CV

ALISON SCHROEER, MS, MS, CMI

32 Quaddick Rd., Thompson, CT 06277
Cell: 919-259-0951 
Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Website: https://www.illustratingscience.com

Communicative, detail-oriented, and Board Certified Medical and Scientific illustrator with record of achievement creating exceptional illustrations. Excel at working independently while valuing position as member of a team. Skilled in creating illustrations for print and web with a specialty illustrating for research and education. In-depth experience providing scientists with presentation support, poster/infographic design, and visual transformations. Visual storyteller with success promoting brand identity coupled with scientific accuracy.

OBJECTIVE

Seeking contract work or full-time position for Medical & Scientific Illustrator. 

EDUCATION

PRESENT
CONTINUING EDUCATION |RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN
Providence, RI 

2005
MS | MEDICAL ILLUSTRATION | MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA
Augusta, GA 

1998
MS | FOREST RESOURCES | UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Athens, GA 

1993
BS | PLANT SCIENCE | CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Ithaca, NY

CERTIFICATIONS

2009
CMI | BOARD CERTIFIED MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR

  • One of < 300 CMIs worldwide
  • Passed examinations covering business practices, biomedical science, ethics, and drawing skills. 
  • Rigorous portfolio review by Board of Certification of Medical Illustrators (BCMI)
  • Certification renewal requires continued relevant coursework.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Creative ExpertiseMedical and scientific illustration for journals, books, web, patient education, marketing materials, instructional package inserts and user guides, surgical series, dissection guides, and video.
Scientific ExpertiseAn illustrator with scientific research experience spanning laboratory, field data collection, and peer-reviewed journal publication.
Design ExpertisePresentation support services, slide deck enhancement, animations, and templates, infographics, scientific posters, graphic design, journal-specific figure formatting of graphs, charts, and tables, photography, printing, framing and exhibition of artwork, and web page design.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PRESENT – 1993
PRESIDENT, SCIENTIFIC & MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR | SCHROEER SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION
Thompson, CT

  • Serve clients across different industries in healthcare, publishing, academia, advertising, and non-profit with a specialty in illustrating for scientific journals.
  • Gather client requirements and prepare illustrations while modifying artistic style as dictated by project and audience and adhering to brand and publication guidelines.
  • Brainstorm image ideas in collaboration with cross-functional teams and complete projects on schedule and with clarity and elegance. 
  • Streamline work by developing process guides for clients and maintaining archive of illustration assets.
  • Selected clients: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., British Society for Immunology, Elsevier, Novartis, Novartis Animal Health US, Inc., Smithsonian Magazine, Akcea, LogicBio, Sarepta Therapeutics, ReadCoor, Fresenius Medical Care, Cella, VIA Group, Carolina Biological Supply Company, Monrovia Nursery, Seed Magazine, Cannonball Agency, Storey Publishing, California Academy of Sciences, C&M Medical Services, Bayer Crop Sciences, and Syngenta, FOXAE Science & Engineering Graphic Studio.

PRESENT – 2008
INSTRUCTOR OF CONTINUING EDUCATION | RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN
Providence, RI

  • Teach Botanical and Natural Science Illustration classes to continuing education students with focus on drawing from nature, scientific accuracy, use of traditional illustration techniques. Techniques include pencil sketching, watercolor, and colored pencil on film.

2019 – 2008
PRINCIPAL MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR | SANOFI
Framingham, MA

  • Served within Biomedical Media Services Department as sole staff Medical Illustrator for multinational pharmaceutical company with >100K employees. 
  • Provided scientific and medical illustrations, figures for publication, PowerPoint presentation support (animations, visual enhancement, formatting, template design, infographics), scientific poster layout, and graphic design for online and print, and assisted with print production. Managed illustration archive for accessibility and reuse of assets.
  • Assisted senior management and collaborated with scientists in Research and Development (R&D) and members of Corporate Communications.
  • Supported Annual Sanofi Research and Development Conference, providing speakers and attendants presentation support, scientific poster layout, timing speakers, and assisting with set-up and take-down.

2003 – 1999
SENIOR BIOLOGICAL ILLUSTRATOR | CAROLINA BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY COMPANY
Burlington, NC

  • Created illustrations for dissection guides, instructional pamphlets, and educational games, and painted murals of company products. 
  • Developed and illustrated educational classroom posters.
  • Narrator and host of Carolina Biological’s “Video Field Trip” series.

