STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—is a world full of exploration, ingenuity, and innovation. As someone passionate about airplanes, I was drawn to the aerospace engineering field and journeyed to become an aerospace engineer so I could design airplanes for a living. Along the way, however, I—a Black, Puerto Rican, and Mexican engineer—often found myself as the only person of color, or one of just a few, in the rooms I studied and worked in. While I was determined to persevere, I couldn’t help but wonder: Why weren’t there more people who looked like me in STEM?
According to the National Science Foundation, Black STEM professionals make up only 9 percent of the industry, while Latino STEM professionals make up just 15 percent. These numbers are notably lower than the overall Black and Latino populations in the United States, which are 13 percent and 19 percent, respectively. This disparity left me questioning how I could contribute to changing these statistics.
Discovering the Power of Music in STEM Education
In 2016, I was volunteering in a nonprofit organization with a group of young, predominantly Black boys, ages eight to sixteen. Every couple of months, I was asked to lead STEM lessons within our organization. The activities were hands-on and engaging, from gumdrop bridges to parachute egg drops to paper airplanes. One day, the leader of our organization requested that I give a forty-five-minute math lesson.
I was hesitant. Despite having a math minor, I wasn’t a huge fan of the subject, and I knew the kids weren’t exactly excited about it either. But then I had an idea: How could I make this lesson fun? How could I engage my students and bring excitement to the table?
That’s when inspiration struck. I realized that when I was in college, I had used music to help myself grasp difficult concepts. Why not try the same approach here? There was a popular song at the time—“Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” by Silentó—that my students loved. Every time it played, they would get up, dance, and have a party. I decided to remix the song, changing the lyrics to “Watch Me Solve the Equation.” I rewrote the verses to feature a simple algebra problem and decided I would perform it for my students.
Video for “Watch Me Solve the Equation”
A Lesson That Changed Everything
When I began the math lesson, my students moaned and groaned at the thought of doing math for forty-five minutes. After hearing the frustration, I announced I had a special performance for them. As soon as the beat dropped, I started singing, “Watch me solve the equation, watch me solve, solve the equation.” To my surprise, the room exploded with excitement. The students not only started dancing but also began eagerly solving the algebra problems on the white board at the front of the classroom. The energy in the room shifted. What had seemed like a boring, difficult task became something fun, interactive, and engaging. The kids sang the song as they solved math problems, and they kept singing it even after the session ended, until their parents arrived to pick them up.
That day, I realized the incredible power of music to make STEM more accessible and exciting for students, especially those in underrepresented communities. Music had transformed a challenging subject into something enjoyable, and it connected the students to the material in a way traditional methods never had.
Using Music to Bridge the Gap in STEM
After that experience, I began to think more about how music could play a larger role in increasing diversity within STEM education. We all remember learning our ABCs through songs or memorizing history and grammar with Schoolhouse Rock jingles. TV shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy and Reading Rainbow also used music and entertainment to make learning fun. I wanted to build on that legacy, using music to show Black and Brown students that they belong in STEM—and that high-paying careers in these fields could change their lives and the communities they represent.
Diversity in STEM is crucial for all of us. It ensures that the technology, systems, and services we develop are inclusive and serve everyone—not just a select few.
Launching STEMusic
In November 2019, after overcoming fears and doubts, I launched my small business, STEMusic LLC, with the mission to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals through engaging and entertaining music. Through STEMusic, I now have the privilege of showcasing the world of STEM to students from diverse backgrounds, using songs that uplift, educate, and entertain.
I visit libraries, children’s museums, festivals, schools, and conferences, bringing fresh energy to students and showing them how STEM can be part of their lives through songs like “Doin’ the Math”:
Me and math really haven’t been friends,
But can I tell you that’s not where this story ends?
See, calculations are needed in this life, yeah
Like when I’m at the store, I need to pay the right price
Or “Show Us How You STEM”:
That’s right, you were born for STEM.
Go ahead and break up all the stereotypes.
Tell ’em that you’re gonna take flight—
You could write a code that will send a spaceship out of sight
And if you fail, keep trying with all your might.
Reppin’ STEM for life!
Or “We Call it STEMusic”:
Listen up to what I have to say
STEM can lead you to a better way
It’s hard work but that’s okay
Cause ain’t nobody really crying about the pay
Each song opens up a conversation, allowing students to see that they, too, have a place in STEM.
