The Colors of Nature project blends art and science through programs for students, families, and educators. Our science cafés brought youth and adults into conversation with scientists who emphasize the role creativity plays in their work while our summer academies provided intensive 2-week experiences for artistic middle school girls to explore science through an arts lens. Our educator kits and professional development workshops provide materials and support for teachers, museum educators, and others who work in informal learning environments to explore these topics with youth. 

The Colors of Nature project is a collaborative effort between the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, and the University of Washington Bothell. Through a number of different activities that reach different audiences, we aim to:

• Illustrate that science is a creative endeavor, and that science and art overlap
• Build identification with the scientific enterprise among youth, with an emphasis on groups that are currently underrepresented in scientific careers
• Develop positive attitudes towards, and interest in, science among youth and the broader community, especially among underrepresented groups including girls

The project is supported by the National Science Foundation (Award number DRL-1224020).