Ph.D. Ayano OMURA
Marine Artist / Biologist
Research Interest: Morphology of Cephalopods
Ayano Omura is a marine artist and biologist.
She has loved to draw pictures since she was a child. When she painted with deep observation, she felt as if she could become one with the things she painted. She was fascinated by marine life, so she wanted to draw paintings in which the marine life itself exists in her paintings. In order to draw marine life she truly loves, she wanted to know their living way, the meaning of forms, and their ecology. Then, she entered the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
She received her B. Sc from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, and her Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo. Now, she studies the functional morphology of cephalopods, with a focus on the cuttlefish. Her research goal is to make the atlas and monograph of cephalopods by natural history illustrations.
She is working as a marine artist, mainly painting in oil. She is also working on a picture book.
[Favorite marine life] Cuttlefish
Education
2014.3 Doctor of Agriculture from Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
2010.3 Master of Agriculture from Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
2008.3 Bachelor of Marine Environment from Faculty of Marine Science, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
Career
2022.11-current: Research fellow at Mie University (Marine Biology)
2019.10-2020.3: Part-time lecturer at the University of Ryukyus (Marine Biology)
2018.10-current: Researcher at Nihon University College of Art (Natual History Illustration)
2018.3- 2020.4: Visiting Researcher at Chubu University (Marine Biology)
2016.1-2016.3: Project Researcher at Hamamatsu Medical University (Anatomy)
2015.3-2016.3: Assistant Technique at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (Marine Biology)
2014.3-2014.4: Researcher at the University of Tokyo (Marine Biology)
Teaching Experience
2021 "Environmental Systematics (Functional-morphology of marine lives)" Chubu University
2022 "Environmental Systematics (Functional-morphology of marine lives)" Chubu University
2019-2020 "Biological experiment" the University of the Ryukyus
2018 "Systematic Anatomical experiment (Human Anatomy)" Hamamatsu Medical University
2018 "Histology" Hamamatsu Medical University
2018 "Environmental Systematics (microanatomy and morphology of marine lives)" Chubu University
2015 "Basic of Chemistry", Teikyo University of Science
2015 "Environmental Biological experiment", Teikyo University of Science
2014-2015 "Introduction to Lifelong Learning (Curator Training Course)", Tokyo City University
2014 "Environmental Science Experiment II", Teikyo University of Science
2014 "Environmental Science Experiment I", Teikyo University of Science
Social Activity
2019 "Let's play with the shapes of marine lives! " Gakushuin Sakura Academy Summer Lecture
2018 "Lecture on aquariums - Focusing on observation points -" Gakushuin Sakura Academy Summer lecture
2018 "Exploring the morphology of marine lives: Focusing on marine products", Gakushuin University Sakura Academy
2018 "Let's learn about the mystery of marine lives!", Gakushuin University Sakura Academy Summer lecture
2012 "What is evolution? Let's talk with researchers," Takatsuki Theater
Museum Exhibition Cooperation
2014 "Brain and Box" School Mobile Museum, Education Center, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
2013-2014 "Kemono no Katachi" Education Center, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
2012 "Living Morphology" Ito International Research Center
Awards
2013 Half-exemption from repayment of graduate school scholarship for particularly outstanding achievement
2012 Poster Award, Japan Society for Evolutionary Studies
2012 Best Poster Award, Ecological Society of Japan (joint research)