The Alabama Materials Institute recently partnered with the UA SciREN program and the Coleman Center for the Arts to establish the STEM Creatively Club, a first-of-its-kind initiative in York, Alabama. Through weekly facilitated sessions, the program engages school-aged children in science, engineering, and invention by integrating creative, arts-based activities.
Led by Dr. Marguerite Hinrichs, Director of the Coleman Center for the Arts, and Joni Lakin, Professor of Educational Research and Director of the UA Office of Interdisciplinary STEM Education, the project represents a collaborative effort to expand educational outreach in the state. Savannah Barnett and Sarah Margaret Veres of the Alabama Materials Institute provided key support for the initiative’s launch.
Hands-On Innovation and Discovery
The STEM Creatively Club encourages students to explore STEM principles through creative expression. Program highlights include robotics and invention, materials science, and the physics of sound. Students engaged in hands-on activities and explored the unique properties of clay and ceramics. They also experienced a live operatic performance by Dr. Yi Ling, UA associate professor of physics.
