ORISE Featurecast

In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, host Michael Holtz and guest co-host Amy Szczepanski talk to Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows who spent their fellowship time on Capitol Hill. They talk about what it's like to work behind the scenes in the nation's seat of power, the people they met, and what they will take back to their communities from their experiences.

Steve Robinson was a 2005 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow in the office of Senator Barack Obama. During his time as a Senate staffer, he also served as a mentor for students in DCPS, as a reading tutor for elementary grade students and as a math tutor with middle school students. Prior to joining the Einstein Fellowship, Steve was a high school science teacher in Eugene, Oregon. Steve Robinson joined the Department of Education as a Special Advisor to Secretary Arne Duncan. Prior to joining the Department, Robinson served as the Legislative Assistant for education in the office of then-Senator Barack Obama, advised on policy development during the presidential campaign, and worked on education issues with the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team.

Jacquelyn (Freeman) Southerland was a 2023-2024 Einstein Fellow in the office of Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. Prior to becoming a Fellow, Jacquelyn served as the science Department Chair and Science Content Lead at Prince George County's Public Schools. After completing her undergraduate coursework in Life Science: Biology, Ms Southerland expanded her knowledge in environmental sciences through internships with the University of Massachusetts: Boston, the University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill. There her research earned her the National Science Fellowship Grant. She continues to encourage other educators on the importance of STEM through relativity through integrated learning practices.

Tyler Dufrene is a 2022-2023 Einstein Fellow placed on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He taught AP Physics and Chemistry in Raceland, Louisiana, and in 2018, was elected to the Lafourche Parish School Board. Tyler currently serves as a Professional Learning Specialist for Arlington Public Schools and a Master Teacher of Invention and Intellectual Property (MTIP) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 

Amy Szczepanski, a high school teacher from New York City, is currently serving as the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator at the Department of Energy (DOE) in the Office of Workforce Development of Teachers and Scientists (WDTS). Currently, Amy is working on supporting the programs WDTS provides as well as expanding her own professional development as an educator.

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Act gives the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the responsibility for managing the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. The DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) manages this program for DOE in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and the partnering Federal agencies, which, at the time of this recording, included the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Library of Congress (LOC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The DOE sponsors five placements in congressional offices.

To learn more about

the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, visit https://science.osti.gov/wdts/einstein.

Have you ever felt like you don't belong in the job you have, or that if people really knew you they wouldn't like you, or that you would be unmasked as a fraud? Imposter syndrome happens to all of us at some point in our lives. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, host Michael Holtz talks with Beth White, Ph.D., ORISE senior program manager, about this important issue. Many of the participants Holtz has interviewed over the years talk about the imposter syndrome they have felt. White breaks down what imposter syndrome is, how it often originates in young people, how it manifests psychologically and emotionally, and how to overcome it. Holtz and White also share moments from their own lives where they've felt like imposters. If you've ever felt that, this episode is for you.

Jake Krauss is a storyteller. As an ORISE Fellow in the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water, Krauss has used his communications skills to tell the stories of scientists and the work they do. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Krauss about his work, including his travels to Madagascar and Australia. We discuss the power of storytelling to help people understand science, his journey from academia to media, the importance of being open to making adjustments along your career path, and what brings Krauss joy.

The Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency is one of the latest government agencies where Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows are serving. in this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, host Michael Holtz and guest host Amy Szczepanski talk to Jess Hexsel and Ashley Benitez-Smith about their time at CISA, the role educators can play in cybersecurity, some of the educational materials they've developed, and why they chose to apply to be part of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. 

Jess Hexsel is currently a Curriculum Development Specialist for CYBER.ORG and is a former high school math and computer science teacher. With a BA in Mathematics and Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an Educational Technology concentration, Jess taught Geometry, AP Computer Science, and Functional and Object-Oriented Programming in Palo Alto, Calif., for 12 years.

Ashley Benitez-Smith is a secondary computer science and cybersecurity educator from Maryland, with over 11 years of experience. She believes every student can learn in a fun, safe, and engaging classroom environment and wishes to bring cybersecurity education into multiple STEM curricula to prepare students and educators for an ever-changing digital landscape.

