Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Joanne O'Meara, a physics professor from the University of Guelph. In an effort to help educators right now, the Guelph physics department is creating videos to answer user generated science questions. Called AMASE (Ask Me Anything: Science Edition), these videos have been tackling concepts such as the speed of light, rainbows, and Schrodinger's Cat. Joanne joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to discuss the AMASE project, how she (and her daughters) made the first vi...
Apr 13, 2020•33 min•Season 13Ep. 224
As our students continue their science instruction online and at home, we wanted to take some time to share some free resources from NSTA and beyond. We also get a chance to talk to Fred Ende's kids - referred to as "6" and "9" - as they share their experiences in science education and connecting with people online. Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2020/03/episode-223-learning-at-home/
Mar 23, 2020•31 min•Season 13Ep. 223
Joining the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is Dr. Cassandra Raby, a research fellow at Leeds University Business School looking at diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Dr. Raby recently finishing her Ph.D. studying behavior and disease transmission in Namibian wild baboons, where she reflects: "a lot of my research involves poo". Cass joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss collecting (and transporting) poo, what we can learn from studying disease transmission and social beha...
Mar 09, 2020•33 min•Season 13Ep. 222
This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. J. Bryan Henderson to the show. As an assistant professor at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University, part of Bryan’s research is geared towards using the science of learning to design physical and digital environments that encourage student interaction in evidence-based argumentation. This research has helped him to develop Braincandy, a suite of free, online formative assessment tools that seeks to help students better liste...
Feb 17, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 13Ep. 221
Picking up from their conversation with Jamie Kubiak last year (episode 206: Affirming and Representing LGBTQIA+ Students in Science), the Lab Out Loud podcast connects with Lewis Maday-Travis (he/him/his) and Sam Long (he/him/his) to talk about the need for gender inclusivity in biology and other science classes. Lewis and Sam join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the importance of providing and affirming personal pronouns, offer strategies for gender inclusive practices and lan...
Feb 03, 2020•21 min•Season 13Ep. 220
Continuing their series on #ScientistOutLoud, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Lauren Robinson to the show. As a postdoc at the University of Veterinary medicine in Vienna, Austria, Lauren studies cooperation and partner roles in canids - particularly North American Grey Wolves. Lauren joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss how she uses her background in psychology in her animal research, describes navigating through scientific research in another country, and shares a littl...
Jan 20, 2020•42 min•Season 13Ep. 219
Kicking off a new decade, Lab Out Loud is happy to welcome Joe Shane (Shippensburg University) and Lee Meadows (the University of Alabama at Birmingham) to the show. Joe and Lee (in addition to Ronald Hermann and Ian Binn) are co-authors of a new book from NSTA Press called Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond. Written for teachers at all levels and also for informal science settings, Making Sense helps educators prepare for student questions about scienc...
Jan 06, 2020•41 min•Season 13Ep. 218
Continuing their #ScientistOutLoud series, Lab Out Loud welcomes Susanna L. Harris to the show. As a Ph. D. candidate at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Susanna studies how bacteria stick to plant roots. Susanna joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to describe her research, discuss how she got interested in science, and candidly share her path in graduate learning - including her successes and setbacks. Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/12/episode-217-susanna-har...
Dec 16, 2019•39 min•Season 13Ep. 217
To answer some questions about Christmas trees, Lab Out Loud decided to connect with some experts. Tree farmers Neil Krueger (from Kreuger's Christmas Tree Farm) and Shawn Schottler (from St. Croix Valley Trees and the Science Museum of Minnesota) join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss growing and maintaining Christmas Trees, the sustainability of the industry, and even how to keep your tree lasting longer. Make sure to listen to the end of the episode where Shawn proposes a quest...
Dec 02, 2019•47 min•Season 13Ep. 216
Returning for a second year, Lab Out Loud is happy to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Gajdzik and Dr. Tamara Moore back to the show to showcase the 2019 Engineering Gift Guide. Each year, Purdue’s INSPIRE Research Institute lab evaluates toys, games, and books that engage girls and boys in engineering thinking and design. Elizabeth and Tamara join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the selected gifts, how they are evaluated and what research is involved when selecting items that promote e...
