It’s hard not to notice the colorful steps leading up to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas- “GIANT STEPS – Celebrating Extraordinary Achievements of African-American Leaders in STEM”. The display will be up through Memorial Day and was designed by Daniel Gunn, an artist and architect living in Dallas.
Gunn was the winner is a contest put on by the Perot Museum and African American Museum in Dallas, announced in mid January, 2021. The contest called for entries to create a vibrantly colored, eye-catching design that celebrates African-American leaders in science – from history and modern day – who have made significant contributions to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
Gunn chose to portray past and present African-American leaders in STEM who have accomplished amazing feats in their respective fields, he also featured two less obvious leaders.
Improving STEM education is a priority, especially among African American students. According to The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, America will need to add 1 million more STEM professionals to meet workforce needs by 2022. African American youth are the least likely racial group to enter technology fields- stated by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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Samantha Davies talked to Gunn and asked his advice on getting children interested in STEM education. The two talk about how Gunn got interested in STEM from a young age and he shares tips for parents. He also shares a personal story on being one of the few African Americans in his field.
For more information about The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, visit www.perotmuseum.org.
