Physics' Lorenz Shines a Light on Invisible Light as Part of
I-MRSEC’s Musical Magnetism Program at Franklin

A Franklin STEAM Studio eighth grader works on a bracelet made of special UV-reacting beads.
A Franklin STEAM Studio eighth grader works on a bracelet made of special UV-reacting beads.

January 21, 2020

What better way to get Franklin STEAM Academy seventh and eighth grade students interested in science than by couching it in fun, hands-on activities and demonstrations and encouraging them to express what they’ve learned in some mediums they love—music, hip hop/rap, and videos. This is the goal of the Musical Magnetism program sponsored by I-MRSEC (the Illinois Materials Research Science and Engineering Center), Illinois’ NSF-funded center which focuses on some of the properties of materials, such as magnetism. The main project of the Jan 13–March 6, 2020 program is this: students are to select a specific topic related to magnetism, research it, then create a music video to be previewed at a video release party on the final day of the program.

I-MRSEC’s Musical Magnetism curriculum dovetails with the school’s emphasis on STEAM, which uses the Arts (A) to address STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). So for eight weeks, Franklin students will be learning about science and materials and exploring magnetism. The in-depth look at magnetism will include the opportunity to “Destroy a Toy” (take a MagnaDoodle apart), take a look at some “Magnetism Technologies,” and “Build a Toy.”

Virginia Lorenz and Pamela Pena Martin do an activity using infrared light. Lorenz is holding an i-Pad loaded with software that uses infrared light to detect the heat signature of a Franklin student who is hidden behind a black garbage bag, holding up several fingers, which Lorenz and Pena Martin are to guess using the infrared image.
Virginia Lorenz and Pamela Pena Martin do an activity using infrared light. Lorenz is holding an i-Pad loaded with software that uses infrared light to detect the heat signature of a Franklin student who is hidden behind a black garbage bag, holding up several fingers, which Lorenz and Pena Martin are to guess using the infrared image.

The Arts emphasis will introduce students to various aspects of music and video making. Activities will include a presentation by guest artist Jamie Roundtree, how to make a music video, how to write lyrics, audio recording and video storyboarding, and different beats in music. Other activities will include a field trip to MRL (the Materials Research Lab, home of I-MRSEC), and a career panel comprised of an MRL staff scientist, a professor, and someone from industry.   

For the program’s introduction to materials sessions on January 16th, Physics Associate Professor Virginia Lorenz and two of her graduate students did an activity about materials and light with the seventh and eighth graders.

First, Lorenz discussed light—both the visible light spectrum and types of light which can’t be seen by the human eye. After talking about the visible light spectrum, she explained that infrared light has a longer wavelength than visible light and is therefore invisible to the human eye. She also addressed ultraviolet light, which has a shorter wavelength than those that make up visible light. This type of light has both fun and not-so-great consequences; for instance, while it makes black-light posters glow, which everyone loves, it’s also responsible for sunburned skin.

Franklin seventh graders examine a student’s beads which have changed color after being exposed to UV light.Franklin seventh graders examine a student’s beads which have changed color after being exposed to UV light.

Next, the team of researchers led the Franklin students in an engaging, hands-on activity designed to test the effectiveness of sun screen in preventing sunburn. First, students received plastic bags containing special beads which turned various colors when exposed to UV light—which they immediately tested using special UV flashlights, as well trooping outdoors into the sun. The experiment involved teams of students who were to test three lotion samples (labelled A, B, and C), to see which provided the least vs. the most protection from the sun’s UV rays. For the experiment, students applied the different lotions to the outside of their plastic bags to determine which provided the most protection. Following thorough testing, they discovered that A provided the least while C provided the most protection.

Finally, after the experiment, the kids got to make bracelets or necklaces from the beads, which they were allowed to keep—a stroke of genius that would remind the students of the lesson on UV light every time they stepped out into the sunshine!

Lorenz says she signed up to do her lesson on materials and light at Franklin partly because it’s part of her role as the outreach director for I-MRSEC. However, she also likes to get involved outreach activities like this one because she hopes to “bring science to the public and especially children whom we’d love to see grow up to become scientists.”