Nov 18, 2019•46 min•Season 13Ep. 215
As a former science teacher and now professor of education at Stanford, Dr. Bryan A. Brown is keenly interested in improving science teaching and learning in urban communities by investigating how language and culture matter for effective science teaching. Some of this work is shared in his new book Science in the City, where Brown examines the interplay of language and culture in effective science teaching. Dr. Brown joins Lab Out Loud to discuss his new book, the power of using technology to a...
Nov 04, 2019•34 min•Season 13Ep. 214
This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Katherine Hatcher to the show. As a fifth year Neuroscience PhD Candidate at University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Katherine investigates circadian rhythms and how exposure to environmental factors alters behavior and physiology, particularly in midlife women. Katherine joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss her path into research, her day-to-day work as a scientist, and how we might apply research in her field to help live our lives better. ...
Oct 21, 2019•53 min•Season 13Ep. 213
This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Randall Munroe to the show. As creator of the webcomic XKCD, Munroe often features aspects of technology, math, computer science and physics in his drawings. These topics have also had prominence in his books, including his newest book called How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems. To hear more about How To, Randall joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about how he started in his career, how he got Serena Williams to serve a...
Oct 07, 2019•28 min•Season 13Ep. 212
This week Lab Out Loud welcomes glaciologist Mike MacFerrin to the show. As a researcher from the University of Colorado Boulder, Mike studies ice sheet meltwater feedback in Greenland. Recently, his team discovered that growing ice slabs in Greenland are accelerating meltwater runoff that is contributing to rising sea levels. Mike joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss his work as a glaciologist, explain the revelations and implications from his research, and even describe how c...
Sep 23, 2019•45 min•Season 13Ep. 211
As a science teacher at Curry College in Massachusetts, Abby Hafer is a staunch advocate of teaching peer-reviewed, scientifically accurate content in her college classes. In an effort to protect science education in the state, Hafer recently worked with legislator Kenneth Gordon to draft a bill that adds language to existing curriculum standards that seeks to limit science instruction in Massachusetts to age-appropriate, peer-reviewed scientific fact. In addition to combating academic freedom l...
Sep 09, 2019•19 min•Season 13Ep. 210
To kick off season 13, Lab Out Loud is proud to welcome NSTA President Dennis Schatz to the show. As senior advisor at Pacific Science Center and field editor for NSTA’s Connected Science Learning journal, Dennis has a lifetime of experience delivering science learning beyond the walls of the traditional science classroom. Dennis joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss NSTA's name change that reflects a broader scope on science teaching, the importance of science learning in infor...
Aug 26, 2019•32 min•Season 13Ep. 209
As teachers prepare for the summer months ahead, Lab Out Loud welcomes Griff Jones back to the show to close out season 12. Working with Griff, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has developed engaging, interactive resources found within their new IIHS in the Classroom website. Designed for grades 5-12, IIHS in the Classroom uses the results of highway safety research to help students explore the science behind what happens in a car crash — both to the car and to those inside it —...
Jun 03, 2019•52 min•Season 12Ep. 208
An NPR poll recently discovered that most teachers don't teach climate change, yet parents wish they did. To find out more about these findings, Lab Out Loud invited NPR education correspondent Anya Kamenetz to the show. Anya joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to explain why teachers might not teach climate change, provides a few resources for us to change that behavior, and also challenges parents to have these conversations at home. Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/05/episod...
May 20, 2019•32 min•Season 12Ep. 207
While still in St. Louis, Lab Out Loud reflects on the NSTA 2019 National Conference on Science Education. Listen to the show to hear co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler discuss conference highlights such as astronaut Scott Kelly's keynote, coming changes to NSTA's name and memorable speakers, sessions, and exhibitors from NSTA's largest professional development gathering for science teaching. Don't forget to check out the show notes for links, tweets and pictures! Show notes at: https://labou...
Apr 22, 2019•33 min•Season 12Ep. 205
Nathan Schreiber returns to Lab Out Loud to talk about his newest project using a graphic novel to teach physics concepts. In Big Trouble with Simple Machines, Schreiber's characters solve problems using their knowledge of simple machines, with each chapter providing a new challenge with ramps, wedges, screws, levers, pulleys, wheels, and axles. There is even an illustrated appendix guiding readers to make and experience their own simple machines! Nathan joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basl...
