In February 2023, the I-MRSEC hosted over 40 middle schoolers and teachers from Franklin STEAM Academy, a Champaign public middle school, at Materials Research Lab for a day of hands-on activities and lab visits. This visit was part of an annual 8-week program that teaches materials science concepts, which students then turn into music or art themed projects to express those concepts. I-MRSEC students and postdocs led groups through the building between many activities, such as operating a scanning electron microscope to look at butterfly wings, using an x-ray diffractometer to discern between sugar and salt, and experiencing crystal structures through virtual reality. They also suited to tour of the cleanroom. Program evaluations showed that participants gained knowledge in what materials scientists study and its use in technologies that benefit them.
