Belonging IN Steam

Belonging in S.T.E.A.M. is a collaborative photographic project that explores representation, visibility, and belonging within science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics fields. Inspired by the documentary Picture a Scientist and broader conversations surrounding equity in education and professional spaces, the project highlights students, faculty, and staff from historically underrepresented communities at Northern Illinois University.

Through portraiture and personal narratives, the project seeks to challenge assumptions about who belongs in S.T.E.A.M. spaces while celebrating the diverse individuals whose contributions shape these fields. Participants were photographed within environments connected to their work, studies, and aspirations, emphasizing the relationship between identity and place.

The project also extended beyond the university through a collaboration with the Barb City STEAM Team. Through workshops focused on photography and visual storytelling, students were introduced to image-making as a tool for self-expression and representation. Their portraits became an integral part of the project, creating an intergenerational dialogue about belonging, possibility, and future pathways in S.T.E.A.M.

By bringing together participants across ages and backgrounds, Belonging in S.T.E.A.M. affirms the importance of representation and demonstrates how photography can foster connection, inspire confidence, and expand perceptions of who can thrive within these fields.

This work was created by NIU photography students Drew Dzurko, Edwin Perez-Hernandez, Emma Vitallo and Jayla Watkins and the Barb City STEAM Team.