Lab Out Loud: Recent Episodes

Dale Basler and Brian Bartel

Science for the classroom and beyond

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Oscar Castaño LinaresOscar Castaño Linares is a professor at the University of Barcelona and a researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in the department of Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies. Through his research, Oscar has been working with 3D printers to print scaffolds that enhance the growth of blood vessels. These are like homes for cells to inhabit, so they have to be porous, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Like a craftsman learning a trade, Oscar’s research has taken him all over the world to learn new techniques, but with the goal of transferring that knowledge to his students and to other scientists. Oscar joins us to share how he can print these biomaterials while describing his path in science that led him to this research.

Links:

Combining three-dimensionality and CaP glass-PLA composites: Towards an efficient vascularization in bone tissue healing. Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772950824002280
Oscar Castaño Linares, Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

Featured image courtesy of Oscar Castaño Linares

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Marcia BjornerudAs professor of Environmental Studies and Geosciences at Lawrence University, Marcia Bjornerud knows a lot about rocks. In her new book, Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks, Marcia emphasizes the connection between human experiences and the physical earth, encouraging everyone to learn from the dynamic landscape around us. Marcia joins us to tell us about Turning to Stone and how the book is mapped to her own life, provides suggestions for how schools can improve teaching geosciences, and explains why we are living in a golden age of geoscience.

Links:

Marcia Bjornerud, Lawrence University
Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks, Macmillan
Studying Stones Can Rock Your World, The New Yorker
Episode 195: Learning With Your Feet and Other Ways to Improve Your Timefulness

Featured image courtesy of Marcia Bjornerud

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

As professor of Environmental Studies and Geosciences at Lawrence University, Marcia Bjornerud knows a lot about rocks. In her new book, Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks, Marcia emphasizes the connection between human experiences and the physical earth, encouraging everyone to learn from the dynamic landscape around us. Marcia joins us to tell us about Turning to Stone and how the book is mapped to her own life, provides suggestions for how schools can improve teaching geosciences, and explains why we are living in a golden age of geoscience.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2025/04/episode-284-turning-to-stone/

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Dr. Jonathan N. SteaEver feel lost in the world of wellness advice online? Our guest, Dr. Jonathan Stea, has a new book called “Mind the Science” that helps cut through the noise of the wellness industry, exposing pseudoscience and mental health misinformation. As a promoter of science communication, Dr. Stea seeks to empower people to make informed decisions about mental well-being. His new book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the real science behind mental health and protect themselves from misinformation lurking in healthcare, pop culture, and social media.

Dr. Jonathan N. Stea is a clinical psychologist and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary. His new book is titled: Mind the Science: Saving Your Mental Health from the Wellness Industry

Links:

Find Dr. Stea on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
Order Dr. Stea’s Mind the Science: Saving Your Mental Health from the Wellness Industry at www.JonathanStea.com
Dr. Stea’s free newsletter
Science Up First

Featured image courtesy of Dr. Stea

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Sarah Rose Siskind joins us at SXSWeduLooking to add some laughs to your instruction? Science comedy writer Sarah Rose Siskind has some ideas. We met Sarah at SXSWedu in the spring of 2024 where she delivered a keynote titled Science Comedy: Why it’s a Thing and How to Do It. Of course we had to have her on the show. To open our 18th season, Sarah joins Lab Out Loud to share insights from her work with Hello SciCom, emphasize the link between humor and empathy, and give some tips for using comedy to communicate science in your classroom.

Links:

Sarah Rose Siskind
Hello SciCom
SXSWedu 2024 Keynote with Sarah Rose Siskind – Science Comedy: Why it’s a Thing and How to Do It
Twitter: @srsiskind
Instagram @sarahrosesiskind
LinkedIn: @sarahrosesiskind
Lab Out Loud Episode 32: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Science Literacy

Featured image courtesy of Brian Bartel

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

Science comedy writer Sarah Rose Siskind has some ideas. We met Sarah at SXSWedu in the spring of 2024 where she delivered a keynote titled Science Comedy: Why it's a Thing and How to Do It. Of course we had to have her on the show. To open our 18th season, Sarah joins Lab Out Loud to share insights from her work with Hello SciCom, emphasize the link between humor and empathy, and give some tips for using comedy to communicate science in your classroom.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2024/09/episode-282-teach-science-with-humor/

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Brian KaestnerColleen McDanielIt’s spring, and it’s a great time to get students outside to do some science. Need some ideas? Science teacher Brian Kaestner (St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio) and Vernier Educational Technology Specialist Colleen McDaniel join us to discuss how they use Vernier sensors so students can locally measure the effects of climate change.

Links:

Vernier
Vernier Environmental Science
Vernier Science Education (Facebook)
Vernier (Twitter)
Vernier Science Education (LinkedIn)
Vernier Science Education (Instagram)
Vernier Science Education (YouTube)
Saint Mary’s Hall (San Antonio)
St. Mary’s Hall (Facebook)
St. Mary’s Hall (Instagram)

Brian and his students at Salado Creek

Featured image courtesy of Brian Bartel

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Sam CornwellIn 2017, Sam Cornwell launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to make a pinhole camera called the Solarcan. Now a successful company with the same name, the Solarcan is a simple camera that takes extremely long time exposures capable of capturing the path of the sun. Sam joins us for this special video episode of Lab Out Loud to tell us how the Solarcan combines art and astronomy for the citizen scientist in all of us.

Links:

Solarcan
Solarcan Kickstarter page
10 MILLION SECOND shutter speed – Solarcan solargraphy camera from Matthew Vandeputte
SolarCan featured on BBC Look North – 29 Jan 2019
The Solarcan Matrix
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day about Solarcan

Featured image courtesy of Sam Cornwell and Solarcan

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

Video version at: https://youtu.be/7zvYh4XvFVk

In 2017, Sam Cornwell launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to make a pinhole camera called the Solarcan. Now a successful company with the same name, the Solarcan is a simple camera that takes extremely long time exposures capable of capturing the path of the sun. Sam joins us for this special video episode of Lab Out Loud to tell us how the Solarcan combines art and astronomy for the citizen scientist in all of us.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2024/03/episode-280-solarcam

Ella Marushchenko joins Lab Out Loud to discuss her job and her journey from a traditional art background to creating scientific illustrations. Stressing the need for artistic freedom in scientific visualization, Ella describes how she balances the collaborative process between artists and scientists as she translates complex concepts into visually appealing art.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2024/01/episode-279-scientific-illustrator/

In a recent survey, Nature asked scientists about their use of Twitter, and discovered that many decreased their use of the platform, and some have decided to leave it completely. To help understand this trend, we welcome bilingual science journalist Myriam Vidal Valero to the show. Myriam reminds us how many scientists need social media to connect, share their work, and build connections to help advance their careers. With the recent changes at Twitter, Myriam helps us navigate through the fragmentation of what's left in the landscape of social media for scientists that still want and need to collaborate online.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2023/10/episode-278-scientists-leaving-twitter/

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above. Are you getting new laptops this year? Have you wondered what happens to them when the older ones are replaced? Does it bother you that they only last for a few years? To talk to us about the life cycle of our [...]

To talk to us about the life cycle of our technology, we welcome Lucas Gutterman to the show. As the director of the Design to Last campaign with PIRG, the Public Interest Research Group, Lucas provides us with some insight and strategies on how we can advocate to make our devices last longer, and in turn save money and previous raw materials.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2023/08/episode-277-chromebook-churn/

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.Dan NottArtist Dan Nott joins Lab Out Loud to tell us about his new graphic nonfiction book called Hidden Systems. With the help of visual metaphors, Dan illustrates systems that we often take for granted, such as the internet, the electrical grid, and providing water. Hidden Systems reveals these difficult to understand and often hidden systems that we tend to care about most when they aren’t working. Through his research and art, Dan also reveals their history, with sometimes uncomfortable truths about our past that are literally hardwired into our present.

Links:

Hidden Systems from dannott.com
Dan Nott’s projects
Hidden Systems is the book I’ll use to teach my kids how the internet works. Hollister, Sean. 17 Mar 2023. The Verge.
Veritasium explains another hidden system – concrete!

Transcript:

Featured image courtesy of Dan Nott

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

Artist Dan Nott joins Lab Out Loud to tell us about his new graphic nonfiction book called Hidden Systems. With the help of visual metaphors, Dan illustrates systems that we often take for granted, such as the internet, the electrical grid, and providing water. Hidden Systems reveals these difficult to understand and often hidden systems that we tend to care about most when they aren't working. Through his research and art, Dan also reveals their history, with sometimes uncomfortable truths about our past that are literally hardwired into our present.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2023/05/episode-276-hidden-systems

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player above.

Jackie and ShadowMeet the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a group that maintains two solar powered webcams focused on Jackie and Shadow, a pair of bald eagles in Big Bear Valley, California. Executive Director Sandy Steers and Candee Roberts join us to share a little of Jackie and Shadow’s life while describing the continuous challenges that the eagles face. Listen to the show to learn how you can observe these eagles in your classroom for environmental awareness, appreciation and enjoyment.

About the Nest: The nest is located in Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. It is about 145 feet up in a Jeffrey Pine tree. The nest is the current home for Jackie and Shadow, a local bald eagle pair.

What’s happening at the nest: Unfortunately, Jackie and Shadow’s eggs were scavenged by ravens on 3/7/2023. It appears that the eggs were undeveloped.

Links:

Big Bear Valley Eagle Cam #1
Big Bear Valley Eagle Cam #2
Friends of Big Bear Valley
FOBBV Recaps and Observations
Friends of Big Bear Valley Shop

Transcript:

Featured image courtesy of Friends of Big Bear Valley Webcam

Support and Contact Lab Out Loud:

Support Lab Out Loud
Contact Lab Out Loud

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

Meet the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a group that maintains two solar powered webcams focused on Jackie and Shadow, a pair of bald eagles in Big Bear Valley, California. Executive Director Sandy Steers and Candee Roberts join us to share a little of Jackie and Shadow’s life while describing the continuous challenges that the eagles face. Listen to the show to learn how you can observe these eagles in your classroom for environmental awareness, appreciation and enjoyment.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2023/03/the-bald-and-the-beautiful-tales-from-the-nest-in-big-bear-valley

Announced in 1984 by President Reagan as a way to boost science education, the Teacher in Space program invited teachers to apply to become the first citizen into space. Realizing that two teachers from Wisconsin were selected, we reached out to connect with one of them. From Tomah, Wisconsin, science teacher Larry Scheckel was a finalist in the program alongside Christa McAuliffe. Larry joins the show to describe the Teacher in Space application and selection process, tell us about the state of science education in the 80s, and relive the shared grief that he and other finalists experienced when the Challenger exploded.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2023/02/episode-274-teacher-in-space/

Rhett Allain returns to Lab Out Loud for his 5th time to talk about ChatGPT, a novel artificial intelligence chat tool from OpenAI. In the last few months, Rhett has also been exploring how to use ChatGPT to see how it can solve physics homework, serve as a suitable teaching assistant and even write code. Rhett shares his experience as we think about the utility of emerging AI tools and how they might challenge educators to teach differently.

Show notes:

https://laboutloud.com/2023/01/episode-273-chatgpt/

Thinking of snow? We first talked to Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht in 2006 when the US Postal Service began featuring his photographs of snowflakes on stamps. 16 years later, we wanted to find out what’s changed in snowflake science, so we invited him back to the show. Dr. Libbrecht joins us again to share new discoveries in snowflake science, describe how he became the snowflake expert for the movie Frozen, and discuss some tips on talking your own pictures of snowflakes.

Show notes and snowflake photos at: https://laboutloud.com/2022/12/a-closer-look-at-snowflakes/

Sloan Science and Film is an online publication from the Museum of the Moving Image that examines the intersection of science and film. As curator of Science and Technology at the museum and the Executive Editor of scienceandfilm.org, Sonia Epstein returns to Lab Out Loud to discuss how Sloan films were used during the pandemic, how you can use the teacher’s guide with over 60 science-themed short films available to stream, and what you might find if you get a chance to visit the Museum of the Moving Image.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2022/11/episode-171-sloan-science-film/

For the last decade, this episode on zombie neurobiology has been a seasonal favorite. Listen to Dr. Steven Schlozman describe how to use zombies to teach science. We’re looking for science teachers to talk about smartphones in the classroom. Are you a science teacher that can’t teach without them, have you found a good classroom management technique to control them, [...]

For the last decade, this episode on zombie neurobiology has been a seasonal favorite. Listen to Dr. Steven Schlozman describe how to use zombies to teach science.

More show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2022/10/episode-270-zombie-science-returns/

Pencils. Notebooks. Glue sticks. Dry erase markers. Safety goggles. Tissues. As students returned to school this fall, they were asked to obtain numerous school supplies for their own use and sometimes for the entire classroom. When are school supplies necessary and when are they excessive? Dale and Brian discuss the topic of school supplies for all classrooms and particularly for the science classroom.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2022/09/episode-269-school-supplies/

Pencils. Notebooks. Glue sticks. Dry erase markers. Safety goggles. Tissues. As students returned to school this fall, they were asked to obtain numerous school supplies for their own use and sometimes for the entire classroom. When are school supplies necessary and when are they excessive? Dale and Brian discuss the topic of school supplies for all classrooms and particularly for the science classroom.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2022/09/episode-269-school-supplies/

After 15 years, the Lab Out Loud podcast is changing. What does this mean? We are incredibly thankful for the support that NSTA has provided for the show, but after 15 years we are now looking for alternative funding to continue the show. We need your help! Learn how you can support Lab Out Loud as a listener or an [...]

Stephen Pompea joins the show to discuss how scientists can support science education in both formal and informal settings. About Our Guest: Stephen Pompea is Observatory Scientist Emeritus at NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory and served for two decades as the leader of its renowned education and public outreach programs. He is a Visiting Professor at Leiden University, the [...]

Nathan Schreiber returns to the show to talk about his newest project using a series of graphic novels designed to teach chemistry concepts. Building off of the popular game, Valence uses science ninjas in an action packed adventure that teaches foundational chemistry about what makes up the universe, how it’s measured, and how it’s transformed. Nathan joins us to discuss [...]

The next guest on the Lab Out Loud podcast is National Geographic Explorer and storyteller Tara Roberts. For the last couple of years, Tara has been following a group of black scuba divers around the world as they search for and help document slave shipwrecks. These explorations to the ocean floor and within human journeys have been shared as rich stories through her "Into the Depths" podcast and as a cover feature in the March issue of National Geographic magazine. Tara joins Lab Out Loud to share her experiences as an Explorer, describe the importance of discovery through a different lens, and emphasize the significance of telling these stories.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2022/04/episode-265-tara-roberts-storytelling/

Our guest this week is National Geographic Explorer and storyteller Tara Roberts. For the last couple of years, Tara has been following a group of black scuba divers around the world as they search for and help document slave shipwrecks. These explorations to the ocean floor and within human journeys have been shared as rich stories through her “Into the [...]

Our guest this week is Tim Hartelt from the Department of Biology Education at the University of Kassel in Germany. With colleagues Helge Martens and Nina Minkley, Tim recently published a study investigating if science teachers were able to diagnose the alternative conceptions they may hold when teaching biology concepts. Tim joins us to discuss the study and its findings, [...]

Our guest this week is Tim Hartelt from the Department of Biology Education at the University of Kassel in Germany. With colleagues Helge Martens and Nina Minkley, Tim recently co-authored a study investigating if science teachers were able to diagnose the alternative conceptions the may hold when teaching biology concepts. Tim joins us to discuss the study and its findings, how teachers might identify alternative conceptions, and explain how they might be connected to their own professional experiences and content knowledge.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2022/04/episode-264-alt-conceptions-teaching-science/

Our guest this week is Dr. Meenakshi Sharma. From her unique perspective as a professor of science education who trains pre-service teachers, Dr. Sharma recently wrote an article detailing characteristics of elementary teachers who effectively implement the Next Generation Science Standards. Dr. Sharma joins us to discuss these characteristics, explain how they are grounded in using real-world phenomena, and describe [...]

In this installment of #ScientistOutLoud, we welcome research and teaching professor Prashant Sharma from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Using morphology and genomic data, Dr. Sharma and his lab recently challenged our understanding of arachnid classification by adding horseshoe crabs to the same class as spiders and scorpions. Dr. Sharma joins us to remind us how modern classification works, describe why [...]

Trish Shelton joins us to highlight a new learning initiative from NSTA called the Professional Learning Unit (PLU). Designed as an asynchronous mini-course, a PLU is a bite-sized learning experience available on demand when a teacher, department or district needs it most. Listen to the show to hear more about this exciting new learning opportunity and find out how you [...]

From the Learning Scientists podcast, cognitive psychologist Megan Sumeracki joins us to talk about the science of learning. With a goal to make scientific research on learning more accessible, the Learning Scientists started as a Twitter account that has now grown to a popular podcast aimed at teachers, students and other educators. Megan joins us to describe how scientists research [...]