The Impact of STEMusic
One of the things I love about STEMusic is the impact it has on students, teachers, librarians, and parents. I’m often marketed as a children’s music artist (which I totally am!), but my audiences do not expect the type of singing or rapping that I present in my concerts. Teachers and parents are often shocked once I start the first song, “We Call it STEMusic.” They go from a mindset of “I’ll just be on my phone while my kids enjoy this,” or “I’ll be watching to make sure my students behave,” to being fully immersed in the STEMusic experience.
After concerts, parents share comments like “This was so cool!” “I learned so much and wasn’t even expecting to be this engaged,” and “Thank you for making this music for our kids . . . they need it.” Teachers share phrases like, “I was not expecting that!” “This, by far, was the best school assembly we’ve had, and I’ve been teaching here for years!” and “My kiddo, who is always causing distractions in class, was engaged the entire time. I’ve never seen him like this. You were phenomenal!”
Although I cherish those compliments, it is the comments from the kids that warm my heart the most. Often, after a STEMusic concert, kids will randomly bear-hug me to thank me for spreading so much joy. Some students compare me to other music artists like Drake or Eminem, which is always flattering but also hilarious because I’m nowhere close to where those artists are, in my opinion.
Some students mention that this was their favorite school assembly and ask if I’m going to return the next day. My favorite compliment is when a kid starts the concert with their arms folded and isn’t really interested in what I have to offer, but at the end of the concert, they’re on their feet, incredibly engaged and excited. For me, this is what STEMusic is all about! How do we get students from all backgrounds excited to learn about science, technology, engineering, and math without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated? Music is the way!
One final story about the impact of STEMusic comes from a concert I did in December 2024. I got to the last song of the concert, which is the “Math” song. Right before I performed the song, I asked the audience, “Who wants to do some math?” The response was a few cheers, but there was one distinct “BOOOOO!” from the audience. I zeroed in on that student and told him, “Actually, I feel the same way. I’m not the biggest fan of math either!” He was a bit shocked to hear that. I then said, “Well, let’s jump into the song first and then see about doing some math.”
As quoted above, the first line of the math song is, “Me and math really haven’t been friends, but can I tell you that’s not where this story ends?” I sang those lyrics directly to that student and saw his eyes light up once he heard them. Throughout the song, he began to dance more and more. After the song was over, I jumped into the math activity, which involves a large, inflated die that is rolled to provide numbers for simple math problems. After the numbers have been rolled, the audience is responsible for solving the math problems I come up with. If a two and a four are rolled, I might say, “What is 4 – 2?” or “What is 4 × 2?” As usual, the audience shouts out the answer, but during this math game, that student was yelling the answers with everything he had. This was such a rewarding moment! To see a student who literally booed math end up yelling out answers to a math game . . . wow, just incredible!
Incorporating STEMusic
So, how can you incorporate STEMusic in your teaching or interactions with students? Well, first of course, you can play the songs. I’m proud to say we have songs about several topics in STEM from underwater caves to African zoology! STEMusic songs, available on all streaming platforms, are a great way to get students excited to learn about STEM topics you may be trying to present to them. Second, you can build a STEM song of your own with your students. You don’t have to be the best singer or rapper to accomplish this. All you have to do is tap into your creativity and collaborate your students to make the perfect STEM song for your class or group.
How to build a STEM chorus:
Step 1: Pick your STEM topic
Step 2: Use words that rhyme
Step 3: Play with your words
Step 4: Make it catchy (repetitive)
Step 5: Have fun!
If you need some kind of music or song to get you started, you can always use a song that already exists and just remix the lyrics!
For example:
Actual Song
Don’t stop believing, hold on to that feeling
Streetlights, people (oh oh oh)!
Your Song (with the same melody)
Atoms bonded together, a molecule forever
The foundation of chemistry (oh oh oh)!
Lastly, you can bring me out to your school, library, festival, museum, or any organization. I enjoy touring the country educating and inspiring students and educators on how they can successfully engage with and learn about STEM!
Looking Ahead: STEMusic Takes Flight
As I embark on a new album, STEMusic Takes Flight, I’m excited to introduce students to my first love and the reason I even got into STEM: Airplanes! This album will highlight the science behind the wonder of flight, aiming to inspire the next generation of aerospace engineers, pilots, and aircraft mechanics. The fields of science, technology, engineering, and math are forever growing and in need of a diverse workforce that can design a better future for us all. Through the power of music, I believe we can attract, educate, and build that workforce—one song at a time.