Virginia Lorenz shows a seventh grader a YouTube video of someone who created a large art project using materials that react to UV light.
Virginia Lorenz shows a seventh grader a YouTube video of someone who created a large art project using materials that react to UV light.

According to Lorenz, her goals for her activity were “for the students to feel empowered to explore and discover things about the world on their own, to have the knowledge of scientific methods that allow them to do so, and to have a good memory of fun with science.”

Lorenz shares how Musical Magnetism is beneficial for her and her colleagues: "It's easy to forget how cool science is and how far we’ve come in our understanding; by working with the Franklin students we are reminded of how exciting it can be to learn something new about the world."

She shares what she considers to be one of the benefits for the kids: “Interacting with scientists exposes them to potential careers that might seem mysterious otherwise and gives them a direct connection to that community.”


Story by Elizabeth Innes, Communications Specialist, I-STEM Education Initiative. Photos by Elizabeth Innes, unless noted otherwise.

For more I-STEM web articles about I-MRSEC, see:

More: 6-8 Outreach, I-MRSEC, Underserved, 2020

Franklin seventh graders show off the necklaces they’ve made from special beads that react to UV light.Franklin seventh graders show off the necklaces they’ve made from special beads that react to UV light.
Franklin seventh graders show off the necklaces they’ve made from special beads that react to UV light.
Franklin seventh graders show off the necklaces they’ve made from special beads that react to UV light.
Lorenz’ PhD student, Junyi Wu ties the bracelet a Franklin student has made on her wrist. The bracelet is made from special beads that turn color after being exposed to UV light.Lorenz’ PhD student, Junyi Wu ties the bracelet a Franklin student has made on her wrist.
A Franklin seventh grader makes a bracelet with the beads that react to UV light.A Franklin seventh grader makes a bracelet with the beads that react to UV light.
A seventh grade boy proudly displays the bracelet he made.
A seventh grade boy proudly displays the bracelet he made.
A  Franklin eighth grader shines a UV flashlight on a bag of special UV beads he  has coated with lotion to test its ability to “protect” the beads from UV raysA Franklin eighth grader shines a UV flashlight on a bag of special UV beads he has coated with lotion to test its ability to “protect” the beads from UV rays.




SOLIDarity EXperiences (SOLIDEX) through the Eyes of Children

What do children aged 11-13 in two countries think about solidarity?
Full Story

Students launch ASL STEM Vocabulary App Company

Students launch ASL STEM Vocabulary App Company
Full Story

Innovation, Inspiration on display at the Undergraduate Research Symposium

Undergraduate Research Week took place April 23-29, 2023, and culminated Thursday, April 27, 2023
Full Story

What would you like to see – 3D printers? Magnets? Solar-powered racing cars? Robobrawl?

March 28, 2023
EOH occurs Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Full Story

Tour of Illinois’ Materials Research Lab through I-MRSEC sparks Franklin students’ interest in Materials Science

March 1, 2023
Students from the Champaign middle school had a tour of the Material Research Laboratory (MRL) in early February.
Full Story

Nobel Project’s End-of-Year Zoom Bash Recaps Learning

February 1, 2022
The STEM Illinois Nobel Project held a special, end-of-the-year Zoom event celebrating its participating students’ achievements.
Full Story

It’s not magic, it’s physics

January 26, 2022
In Franklin STEAM Academy, Musical Magnetism program makes STEM fun, approachable.
Full Story

Program prepares STEM educators to teach all students

November 30, 2021
This summer, a group of educators gathered to learn about engaging STEM activities they can do with their students.
Full Story

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program

November 11, 2021
Undergrads get a taste of research through I-MRSEC’s REU program.
Full Story

Goldstein’s Renaissance Engineering Summer Camp

November 1, 2021
Goldstein’s Renaissance Engineering Summer Camp Incorporates Art, Design, Mechatronics, and Mentoring
Full Story

TechTogether Chicago to Redefine the Hacker Stereotype

July 10, 2021
New workshops that can help inspire students to pursue careers in technology..
Full Story

Aerospace Engineering Launches Virtual Summer Camps to Pique Students’ Interest in Aero.

