CSML Audio Studio

In this episode, Kacie talks with Karen Jialu Bao, a recent graduate of Harvard’s Molecules, Cells, and Organisms (MCO) PhD program and a published young adult science fiction author. Bao shares her journey from childhood bug collecting to studying mosquito brain mechanisms, all while pursuing her love of storytelling. Her latest book, Pangu’s Shadow, features two immigrant female science students solving a murder mystery in space. Bao reflects on bridging science and creativity, the role of scientific literacy for young people, and how fear can limit learning. She highlights that success in science comes in many forms and often requires skills beyond academic performance. 

Join host Kacie as she talks with Jen Christiansen, Senior Graphics Editor at Scientific American Magazine, about the evolving world of science communication through visual storytelling. As both an artist and scientist, Jen shares insights from her journey of combining these fields and discusses her book "Building Science Graphics." They explore urgent questions about making evidence-based information accessible, particularly for communities most impacted by climate change and public health challenges. The conversation explores how science communication is transforming,  from traditional institutional channels to social media platforms, and the critical need to help audiences understand the scientific process itself.

In this episode of Consider This Next, Kacie speaks with Britt DeVries, Lead Data Scientist at the Idea Exchange in Miami, Florida about reimagining how science communicators can build meaningful relationships with communities they serve. Through their syringe services program, Britt and her team demonstrate how combining data science with on-the-ground community engagement can create lasting impact. From their success in early outbreak detection to the evolution of their services based on community feedback, the conversation explores how implementation science and trust-building can transform public health outcomes. Britt shares practical insights about meeting people where they are, the power of word-of-mouth in reaching marginalized communities, and using data visualization to tell compelling stories that matter to both academic and community audiences.

Fanuel Muindi interviews MIT undergraduate Lyne-Nicole Odhiambo, who participated in the 2024 virtual summer internship program in the Civic Science Media Lab affiliated with Northeastern University. At a local cafe in Cambridge, Massachusetts, next to MIT’s campus, Odhiambo shares the inspiration behind the summer project of mapping climate-focused sustainability initiatives in Kenya and reflects on the broader questions that have continued to guide their work. “I wanted to focus on not only seeing victims of climate catastrophe as victims, but also as holders of knowledge in ways to mitigate and respond to these catastrophes.”

Odhiambo expands by saying “It’s crucial to understand that communities on the front lines of climate change have their own solutions—solutions that come from their lived experiences.”

Odhiambo discusses the challenges encountered, including language barriers and political unrest: “I expected to just go in, find people, and have it be fine, but quickly realized that my shaky Swahili and the political climate made building rapport much more difficult.” Despite these hurdles, Odhiambo found another angle by shifting the project focus to mapping local initiatives: “Instead of trying to interview people directly, I decided to map the landscape of sustainability and climate adaptive technologies in Kenya from afar, using what I could gather from existing resources and supplementing that with quotes from those (leaders) I could reach.”

Odhiambo's work culminates in an upcoming piece that not only discusses the importance of local knowledge but also points out the need for more mapping work around collaborations between grassroots organizations. “There’s so much more that can be done if these organizations could synergize their efforts rather than working in isolation,” Odhiambo remarks.

The interview also touches on the lab’s broader mission to inspire the next generation of civic science scholars and practitioners through hands-on internships like the one Odhiambo participated in. Looking ahead into the future, Odhiambo shares, “I see myself acting as a bridge between the technical side of science and the community-oriented side, making knowledge more accessible to everyone.”

Odhiambo's upcoming piece will be published on the lab terminal.

https://civicsciencemedia.org

In this episode of Consider This Next, host Kacie Luaders sits down with Doctora Nicole, a former astrophysicist turned social impact entrepreneur, to explore the critical realm of inclusive science communication. Doctora Nicole shares her journey from studying the stars to founding Movement Consulting, a company dedicated to transforming STEM culture into a more welcoming space for marginalized individuals. The conversation explores the challenges faced by diverse scientists in academia, the importance of visual storytelling in making complex concepts accessible, and strategies for connecting with varied audiences. Doctora Nicole emphasizes the interconnectedness of social justice and science communication, offering valuable insights for researchers, educators, and science enthusiasts alike. This timely discussion underscores the necessity of adapting communication strategies in an increasingly diverse world and provides thought-provoking questions for science communicators to consider in their work.