For over a decade, the Bioart Scientific Image and Video Competition has provided an artistic vehicle for biological scientists to share their research beyond the confines of their lab and professional circles. Chris Curran, one of the Bioart judges, joins us to talk about the Bioart competition, the intersection of art and science, and how teachers might use stunning visuals [...]

In this installment of #ScientistOutLoud, Dr. Carly Anne York joins us to talk about the growing importance of science communication, how she generates enthusiasm for science and the scientific process, and her efforts in making science accessible for students and the public. About Our Guest Dr. Carly Anne York is biology professor who studies animal behavior, physiology and biomechanics at [...]

What are phenomena and how can science teachers use these events to engage students in science? Professor of Science Education Todd Campbell joins us to help start a series about using phenemona in science education. Listen to hear about new strategies in how pre-service science educators are being prepared, where to start if you are beginning a journey to adopt [...]

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/wsst/LOL256.mp3 Laurie Wallmark

Laurie Wallmark returns to share two new stories celebrating women in STEM: Code Breaker, Spy Hunter (about Elizabeth Friedman) and Numbers in Motion (a story about Sophie Kowalevski). As we discover the fascinating stories of these important women, we also discuss the role of STEM in schools and realize the importance of exposing all kids to STEM learning opportunities.

About Our Guest

Laurie Wallmark is a former computer science professor and award-winning children’s author featuring picture book biographies that recognize women in STEM. Her breakout book Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (Creston Books) debuted in 2015 and was readily recognized with numerous awards.

Links:

lauriewallmark.com
Laurie Wallmark’s Author Page on Amazon
Episode 202: Women in STEM Picture Book Biographies

Connect with our Guest:

Facebook: @lauriewallmark
Twitter: @llauriewallmark
Instagram: @lauriewallmark

Featured image courtesy of Laurie Wallmark

Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/wsst/LOL255.mp3 Dr. Oliver Ryder

Sometimes surprising discoveries happen when scientists aren’t looking for them. While analyzing biological samples from California Condors as part of a conservation effort, a team at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance discovered an unusual phenomenon: two condors born in captivity that contained only maternal DNA. This startling observation confirmed a rare event known as facultative parthenogenesis – a form of asexual reproduction in females that typically reproduce sexually. From that team, Dr. Oliver Ryder joins us to discuss his work in conservation biology, how his team made this discovery, and what implications it might have for the endangered California Condor and other species.

About Our Guest

Dr. Oliver Ryder, Ph.D., is the Kleberg Endowed Director of Conservation Genetics at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance where he oversees research activities in the areas of molecular genetics, genomic studies, and genetic rescue efforts, including stem cell applications – all focused on reducing extinction risk and contributing to species recovery and sustainable populations.

Links:

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Conservation Scientists Report First Confirmed Hatchings of Two California Condor Chicks from Unfertilized Eggs (Press Release from Sand Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)
Facultative Parthenogenesis in California Condors (Journal of Heredity, 28 Oct 2021)
California Condors Are Capable of Asexual Reproduction (Wired, 28 Oct 2021)
Endangered birds experience ‘virgin birth,’ a first for the species (National Geographic, 28 Oct 2021)

Featured image courtesy of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/wsst/LOL254.mp3

Bertha Vazquez

The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science (TIES) was founded to provide teachers with content and engaging resources to teach evolution in an effective and respectful way. Now with downloadable units that meet every state’s evolution standards, TIES offers formidable resources for teaching evolution online. TIES Director and founder Bertha Vazquez joins us to discuss how science teachers can access their powerful resources, tap into their training, and use their support to address critics of evolution.

About Our Guest

Bertha Vazquez is a middle school science teacher in Miami-Dade County, and is the founder and director of the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science.

Links:

TIES Education
TIES Offers Free Guided Online Lessons in Evolution for Learning at Home (Center for Inquiry)

Featured image courtesy of TIES

Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/wsst/LOL253.mp3

Rebecca Brown

To answer our questions about pumpkins, we connected with a pumpkin expert. From the University of Rhode Island, Dr. Rebecca Brown joins us to talk about growing pumpkins, the surprising results of pumpkin breeding, and the pumpkin industry in the United States.

About Our Guest

Rebecca Brown is an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island in the Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology, where she conducts research in the areas of sustainable vegetable production and laser scarecrows.

Links:

Rebecca Brown, URI
URI researcher: Laser scarecrows successful at keeping birds from eating sweetcorn

Featured image courtesy of Brian Bartel

Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/wsst/LOL252.mp3

David Gagnon

Can all games provide learning activities? Is there a connection between scientific models and games? How can educators evaluate games and simulators as learning tools in the classroom? David Gagnon joins us to discuss designing and evaluating games for learning, and describes how his team integrates learning theory to create meaningful games that make personal connections to students.

About Our Guest

David Gagnon is the Director of a game studio and research lab at the University of Wisconsin called Field Day.

Links:

Field Day Lab
David Gagnon
Video Games for High Quality Equitable Learning (PBS Wisconsin)
Siftr
The GEE! Learning Game Award (for finding good games)

Connect with our Guest:

Twitter: @fielddaylab
Facebook: @fielddaylab
Instagram: @fielddaylab

Featured image courtesy of the Field Day Lab

Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

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Sarah McAnulty

As schools transitioned to online learning in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Skype a Scientist saw a increased demand for their service. Boasting a database of thousands of scientists, SKYPE a Scientist uses readily available video chat tools to connect scientists to teachers, students and other groups around the world. Founder and Executive Director Sarah McAnulty joins us to tell us more about Skype a Scientist and its increased programming, how the resource grew during the pandemic, and how the program fills a growing need to connect students and teachers with scientific experts.

About Our Guest

Sarah McAnulty is an American squid biologist who earned her bachelor’s degree in marine science at Boston University in 2011 and got her PhD from the department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut, graduating in 2019. She is the founder and executive director of Skype a Scientist, a non-profit organization that connects scientists and teachers around the world (from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_McAnulty).

Links:

Skype a Scientist
Skype a Scientist Live
Science for Change Series
After Hours Trivia
Episode 203: Invite a Scientist into your Classroom with SKYPE a Scientist

Connect with our Guest:

Twitter: @SarahMackAttack, @SkypeScientist
Instagram: @SkypeAScientist
Facebook: @skypeascientist

Featured image courtesy of SKYPE a Scientist, used with permission

Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.

We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

Erika Shugart joins the Lab Out Loud podcast for their 250th episode to discuss her role as NSTA Executive Director, share how the association can provide professional development and networking opportunities in a face to face world with digital demands, and explain her vision to provide equity and evidence in science education.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2021/09/episode-250-erika-shugart/

What happens when scientists abandon ethical standards in the pursuit of science? Can we trust scientific discoveries learned with fraudulent practices? To answer some of these questions and more, science writer Sam Kean joins The Lab Out Loud podcast to share from his new book, The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science. Listen to the show to hear Sam explain how he uses storytelling as a means to engage the listener in science while reminding us of the importance in following ethical considerations while executing science practices.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/08/episode-249-icepick-surgeon/

To close out season 14, the Lab Out Loud podcast reflects on experiences educating and learning through a pandemic. Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler also re-connect with Fred Ende and his kids as they share their experiences learning science and communicating with others over the last year.

Show notes:

https://laboutloud.com/2021/06/episode-248-pandemic-reflections/

In the latest installment of their Scientist Out Loud series, Dr. Terry McGlynn joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to discuss his research with ants and other insects found in tropical rainforests. Since 1995, Terry has been working out of La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica studying ants as a model system. Instead of the boring ants we might find in North America, these tropical species are far more interesting and can teach us a lot about social interactions, organizing behaviors, and balancing ecosystems. Terry joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to answer all of their ant questions, describe his path to become a myremocologist, and explain why we should care about ants in the world around us.

About the Guest:

Dr. Terry McGlynn is a Professor of Biology at Cal State Dominguez Hills and a Research Associate at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. His research program focuses on the experimental natural history of ants.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/05/episode-247-ants/

In an attempt to help students make visible connections between science and sound, Dr. Victor Minces and his team have created Listening to Waves - a suite of online tools that allow students to easily view, manipulate and generate sound. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Listening to Waves freely provides an online oscilloscope, signal generator, and spectrogram. Dr. Minces joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to share his appreciation of science and sound, explain how students can have fun exploring and playing with sound using his online tools, and describe how these tools have been helpful for learning science at home during the pandemic.

About the Guest:
Working as a research scientist in the department of Cognitive Science at UC San Diego, Dr. Victor Minces has a background in physics, neuroscience, and the cognitive science of music. He is crazy about sound and is also an aspiring sound artist. Part of his intention with Listening to Waves is to spread that love.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/05/episode-246-listening-to-waves/

With a shift to online learning during the pandemic, students have relied on watching and creating more videos. But how has that impacted science education? To help answer that question, the Lab Out Loud Podcast invites Rhett Allain back to the show. Rhett shares some tips and suggestions for online learning - especially dealing with online math. Spoiler alert! He suggests that students make a video to showcase their learning. Rhett also describes his work as technical advisor at McGyver, then takes some time to geek out with co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler about science that is portrayed (or ignored) in pop culture.

About the Guest: An Associate Professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University, Rhett is also a physics blogger for Wired and Medium, creates videos for YouTube and serves as the technical consultant for the TV show McGyver.

Show notes:

https://laboutloud.com/2021/04/episode-245-pop-culture-science/

As schooling has expanded into our homes during the pandemic, it's no surprise that online resources geared towards learning at home have been extremely valuable. That's why Lab Out Loud's exploration into science at home connects them with Ben Finio and Svenja Lohner, both senior staff scientists at Science Buddies. With an emphasis on providing kid-friendly, bite-sized STEM learning activities for students to do at home, Science Buddies also offers a robust array of resources like science news, interactive simulations, NGSS-aligned lesson plans, and the powerful Topic Selection Wizard - a personalized science interest quiz designed to help students find a project that fits their own interests. Listen to the podcast, then visit Science Buddies to find your next science activity, no matter where your classroom is located! Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2021/04/episode-244-science-buddies/

Lab Out Loud's exploration into distance learning takes on new meaning this week, as they discover what's next from the Perseverance rover that recently landed on Mars. To guide them in the conversation, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Brandon Rodriguez to the show. A chemist by training, Brandon teaches high school chemistry and physics while working as an Education Specialist with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he provides resources and training for K-12 schools. Brandon joins Lab Out Loud to remind us of the impossible task of landing a rover on Mars, shares what we can expect to learn from the Perseverance mission, and provides a little advice for students interested in working for NASA and other STEM fields.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/03/episode-243-perseverance/

Igniting Science Curiosity Across Africa
As the Lab Out Loud Podcast continues to explore how science education has adapted during the pandemic, a new science TV show out of Africa caught their eye. In part created to accommodate learning at home through broadcast television, NGen has grown into a Pan-African TV show that encourages science across borders and allows African children to see themselves as scientists. With a STEM focus, episodes include engaging animations, hands-on experiments, tips for healthy living and clips from teachers across the continent. To learn more about NGen and how it's made, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale welcome Irene Nyangoma (a teacher in Uganda, writer and main host), Joy Kiano (a teacher in Kenya and science writer), and Gosia Lukomska (producer) to the show. Listen now, then watch N*Gen on the Africa Channel or on YouTube!

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/03/episode-242-ngen/

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast talks with Mallory Wills, a biology and earth science teacher at George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In August 2020, Cedar Rapids and other parts of the Midwest were slammed by a derecho - an intense storm with straight line winds that damaged every school in the Cedar Rapids system. In the wake of the devastation, Mallory applied for a SSP (Science for Society and the Public) STEM Research Grant, hoping that the grant would provide much needed funding to help start a research club. Adapted for online learning, the award of $1000 provided take home STEM kits that helped Mallory provide hands-on learning opportunities in an online learning environment. Mallory joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to describe the damage inflicted by the derecho in her district, how she has been using the SSP award to help her students conduct research in an online learning environment, and to remind us of the resilience, unanticipated benefits and the hope that can shine through tragedy.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/02/episode-241-learning-science-through-tragedy

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast talks with India Carlson, a botany and environmental horticulture teacher at Ballard High School in Seattle, Washington. In a typical year, India's students spend a significant portion of time working in the school garden and greenhouse. Faced with the unique challenges of learning science at home this year, India decided to clone a plant for every one of her students to use at home for learning, experimentation, and even finding joy. India joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the logistics of sending plants home, the unexpected benefits of the program, and how this experience has prompted her students to appreciate more of the environment around them.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/02/episode-240-sending-plants-home/

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Dr. Steffania Kapsetaki, a postdoctoral research fellow at Arizona State University at the Arizona Cancer & Evolution Center. Joining Lab Out Loud from Greece where she is working remotely during the pandemic, Dr. Kapsetaki is studying chimerism across the tree of life and its potential impact in triggering cancer. Representing a relatively new field of research in life science, chimerism occurs when organisms contain cells from other organisms. Dr. Kapsetaki joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about her research, how she is able to continue her work through the pandemic, and how discoveries in chimerism might impact our health and understanding of life science.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2021/01/episode-239-dr-steffania-kapsetaki/

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast explores Meet The Lab, a new educational resource from PBS Wisconsin Education designed for middle school science classrooms. Similar to their #ScientistOutLoud series, Meet the Lab introduces students to real world issues, scientific practices and concepts, and also to the people that work together to research and solve problems using science. To guide them through this new resource, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler are joined by Megan Monday, Executive Producer at PBS Wisconsin in the Education Department and Travis Tangen, Education and Outreach Manager at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). Listen to the show to learn more about Meet the Lab, its focus on connecting students to real life researchers and why their work matters, and how the project can help students develop their own STEAM identities.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/?p=5111

The guest for the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is Dr. Rachel Hale. As a self-proclaimed invertebrate advocate, Rachel's personal interests in worms and other invertebrates have grown into a career as a marine biologist. Working for the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand, part of her work includes research voyages where Rachel is able to study the biodiversity of invertebrates living around the sediment at the seafloor. Dr. Hale joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about her research voyages and the challenges of conducting field research during the pandemic, describe some of her amazing invertebrate discoveries, and discuss the connection of her work to climate change research.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/12/episode-237-dr-rachel-hale/

To conclude their segment on video in science education, The Lab Out Loud podcast is joined this week by filmmakers Clayton Brown and Monica Long from 137 Films. This Chicago-based documentary production company promotes science through storytelling by exploring how its search for answers impacts our cultural, political, and personal lives. Directed by Clayton and Monica, We Believe in Dinosaurs follows the building of the Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky to its opening day. By focusing on the human aspect of the story, the documentary allows the viewer to understand the challenge that mainstream scientists and teachers face as they try to educate America on the bedrock of the biological sciences: evolution. Clayton and Monica join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about We Believe in Dinosaurs, what they learned about America's relationship with science while making it, and how the documentary can help science educators better understand the students coming into their classrooms.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/12/episode-236-we-believe-in-dinosaurs/

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Jared Lipworth to the show. As Executive Producer and head of Outreach and Impact at HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Jared oversees the production of documentaries in addition to the outreach and impact campaigns built around them.
Recent NSTA Conference attendees will recognize HHMI's "Night at the Movies" hosted at the annual Conference. Without a physical conference to attend, Lab Out Loud wanted to help share some of the media produced by the studio that harness the power of storytelling to inspire interest in science. Jared joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the mission of Tangled Bank Studios, describes the kinds of stories they create and even shares a little advice to teachers and students making their own visual stories. Listen to the show to hear titles of shows that you can share with your students in the classroom or at home!

