‘Odyssey of the Stars’ Honors YouTube Star

Emily Graslie Returns for Celebration of Artistic Journeys

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Categories: Alumni , Campus , Arts

UM alumna Emily Graslie
UM alumna Emily Graslie

The University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts highlighted Emily Graslie ’11, chief curiosity correspondent at Chicago’s Field Museum, during its 19th annual “Odyssey of the Stars – A Celebration of Artistic Journeys.”

Each year’s “Odyssey of the Stars” honors outstanding UM visual and performing arts alumni and tells the story of their artistic journeys, showcasing the many different roads to success that an artist can travel.

This year’s March 2 performance honored Graslie while showcasing students and faculty members from UM’s Art, Media Arts, Music and Theatre & Dance schools. Graslie earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from UM, drawing inspiration from the Phillip L. Wright Zoological Museum’s vertebrate collection. She worked at the museum during college as a volunteer intern. A year after graduating, she drew more inspiration from the experience as she co-created the educational YouTube channel “The Brain Scoop.”

Her ease in front of the camera, enthusiasm and energy has attracted nearly 500,000 subscribers. As chief curiosity correspondent, she uses a variety of media to communicate the importance of natural history museums. She collaborates with museums of natural history and connects scientific discoveries with real-world issues, teaching her fans with passion and joy.

Graslie’s numerous awards and recognitions include being a recipient of the American Alliance of Museum’s Nancy Hanks Award for Professional Excellence, six-time Webby Award honoree and nominee in the Online Science/Education Channel and Web Personality/Host categories, one of Chicago Tribune’s 2017 Chicagoans of the Year, and a member of Forbes’ 2018 “30 Under 30” list in education. Additionally, a butterfly species in Ecuador recently was named after her.

For more information visit the “Odyssey of the Stars” website.

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