Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

Do you consider math beautiful? Is it an instrument you could use, to create positive change?

Krystal Jones answers these questions with an adamant "yes".

Krystal, who is a National Board Certified math teacher with the San Jose school district, has served as Engineering Education Leader at The Tech Museum in San Jose. She has also shown fellow educators ways to introduce engineering in their math classrooms.

Her past presentations have included sessions at the California STEAM Symposium and the NCTM conference.

"All of a sudden, something switched in my brain, and I started seeing...the whole world in math," Krystal says of her own creative journey.

That world perspective allows Krystal to illustrate her subject by applying percentages, probability and proportions as she guides her students through socially-conscious engineering projects.

Her classes at Hoover Middle School address social problems, including drought, homelessness, and systemic inequity, through hands-on projects using math.

Krystal talked about her discovery of math as a component of the world, how she first came to incorporate social consciousness into her curriculum and some of the resulting projects she and her students have created.

"Women have a lot of power," says pioneering immersive artist Trish Gianakis.

Her work, in VR, AR and XR, explores this power, even as it empowers.

Trish, who created one of New York's first virtual-reality art experience, has a Master’s degree in Fine Arts Computer Art and Art Installation from New York City’s School of Visual Arts. Among the accolades her work has received are an Emmy Award for “Best On-Air Graphics”, a Golden Addy Award for “Best Interactive Web Design” and the “Best in Show” award at Tempe, Arizona’s “Mill Avenue Artist Festival”, two years in a row.

A poet and sculptor, among her other professional classifications, Trish teaches in the Fine Arts Department of Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. She is also Adjunct

professor for FIT’s Unity XR: AR, MR, VR Development Certificate Program, and teaches private art lessons and workshops at her studio.

Trish talked about her creative journey, offered a closer look at several of the works in her immersive gallery and previewed what’s next!

Do you consider yourself to be highly creative?

And if so, how much of your creativity is due to curiosity?

That's a topic which Dr. Cassini Nazir likes to explore on a regular basis.

Cassini, as he prefers to be called, has an extensive background in design. As a full-time assistant professor at the University of North Texas, he teaches interaction design and user experience courses in the College of Visual Arts and Design. Previously, he has served as Southern Texas University's Designer in Residence, for their Master of Arts in Design and Innovation.

He was also Founding Director of University of Texas' new ATEC Usability Lab. As well as Director of Research and Design at Dallas-based ArtSciLab.

And he invites everyone--not just his students--to become more curious. In his life as a creative innovator, he continues to research the role curiosity plays, in interactive design.

In the process, he's having a lot of fun--and so are his students and general audience members.

Cassini talked about his background, offered some of the ways creatives can use curiosity as a tool to spark new ideas, and even shared two of his favorite games which he and his students use, to generate new ideas.

"The only thing better than going to space, is going to space with your friends," says neuroscientist Dr. Shawna Pandya.

In June, 2024, Dr. Pandya received word that she had been appointed by. Canada’s International Institute for Astronautical Sciences as one of three research astronauts, scheduled to fly aboard a first-of-its-kind suborbital mission.

The announcement added one more professional title to her resume: astronaut! (Dr. Pandya's current titles include Director of IIAS’ Space Medicine Group, Vice-President of Immersive Medicine at Luxsonic Technologies, Inc.; and IIAS’ Chief Instructor of Space Medicine and Extreme Environments.) She's also a pilot, aquanaut, educator, speaker...and we're probably missing at least one professional designation here!

And the friends with whom she will be going to space, are teammates Kelli Gerardi and Dr. Norah Patten. Kelli Girardi flew a highly successful inaugural research spaceflight, IIAS-01, in November 2023. Meanwhile, Dr. Norah Patten is an aeronautical engineer and STEM ambassador.

The goals of the IIAS-02 mission, on which the three-person crew is scheduled to fly in 2026, involve advancing human-tended microgravity research.

Dr. Pandya, a/k/a "Astronaut 002", talked about the upcoming IIAS-02 mission, shared some of the activities involved in team preparations and discussed leadership, discipline and creativity as they relate to her work in space science.

"I've always been just a learning-oriented person," says educator, Alliant International University Executive Director for Continuing Education and My VR Projects Chief Visionary Dr. Tom Nickel.

As Co-Founder and member of the Board of Directors of Nairobi-based Africa VR Campus and Center, Tom continues to share new ideas and educational concepts through virtual reality.

"We feel, in VR, that we are in the same place together," he explains, while discussing the value of virtual reality for social connection.

Currently, Tom hosts a weekly discussion, "Understanding 'The Matter With Things'", on the ENGAGE XR platform, every Tuesday at 2 PM, Pacific time. This is a free event, open to all, but registration is required with the ENGAGE XR platform.

Tom's background also includes hosting both art events and an ongoing "Death Q & A" discussion in VRChat.

And he's looking forward to seeing where virtual reality can take us, in building a better world.

Tom discussed his own background in virtual reality, offered guidelines for anyone who'd like to know more about creating and attending events in VR, and offered a look at the future which Africa VR Campus and Center is creating through immersive technology.

