It's Time for Science Podcast Episode 28: Science Communication

It's Time for Science, and it's time to talk about science communication! Tom talks with Erin Winick Anthony, science communicator and founder of STEAM Power Media, about what it means to be an effective science communicator, the importance and many components of effectively communicating about STEM/STEAM, her recent time on an ocean mapping expedition aboard the EV Nautilus, and being a competitive pinball player! Tom then talks with Kelly Guarino, Ocean Exploration Trust Communications Lead, about her organization, their ocean expeditions on the EV Nautilus, the fellowship opportunities available to educators of all types (from informal to formal), and internship opportunities available to community college, undergraduate, graduate students, and recent graduates.

Erin Winick Anthony is the founder of STEAM Power Media, a science communication company focused on digital storytelling. Her clients include everyone from lunar rover company Astrolab to women in STEM-focused TV show Mission Unstoppable to parabolic flight company Zero-G. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Florida, and uses her technical background to serve as a translator between scientists and the public. Erin even sailed on a 2-month ocean expedition aboard the JOIDES Resolution as an onboard outreach officer, and as a science communication fellow aboard E/V Nautilus.

Erin previously worked as a science communication specialist at NASA's Johnson Space Center for the International Space Station where she was awarded NASA's Silver Snoopy, and as a reporter for MIT Technology Review. She has a social media following of more than 250K (@erinwinick) to whom she shares space, science and pinball content. In her free time you can find her playing competitive pinball, hiking, and going to local musicals in Houston, Texas.

https://www.erinwinick.com/

Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Bluesky, X: @erinwinick
YouTube: @erinwinickanthony
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erinwinick

Tom and Erin talk about growing up a part of a family of teachers and engineers, becoming the fusion of the two; watching shuttle launches from her front yard as a kid in Florida; the teachers that made an impact on her; the importance of hands-on education in science; engineering as an application of science, and the best way to experience that as through hands-on and figuring out why something doesn't work; figuring out the fun in failure–the process of figuring out what didn't work; the many components and importance of STEM/STEAM education; creativity in science and math and showing students those creative elements; girls and women in STEM; the importance of representation; what it is to be a science communicator, who can be a science communicator (anyone!), and how she became a science communicator; her journey into figuring out her path in school; finding her people within a larger/tougher environment in college; her experiences flying on research flights and how micro-gravity on a parabolic flight works; her work for NASA and the International Space Station (including a family connection to the Apollo missions!); the collaborative nature of being a science communicator; her sea-mapping journey on the EV Nautilus, learning about what areas of the ocean need to be projected–talking with classrooms while at sea; how educators can be involved with the EV Nautilus mission; thinking about what humans bring to science and science communication, including on social media, during the rise of AI; and her involvement playing competitive pinball!

Kelly Guarino is the Communications Lead and Education Program Coordinator for the Ocean Exploration Trust. She is in charge of communicating with and scheduling all of the live interactions between the EV Nautilus and venues across the world, including schools, museums, aquariums, science centers and more. She works with others in the education department with the application process, selection, and coordination of all Science and Engineering Interns and Science Communication Fellows.

Kelly begins by telling Tom about the Ocean Exploration Trust; they own and operate the EV Nautilus, which goes where no one has gone before and explores the various areas of the ocean they visit; their founder and director, Robert Ballard, the researcher known for finding the wreck of the Titanic and the German battleship Bismarck; they discuss the science communication fellowship–ope