Blurring the Lines Between Art, Science, and Design
Lili ’26 has always had a wide array of passions. As a child growing up in China, it was art that initially proved most captivating. So much so, that her parents signed her up for drawing lessons to prevent further un-commissioned creations from appearing on her bedroom walls.
Later, as her schooling continued, Lili realized she also had a fondness for science — and eventually design — for its ability to explain the natural world in an evidence-based, yet comprehendible way.
It wasn’t until she arrived at Kimball Union Academy and enrolled in Art Teacher Julie Haskell’s Advanced Studio Art course, however, that Lili began to explore how these passions could potentially intersect. This past summer, Lili explored that intersection with help from a two-part Cullman Scholarship experience designed to blur the lines between art, science, and design.
“This experience really helped me understand how naturally science, art, and design connect,” said Lili, who spent two weeks at John Hopkins University participating in a pre-college laboratory research program before embarking on a web-design project to showcase her personal artwork. “In the lab, I explored scientific ideas, but I also relied on creativity and design thinking to communicate them.”
Considered among KUA’s highest honors, the Cullman Scholarship Program was established in 1983 with a gift from Hugh Cullman ’42 and supports students in off-campus study opportunities. In 2025, Lili and nine other students were awarded scholarships to pursue an area of study of their choosing that develops leadership skills, global and environmental awareness, and service to others.
At John Hopkins, Lili began her days with a two-hour lecture class before putting her newfound knowledge to the test in the lab. She said she and her peers learned four main laboratory techniques: genetic transformation, polymerase chain reaction, DNA fingerprinting, and column chromatography, by conducting practical, real-world experiments.
“Doing the entire process myself taught me not only about biology, but also how to work carefully with real, high-performance lab instruments,” said Lili, adding that she enjoyed working in the same spaces where graduate and Ph.D. students conduct their research. “It was my first real taste of research, and I loved every minute of it.”
Lili’s experience at John Hopkins proved beneficial in her work as a Giles Family STEM Scholar, in which she is researching potential treatments for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Using many of the same techniques she learned at Johns Hopkins, Lili used synthetic biology to produce Sakuranetin — a plant-derived compound with potential neuroprotective benefits for Alzheimer’s patients. The experience helped Lili learn to balance experiments, data analysis, and reporting, while also affording her the opportunity to present her work in front of peers at a bioengineering conference.
Lili then set out to create a website to showcase her artistic creations. With no professional guidance, Lili meticulously crafted yangliyangli.com using the site-building platform Framer, designing a user-friendly interface featuring three main sections in a homepage, project collection, and about page.
Lili created descriptions to accompany each of her pieces, as well as photos, text, and small animations to help bring her creations to life. She said trial and error was a big part of the creation process, adding that she plans to maintain and update the website as her portfolio grows.
“I realized that a good website and a good experiment both begin with a question and grow through thoughtful choices,” Lili explained. “Working on the website strengthened my design and communications skills and it became a new way to share my journey, just like my research experience did.”
Next year in college, Lili plans to major in biology while still pursuing her passion for art. In the meantime, she plans to make the most of her remaining time on The Hilltop by enjoying campus’s natural beauty and sharing laughs with friends.
As for her Cullman experience, Lili encouraged all sophomores and juniors to apply and to pursue an interest that truly makes them happy.
“I’m deeply drawn to art, science, and design, and discovering how they connect brought me real joy,” Lili said. “It was amazing to see how naturally they support one another. Science strengthened my position, art encouraged exploration, and design helped me shape ideas into something clear and intentional.”
