Taylor Black Bergrud

Biologist + Illustrator + Science Communicator

First and Foremost
A Biologist

My research focuses on sensory systems, hormones, and neurobiology
in an effort to understand the full picture of inter- and intraspecies communication.
By investigating the senses organisms use to recognize mates, and the hormones that influence aggression, cooperation, and parental care,
I study how communication shapes — and sometimes breaks down — species boundaries and their ecological communities.

Arkansas field site with Taylor seining for darters

Beyond the Microscope:
Illustration and Outreach

Scientific Illustration

An important — and often overlooked — part of being a scientist is sharing discoveries with people outside of your immediate field of research.

If science is understood only by scientists, we lose one of its most important purposes: connecting people to the natural world and to one another.

Through illustration and visual storytelling, I strive to make complex biological ideas approachable, engaging, and meaningful to people from all backgrounds.

Every person — whether they are a doctor, jeweler, tennis coach, or opera singer — deserves the opportunity to be curious about the world around them.