In recent years, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) education has become a hot topic in the sphere of education.  It has been said that having an artistic hobby could foster scientific success, which in fact, has been demonstrated by Nobel Laureates (Root-Bernstein et al., 2008).  In their conclusion, Root-Bernstein et al., (2008) state that "there exist functional connections between scientific talent and arts, crafts, and communications talents so that inheriting or developing one fosters the other.” This implies that adding an artistic dimension to science and mathematics education presents a world of opportunities for achieving positive learning outcomes in STEAM EDU.

On this episode of ExpertsConnect, world-renowned sculptor and author, Bridgette Mongeon (MFAIA), provides deeper insights into 3D Technology, Fine Art, and Design in STEAM EDU. She describes the process and benefits of incorporating 3D printing in her traditional sculpting workflow and discusses the opportunities for integrating STEAM in the school curricula. She shares her experience relating to 3D printing and sculpting her Alice in Wonderland, Booker T Washington, and Eve sculptures. Also, she highlights the challenges she experienced in her work of art and how she overcame them.

SHOW NOTES:

What is STEAM [3:35] | Bridgette explains STEAM using examples from her work. She later shares how STEAM will drive innovation beyond 2020 [5:04]. 

The Benefits of STEAM Education [6:20] | Bridgette makes references to the funding opportunities for STEAM EDU programmes [6:37].

3D Technology, fine art, and digital technology [8:00] | Bridgette refers to the making of the Booker T Washington sculpture and discusses the benefits of 3D printing to improve efficiency and monetize her work [8:10].

The Making of Wonderland [12:06] | Bridgette shares how she exploited digital sculpture and traditional technology to create the Alice in Wonderland Project  [12:10].

Integrating STEAM elements into existing school curricula  [21:55]|  Bridgette encourages schools to acquire a 3D printer as they present a myriad of opportunities to invoke curiosity among students [22:50]. Other benefits and opportunities are discussed here [24:44]. 

Notable Quotes

 "[…] artists have a tendency to think outside the box, where some people in those other disciplines may not be able to do that.” [5:30]

"[…] f you can incorporate steam inside of your art classes, one of the benefits is that there's more funding.” [6:28]

"[…] I think getting a 3d printer in the school is really a wonderful thing to have.” [22:20]

CONTACT Bridgette

Website: https://creativesculpture.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/

FOLLOW Kadian:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadiandavisowusu/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadian-davis-owusu-ph-d-20073251/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuc3WrVsJyShfkQv_GAYbUQ

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4Lp5AKsnUWsmlfl4XmMzCK

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/expertsconnect/id1534693258

References

(1) Root-Bernstein, R., Allen, L., Beach, L., Bhadula, R., Fast, J., Hosey, C., ... & Podufaly, A. (2008). Arts foster scientific success: Avocations of nobel, national academy, royal society, and sigma xi members. Journal of Psychology of Science and Technology, 1(2), 51-63.

Photo Credits 

Christina Sizemore