Thanks to Science Cheerleader, I had the opportunity to visit Lincoln Financial Field this past weekend to see the Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles game, an epic showdown of two underachieving bird-related teams. As you can see from the picture, we had great seats right behind the Cardinals bench. As you can see from this blog post, I survived.

Oh, and the Cardinals won 21-17.

This post originally appeared on Science Cheerleader:

The Science Cheerleaders – professional cheerleaders pursuing science and technology careers – often are asked, “What’s it like to be a cheerleader AND a scientist?” or “When did you first know you wanted to be an engineer?”

During our live events, fans and youngsters have the opportunity to ask questions and get them answered by the Science Cheerleaders on the spot. Now, we’re extending this opportunity to you, too!

The 2011-2012 Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders, six of whom are pursuing science and engineering careers, have offered to answer the most popular questions submitted through Tuesday August 23rd. Questions with the most votes from the public will be answered by the cheerleaders during a videotaped interview at their Tempe, AZ, training facility.

You can submit your questions to these Science Cheerleaders by tweeting to @SciCheer or commenting on this blog post, the YouTube video, or our Facebook Page. Extra points to anyone who leaves a YouTube video response. If you like someone else’s question, retweet it, up vote it, like it — whatever you have to do to let them know you’d like that question answered.

Below, each of the Arizona Cardinals Science Cheerleaders has shared a little about themselves. Take a look and then ask ‘em anything by August 23rd.

Hi, I’m Samantha, and I’m not just you’re average cheerleader; I’m studying Engineering Management with a focus in Mechanical Engineering at Arizona State University. I am also a national member of the Society of Women Engineers and currently interning at Microchip Technology. This is my rookie year as an Arizona Cardinals Cheerleader, but I have been dancing my whole life and even won the national pom championship my senior year of high school.

Hi, my name is Kristi, and I work professionally in the two best professions anyone could ask for: cheerleading and science! I started cheerleading when I was very young, continued throughout high school and college,and now I am a proud second year member of the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders. Outside of cheerleading, I obtained a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree and am blessed to currently work in my third year as a Registered Nurse with emphasis on Women and Infant services.

My name is Emily, and I am studying Biomedical Engineering at Arizona State University. I am currently an intern at Intel and love it, but hope one day to work on research and development in medical technology after receiving a Masters degree. This is my first year on the Arizona Cardinals cheer team, but I was Captain of my varsity high school team, part of the dance company and cheer for all four years, and was a part of the Arizona State University Spirit Squad for one year.

Hi, my name is Maria, and I am a rookie member of the 2011 Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders. I graduated from Rice University with a degree in political science and earned my J.D. from the University of Arizona in 2010. When it’s not gameday, you can find me at work as an Advocacy Specialist for the Girl Scouts, where I collaborate with local lawmakers on policies to provide increased exposure to the national STEM initiative. Helping to promote the next generation of female scientists, engineers, IT professionals, and mathematicians is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job!

Hi, I’m Nicole, and I am a fourth year member and line captain for the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders. I studied kinesiology and earned my Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University. When I am not on the field, you can find me at a local physical therapy clinic working hands on with the science and physiology behind body movement.

My name is Jacque, and I am a Licensed Professional Civil Engineer who received my B.S.E. in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University. I have been cheerleading since the age of five, and I am proud and honored to now be a professional cheerleader and a rookie member of the amazing Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders.

Even though I wasn’t there to inspire them, Darlene Cavalier and the rest of the Science Cheerleaders put on a great performance at NASA. Way to go!

From ScienceCheerleader.com:

The Science Cheerleaders — scientists and engineers who are also current and former professional cheerleaders for the NBA, NFL and other pro sports leagues — performed at NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. as part of the White House’s celebration of Women in History Month in March! After their performance, they shared the stage with NASA education specialists and answered questions posed by some of the 200 young female students in the audience. Then, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, NASA deputy director Lori Garver, and astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson (who just returned from six months in space in the International Space Station) inspired the audience (including me!) and even gave some shout-outs to the Science Cheerleaders. Hands up!

Here’s a brief highlights video reel, showcasing their appearance. (And here’s a BBC report on the Science Cheerleaders, recorded at the event.)

This Science Cheerleader home-made holiday cheer really conveys just how much attention I command on-screen when wearing a Santa costume.

The current issue of Science (published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science) includes a nice piece on Science Cheerleader right below a diaper-laden baby and the words “Poop Scoop”. Click on the giant image above this sentence or download this .pdf file for evidence.