XR Girls Africa Founder Diana Njeri is passionate about building a better future.

Her implements? Education, leadership--and virtual reality.

Diana, who is the Associate Director of Africa VR Campus and Center, works with Founder/CEO Paul Simon Waiyaki, through virtual reality. to teach career, tech and entrepreneurial skills to young women from underserved areas in Africa. Her students are the first African

girls in the metaverse!

"Some people told (the girls) that they would never go anywhere, because of where they come from," Diana says of her students.

"I keep telling them, 'hey, look, those words meant nothing. Now you're doing great things," she continues.

Among those great things: winning a first-place Social Impact award in the Girls' STEAM Institute competition in 2023; launching their own podcast and hosting regular metaverse meetups, in both ENGAGE and Banter; meeting with major decision makers in XR to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas; AND sharing their new technological skills by teaching other students in the metaverse!

Look for even greater things from XR Girls Africa in 2025--and beyond.

Burbank Tournament of Roses Association is preparing a show.

It's going to weigh upwards of nine tons, travel 5.5 miles, and incorporate fire and water elements into the spectacle.

Of course, the "show" is their upcoming Rose Parade® float.

Called, "Having A-Lava Fun", the float incorporates animation, special effects and a lot of imagination.

Nonprofit Burbank Tournament of Roses Association is a "self-built"--one of the six independent, noncommercial floatbuilders creating floats which they'll drive in Pasadena's Tournament of Roses® Parade on New Year's Day.

A tradition of excellence

According to their website, Burbank Tournament of Roses Association have been participating in the parade since 1914! In those 110 years, they've garnered numerous awards. These include the Mayor Award, this past January, for "Most Outstanding Entry From a Participating City", for their 2024 entry, "Caterpillar Melody".

And, quick note--even as they prepare for the 2025 parade, coming up on New Year's Day, Burbank ToR are thinking a year ahead! Their 2026 Design Contest is currently in progress. Submissions will be accepted from now through 8 pm on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Here's a link for more information!

While the show happens on New Year's Day, Burbank Tournament of Roses Association works year-round on their incredible floats. And they welcome volunteers--especially those who can work with them throughout the year. (Here's where to find out more.)

Steve Edward is Burbank ToR's Vice President-Float, and Bob Hutt is their Vice-President Administration. In this episode of Over Coffee®, we explore the ways S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and math) elements work together in creating their award-winning floats.

“Right now, I feel we’re exploring a new frontier phase of AI and the arts," says Jeannine Flores.

In her role as Arts and STEAM Coordinator in Los Angeles County Office of Education‘s Center for Distance and Online Learning, Jeannine draws on her background in music and performing arts, as well as her 19 years teaching school in Orange County.

And she considers artificial intelligence--when used ethically--a great tool for sparking creative ideas.

For anyone who fears having AI replace artists' creative input, her message is highly encouraging.

“The thing that’s missing (in AI-generated content) is the human component,” she says.

“That human connection to art, to music, to dance…whichever art form we’re looking at. We still need to have that human element.”

In this interview recorded in Spring, 2024, Jeannine offered a closer look at some of the ways educators and creatives can use AI ethically--and effectively!--during the creative process.

In 1949, a group of students decided to build their own float and participate in Pasadena's Tournament of Roses® Parade.

Ever since, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float have been coming up with new ways to wow parade goers--and winning awards for their work.

As one of only six independent noncommercial floatbuilders, called "self-builts", in the parade, Cal Poly Universities' entry is unique for several reasons.

First of all, they're the only student-built float in the Rose Parade®,

Secondly, the float, built from the frame up, is constructed by two student groups. At the start of the building process, these groups are working from campuses more than two hundred miles apart!

Two teams become one

Annually, the students at Cal Poly Pomona build the front half of their float's chassis, while the students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo build the back half.

Then, in October, the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students bring their half down to the Pomona campus. The two halves are joined--and from then on, the groups work as one, crafting their Rose Parade® entry.

So far, the Cal Poly Universities students' entries have won more than 60 awards--which brings up the third reason their float is unique.

As students, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float participants have room to "play" and experiment with new methods and technologies.

And frequently, the results are Rose Parade® "firsts".

Brooke Handschin is President of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float in Pomona, while Collin Marfia is President of Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, San Luis Obispo.

Brooke and Collin talked about their experiences with Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, what it's like to create and drive their innovative entries and, of course, Cal Poly Universities Rose Float's 2025 entry, "Nessie's Lakeside Laughs", which will be their 76th Rose Parade® float.

"There's so much more to haunting than just getting a startle," says legendary haunter Shar Mayer.

"I want you to scream. I want you to cry. But I'm going to respect you as a human...I'm not into torturing people. I just want them to scream, and be scared."

In this 2018 interview, recorded onsite at ScareLA, Shar, who is a haunt consultant, producer, scare actor and all-round "scary creative" (she mentors and teaches aspiring haunters and workshops) shares some of her favorite insights on creating an effective and fun Halloween "scare".

And she even offers some low-cost tips on ghoulish makeup that could work for you today--and which uses ingredients you may have in your kitchen!

Happy Halloween, be safe and stay innovative!