23. Today, the eBook is available on Amazon, but you can also contact me directly—we can chat, as I still have a few copies left.
Overall, this experience was an incredible learning journey. I would do it again a thousand times. In fact, I might even come up with another one in the future.
