Maggie Li
Major: Computer Science and Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Year: Sophomore
Fun Fact: I like to collect playing cards from every city I travel to.
I care about STEAM education because it combines curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in ways that traditional classrooms often overlook. Growing up, I rarely had access to hands-on, exploratory learning, and I know firsthand how transformative it can be when students are empowered to experiment, collaborate, and see themselves as creators. I’m particularly passionate about making these opportunities accessible to students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds, so that more young people can build confidence in their abilities and envision themselves as part of the scientific and creative communities shaping our world.
From: New York
Reflections on making a Paper Circuits Valentine’s card
This was Maggie’s first time trying out paper circuits!
Doing the Paper Circuits activity helped me think about electronics in a much more approachable way. Instead of feeling technical or intimidating, the circuit felt like just another craft material I could use to tell a story. For my project, I made a Valentine’s card with a simple circuit on the back and a red LED that glowed through the paper to reveal Appa, the flying bison from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I used the light to represent Momo flying toward him, which made the circuit feel intentional and connected to the artwork rather than just an add-on.
A big part of the experience was experimenting and figuring things out as I went. Working with copper tape, LEDs, and the battery took some trial and error, especially when the light didn’t turn on right away. Debugging the circuit forced me to slow down, check my connections, and problem-solve instead of getting frustrated. Once it finally worked, it felt really rewarding because I knew it came from persistence rather than everything going perfectly on the first try.
Overall, this activity showed how simple materials can support a lot of creativity. The basic idea of a paper circuit was easy to understand, but there was still so much room to personalize the design and make it meaningful. It was a good reminder that STEAM activities don’t have to be complicated to be engaging, and that combining art with technology can make learning feel fun, accessible, and personal. My project was absolutely on the simpler side, but I can tell that with a bit more time, there were so many possibilities and paths I could have taken with it.