Episode 09: Where the Veil Is Thin: Wonder, Belonging, and the Power of Possibility

🎙️ Episode Description

In this episode, Aisha sits down with Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen, a linguist and astrobiologist who’s challenging everything we think we know about space exploration. Sheri shares what it’s like to float in zero gravity, why science fiction helped her imagine a future that includes her, and how space could be more accessible, creative, and human if we stopped designing it for just one kind of person.

They talk about disability, language, aliens, and why people with disabilities aren’t a problem to solve. It is the future we need.

This episode is about more than rockets. It’s about who gets to dream big, show up fully, and shape the world beyond Earth.

🔗 Universal Inclusion Links

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/universal_inclusion/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/universal-inclusion-ui/

🕛 Time Stamps / Chapters

00:00 – What If Sight Wasn’t a Prerequisite for Wonder? 

Sheri reflects on awe, sci-fi, and why blind people absolutely belong in the space conversation.

02:46 – Science Fiction, Soundscapes & Star Trek 

How growing up blind shaped her relationship with space and why imagination creates possibility.

05:19 – Would We Even Recognize Extraterrestrial Intelligence? 

Sheri breaks down how alien language, bodies, and senses might differ radically from ours.

08:40 – We Can’t Be Arrogant in the Universe 

From dolphins to AI, why respecting Earth’s intelligence is a practice for meeting others.

11:55 – Disability Studies in Space Is Not Optional 

Why excluding disabled people is not only unethical, it’s scientifically short-sighted.

15:04 – Masking & Meritocracy: The Hidden Pressures in STEM 

How many neurodivergent folks feel forced to hide their needs just to belong.

17:31 – What Zero-G Taught Her 

Sheri shares what it really feels like to float and why these flights are far more than tourist toys.

20:55 – Designing for Disabled Bodies in Space 

How microgravity challenges traditional assumptions and opens design opportunities.

25:19 – Redefining “The Right Stuff” 

Sheri flips the narrative: disabled people aren’t fragile – they’re fierce.

30:37 – Why Disabled Kids Leave STEM 

The stories we tell in early education matter and they can push brilliant minds out of science.

33:59 – Science as Birthright, Not a Privilege

Sheri’s final message to disabled youth: this world is yours too. Science is for you.

👤 Guest Bio

Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen is a professor of Linguistics at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She has served as the Library of Congress/NASA Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation. Her research focuses on the human factors of space exploration, especially the inclusion of disabled people in spaceflight. She’s a vocal advocate for disability justice, accessibility, and shifting who we imagine as the future of space travel.

🔗 Guest Links

Website: https://sheriwellsjensen.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheri-wells-jensen-03222a278

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