Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

By Dot Cannon: Public Speaker & New-Media ReporterSociety & Culture Education Arts

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak episodes

November 19, 2018 Towards a Better World
(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission,)

At Games For Change, games are about far more than recreation.

The New York-based nonprofit's mission is empowerment. Through game design, Games For Change provides a vehicle for innovators. The goal: to start with a game, and facilitate positive change in the real world.

Games for Change President Susanna Pollack is right at the center of some exciting educational and professional innovations.

(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission.)

Programs offered by Games For Change include an annual "Student Challenge", for middle- and high-school students. Young participants create digital games with a social impact, based on the issues they've observed in their communities.

(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission.)

In addition, every year, Games For Change hosts the largest social-impact games festival in the game industry. Their 2018 "Games For Change Festival" brought more than a thousand attendees together to explore the ways digital games can make a difference.

And a new year-round initiative, XR For Change, seeks to create collaborative experiences with storytellers, technology companies, researchers and users, with the goal of improving lives.

Susanna shared the story of her organization, explained how the Student Challenge works and offered a look at the ways Games For Change is looking to reach even further to make a difference.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
Why games offer an optimum opportunity to drive impact on social issues;

*
How Susanna first became involved with Games For Change;

*
The story of Games For Change and how the organization developed its mission of creating an impact through games;

*
How the Games For Change Challenge for public schools came about;

*
What teachers can expect, with this curriculum;

*
What's currently being planned, for next summer's Games For Change Festival;

*
The resources Susanna recommends, for game creation for social impact;

*
How Susanna and her staff are working to involve more women in game design;

*
One of the ways a major educational institution is using VR to address a major social problem;

*
How the XR For Change program works;

*
How you can get involved with their work (they produce social-impact public arcades for community events!).

25 min
November 19, 2018 Towards a Better World
(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission,)

At Games For Change, games are about far more than recreation.

The New York-based nonprofit's mission is empowerment. Through game design, Games For Change provides a vehicle for innovators. The goal: to start with a game, and facilitate positive change in the real world.

Games for Change President Susanna Pollack is right at the center of some exciting educational and professional innovations.

(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission.)

Programs offered by Games For Change include an annual "Student Challenge", for middle- and high-school students. Young participants create digital games with a social impact, based on the issues they've observed in their communities.

(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission.)

In addition, every year, Games For Change hosts the largest social-impact games festival in the game industry. Their 2018 "Games For Change Festival" brought more than a thousand attendees together to explore the ways digital games can make a difference.

And a new year-round initiative, XR For Change, seeks to create collaborative experiences with storytellers, technology companies, researchers and users, with the goal of improving lives.

Susanna shared the story of her organization, explained how the Student Challenge works and offered a look at the ways Games For Change is looking to reach even further to make a difference.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
Why games offer an optimum opportunity to drive impact on social issues;

*
How Susanna first became involved with Games For Change;

*
The story of Games For Change and how the organization developed its mission of creating an impact through games;

*
How the Games For Change Challenge for public schools came about;

*
What teachers can expect, with this curriculum;

*
What's currently being planned, for next summer's Games For Change Festival;

*
The resources Susanna recommends, for game creation for social impact;

*
How Susanna and her staff are working to involve more women in game design;

*
One of the ways a major educational institution is using VR to address a major social problem;

*
How the XR For Change program works;

*
How you can get involved with their work (they produce social-impact public arcades for community events!).

25 min
November 12, 2018 Veggies for Dinner–in Space
Due to a "sick" drive, Over Coffee® will be airing a rebroadcast this week. As we approach Thanksgiving week, we hope you enjoy one of our most popular episodes of 2018.
(Photo courtesy of NASA, and used with permission.)

Fresh vegetables are something most of us take for granted.

But to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station, they represent an innovative leap forward.

NASA Kennedy Space Center Project Scientist Dr. Gioia Massa, serving as science team lead, developed the first-ever fresh food production system for the International Space Station in 2014. The technology, called Veg-01, or "Veggie", first allowed astronauts to have fresh lettuce in space in 2015, according to NASA's mission-pages blog.

Dr. Massa's specialties include Space Life Sciences, Controlled Environment Agriculture and Space Life Support. Today, she and her team continue to research and develop additional systems to growing and harvesting fresh food aboard the ISS.

