It’s Time for Science Podcast Episode 18: STEM Learning

Closing out the second season of It's Time for Science, it's time to talk about STEM learning and women in STEM! Host Tom Racine talks with teacher Stacy Gale and science communicator Dr. Alex Dainis!

 

Stacy Gale is currently a 4th grade teacher and the former STEM specialist at Paul Cuffee School in Providence, RI. Her love of outdoor education began when she was a camp counselor in Lake George, NY. Ms. Gale has been a GEMS-Net Science Teacher Leader since 2014. Prior to that, she was chosen to be a Science Communication Fellow onboard the EV Nautilus, where she learned about a multitude of STEM careers while exploring the depths of the ocean with Dr. Robert Ballard and his team. In 2018 she won the Greenovation Award for Environmental Innovation and STEM through Project Green School; in 2022 she was named the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association Teacher of the Year, and she was a Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) state finalist in 2024.

 

Tom and Ms. Gale discuss why STEM education is important in to teach in schools; taking S(cience)- lessons and adding the -TEM; what got her interested in teaching STEM; STEM as the easiest way to engage students; how STEM can help students find pathways into careers; how STEM brings all the 21st century skills together like nothing else; teaching students how to fail; the importance of improving equitable access to STEM; how STEM relates to the science of reading; why teachers and parents need to keep pushing for incorporating more STEM; showing all students themselves in the field; resources and suggestions for teachers; and what it might mean for a district to have a STEM specialist.

 

Dr. Alex Dainis is a freelance science communicator and video producer with over a decade of
experience producing digital, educational content for the web. Her background includes a PhD
in genetics from Stanford University, and she was honored to be a 2019 Jackson Wild Media
Lab Fellow. Recent projects include “Hungry Planet,” a six-episode series for PBS Digital
Studios. She is additionally the project coordinator for the Camille and Henry Dreyfus
Foundation’s Chemistry Shorts ® Program and a host and writer for the American Chemical
Society’s Reactions YouTube channel. She is a recent recipient of the 2024 National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications.

 

Tom and Dr. Dainis talk about why STEM education is critical for preparing people to make decisions about science; how personal experiences for students may change their lives; Dr. Dainis' personal experiences in being mentored and inspired; the critical thinking skills developed through STEM education that transcend science; the importance of getting women and girls excited but also helping them stay in STEM; why representation matters; what got her started in science communication; her work in helping people feel welcomed into ongoing conversations in science; some of the new communication work she’s excited about; and how she tries to showcase passion in her work.

 

You can find Dr. Dainis on the web at;

www.helicasemedia.com
Twitter: @alexdainis
Instagram: @alex.dainis
TikTok: @alexdainis

 

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