Rita Blaik

Rita Blaik: Materials Scientist, Educator, and Artist

Rita Blaik is an experienced Materials Scientist & Engineer (PhD) who specializes in developing and teaching STEM and STEAM education programs.1 She currently serves as the Director of Education at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at UCLA.1

Career Highlights

• Director of Education at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA (October 2019 - Present)
• Manager of Education at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA (September 2016 - October 2019)1
• Adjunct Professor and Consultant at ArtCenter College of Design (September 2015 - Present)1
• Associate Director of the UCLA Sci|Art NanoLab Summer Institute (March 2016 - December 2016)1

Education

• PhD in Materials Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (2008 - 2015)1
• Bachelor of Science in Materials Science from the University of California, Irvine (2003 - 2008)1

Expertise

• Developing nanoscience-centered educational programs for K-12, public outreach, high school summer programs, and professional development1
• Guiding the design and implementation of science laboratory spaces and developing new science minor programs1
• Teaching transdisciplinary courses on topics like nanotechnology, sensing, materials science, and sustainability1

Outreach and Honors

• Explaining the science behind Marvel characters' superpowers in a video series hosted by the UCLA California NanoSystems Institute2
• Recipient of the National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education Research Traineeship on Clean Energy for Green Industry at UCLA1

Rita Blaik's diverse background in materials science, education, and art allows her to make complex scientific concepts accessible to a wide range of audiences, from K-12 students to the general public.234 Her LinkedIn username is ritablaik.