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The Swope Art Museum has launched "Full STEAM Ahead," a year-long program integrating arts into STEM education for children and adults. The curriculum, developed by Dr. Sujata Gopalan, aims to foster creative thinking and innovative problem-solving by combining arts with STEM skills.
Experience STEAM in action! Each month, our enthusiastic instructors bring exciting lessons and hands-on activities to Ryves Youth Center and 14th and Chestnut Community Center. These engaging sessions are carefully aligned with K-12 standards, ensuring educational value while sparking curiosity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. By integrating creative art projects, we foster innovative thinking and problem-solving skills, making STEM subjects come alive for young learners in a fun and interactive way.
Learning knows no age limit! Our STEAM program extends beyond youth to embrace adult learners too. We believe in fostering creativity and knowledge at every stage of life. Each month, we offer engaging STEAM activities designed specifically for adults:
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Insightful presentations by local experts on fascinating STEAM topics
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FREE hands-on workshops that bring these concepts to life
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These sessions provide a unique opportunity for adults to explore the intersection of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics in an accessible and enjoyable format. Whether you're a lifelong learner or just curious about STEAM, our adult program offers a stimulating environment to expand your horizons and unleash your creativity.
FEBRUARY: KINESIOLOGY/HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Dr. Shalini Persaud
Tai Chi: From Martial Arts to Health and Wellness
Wednesday, February 12, 6 pm
This talk will explore how the once combative movements of Tai Chi are providing health benefits to individuals. We will explore how Tai Chi not only improves physiological health but psychological and emotional wellbeing by engaging the mind, body and spirit of an individual. Through a sequence of slow, flowing movements focused on breathing, Tai Chi promotes physical fitness and overall well-being providing a holistic balance through this mindful practice.
Dr. Shalini Persaud is a professor with Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She is currently the professor of Kinesiology-Health Science Concentration. Her area of research and focus is health and wellness through physiological and psychological behavioral change interventions.
Tai Chi at the Swope
Participants will be able to Understand the basic principles of Tai Chi movement.
Perform the basics of Tai Chi, including a proper stance, relaxation, balance, and mindful walking.
Outline of the Workshop
Tai Chi Warm Up sequence: Neck, Shoulder,Spine, Torso, Hips, Knees
Tai Chi Six Forms:
Opening form
Ward of
Press & Push
Single Whip
Weaving the cloud
Saturday, Feb. 15th at 2pm. Taught by Myung-Ah Lee
Myung-Ah Lee is a certified Tai Chi instructor, earning her certification in 2017 from Grand Master William C.C. Chen in New York. She has taught Tai Chi for college students, and facilitated numerous Tai Chi workshops for community members, and educators. She received her Ph.D. in Physical Education Teacher Education from Ohio State University and has been a faculty member at Indiana State University since 2004.
MARCH: ASTRONOMY
Dr. Elizabeth Melton
The Universe in Focus: Where Art meets Astronomy
Wednesday, March 12, 6 pm
Embark on a journey through the intersection of art and science as we explore the captivating world of astrophotography. Discover how the relationship between art and astronomy has evolved throughout history, from ancient celestial sketches to stunning modern images. From backyard set-ups to billion-dollar satellites, delve into the wealth of information hidden in the images these cameras produce. Learn about the science behind different types of artifacts that appear in astrophotography images. Whether you’re an aspiring astrophotographer or simply captivated by the beauty of the cosmos, this talk will provide tips for capturing your own night-sky photographs and explore the relationship between the hidden science and the breathtaking beauty of the universe above.
Dr. Elizabeth Melton is an assistant professor and director of the Oakley Observatories at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on exoplanet detection and follow-up from the ground. In addition to automated exoplanet detection, Dr. Melton has utilized optical instruments at Cerro Tololo Observatory (in Chile), Siding Springs Observatory (in Australia) and Kitt Peak Observatory
Join us and get up close and personal with a variety of telescopes and other observing equipment utilized at Rose-Hulman. Weather permitting, we will be observing a variety of night sky objects including both Jupiter and Mars.
Location Options: Oakley Observatory , Hulman Farm, Swope, Park
March Expedition: Oakley Observatory, Rose-Hulman
Telescope Encounter
Date and time TBD
APRIL: PHYSICS & OPTICS
Dr. Charles Joenathan
The Magic of Holograms
Wednesday, April 9, 6 pm
Hol·o·gram
/ˈhäləˌɡra
noun
A three-dimensional image formed by the interference of light beams from a laser or other coherent light source.
Holography was invented by Dennis Gabor, a Hungarian-British physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1971. Holography records the 3-dimensional nature of an object, unlike photography, which records only 2-dimensions. Today, holography has found its place in art, industry, and commercial use in currency and credit cards and has warped into several new frontiers. This talk will briefly overview holography's beginning and present status and its role in art preservation.
CHARLES JOENATHAN RECEIVED HIS PH.D. IN OPTICS AND PHYSICS FROM IIT MADRAS IN 1986. HE IS CURRENTLY A PHYSICS AND OPTICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR AT ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, USA. HE IS A FELLOW OF OSA, OSI, AND SPIE. HE HAS PUBLISHED OVER 120 SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES IN HOLOGRAPHY, SPECKLE APPLICATIONS, HOE, AND ESPI.
April Workshop: Exhibition of Holograms at the Swope
Date and time TBD