If you were trapped under a piece of timber during recent months or don’t like science, cheerleaders, nice people, civic activities, fun stuff, watching things, or the Internets, you may not have heard about the Science Cheerleader performance at this year’s USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C.

Lucky for you, filmmaker Randy Olson produced the above video, which features several of the Science Cheerleaders — current and former professional NBA and NFL cheerleaders who are also scientists and engineers — and their interactions with thousands of people who attended the festival.

I feel particularly honored to have recieved a “special thanks” at the 2:28 mark, along with several other far more important people who made the event a success.

Go science!

In case you missed it, Darlene and former Titans cheerleader, Jennifer Hill, joined NPR’s Tell me More on November 26th to talk about Science Cheerleader. They didn’t mention how cool I am, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t implied.

Listen to the interview: ScienceCheerleader on NPR Nov 26 2010
Or read the transcript:

Copyright © 2010 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

ALLISON KEYES, host:

When most people think of professional cheerleaders, they don’t necessarily think of the women tossing their uniforms for a spiffy white lab coat. But there’s a group of them that can shake their pom-poms at games and shake up the science world at work.

(Soundbite of cheer)

Unidentified Group: We’re busting, we’re busting, we’re busting down the stereotype. We’re busting, we’re busting, we’re busting down the stereotype. Go science.

KEYES Those are the ladies of Science Cheerleader, performing at a USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C. last month.

Science Cheerleader began as a blog and now is an organization that aims to build interest and science among adults and children. Dozens of current and former professional cheerleaders who also have a background in science are working together to spread the word that pom-poms and microscopes can go together.

Darlene Cavalier is founder of Science Cheerleader. She’s a former cheerleader for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and now works for Discover magazine. Darlene joins us from Philadelphia.

And Jennifer Hill is a choreographer and former cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans football team. She joins us from Nashville. Welcome, ladies.

Ms. DARLENE CAVALIER (Founder, Science Cheerleader): Thanks for having us.

Ms. JENNIFER HILL (Choreographer): Thanks, Michel.

KEYES: Darlene, what made you think of starting this? And what are you hoping to accomplish?

Ms. CAVALIER: The original goals for Science Cheerleader are actually the same. It’s just evolved into a much more entertaining public face here. So the original goals for Science Cheerleader, the blog, were to increase adult science literacy – and I’m going to sound a little wonky here – get more people to do science through what’s called citizen science activities, actually volunteering to help researchers accomplish specific tasks. And also to then kind of harness that group and get them more involved and engaged in federal science policy discussions.

KEYES: Citizen scientist?

Ms. CAVALIER: Citizen scientists, that’s a great group. So that particular effort has spawned its own business called ScienceforCitizens.net and it’s a site that matches regular people up with real science projects that they can do.

KEYES: Jennifer, which came first, your love of cheerleading or your love of science?

Ms. HILL: That’s really a hard question. I’m sorry, I can’t say which one came first because as a young child, I was working with my father on everything that he did around the house. My father has an electrical engineering degree. So I was like daddy’s little girl. He had me fixing on things in the house whether it be appliances or on the car, musical instruments.

So, at a young age, you know, I was just involved in a lot of mechanical aspects and just solving problems. And, also, at a young age, I was into dance. So I’ve been dancing and I’ve been fixing on things my whole life. So, I’m sorry, I can’t tell you which one came first because it goes hand in hand.

KEYES: I’ve got to ask you both this question. And, first you, Jennifer, then Darlene. You guys have got to catch a lot of drama from both sides. I figure the scientists who still think in 2010 that women have no business in their field and cheerleaders who look at you crazy for being into science. Jennifer?

Ms. HILL: Oh, absolutely. It’s funny because, like you say it, on either side you’ve got people doing double looks and double takes, like, excuse me, what?

And so, like, from a cheerleader’s standpoint, a lot of girls, you know, the normal stereotype is that cheerleaders only want to be, like, actors and dancers and things of that sort, something in the entertainment industry. And so when they see someone like me that, you know, I love to do those type of things but, also, my passion is for science and engineering. And I really want to go as far as I possibly can in corporate America, you know, in engineering right now.

And they’re like, what’s going on? Why do you want to do that? And, you know, I don’t really get a negative connotation but, really, I kind of turn the tables around and give them more options to look into. You know, I’ve had a lot of young ladies that started out at 18 in professional cheerleading.

And, you know, initially they wanted to be an actress and now they’re going to school, getting their, you know, their degrees and furthering their education and getting their MBAs and getting into any industry or field that they, you know, want to that they may not have initially.

