Nina Chhita

Nina Chhita is a medical writer by profession, where she develops educational resources for healthcare clinicians, focusing on research in addiction medicine. Concurrently, she maintains an Instagram account, @nina.draws.scientists, where she creates and shares illustrations of women in STEM from various global backgrounds. Her artistic endeavor began in 2017 while she was living in London and exploring the city’s blue plaques. Chhita, who studied biology at university, noticed a lack of representation for women scientists in historical markers and general knowledge. This observation motivated her to establish her Instagram platform, dedicated to highlighting the contributions and stories of female scientists.

Her work on @nina.draws.scientists not only educates the public about these women’s scientific achievements but also challenges stereotypes about who can pursue a career in STEM. Chhita’s illustrations aim to eliminate cognitive biases by demonstrating the diversity among scientists and providing role models for aspiring individuals. She integrates global events into her artistic themes; for example, in May 2020, she illustrated Canada’s chief public health officer and other medical leaders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her ongoing focus includes illustrating women of color in STEM, recognizing their historical underrepresentation in educational materials. Her projects include collages for Black Birders Week and slideshows titled “Black Women Who Revolutionized Medicine” and “Black Women Who Should Be in Our Science Textbooks.

Chhita’s preparation for each illustration is thorough, involving research and, when possible, conversations with the subjects to capture their essence and research areas. The final artworks are a combination of gouache, pastel pencils, and paint pens. Her efforts have been recognized in media outlets like Mental Floss, BBC News, and OpenDemocracy, where her work on promoting women in science and facing online challenges has been discussed. She holds an MSc in Developmental Biology from the University of Bath. Her desire to celebrate unsung heroes extends to personal inspirations, such as her aunt, Dr. Chandan Mistry, who pursued medicine despite societal barriers in Kenya and became a GP, serving as an example of overcoming adversity.