Aisha So’s illustrated story wins special award for combining art and academia

Aisha So, a PhD candidate at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, has won a special prize in the short story competition organized by researchers from the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) and the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST).

The competition was held as part of the EASST-4S conference in July, which brought together over 3,500 attendees from around the globe. So’s illustrated story, blending creativity with reflective insights on transformative research, stood out among numerous submissions in the categories of Short Story, Flash Fiction, and Poetry.

Themes of doubt, self-reflection, and balance

So’s story, inspired by her participation in the PhD course Transformative Research for Sustainability Challenges, explores themes of doubt, self-reflection, and balance in research roles. The course, coordinated by Josie Chambers (Copernicus Institute) and Esther Turnhout (University of Twente), challenged participants to critically examine their roles as researchers and consider how their work could drive meaningful change. 

“Instead of writing directly about a complicated situation that involves plant scientists, regulations, various opinions about technology, and Dutch agriculture, I wrote a simplified story to get my feelings on paper,” explains So.

The story’s Hero plays with the “hero” archetype in a paper by Chambers, which represents someone driven to create solutions but who risks becoming overly focused on their own ideas, losing sight of the bigger picture. In contrast, the "woodpecker" questions everything, even the hero’s ideas, and risks stalling action altogether. So’s story explores the tension between wanting to make change and the need to reflect critically on one’s position. 

Mirroring PhD experiences

So's story mirrors the complexities she faced during her master’s thesis and continues to confront in her PhD research, where balancing action, reflection, and different perspectives remains an ongoing challenge. "The story is about a hero who wants to change the world around her but faces doubts and challenges along the way. It mirrors some of the emotions and uncertainties that I think many people face in their research.”

The competition jury was particularly impressed by So’s innovative use of illustrations, which enhanced the story’s emotional depth and accessibility. Her work received a special award, distinct from the main short story prize, for its creativity and impact. During the EASST-4S Forest Festival, she read an excerpt from her story to an enthusiastic audience.