Engineering
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Engineering episodes

  • Episode 239: Why Would You Build an Exoskeleton?
    Meet the Expert: Bill Billotte, executive director of the Exo Technology Center of Excellence

    Dr. William ‘Bill’ Billotte is a biologist, engineer, and leader in exoskeleton technology. Prior to founding Billotte Consulting and Coaching LLC, Bill was the inaugural Executive Director of the ASTM Exo Technology Center of Excellence where he led the development of the center into a thought leading organization in the exoskeleton industry. Before ASTM, Bill spent 17 years advising federal agencies, first responders, and global organizations on exoskeletons, CBRNE detection, and critical infrastructure protection. He helped establish ASTM F48, spent a year with the EU’s Joint Research Centre in Italy shaping international standards, and led a National Academy of Sciences forum on disaster preparedness. His work has delivered 50+ homeland security standards and 100+ reports on first responder gear.

    A recipient of the US Department of Commerce Gold Medal for Heroism, Bill blends science and service with a Ph.D. in Biology (University of Dayton), an M.S. in Engineering (Wright State), and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Georgia Tech).

     

     

     

    Information about the EXO GAMES:  https://www.etcoe.org/exo-games

     

     

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    Challenge:  Identify 3 jobs where you can use an exoskeleton. What type of exoskeleton would you build?

    Share your observations– or your picture– with us by LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW  about your experience of designing an exhibit.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our  Instagram or Facebook page.

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    Highlighted Book for this Episode! 

    National Geographic Kids Everything Robotics by Jennifer Swanson

    Book List:

    DK Eyewitness Books: Robot: Discover the Amazing World of Machines from Robots that Play Chess to Systems that Think by Roger Bridgman

    Awesome Robotics Projects for Kids: 20 Original STEAM Robots and Circuits to Design and Build by Bob Katovich

    Making Simple Robots: Easy Robotics Projects for Kids Using Everyday Stuff  by Kathy Ceceri

     

    The post Episode 239: Why Would You Build an Exoskeleton? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

    33 min
  • Episode 238: How Can Engineering be a Pathway to Entrepreneurship?
    Meet the Expert: Stephanie Schmidt, Boston Private Tours

     

    Meet Stephanie, a seasoned tutor with over a decade of experience and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. She’s a true expert in tutoring high school math and science and highlights the importance of the design process and technical decision-making through real-world engineering examples. She is a trusted and adept resource for guiding young learners toward their educational goals.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    WEBSITE  https://www.bostonprivatetutors.com/

    Follow on INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/bostonprivatetutors/reels/

     

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Stephanie Schmit | Math Tutor | Learning Expert | MIT (@bostonprivatetutors)

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    Challenge: Come up with your own invention to solve a problem. Share it with your friends and family

    Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our  Instagram or Facebook page.

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    Save the Crash-test Dummies by Jennifer Swanson (Author), TeMika Grooms (Illustrator)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Fascinating Engineering Book for Kids: 500 Dynamic Facts! by Dr. Jacie Maslyk

    Engineered!: Engineering Design at Work by Shannon Hunt (Author), James Gulliver Hancock (Illustrator)

    The Way Things Work Now by David Macaulay

    Building Bridges (Young Engineers) by Tammy Laura Lynn Enz

    Bridges and Tunnels: Investigate Feats of Engineering with 25 Projects by Donna Latham (Author), Jenn Vaughn (Illustrator)

    Architecture for Kids: Skill-Building Activities for Future Architects by Mark Moreno (Author), Siena Moreno (Author)

     

    The post Episode 238: How Can Engineering be a Pathway to Entrepreneurship? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

    30 min
  • Episode 236: What is a Radio Telescope?
    Meet the Expert: Sarah Treadwell, Science Communicator at SpaceCase Sarah, and PhD student in communications

    Sarah is a professional communicator of science, with a passion for astrobiology. She currently is pursuing a PhD in Communication and holds a M.S. in communications as well as a bachelor’s of the Arts in English and Writing. Her current grad work is the research coordinator for the Arctek3 Lab, communicating about the Defense Resiliency Platform, a 17 million dollar project funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with several other universities.

    Sarah is the recipient of a NASA SCoPE grant for 2024, working with the SciAct team OpenSpace to create a planetarium show and script about the Lost City Hydrothermal field and the research being done there, connecting it to the upcoming science and missions heading to icy worlds such as Europa and Enceladus.

    She is a science communication affiliate with Blue Marble Space Institute of Science and there also serves as the Senior Production Assistant for “Ask an Astrobiologist”, a monthly show presented by NASA Astrobiology department. Additionally, she also is partnering with them on a book project related to the discovery and exploration of the Lost City Hydrothermal Field.

     

    Follow Spacecase Sarah on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAKkTRGAx4X9e4MI0omioDQ

     

     

     

     

     

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    Challenge: Is it possible for a telescope to see the far side of the Moon?

    Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our  Instagram or Facebook page.

