When art and science collide, what's in it for the scientists?

When Dr Craig Stevens from the University of Auckland and the New Zealand National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) led a research team to Antarctica in 2015, he embedded an artist in the team: Gabby O'Connor. Stevens was there to study an early stage of sea ice formation, called platelet ice, to help scientists better understand climate change. O'Connor was there to photograph the ice platelets and incorporate what she saw into her art. There's growing recognition of the value in connecting artists and scientists, the pair say. Artists have long documented and been inspired by science, but what's in it for scientists? According to Dr Stevens, having an artist on the team may help scientists think creatively, see old problems with fresh eyes and can inspire new ideas.