Apr 08, 2019•39 min•Season 12Ep. 204
Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Sarah McAnulty, squid biologist and founder of Skype a Scientist. Using SKYPE or other video chat tools, SKYPE a Scientist connects real scientists with classes around the world. Through these video sessions, classes can learn more about the scientist's field of study, what it means to be a scientist and how they do their job. Sarah joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the program, and how it promotes scientific literacy, communication and o...
Mar 18, 2019•30 min•Season 12Ep. 203
This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Laurie Wallmark to the show. As a computer science teacher and award-winning children's author, Laurie has been writing picture book biographies that recognize women in STEM. Her breakout book Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (Creston Books) debuted in 2017 and was readily recognized with numerous awards. Laurie's most recent book, Hedy Lamarr's Double Life, was just released in February from Sterling Children's Books. Listen to the show to hear Laurie ...
Mar 04, 2019•22 min•Season 12Ep. 202
This week Lab Out Loud welcomes science writer Carl Zimmer to the show. As Zimmer often writes about life, he has been wondering about the concept of life and if there is a way to properly define it. To shed some light on the matter, he recently hosted a series of live conversations with some leading thinkers on life—including chemists, physicists, and a philosopher. Supported by a grant from Science Sandbox, these conversations are now available as a podcast series with seven episodes called "W...
Feb 18, 2019•31 min•Season 12Ep. 201
For their 200th episode, Lab Out Loud welcomes Phil Plait (The Bad Astronomer) back to the show. Phil joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the current status of exoplanet discovery and shares a glimpse of what we might find in the future. Listen to the show to hear Phil discuss new techniques and technology in planet hunting, looking for life on other worlds and the role of science in science fiction. Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/?p=4458...
Feb 04, 2019•47 min•Season 12Ep. 200
Are you noticing less insects in your biology textbook? You're not alone. Jennifer Landin, with student and co-author Kiran Gangwani, recently decided to quantify the coverage of insects in college-level introductory biology textbooks over time. By exploring the coverage of insect diversity concepts, the visual representation of insects, and conducting a text analysis of keywords, they discovered a significant decline in biology textbook content dedicated to insects, along with an increasingly n...
Jan 21, 2019•31 min•Season 12Ep. 199
Gillian King-Cargile and Dr. Kristin Brynteson join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler this week to talk about STEM Read - a program from Northern Illinois University that uses live and online programs to inspire a broad range of readers to learn more about the science, technology, engineering, and math concepts in popular fiction. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn more about STEM Read and the educational opportunities it offers, including book-aligned lesson plans, a podcast featuring an autho...
Jan 07, 2019•41 min•Season 12Ep. 198
This week, listen to Lab Out Loud discuss STEM gifts with Monica Cardella and Elizabeth Gajdzik from Purdue’s INSPIRE Research Institute. Each year, the INSPIRE lab evaluates toys, games, and books that engage girls and boys in engineering thinking and design. Monica and Elizabeth join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about some gifts on the list, how they are evaluated and to share some advice for educators who would like to incorporate STEM toys and Makerspaces in their instructio...
Dec 09, 2018•26 min•Season 12Ep. 197
This week co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with Tim Enwall, CEO of Misty Robotics. A spin-off company from Sphero, Inc., Misty Robotics is focused on building personal robots for the home and office. They recently announced Misty II, a first-of-its-kind easily programmable robot, complete with a special program for STEM teachers and students. Listen to Lab Out Loud to hear about the growing robotics industry, Misty II's revolutionary new capabilities, and how teachers and students migh...
Nov 26, 2018•39 min•Season 12Ep. 196
This week Lab Out Loud talks about time. Extensive time. Time that grounds geologic thinking as a way to unlock the earth's past. Marcia Bjornerud, Professor of Environmental Studies and Geology at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about her recent book Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World. Listen to the show to hear how you can learn about the world using your feet, find connections to earth science careers, and h...
Nov 12, 2018•34 min•Season 12Ep. 195
To learn about STEM resources and other learning opportunities within ag science, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Leah Gibson to the show. As an Education Specialist from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, Leah helps provide and share K-12 educator resources about agriculture. Listen to Lab Out Loud this week to hear Leah talk about STEM challenges and resources found in Purple Plow, games and resources for young learners within My American Farm, and professional ...
Oct 29, 2018•26 min•Season 12Ep. 194