Featured are the voices of Carla Scaletti (Composer and Software Designer) and Martin Gruebele (Professor of Chemistry, Physics, Biophysics and Computational Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), who presented at the 2022 “Mapping Numbers to Sound – From Scientific Exploration to Immersive Musical Experience” Meeting on Oct 11, 2022 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign" Watch the full meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-5BKN0nLg

Special Correspondent Okeyo interviews Dr. Hamisi Babusa, a pioneering Kiswahili author and lecturer at Kenyatta University. Dr. Babusa shares the story behind his groundbreaking work in Kiswahili science fiction and his mission to educate children through storytelling.

Dr. Babusa discusses how he introduced Kiswahili science fiction to Kenyan students, despite initial skepticism from publishers. “Some publishers rejected the stories,” he recalls, saying they considered the concept “very strange, very foreign.” However, he persisted, and his books now help children understand scientific concepts in their native language, Kiswahili.

The conversation highlights innovative approaches to teaching, such as Dr. Babusa’s “Makumba” series, where children learn about biology through the adventures of a magic vehicle that shrinks and explores the human body. “The magic vehicle enters the grandmother’s body while she’s eating,” Dr. Babusa explains, giving young readers a fun, imaginative way to learn about digestion.

Dr. Babusa also emphasizes the importance of teaching science in local languages: “Children understand better when taught in their indigenous language,” he says, arguing that teaching in a foreign language, like English, creates barriers to learning.

Looking to the future, Dr. Babusa hopes to inspire the next generation of African scientists, saying, “In the next five to ten years, I hope to see a scientific revolution… the children who are learning science through Kiswahili today will become the inventors and problem solvers of tomorrow.”

In this episode of Consider This Next, host Kacie Luaders speaks with Christine Giver, the host of the podcast and YouTube show Outside of the Box. Christine discusses her journey into the world of combat robotics, including her inspiration from the show BattleBots and the path that led her to become a science communicator. She shares how she makes complex robotics accessible to a wide audience and offers advice for scientists looking to engage with the public. Christine also talks about her efforts in building a community through Discord and how her involvement in the National STEM Challenge and Festival highlights the importance of inspiring young innovators in STEM fields.

In this 4th segment of a special series on CivicSciTV’s Questions of the Day (QOTD) Program, Africa Correspondent Stephanie Okeyo interviews Dr. Jeanne Mortimer, a marine biologist with a focus on sea turtles and tropical coastal and marine ecosystems. With experience working in 20 countries across six continents, Dr. Mortimer shares insights from a project in Seychelles that successfully integrated local Creole names for seagrass species into public discourse. The interview also includes Annike Faure, the Coastal Wetlands and Climate Change Project Manager at Seychelles Conservation & Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT).

They highlight key lessons learned, including the importance of using native languages to engage communities, the power of naming in conservation efforts, and the need for perseverance, determination, and collaboration across diverse stakeholders to achieve lasting impact. Additionally, they emphasize the value of involving local knowledge holders, such as fishermen, and the necessity of continuous public engagement to ensure that scientific efforts are meaningful and culturally resonant. The discussion underscores the idea that conservation success depends on making science relatable and accessible to all levels of society.

Keywords: science communication, language diversity, Seychelles, seagrass, Creole, public engagement, conservation, marine biology, community engagement, collaboration, cultural resonance, local knowledge.

This episode features Cindy Marie Jenkins, a digital navigator and Creative Editor of Outthinkmedia who discusses her work on media literacy, especially its effects on children. Insights include the significance of open communication, understanding the scientific implications of media, and fostering curiosity in children. The episode concludes with thought-provoking questions on the relationship between neuroscience, media consumption, and civic engagement.