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/11/episode-235-hhmi-tangled-bank/

As the Lab Out Loud podcast continues to explore the use of video in science education, they turn their attention to the use and creation of short format films. To guide them through that discussion, they are joined by Douglas Dicconson from Theorem Studios and Kim Birbrower from Big Picture Educational Consulting. Theorem Studios and Big Picture Educational Consulting recently paired up to create content for Chemistry Shorts, a project sponsored by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation to communicate the breadth & depth of chemistry’s impact on humankind. Doug and Kim join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss their work with Chemistry Shorts, the appropriate use of video in the science classroom, and the art and work of making compelling short format films.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/11/episode-234-chemistry-shorts/

Continuing their exploration into science documentaries, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes environmental photographer James Balog to the show. For almost four decades, Balog has been building a visual time capsule documenting the complicated and intimate relationship between humanity and nature. In The Human Element, Balog exposes this relationship with vivid and often uncomfortable imagery that illustrates unmistakable human impacts on the essential elements of water, air, fire and earth. Balog joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about making the documentary, shares how he delicately balances the portrayal of hope and despair in his visual stories, and discusses his upcoming book with the same name.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/10/episode-233-james-balog/

The guest for the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is director, writer and producer Scott Hamilton Kennedy. At the 2019 NSTA Conference in St. Louis, Kennedy hosted a screening of his recent documentary "Food Evolution" (2016). Narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, "Food Evolution" investigates GMOs to showcase how misinformation and fear can drown out rational evidence and divide communities. Kennedy joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the process of making science documentaries, how he works to understand and portray the science correctly, and describes an upcoming project on vaccines.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/10/episode-232-food-evolution/

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast talks with Dave Bakker, co-founder and COO of PocketLab. In March, Dave and some of his colleagues were looking for a way to provide professional development to STEM teachers while #COVID-19 kept many of them at home. The result was a virtual conference called ScIC (Science is Cool) that has attracted tens of thousands of science teachers and education professionals from around the world. Dave joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the origins of ScIC, celebrate the success of the first three conferences, and share some of their upcoming events.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2020/09/episode-231-scic-conference/

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast features GIS Specialist and author Tyler Danielson. As part of his work with civil engineering firm Bolton & Menk, Tyler has recently written a book geared towards children to help them understand GIS in the world around them. In "Lindsey the GIS Specialist - A GIS Mapping Story," the title character Lindsey helps to explain what GIS is, describe what data she might collect, and how she could use that data to create digital maps. Listen to the show to hear more about the free eBook, how it might be used in STEAM learning, and how to access other free STEAM books in the series from Bolton & Menk.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/09/episode-230-gis-specialist/

As some schools are returning to in-person learning this fall, science teachers will need to address virus mitigation both in the traditional classroom and in lab environments. To discuss safety considerations while teaching science in the pandemic, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Ken Roy back to the show. With health and safety always as the priority, Ken joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss important safety aspects such as checking for clean water pipes and functioning gas lines, using and cleaning safety goggles, when to use classroom and lab ventilation, and addressing safety for at-home investigations.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/08/episode-229-pandemic-lab-safety/

To wrap up season 13, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Ainissa Ramirez back to the show. As science teachers are building their reading lists for the summer, they may want to check out Ainissa's new book - The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another. In this collection of stories about eight inventions (from clocks to silicon chips), Ramirez unearths vivid stories that showcase how humans have created inventions, and in turn, how those inventions have shaped us. Ainissa joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss her new book, share some insights into her research and writing style, and challenge all of us to question if new inventions are pointing us in the direction we want the world to be heading.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2020/06/episode-228-ainissa-ramirez/

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Kris Brown from the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA. As a NASA engineer, Kris 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. Kris joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about these opportunities and resources, the importance of the upcoming partner launch with SpaceX on May 27, and shares specific activities NASA has to engage students and their families around that mission.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2020/05/episode-226-nasa-stem-engagement/

The Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Alex Evans to the show. From a young age, Alex developed a love for science that eventually led to a career as a research scientist in animal physiology, focusing on measuring the energetics of animals in flight. Changing gears to science communication, Alex now 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.

#ScientistOutLoud
Lab Out Loud found Alex (and many other scientists) on #sciencetwitter. Throughout season 13, the podcast will be showcasing some of these scientists and their work.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/05/episode-226-alex-evans/

The Lab Out Loud podcast guest this week is Dawn Fallik, reporter and associate professor at the University of Delaware. As a medical reporter, Dawn writes about loneliness and the medical consequences of loneliness in Millennials and Gen Z. At SXSWedu, Dawn recently presented as part of a panel about Generation Lonely: 10,000 Followers and No Friends, discussing what's behind increasing feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Dawn joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk 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.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/04/episode-225-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. Joanne joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to discuss the AMASE project, how she (and her daughters) made the first video on the speed of light, and share her experiences in teaching and parenting during the pandemic.

Show notes:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/04/episode-224-joanne-omeara/

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.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2020/03/episode-223-learning-at-home/

Joining the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is Dr. Cassandra Raby, a research fellow at Leeds University Business School looking at diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 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.

#ScientistOutLoud
Lab Out Koud found Cass (and many other scientists) on #sciencetwitter. Throughout season 13, the podcast will be showcasing some of these scientists and their work.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2020/03/episode-222-cassandra-raby/

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. J. Bryan Henderson to the show. As an assistant professor at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University, part of Bryan’s research is geared towards using the science of learning to design physical and digital environments that encourage student interaction in evidence-based argumentation. This research has helped him to develop Braincandy, a suite of free, online formative assessment tools that seeks to help students better listen to and build upon differing ideas. Bryan joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss evidence-based argumentation, how Braincandy can be used to facilitate this practice, and how we can critically reflect on and evaluate student use of technology on their screens, beneath their screens and beyond their screens.

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.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/02/episode-221-bryan-henderson/

Picking up from their conversation with Jamie Kubiak last year (episode 206: Affirming and Representing LGBTQIA+ Students in Science), the Lab Out Loud podcast connects 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.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/01/episode-220-gender-inclusivity/

Continuing their series on #ScientistOutLoud, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Lauren Robinson to the show. As a postdoc at the University of Veterinary medicine in Vienna, Austria, Lauren studies cooperation and partner roles in canids - particularly North American Grey Wolves. Lauren joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss how she uses her background in psychology in her animal research, describes navigating through scientific research in another country, and shares a little about what we might learn from the social behavior of wolves.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2020/01/episode-219-lauren-robinson/

Kicking off a new decade, Lab Out Loud is happy to welcome Joe Shane (Shippensburg University) and Lee Meadows (the University of Alabama at Birmingham) to the show. Joe and Lee (in addition to Ronald Hermann and Ian Binn) are co-authors of a new book from NSTA Press called Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond. 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. Joe and Lee join us to talk about their new book, describe how they benefit from their attendance at professional conferences, and share some of their strategies for making sense of science and religion in science education.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2020/01/episode-218-science-and-religion/

Continuing their #ScientistOutLoud series, Lab Out Loud welcomes Susanna L. Harris to the show. 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.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/12/episode-217-susanna-harris/

#ScientistOutLoud
Lab Out Loud found Susanna (and many other scientists) on #sciencetwitter. Throughout season 13, they will be showcasing some of these scientists and their work.

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.

Make sure to listen to the end of the episode where Shawn proposes a question that science educators can ask their students! Record their answers and submit them to brian@laboutloud.com, and your students might be featured on a future show!

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/?p=4710

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. Elizabeth and Tamara join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the selected gifts, how they are evaluated and what research is involved when selecting items that promote engineering practices ranging from coding and spatial reasoning to problem solving and critical thinking.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/11/episode-215-stem-toys/

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. Some of this work is shared in his new book Science in the City, where Brown examines the interplay of language and culture in 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.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/?p=4684

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.

#ScientistOutLoud
Lab Out Loud found Katherine (and many other scientists) on #sciencetwitter. Throughout season 13, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler will be showcasing some of these scientists and their work.

Shownotes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/10/episode-213-katherine-hatcher/

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Randall Munroe to the show. As creator of the webcomic XKCD, Munroe often features aspects of technology, math, computer science and physics in his drawings. These topics have also had prominence in his books, including his newest book called How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems. To hear more about How To, Randall joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about how he started in his career, how he got Serena Williams to serve a tennis ball at a drone (for book research, of course), and how you might use XKCD comics to help teach science in your classroom.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/10/episode-212-randall-munroe/

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes glaciologist Mike MacFerrin to the show. As a researcher from the University of Colorado Boulder, Mike studies ice sheet meltwater feedback in Greenland. Recently, his team discovered that growing ice slabs in Greenland are accelerating meltwater runoff that is contributing to rising sea levels. Mike joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss his work as a glaciologist, explain the revelations and implications from his research, and even describe how climate change is unearthing a secret cold war base buried in Greenland ice.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/09/episode-211-glaciologist-mike-macferrin/

As a science teacher at Curry College in Massachusetts, Abby Hafer is a staunch advocate of teaching peer-reviewed, scientifically accurate content in her college classes. In an effort to protect science education in the state, Hafer recently worked with legislator Kenneth Gordon to draft a bill that adds language to existing curriculum standards that seeks to limit science instruction in Massachusetts to age-appropriate, peer-reviewed scientific fact. In addition to combating academic freedom legislation recently passed in Tennessee (2012) and Louisiana (2008), Hafer hopes this bill will also provide model legislation that protects science education, science teachers and students of science across the nation. Hafer joins Lab Out Loud this week to discuss the bill and its potential impact, while describing how she worked with her legislator to impact science education through politics.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/09/episode-210-requiring-peer-reviewed-science/

To kick off season 13, Lab Out Loud is proud to welcome NSTA President Dennis Schatz to the show. As senior advisor at Pacific Science Center and field editor for NSTA’s Connected Science Learning journal, Dennis has a lifetime of experience delivering science learning beyond the walls of the traditional science classroom. Dennis joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss NSTA's name change that reflects a broader scope on science teaching, the importance of science learning in informal settings, and share some of his science passions with PacSci-Doku and #MondayNightScience.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/08/episode-209-science-and-beyond/

As teachers prepare for the summer months ahead, Lab Out Loud welcomes Griff Jones back to the show to close out season 12. Working with Griff, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has developed engaging, interactive resources found within their new IIHS in the Classroom website. Designed for grades 5-12, IIHS in the Classroom uses the results of highway safety research to help students explore the science behind what happens in a car crash — both to the car and to those inside it — and discover why some vehicles are safer than others. Griff joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the features of the new IIHS website, and discusses the perils of distracted driving and the need for crash avoidance technology.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/?p=4572

An NPR poll recently discovered that most teachers don't teach climate change, yet parents wish they did. To find out more about these findings, Lab Out Loud invited NPR education correspondent Anya Kamenetz to the show. Anya joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to explain why teachers might not teach climate change, provides a few resources for us to change that behavior, and also challenges parents to have these conversations at home.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/05/episode-207-teaching-climate-change/

As a Math for America fellow and chemistry teacher at Park East High School in New York City, Jamie Kubiak recently delivered an important presentation to a packed room at the NSTA conference in St. Louis: Affirming and Representing LGBTQIA+ Students in Science. Lab Out Loud wanted to continue this conversation and invited Jamie to the show to help deliver this message to a wider audience. Listen to the show as Jamie joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss why this work is important while sharing some valuable resources and simple strategies that you can use to affirm and represent LGBTQIA+ students in your science classroom.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/05/episode-2016-lgbtqia-students-in-science/

While still in St. Louis, Lab Out Loud reflects on the NSTA 2019 National Conference on Science Education. Listen to the show to hear co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler discuss conference highlights such as astronaut Scott Kelly's keynote, coming changes to NSTA's name and memorable speakers, sessions, and exhibitors from NSTA's largest professional development gathering for science teaching. Don't forget to check out the show notes for links, tweets and pictures!

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/04/episode-205-nsta-2019/

Nathan Schreiber returns to Lab Out Loud to talk about his newest project using a graphic novel to teach physics concepts. In Big Trouble with Simple Machines, Schreiber's characters solve problems using their knowledge of simple machines, with each chapter providing a new challenge with ramps, wedges, screws, levers, pulleys, wheels, and axles. There is even an illustrated appendix guiding readers to make and experience their own simple machines! Nathan joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the recently released graphic novel, how comic book art can engage students in learning science, and how his work can portray science concepts in a way that photographs cannot.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/04/episode-204-simple-machines-graphic-novel/

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Sarah McAnulty, squid biologist and founder of Skype a Scientist. Using SKYPE or other video chat tools, SKYPE a Scientist connects real scientists with classes around the world. Through these video sessions, classes can learn more about the scientist's field of study, what it means to be a scientist and how they do their job. Sarah joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the program, and how it promotes scientific literacy, communication and outreach. Listen to the show to find out how you can be matched with a scientist or join a live Q&A session held weekly.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/03/episode-203-skype-a-scientist/

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Laurie Wallmark to the show. As a computer science teacher and award-winning children's author, Laurie has been writing picture book biographies that recognize women in STEM. Her breakout book Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (Creston Books) debuted in 2017 and was readily recognized with numerous awards. Laurie's most recent book, Hedy Lamarr's Double Life, was just released in February from Sterling Children's Books. Listen to the show to hear Laurie discuss Hedy Lamarr in her new book, how she chooses women in STEM to write about, and why her work is so important.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/02/episode-202-women-in-stem/

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes science writer Carl Zimmer to the show. As Zimmer often writes about life, he has been wondering about the concept of life and if there is a way to properly define it. To shed some light on the matter, he recently hosted a series of live conversations with some leading thinkers on life—including chemists, physicists, and a philosopher. Supported by a grant from Science Sandbox, these conversations are now available as a podcast series with seven episodes called "What is Life?" Zimmer joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the concept of life, shares some insights from his guests and even reveals how his thinking about life changed based on these conversations.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/02/episode-201-what-is-life/

For their 200th episode, Lab Out Loud welcomes Phil Plait (The Bad Astronomer) back to the show. Phil joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the current status of exoplanet discovery and shares a glimpse of what we might find in the future. Listen to the show to hear Phil discuss new techniques and technology in planet hunting, looking for life on other worlds and the role of science in science fiction.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/?p=4458

Are you noticing less insects in your biology textbook? You're not alone. Jennifer Landin, with student and co-author Kiran Gangwani, recently decided to quantify the coverage of insects in college-level introductory biology textbooks over time. By exploring the coverage of insect diversity concepts, the visual representation of insects, and conducting a text analysis of keywords, they discovered a significant decline in biology textbook content dedicated to insects, along with an increasingly neutral tone in addressing the animal kingdom's largest group. Jennifer joins Lab Out Loud to discuss her research, how it mirrors the decline of natural history in education, and the implications that taxonomic bias might have on our understanding of ecosystems and human society.

Show notes:
https://laboutloud.com/2019/01/episode-199-disappearing-insects/

Gillian King-Cargile and Dr. Kristin Brynteson join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler this week to talk about STEM Read - a program from Northern Illinois University that uses live and online programs to inspire a broad range of readers to learn more about the science, technology, engineering, and math concepts in popular fiction. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn more about STEM Read and the educational opportunities it offers, including book-aligned lesson plans, a podcast featuring an author or STEM expert and even a STEM Read Summer Institute.

This week, listen to Lab Out Loud discuss STEM gifts with Monica Cardella and Elizabeth Gajdzik from Purdue’s INSPIRE Research Institute. Each year, the INSPIRE lab evaluates toys, games, and books that engage girls and boys in engineering thinking and design. Monica and Elizabeth join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about some gifts on the list, how they are evaluated and to share some advice for educators who would like to incorporate STEM toys and Makerspaces in their instruction.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/12/episode-197-stem-toys/

This week co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with Tim Enwall, CEO of Misty Robotics. A spin-off company from Sphero, Inc., Misty Robotics is focused on building personal robots for the home and office. They recently announced Misty II, a first-of-its-kind easily programmable robot, complete with a special program for STEM teachers and students. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear about the growing robotics industry, Misty II's revolutionary new capabilities, and how teachers and students might use Misty II in the classroom - like taking attendance with a robot!

