ABOUT US

Bringing Families and Communities Together to Enjoy Science and Math

Families on Plaza at space event Children getting some science posters after playing with Oobleck
at the Tech Museum in San José, 2008.

Our goal is to help families discover that math and science are all around—in the home, in the neighborhood, at work, and not just at school and in big laboratories. Through cartoons and activities, we show how math and science can be fun for the whole family. Science and Math in Spanish-Language Media Project reaches community members where they live, shop, and play.

Let Mateo y Cientina Show You the Way

The cartoon kids, Mateo y Cientina, present family-friendly, hands-on activities that help:

  • Adults and children alike to overcome their fear of math and science
  • Encourage families to spend time on subjects important to academic achievement
  • Introduce families to local resources that support our mission

Our Background

Teaming with New America Media, a network of ethnic media, Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley developed the Science and Math in Spanish-Language Media Project. The project, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), showcases 30 Mateo y Cientina cartoons for national distribution.

All 30 cartoons were published in La Oferta and El Mensajero newspapers in California from 2006 through 2009. Beginning in 2008 until early 2009, the Mateo y Cientina cartoon series appeared in Semana News in Houston, with support from our partner, The Children’s Museum of Houston. In spring 2009, Mateo y Cientina began appearing in the South Florida Parenting and Padres de Hoy newspapers in Miami, in collaboration with our third science center partner, Miami Science Museum.

In addition to supporting the cartoons' publication, each museum has offered classes for parents and children, and participates in community festivals to help promote the cartoons and enhance the enjoyment of math and science activities.