Dr. Massa talked about the process of developing "Veggie", some of the challenges of growing crops in space, and the new technologies NASA has been developing, which will expand agricultural capabilities both on the ISS and on earth, in the future.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Dr. Massa first became interested in space agriculture;

*
The experiences, working as team lead on "Veggie" which she enjoyed the most;

*
How NASA teams determine the safety of fresh crops grown in space;

*
What NASA scientists are currently doing, to establish space-crop safety standards;

*
Some of the technologies and procedures that enable International Space Station astronauts to grow fresh crops;

*
The goals of planned future new space agriculture technologies;

*
What's currently growing on board the ISS;

*
How a new experiment will allow scientists to further explore different types of plants' responses, to conditions in space;

*
What NASA's discoveries in space agriculture might mean, for growing crops on Earth for future populations;

*
One of Dr. Massa's favorite stories, about the astronauts' interactions with fresh crops grown aboard the ISS;

*
A future goal for NASA's experiments with plant systems aboard the International Space Station.

26 min
November 12, 2018 Veggies for Dinner–in Space
Due to a "sick" drive, Over Coffee® will be airing a rebroadcast this week. As we approach Thanksgiving week, we hope you enjoy one of our most popular episodes of 2018.
(Photo courtesy of NASA, and used with permission.)

Fresh vegetables are something most of us take for granted.

But to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station, they represent an innovative leap forward.

NASA Kennedy Space Center Project Scientist Dr. Gioia Massa, serving as science team lead, developed the first-ever fresh food production system for the International Space Station in 2014. The technology, called Veg-01, or "Veggie", first allowed astronauts to have fresh lettuce in space in 2015, according to NASA's mission-pages blog.

Dr. Massa's specialties include Space Life Sciences, Controlled Environment Agriculture and Space Life Support. Today, she and her team continue to research and develop additional systems to growing and harvesting fresh food aboard the ISS.

Dr. Massa talked about the process of developing "Veggie", some of the challenges of growing crops in space, and the new technologies NASA has been developing, which will expand agricultural capabilities both on the ISS and on earth, in the future.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Dr. Massa first became interested in space agriculture;

*
The experiences, working as team lead on "Veggie" which she enjoyed the most;

*
How NASA teams determine the safety of fresh crops grown in space;

*
What NASA scientists are currently doing, to establish space-crop safety standards;

*
Some of the technologies and procedures that enable International Space Station astronauts to grow fresh crops;

*
The goals of planned future new space agriculture technologies;

*
What's currently growing on board the ISS;

*
How a new experiment will allow scientists to further explore different types of plants' responses, to conditions in space;

*
What NASA's discoveries in space agriculture might mean, for growing crops on Earth for future populations;

*
One of Dr. Massa's favorite stories, about the astronauts' interactions with fresh crops grown aboard the ISS;

*
A future goal for NASA's experiments with plant systems aboard the International Space Station.

26 min
November 05, 2018 On the Knife’s Edge

Professional circus performer Cydeshow Cy knows a lot about science--especially anatomy.

His life literally depends on it.

Cy, whose real name is Cyrus Pynn, is trained in all kinds of traditional sideshow acts. His repertoire includes walking on glass, eating fire, juggling knives and balancing sharp swords on his chin.

His specialty, however, is sword-swallowing. (Kids, don't try any of this at home!)

We've had the pleasure of seeing him perform twice now at Scare L.A., Los Angeles' original summertime Halloween convention. But his Facebook page says he will perform "just about anywhere as long as the time, space and weather is decent". He goes on to say he's available for festivals, shows, weddings, headlining shows and much more. (Need his sideshow talents for a special event this November or December? You can contact him here.)

Cydeshow Cy bills his show content as "the fun, the weird and the shocking". However, his performances include some excellent takeaways for anyone doing a presentation, class or meeting-style event.

At Scare L.A. 2018, Cy talked about his background, the anatomical science involved in his art and what the average (non-sword-swallowing) person can take away and use, from his performances.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Cy first became interested in sideshow acts;

*
What the learning process is, in learning sideshow skills;

*
Where Cy learned his professional skills:

*
How he learned to swallow two different types of swords;

*
What the process of sword-swallowing is like;

*
The science behind swallowing swords safely;

*
Where Cy focuses his mind, in order to swallow swords;

*
What's involved in eating a light bulb (kids, don't try this at home either!);

*
Why Cy chose sideshow performing, as opposed to other areas of performance arts;

*
What his showmanship could mean to anyone giving a presentation or leading a class or session.