July 2, 2021
Design an aircraft then watch it soar after launching it with a huge rubber band. Build a Mars lander to safely transport a real egg, then test the contraption by dropping it from a second story window.
Full Story

Undergrads Experience Materials Science Research Courtesy of the I-MRSEC REU

June 16, 2021
Ten undergraduate students are spending the summer of 2021 discovering what research is like.
Full Story

MatSE Afterschool Academy

MatSE Afterschool Academy

June 14, 2021
MatSE Afterschool Academy to Introduce Students to Materials Science and Beyond.
Full Story

Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest

Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest

June 14, 2021
Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest While Researching Task Collaboration.
Full Story

Exposes Franklin Middle Schoolers to Science, CS

What Studying Engineering at Illinois is Like?

May 25, 2021
NSBE’s Michaela Horn Exposes Franklin Middle Schoolers to Science, CS, and What Studying Engineering at Illinois is Like.
Full Story

Jenny Saves a Convertible.

Children’s-Book-Writing Duo/

May 19, 2021
Convertibles and Thunderstorms—Children’s-Book-Writing Duo on Their Way Thanks to Illinois Training and Encouragement from Mentors.
Full Story

Improve Learning in Engineering

Improve Learning in Engineering

May 17, 2021
Liebenberg Espouses Mini-Projects to Engage Students Emotionally, Improve Learning in Engineering.
Full Story

Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

BIOE435 Capstone Projects

May 12, 2021
BIOE435 Capstone Projects - BIOE Seniors Use Knowledge/Skills to Problem Solve.
Full Story

Elani and Gonzalo shine a UV light on a rose that has absorbed a solution that has made it fluorescent.

Illinois Scientists Shine a (UV) Light on Fluorescence

May 7, 2021
What is fluorescence? What causes it?
Full Story

Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

HackIllinois 2021 “Rekindled Connections” With The Tech Community

May 5, 2021
Annual student hackathon HackIllinois with the aim of developing projects on current problems facing society.
Full Story

A Shane Mayer-Gawlik image of the Bridger Aurora, part of his Night Skies photography collection exhibited at the Art-Science Festival.

The Art-Science Festival

April 26, 2021
Illinois Art-Science Festival: Illuminating the Universe...from the Quantum World to the Cosmos.
Full Story

Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

Illinois Engineering Seniors Prepared to Change the World

April 22, 2021
Ready. Set. Go! Illinois Engineering Seniors Prepared to Change the World.
Full Story

HML 2021 Virtual Health

HML 2021 Virtual Health

April 19, 2021
Make-a-Thon Gives Citizen Scientists a Shot at Making Their Health-Related Innovations a Reality.
Full Story

I-MRSEC’s Music Video

I-MRSEC’s Music Video

April 7, 2021
I-MRSEC’s Music Video for EOH ’21 Plugs Graphene, 2D Materials
Full Story

Health Make-a-Thon Orientation

HML 2021 Health Orientation

March 30, 2021
HML 2021 Health Make-a-Thon Orientation Prepares Finalists for Competition.
Full Story

Andrea Perry shows Franklin students how to take apart the magnetic drawing board they received in their kit

Musical Magnetism

March 25, 2021
Musical Magnetism: Encouraging Franklin Middle Schoolers to Express Science Via the Arts.
Full Story

Carmen Paquette street performing.

Love of Science

March 9, 2021
Paquette Conveys Her Love of Science, Dance to Franklin STEAM Students Via Musical Magnetism.
Full Stroy

An Engineering Exploration participant exhibits the tower they built as part of the engineering challenge related to Civil Engineering

Engineering Exploration

March 2, 2021
SWE’s Engineering Exploration Outreach Lives Up to Its Name.

ChiS&E’s Family STEM Day

ChiS&E’s Family STEM Day

February 23, 2021
Helps Chicago Youngsters Progress Along the STEM Pipeline Toward Engineering.

Kathny Walsh

Kathy Walsh

February 17, 2021
On Her First Foray into STEAM, Kathy Walsh Acquaints Franklin Students with Microscopy, Haiku.

ChiS&E student

ChiS&E CPS Students

January 19, 2021
Illinois Undergrads Encourage ChiS&E CPS Students Toward Possible Careers in Engineering.

I-MRSEC’s Music Video

CISTEME365 Provides Year-Round PD/Community

January 4, 2021
to Illinois Teachers in Support of Informal STEM Education Efforts to Underserved Students.