About me

Since I was a child, I have loved illustrating animals, microbes, and the natural world. As an adult, I oscillated between careers in art and design, and the life sciences.

In college, I first pursued product design, but it left my curiosity for the natural world unsatiated. I soon returned to school to study molecular biology, with an interest in sustainable biotechnologies. As an undergrad at Portland State University, I researched archaeal viruses isolated from volcanic hot springs. It was here that I also first got involved with a science outreach club and discovered a love for science communication of all kinds.

Following graduation, I spent two years at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. Research focused on the metabolic engineering of Pseudomonas for the biological upcycling of PET plastic.

At NREL, I was privileged to have a large, interdisciplinary group of colleagues for whom I could make scientific figures and cover art, providing a unique opportunity to expand the breadth of both my scientific knowledge and design skills. I also continued to participate in scientific outreach opportunities and give talks on my research.

In 2020, I began a Ph.D. program, expanding on my NREL research by characterizing the proteins involved in biological PET plastic metabolism. I soon became enamored with protein visualization and creating artistic 3D renderings of the enzymes I was studying, which naturally led to designing journal covers. In 2021 I founded Scivetica, and in 2022 I decided to leave the program with my M.Sc. in Biochemistry to pursue scientific illustration full time.

I currently live in Portland, Maine with my partner and deaf dog. I’m an avid naturalist and vocal environmentalist, and I love to explore the woods foraging for edible plants and fungi.

-Rita Clare

Education

  • M.S. Biochemistry, Montana State University, 2022

  • B.S. Molecular Biology, Portland State University, 2018

  • B.S. Industrial Design, University of Oregon, 2014

Career Highlights

  • Invited speaker, ComSciCon-Flagship Workshop, Boston, MA, 2025

  • Invited speaker, National Renewable Energy Lab, Golden, CO, 2025

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Awarded 2020

  • Director’s Award, National Bioenergy Center, NREL, Golden, CO 2019

  • Speaker & Co-founder, Ladies’ Lab Night, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 2017

  • Exhibitor, Salone del Mobile, Milan Design Week, Milan, Italy, 2014