Show notes:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/11/episode-196-mistyii/

This week Lab Out Loud talks about time. Extensive time. Time that grounds geologic thinking as a way to unlock the earth's past. Marcia Bjornerud, Professor of Environmental Studies and Geology at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about her recent book Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World. Listen to the show to hear how you can learn about the world using your feet, find connections to earth science careers, and help your students appreciate time as a means to fully view the world in four dimensions.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/11/episode-195-timefulness/

To learn about STEM resources and other learning opportunities within ag science, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Leah Gibson to the show. As an Education Specialist from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, Leah helps provide and share K-12 educator resources about agriculture. Listen to Lab Out Loud this week to hear Leah talk about STEM challenges and resources found in Purple Plow, games and resources for young learners within My American Farm, and professional development opportunities for educators through On the Farm STEM.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/10/episode-194-purpleplow/

This week Lab Out Loud talks about science in art that can be done with some of our youngest learners. To talk about their experiences with preschoolers learning science concepts through ephemeral art, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome to the show Sandra Redmore (director of the Clarendon Childcare Center in Arlington, VA) and Peggy Ashbrook (an early childhood science teacher and The Early Years columnist for NSTA's Science and Children). Listen to the show to hear how you can get started making ephemeral art to learn science with any age learner.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/10/episode-193-ephemeral-art/

For this week's episode, Lab Out Loud invites Eric Pyle to the show to discuss NSTA’s recent adoption of a position statement on the teaching of climate science. In addition to helping write the position statement, Eric is a Professor in the Department of Geology & Environmental Science and the Coordinator of Science Teacher Preparation at James Madison University in Virginia. Listen to the show to learn about what the position statement says about teaching climate science, how it can be used to support teachers, administrators and school boards, and where you can find more resources in the teaching of climate science.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/10/episode-192-teaching-climate-science

Recognizing that CRISPR and other genome editing technologies have rapidly outpaced standard textbook knowledge, Lab Out Loud reached out to R. Alta Charo, professor of Law and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Alta joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the ethics of CRISPR and genome editing, what current students and parents might need to know about biotechnological advances in genome editing, and the increasing importance of careers at the intersection of science, policy and law.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/09/episode-191-bioethics-of-crispr/

NSTA members will probably recognize our guest as the man behind Blick on Flicks: Jacob Clark Blickenstaff. As we both podcast for NSTA, we thought it was time to invite Jacob to the show and geek out about science and movies! Listen to the show to hear Jacob talk to us about his column and podcast, offer some hints for finding science anomalies in the media that we watch, and share some STEM opportunities through his new job at Microsoft.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/09/episode-190-blick-on-flicks/

To kick off season 12, Lab Out Loud looks for inspiration in science education from an unlikely classroom setting - within the juvenile justice system. Michael Krezmien and Martina Nieswandt (both Associate Professors at the University of Massachusetts Amherst) join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about Project RAISE: Reclaiming Access to Inquiry-based Science Education. Developed with the help of a three million dollar NSF grant, Project RAISE delivers an innovative digital biology curriculum to incarcerated students in the Massachusetts juvenile justice system. Through a unique iPad app developed by Project RAISE that adheres to principles of universal design for learning (UDL), students engage with science through project-based inquiry activities and virtual laboratory experiences. Listen to the show to hear more about Project RAISE, how it addresses challenging factors within the justice system and how it adapts the learning environment for various learning styles and educational needs.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/08/episode-189-project-raise/

As science teachers are preparing for the summer, many will be planning lessons and purchasing supplies for their classes next year. But just how much do science teachers spend on their classes from their own personal funds? After conducting a nationwide survey of middle and high school science teachers, a research team at North Carolina State University has an answer for us. Their research revealed that 70 percent of science teachers do not have adequate funding to support science instruction for their students, leading to almost 95% of science teachers spending their own money to support learning in their classroom. To discuss their research and its implications for science instruction in urban, rural and suburban schools, Emily Cayton (Graduate Research Assistant) and M. Gail Jones (professor of STEM Education) join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to close out season 11 of Lab Out Loud.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/06/episode-188-science-teacher-spending

Have you ever had a good idea for a game where kids can learn science? Lab Out Loud's guest this week has, and he has even made those ideas into a reality! Nathan Schreiber joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler this week to talk about his Science Ninjas games that teach real science with engaging graphics, fun characters, and easy-to-follow instructions. Listen to learn how you might teach with Valence, a game that combines advanced chemistry with simple rules and ninjas!

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/05/episode-187-science-ninjas/

Do you have middle and high school students doing original research? Consider connecting them with the open-access Journal of Emerging Investigators for guidance and a chance to publish their findings. Jamilla Akhund-Zade (Co-Editor-In-Chief) and Nico Wagner (Director of Outreach) join Lab Out Loud to talk about the Journal of Emerging Investigators and how it can guide young scientists in the research process that ultimately helps them develop the skills they need to publish their own research.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/04/episode-186-emerging-investigators/

For the third episode in a three-part series on place-based education in science, Lab Out Loud welcomes Chris Wyland to the show. Chris is a middle school math and science teacher at the Cottonwood School of Civics and Science in Portland, where the focus of the entire school is encouraging exploration of the natural world and involvement in the local community through the arts and sciences. Continuing a discussion of place-based education in science, Chris joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to explain this approach in an ecology unit where his middle school students are partnering with the Portland Parks and Recreation Department to apply their scientific knowledge to fieldwork that benefits their local community.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/04/episode-185-place-based-education-ecology-unit

For the second episode in a three-part series on place-based education in science, Lab Out Loud welcomes Kevin Krasnow to the show. As ecologist, researcher and educator at Teton Science Schools, Kevin is currently studying the differences in field research by comparing the outcomes from inquiry research, citizen science, and adventure hike experiences for middle/high school students. Kevin joins us co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the experiment while sharing some of his preliminary findings from these treatment groups by measuring student understanding of the nature of science, attitudes about science, and self-efficacy.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/?p=4235

Lab Out Loud is proud to present a three-part series on place-based education in science. To kickoff this series, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Ethan Lowenstein, Ph.D. (professor of curriculum and instruction at Eastern Michigan University and Director of the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition) and Greg Smith (emeritus professor of education from the Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education and Counseling) to the show. Ethan and Greg join Lab Out Loud to define place-based education, provide some examples of PBE in science and explain how it can help teach science standards while building a sense of community.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/03/episode-183-placed-based-education

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Neal Manegold, director of Minecraft Education. Many listeners are probably familiar with Minecraft, and a few might even know about Minecraft Education Edition, which builds on the open-world game while promoting creativity, collaboration and problem solving in a teacher supervised environment. Now students can learn some science in the Minecraft world with the recent Chemistry update of Minecraft Education Edition. Join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to hear Neal explain Minecraft Education Edition and discuss how the new chemistry update can allow students to combine and reduce materials within the Minecraft world to explore states of matter, the structure of atoms, chemical reactions and more.

show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/03/minecraft-education-chemistry/

How do you address controversial science issues in your classroom instruction? This week Lab Out Loud welcomes the co-authors of a recent Phi Delta Kappan publication that might give you some insight in how to help prepare students to become scientifically literate citizens by incorporating socioscientific issues in the classroom. David Owens (College of Education, University of Missouri), Troy Sadler (professor of education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro) and Dana Zeidler (university professor of science education, University of South Florida) join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about their article, discuss an instructional framework for successfully implementing socioscientific issues as learning experiences, and highlight the importance of evaluating scientific evidence when tackling these issues in the science classroom.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/02/episode-181-socioscientific-issues/

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Sabari Raja, co-Founder & CEO of Nepris. Acting as matchmaker for classrooms to scientists (and other professionals), Nepris tackles the heavy lifting of finding professionals eager to provide educational outreach in their field of expertise. Sabari joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the history of Nepris, its goal of creating equity of access, and how you can start connecting with science professionals in your classroom!

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2018/02/episode-180-nepris/

A few years ago, Lab Out Loud showcased Clifton Roozeboom’s PocketLab - a small, rugged wireless sensor platform that could easily collect a suite of common measurements while simultaneously reporting to a device for data visualization and analysis. A few years later, with newer and less expensive sensors, PocketLab has developed a novel product that can now measure air quality. Called PocketLab Air, this wireless device contains six built-in sensors for measuring Carbon Dioxide, Ozone, Particulate Matter, Temperature, Barometric Pressure, Humidity, Dew Point, and Heat Index. Listen to the Lab Out Loud to learn how your students can use the family of PocketLab sensors to build science experiments for exploring even more of the world around them.

Show Notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2018/01/episode-179-pocketlab-air/

With the growing implementation of engineering principles and Makerspaces in our schools, Lab Out Loud decided to reach out to science fiction writer Cory Doctorow to chat about his most recent novel Walkaway. Set in a near future ruined by ecological and technological catastrophe, Walkaway is a story about scarcity and surviving outside the default limits of societal norms. But Walkaway also offers a glimpse into a future where today's emerging technologies (think 3D printers and drones) are used routinely in collaborative problem solving. Doctorow talks to co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler about Walkaway, the maker movement and bunch of other stuff.

Show Notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2018/01/episode-178-walkaway/

This week on Lab Out Loud, Hakhamanesh Mostafavi, PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and co-author of a recent paper, Identifying genetic variants that affect viability in large cohorts, joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the evidence for and examples of continuing human evolution.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2017/12/episode-177-human-evolution/

This week we're proud to introduce their youngest guest ever on the show. Ten year old Elaina Garg and her younger sister Kaylie wrote The Organic Coloring Book with the help of their father Neil, a professor at UCLA. Designed to help kids learn about common chemicals around them, the Organic Coloring Book features over 25 pages of chemicals to draw, complete with Cheesy the Mouse as a guide for the reader. Elaina and Neil join Lab Out Loud to talk about why they made this coloring book, how they chose the chemical structures to feature, and how this experience made Neil a better teacher.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2017/11/episode-176-organic-coloring-book/

Making his third appearance on Lab Out Loud, we welcome science storyteller Sam Kean back to the show. As author of The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinist's Thumb, Sam has a new book out called Caesar's Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us. Sam joins us to talk about how a chemistry thought problem lead to the title of his new book, why we should care about the air around us, and also shares some insights on science writing.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2017/11/episode-175-caesars-last-breath/

It's Mole Day! Celebrated on October 23, Mole Day recognizes Avogadro's number (6.02 x 10^23), which is a basic unit of measurement in chemistry. Lab Out Loud co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler discuss mole day, reminisce on how they have celebrated it, and celebrate Maurice Oehler, the founder of the National Mole Day Foundation. How do you celebrate Mole Day? Leave a comment at laboutloud.com, tweet a picture to @laboutloud or leave a message at facebook.com/LabOutLoud/.

Show notes at:
https://laboutloud.com/2017/10/episode-174-mole-day/

Science degrees can be found in the most intriguing careers. This week Lab Out Loud talks with Becca Ransohoff, an analytical chemist for MadTree Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio. In June, MadTree released Entropic Theory (a hoppy, juicy IPA) with a special can launch party whereby a portion of the proceeds were donated to iSPACE, a local non-profit that promotes education of science, engineering, technology and math for kids. Also a product of science and research, MadTree invested over two years of planning and testing to develop Entropic Theory. Becca joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about Entropic Theory and the science behind its creation, while describing her job as an analytical chemist at MadTree Brewing.

Show notes at:
http://laboutloud.com/2017/10/episode-173-entropic-theory/

Continuing with a theme of teacher created content, Lab Out Loud is proud to share Matt Blackman's physics games and apps. As physics teacher and adjunct instructor at Rutgers Graduate School of Education, Matt founded The Universe & More where he creates educational games and apps such as Crack the Circuit and Action Graphing. Matt joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about his games, how they might supplement and enhance (but not replace) good teaching, and how you can use them with the companion worksheets in your science classroom.

Show notes at:
http://laboutloud.com/2017/09/episode-172-crack-the-circuit/

As the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) takes full effect this fall, educators might be curious to know how this new legislation affects STEM education. To help us navigate through ESSA, Lab Out Loud welcomes James Brown to the show. As executive director of the STEM Education Coalition, James works with the Coalition to raise awareness in Congress, the Administration, and other organizations about the critical role that STEM education plays in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace of the 21st century. James joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about ESSA, how it impacts states and STEM education, and how teachers can get more involved as this law rolls out. Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/09/episode-170-essa/

From Math for America, Lab Out Loud welcomes John Ewing (President) and Megan Roberts (Executive Director) to the show. With a goal of making teaching a viable, rewarding and respected career, MƒA provides a mechanism that encourages professional STEM educators to engage in their subject matter while working in a collaborative and supportive environment. In practice, MƒA's fellowship program engages New York City teachers to engage in professional growth within a professional community that receives professional recognition. John and Megan join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the success of the Math for America model, how it can be replicated across the nation, and emphasize the importance of teaching as a true profession.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/09/episode-170-math-for-america/

To kickoff season 11, Lab Out Loud welcomes Christopher Preece to the show. As a high school chemistry teacher, Chris recently created Che[M]ystery - a graphic novel that teaches chemistry concepts. Written by Preece and illustrated by Josh Reynolds, Che[M]ystery follows the adventures of two kids as they gain superpowers, fight a radioactive monster and learn some science along the way. Chris joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss how he created Che[M]ystery, and shares how he uses it to capture student imaginations in his chemistry classes.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/08/episode-169-chemystery

To close season 10, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome back Dr. Sean B. Carroll - award-winning scientist, writer, and educator. Dr. Carroll's new book, The Serengeti Rules, examines the fundamental question of how life works as he uncovers the rules that determine the number of species in an environment and the diversity within that community. What this molecular biologist learns in the field provides insights into evolution, conservation and functional environmentalism that affect us all on the local and global level. Listen to the show to hear how Dr. Carroll shares compelling stories of science that include exploration with epic adventures, surprise, and even a little detective work in The Serengeti Rules.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/05/episode-168-serengeti-rules/

This week, Lab Out Loud welcomes Darlene Cavalier to the show. In addition to her position as Professor of Practice at Arizona State University's Center for Engagement and Training, Darlene is the founder of SciStarter - an online community to designed to help people find, join and contribute to science through both formal and informal research projects and events. Darlene joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to help promote Citizen Science Day - a month-long challenge (through May 20, 2017) that seeks to celebrate and engage citizen scientists throughout the world. Listen to the show to learn how you, your students and your family can be citizen scientists by catching clouds with an app, documenting road kill, or fighting Alzheimer's with an online game!

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/05/episode-167-scistarter/

This week, Lab Out Loud welcomes Matt Brady to the show. Along with wife Shari, these two high school science teachers have been working to bring pop culture into the classroom to increase student engagement and understanding of science. Their website The Science Of helps broadcast these ideas and strategies with the goal of providing a place for popular culture to act as a springboard to science education, discussion and information. Matt joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about teaching science with pop culture, discuss how this approach can help connect teachers to their students, and share his favorite pop culture references used in his science classroom.

Brian and Dale also talk about the March for Science on Earth Day, 2017.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/04/episode-166-pop-culture-science-education

Fredi Lavjardi teaches marine science at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, where he is also coach of Falcon Robotics - an extracurricular high school STEM program that won the 2004 MATE National Underwater ROV championships with their robot "Stinky," besting juggernaut teams such as MIT. This inspiring story was originally covered by Wired Magazine, expanded by the same author into a book, and graced the silver screen in 2015 as the movie Spare Parts. Along with other engaging stories, the success of Falcon Robotics is now being featured in the IMAX documentary Dream Big: Engineering Our World. Using human stories to expose the hidden world behind exciting inventions and structures across the world, Dream Big aims to at bring engineering into the forefront of our culture while inspiring kids of all backgrounds to become the innovators, educators and leaders of the 21st century and beyond. Fredi joins Lab Out Loud to share more about Falcon Robotics, how STEM education is addressed in his classroom and robotics program, and how schools might better address STEM education for authentic student learning. Listen to the show to be inspired, and then find out where you can experience the Dream Big: Engineering Our World.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/04/episode-165-dream-big/

Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler recently discovered EO Kids - a web publication that brings engaging science stories from NASA's Earth Observatory to a younger audience. Published with support from NASA's Landsat, Terra, and Aqua missions, EO Kids provides kid-friendly content in a PDF that can be easily downloaded or printed. Each issue of EO Kids also features hands-on activities, experiments and opportunities for students to interact with real data. To learn more about EO Kids, listen to Lab Out Loud as they welcome Editor-in-Chief Ginger Butcher and Managing Editor Tassia Owen to the show.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/2017/03/episode-164-eo-kids/

Valerie Bayes joins Lab Out Loud this week to talk about modern agriculture. As the K-12 STEM Outreach Lead for Monsanto, Valerie is busy engaging educators in modern agriculture where cross-cutting concepts like engineering, math, and biology are used to solve important problems in our world today. Through Monsanto's STEM page, Valerie assists educators in finding powerful classroom resources and even helps teachers in obtaining GM seeds for use in the classroom. Valerie joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to share how she got into science outreach, describe Monsanto's educational collaborations, and discuss the connections between STEM and modern agriculture (including drones!).

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/03/episode-163-monsanto/

Lab Out Loud’s guest this week is Gary Weimberg, co-director of the PBS documentary “My Love Affair With The Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond.” Produced and released in collaboration with AAAS and Scientific American, and narrated by The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik, this upcoming documentary showcases the life and work of engaging professor, inquisitive learner and YouTube sensation Dr. Marian Diamond. Gary joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the film, reveal how Dr. Diamond’s work challenged assumptions in science and society, and share his beliefs in telling human stories to illustrate how science actually happens. Listen to the show to be inspired by Dr. Diamond’s work and learn how you might use her story in your science classroom and participate in this public engagement in science.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/02/episode-161-my-love-affair-with-the-brain/

Lab Out Loud is proud to welcome David Pogue to the show. As tech critic for Yahoo Tech, correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, and columnist for Scientific American, many listeners might recognize Pogue as host of many NOVA science specials. In 2012, he shared his exploration of the periodic table with the wildly popular NOVA special Hunting the Elements. Now he'd like to continue that story with Beyond the Elements, where he will explore and share the mysteries of the molecular world. But he needs your help. Together with NOVA, Pogue is working hard on a Kickstarter campaign to fund Beyond the Elements. The goals of the campaign start with producing the show and continue with adding classroom resources and possibly a VR experience. David joins Lab Out Loud to talk about science and tech, his work with NOVA, and the Kickstarter project Beyond the Elements. Listen now to learn how to help NOVA and David Pogue produce this new special for families and science classrooms across the nation!