1998
FELLOWS INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGICAL ILLUSTRATION | CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ICHTHYOLOGY DEPARTMENT
San Francisco, CA

  • Illustrated newly discovered species of deep-sea fish, sharks, and catfish for Ichthyology Department researchers from holotype specimens. 
  • Developed tool and accompanying technique for obtaining distortion-free sketch of pinned specimen.

1998 – 1995
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT | UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES
Athens, GA

  • Conducted field and laboratory research through Forest Ecology Lab, School of Forest Resources.
  • Managed laboratory research assistants.
  • Teaching Assistant for Forest Ecology undergraduate course.
  • Analyzed data and published research in peer-reviewed scientific journal: Schroeer, Alison E., Hendrick, Ronald L., and Timothy B. Harrington. “Root, ground cover, and litterfall dynamics within canopy gaps in a slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) dominated forest.” Ecoscience. 06.4 (1999): 548-555.

1995
BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION INTERN | BAILEY HORTORIUM, CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Ithaca, NY

  • Collaborated with university professors and graduate students to create scientifically accurate botanical and entomological illustrations for publication.

1995
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE | RISLEY RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE FOR THE CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS, CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Ithaca, NY

  • Taught illustration workshops at Cornell University, managed life drawing classes, organized exhibits, arranged visiting artists, and fostered atmosphere of creativity and excitement about the Arts. 
  • Designed community-themed stained-glass window for entrance foyer and managed team of student volunteers in its creation.

1994
PLANT TAXONOMY ASSISTANT | NORTH CAROLINA BOTANICAL GARDENS
Chapel Hill, NC

  • Maintained and expanded database of North American plant species-distribution for The Biota of North America Program (BONAP).

1993
BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATOR & HORTICULTURAL INTERN | SARAH P. DUKE GARDENS, DUKE UNIVERSITY
Durham, NC

  • Illustrated plants for Sarah P. Duke Gardens brochures, advertising materials, and T-shirts .
  • Engaged in maintenance and expansion of garden perennial and annual plantings and features.

 1992
OLD GROWTH FOREST ECOLOGY INTERN | THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Chapel Hill, NC

  • Reviewed botanical literature for relevance to NA Old Growth Forest designation and location.
  • Entered citations into reference database used in determining forest preservation priority.

1991 – 1990
BOTANICAL FIELD RESEARCH ASSISTANT
SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT | DUKE UNIVERSITY
Durham, NC

  • Collected species composition, growth, and biomass field data for forest succession research under direction of the Dean of the School of the Environment.

SOFTWARE

  • Mac/PC environments
  • Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects, Acrobat Pro, Bridge
  • Microsoft: PowerPoint, Word, Excel
  • Some experience with WordPress, Dreamweaver, Rhino, Sculptris, and Cinema 4D

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

COMMUNICATION

  • Fourteen years of in-person Continuing Education teaching experience at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Courses include technique demonstration, Ppt presentations, individual instruction, and group critique. Students range from expert to novice.
  • Strong track record assisting remote and on-site clients with repeat customers and consistently positive client feedback.
  • Created “Guide for Authors” for numerous scientific journals, guiding author-researchers through effective content development and process of working with a medical illustrator. Guides have significantly reduced revision rounds and turn-around time. 
  • Presenter of Scientific and Medical Illustration conference seminars and workshops.
  • Meals on Wheels Volunteer during first year of Covid-19 pandemic, providing weekly companionship and conversation to home-bound individuals in addition to meal delivery.

LEADERSHIP

  • Own and operate Schroeer Scientific Illustration since 1993, successfully forging and maintaining client relationships and determining most effective visual solutions for projects.
  • “Stellar” student evaluations on illustration classes taught through the Rhode Island School of Design.

MANAGEMENT

  • Excellent time management skills gained while working in fast-paced art production departments.
  • Owned and managed single-family rental property 2003-2021; responsible for hiring contractors, renovation and repair, advertising property, screening tenants, and market research.

SALES

  • Upscale online store, A Romantic Time https://www.rubylane.com/shop/a-romantic-time opened 2019 selling antique and vintage jewelry. First year sales >$35,000 increasing to >$70,000 in second year. Achieved Gold Seller status and perfect feedback score of 5 out of 5.

EXCELLENCE

  • SPOT Award in Recognition of Excellence, Genzyme a Sanofi Company
  • Certificate of Merit, University of Georgia and Medical College of Georgia Student Scientific & Medical Illustration Exhibit
  • Employee of the Month, Carolina Biological Supply Company
  • First Place Presentation Award, University of Georgia Warnell School of Forest Resources Graduate Student Symposium.
  • Dean’s List, Cornell University
  • Scholarship, Cornell University, Homer and Clara Thompson Fund