This week's guest is a highly-trained robotics bomb technician with a four-legged partner. Michelle Tye has been protecting her community, first as a police officer, and then as a bomb technician at a major metropolitan airport. Chances are if you've ever flown anywhere, she and her colleagues have been watching your back. This important work challenges her physically and mentally while stretching her to stay on the cutting edge of technology, all which she absolutely loves. Michelle made the de...
Sep 08, 2019•1 hr 7 min
This edition's guest, Matt Fetrow, is the Director of the Tech Engagement Office at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in New Mexico. Matt is always looking for innovative ways to solve Air Force problems working in collaboration with entrepreneurs and businesses. He hopes that these relationships will become the norm rather than the exception, and has invested resources to ensure this is happening. He is a great example of someone who has paired both science and business to create a rewar...
Aug 22, 2019•55 min
This week’s guest is Steve Goodgame who is the Executive Director of the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics. He is passionate about teaching students to code at a young age and uses the Botball competition as a tool to do just that. Like us, Steve’s desire is to help teachers meet the challenges of implementing STEM in the classroom so that there can be sustainability. Most weeks you will find Steve and his wife, Carol, traveling throughout the country in support of the Botball program that c...
Aug 11, 2019•1 hr 10 min
There are STEM rockstars all over the Southwest and today's guest is one of them. He is also a STEM evangelist and striving to make our programs more inclusive. While we just recently met Shawn Hardina, our perspectives and experiences in STEM enrichment are parallel; us in New Mexico and him in Arizona. He has a lot of great ideas on how we can radically change STEM education and make a difference in our future workforce so listen in here! Show Notes Shawn Hardina has been asking hard questions...
Jul 21, 2019•1 hr 10 min
In our New Economy, where innovation and ideas are exploding, it’s important for STEM professionals to understand the different ways to protect their intellectual property. Today’s guest, Richard Krukar, will share his tips and experience on this important issue. Show Notes Richard Krukar worked as a Research and Development engineer on both coasts and in the State of New Mexico after receiving a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Richard moved to intellectual pro...
Jul 07, 2019•1 hr 7 min
In an effort to build the STEM Southwest Workforce, Albuquerque science museum, EXPLORA, is making a strong investment in teens and workforce education. Leading the initiative is Allison Brody who shares her personal STEM journey, and the variety of programs and the exciting initiatives that we can be looking for at our family’s all-time favorite children's museum. Allison has been a science educator for more than 20 years and listeners will be excited by her knowledge and passion for STEM educa...
Jun 23, 2019•1 hr 7 min
In this weeks episode, we talk with Parker, an amazing high school student working on creating and building a miniature satellite to launch into space! This young woman is not afraid of hard challenges and will inspire listeners young and old. She proves that young people really want to be challenged by hard things and that the only limit is what we think of ourselves. Listeners can be a part of her project; just listen in to learn how! Show Notes Parker is a rising junior in high school. She ha...
Jun 09, 2019•49 min
Dr. Vincent P. Clark is an expert in Neuropsychology. With an interest in brain stimulation for neuroenhancement and brain stimulation for the treatment of chronic pain, addiction, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and motor illness, Dr. Clark and his team are making a real difference in the way that we use science to heal. Join us as we explore thoughts and ideas of how to harness the power of our brains with this week’s scientist. Show Notes Dr. Vincent P. Clark, Professor of Translational N...
May 26, 2019•1 hr 8 min
This special episode of STEM Southwest is hosted by Shelly along with daughters Makenzie and Bethany. Today we celebrate the power of STEM Moms! Show Notes Ulrika Peroni, Professional Water Skier and mom coach of ‘Da Swedish Fish,' a team that competes in VEX robotics VRC competition . Da Swedish Fish took robotics on the road that has led to an adventure across the country participating in robotics while traveling in a motorhome. They turned to the robotics community for help when she had an ac...
May 12, 2019•55 min
Russ Fisher-Ives This interview is certainly one of our favorites as we talk all things STEM in the Southwest and how the Southwest has influenced many countries beyond our borders including China, Japan, Estonia, Canada, Mexico and so many more! Russ Fisher-Ives is a science teacher turned robotics rock star. Years ago he teamed up with Intel and put his philosophy of Inquiry-based learning to work for students through his business, Inquiry Facilitators. His dynamic personality teams up with th...