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/02/episode-161-nova-kickstarter/

Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Zach Kaplan to Lab Out Loud. As founder and CEO of Inventables, Kaplan hopes to inspire and enlist a new wave of makers with tools like Carvey (a desktop 3D carving machine) and Easel (a simple and free cloud-based app for 3D design to carving). In schools, with an increased focus on engineering and a push to include more STEAM classes and Makerspaces, these tools are also providing students with an opportunity to learn career and college ready skills in a hands-on and authentic manner. Zach joins Lab Out Loud to talk about Inventables, the growth of the maker movement, and the future of desktop fabrication and manufacturing.

Show notes at:
http://laboutloud.com/2017/01/carving-into-stem-with-inventables/

Lab Out Loud co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome ecologist & author Caren Cooper to the show. As an Associate Professor at North Carolina State university, Dr. Cooper also works with the Chancellor's Faculty Excellence Program on Leadership in Public Science. She is an advocate of citizen science, believing that anyone, anywhere at any time, can help conduct genuine scientific research. In her new book, Citizen Science: How Ordinary People are Changing the Face of Discovery, Dr. Cooper tells the stories of citizen scientists who are challenging assumptions of how and where knowledge can be acquired. Dr. Cooper joins Lab Out Loud to share some of these stories, along with ideas and resources on how educators might engage their students in creating new knowledge from the world around them.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/01/episode-159-citizen-science/

In this special On the Lookout installment of Lab Out Loud, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler explore another device in the world of desktop fabrication as they recently tested out Carvey - a tabletop 3D carving machine from Inventables. Right out of the box, they discovered Carvey to be a remarkably easy to use tool appropriate for younger learners. Solidly built, Carvey’s small footprint can easily sit on a tabletop, and features an enclosed frame that keeps the workspace relatively clean and safe. Of course, Carvey’s reach extends well beyond the science classroom, and will function as a savvy tool that any STEAM program or Makerspace could rely upon for hands-on student learning. Listen to Lab Out Loud (and watch their unbox video) to see how this new digital manufacturing tool can allow students to transform their digital creations into physical, everyday objects.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/12/episode-158-carvey/

This week, Lab Out Loud talks with Sonia Epstein, the Executive Editor of the Museum of the Moving Image's online publication Science & Film. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Science & Film is devoted to exploring the intersection of science and film and enhancing the public's understanding of science and technology. Sonia joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about Sloan films and the recently released teacher’s guide that includes information on 46 short films that you can use with students. Listen to Lab Out Loud to see how you might use Sloan films to help engage students in STEAM learning.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/2016/12/episode-157-sloan-science-and-film/

Making his third appearance on Lab Out Loud, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Rhett Allain back to the show. As an Associate Professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University, Rhett is also an avid blogger for Wired Science. In addition to his consultant work for Mythbusters, Rhett has recently added another impressive accolade to his resume: Technical Consultant for the TV show MacGyver (2106). Rhett joins Lab Out Loud to discuss Macgyver, his role in screen science, and the importance of critical thinking skills.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/11/episode-156-macgyver/

Two science teachers call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line! To prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, we decided to consult with a professionally trained expert who could answer all of our important turkey questions.

Show Notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/11/episode-155-butterball-hotline/

Making his third appearance on Lab Out Loud, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Dr. Ken Roy back to discuss safety in science classrooms and other potentially harmful areas (such as makerspaces). This fall, Ken launched the NSTA Safety Blog to share commentaries on the latest safety issues, legal standards and better professional practices. Ken reminds us about important science safety practices such as yearly safety training, our duty of care when working with students in foreseeable harmful situations, and the need to make sure your eye wash station works before you do labs that might require its use. Listen to the show to hear how you can learn important safety tips and how to submit your own questions to the NSTA Safety Blog.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/2016/11/episode-154-nsta-safety-blog/

Have you ever relied upon a lab or resource so much that you don't know what you would do without it? This mini-lab episode discusses such a tool that was lost and then found again - Mihara Naoki's Ramp and Roll. Originally developed to assist introductory physics students understand the simple motion of ball rolling on a ramp, Ramp and Roll's unique user-friendly interface calculates and graphs the position, velocity and acceleration of the ball all in real time while the ball is rolling. Listen to this mini-lab episode to hear more about Ramp and Roll as co-host Dale Basler takes a trip down memory lane to share how it was lost, found and eventually came to be hosted at Lab Out Loud.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/2016/10/episode-153-ramp-and-roll/

Making his fourth appearance on Lab Out Loud, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Fred Ende back to the show. As the Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instructional Services for a cooperative educational service in New York, Fred has sat through, observed, and delivered a lot of professional development. Most recently, Fred has written a book on professional development entitled Professional Development That Sticks, where he seeks to answer how to approach professional development in a thoughtful way, keep teachers motivated, and make the whole process worthwhile. In addition to being Lab Out Loud's "PD therapist", Fred joins Lab Out Loud to share some strategies in creating meaningful learning experiences and suggests how we might retain more of our learning after it's complete.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/2016/10/episode-152-pd-that-sticks/

Lab Out Loud welcomes former astronaut Stephen Frick, Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center. Lockheed Martin and Discovery Education have partnered to launch the next phase of Generation Beyond – an initiative to use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to prepare today’s middle school students for deep space exploration. With engaging online curriculum, a virtual field trip, and a video challenge for students, Generation Beyond seeks to engage students in grades 6-8 in STEM careers and help them prepare to make these deep space missions a reality. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear about Stephen recall his work as an astronaut and learn how you can help inspire today’s students to become the next generation of engineers and space explorers. show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/10/episode-151-generation-beyond/

This week co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk sex with Dr. Carin Bondar (specifically, they discuss how science teachers can use sex to teach biological concepts). As biologist, writer and presenter, Dr. Bondar hosts an independent web series called Wild Sex and has just released her second book, also titled Wild Sex. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear ideas on how you might utilize biological sex to teach concepts such as population biology, evolution and other concepts in your secondary science classroom.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/09/episode-150-biological-sex/

As students are returning to school, they might be hunting for Pokémon with the wildly popular Pokémon GO app. Part of the game allows students students to evolve their Pokémon into other pocket monsters. But is this an accurate portrayal of biological evolution? Can science educators actually use Pokémon GO to teach evolution or other scientific concepts? To help answer some of these questions, Lab Out Loud co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler are happy to welcome Dr. Luke Holbrook to the show. Luke belongs to the department of Biological Sciences at Rowan University, and has thought a lot about using Pokémon to help teach concepts of evolution (he even designed a Pokémon activity many years ago - on paper!) Listen to the show to hear more about Pokémon GO and evolution, and if you could use it to teach science in your classroom.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/09/episode-149-pokemon/

To close season nine, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler discuss newer technologies such as 3D printers, virtual reality and drones. These newer technologies have recently Lab Out Loud's attention and they are exploring how they might be used in the science classroom. Lab Out Loud also talks with Benjamin Schrom, product manager at Google for Education. Ben shares a taste of Google Expeditions and how it might be used in all classrooms to enhance learning using virtual reality.

Show Notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/06/episode-148-science-edtech/

This week, Lab Out Loud co-host Brian Bartel talks with Dr. Tom Hart - penguinologist and lead researcher for Penguin Watch. Penguin Watch is a project that collects images of penguins and other seabirds from cameras scattered throughout the Southern Ocean. These images are shared online where citizen scientists can easily identify adult penguins, chicks and eggs. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear how and your students can help monitor penguins and other seabirds with just the click of a mouse.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/05/episode-147-penguin-watch/

As a former biology teacher and now product manager at PASCO Scientific, Mike Blasberg has witnessed a transformation in how students can collect data in the science classroom. Mike joins us to talk about the evolution of sensors, how we can use a smartphone to collect and analyze data, and discusses the capabilities and features of the new wireless sensors available from PASCO scientific.

Shownotes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/05/episode-146-pasco/

At SXSWedu, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler were fortunate to see littleBits founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir unveil the new littleBits STEAM set. In fact, they were quite impressed to hear about littleBits' gender neutral design and see examples of students using the sets to solve real problems. Wanting to find more about this invention-based learning tool, Lab Out Loud is proud to welcome littleBits' Education Program Manger Erin Mulcahy and Product Designer Dave Sharp to the show. Listen now to learn how you might use the littleBits STEAM set to engage students in problem solving, creative thinking and collaboration through invention-based learning. http://laboutloud.com/2016/04/episode-145-littlebits/

From NOVA Education, Lab Out Loud welcomes outreach coordinator Ralph Bouquet to showcase NOVA Labs - a free digital platform featuring games that foster authentic scientific exploration. With engaging interactives and informative videos, NOVA Labs allows students to participate in an area of active research where they can analyze and play with the same data that scientists use. Listen to the show to see how your students can participate in science by tracking cloud movements, designing biomolecules, or defending against sophisticated cyber attacks.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/04/episode-144-nova-labs/

Lab Out Loud had so much fun talking movies with Andy Howell, so they continued talking with him about his work as scientist at Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT) and Adjunct Faculty in physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Andy joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler (again) to talk about studying supernovae, robotic telescopes, and how science really happens.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/03/episode-143-andy-howell/

In February, the journal Science published an article entitled “Climate Confusion Among U.S. Teachers” that has been attracting a great deal of mainstream media attention. Examining a nationwide survey of how middle school and high science teachers address climate change in their classes, the article reveals some encouraging insights and uncovers a few areas for improvement. To better understand the impact of this article, Lab Out Loud welcomes Dr. David Evans, Executive Director of NSTA, to the show. Dr. Evans joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the results of the survey, suggest how recent implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards play a role in this conversation, and offer some suggestions on how to better support science educators in teaching climate change.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/02/episode-142-climate-change-survey/

Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler discuss movies and science with scientist, writer and podcaster Andy Howell. Besides studying supernovae and working with robotic telescopes (at Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT) and the University of California, Santa Barbara, Andy has been working on a podcast to evaluate the scientific content in movies and the portrayal of scientists in media. Called Science vs. Cinema, the pilot episode examines a Lab Out Loud favorite: The Martian. Andy joins Lab Out Loud to discuss Science vs. Cinema and shares how he evaluates scientific content in popular media (we also get to geek out over some of our favorite science movies).

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/02/episode-141-science-vs-media/

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Shaun Whitehead, space engineer and founder of Thumbsat. Dreaming of once becoming an astronaut, Shaun now provides the engineering reality to put experiments in space with Thumbsat - a thumbsize platform for space exploration complete with microcontroller, camera, radio, GPS and temperature sensors. Thumbsat data can be harvested through Thumbnet, a global network of monitoring stations - which can even be built by schools. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear Shaun explain what a space engineer is and how you might inspire your students to put an experiment into space.

show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2016/01/episode-140-thumbsat/

At Lab Out Loud, we love data collection. That's why we are happy to welcome Chrystian and Rebecca Vieyra to the show. Working as an app developer and high school physics teacher, this husband and wife team developed Physics Toolbox - a suite of apps that use the built-in sensors inside smartphones to complement the current probeware used in classrooms. Listen to the show to hear more about Physics Toolbox and how it can be used to easily collect data in your classroom.

Show notes at:

http://laboutloud.com/2016/01/episode-139-physics-toolbox/

Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler are proud to welcome fellow science podcaster Ainissa Ramirez to Lab Out Loud. As scientist, inventor and self-proclaimed science evangelist, Ainissa is the host of Science Underground - a new, two-minute podcast that delivers a science topic in an enjoyable and easy to understand fashion. Listen to the show to hear Ainissa discuss the importance of science communication, the inspiration for her topics, and how you might use these audio nuggets in your science classroom.

Show notes at:

http://laboutloud.com/2016/01/episode-138-science-underground/

Lab Out Loud welcomes Matt Hartman, the content coordinator for eCYBERMISSION, to the show. Sponsored by the Army and administered by NSTA, eCYBERMISSION is a web-based STEM competition for 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade teams tasked with proposing a solution to a real problem in their community. Matt joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk us about the competition and its alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, Lab Out Loud even gets a special opportunity to talk with a coach and some of her students who have participated in eCYBERMISSION.

show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/12/episode-137-ecybermission/

Our guest this week is Todd L. Pittinsky, professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University. Todd and Nicole Diamante (a doctoral candidate in engineering at Stony Brook) recently wrote an article that caught our eyes. In "Going Beyond Fun in STEM" (Phi Delta Kappan) Pittinsky and Diamante suggest that perhaps after the Mentos geyser demonstration, science teachers might only get "a bottle of flat Pepsi and too many students who still arrive at college academically unprepared for STEM majors or — perhaps more important — emotionally unprepared to stick it out when the subjects inevitably get tough." Todd joins us to remind us that fun isn't enough in science, and suggests what intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are actually needed to get students more interested in math and science, and ultimately succeed in these fields.

Do your students have a vision for the future? Then they might be motivated to enter the 23rd Annual Toshiba/NSTA annual ExploraVision competition. Through problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills, this K-12 science competition encourages students to imagine and explore a vision of a technology 20 years into the future. To help explain what ExploraVision is and how to participate, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Arthur Eisenkraft (Professor of Science Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston and ExploraVision judge) and Acacia McKenna (Director of Science Education Competitions at the National Science Teachers Association) to the show. Listen now to find out how you can help communicate this opportunity and inspire your students to participate in ExploraVision today!

Show Notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/11/episode-135-exploravision

This week, Lab Out Loud welcomes IRIS (the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) to the show. Michael Hubenthal (senior education specialist) and John Taber (Director of Education and Public Outreach) join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the educational opportunities in seismology and earth science available from IRIS. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn how you can use IRIS's recent earthquake teachable moments, earthquake browser, and how you can search for seismology lessons and demonstrations.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/11/episode-134-iris

Many science teachers will recognize that AAAS (the American Association for the Advancement of Science) publishes the respected peer-reviewed journal Science. As the world's largest general scientific society, AAAS also promotes science literacy with the goal that all students receive a high-quality science education. That's why co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler are delighted to welcome Suzanne Thurston and Maria Sosa (both from the AAAS Directorate for Education and Human Resources Program) to the show. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear Suzanne and Maria discuss how AAAS is working to enhance science education with such initiatives as Science NetLinks, the Active Explorer App, and other resources for science education.

Show notes at:

http://laboutloud.com/2015/10/episode-133-aaas

As Lab Out Loud has been showcasing science videos lately, they decided to investigate what it takes to make a good science video. To that end, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler invited Derek Muller, creator and host of Veritasium: An Element of Truth to the show. Veritasium is a YouTube channel of science and engineering videos featuring experiments, interviews, demos, and other cool science topics. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear Derek discuss his work with Veritasium, what he has learned from the experience, and learn a few hints at how to make a good science video.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/10/episode-132-veritasium

To kick off season nine of Lab Out Loud, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Sal Khan to Lab Out Loud. As founder of The Khan Academy, Sal is encouraging students age 13-18 to submit a 10-minute video to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. Presented by The Breakthrough Prize and The Khan Academy, The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is currently seeking innovative videos from students that explain a challenging concept or theory of mathematics, life sciences, or physics. The winner will earn a $250,000 scholarship, a $50,000 education grant for the winner's teacher, and a $100,000 cutting-edge science lab designed for the winner’s school. Do you have an idea for a submission? Listen to the show to hear more about the competition and how students might create a video to open up everyone's mind. But hurry - video submissions will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Oct. 7!

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/2015/09/episode-131-breakthrough-jr-challenge

From the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Lab Out Loud welcomes Marjee Chmiel (Associate Director of Curriculum and Communications) and Jean Flanagan (Science Education Research Specialist) to showcase Good Thinking! - a new animated series that explores topics in science, cognition, and pedagogy. Using peer-reviewed research, Good Thinking! addresses common student misconceptions with short, animated episodes specifically geared towards science educators. Listen to the Lab Out Loud to find out more about Good Thinking!, and discover a fantastic (and fun) professional development resource.

