ASM Cultures
Our Client
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) is one of the world’s largest scientific societies, supporting researchers, educators, and health professionals advancing the microbial sciences.
Our Approach
As Creative Director for Cultures Magazine, ASM’s quarterly publication for emerging microbiologists, we helped launch the publication from its very first issue and established the creative foundation it would follow for the next four years. We developed the publication’s logo, visual identity, editorial templates, and production systems, overseeing the design, layout, and print and digital production of all 16 issues. The publication was designed to engage younger microbiologists through a more visually immersive and approachable editorial experience than traditional scientific journals, blending rigorous technical content with storytelling, illustration, and interactive media.
Scope
_ Print Production
_ Layout
_ Branding
_ Editorial Design
_ Photoshoots
_ Creative Direction
_ Digital Issues
_ Illustration
16 issues printed and distributed over 4 years
Special Editions: Fully Illustrated Children's Book and an Adult Coloring Book (Postcard Series)
From Concept to Execution
We led the editorial design and print production of all 16 quarterly issues, from initial concepts and cover art through offset printing and final delivery. Collaborative cover sketches were refined into original artwork for each issue. Specialty print features, including spot gloss, textured finishes, custom bindings, and hand-inserted elements were meticulously overseen by the creative director.
Enhanced Digital Editions
We extended each print issue into fully interactive digital experiences available exclusively to ASM members. Rather than simply reproducing the magazine as a digital PDF, we reimagined the content for the screen, animating covers and incorporating video, extended interviews, and other multimedia elements directly into feature stories.
Project Summary
Across four years of publication, we translated complex scientific concepts into highly visual, publication-ready editorial content for both print and enhanced digital formats. Each quarterly issue combined feature stories, interviews, infographics, technical diagrams, and data visualizations into a cohesive editorial experience that balanced scientific accuracy with clean, accessible design.
Our work included designing detailed visual explainers and technical illustrations alongside stories featuring notable public figures including Jane Goodall and President Jimmy Carter. We collaborated closely with ASM's editors, scientists, researchers, and contributors to ensure that highly technical subject matter remained accurate while still feeling engaging and approachable to a broad professional audience.
Beyond the editorial design itself, we oversaw the full production process for both print and digital editions. Print issues often incorporated specialty production techniques tailored to each theme, including hand-inserted sticker sheets for a fully illustrated “children’s book” issue and custom tear-away postcard bindings for a special postcard edition. With an average print circulation of approximately 8,000 copies per issue, the magazine was distributed directly to ASM members nationwide.
The digital editions extended far beyond static PDFs, functioning more like immersive microsites with embedded video content, animations, and expanded interviews that complemented the print experience. Each issue required balancing strict production deadlines, technical precision, and evolving editorial concepts across multiple formats and mediums.
Overseeing all 16 issues from concept through final production required building a flexible visual system capable of supporting a wide range of scientific topics while maintaining a cohesive editorial identity. The result was a publication that helped ASM connect with younger microbiologists in a more dynamic and visually compelling way, making complex science feel more human, accessible, and culturally relevant.
