GSSM’s Alyssa Reiser Prince awarded South Carolina Arts Commission grant
December 9, 2025
The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) announced that Alyssa Reiser Prince, faculty member in the Department of Social Science, Languages, Arts, and Music (SSLAM), has been awarded a South Carolina Arts Commission grant to support her interdisciplinary sabbatical project combining environmental observation, creative expression, and neuroaesthetics—the study of how art shapes brain function, emotion, and cognition.
The funded project focuses on the rapidly eroding landscape of Pockoy Island at Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve in Charleston County, one of South Carolina’s Heritage at Risk landscapes, as identified by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Over the coming year, Reiser Prince will create a series of approximately fifteen paintings and drawings that interpret the island’s disappearing maritime forest and shoreline. Through this body of work, she seeks to preserve the image of a vanishing place and create awareness of the environmental and cultural transformations shaping South Carolina’s coast.
“Scientists and archaeologists at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources remain actively engaged in the cultural, geological, and biological research of Pockoy Island,” said Reiser Prince. “I look forward to adding to their research through art that resonates on an emotional and visual level, creating a visual memory of a disappearing landscape that points audiences to broader issues of environmental change and cultural preservation.”
A committed advocate for neuroarts, Reiser Prince explores how aesthetic experience enhances perception, empathy, and well-being. Neuroarts is an emerging field that brings together the arts and brain science to study how creative experiences shape brain development, learning, and well-being. Her work brings together art, neuroscience, and environmental change, illustrating how visual expression can foster dialogue about place, memory, and resilience.
The resulting artworks will be exhibited at venues across the state, accompanied by interpretive materials including erosion maps, archaeological findings, and digital resources from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Reiser Prince will also share insights from her project during the 2026 GSSM Faculty Seminar Series, highlighting how artistic inquiry can expand scientific awareness and public understanding.
Dr. Neval Erturk, GSSM’s executive director for Research, Global and Innovation Initiatives, noted that the project reflects both the values of neuroaesthetics and GSSM’s commitment to interdisciplinary education. “This work demonstrates how art can translate complex environmental research into experiences that engage both intellect and emotion,” said Erturk. “It shows the power of creative practice to make scientific realities felt and understood.”
About the artist
Alyssa Reiser Prince (b. 1986, Erie, Pennsylvania) is an artist based in Hartsville, South Carolina. She holds an MFA from Clemson University and a BFA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her work explores sensory-based experiences of place, space, and time, and has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States. Her residencies include the Ou-telier Artist Residency in British Columbia, Canada (2023), and Pennsylvania State University, Altoona College (2013). Learn more at www.alyssareiserprince.com.
Funding acknowledgment
This project is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is also funded in part by a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of The Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.
About the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics
The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) is a nationally ranked top 10 public high school that exists to bring world-class STEM education to students across the state. Founded in 1988 by Gov. Carroll Campbell, GSSM is a state resource that offers a variety of programs including an intensive two-year residential high school, online courses, summer camps, and in-school experiences for students in 3rd through 12th grades. At GSSM challenge is viewed as a gateway to opportunity. Learn more about how we help students realize their full potential by visiting www.scgssm.org.