Show notes at:
http://laboutloud.com/2015/08/episode-130-good-thinking

To close their eighth season at Lab Out Loud, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Clifton Roozeboom to the show. Lab Out Loud first met Clifton at the NSTA 2015 Conference in Chicago, where they noticed The PocketLab in the exhibit hall. Built to be a small, rugged wireless sensor platform, the PocketLab can measure acceleration, force, angular velocity, magnetic field, pressure, altitude, and temperature while simultaneously reporting to a device for data visualization and analysis. Clifton joins Lab Out Loud to talk about sensors, the PocketLab (and the app), and how your students can use it to build science experiments for exploring their world.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/05/episode-129-thepocketlab

Inspired by a session at the NSTA 2015 Conference in Chicago, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with Plot.ly founder and COO Matt Sundquist. As a relatively young graphing program, Plot.ly makes it easy to collaboratively analyze and visualize data. Matt talks to Lab Out Loud about Plot.ly, how it can be used in the science classroom, and how you can even import real data into this powerful online tool.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/04/episode-128-plotly

Prompted from listener feedback, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Dr. Kate McNeill and Dr. Joe Krajcik to Lab Out Loud. As authors of Supporting Grade 5-8 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science: The Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning Framework for Talk and Writing, Kate and Joe talk about using the claim, evidence and reasoning (CER) framework as a method to guide students towards explanations in science.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/04/episode-127-claim-evidence-reasoning

Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome John Timmer to Lab Out Loud. As senior science editor for Ars Technica, John has been paying particular attention to state legislatures that, in the first few month of each year, tend to propose bills that attempt to dictate how science is taught in their schools. Listen to the Lab Out Loud to hear what bills might affect teaching science in your state.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/03/episode-125-ngsschat/

Have you wanted to reach out to other science teachers with your questions about NGSS? Lab Out Loud guests Fred Ende and Tricia Shelton can help. Using Twitter, Fred and Tricia moderate #NGSSchat - an online forum to learn and share around the Next Generation Science Standards and great science teaching. Listen to the Lab Out Loud this week to find out how you can "lurk", learn and contribute to #NGSSchat.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/03/episode-125-ngsschat/

Continuing an exploration of art in science, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler invite author, illustrator and math/science teacher Dale Debakcsy to the show. Every two weeks, Debakcsy writes and illustrates about important women in science. Now that he has now completed half of his two-year project, Debakcsy has compiled the first 26 portraits into a book called The Illustrated Women in Science: Year One. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear about how Debakcsy started making science comics, the importance of showcasing women in science, and how you can use his art in your classroom.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2015/02/episode124/

Artist and Scientist Dr. David Goodsell join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler on Lab Out Loud this week. As Associate Professor at the Scripps Research Institute, Dr. Goodsell splits his time on research and science outreach. His science outreach includes artwork featured online, in a variety of media and even in science museums. Listen to the show to learn how Dr. Goodsell makes his art, how accurate science is reflected in this art, and how you can use it to teach molecular structure and function.

art, biology, books, online resources

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2980

The Bad Astronomer (a.k.a. Phil Plait) has been busy since we've last had him on Lab Out Loud. As astronomer, public speaker, science evangelizer, and author, Phil can now add YouTube host to his resume. Working with Hank and John Green (Crash Course) and PBS Digital Studios, Phil has been writing and filming a new series on YouTube called Crash Course Astronomy. Listen to the show to hear about the show and how you might properly use it in your classroom.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2968

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes journalist Mark Johnson to the show. As medical and science journalist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, researching and communicating science to the public is the core of Mark's work. Excelling in long form journalism, Mark joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about his experiences with science journalism, including the Pulitzer Prize winning story of Nicholas Volker and a new series in the lab of Dr. Murray Blackmore. Listen to the show to see how you might use science articles in the classroom to learn science content, discuss ethical issues and examine examples of real scientific research.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2955

According to our Lab Out Loud's guest, Einstein thought like an artist, and Picasso thought like a scientist. As Professor emeritus of history and philosophy of science at University College London, Arthur I. Miller has been exploring the intersection of art and science. His new book Colliding Worlds: How Cutting-Edge Science is Redefining Contemporary Art tells the story of how art, science and technology are fusing in the twenty-first century. Listen to the Lab Out Loud to learn about how you might encourage art in your science class "…leaving the door open for the next as yet unimaginable avant-garde".

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2937

As science educators, we are likely to recognize Sputnik as the first satellite in space. But what has happened with satellites since Sputnik? How many satellites are even out there, and how do we rely upon them? To help answer some of these questions, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Dr. James Clay Moltz to the show. As author of Crowded Orbits, Dr. Moltz examines the conflict and cooperation in space with the growing number of satellites managed by public, commercial and even private entities. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn about our history with satellites in space, what the future of satellites might look like, and what that could mean for our students today.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2926

To prepare for this episode, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler had to do a little homework: see the movie Interstellar. After seeing it, they knew they had to invite Kip Thorne back to Lab Out Loud. As Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus, at the California Institute of Technology, Thorne was the scientific advisor and executive producer of Interstellar. Dr. Thorne joins Lab Out Loud to discuss Interstellar, the science in the movie, and how it might inspire us to dream about our future.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2904

As webmaster for the ENSI (Evolution and the Nature of Sciences Institute) website, Larry Flammer has helped to provide a number of free, student-centered, interactive lessons focusing on the nature of science. So Larry wrote Science Surprises: Exploring the Nature of Science - a text supplement available as an eBook that helps teach the nature of science, with lessons for practicing scientific argumentation, and critical and skeptical thinking. Listen to the episode as Larry talks to us about the nature of science, and learn how his eBook could help replace (or at least supplement) the standard introductory chapter in any secondary science textbook.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2893

This week Lab Out Loud turns their attention to science demonstrations. And who better to talk about demos than Steve Spangler. Famously known for his Mentos+Diet Coke experiment, Steve is an engaging and entertaining speaker and YouTube sensation. Steve joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about how demonstrations can engage students, while promoting safety, fostering critical thinking and providing suggestions for science you can do at home. Listen to the show for some inspiration on how you might use more demos and videos in your classroom and at home.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2878

As founder of BirdBrain Technologies and maker of the Hummingbird Robotics Kit, Tom Lauwer has been busy infusing robotics into classrooms of all types. In fact, Tom hails from the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute’s CREATE lab (you might remember the CREATE lab when we talked about robots with Illah Nourbakhsh) where he focused on the process of designing hardware and software to support learners and educational environments. A few years later, Tom's Hummingbird has been successful in helping teachers enrich their curricula with creativity using robotics.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2856

Season eight of of Lab Out Loud starts with our thoughts turning towards climate science. As Programs and Policy Director for the National Center for Science Education, Mark McCaffrey boasts an impressive resume in climate and environmental science. Mark helped lead the development of the Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and has testified before the House Subcommittee on Research about climate and environmental education. As the author of the recently published book “Climate Smart & Energy Wise” (Corwin Press), Mark argues how humanity’s greatest challenge is missing from American science classrooms.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2835

Episode 113 - Teaching Pseudoscience in the Classroom

For the final episode of season seven, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler invite Rodney Schmalz and Steven Lilienfeld to Lab Out Loud. Schmalz and Lilienfeld recently published an article discussing the use of pseudoscience in the science classroom to help give students the tools needed to differentiate between scientific and pseudo-scientific or paranormal claims. Listen to the episode to learn how you might use pseudoscience appropriately in your science instruction.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2803

This week co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome journalist Amy Harmon to Lab Out Loud. Harmon recently wrote an article for the NY Times in which she examined a county council in Hawaii that wanted to ban genetically modified organisms. Listen to the show as Harmon unravels the intersection of politics and science in this heated debate, and you will discover many resources that you can bring back into your classroom to discuss genetically modified organisms.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2782

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Neil Shubin to the show. As paleontologist and anatomy professor at the University of Chicago, Shubin has had some fantastic opportunities to hunt for fossils and use them to communicate stories of our own evolution. In 2008, he wrote these stories into Your Inner Fish – a national bestselling book that has now been adapted into a three-part series on PBS. With contagious enthusiasm, Shubin talks to co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler about his experiences as a scientist, teacher, and in communicating science.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2764

Elementary science has been on the minds lately of Lab Out Loud's co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler. So it is fitting that their guest this week has been working hard helping elementary teachers tackle the Next Generation Science Standards. As Coordinator for Elementary Science in Baltimore County Schools, Eric Cromwell has the task of moving a large number of schools and teachers into an NGSS based curriculum. Listen to the show to hear of Eric's experience in this transition as Lab Out Loud discusses how elementary schools can embrace the NGSS.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2757

Join Lab Out Loud this week as hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk to Illah Nourbakhsh, author of Robot Futures. As Professor of Robotics at The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Illah has been building and thinking about robotics for most of his life. Illah joins Lab Out Loud to talk about his book, our potential future with robots and how students should be inspired to learn with purpose.

Show notes at: Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2735

Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler invite Karen Worth to the show to discuss NSTA's recent adoption of a position statement in Early Childhood Science Education. In addition to helping write the position statement, Worth serves as faculty member at Wheelock College where she teaches courses in elementary education and science education to pre-service and in-service teachers. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn about the what the position statement says about young children and science learning, and why this is a unique and progressive statement.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2722

Join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler and they talk about Snowy Owls with Ryan Brady. As research scientist with the Wisconsin DNR, Ryan serves as the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative Bird Monitoring Coordinator. Listen to Lab Out Loud as Ryan talks about this winter's snowy owl irruption, how to connect with other birders, and how you might be able to find snowy owls in your own region.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2705

This week we welcome Fred Ende back to the show. Fred recently had an article published in the Science Scope (January 2014) discussing the use of stories in assessments. Fred talks to us about his experience with story assessments, his student results and how you can create your own story assessments.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2686

As the nation thaws out from record lows, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler thought it would be a good time to chat with meteorologist Jeff Last about our cold weather. Jeff is a Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Green Bay, WI. Listen to Lab Out Loud as Jeff explains the Polar Vortex, and discusses our cold weather and atmospheric phenomena that can be observed at these low temperatures.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2673

As professor of physics at Georgia Tech, Schatz has been running a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) for introductory physics with laboratory. Schatz talks to Lab Out Loud about his experience with the class, how the online lab requirements work, and his plans to expand it.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2661

Imagine the chemistry set of the 21st century; that's the idea behind a new competition. SPARK, The Science Play and Research Kit competition, is a project of the Society for Science & the Public, in collaboration with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. To learn more about the competition, Lab Out Loud contacted Janet Coffey - program officer at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Listen to hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to learn how you can submit an idea or prototype for the competition.

Show notes at:
http://laboutloud.com/?p=2648

This week hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler explore the world of sensors by talking with Mark Wagner - engineer and designer of Sensordrone. Sensordrone is a handheld sensor that wirelessly connects to your smartphone to measure temperature, humidity, light, carbon monoxide levels, and other environmental conditions. Listen to the show to hear Mark talk to Lab Out Loud about Sensordrone, the history and potential future of sensors, and how they could be used in the science classroom.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2013/11/episode-102-measure-your-world-with-sensordrone/

This week hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler explore everyday science found on BrainStuff with guest Cristen Conger. As host of BrainStuff and Stuff Mom Never Told You, Cristen talks to Lab Out Loud about her work as a writer and host, and how she gets her ideas and does her research. Listen to Lab Out Loud and explore everyday science explained on BrainStuff.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2621

For our 100th episode, we welcome Glenn Branch to the show. Glenn is the Deputy Director for the National Center for Science Education. Glenn talks to us about the center, how they support climate change education, and how the NCSE can defend science in your classroom.

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Rhett Allain back to the show. As an Associate Professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University, Rhett is an avid blogger for Wired Science at Dot Physics.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2585

To kickoff season seven of Lab Out Loud, hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with science teacher Paul Anderson from Bozeman, Montana. Paul has been creating videos for science education for many years, and recently has made a collection of videos to guide science educators through the Next Generation Science Standards.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2563

For Lab Out Loud's final episode of the season, hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with Exo Labs CTO and co-founder, Jeff Stewart. As a new startup in science education, Exo Labs recently released their Focus microscope camera and iPad App. Replacing the eyepiece on any standard microscope, the Focus camera streams a high quality image to the iPad screen where it can be recorded and shared. Jeff talks to Lab Out Loud about the Focus camera, its use in classrooms and engineering applications, and how you can help support their Kickstarter effort.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2535

This week we talk about LEGO Mindstorms with Caroline Hanson. As teacher and member of the LEGO Education Advisory Panel, Caroline routinely uses LEGOs to teach her enrichment courses in reading, math, academic competition, and STEM topics to students at Aspen Middle School in Aspen, Colorado. Catherine talks to us about her experience with LEGO Mindstorms in the classroom and gives us a preview of the new LEGO Mindstorms EV3.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2510

This week hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with David Delgado, lead of the Imagine Mars project from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Imagine Mars Project gives students a chance to work with scientists and engineers to build and design a future human community on Mars. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn about the project and other educational outreach opportunities from JPL.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2486

We catch up this week with Deborah Blum. Blum first joined us on Periodicity to talk about science journalism. Since then, Blum has written "The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York." Blum talks to us about poisons, forensic medicine, and literacy in the science classroom.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2427

Prompted by listener feedback, hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk week with Sherri Smith Dodgson. As "Miss Science," founder of Discover Science 4 Kids, and co-founder of SciPreneur, Dodgson has been a science educator both in and out of the classroom. Dodgson talks to Lab Out Loud about her experiences working with getting kids interested in science.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2419

Listen this week as we talk with Doug Paulson - STEM Integration Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education. Doug gives us insight into Minnesota's statewide initiative to increase STEM content in primary classrooms.

This week we talk with Dr. Yan Wong - evolutionary biologist and co-host of BBC's "Bang Goes the Theory". Dr. Yan joins us to talk about the show (now available on BBC America), tell us about doing science in public, and gives us some of ideas of science demonstrations you can do in your classroom.

To prepare for this week's episode, Dale and Brian had to do some homework: spit into a tube. Carrying our DNA, this tube was mailed to 23andMe for analysis. Now that we have our results, we were able to talk with Emily Drabant - a research community manager (with a PhD in neuroscience) at 23andMe.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2343

With the recent release of the the Next Generation Science Standards second draft, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler caught up with Ted Willard, Program Director for NSTA. In his role at NSTA, Ted supports teachers in the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards. Ted guides Lab Out Loud on the important points of the second draft, where to find more resources and how to review and comment by January 29, 2013.

shownotes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2330

To kick of the new year, we caught up with Dr. Ken Roy to discuss safety in the science classroom (and throughout the school). Serving as the Safety Compliance Consultant for NSTA, Ken often writes about safety for the Science Teacher and for Science Scope. Ken talks to us about OSHA's recent adoption of the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), which includes a change from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and the use of standardized pictograms and harmonized hazard statements.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2315

Our guest this week may have some insights for you. We talk with Randy Bell - co-author of "Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom," and Associate Dean and Professor of Science Education in the College of Education at Oregon State University.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2296

This week we talk to Christian Eatough, a science teacher from Sydney, who is getting students to ask the questions (using the Question Formulation Technique) and using the questions as the basis of practical work (rather than formulaic textbook activities).

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

This week we learn about a new digital resource called NASA Wavelength. Organized by topic and audience level, NASA Wavelength delivers a powerful search of Earth and space science resources funded through NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2254

This week we talk with Guy Crosby about the recently released book "The Science of Good Cooking" - written by Crosby and the editors of America's Test Kitchen.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com

After the summer release of "The Violinist's Thumb and Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written By Our Genetic Code," we got a chance to catch up with science writer Sam Kean.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com

Producer Mark Miano talks about NBC Learn’s Science of the Summer Olympics.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

In this bonus episode, Dale and Brian talk with Kip Thorne (world renowned physicist and longtime friend and colleague of Stephen Hawking) about the wonders of modern physics. Plus, we’re giving away our tickets to see Stephen Hawking!

Show notes at:

http://laboutloud.com/?p=2172

For our final episode of the season we talk with interview Paul Herder, coach of the Marshfield WI team that has won the National Ocean Sciences Bowl for the last four years in a row.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

This week listen as co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk toDavid Vernier, co-founder of Vernier Software & Technology. David talks to Lab Out Loud about the history of the company, his popular software and data collection hardware, and the release of two new products that are part of Vernier's Connected Science System - the LabQuest2 and Graphical Analysis iOS app. Listen to hear how Vernier technology will change science education.

In anticipation of NOVA's upcoming "Hunting the Elements" special and app, Lab Out Loud hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler got in touch with Rachel Connolly - NOVA's Director of Education. Listen to the show and watch "Hunting the Elements", airing 4/4/12 on PBS.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2102

Our guest this week is Zoran Popović, professor at the University of Washington and Director of the Center for Game Science. He recently lead the team that produced Foldit, a biochemistry games whose outcomes are now published in Nature.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2086

Our guest this week is Fred Ende. As a middle-school science teacher, Fred quickly became frustrated with cookie-cutter, partial inquiry and simple scientific method lab reports that rarely engaged students in the content. Deciding to change this mode, Fred created open-ended lab experiences where students investigated their own questions, became interested in sharing their work, and ultimately improved their scientific writing.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2064

This week listen as co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk to Jon Dudas, president of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Dudas talks to Lab Out Loud about their upcoming robotics competitions, how they teach kids how to try, fail and succeed, and how hands-on robotic lessons can enhance the classroom experience and spark interest in science education and careers.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com/?p=2040

This week we talk with Dr. Steven Schlozman, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Lecturer in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Schlozman's recent book is "The Zombie Autopsies." Schlozman shares his ideas about how zombies can be used in the classroom.