15 min
November 05, 2018 On the Knife’s Edge

Professional circus performer Cydeshow Cy knows a lot about science--especially anatomy.

His life literally depends on it.

Cy, whose real name is Cyrus Pynn, is trained in all kinds of traditional sideshow acts. His repertoire includes walking on glass, eating fire, juggling knives and balancing sharp swords on his chin.

His specialty, however, is sword-swallowing. (Kids, don't try any of this at home!)

We've had the pleasure of seeing him perform twice now at Scare L.A., Los Angeles' original summertime Halloween convention. But his Facebook page says he will perform "just about anywhere as long as the time, space and weather is decent". He goes on to say he's available for festivals, shows, weddings, headlining shows and much more. (Need his sideshow talents for a special event this November or December? You can contact him here.)

Cydeshow Cy bills his show content as "the fun, the weird and the shocking". However, his performances include some excellent takeaways for anyone doing a presentation, class or meeting-style event.

At Scare L.A. 2018, Cy talked about his background, the anatomical science involved in his art and what the average (non-sword-swallowing) person can take away and use, from his performances.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Cy first became interested in sideshow acts;

*
What the learning process is, in learning sideshow skills;

*
Where Cy learned his professional skills:

*
How he learned to swallow two different types of swords;

*
What the process of sword-swallowing is like;

*
The science behind swallowing swords safely;

*
Where Cy focuses his mind, in order to swallow swords;

*
What's involved in eating a light bulb (kids, don't try this at home either!);

*
Why Cy chose sideshow performing, as opposed to other areas of performance arts;

*
What his showmanship could mean to anyone giving a presentation or leading a class or session.

15 min
October 29, 2018 New Perspectives on Horror

Felix Sicard, of Sicard Terror Productions, is going to immerse you in a nightmare.

And we mean this in the best possible way.

Sicard Terror Productions designed The Haunted Toyshop escape room, in Temecula, in 2017. It was a huge success, and Felix and his crew continue to design haunts, escape rooms and horror effects.

And--Felix is still in his teens! So he's innovating, as he says, "a new generation of horror".

At ScareLA, Felix talked about the origins of his small business, Sicard Terror Productions, gave a shout out to the creatives with whom he works (including Stuartizm Designs, LLC and Creepy Collection Halloween and Haunted House Props), and offered his advice to fellow innovators.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Felix first started creating haunts;

*
His experience, with designing "The Haunted Toyshop" escape room;

*
The best creative challenge with which he worked;

*
What he's currently working on, with VR;

*
How to get involved (he needs volunteers!);

*
His favorite memory, from guests' reactions to "The Haunted Toyshop";

*
What horror fans will experience, with his new VR project;

*
His advice for anyone else who'd like to create escape rooms.

*
One of the best mistakes he made, from which he learned while building his creative business;

*
A resource he'd recommend, to fellow creatives in the haunt industry;

*
Fellow creative artists he'd recommend, with whom he works.

*
12 min
October 29, 2018 New Perspectives on Horror

Felix Sicard, of Sicard Terror Productions, is going to immerse you in a nightmare.

And we mean this in the best possible way.

Sicard Terror Productions designed The Haunted Toyshop escape room, in Temecula, in 2017. It was a huge success, and Felix and his crew continue to design haunts, escape rooms and horror effects.

And--Felix is still in his teens! So he's innovating, as he says, "a new generation of horror".

At ScareLA, Felix talked about the origins of his small business, Sicard Terror Productions, gave a shout out to the creatives with whom he works (including Stuartizm Designs, LLC and Creepy Collection Halloween and Haunted House Props), and offered his advice to fellow innovators.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Felix first started creating haunts;

*
His experience, with designing "The Haunted Toyshop" escape room;

*
The best creative challenge with which he worked;

*
What he's currently working on, with VR;

*
How to get involved (he needs volunteers!);

*
His favorite memory, from guests' reactions to "The Haunted Toyshop";

*
What horror fans will experience, with his new VR project;

*
His advice for anyone else who'd like to create escape rooms.

*
One of the best mistakes he made, from which he learned while building his creative business;

*
A resource he'd recommend, to fellow creatives in the haunt industry;

*
Fellow creative artists he'd recommend, with whom he works.

*
12 min
October 22, 2018 Garvin Unlimited: Accessible Alchemy

"If we're not making people smile,...we're not doing our job right," says Garvin Unlimited president and co-owner Abigail Garvin.

