The STEM Space

Show Summary: In this episode, Natasha chats with UCLA researchers Dr. Jean Ryoo and Dr. Jane Margolis—leaders on the frontlines of broadening K–12 computer science education. Their research inspired Power On!, a graphic novel that follows four high school students confronting technology’s harmful impact, urging young readers to evolve into critical creators rather than passive users. Dr. Ryoo cha...

Show Summary: Natasha sits down with Dr. Erica Colón, the visionary behind NGS Magnified —formerly known as Nitty Gritty Science—to explore the profound impact of science education. Erica shares her journey of sparking curiosity in students and how that passion evolved into equipping educators with the tools to deliver engaging and accessible science instruction. She emphasizes that science doesn’...

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, Natasha sits down with Nichole Austion — children’s book author and Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) . Nichole shares the story behind her book Miles and the Math Monsters , inspired by her son’s journey to overcome struggles with math, where the character discovers math to be a helpful companion in...

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, Natasha chats with Cherelle McKnight on all things math, including building a positive math identity, the systematic barriers in math education, and the challenges teachers face in the math classroom. Cherelle is a former mathematics teacher who now works as the director of PK–5 content development at Illustrative Mathematics, a non-profit organizat...

Show Summary: Claire is in survival mode as she juggles multiple big STEM projects, including a weather balloon launch to the stratosphere! Claire and Natasha also chat about something we’ve both noticed in our classrooms: how students don’t know how to think through a problem. Instead of pausing to figure things out, they immediately ask for help. So in this episode, we’re talking about ways to e...

Show Summary: Natasha chats with Dr. Leah Hanes, CEO of the Two Bit Circus Foundation, a nonprofit transforming STEAM education through hands-on, student-driven learning. Dr. Hanes highlights the power of makerspaces and how her organization upcycles industrial materials into creative classroom tools. She also advocates for embracing AI in education. While some fear student use of AI, she encourag...

Show Summary: In this episode of the STEM Space, Claire and Natasha discuss how to build an entrepreneurial mindset in the classroom, why free isn’t always a good thing (especially when it comes to materials in a STEM challenge!), and why constraints spark creativity. Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 125. Explaining the 3 Stages of STEM 90. We Launched a Weather Balloon...

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, we bring you a special live-recorded conversation with Jason McKenna from VEX Robotics! Broadcasting straight from the VEX Classroom, Jason showcases an incredible lineup of robotic solutions designed to transform learning environments. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Jason shares his personal journey—including a pivotal moment when he al...

Show Summary: As a mom to two daughters, Natasha is always on the lookout for STEM-inspired clothing that’s both stylish and empowering. If you can relate or are interested in the story of two passionate entrepreneurs, then this episode is for you! Join Claire and Natasha as they sit down with Margarita (Maty) and Ana—the creative co-founders behind Prisma Kiddos . Frustrated by the lack of option...

Show Summary: Natasha chats with Debra Hettleman, the CEO of Building STEPS , which stands for Science, Technology And Education Partnerships. This nonprofit is dedicated to fostering college and career success through a multi-year program in Baltimore’s most underserved public high schools. From college prep workshops to summer internships at local STEM companies, Building STEPS helps students na...

Show Summary: Do you use a 3D printer in your classroom? In this episode of The STEM Space, Claire and Natasha dive into the reality of owning and using 3D printers in the classroom. These machines definitely bring the ‘wow’ factor, but are they really worth the hype? From bridges to weather balloons, we share our experiences incorporating 3D printing into our design challenges. But these projects...

Show Summary: Natasha chats with Carlos Romero, a STEM professional who is passionate about making STEM more inclusive and accessible for all students. With a background in chemical engineering and a career in product development and project management, Carlos shares his experiences in the STEM industry to highlight how educators can prepare students for future careers. He also shares ideas for th...

Show Summary: Welcome back to the second part of Natasha and Claire’s conversation with the co-founders of Qweebi ! In this episode, they shift gears to explore the story behind Qweebi’s creation by diving into the partnership of Aman and Vivek. They’ll uncover how these two visionaries met, what brought them together, and what it’s like to collaborate as co-founders on a mission to transform STEM...