As science educators are increasingly reporting attacks on climate change education, the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is announcing that they will also be defending climate change science in public school science education. Join hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler as Dr. Eugenie Scott explains this new initiative for NCSE by adding climate change to their portfolio in defending good science education.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

We highlight some of the major science discoveries in 2011 with Pamela Hines, senior editor at Science Magazine.

For the last episode of 2011, hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with journalist and author Marcus Wohlsen. Wohlsen is a science writer for the Associated Press who has received abundant praise for his recent book "Biopunk: DIY Scientists Hack the Software of Life

In Episode 70, hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with David Shapiro about his graphic novel "Terra Tempo: Ice Age Cataclysm". Shapiro is the creative director and writer at Craigmore Creations - a publishing house that specializes in Earth science and natural history stories.

Ever wanted your students to conduct scientific research? Our guest this week has some insights for you.

Shownotes: http://laboutloud.com/

In Episode 68, hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with Mark Schober about using Modeling Instruction in the science classroom. As president of the American Modeling Teacher's Association, Mark shares with us a history of modeling, how it can be used in the classroom and that it is for more than physics courses.

Learn about zipTrip- an electronic, interactive field trip that connects students across the country to scientists at Purdue University.

Shownotes at: http://laboutloud.com

This week we discuss teaching techniques with Frank Noschese. Frank is a high school physics teacher at John Jay High School in Cross River, N.Y. and an active blogger. We talk with Frank about blogging, active student engagement, flipped classrooms, psuedoteaching, and the Khan Academy. Join the conversation and leave your comments.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

Join us to kick off our 2011-2012 season by talking science standards with Jonathan Osborne from Stanford University. As a committee member who helped draft the Conceptual Framework for New Science Education Standards released this summer, Osborne talks to us about science practices, crosscutting concepts and core ideas found within the framework.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=1790

In our final show of the season, we talk with Dr. Gerard J. Putz (President of Science Olympiad) and Jennifer Kopach (Marketing Director) about the Science Olympiad National Tournament to be hosted on May 20-21 by the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Interested in starting a Science Olympiad team in your school? Get suggestions from the pros.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=1703

This week we talk with Shane Peterman, PR Manager at ThinkGeek.com. In March, ThinkGeek introduced “Take These Broken Things“, a program where they were thinking* about sending boxes of broken stuff to deserving groups (like a school technology lab or a FIRST Robotics team). We talk with Shane about the program, re-purposing electronics, and about the products available at ThinkGeek.com.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/?p=1669

Bill Prady, Executive Producer and co-creator of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, joins us to talk about one of our favorite science shows.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

For episode 61, we talk with Google's Cristin Frodella about the Google Global Science Fair 2011. In partnership with CERN, the LEGO Group, National Geographic and Scientific American, Google has created an exciting new global science competition to help celebrate young scientific talent and engage students in science. Learn how to submit a project, then later to see and vote for some of the best projects.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

For episode 60, we talk about Paleontology with Dr. Paul Sereno. Dr. Sereno is a world-renowned paleontologist and Professor of Organismal Biology & Anatomy at the University of Chicago. He joins us to talk about what's new in the field of paleontology.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

In the shadow of what is happening in Wisconsin, Brian and Dale discuss evolution education with Dr. Eric Plutzer, co-author of "Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom" - a recently published article in Science Magazine.

Dr. Plutzer discusses the paper, and what the results reveal about how much evolution is actually being taught in biology classrooms across the nation.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com

This week we talk with Dr. Natalie Batalha, co-investigator of NASA's Kepler Team. Dr. Batalha talks to us about her love of science (especially physics), the Kepler mission, and the discovery of planet Kepler 10b.

Show notes: http://laboutloud.com

Finishing our UK tour, we talk with Dr. Ben Goldacre, author of "Bad Science: Quacks, Hacks and Big Pharma Flacks". Dr. Goldacre talks to us about interpreting scientific results, the tricks used to deceive us, and how science teachers might combat bad science in the classroom.

Kick off the International Year of Chemistry with the Periodic Table of Videos. Martyn Poliakoff and Sam Tang join us to talk about how they'll be part of the celebration.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

From Star Wars to evolution, this week's guest will surely make you laugh about science. Science comedian Brian Malow joins us to discuss science comedy and much more!

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

Explore the Encyclopedia of Life.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

This week hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk to Daniel M Carchidi (Publication Director) and Dr. Natalie Kuldell (instructor) about MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW). OCW is a web-based publication of virtually all MIT course content, open and available to the world.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

This week we discuss our favorite science books and talk to author Sam Kean. Sam discusses the periodic table and storytelling in his new book "The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements".

Learn more at: http://laboutloud.com/

New at Lab Out Loud: This week we discuss our favorite science blogs and talk to Rhett Allain - an Associate Professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University. Rhett discusses science teaching and his popular blog Dot Physics, at www.wired.com/wiredscience/dotphysics. What science blogs do you follow?

Join the conversation at www.laboutloud.com to share your favorite science blogs and websites.

This week we discuss our favorite new science shows and talk to Mythbuster Kari Byron about her new show on The Science Channel.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com

What science do you listen to? We talk to one of the creators of some of our favorite science tunes. John Linnell from the band They Might Be Giants joins us to discuss their science album titled Here Comes Science.

show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

For our 100th podcast interview (including 52 interviews with Periodicity), we talk with former marine biologist turned filmmaker and author Randy Olson.

Shownotes at: http://laboutloud.com/

This week's guest is Daniel Loxton, author of the kid's book titled, "Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be."

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

This week we talk to Dr. Scott Sampson - host of the PBS show Dinosaur Train. Dr. Scott is also a Canadian dinosaur paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and educator who serves as Research Curator at the Utah Museum of Natural History.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

Today we talk with Cory Doctorow - science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger.

In this episode, we talk about the science behind car crashes with our guest Dr. Griff Jones. While working with the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Dr. Jones has helped create two DVDs for the science classroom.

Show notes at http://laboutloud.com

Adam Savage, from The Mythbusters, joins us to talk about science education.

Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

We talk with Dana Backman who is working on SOFIA, an airborne observatory that will study the universe in the infrared spectrum.

Show Notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

We look back and forward at science in the news with writer Nicholas Wade.

show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

Sean Carroll (physicist) and Sean B. Carroll (biologist) talk to us about their respective science fields, science education and being Sean Carroll.

Shownotes at: http://laboutloud.com/

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show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/

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Find show notes for this episode at: http://www.laboutloud.com/

For this episode, we chatted with Dr. Karen Harpp, Associate Professor in Geology at Colgate University in New York. Dr. Harpp talked with us about her research, science outreach and creating connections between science teachers and researchers. * Colgate Geology * Karen Harpp's Homepage * Volcanoes in the Classroom: A Simulation of an Eruption Column * Dive and Discover: Interview with Geochemist Karen Harpp * Polar Palooza * Underwater Volcanoes of the Northern Hawaiian Islands Crew

Mt. St. Helens Volcano Cams
Mt Etna Volcano Cams
List of Volcano Cams
West Bend, WI
SeisMac
Science Friday Live Broadcast in Milwaukee, WI
May 16:, 2008: Great Lakes Water Issues and The Science of Brewing
Pictures from Science Friday Broadcast
Cory Doctorow's Craphound.com
Little Brother Book Tour
Little Brother on Amazon.com

Little Brother

In response to the movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, we decided to talk with someone who has invested her life defending evolution. Dr. Eugenie Scott, Director for the National Center for Science Education, talks to us about the movie, the NCSE response, and the place of evolution in science education.

National Center for Science Education
Expelled Exposed: Flunked, Not Expelled - What Ben Stein isn't telling you about Intelligent Design
Ben Stein: "Science Leads you to Killing People"
Doonesbury Comic regarding medicine and Intelligent Design
The Post-Crescent: It's Your Call
PZ Myers (Pharyngula) gets expelled from Expelled
Boston Globe: No Intelligence Allowed in 'Expelled'
Scientific American: Expelled Explained
Expelled Producers Accused of Copyright Infringement

For our contribution to Earth Day, we had the opportunity to chat with Bill Nye about his new show on the new Planet Green channel called Stuff Happens.

Preview from the Show:

I’m doing this other thing called “Stuff Happens? for the Discovery Channel. It’s strictly for a new channel Discovery is re-purposing – they’re calling it "Planet Green". So all the programming is green, or about environmental issues and stuff. And so this show is about consumer choices that you can make to live a more environmentally responsible life.

I am a serious hobbyist. I have four kilowatts of solar panels and I have a solar water heating system that I, if you will, designed – along with a guy who’s worked in solar in southern California for many, many years…I hired him, and two very good plumbers, and these guys who were good with gas mains, and we re-rigged the whole house. So now I have solar hot water that pre-heats the water before it runs through two tankless hot water heaters. So my gas bill in the summer is less than $10.

There’s an old supply chain from the South American Western Coast to North American farmers. And what is supplied is fish feed made from anchovies. So, American bacon pigs are fed fish from South American oceans. And so many fish are fished so aggressively that penguins are going out of business. The penguin ecosystem has been devastated, and penguin populations have been decimated by this practice. So we encourage you – the listener, the viewer – to buy…organic, grain-fed bacon. That’s what we want you to do to reduce the market for this anchovy feed. And it’s just something that humans are kind of doing by accident, but on such an enormous scale that’s it’s screwing up an entire ecosystem in the south western Pacific.

The baby steps are important. The hardest thing for everyone to understand about the environment is that every single thing you do affects everybody in the whole world. And the reason, nominally, is that we only have one atmosphere. We can only breath from one source of air – we all share the air. So this is a fundamental idea that’s hard to get; it just doesn’t seem possible. I throw out this magazine and instead of recycling it, yeah – you’re lowering the quality of life of everyone on earth.

So you go to the store and you buy one [compact fluorescent light bulb]. Ok, but if you replace every lamp in your house, or every lamp in the main rooms… Replace every one of those lamps, and you will see your power bill go down… Now there are some whining, unbelievable-freakin’ whiners out there who tell you that we can’t change to compact fluorescents because of the mercury - "there’s no way to get rid of the mercury that’s in those lights and it’s gonna kill everybody." So let’s keep in mind that it was the year 1951 when American industry went to buying more fluorescent lamps than incandescent lamps. That is to say, if you work at any sort of factory anywhere, they have fluorescent lights – ‘cuz it’s so much cheaper. And so those lights are required by law to be recycled and the mercury recovered. And there are services that recover the lights and recover the mercury. So we just gotta do the same thing for domestic consumers – for people that buy ‘em for their houses. For cryin’ out loud – this is not, if I may, rocket surgery. This is actually a little more complicated that: trying to motivate everyone to do the right thing with regard to their old lamps. And of course it can be done; it’s a metal. Who doesn’t want to recover a metal? It’s valuable, it’s shiny, you can see it – of course you can do it.

Politically, [a scientific debate] is an unsophisticated idea. None of the three candidates remaining would ever consent to a science debate. None of them are scientists. None of them would admit to being experts in any way about anything about science. So of course they're going to say no; they have to say no. This pursuit of science debate is an exercise in futility. Instead, we need to rephrase it - in my opinion. My best idea so far, is to rename it something else - the "nondependence on foreign oil" debate, the "health" debate, the "energy" debate, the "competitiveness" debate - that's pretty good... But naming this thing the "science" debate sabotages it from the get-go. And of course I support the idea, but the best correction I can think of it to rename it. The "competitiveness" debate - yes.

Links:

Planet Green
Bill Nye the Science Guy
Nye Labs
Eyes of Nye
Bill Nye on Wikipedia
Greener Pastures from the New York Times
The Science Channel: 100 Greatest Discoveries

This week we talk to Terry Devitt from WhyFiles.org.
Preview from the Show:

Our primary mission is to look at what is going on in the world every week and find some corner of the scientific enterprise that lends itself to a public conversation about science, and then we drill down into that, to contact the best experts that we can find to try to shed light on those dark corners of science - the places and things that people don't know about, and to provide more than what you're going to get in a straight-up treatment of science than one routinely encounters in popular media. I think it's safe to say that after we complete our formal educations, most people only encounter science through popular media, and so a big part of the Why Files mission is to help people come to grips with science - what it is, why it's important, why it makes a difference in our lives on a daily basis.

It's really essential that people in a democracy have some understanding of how we generate knowledge, because it impacts our lives in important ways every day.

Links:

Why Files Educator Page

Why Files Classroom Materials

The Why Files Archives

Baseball Spring Training

The Science of Polling

CSI's: Cool Science Images

Subscribe to The Why Files with their RSS Feed

Today's guest calls himself the Bad Astronomer. Phil Plait is an astronomer, an author, and a well-known blogger at www.badastronomy.com. Phil talks to us about myths and skepticism in the science classroom.

Special Announcement: Don't miss Lab Out Loud's Conference Coverage live from the NSTA conference in Boston!

Preview from the show:

Plait: I am in fact a skeptic. In the public mind - if you ask somebody "what's a skeptic" - most people think it's a cynic or a denier, somebody who just doesn't believe in anything. And that's not strictly true. All a skeptic is, is someone who demands evidence for a claim. If you come up to me and say the sky is pink, I'm going to say "what is your evidence for this?". Or I'll say, "that's an interesting claim, but here's the evidence against it." It's someone who applies critical thinking, logic, evidence, observation, the scientific method to any sort of claim.

Science is all about skepticism. They are hardly different - I mean skepticism is a tool of science. Richard Feynman (the physicist) said "science is a way of not fooling ourselves. It's a way of figuring what's out what's really going on". And skepticism is just a way of looking at things. It's making sure that if you're thinking about something, if there's a claim that's being made - whether it's by a person or even yourself, there's a way of examining it so that you can test its reality or not. And the problem is, it's not something we teach our kids. In fact, we teach them exactly the opposite. We teach them to believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. We go to movies where the skeptic is always a jerk, and the end is always the supenatural cause or trust in humanity or whatever."

Plait: Scooby Doo was a great cartoon because in the end, it really wasn't a ghost or whatever, it was always old man Marley wearing a mask, who didn't want the developers to come in and destroy his farm or whatever."

Plait: When you're teaching kids to the test, and you're saying "here's how you do the math" without explaining why, "here's what you're supposed to get in the results in the lab" without explaining why, we're not teaching our kids science. We're teaching them nothing, we're teaching them belief, faith - and that's not what science is about. Science is not about belief, science is about evidence.

Follow the Bad Astronomer: * Bad Astronomy Blog * Contact Info * Twitter * Facebook Group

Posts from badastronomy.com discussed on the show:

Standing an Egg on End on the Spring Equinox
Are Apollo Moon Photos Fake?
Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax"

Books:

Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax"
read NSTA's recommendation of the book
Death From the Skies (pre-order from Amazon.com)

Skepticism on the Internet:

The Skeptics Dictionary
James Randi Educational Foundation
PZ Myers: Pharyngula Blog
Point of Inquiry Podcast
Skeptical Inquirer Magazine
Skeptoid Podcast
Skepticality
Skeptic's Guide to the Universe

This week we talk with Steve Silberman, contributing editor for Wired Magazine. Steve talks to us about the demise of the chemistry set (as related to his article Don't Try this at Home) and what that might mean for the future of scientific curiosity in our children.

Preview from the Show:

In the last few years, a kind of perfect storm of concerns and legislation has arisen that has had the unintended effect of discouraging amateur chemistry.

Kids really want to fall in love with science. And I know how much the teachers really want to communicate their own enthusiasm about science to their kids. But with fears of liability, and these restrictive laws, and just a kind of general paranoia, instead what's being transmitted to kids is some kind of combination of boredom and fear.

I would say that one of the reasons that I became a science writer was that I had a well stocked chemistry set when I was in elementary school, that contained many things that I am sure are now illegal.

If we're cutting off the possibility of future generations of being interested in science - at the same time that the performance of American kids in science starts to go down around 12th grade, the number of science and technology related jobs in the world are going continually up - so we're creating a gap here where we need people in science and technology, but we're no longer giving them the access to the things that could help them become interested in the subject.

Links:

Articles by Steve Silberman from Wired Magazine
United Nuclear
see them on Wired Science in Dangerous Science
Federal Hazardous Substances Act
Thames and Kosmos C500 Chemistry Set
12 Angry Men: "Endangered Species - the Chemistry Set
NYPD Seeks an Air Monitor Crackdown for New Yorkers
Books
The Boy Scientist
Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood
Julius B. Cohen’s 1910 Practical Organic Chemistry
sciencemadness.org
TED Talks Video
5 Dangerous Things Things You Should Let Your Kids Do

The boy scientist (A Popular mechanics book)

Get a preview of what's in store for you at the 2008 National Conference on Science Education, as we chat with conference chair Joyce Croce.

