Lab Out Loud

Dale Basler and Brian Bartel•www.laboutloud.com

Lab Out Loud is a show about science teaching in the classroom and beyond. Lab Out Loud seeks to explore science education through discussions with educators, researchers, leading scientists, science writers and other guests who are committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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Episodes

Episode 13 - Who and What of the WhyFiles

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...

Apr 07, 2008•24 min

Episode 12 - Skepticism and The Bad Astronomer

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 does...

Mar 17, 2008•25 min

Episode 11 - Death of the Chemistry Sets

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 ...

Mar 03, 2008•25 min

Episode 10 - Boston Here We Come

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 Conference Links Boston Convention Center Conference Registration Hotel Reservations and Travel Online reservation Housing Reservation Form Conference Program Printable Confe...

Feb 18, 2008•21 min

Episode 9 - Blogging with PZ Myers

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 -...

Feb 04, 2008•24 min

Episode 8 - The Future of Particle Physics

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. Fermi...

Jan 21, 2008•24 min

Episode 7 - Cloning Monkey Embryos

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 ...

Jan 07, 2008•25 min

Episode 6 - Adam Rogers from WIRED Science

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...

Dec 17, 2007•27 min

Episode 5 - Sir Alec Jeffries and DNA fingerprinting

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 potent...

Dec 03, 2007•27 min

Episode 4 - Science Education Myth?

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 ...

Nov 19, 2007•22 min

Episode 3 - Steve Squyres & Roving Mars

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 ...

Nov 05, 2007•15 min

Episode 2 - Biologist Sean B. Carroll

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, whet...

Oct 22, 2007•26 min

Episode 1 - Introductions and Gerry Wheeler

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 ...

Oct 09, 2007•16 min

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