Astro-Animation -- How Artists and Scientists Envision the Universe
Laurence Arcadias, Robin H.D. Corbet, Emma Booth

TL;DR
This paper discusses a collaborative art-science program involving NASA astronomers and art students creating animations to engage the public and underrepresented youth in astronomy and STEAM education.
Contribution
It introduces a novel interdisciplinary approach combining animation and astronomy for outreach and education, including a workshop and planned mobile exhibition.
Findings
Positive responses from workshop participants
Animations effectively engage and educate about astronomy
The program fosters interest in STEAM among youth
Abstract
For several years, students at an art college, working with NASA astronomers, have produced animations inspired by research on black holes, dark matter and more. They can be whimsical or poetic but still constrained by scientific rigour. The animations are used for scientific outreach and are freely available. Our program received a positive assessment through an evaluation we undertook. We are now planning a mobile STEAM exhibition to engage teenagers from underrepresented communities who may not typically consider STE(A)M for their studies. "Science anxiety" has been reported to be a significant barrier to learning. Mixing animation with astronomy can stimulate interest in STEAM, making science engaging in an unconventional way. One component would be activities where participants create artistic responses to astronomy. We undertook a workshop at a local city-run school, specialising…
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