KEYES: So, Darlene, have you been running into the same kind of thing? Youre at Discover magazine.

Ms. CAVALIER: Yes, I do. By and large the public has been incredibly receptive and very enthusiastic about this idea of kind of challenging stereotypes and getting young women to consider careers in science and technology. But every so often there are, you know, there are naysayers who, frankly, if you don’t like cheerleaders, you’re not going to like this campaign. There’s nothing we can do to make you like cheerleaders.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Ms. CAVALIER: And the beauty of this campaign, which, you know, is surprising to me, is the level of complexity. So while it seems so simple and fluffy, oh, isn’t that neat, there’s a bunch of cheerleaders cheering for science. Then you start to find out that they are scientists and engineers cheering for science and that becomes the first layer where people start to dig deeper.

And some people feel that this is a campaign that strives to change the stereotypes of cheerleaders, and that’s fine – or change the stereotypes of scientists, and that’s a different perspective.

All in all, though, it is about empowering young women to realize that they can follow both of these dreams and the fact that there are 1.5 million little cheerleaders out there, this has the potential to be a very effective campaign in enlightening them and opening up doors that they may not have seen as viable to them.

So, one of the groups I should mention are the moms of these little girls. We witnessed this firsthand at the USA Science and Engineering Festival.

KEYES: I’m glad you talked about that because I was going to ask you about it.

Ms. CAVALIER: That was pretty remarkable to see the conversion of moms, really maybe looking a little skeptical at these women walking around in these outfits at a science festival and then one by one coming up after their daughters had, you know, had a chance to interact with somebody like Jennifer and to say, thank you so much, because she just only talks about growing up to be a cheerleader. First of all, I didn’t even know there were such things as paid cheerleaders.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Ms. CAVALIER: But, secondly, for Jennifer to be able to speak to, you know, a five-year-old and say, yeah, you know, I was a cheerleader, this is what I did, do you like my pom-poms? Well, guess what else I do? I help build cars. Yeah, I love it. It’s really cool.

KEYES: Let me jump in here for a second. If you’re just joining us, this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I’m Allison Keyes and we’re talking about the Science Cheerleader project. Our guests are Darlene Cavalier, the group’s founder, and Jennifer Hill, a professional engineer. She’s also a choreographer and a former cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans football team.

Jennifer, let me ask you, you’re African-American and I think people of color and women are both kind of underrepresented in the scientific fields. Do you feel like you have a special mission to be a role model here?

Ms. HILL: Oh, absolutely. I do have a special mission. A lot of, you know, young inner city youth of different ethnicities, they come from a place where they feel like they don’t know what they can do, or the sky is not the limit. And, you know, it’s really good when they see someone like me just from different – from a different background or from a similar background as them, and just delving into these two different industries, whether it be the entertainment aspect of it or the science aspect of it.

And it just – you know, you could just see, like, in their eyes that they’re like, oh my goodness, look, I can be this person as well. So, I mean, it’s just really fulfilling to be able to just spend time with the kids and just let them know, hey, you know, this is something that you can do as well.

KEYES: Darlene, in the very short time we have left, talk to me a little bit about what’s next for Science Cheerleader. How many are in the group right now? And what kind of outreach do you guys have planned?

Ms. CAVALIER: Yeah, it’s the first time that we performed, was last month in Washington. So, 11 of the science cheerleaders. I put out a call, 11 responded. We had support from Burroughs Wellcome Fun to make that happen. And we’re entertaining a lot of invitations to be everywhere to do these performances.

We have more than 50, by the way, science cheerleaders that are working with us. And they’re in almost every major city. And I should add, that’s from the NFL. I haven’t even touched the NBA yet.

(Soundbite of laughter)

KEYES: From the NFL alone?

Ms. CAVALIER: NBA, that’s my group.

KEYES: All right, who’s smarter, NFL, NBA? No, I’m kidding.

(Soundbite of laughter)

KEYES: Pom-pom fight. No.

Ms. CAVALIER: Well, there’s a reality show in that somewhere, I think.

KEYES: I know, right?

Ms. CAVALIER: Oh yeah. So we want to be able to sort of tap the call when we get a request to be able to say, you know, hey San Francisco, there’s a science festival happening. And then those kids in those schools need to hear from you and make it pretty simple to do that.

