Apr 28, 2025 _ news

Putting Down Roots to Grow STEM Education

The Citizen Science Lab (TCSL) is dedicated to growing more young scientists of color in the Greater Pittsburgh area through hands-on, life-changing experiments. Since its founding in 2015, TCSL has impacted over 4,000 school children through summer camps and after school programming. The organization recently broke ground on its new home in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood, allowing TCSL to expand its operations. The event included speeches by Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, U. S. Representative Summer Lee, and TCLS founder, Dr. Andre Samuel.

We are helping TCSL realize its dream to return to its roots in the Hill District. The project will transform the former Martin Luther King Jr. Reading and Cultural Center into a vibrant, visible, and state-of-the-art STEM laboratory in the community. When complete, the new center will include increased space for concurrent programs, enhanced food science components including a greenhouse and chicken coop to provide organic food to the community, space for drone aviation, and quiet spaces for homework and studying, as well as a safe space for youth to socialize.

The project will have a full photovoltaic array on the building’s addition, permeable paving in the parking lot, and efficient energy systems. The exterior face of the building will feature a building-scale art mural. The interiors will also showcase art, in celebration of the connection between art and science.

As with many not-for-profit organizations, fundraising is a major component in the journey from concept to construction. “We were able to put our Virtual Reality capabilities to use by supporting multiple donor events centered on 360-degree renderings of the proposed design,” says Chris Guignon, part of the design team working on the project.  

Congratulations to The Citizen Science Center on marking this important milestone!