Meet the Expert: Madison Matson, Chemical Engineer Madison is a 2020 graduate with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona. Madison had an internship at a Tucson firm and then went to work as an engineer at Proctor and Gamble in Pennsylvania where she helps with the production of paper products such… Continue Reading Episode 82: How Do You Make Toilet Paper Soft?
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Meet the Expert: Dr. Amy Apprill, Marine Microbial Ecologist Dr. Amy Apprill is a marine microbial ecologist and Associate Scientist in the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry department. Apprill’s research focuses on the ecology of microbial communities (or ‘microbiomes’) residing in association with sensitive animal hosts and ecosystems of the ocean. She studies the factors driving… Continue Reading Episode 81: Do Whales Have Germs?
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Meet the Expert: Travis Land, Herptology Curator My name is Travis Land, and I am currently working as a Ranger Tech for the City of Newport News Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department. I am committed to helping its mission of enhancing the quality of our community and its citizens by assisting its wildlife rehabilitation efforts, educational… Continue Reading Episode 79: How Do You Work With Snakes… Safely?
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Meet the Expert: Laurie Orth, Music Teacher and STEAM education pioneer STEAM education pioneer Laurie Orth brings together the two contrasting disciplines of space exploration and music. Creating a pipeline for young people into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) educational programs through music is important to her. With over two decades teaching… Continue Reading Episode 78: How Can Music Help Us Learn About Space?
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Meet the Expert: Dr. Cory Hixon, Assistant Professor of Engineering After earning his B.S. in Engineering Science at Penn State University, Dr. Cory Hixson began working as an audio-video engineer/designer. He then made a career transition to teach high school physics. Having sparked his love for education, Dr. Hixson went back to school to earn… Continue Reading Episode 77: How Do Engineers Think?
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Meet the Expert: Dr. Padma Venkatraman, oceanographer and author Dr. Padma Venkatraman is the author of BORN BEHIND BARS (Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House) as well as THE BRIDGE HOME, A TIME TO DANCE, ISLAND’S END and CLIMBING THE STAIRS. She is the winner of a WNDB Walter Dean Myers Award, Golden Kite Award, Crystal Kite Award,… Continue Reading Episode 76: How Can We Study Pollution in the Ocean?
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Meet the Expert: Kirsten W. Larson, Former NASA Public Affairs Officer, now Children’s Author Kirsten used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. Kirsten is the author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, 2020), A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who… Continue Reading Episode 75: How Does NASA Help People on the Ground?
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Meet the Expert: Danielle Schroeder, Civil Engineer Danielle Schroeder is a Bridge Engineer in Pennsylvania. She graduated from Drexel University in 2017 with both her bachelor’s and master’s in Civil Engineering and is the first engineer in her family. As an advocate for STEM outreach, she frequently leads and volunteers at outreach events focused on… Continue Reading Episode 74: How Do Structures Stand Up?
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Challenge: How would you design an exhibit for two animals. One of the animals that you might not like, and one for an animal that you do like. Share your observations with us by LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW about your experience of designing an exhibit or share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page and… Continue Reading Episode 73: How Do You Keep Zoo Animals Happy?
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Challenge: Get and apple and a pencil. Give the apple 2 or 3 stabs with the pencil. Let the apple sit on the counter for a couple of days. Watch and see what happens. (Hint: the apple decaying is like your teeth decaying.) Explore this by making holes of different sizes and maybe even having… Continue Reading Episode 71: Why Do Teeth Decay?
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Meet the Expert: Dr. Emily Swanson, DMD Dr. Emily Swanson is a native of Newnan, GA. She attended undergrad at Georgia Tech where she earned a BS in Biology. Dr. Swanson earned her DMD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is an active member of the American Dental Association on a local, state,… Continue Reading Episode 71: Why Do Teeth Decay?
Read MoreChallenge: Understand the structure of the Earth’s Atmosphere Use a series of boxes and stack them on top of each other. Each box represents a layer of the atmosphere. Ask yourself what takes place in these layers? (Hint: check out this link from UCAR Center for Science Education for help) Send us a picture or… Continue Reading Episode 70: Why Do Science Experiments Travel by Balloon instead of by Jet?
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