Critical Conversations: bridging pathways forward to greater understanding and creative solutions.

Understanding STEM Identity

Research Open House 2021

Mark Rosin
Romie Littrell, Visiting Professor and Producer (2017)
Ian Montgomery, MS Package Design ‘18
Cassandra Flores
ARTIST AND SCIENTIST RESIDENTS:
Sarah Barker, Nasimeh B.E., Trina Chiasson, Rachel Karpf, Brianna Keys, Thomas Koff, Sena Koleva, Sophi Kravitz, Mathew Lippincott, Ian Montgomery, Matthias Neumann and Brett Russell, Kari O’Connell, Dezirae PeBenito, Lauren Silbert, Martin Storksdieck, Alex Todaro and Athena Diaconis, and Jaade Willis.
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Math and Science

Understanding STEM Identity explores how scientifically underserved people—those who feel like traditional access points to science like museums, newspapers, and documentaries are not for them—can become empowered to engage with science, and in turn, enrich their lives. Through a 15-person scientist-artist residency and accompanying week-long exhibition of immersive experiences at the Oregon Eclipse festival, our research found that science learning experiences that incorporate art and design as cultural access points can engage new audiences and provide valuable learning opportunities.

People sitting in a colorful, small dome within festival grounds that are lit up at night.
Love Dome, a biofeedback dome in which audience members visualize, and try to adjust, their heart rates through a digital biofeedback loop, which was produced in our residency program by artist Sophi Kravitz with support from scientist Lauren Silbert.