AAPI Scientists: STEM Lessons for Your Classroom

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is a great time to bring real scientists' stories and findings into your classroom. You can plug information about them right into what you already plan to teach. Show students people who are shaping STEM today, like AAPI scientists, young inventors, and real-world researchers.

Jump to:

• AAPI scientists and their contributions in STEM
• Young AAPI scientists and student innovators
• Hawai’i volcano science and Pacific Islander connections

[AAPI scientists and their contributions in STEM](id-stem)

Key takeaways:

• Use texts about real AAPI scientists to make STEM content feel current and relevant.
• Connect science to real-world innovation, so students see how discoveries impact everyday life.
• Bring representation into STEM lessons to help more students see themselves in science careers.
• Plug texts into existing topics like technology, inventions, and research without adding extra prep.

AAPI scientists are shaping the world your students live in right now. You don’t need to do extra work to bring their discoveries and leadership into your classroom. Instead, layer examples into lessons you already plan to teach.  

What can students learn from AAPI scientists in STEM?

Students can see how science shows up in real life through inventions, problem-solving, and everyday impact. It also helps them understand that innovation can come from anywhere, not just from the names of scientists they already know. 

Dig into the world of AAPI scientists who make a difference with articles on topics like:

• How Chinese scientists created invisible messages using special paper, water, and UV light.
• The Jacksonville, Florida teen who invented Spark Care+, an award-winning personalized music therapy treatment.
• An 82-year-old app developer from Japan who proves innovation—and a love of gaming—doesn’t have an age limit.

How is scientist Fei-Fei Li shaping artificial intelligence?

Fei-Fei Li helped advance AI by working with “big data,” which enables computers to process large amounts of information quickly. That shift is a big reason AI tools work the way they do.  

You can use her story to make the workings of AI feel less abstract and give students a chance to learn about a real person behind the technology. Introduce the topic with resources like:

• An article on Fei-Fei Li’s journey from early science interests to leading AI research.
• A video of a TED Talk on how some people are using AI technology to create fake videos of real people and why it can be harmful.
• An article about programs designed to reduce racial bias in AI and how it connects technology with ethics. 

[Young AAPI scientists and student innovators](id-trailblazers)

Key takeaways:

• Use content about student-aged innovators to make STEM feel achievable and relevant to your class.
• Connect science to real problems, such as health and water safety, to increase engagement.
• Support project-based learning with examples that model research and invention.

Students may not think of themselves as scientists. But that can change when they meet people their own age doing real work. Show your students examples of real school-aged young people solving real problems to spark questions and inspiration.

Who are young AAPI scientists that students can relate to?

Young AAPi scientists are already tackling big challenges. From cancer research to water safety, these students are using STEM to solve problems that matter right now. To help students see that their ideas can matter and have an impact, introduce articles on topics like:

• A 14-year-old working toward more compassionate cancer treatment.
• An 11-year-old inventor who’s improving lead water testing.
• Gitanjali Rao, named TIME’s Kid of the Year for her work using science and technology to address global issues.

[Hawai’i volcano science and Pacific Islander connections](id-volcano)

Key takeaways:

• Use place-based science to connect STEM concepts to real environments and cultures.
• Make abstract concepts visible by exploring volcanoes that students can visit virtually.
• Build background knowledge about Pacific Islander communities through science topics.
• Support cross-curricular learning by blending earth science with geography and culture.

You don’t need to take an in-person field trip to make science feel real. A virtual trip can bring earth science to life while also building context around Pacific Islander communities and the environments they live in.

How can you teach volcano science through a virtual field trip?

Start with the science students can see. Volcanoes are visual and active. After a demonstration, show students how they form, behave, and impact the people who live nearby. That combination helps your class understand both the science and the human side of the story.

To bring your field trip to life, use resources like:

• An article with eight facts about Hawai‘i’s Kilauea volcano to build quick background knowledge.
• An explainer on how volcanoes formed the Hawaiian islands to help students connect geology to real places.
• An infographic showing different types of volcanoes—like cinder cone, composite, and shield—to help visual learners and for review at the end of the lesson.

Keep AAPI scientist content in your lessons all year with Newsela STEM

AAPI scientists shouldn’t only show up in your lessons during May. Their stories and findings fit into lessons you teach all year, like technology, health, and earth science. When you bring in real people and real work, students stay more engaged. And they start to see science as something they can be part of, too.

With Newsela STEM, you get ready-to-use content that makes this easy. Articles, videos, and activities come with multiple reading levels, built-in supports, and assessment tools so you can focus on teaching, not on lesson prep.

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