Show Summary: Are you a STEM teacher feeling overwhelmed by limited time, storage, and funding? Then this episode of The STEM Space is for you! Claire and Natasha sit down with the visionary co-founders of Qweebi , a tech company on a mission to revolutionize STEM education. Qweebi is a virtual makerspace where students design, build, and test everything from rovers to rollercoasters in an online...

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, Claire is on a mission to rescue her Mission to Mars plant (yes, it's a real plant!), while Natasha rants about the relentless fire alarms in the dorm and the frigid New England winter. Along the way, we find connections to STEM everywhere - from a freaky football pass that seems to defy physics to Claire’s plant that drips blood! We also chat about...

Show Summary: Natasha chats with a former STEM educator turned founder and CEO of WhyMaker, Liz Gallo. Liz is on a mission to design the future of education, where teachers act as learning engineers, equipping their students to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Listen in as they chat about her decade-long experience as a technology and engineering educator and her transition to being the leader o...

Show Summary: This episode of The STEM Space is all about math! Math might be the M in STEM, but it doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in K-12 STEM education efforts. Yet, its role is critical—not just for academic success, but for preparing students to solve real-world problems. To help us understand why math matters and how it can drive opportunity for students, Natasha speaks with Jer...

Show Summary: Claire and Natasha catch up after a Thanksgiving holiday break filled with family, fun, and a little bit of chaos! They also share creative ways to STEMify your Elf on the Shelf before they pick back up on the last episode’s discussion of what they found to be their most valuable experiences to prepare for engineering. (Spoiler Alert: it wasn’t design challenges!) Links from the Show...

Show Summary: Claire and Natasha tackle your questions from The STEM Space Facebook group ! Listen as they dive into everything—from seasoned teachers venting about how STEM feels watered down to newer teachers feeling totally overwhelmed or unsure about engineering— and chat through your comments, share their thoughts, and hopefully give you some tips and encouragement along the way! Links from t...

Show Summary: From Sphero chariot races to a straw rocket challenge between engineers and educators, Claire and Natasha reflect on the K-12 Educator Institute, a workshop they facilitated as part of the Great Minds In STEM conference. They share ideas and big takeaways for facilitating STEM PD for teachers. Claire also tortures Natasha with questions from her students' “Brain Building Box!” Links...

Show Summary: Natasha chats with Tara Tony, a high school student passionate about environmental advocacy. Tara serves as a student commissioner on the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Commission (EESC) in Milpitas, California. She shares her experiences from the EESC, where she became inspired to launch EcoInsight, an online platform aimed at raising awareness of biodiversity loss. Tara al...

Show Summary: Natasha sits down for a chat with Dora Palfi and Beatrice Ionascu, co-founders of imagi , a Swedish EdTech startup dedicated to closing the gender gap in tech by sparking a passion for technology in all children through fun and inclusive computer science education. Dora and Beatrice met while studying at NYU Abu Dhabi and went on to work in various large tech companies. Their experie...

Show Summary: Claire reflects on the success of her recent Star Party event. She also shares a Show and Tell activity with her STEM students, which is a great way to practice communication skills. Claire even participates by bringing a surprising object from home—something you use every day, but probably not what you're expecting! Tune in to find out what it is. Meanwhile, Natasha, as always, delv...

Show Summary: Claire is preparing for her first-ever Star Party family event, and Natasha gives her tips on everything from using a sky app to making constellation-themed hot chocolate! We also dive into a new Framework for Engineering Learning that the Vivify team is developing. What are the main learning goals of engineering? What does a year-long STEM program look like? Listen in for our vision...

Show Summary: In this episode, Natasha and Claire discuss a new framework for teaching STEM. Hear about resources for intentional and authentic learning experiences in STEM and advice on what to focus on when you are short on time. Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 150. Screw the Standards! Or Should We? ft. Dr. Pedersen 74. Rate My STEM Lesson 136. Cool Lessons on Heat...