A kinesiology professor at the University of Windsor and a professor of cell biology and anatomy at the University of Calgary want to change what students see when they open an anatomy book.
"Diversity and inclusivity matters," says Dave Andrews with the University of Windsor. "Students need to see diversity, to see themselves, in the material they're learning."
Right now, most books feature illustrations of fit, young, white men.
The pair are leading a project they call the Anatomy Video and Imagery Diversity Project, an open-access repository of videos and anatomical illustrations showing the diversity of humans at different ages, sexes, body types, skin tones, hair colours and styles. Some are portrayals of people with amputations, prosthetics, tattoos and piercings.
The project has received $20,000, half from the Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and the rest from two sources at the University of Windsor that support equity, diversity, and inclusivity. Andrews and Doctor Heather Jamniczky hope to secure more funding.
"We are shaking trees wherever we can," said Jamniczky. "After we show proof of principle, we envision the potential for collaboration across North America and elsewhere in the world."
Medical illustrators working in higher education created the images. Each one costs as much as $400.
Jamniczky said, "One of our aims is also to showcase incredible artists who don't always get the platform they deserve to share their work."
The repository should be open to the public in the new year.
