For the second year in a row, students gathered at Louisiana Tech University and took part in a summer camp that allowed them to blend the academic disciplines of art and science in interesting ways, according to a press release from the school.

The Visual Integration of Science Through Art (VISTA) summer camp was held June 21-25, and it allowed participants to learn about abstract scientific concepts through visual art. The directors of the camp, Nicholas Bustamante, a professor in LA Tech’s School of Design, and Dr. Jaimie Newman, the College of Engineering and Science’s associate dean for research and graduate studies, hosted the event on LA Tech’s campus for over a dozen high schoolers from across the state.

Similar to last year, the VISTA summer camp at Louisiana Tech was funded through the overarching arm of Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). GEAR UP is Louisiana’s premiere college education access and preparation initiative that’s administered by the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), a program organized by the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Over the past decade, Louisiana GEAR UP has partnered with 37 schools in 15 school districts across the state to bridge the gap between public education and the post-secondary educational landscape. One of the ultimate goals of the program is to support students from low-income families so that they are ready to enter and succeed on a post-secondary campus.

Dr. Tireka Cobb spoke about the beneficial aspects of this year’s VISTA camp experience, saying, “these programs allow students to explore college programs and careers in a fun, educational and interactive way that allows the building and expansion of learning that has happened during the academic year. Camps held during the summer help our students see the relevance of what they are working on in school from August to May, and how it all ties into them striving to be successful in life after high school. Understanding that connection prompts students to be more driven, engaged, and successful in the secondary, and eventually postsecondary arena.” Dr. Cobb is the director of LOSFA’s Field Outreach Services and Louisiana GEAR UP program.

When speaking with Louisiana Tech’s press, Bustamante expressed his delight in seeing how the visual communication aspects of the camp were able to give students more confidence in both expressing their ideas and asking lingering questions as the week progressed. The unique combination of both visual art and biological sciences is not only seen as a valuable method through which to communicate more complex topics, but the partnership of the two academic disciplines also served to advertise the various career opportunities that could be found in the arts.

Last year’s VISTA camp was conducted over Zoom as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but the overarching subject was titled: “Keep Calm and Camp on with Louisiana Tech: What’s COVID-19 Got to Do With You?” The focus of the first annual VISTA camp allowed participating students to take a particularly active role in learning about COVID-19 through the use of illustrations.

The experience found at this year’s VISTA camp is just one of the many educational opportunities offered by Louisiana GEAR UP in the summer, allowing students to stay mentally active despite not being on break. These summer learning camps aim to provide access to a college and career-orientated environment and promote STEM learning experiences.

LA Tech’s Associate Dean of Research, Outreach, and Innovation, Dr. Lindsey Vincent, said of the experience, “the interdisciplinary VISTA initiative led by Dr. Newman and Professor Bustamante exposes our [Louisiana] GEAR UP students to a world of learning and work connecting fascinating aspects of both science and art. Such multidisciplinary approaches are now necessary to solve some of the world’s most complex problems.”

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