Amy Szczepanski, a high school teacher from New York City, is currently serving as the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator at the Department of Energy (DOE) in the Office of Workforce Development of Teachers and Scientists (WDTS). Currently, Amy is working on supporting the programs WDTS provides as well as expanding her own professional development as an educator.

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Act gives the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the responsibility for managing the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. The DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) manages this program for DOE in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and the partnering Federal agencies, which, at the time of this recording, included the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Library of Congress (LOC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The DOE sponsors five placements in congressional offices.

To learn more about

the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, visit https://science.osti.gov/wdts/einstein.

Molly Hornbuckle is a former ORISE intern who is now director of lead generation at YouScience, a company that helps students discover their natural aptitudes and connect those aptitudes to their educational and career aspirations. ORISE Featurecast hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Hornbuckle about her career trajectory, which has been primarily focused on education in some form. She discusses a YouScience survey that shows a significant gap in students' aptitude with computers and the career prospects available to them. Hornbuckle talks about YouScience's mission, her time as an ORISE volunteer, the role of mentorship and how she is contributing to educating future generations. To learn more about YouScience, visit https://www.youscience.com/.

Marie Russell is an ORISE postdoctoral fellow at the Environmental Protection Agency studying the intersection of climate change and human health. Her doctoral degree is in mosquito ecology and she recently published a perspective piece in "EcoHealth" on beneficial use impairments (think litter on beaches as one example) in the Great Lakes Region and the increased risk of mosquito-borne disease, which garnered some media interest and interview opportunities. In this conversation, Russell talks to guest host Matthew Underwood about her research, the perspective piece, how she became interested in the field of mosquito ecology, and what she hopes happens next.

To read the Detroit News story about Russell's research, visit How trash, sprawl and a warming world impact Michigan mosquito seasons | Science & Technology News | ArcaMax Publishing

To learn more about ORISE opportunities at the EPA, visit Current EPA Research Opportunities | ORISE Internship/Research Participation Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (orau.gov)

Victoria Knight is a health policy reporter for Axios, on online news outlet dedicated to efficient coverage of the news and topics shaping the world. She covers healthcare and Congress. Ten years ago, Knight was an intern for ORISE, helping tell the stories of ORISE research program participants. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Knight about the evolution of her career. She almost went to medical school but decided her heart wasn't in it and wanted to pursue a career in journalism. Knight talks about working for a news outlet that is changing the way news is shared, including insights about the company owners, and what "Smart Brevity" is all about. Her internships, graduate education, mentors and collaboration are all part of our discussion. Check out our conversation. If you don't read Axios, check it out here: https://www.axios.com/

Elle Winfield is an ORISE Fellow at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Her research focuses primarily on the development of an ecofriendly essential oils-based larvicide meant to kill mosquitos. Around the world, mosquitos are responsible for transmitting diseases like Zika, malaria and dengue. Eradicating mosquitos in their larval stage prevents them from become adults and thereby capable of spreading disease. During this conversation with ORISE Featurecast hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood, Winfield takes a deep dive into the importance of her research, other activities she does as part of her fellowship, how she cultivated her interest in science and more.

Cybil "Nikki" Cavalieri is an ORISE Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the USGS Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, working on climate change refugia in Tanzania. With her research, Cavalieri aims to provide agencies and communities in Tanzania with information to be able to help make decisions on how and where to prioritize resources for conservation. Hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Cavalieri about the meaning of her research, how she became interested in biogeography, the importance of collaboration when you're working remotely -- not only is Cavalieri not working in Tanzania on the regular, she lives deep in the Great Lakes Woods -- and how good mentors can change the path of your life. Plus, you'll hear about her travel adventures and her love for all manner of creatures.

For as far back as she an remember, Karen Valdez wanted to be a dentist, and went to dental school in Mexico. Still, she longed for an education in the US and took English as a Second Language classes at El Paso Community College. Valdez's interest in science fueled her desire to continue her education. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Valdez about her role as an ORISE Fellow at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she is conducting research into tick-borne illnesses. Throughout the conversation, Valdez talks about how she came to love science, her educational journey, the importance of mentorship and collaboration, and what she hopes comes next in her career trajectory.

To learn more about ORISE research participation program opportunities at the CDC, visit https://orise.orau.gov/cdc/current-research-opportunities.html