Graduate students presenting lesson on two dimensional materials to a group of Cena y Ciencias participants. Photo by Elizabeth Innes, I-STEM.

As part of I-MRSEC’s outreach through Cena y Ciencias (Spanish for “Supper and Science”), a group of mostly Hispanic K–5 students and their families followed a supper of free pizza at Urbana’s Dr. Preston Williams Elementary School with a visit to the Materials Research Lab (MRL) for the second and equally-as-fun part of the evening—some science. During the April 1st event, the visitors not only participated in a variety of materials-related, hands-on activities, but they also got to interact with Illinois students and staff. Also, since many of those presenting were Hispanic and were leading the activities in Spanish, the youngsters also got to see scientists who look like them and who speak their language.