Jay Hosler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Hosler
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Jay Hosler
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| Born | Jay Scott Hosler |
| Occupation | Full Professor of Biology at Juniata College, Author, illustrator |
| Nationality | American |
| Notable works | Clan Apis, The Sandwalk Adventures, Optical Allusions The Last of the Sandwalkers |
Jay Hosler is an amazing author and artist who creates science-focused comics. He is well-known for his graphic novels like Clan Apis, The Sandwalk Adventures, and Optical Allusions.
Clan Apis tells the funny and factual story of a honey bee named Nyuki. It even won an award called the Xeric Foundation Award! This book teaches you about honey bees in a really fun way.
The Sandwalk Adventures was nominated for an Eisner Award. It features Charles Darwin having a conversation about evolution with a tiny mite. This mite lives in Darwin's eyebrow!
Optical Allusions explains how eyes and vision developed over time. This project even received funding from the National Science Foundation. It follows the story of a character named Wrinkles the Wonderbrain.
Besides writing and drawing, Jay Hosler is also an entomologist. That means he's a scientist who studies insects! He is also a biology professor at Juniata College.
Jay Hosler's Life Story
Jay Hosler grew up in Huntington, Indiana. He graduated from DePauw University in 1989. Later, he earned his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame in 1995. He also worked at Ohio State University studying honey bees.
Jay wasn't formally trained in art, but he loved reading comics as a kid. He says he was "always a doodler." He drew comic strips for his student newspapers in college. He even got paid for a daily comic strip while at Notre Dame!
His first time mixing science and comics was in 1997 with his publication Cow-Boy.
Combining Comics and Science
As a professor at Juniata College, Jay Hosler has found many ways to combine his love for comics and teaching. He created Clan Apis and The Sandwalk Adventures while teaching.
He also received a grant from the National Science Foundation for Optical Allusions. This book mixes comics with a traditional textbook style. It teaches about the evolution of vision and how our senses work.
Jay believes that new ways of learning are important. He says, "We can't be afraid to try something radical to change how students learn." He has even taught a class called "Comics and Culture" with a historian.
Jay Hosler is married to Lisa, and they have two sons, Maxwell Scott and Jack DeMoss.
Who Inspired Jay Hosler
Jay Hosler was inspired by many famous comic artists and writers. Early on, he looked up to Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby. They made him want to create comics.
Later, he was influenced by artists like Gary Larson, Bill Watterson, Jeff Smith, Linda Medley, and Larry Marder.
