STEAM EQUITY & OUTREACH

STEAM and Sustainable Development Education Outreach

Through collaboration with Profs. Su Kyoung An and Julie Qun Zuo, we established a CMU STEAM research team which focuses on advancing interest in science through art and design by using public-accessible spaces, such as museums, galleries, and public libraries. The goal of our team is to engage university professors with different perspectives and expertise to create novel STEAM outreach display items and promote STEM, Art, Design, and Sustainable Development education to the public, especially K–12 students in rural Michigan and those from low-income families. We believe equitable and inclusive STEAM education can advance progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (SDG#4)


FRCE Type C Grant, “STEM Program in Museums and Galleries through Art and Design (Promote Equity in STEM Education)”

PI: B. Li, Co-PI, An Kyoung Su and Julie Zuo,


STEAM Exhibitions

  • “Tessellation, Microscopy, Art, and Design”, Dennos Museum Center, Traverse City, MI, January 2025 (Scheduled), B. Li, A. K. Su, J. Zuo. [B. Li, A. K. Su, J. Zuo, along with CMU students]

  • “Beauty of Regeneration”, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI, June -August 2023 (Scheduled). [B. Li, A. K. Su, J. Zuo, along with CMU students]

  • “Microscopy, Art, and Design”, The Morey Family Gallery, Art Reach of Mid-Michigan, Mt Pleasant, MI, October 2022. [B. Li, A. K. Su, J. Zuo, along with CMU students]

  • “Axolotls and the Beauty of Regeneration: A merging of Science, Art, and Design”, Veterans Memorial Library, Mt Pleasant, MI, June-August 2022. [B. Li, A. K. Su, J. Zuo, along with CMU students]

  • “Axolotls and the Beauty of Regeneration: A merging of Science, Art, and Design”, the Baber Room Gallery, Park Library, Mt Pleasant, MI, March-May 2022. [B. Li, A. K. Su, J. Zuo, along with CMU students]

  • “The Science and Art of Polymer Morphology”, 4th Floor Gallery, Park Library, Mt Pleasant, MI, December 2019. [ B. Li, D. Chen]

STEAM Workshops

  • B. Li, A. K. Su, “STEAM Day: Microscopy, Pattern, and Design”, Veterans Memorial Library, Mt Pleasant, MI, September 9th, 2022. [STEAM Activity for all]

  • B. Li, Session leader, “Tessellation, Math and Design”, Tennessee Girls in STEM (previously Expanding Your Horizons) Summer Workshop, Organized by Volunteer State Community College and Middle Tennessee State University, October 2021(Virtual). [STEM Camp for Girls]

  • B. Li, Session leader, “Tessellation, Math and Design”, STEM Stew IV, Organized by ACS Midland and Michigan State University, August 2021 (Virtual). [STEM Camp for All]

  • B. Li, Session leader, “Microscopy in Regenerative Medicine”, Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) STEM Camp for Girls, Organized by Volunteer State Community College and Middle Tennessee State University, October 2020 (Virtual). [STEM Camp for Girls]

STEAM Equity Symposium and Panel Discussion

B. Li, Co-Organizer, Panel Moderator, ACS Midland Section, STEM Equity Symposium and Panel Discussion, ACS Midland Fall Scientific Meeting, October 2021.

STEM Outreach through Summer Research Program

B. Li, Research Supervisor, Michigan State University STEM Center, Midland, MI, Summer 2019.

Student STEM Competition Awards

  • Therese Joffre, Grace Bremmer, and Logan McNamara (High School Research Interns, Summer 2019, Research Project Funded by Dow Foundation) Special award and 5th place in Grand Awards, Flint Regional Science & Technology Fair – Research competition, Project “Fabrications of Scaffolds for Bone Repair and Regeneration”, B. Li: Advisor. Other Advisors: T. Zhang (MSU), R. Bubeck (MSU). Fall 2019.

  • Grace Bremmer (High School Research Interns, Summer 2019, Research Funded by Dow Foundation), Best Poster Presentation Award, American Chemical Society, Midland, Fall Scientific Meeting. B. Li: Advisor. Other Advisors: T. Zhang (MSU), R. Bubeck (MSU). Project Title: Fabrication of Biomaterials for Bone Repair and Regeneration. October 2019.