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    Highlighted Book for this Episode!
    Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
    Book List:
    Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
    The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
    Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)

    The Ultimate Guide to Music: A Fascinating Introduction to Music and the Instruments of the Orchestra by Joe Fullman (Sterling Books)

    The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson,  Tracy Read   (Firefly Books)

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      Recent Episodes
      • Episode 235: How Do Sea Creatures Inspire Technology? May 1, 2025
      • Episode 234: The BEST of Exploring the Moon May 1, 2025
      • Episode 233: The BEST of Working with Animals May 1, 2025
      • Challenges
        • Episode 205: How Do Birds Fly?
        • Episode 226: How Do Animals Cooperate with Each Other?
        • Protected: Teacher Pack: Horticulturist Kid Innovator Pack
        • The post Episode 236: What is a Radio Telescope? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          30 min
        • Episode 232: The BEST of Flying Creatures

          The Solve It! for Kids Science Podcast is on Holiday Break. We have compiled a few clips from favorite shows highlighting flying creatures for you to enjoy. They come from the following:

          Episode 106 How Do We Know the Dinosaurs Could Fly? with Dr. Jingmai O’Connor

          Episode 205 How do Birds Fly? with Alex Troutman

          Episode 223 How Do you Rehabilitate a Bald Eagle? with Marge Gibson

          If you enjoy these, go back and listen to the whole podcast! Jennifer and Jeff wish you a very Happy Holidays!

          The post Episode 232: The BEST of Flying Creatures first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          33 min
        • Episode 230: How Does NASA Keep its Missions Safe?
          Meet the Expert: Laura Clayman, Safety and Mission Assurance Officer of the RPS Program

          Lauren Clayman was born, raised, and now resides in northeast Ohio. She

          earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, with a minor in
          mathematics, from the University of Toledo. Lauren began working at NASA’s
          Glenn Research Center (GRC) as a cooperative education student while earning
          her engineering degree. She has been working as the Radioisotope Power
          Systems Program Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer for over 4 years.
          In this role, she helps to ensure the Program operates in a manner that is
          consistent with NASA and GRC safety and mission assurance design processes,
          specifications, and best practices. Before that, Lauren was the CSO for the
          Space Communications and Navigation Project Office at GRC for 3 years. Prior
          to working as a CSO, Lauren worked as a thermal designer, analyst, and test engineer for 13 years
          supporting such projects as Spacecraft Fire Safety and the Orion program. In her spare time Lauren loves
          being with her family. Her two school-aged children and dog keep her very busy!

           

           

          You can learn all about Radioisotope Power at this NASA Webiste:  NASA.gov/RPS

           

           

           

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          Challenge: 

          Do the Power to Explore Student Challenge! Answer the question:  What Moon would You Explore?

          Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.

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          Highlighted Book for this Episode! 

          Welcome to the Future: Robot Friends, Fusion Energy, Pet Dinosaurs, and More! 

          by Kathryn Hulick (Author), Marcin Wolski (Illustrator)

           

           

           

           

           

           

          Book List: 

          Energy (A True Book: Physical Science) by Jacob Batchelor

          Finding Out about Nuclear Energy (Searchlight Books ― What Are Energy Sources?) by Matt Doeden

          DKfindout! Energy by Emily Dodd

          The post Episode 230: How Does NASA Keep its Missions Safe? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          30 min
        • Episode 221: What’s it Like to Experience Zero Gravity?
          Meet the Expert: Tim Bailey, Inflight Manager for Zero-G

           

           

          Tim Bailey is the Inflight Manager for Zero-G. He is responsible for the training and management of the Flight Attendants and other Cabin Crewmembers aboard G FORCE ONE along with various other security duties. Tim also serves as Executive Director of the ZG4STEM Foundation, a nonprofit effort to encourage students to enter STEM careers. Tim has been with Zero-G in various roles since 2003. In that time he has accumulated nearly 9,000 parabolas over 400 flights.

          Outside of his Zero-G work, Tim has put together space conferences around the globe and covered space shuttle launches from Kennedy Space Center. He is Executive Director of The SpaceKind Foundation (best known for their annual Yuri’s Night parties) which also serves as the fiscal sponsor of ZG4STEM. Tim also sits on the Board of ATHENA Rapid Response Innovation Lab in Alexandria, VA. Prior to his current role at Zero-G, he was an independent program management consultant with clients including NASA, DARPA, the Marine Corps, and the US Department of Energy.

           

          YOU  can go on the Zero-G experience (if you ask your parents), Take a look at their COOL website here –> https://www.gozerog.com/

           

           

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          Challenge: If you were a landscape architect, what would you do (or build) to most influence your physical environment? 

          Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.

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          Highlighted Book for this Episode!
          Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
          Journey from the deepest trenches in the oceans to the farthest humans have ventured into space and learn what it takes to explore the extremes. You might just be surprised by how similar the domains of ASTRONAUTS and AQUANAUTS really are.
          Book List:
          The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
          Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)

          How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco

          Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)

          The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! by Lisa Reichley

          Astronomy Activity Book for Kids: 100+ Fun Ways to Learn About Space and Stargazing by Aurora Lipper (Author), Victoria Stebleva (Illustrator)

          Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.

