Current Projects & Past Activities

MMLI’s education team strives to make science, especially ongoing research at MMLI accessible by creating activities and curriculum to engage K-12 students with little to no chemistry background.


The Thrust 5 team has implemented several pilot programs that are currently undergoing project evaluation to prepare for future opportunities for engagement. Contact us if you are interested in such opportunities!

We have worked with youth from 1st-12th grade and are happy to provide engaging, hands on activities for any group. Youth grades 4/5 and up benefit the most from our content, but all ages have fun!

“Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.”

– Anne Roe

Ongoing Activities:

Past Activities

Molecule Maker Camp

A week long immersive experience (“Enzyme package”) in the world of MMLI. Rising 9th and 10th graders from Chicago were provided an opportunity to experience dorm living while being trained as molecular innovators.

Students at the well experience learn which fruit/veggie conducts electricity the best.
Students from Imagine STEM help do “lego chemistry”
Students from the Well Experience learn how computers think via a K-nearest neighbor simulation game.
Students at The Well Experience program garbage trucks to deliver ingredients required for an elephant toothpast experiment.
Students at the Well Experience learn about Lego Chemistry

After School Program Pilots

Pilot 1: The Well Experience

6 week bi-weekly program with middle and high school girls from The Well Experience Urbana (6th-12th grade participants). Example of the “peptide package” option for engagement with MMLI.

Pilot 2: Imagine STEM Saturdays

5 week program with middle school students through WYSE in partnership with DREAAM and Urbana Neighborhood Connections. (6th-8th grade participation). Example of the “peptide package” option for engagement with MMLI.

Field Trips & One Day Visits

An example of the MMLI “atomic package” – groups from Uni High Summer Camp, Next generation high school, Franklin STEAM academy, and I-EXPLORE groups have joined us for a single day field trip to explore how molecules can be represented as lego blocks, get a tour of the Molecule Maker Lab, and if possible, submit a molecule of their own choosing to synthesize!

Digital Tools

Select a “beginning”, “middle” and “end” block to create your molecule. Blocks will suggest their effects on function to help create something close to your goal.

Digital Molecule Maker

Use molecule “lego blocks” to create your own molecule!

Use this interface to supplement our MMLI in a box curriculum, a field trip to the Molecule Maker Lab, or in your own curriculum or activity! The prototype can be accessed here, but fun new changes are coming soon!

Access DMM
(Version 1)

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