New to an NSTA Conference?

Visit the NSTA Conferences Newcomer's Page
Attend the First-Timers Session: Thursday, March 27th 8:00-9:00, repeated on Thursday, March 27th 3:30-4:30 free

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- Using and Abusing Data
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In this episode, we chat with PZ Myers - lead author of the blog Pharyngula (Pharyngula is hosted at Science Blogs - a project from Seed Magazine). Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

Contact Information at UM Morris
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Page
Profile on Nature Network
Pharyngula Galleries
Articles written by PZ Myers at Seed Magazine
2006 Weblog Award Winner: Best Science Blog

Preview from the Show:

Myers: What you want to do with a blog - it's such an informal medium - if you get all stuffy and treat it as something where you are going to write a formal treatise everyday, I don't think you'll get as much interest. So by keeping it personal, keeping it human, what I think I've done is open up a little window into a science professor's life, which is sometimes scary, but fun.

Basler: Do you think that this type of casual communication [blogging] is something really important that the students are going to need in the future, or was it just an experiment to try out because you were blogging?

Myers: Oh it's both. I mean, this is a brave new medium. I'm trying new things; I wanna explore this and see what we can do with our students. But I also think it's important for the future of science and science education - that what we want is active, involved learners at every stage of the game. And if this is a way that we can get people talking about science, then that's a huge step - that's important.

Myers: My schedule's turning into a frightening thing; it's getting so packed full of requests to talk, but I try to indulge in as much as possible.

Bartel: So you're working on Darwin Day instead of enjoying it, is what you're saying?

Myers: Well, getting up in front of an audience and talking about evolution and talking about science, talking about philosophy in these ideas - that's not working is it?

Links: * Wikipedia Entry * The Mad Scientist (from Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages) * Monkey's Uncle (from Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages) * PZ Myers on Richard Dawkins (from Seed Magazine) * Interview with DailyKos * Interview by John Horgan * DarwinDay.org * Darwin Day Celebration at Lawrence University - February 9, 2008

Books Discussed on the Show:

Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin by David Quammen

In this episode, Dale talks with physicist Don Lincoln of the DZero detector experiment at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratories. Don talks about physics, Fermilab, his books, and some opportunities for teachers and students with QuarkNet.

Preview from the Show: Basler: Can you give us an overview of what the [Fermilab] does, and what the facility’s goals are?

Lincoln: My own lab, Fermilab, accelerates protons and antimatter protons near the speed of light and collides them together. Fermilab has some other programs also where we accelerate protons and smash the protons into a target, which is usually some material - nickel or something. And from that, we extract other particles – which could be neutrinos – which is what we’re doing mostly - and experimenting with those as well.�?

Basler: What do you say to the person that says “I hated Physics�??

Lincoln: Well I ask them why they hated physics. Usually they say “well, ‘cuz it was too math oriented and it was difficult�?. And I say, “let’s talk about the world. Have you ever wondered why the sun came up?�? or things like that. And usually I can get them to talk about some aspect of the world that they’re interested in, and show them that, in fact, the study of physics really is interesting in that it explains an awful lot, and shows these interconnections that they might not be aware of.

Basler: And you have a book that could help out teachers… Tell us a little about that.

Lincoln: Well actually I have two books. The first book…was written intentionally for people who come to my public lectures, because the people who come to the science lectures are usually of course very enthusiastic about science, and they’ve read many of the popular books. This particular book that I wrote, was actually aimed at them, for those who wanted to go a little bit deeper. The second book is not even out yet - it’ll be out in the summer of 2008 – details the new accelerator that is going to be turning on this year in Europe – the large hadron collider, and that one is also aimed at the general audience.

Lincoln: High School teachers can join the QuarkNet program. They will then go and work with the researcher, for perhaps a week during the summer, and get a sense of what research is going on. Then they bring that information back to their classrooms. And for many of the QuarkNet center - of which I think there are 50 currently in the country - they get funded to bring high school students in the laboratory to work for the summer – and they get paid to work even.

Don's Books:

"Understanding the Universe: From Quarks to the Cosmos" The target audience for this book is a lay audience of science enthusiasts. I had high school teachers in mind as I wrote it. Find it at Amazon.com.

New book: "The Quantum Frontier: The Large Hadron Collider" (name subject to change, will be out summer 2008.) Maybe it's just better to say that the new book "describes in layman terms the exciting new research program about to start at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland."

Links from Don Lincoln:

http://particleadventure.org (just cool information about particle physics).
http://quarknet.fnal.gov (details quarknet and how to get involved.)
http://www.interactions.org/cms/ (a worldwide site for education and image resources)
http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/PST/choose.htm laboratory opportunities
Slightly outdated database (geographically searchable): http://ed.fnal.gov/lasso/hep_search/search.html
Fermilab (Illinois) education office: http://ed.fnal.gov/index.shtml
Argonne (Illinois): http://www.anl.gov/Visiting/index.html
Brookhaven (Long Island): http://www.bnl.gov/education/
Jefferson Lab (Virginia): http://education.jlab.org/
Stanford (California): http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/com/ed_educators.htm
Los Alamos (New Mexico): http://www.lanl.gov/education/
US Department of Energy (national) http://www.doe.gov/foreducators.htm
National Science Foundation (national): http://www.nsf.gov/news/classroom/physics.jsp
CERN (Europe) http://education.web.cern.ch/education/

Experiments:

CMS: http://cmsinfo.cern.ch/outreach/index.html
ATLAS: http://atlasexperiment.org/students.html
LHCb: http://lhcb-public.web.cern.ch/lhcb-public/
ALICE: http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/Public/
CDF: http://www-cdf.fnal.gov/
D0: http://www-d0.fnal.gov/

On this week's episode, we talk with Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov. Dr. Mitalipov is an Assistant Scientist and a Co-Director of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Embryonic Stem Cell Core Laboratory at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University. We talk with Dr. Mitalipov about his recent breakthrough in cloning monkey embryos and the scientific methods that got him there. * Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007 (see #9) * Producing primate embryonic stem cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer (Nature) * Scientists Use Monkey Clones to Extract Stem Cells (NY Times) * Researchers Clone Monkeys for Stem Cells (Reuters) * Stem-Cell Researchers Clone Monkey Embryo (NPR) * Scientists claim to clone monkey embryos (MSNBC) * Scientists Claim to Clone Monkey Embryos (ABC News) * Scientists Claim to Clone Monkey Embryos (CBC) * Oregon Scientists Say They've Cloned First Primate and Generated Stem Cells (Wired Blog Network) * If Cloning Humans is Wrong, So Is Cloning Monkeys (Wired Blog Network)

Adam Rogers discusses the new PBS show titled WIRED Science.

Links

WIRED Science
WIRED Magazine
Twitter
Dale's account
Brian's account
Dale's Twitter project
Other educators on Twitter

Professor Sir Alec Jeffries talks to us about the discovery of DNA fingerprinting, its uses/abuses and its impact on society.

Preview from the Show:

I’ve been called the father of DNA fingerprinting - I think grandfather is more appropriate. So basically the baby has grown up and spawned its own offspring – so I’m now granddad – and they are thriving. …But obviously I keep a very, very great interest in watching… just how it’s being used, and indeed, on occasion how it’s being misused, or potentially misused. And on that point, I will certainly stand up and raise these issues.

BARTEL: Can you tell us a little bit about how you discovered the technology?

By glorious accident. The last thing on my mind in the lead up work to developing that first DNA fingerprint was any thought of forensic investigation.[Later]: I went back that evening to my home and sat down with my wife Sue – very excited – and said, look this is what we’ve come up with; I think we can use it for this, that, and the other. And she said “yeah – that’s great, but you’ve forgotten one thing.�? I said "what’s that", and she said “immigration disputes.�? …And at that point, I remember my blood running cold. Because I suddenly thought "immigration – that is seriously political; this not science anymore. This is getting dangerously into the world of politics." But as history would have it, the very first case was an immigration dispute, and the first application was in immigration.

First, DNA fingerprinting wouldn’t have happened without basic blue skies research; it came out of nowhere – it was unpredictable. And secondly, science is a lot of fun. Without that sense of fun, I wouldn’t have come up with this either. I think those are two important messages for the policy makers, but certainly for the young people of today – tomorrow’s future scientists.

Links:

Professor Sir Alec Jeffries, University of Leicester
The Gene Genius (publication from the University of Leicester)
Sir Alec Jeffries entry on Wikipedia
Discovering DNA Fingerprinting from the Wellcome Trust
Pioneering DNA Forensics (from NPR)
Privacy Fears Over DNA (article from BBC News)
The Informer in your Blood (article from The First Post)

This week we talk with Vivek Wadhwa, columnist for Business Week, Wertheim Fellow at the Harvard Law School and executive in residence at Duke University. Wadhwa will be discussing his recent article (The Science Education Myth) regarding science education in the United States.

Quotes from the show:

“It’s commonly accepted that the U.S. is falling behind other countries because our children score badly on math and science test scores and so on. The National Academies has sited this data; the President alluded to it in his last State of the Union address in 2006, the U.S. Department of Education talks about it. Everyone seems to accept the fact that the U.S. is falling behind and there is something wrong with our education system...I had a suspicion this was wrong.?

“We actually added up the numbers, and we found that the U.S. graduates a comparable number [engineers] to India, and the Chinese numbers are bogus. Basically they’re published from the Chinese government and you can’t challenge it; the Chinese numbers are high, but there are huge quality issues in both India and China.?

“The U.S is in pretty good shape. Maybe there are a few small nations, like Latvia and Singapore that come in first place, but those are small countries and you can’t compare a population of the size and the diversity of the U.S.A. with countries like Singapore, which are small and have a different system than we do.?

“Almost every indicator that they looked at showed the same trend – that the U.S.A. was improving; it wasn’t getting worse. And that no other country in the world was improving like the U.S.A. was.?

“If you look at what spurred the sciences, it was Sputnik. The Manhattan project employed 100-200,000 engineers. Whenever there’s been a crisis, the U.S. has responded to it by putting together national programs. The fact is that global warming is a critical national program. The fact that we’re consuming oil and burning up the world is a critical threat to the U.S.A. There are so many diseases that need to be eradicated. Instead of spending another 100 billion dollars on Iraq, why don’t we take 100 billion dollars and spend it on doing constructive research on eliminating diseases, of improving the world.?

“I think the U.S. really has to get its act together. We have to create the demand for engineers and scientists, and create the excitement, and create the motivation for our students to move into these fields. Just graduating more doesn’t solve any it just creates unemployment. But create a demand, create an excitement, is how you solve one of the problems.?

Links:

The Science Education Myth, by Vivek Wadhwa from Business Week
Assessing the Evidence on Science and Engineering Education, Quality, and Workforce Demand, by
B. Lindsay Lowell,
Harold Salzman; report by the Urban Institute
Rising above the Gathering Storm; report from the National Academies Press
State of the Union Address by the President; January 31, 2006
U.S. Must act to Close Dentist Gap from Pure Pedantry
A Silver Lining to Our Science Struggles by David Epstein, from SEED Magazine (article as podcast)
In Science Classrooms, A Blast of Fresh O2 by Natalie Angier from the New York Times
Math and Science Education from NPR's Science Friday; November 9th, 2007

This week we talk with Steve Squyres, principal investigator for the science payload on the Mars Exploration Rover Project, & Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Preview from the show:

"We have been so incredibly lucky with this mission. I mean, to have that dead wheel, which we thought was a catastrophe at the time, turn up one of the most exciting discoveries of the mission, was very good fortune."

"The next big thing, at least in mars exploration, along with the continuing adventures of the rovers, is a mission called Phoenix. And Phoenix is a lander mission that's going to land near the north polar region of mars, and is going to dig down into the soil there, hope to find ice and then, scoop up some of that ice, and put it into a little chemistry set on top of the lander, and find out what's inside of that ice."

"What we've tried to do is provide images, provide curriculum materials, and provide information for educators as we go. And I think that's actually the best way to do it, because the thing that makes this exciting is not reading about it in the historical sense after the mission's over, so much as being an active participant - you know following the mission as it's going along. You can go to our website, and you can download the latest pictures from Mars that have come down in the last day or so."

Links:

NASA's Mars Exploration Page
Audio clips with Dr. Steve Squyres, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Transcript: Mars Rover Update with Dr. Steve Squyres
Steve Squyres on NASA Direct
Steve Squyres entry from Wikipedia
Steve Squyres: Man on a Misson from NOVA
Steve Squyres Interview on The Colbert Report
Steve Squyres on NPR's Fresh Air from WHYY, March 29, 2004
ABC News Person of the Week Article
Father of Spirit and Opportunity, an article from Scientific American, October 2004
Interview with Steve Squyres from The Cornell Daily Sun
Mars Exploration Rovers Mission Update blog & Way Cool Scientist!
UC Berkeley Distinguished Lecture in Astronomy Lecture with Steve Squyres on Google Video
Roving Mars, written by Steve Squyres from amazon.com

Brian's "Flaming Pumpkin of Death"

Dale's Stop-motion video project

Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet

Dr. Sean B. Carroll (Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Wisconsin) talks to us about evolution, his new project, and science literacy.

Preview from the show:

"What I am very convinced of, from all sorts of experiences of trying to communicate science, is that storytelling is a really valuable ingredient of that. And I don't mean storytelling in sort of a simplistic way, but just engaging the audience, whether they are students or teachers or laypersons, with the drama of scientific exploration, scientific discovery, even scientific debate. Because it's pretty darn common that when scientists find something new, something unexpected, there's a wrestling match for a while, figuring out whether a new view is emerging, or whether someone else is off base. And all of this is a very human enterprise - there's a whole lot of human nature in the game of science."

-Sean B. Carroll, discussing a textbook adjunct from Benjamin Cummings that will be available next year

"I really wish that teachers had fossil collections...I think that when kids put their hands on fossils - something happens."

-Sean B. Carroll, on a wish he has for teachers

"Scientific Literacy is broader than just evolution. Evolution is perhaps the poster child for the acute problem that we have. But I think that it's really hard for a student to grasp, and I think it's really hard, I think for a citizen to grasp, when they are just getting the moving banner at the bottom of CNN - [like] "scientists say", "this fossil means that" or

"this gene discovery means that." Those are just punchlines and don't really understand the size of the entire enterprise or the cumulative knowledge that's built up and how that's tested and things. Now you could say - how do you convey all that? Practically speaking, I think part of the way you convey all that is that those who are communicating to the public, and I would say especially the media - have to have a better grasp of it."

-Sean B. Carroll, on scientific literacy

"I think getting the scientific method, and knowledge of the scientific method across in the classroom is really more important than any particular science content."

-Sean B. Carroll, on teaching science

"I can't encourage anyone more strongly to read what the judge said about the intelligent design case in Dover... It's a masterful opinion."

-Sean B. Carroll, on intelligent design in schools

Links:

Professional Information from UW-Madison:
- Sean Carroll's Lab
- Molecular Biology Department
- Genetics Department
SeanBCarroll.com
Books by Sean B. Carroll (from Google Book Search)
Sean B. Carroll Books on Amazon.com
HHMI Holiday Lecture (FREE DVD!)
The Science of Evolution video from the New York Times
Interview from Discover Magazine
"One of the most rewarding aspects of writing for a general audience has been the response of the biology teaching community. I think there is an urgent need to get new, illuminating material into the hands of teachers and their students. I am working on some new paths to do that."
Charmed by Snakes - Profile in Nature.
Q: What’s the one thing about science that you wish the public understood better? A: "The depth and breadth of evidence supporting scientific ideas: compared with, say, the absence of evidence in areas like astrology, UFOs and ghosts."
PDF of decision of court in Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District
Interview from Science Friday
Interview from Talk of the Nation
Article from The Scientist
Q&A Sean Carroll from Library Journal

Meet the hosts of NSTA's Lab Out Loud podcast - Dale Basler and Brian Bartel. Later, we chat with NSTA Executive Director Gerry Wheeler, as he reflects on Sputnik and its impact on science education, the importance of science literacy and 21st century skills, and how NSTA is helping science teachers both young and old.

WSST

The Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers
WSST's Periodicity

Gerry Wheeler Reflects on Sputnik: * When Science Suddenly Mattered, in Space and in Class (NY Times) * Sputnik Left Legacy for U.S. Science Education (NPR) * Sputnik heralded space race, focus on learning (USA Today) * Science: Sputnik Redux (Edutopia)

**Visit NSTA's new website at

www.nsta.org NSTA's New Science Teacher Academy**

With support from The Amgen Foundation, the program will support new middle and secondary school science educators by providing opportunities for professional development such as online mentoring and financial support to attend NSTA’s national conference. * New Science Teacher Academy * The Amgen Foundation * The Science and Mathematics Teacher Shortage: Fact and Myth

Toyota Tapestry * Home * 2008 Online Proposal