And, again, we’re also developing a full-fledged website so that little boys, too. They can come to the site and say, well, my favorite team happens to be the Tennessee Titans, let’s see what Science Cheerleaders are on that team, making it much more easy for them to navigate and engage with the Science Cheerleaders.

KEYES: Darlene Cavalier is the founder of Science Cheerleader. She joined us from Philadelphia. And Jennifer Hill is a professional engineer who is also a choreographer and a former cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans football team. She joined us from Nashville. Thank you ladies, both.

Ms. CAVALIER: Thank you.

Ms. HILL: Thank you.

KEYES: To see the Science Cheerleader video, please check out our website. Just go to npr.org and select TELL ME MORE on the program page.

Copyright © 2010 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR’s prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

The Arizona Cardinals may not be having their best season ever, but they have at least one superstar on the team this year.

Meet Marcie, a 4th year Cardinals cheerleader and a Technical Marketing Engineer at Intel. I had a chance to interview Marcie over at Science Cheerleader and learn about he she balances these two seemingly different careers.

Make sure to read the article! Every unique visitor is guaranteed to translate into small bits of karma, which could collectively lead the Cardinals to victory against the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Now, if only I could talk to coach Wisenhunt about giving Marcie a shot at quarterback…

There is nothing I like more than anything that I do. So, i encourage you to check out this Science Cheerleader interview I conducted with my friend and colleague, Arlene!

I figured, hey, if I’m going to continue interviewing cheerleader-scientist hybrids, I should probably pick ones that are conducting research on human retinas.

Two weeks and two interviews with San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders who are both smarter and have better abs than me. If I don’t get to work, I may lose the “John O-Ab” moniker that I have secretly given to myself and not revealed in a public forum until now.

Christine’s story is pretty awesome. She has a Masters in biomedical engineering from Arizona State and is currently pursing a PhD in the Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. And she previously cheered for the Arizona Cardinals and the Phoenix Suns, which by default pretty much makes her my favorite former Cardinals and Suns cheerleader. Go Science!

You should also check out the previous interview with Erica.

I recently had the opportunity to interview San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleader, Erica, for a story on ScienceCheerleader.com. In addition to her cheerleading duties, Erica is software engineer who develops online courses for graduate students. As someone who operates in the seemingly unrelated worlds of cheerleading and science and technology, she offers a really unique perspective. Check out the interview!

I was admittedly a little hesitate about this interview. There was some serious conflict between the tortured Arizona Cardinals football fan part of my brain and my passion for connecting science and society. But, when I found out that both Erica and I have a habit of sneaking out of our office to practice double pirouettes in the bathroom, I realized this was something that just had to be done. Enjoy!

Several items worth noting:

1. I did not know the Cowboys Cheerleaders would be at the South by Southwest Interactive conference.
2. Those are my lab goggles, and I did bring them to the conference.
3. That is not my cowboy hat.
4. I too am impressed by how natural and comfortable I look wearing a cowboy hat.
5. This video does not indicate in any way that I am less opposed to any modicum of success potentially achieved by the Dallas Cowboys football team.
6. The Arizona Cardinals will still win the Super Bowl in 2011. I guarantee it.
7. I am also guaranteeing that guarantee.

Gooooooooooooo SCIENCE!

This video was made for ScienceCheerleader.com. Arizona Cardinals fans, feel free to formally disown me in the comment section on either website.

This was originally crafted for ScienceCheerleader.com, my favorite website ever besides JohnOhab.com.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 2010Consumer Electronics Show (CES), an international conference that brings together designers, developers, manufacturers, and distributors of consumer electronics products. CES reaches across global markets, connects the industry, and enables consumer innovations to grow and thrive. It was quite an amazing experience, full of new e-readers, 3D TVs, holographic displays, multi-touch screens, and some of the hottest new tech gadgets around.

Still, I couldn’t help but be most proud of this glorious yellow Albert Einstein t-shirt that I nabbed at the Promise Technology booth.  It was well worth the 20 minutes of technical jargon I had to endure while listening to a pitch for the company’s new Smartstor Zero network storage device.

If it weren’t for Science Cheerleader, we may have never known how great I look in a Santa costume.

Last night, I was reading through the January edition of Discover Magazine, which chronicles the 100 Top Science Stories of 2009, when I made quite a discovery (pun intended): a story written by our very own Darlene Cavalier placed #69! Darlene’s piece, “Prize-Driven Research Takes Off,” focuses on the growing number of organizations offering prizes for successful science and technology innovations. The article should be released online in the next few weeks, and we’ll make sure to post it here.

Congratulations Darlene! What an honor!