           

          The post Episode 221: What’s it Like to Experience Zero Gravity? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          33 min
        • Episode 220: The BEST of Learning about Our Universe

          The Solve It! for Kids Podcast is on summer break!

          Enjoy our BEST of Learning About the Universe!

          You’ll hear clips from:

          Ep 192 How Do You Study the Smallest Things?

          Ep 170 What Would Happen if we Didn’t have Magnets?

          Ep  63 How Do Scientists Listen to Black Holes?

          The post Episode 220: The BEST of Learning about Our Universe first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          37 min
        • Episode 215: How Will We Talk to Astronauts on the Moon?
          Meet the Expert: Sirina Nabhan, product and data systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

           

           

          Sirina Nabhan is a Systems Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsions Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. She graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 2017. There, she was a dedicated SWE member and held several positions including President. Today, Sirina works as a Systems Engineer for the Deep Space Network (DSN) which enables Mission’s who visit the moon and beyond to communicate with earth. In her role Sirina translates project data requirements into software configuration in the DSN. She collaborates with several departments from other NASA centers, foreign space agencies, and Universities who build these spacecraft. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Space Systems at Johns Hopkins University. Sirina serves as the Professional Development chair on the Advisory Council for Women (ACW) at JPL. The ACW strives to empower, enable and educate women at JPL for success in the 21st century workplace. Sirina promotes space exploration and women in engineering through outreach and social events.

          See what the DSN is up to now. Check it out here: https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html

           

           

           

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          Challenge: Think about what space exploration will look like in 20 years? And see if you can come up with some unconventional jobs that help with space exploration. 

          Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.

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          Highlighted Book for this Episode!
          Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
          Book List:
          Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
          The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
          Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)

          The Ultimate Guide to Music: A Fascinating Introduction to Music and the Instruments of the Orchestra by Joe Fullman (Sterling Books)

          The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson,  Tracy Read   (Firefly Books)

          The post Episode 215: How Will We Talk to Astronauts on the Moon? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          35 min
        • Episode 214: How Does a Landscape Architect Shape the World?
          Meet the Expert:  Chris Flagg, Landscape Architect

          The majority of Chris Flagg’s 40-plus years of professional experience have been devoted to transforming his beliefs in design excellence into a higher quality of life through creativity and collaboration. His talents in master planning, community vision planning, large-scale mixed-use planning, transit-oriented and urban design, have led to multiple design awards and recognition as one of the profession’s foremost visionaries. In 2013, he was elevated to Fellow by the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows, one of the international organization’s highest honors, for his career of community activism and his dedicated body of highly creative professional work. His ability to teach, create art, inspire, mentor and advocate for the values of creative thinking define his everyday approach to his professional, personal and artistic pursuits.

          His current role at Haskell encompasses a wide range of objectives, from increasing the company’s design excellence to mentoring a diverse staff of more than 60 interdisciplinary professionals.

           

           

          Chris works for Haskell, they build tons of amazing structures (and more) in the architecture, engineering, and construction industy. 

          Check out their website HERE

          And watch this cool video to learn more:

           

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          Challenge: If you were a landscape architect, what would you do (or build) to most influence your physical environment? 

          Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.

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          Highlighted Book for this Episode!

          Adventures in Architecture for Kids: 30 Design Projects for STEAM Discovery and Learning 

          by Vicky Chan

           

          Book List: 

          Drawing for Landscape Architecture: Sketch to Screen to Site by Edward Hutchison

          Experiments with Plants by Christine Taylor-Butler

          Plant Growth by Louise Spilsbury, Richard Spilsbury

           

          The post Episode 214: How Does a Landscape Architect Shape the World? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          33 min
        • Episode 210: What is the Deep Space Network?
          Meet the Expert: Rémy Morgan, Network Operations Analyst for Deep Space Network

          Rémy Morgan, is a life-long space enthusiast and science communicator, always ready and eager to talk all things galactic, stellar, planetary, or even alien! What started with library rentals of Magic School Bus VHS tapes led to a degree in astronomy and atmospheric science, as well as a passion for education and outreach.

          She worked as a planetarium operator, presenter, manager, and script writer/performer for four years in Colorado before relocating to Southern California last year. Currently, she works as a Network Operations Analyst for the Deep Space Network (DSN), helping dozens of satellites out in deep space talk to us back here on her favorite planet, Earth.

           

           

           

           

                             

                               

           

           

           

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          Challenge: See what the DSN is up to now. Check it out here: https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html

           

          Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.

          *****************************************************************************************************************************

           

          Highlighted Book for this Episode!
          Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
          Book List:
          The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
          Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)

          The Ultimate Guide to Music: A Fascinating Introduction to Music and the Instruments of the Orchestra by Joe Fullman (Sterling Books)

          The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson,  Tracy Read   (Firefly Books)

          The post Episode 210: What is the Deep Space Network? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.

          36 min