Apr 28, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Today’s guest is an executive leader with 25 years of experience as an engineer and innovator who shifted from solving complex robotics programs at FANUC America to encouraging young people to solve complex robotics programs at the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation. The students compete in VEX robotics competitions across the globe, and Dan’s leadership has promoted growth and development of a program that is making robotics education attainable and affordable for students wo...
Apr 14, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Understanding our bodies and caring for them is critical to a long and happy STEM life. Often, when people are striving to be their very best as STEM professionals, they are faced with the importance of self-care. On this episode, our hosts speak with nutritionist, Shelley Rael, about the different self-care strategies that are critical for a healthy and wealthy life. Show Notes Contrary to her title, Shelley Rael, MS RDN doesn’t believe in diets. A registered dietitian nutritionist since 1999, ...
Mar 31, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Future space tourists will have today's guest, Chief Pilot David Mackay of Virgin Galactic, to thank for their adventures into the cosmos. This fit family man is working with entrepreneurial king, Sir Richard Branson, to make travel into space accessible to all. David recently completed a successful Virgin Galactic test flight where he traveled approximately 55 miles above the Earth’s surface and had with him the company’s first test passenger. In this episode, David shares the pain of a soberin...
Mar 17, 2019•1 hr 8 min
Dr. Shelly Gruenig is typically the one on the show asking questions, but today we put her in the hot seat. She recently won the Coach/Advisor of the Year at the annual STEMYs Excellence in STEM event hosted by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a robotics coach since 2005, her teams have amassed a lot of wins. What drives her most in continuing to coach are the victories that her students have achieved in preparing for their future and launching their lives through...
Mar 03, 2019•51 min
From construction to entrepreneur, today's guest has always incorporated cutting edge technology in order to innovate and challenge the status quo. John Mierzwa is doing that in many places throughout the Duke City and the entire region. His strong connections have helped him to broker important deals that are impacting the way the rest of the world sees the Computer Science Workforce of the Southwest! Show Notes John Mierzwa is CEO & Co-Founder of Ingenuity Software Labs. He is the Founder ...
Feb 17, 2019•57 min
Peter Balyta, PhD will most certainly leave a STEM legacy to his own children and to millions of kids all over the world through his work as President of Educational Technology at Texas Instruments. This episode is full of so much information, listeners will want to grab pen and paper to take notes as Peter shares important STEM resources. What started with a kick in the head, this sports enthusiast details how he was shocked into the pursuit of knowledge during his high school years. We are ama...
Feb 03, 2019•1 hr 12 min
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a part of a robotics team? Our guests this week have been competing for years, and are going to share their experiences and knowledge with you! Not only do they have great character, these four Presidents of R4Robotics led their team to the top BEST Award at the 2018 TX BEST Robotics competition that was held in December 2018! Of course, you may realize that this is the team that we coach, and you even get to hear from our youngest daughter, Bethany, ...
Jan 20, 2019•1 hr 10 min
Phylecia Jones is affectionately known as the Budgetologist. As a motivational speaker and podcaster, she has been getting people to clean up their financial act and find ways to “feed their budget.” Her recent Ted Talk has brought her back into the STEM community, something she thought was part of her past after retiring five years ago. Her message is powerful and clear, i.e., we need to create new stereotypes to make the world a better place. Please join us as we delve into her background in S...
Dec 23, 2018•1 hr 7 min
Today’s guest is a little untraditional, but we know you will find her absolutely magical! Micaela Brown is bursting with great ideas and passion that is sure to capture your interest. She launched herself into the entrepreneurial community and taught herself the technology needed to support her seven business plans. You may have heard of Dinner en Blanc, Blush & Whimsey, or even the Whiskey Classic; these are all born of Micaela’s desire to create magic in everyday life. The science behind ...
Dec 09, 2018•1 hr 6 min
You might say that Jonathan Firth flew into New Mexico through suborbital space aboard Virgin Galactic. A native of the UK, he arrived in the Land of Enchantment with a short-term plan that has since led to a bit longer stay (as so many of us have experienced). He uses his vast knowledge of business, having worked for the Virgin brand for many years, to collaborate with others to build an undeniable STEM ecosystem in Southern New Mexico. A fourth-generation Mechanical Engineer (his son is the fi...
Nov 25, 2018•53 min
Mark Hyatt could fly airplanes before he learned how to drive cars. His rich background in STEM began with his long career in the U.S. Air Force. After several retirements, he is now in a bonus career that is disrupting education in his home state of Colorado. Mark's initiative and program, Falcon Aerolab, is providing STEM training for students through a special innovation district. Mark is striving to add to the number of home-grown aerospace professionals and fill a pipeline that is currently...
Nov 11, 2018•56 min
If you have been involved with any part of competitive robotics, you have most likely seen the smiling face of this week's STEM Rockstar, Karthik Kanagasabapathy. When you listen to our conversation with Karthik, you will understand why he is often at the microphone at FIRST and IFI/VEX Robotics events. He excels in communicating the fun and passion of competitive robotics, but also has the engineering background as a past competitor himself to understand the competitions. We were so thrilled th...
Nov 04, 2018•49 min
If you have been involved with any part of competitive robotics, you have most likely seen the smiling face of this week's STEM Rockstar, Karthik Kanagasabapathy. When you listen to our conversation with Karthik, you will understand why he is often at the microphone at FIRST and IFI/VEX Robotics events. He excels in communicating the fun and passion of competitive robotics, but also has the engineering background as a past competitor himself to understand the competitions. We were so thrilled th...
Oct 25, 2018•45 min
The volunteer work of this next guest has impacted thousands of lives, including ours. Janne Ackerman is a longtime philanthropist with BEST Robotics, the competition in which we established a team to participate beginning in 2005. In 2008, we met Janne at a Regional Championship and have admired her and her husband Garry since as they have led TX BEST and mentored thousands of students over the years. What is amazing about Janne is that she just keeps giving… having “failed” retirement, she is ...
Oct 16, 2018•1 hr 14 min
This week's guest may have gotten his love of STEM from a galaxy far, far away as his passion for Star Wars cannot be missed! Paul Garver has brought an energy to the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum that cannot be denied. Whether you find him talking with volunteers, interacting with his staff, or planning the next adventure, his enthusiasm will captivate you! One of our favorite memories of Paul is when he lent his personal drone to one of our students, Ben, so he coul...
Oct 02, 2018•54 min
Angela Reed Padilla, CEO of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of NM is passionate about helping youth become confident adults and productive citizens. The state of New Mexico chapter of BBBS actually has more mentors than chapters in larger cities such as Chicago. When you meet her, you will understand why so many people are getting involved in mentoring young people. STEM Southwest is a big advocate for this approach because we believe, like Angela, that this is a critical path to the success of our st...
Sep 15, 2018•1 hr
Auri Vigil, In this week’s interview you will learn about an exciting annual event, ExperienceITnm. It is described by the New Mexico Technology Council as an opportunity to “Geek out on all things technology. Our community will gather the best and the brightest entrepreneurs, technicians, hackers, and tech fans for presentations, talks, meet-ups, and parties; all to highlight the vibrant tech community in our city.” Auri Vigil joins us to tell us more about the event. Show Notes Fat Pipe ABQ ht...
Sep 02, 2018•48 min
Russ Fisher-Ives This interview is certainly one of our favorites as we talk all things STEM in the Southwest and how the Southwest has influenced many countries beyond our borders including China, Japan, Estonia, Canada, Mexico and so many more! Russ Fisher-Ives is a science teacher turned robotics rock star. Years ago he teamed up with Intel and put his philosophy of Inquiry-based learning to work for students through his business, Inquiry Facilitators. His dynamic personality teams up with th...
Aug 13, 2018•1 hr 19 min
Paul Szauter Today we have scientist and entrepreneur Paul Szauter as our guest. Listeners are going to be interested in the DNA Discovery that Paul and his team have made as well as how that discovery is disrupting the centuries-old industry of horse breeding. Listen is as Paul shares the challenges and plans they have as well as hear his thoughts on what it takes to be a scientist…. You might be surprised! Show Notes Human Genome Project National DNA Day DNA Day 23andMe EquiSeq, Inc. Book Reco...
Aug 07, 2018•56 min
Mike DeCock and Tristan Jameson. Today we have two guests who share their passion for cubing with the world. Sometimes, as we work with students we must invite them into STEM through an untraditional door. Solving the Rubik’s cube is a great way to open up the side door of opportunity and build the confidence of students so that they might pursue even more STEM opportunities. Learn more about how cubing invites students into STEM and is a great opportunity, no matter what your age! Show Notes Be...
Jul 09, 2018•58 min•Season 1Ep. 4
