For the Beckman Open House 2025, I had the exciting opportunity to design the official shirts worn by all the volunteers and exhibitioners during the event. It was such a great experience, especially because the inspiration for the design came from a group of local elementary school students that the institute regularly works with through outreach.
We met with the students ahead of time and asked them to help us come up with ideas for the shirts. They jumped right in, sketching all kinds of creative designs, everything from brains and bugs to microscopes and beakers. Their drawings were full of energy and imagination, and we used those as the starting point for the final design.
The shirt features the phrase “Team STEAM,” which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Surrounding the text are small illustrations inspired by both the kids’ sketches and the research that happens at Beckman. Some of the icons include a brain to represent neuroscience, insects for biology, and a microscope for imaging and discovery.
It was really meaningful to see how excited the students were to be part of the process. Even more rewarding was seeing their ideas come to life and worn by hundreds of people at the event. This was definitely one of my favorite projects so far.
