LASER Talks in Tempe: Bodies of Knowledge - Exploring STEM Through Movement
This LASER (Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous) Talk explores how movement and dance can deepen how we teach, understand, and emotionally connect with scientific concepts and environmental challenges. Drawing on research in embodied education and participatory SciDance, participants will learn how dance and other forms of physical activity can make science and technical subjects more accessible, memorable, and emotionally resonant, whether in classrooms, community settings, or public engagement programs. Participants will experience embodied activities firsthand, using movement to explore how learning through the body can build understanding, empathy, and connection. The session will highlight examples such as using movement to explore conservation research, build empathy for endangered species, and shift environmental conversations from “doom and gloom” toward hope, compassion, joy, and collective action. Designed for STEM professionals, artists, educators, students, and curious community members, this workshop invites participants to imagine new ways to bring complex topics to life through shared creative experiences.
SPEAKERS BIOS
Dr. Lekelia “Kiki” Jenkins is an internationally recognized marine sustainability scientist, award-winning science dance choreographer, and creative innovator whose work bridges ocean conservation, social science, technology, and the arts. An Associate Professor in Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society, her research focuses on the human dimensions of marine sustainability solutions - examining how fisheries conservation technologies and marine renewable energy can be designed, adopted, and governed to better protect ocean ecosystems and coastal communities. Her work has directly contributed to regulatory changes that enable more sustainable fishing practices, informed renewable energy policy, and supported international fisheries diplomacy. Equally known for her creativity, Dr. Jenkins is helping advance the emerging field of science dance. She founded SciDance, a program that uses participatory movement activities to communicate scientific ideas, motivate public engagement, and inspire social change. Through this unique fusion of science and art, she has expanded the boundaries of science communication and reached audiences beyond traditional academic spaces. Whether conducting fieldwork, shaping policy, choreographing science-inspired performances, or mentoring future leaders, Dr. Jenkins is driven by a commitment to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and imaginative future for people and the planet.
Jennifer Light is the Bern Dibner Professor of the History of Science at MIT, where she directs the MIT Project on Embodied Education. Her research and teaching focus on closing the gap between the growing body of knowledge about movement in cognition and learning and the pedagogical strategies that educators use, finding ways to integrate physical activity and academic instruction at all levels.
EVENT INFO
Date: October 8
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Where: Online via ZOOM