OUR STORY

Science in a Suitcase (SIAS) was formed in 2014, on a bus ride through miles of rice fields in rural Vietnam. In an attempt to temporarily satisfy their travel itch before becoming parents, Nicole and her husband Andy planned a babymoon LEGO robotics adventure across Southeast Asia. They invited their favorite robot enthusiasts, Lillan and Antonio, to join them. Together, they spent three weeks eating their way through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam and introducing disadvantaged children to science, engineering, and creativity through LEGO robotics. Inspired by the lives they touched, they founded SIAS with the vision of packing science and engineering experiments into a suitcase, bringing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math) education to underserved communities worldwide.

Building technical literacy is crucial for engaging with today's world, and our programs focus on teaching the fundamentals of engineering and computer science. However, we go beyond just technical skills. We aim to nurture creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and resilience in failure, helping kids transform their ideas into tangible prototypes and ultimately make a positive impact on their world.

Since our inception, we've implemented programs across the globe, from Austin, Texas, to Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Suriname, and beyond. We’ve donated over 150 LEGO robotics kits to underserved youth, trained hundreds of teachers and mentors globally, and sparked new possibilities for countless children along the way.

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”

– Mark Van Doren