Lab Out Loud

As a NASA engineer, Kris Brown used to work with critical hardware used on numerous shuttle missions. Now, as Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA's Office of STEM Engagement, Kris works towards creating unique opportunities for students and the public to contribute to NASA’s work in exploration and discovery, and to building a diverse future STEM workforce by engaging students in authentic learning experiences with NASA’s people, content and facilities.

Dr. Alex Evans works as a science educator, presenter, and writer. Joining co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler, Alex discusses his love of parrot Twitter accounts, describes what we can learn from bird energetics that can be applied to real world problems (and mythical creatures), and encourages young scientists to get out and find new information about the world around them.

Professor Dawn Fallik talks about the difference between loneliness and social isolation, how Millennials and Gen Z might be better equipped to communicate and function during the COVID-19 stay at home orders, and how teachers might look out for and help students combat loneliness.

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Joanne O'Meara, a physics professor from the University of Guelph. In an effort to help educators right now, the Guelph physics department is creating videos to answer user generated science questions. Called AMASE (Ask Me Anything: Science Edition), these videos have been tackling concepts such as the speed of light, rainbows, and Schrodinger's Cat.

As our students continue their science instruction online and at home, we wanted to take some time to share some free resources from NSTA and beyond. We also get a chance to talk to  Fred Ende's kids - referred to as "6" and "9" - as they share their experiences in science education and connecting with people online.

Dr. Raby recently finishing her Ph.D. studying behavior and disease transmission in Namibian wild baboons, where she reflects: "a lot of my research involves poo". Cass joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss collecting (and transporting) poo, what we can learn from studying disease transmission and social behavior in baboons, and how her experience with field research has helped her succeed in her current research.

Dr. J. Bryan Henderson's research is geared towards using the science of learning to design physical and digital environments that encourage student interaction in evidence-based argumentation.

We connect with Lewis Maday-Travis (he/him/his) and Sam Long (he/him/his) to talk about the need for gender inclusivity in biology and other science classes. Lewis and Sam join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the importance of providing and affirming personal pronouns, offer strategies for gender inclusive practices and language in our classrooms, and provide some resources to guide us in these tasks.

Dr. Lauren Robinson shares how she uses her background in psychology in her animal research, describes navigating through scientific research in another country, and explains a little about what we might learn from the social behavior of wolves.

Written for teachers at all levels and also for informal science settings, Making Sense helps educators prepare for student questions about science and religion so they can confidently facilitate discussions while respecting student beliefs.

As a Ph. D. candidate at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Susanna studies how bacteria stick to plant roots. Susanna joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to describe her research, discuss how she got interested in science, and candidly share her path in graduate learning - including her successes and setbacks.

To answer some questions about Christmas trees, Lab Out Loud decided to connect with some experts. Tree farmers Neil Krueger (from Kreuger's Christmas Tree Farm) and Shawn Schottler (from St. Croix Valley Trees and the Science Museum of Minnesota) join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss growing and maintaining Christmas Trees, the sustainability of the industry, and even how to keep your tree lasting longer.

Returning for a second year, Lab Out Loud is happy to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Gajdzik and Dr. Tamara Moore back to the show to showcase the 2019 Engineering Gift Guide. Each year, Purdue’s INSPIRE Research Institute lab evaluates toys, games, and books that engage girls and boys in engineering thinking and design.

As a former science teacher and now professor of education at Stanford, Dr. Bryan A. Brown is keenly interested in improving science teaching and learning in urban communities by investigating how language and culture matter for effective science teaching. Dr. Brown joins Lab Out Loud to discuss his new book, the power of using technology to adapt to the cultural background of our students, and the need for adjusting our science language that better serves students in inner-city contexts.

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Katherine Hatcher to the show. As a fifth year Neuroscience PhD Candidate at University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Katherine investigates circadian rhythms and how exposure to environmental factors alters behavior and physiology, particularly in midlife women. Katherine joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss her path into research, her day-to-day work as a scientist, and how we might apply research in her field to help live our lives better.