Meet the Expert: Lisa Leinbaugh, Electrical Engineer As a kid, I loved collecting rocks. I still go rockhounding when I can. Rocks are made of minerals. Minerals have amazing crystal structures. I decided to study electrical engineering in college because semiconductors are made from crystals that conduct electricity. After over six years of college, I… Continue Reading Episode 89: How Do You Make a Brain for a Computer?
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Meet the Expert: Kelly Bull, Horticulturist and Permaculture Landscaper Kelly Bull is a professional horticulturist, educator, and permaculture landscape designer with an infectious love for plants and an endless fascination for soil. As owner of Kelly Bull Permaculture Design in Colorado Springs, she creates custom designs for backyard ecosystems that allow people to connect with… Continue Reading Episode 88: What is Living in Your Dirt?
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Meet the Expert: Nils Larson, NASA Test Pilot David Nils Larson is a research test pilot at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. He is NASA’s lead pilot for the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft, and is assigned to Armstrong’s F/A-18, F-15, T-34 research and mission support aircraft and DC-8 airborne science aircraft. Larson also serves as senior advisor… Continue Reading Episode 87: Why Do Planes Make a Sonic Boom?
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Happy Holidays! Jennifer and Jeff are on vacation, but don’t miss our BEST of Animals compilation with snippets of episodes with some of our favorite biologists! Dr. Sarah McAnulty Why are Squid Squishy? — Episode #60 Dr. Alison Pearce Stevens What Can Ancient Rhinos Tell Us About the Midwest? — Episode… Continue Reading Episode 85: The BEST of Animals
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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. 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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Slender Tower Challenge: You need 10 sheets of paper, scissors, and a roll of tape. Your challenge is to build the tallest tower you can with the smallest base (or footprint). Share your observations– or your picture– with us by LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW about your experience of designing an exhibit or share with us… Continue Reading Episode 74: How Do Structures Stand Up?
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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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