And quite a few smiles seem to be resulting from the special effects her professional entertainment technology company produces.

Working in tandem with her wife/business co-owner Danielle Palmer, Abigail draws on a love of all things Halloween to create fun-dark settings for any occasion. Garvin Unlimited creates "Haunted Holidays" for Halloween. Think show-quality fog effects, light shows, and audio effects. And Abigail says all of them are "plug-and-play" easy to operate in a home or office setting.

But they don't stop there.

Garvin Unlimited also designs "dark" Christmas decor, including "Christmas Wraiths" and a "Ghoulish Garland".

And their website promises "Bloody Valentine" decor in the offing.

In addition to their creative entrepreneurship, Abigail and Danielle carry their magic through to giving back.

They're starting a new nonprofit, Altruist Music US. Their mission: "changing the world, one project at a time".

Altruist Music US's first music video, "Alive", carries an anti-bullying message as it warns of the harm done by "conversion therapy" to LGBT youth.

Meanwhile, Abigail and Danielle look forward to making a lot more people smile. with their creativity and generosity! At ScareLA, Los Angeles' first summertime Halloween convention, Abigail talked about her work with Garvin Unlimited, some of the challenges of being a creative entrepreneur and what clients of this new small business can expect from the ways she and Danielle are, as their motto says, "bringing the show home".
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Abigail and Danielle decided to use their creative professional backgrounds to start Garvin Unlimited;

*
What they experienced, during their first weeks in business;

*
Some of Abigail's favorite memories, from the early days of Garvin Unlimited;

*
How their high-quality professional products work for "non-techies";

*
What they're designing for Christmas, in their "Haunted Holidays" line;

*
What the creative process is like, for Abigail and Danielle;

*
A possible scenario for a simple home Halloween look;

*
The most challenging creative project Abigail and Danielle have tackled, so far (hint: you may love this, for Christmas season 2018!)

*
Where to see some "sneak peeks" of their new projects, on Instagram

*
AND, all about the new nonprofit music group Abigail, Danielle and friends have created, for youth!

17 min
October 22, 2018 Garvin Unlimited: Accessible Alchemy

"If we're not making people smile,...we're not doing our job right," says Garvin Unlimited president and co-owner Abigail Garvin.

And quite a few smiles seem to be resulting from the special effects her professional entertainment technology company produces.

Working in tandem with her wife/business co-owner Danielle Palmer, Abigail draws on a love of all things Halloween to create fun-dark settings for any occasion. Garvin Unlimited creates "Haunted Holidays" for Halloween. Think show-quality fog effects, light shows, and audio effects. And Abigail says all of them are "plug-and-play" easy to operate in a home or office setting.

But they don't stop there.

Garvin Unlimited also designs "dark" Christmas decor, including "Christmas Wraiths" and a "Ghoulish Garland".

And their website promises "Bloody Valentine" decor in the offing.

In addition to their creative entrepreneurship, Abigail and Danielle carry their magic through to giving back.

They're starting a new nonprofit, Altruist Music US. Their mission: "changing the world, one project at a time".

Altruist Music US's first music video, "Alive", carries an anti-bullying message as it warns of the harm done by "conversion therapy" to LGBT youth.

Meanwhile, Abigail and Danielle look forward to making a lot more people smile. with their creativity and generosity! At ScareLA, Los Angeles' first summertime Halloween convention, Abigail talked about her work with Garvin Unlimited, some of the challenges of being a creative entrepreneur and what clients of this new small business can expect from the ways she and Danielle are, as their motto says, "bringing the show home".
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

*
How Abigail and Danielle decided to use their creative professional backgrounds to start Garvin Unlimited;

*
What they experienced, during their first weeks in business;

*
Some of Abigail's favorite memories, from the early days of Garvin Unlimited;

*
How their high-quality professional products work for "non-techies";

*
What they're designing for Christmas, in their "Haunted Holidays" line;

*
What the creative process is like, for Abigail and Danielle;

*
A possible scenario for a simple home Halloween look;

*
The most challenging creative project Abigail and Danielle have tackled, so far (hint: you may love this, for Christmas season 2018!)

*
Where to see some "sneak peeks" of their new projects, on Instagram

*
AND, all about the new nonprofit music group Abigail, Danielle and friends have created, for youth!

17 min

About Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

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Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak episodes

About Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak