Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

Cara sits down with actress, writer, and producer Taryn O'Neill (Granite Flats, After Judgment) to talk about her love of scifi and her STEM advocacy group SCIRENS. Also discussed: why we need more strong female characters on screen, including scientists and engineers. Hear hear!

Rocket scientist, explorer, and champion for women in engineering Natalie Panek connects with Cara across international borders to talk about how we can attract more women to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields and then retain them. They also discuss the state of modern television as it relates to science literacy and what we can do about all that space junk orbiting pl...

Cara speaks with Chris Mooney, Energy And Environment Reporter for the Washington Post, about all things climate change. Topics discussed include: how personality and psychology play into the decisions we make about the environment, how understanding liberal vs. conservative viewpoints can help us affect environmental change in a more meaningful way, and the difference between sea ice and land ice...

Cara talks nerdy with master of teh interwebs Hank Green (SciShow, Crash Course, vlogbrothers, etc, etc, etc). He talks about his love affair with science, how crowd funding is changing the way we create really good content, why people can be so awful on the internet, and all the hard work YouTubers put into their craft. Also he is very funny.

Cara meets up with David Smalley (Dogma Debate Radio) to talk about how he lost his religion, southern hospitality, and the best approaches to sharing atheism with others.

Cara gets a lesson in quantum information theory from Caltech graduate student and entrepreneur Shaun Maguire. Shaun schools her in the real definition of quantum, along with how new developments in Stephen Hawking's black hole information paradox are rocking the physics world.

Cara speaks with Matthew Facciani, a PhD candidate in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of South Carolina. Topics include: his work as a gender-equality activist, concerns about the simplicity of "new atheism," and the neuroscience of religiosity.

Cara is joined by actress/journalist Tamara Krinsky to talk about the good and bad of labor unions, the #AskHerMore campaign, and how she's working with the "Scirens" to improve science literacy from the screen and stage.

Cara is thrilled to chat with NPR science correspondent Dr. Joe Palca. They talk about advocacy vs. journalism, science literacy, and how new media can be a game-changer. He also details his journey from academia to television to radio in his incredible 30+ year career as a science journalist.

Cara chats with Dr. Indre Viskontas (Inquiring Minds) about getting to know ourselves with the help of behavioral science, the interplay between science and music, and what it means to have a fixed vs. growth mindset.

Cara is joined by Gia Mora (Einstein’s Girl) to talk about physics and love are intertwined, social mobility in America, and the benefits and perils of modern technology.

Finally! Cara sits down with the remaining member of the #NerdBrigade, Alie Ward (Unique Sweets, Innovation Nation). She learns of Alie's passion for biological illustration and entomology, including curious tales of bug sex--just in time for Valentine's Day!

Cara is honored to sit down with paleoanthropologist Dr. Donald Johanson to talk about his discovery of "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis), America's climate of anti-intellectualism, and atheism in the scientific community.

After appearing on his podcast, Cara turns the tables on Jay Novella, co-host and producer of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. They discuss the anti-intellectual movement that's taken hold in America, including anti-vaxxers, the stigmatism of depression and mental illness, and misogyny on the internet.

The Bad Astronomer himself, Dr. Phil Plait, joins Cara to chat about chaos in weather, the recent QVC "is the moon a planet or a star?" debacle, and the politicization of anti-science views.

Cara sits down with engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of A Human Right, Kosta Grammatis. They talk about his non-traditional path from developing a bionic eye, to working at SpaceX and MIT, to creating a non-profit with the goal of bringing internet access to everyone on the planet.

Cara catches up with biology professor Dr. PZ Myers at the Skepticon Conference in Springfield, MO. He shares how he balances research, teaching and public outreach. They also talk about the importance of animal research and the contentious comments section on his popular blog, Pharyngula.

Cara chats with the Vice President and Provost of Kean University, Dr. Jeffrey Toney, about science and human rights, including the great work being done by Linkin Park and Music for Relief.

Theoretical physicist and founder of Fiat Physica Dr. Mark G. Jackson gives Cara a lesson in Newtonian physics, general relativity, special relativity, quantum mechanics, and eventually, string theory.

Cara is joined by Hemant Mehta (FriendlyAtheist.com; the Atheist Voice). They talk about how he sold his soul on eBay (sort of), why common core isn’t all bad (at least in math), and what inspirational young atheists are doing to affect change in their schools and communities.

Cara is joined by comedian, creator of the Deathsquad Podcast Network, and occasional co-host of the Joe Rogan Experience, Brian Redban. They talk about lactose intolerance, education among millennials, and podcasting at Olive Garden.

Cara talks nerdy with her old co-host and pal, Jacob Soboroff. They reminisce about their time together on air, weigh the pros and cons of privacy vs. convenience, and Jacob makes a case for why voting shouldn't take place on a Tuesday.

Teagan Wall of the "Nerd Brigade" schools Cara on the real definition of economics as well as the ups and downs she faced on the road to graduate school and beyond.

Boxer and filmmaker Jill Morley “Fight Like a Girl” talks to Cara about the culture of female fighters and how her own struggles inspire her to get into the ring.

Optical engineer Holly Bender speaks with Cara about making and using cool imaging spectrometers (for science!) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, why it’s important for women to have strong role models in STEM fields, and just how much science and creativity go hand-in-hand.