Like most STEAM ( Science Technology , Engineering , Art & Math ) advocates , I believe that art should be officially integrated into schools ’ STEM programs , which is why ilus Art created a K-12 presentation to provide educational talks about our art and regenerative medicine . Our cellular artwork takes the images that scientists at institutes and universities around the world capture as they are working toward scientific discoveries to solve the riddle of disease and regeneration . We infuse the images into metal , creating a luminescent piece of art .
It ’ s been exciting to see how quickly our program has caught the attention of teachers and education consultants alike because they recognize the impact it has on students . Often following the lectures , parents call the school or teacher asking them about the talk – relaying that their child came home and asked to pull out a long abandoned microscope .
Our K-12 presentation includes 1 ) teaching students to recognize the beauty of cells within their own body ; 2 ) how to consider unique opportunities or interest in the STEAM fields including art as future educational or career paths ; 3 ) a discussion about stem cells and how they are able to regenerate tissues and organs ; 4 ) a discussion about multimedia used in regenerative medicine research including a video demonstration on how 3-D printing is used in research , engineering , architectural design , art and video game design ; and 5 ) discussion of new technologies available to students .
In the past 2 years , we have presented our K-12 STEAM program , “ The Art of Science – Taking Art to the Cellular Level ”, to over 11,000 students in San Diego County . The luminescent microscopic images on display during our program capture the student ’ s attention and then we hit them with the science behind the art . The stories we share about some of the scientists we work with , as well as breakthroughs in research , keep them interested .
STEAMed Magazine
51
January 2017 Edition