This post was Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V’d from ScienceCheerleader.com.

Can’t decide on a holiday gift for Granny? Don’t know what to get your 10 year-old brother,  Billy?  Tired of wasting money on Barbies and video games that may not last through the New Year? I say, give your loved ones a gift that keeps on giving: a do-it-yourself experimental hydrogen fuel cell car that runs on water!

That’s right! The Fuel Cell Car & Experiment X7 Kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century: reversible hydrogen fuel cells. Each kit comes with a full-color, 16-page manual with easy, step-by-step instructions for assembling and using the car. In addition, the kit contains scientific explanations on how fuels cells work, the intricacies of fuel cell car design, and potential alternative energies for automobiles.

Most importantly, the kit is appropriate for anyone aged 10 and up, which means you’ll never be stuck wondering what to get that friend or family member who always seems to have everything. While other kids are showing off their boring skateboards and lame iPhones, yours could be harnessing the power of water. Don’t miss out!

Get the  The Fuel Cell Car & Experiment X7 Kit today!

This was writtenfor ScienceCheerleader.com and copied here for my parents and the other two people who visit my website every day.

This article was written for ScienceCheerleader.com. By reading it, you justify the public humiliation that I endured while walking nearly a mile with a giant red balloon.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Internets, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced the DARPA Network Challenge, a competition that will explore the role of social networking in communication, team building, and group mobilization. The challenge is to be the first person to submit the locations of 10 8-foot, red, weather balloons at 10 fixed locations in the continental United States.

Here’s how it works: The red balloons will be deployed on Saturday, December 5, in readily accessible locations and visible from nearby roads. Teams and collaborators will have approximately 9 days, until 12:00 PM (ET) on December 14, to collect the locations of the balloons and submit their entries.  All locations must be submitted in latitude and longitude coordinates. The event is open to individuals of all ages irrespective of nationality or residency (except Federal employees and their spouses and dependents), but first you must register your team on  the DARPA Network Challenge website.

Find the red balloons. Win $40,000. Do you have what it takes to be the next Balloon Boy/Girl?

I recently had a chance to interview Lauren Aguirre, executive director of NOVA’s Web team, about NOVA’s new Beta Evolution website. The resulting story was originally posted on ScienceCheerleader.com.

Humans evolved. Shouldn’t our websites? That’s the idea behind NOVA’s new Beta Evolution website, an experimental effort to transform the way NOVA delivers its award-winning science and technology programming.

Since 1996, NOVA has pioneered new forms of web-original content with more than 30,000 pages covering anything from string theory to aviation to how the Pyrimids were built. The Beta Evolution website serves as one-stop shop for all matters evolution, including the recent three-part NOVA series, Becoming Human, which explores the latest scientific research on human origins. Over time, NOVA will rely on user feedback to help inspire new ways of designing, organizing, and presenting this content to make it more useful for viewers.

Last week, I had the opportunity to chat with Lauren Aguirre, executive director of NOVA’s Web team, about goals of the new project, the challenges of organizing 13 years of content, and her experiences at the forefront of science communications. You can listen to each individual question and answer by clicking on the audio player below. Enjoy!

I  wrote this for Science Cheerleader because I like everything that has anything to do with any aspect of Google.

While we most commonly associate Google with its ability to search the Intertubes for our favorite science FAILs, the tech giant is also opening new doors for citizen science. A recent article in the Public Library of Science (PloS) ONE highlights a new mobile phone application, powered by Google Maps and Google’s Android operating system, that allows professional and citizen scientists to gather, submit, and access research data from the field.

The application, called EpiCollect, was initially designed for epedimiological and ecological studies but has potential for a number of other fields, including economics, public health, and resource allocation. Individual users can input data records (variables, photos, GPS location, etc) into EpiCollect from their mobile phone, which is synchronized to a central database. An accompanying web application, located at www.spatialepidemiology.net, provides a common location for mapping, visualization, and analysis of the data by everyone involved in the study. The two-way connectivity between the EpiCollect mobile application and the central database could increase the collection and collation of data for community projects, particular in resource-limited areas.

Importantly, EpiCollect was developed as a free software using Google’s open-source Android operating system. Anyone interested in using the software is encouraged to contact David Aanensen in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London.  The EpiCollect website also provides three sample epidemological datasets and a facility to geocode your own spatial data.

This summer, I attended a series of Congressional briefings, “The Road to the New Energy Economy”, which brought together scientists and policymakers to discuss the various energy challenges facing our nation. One of these briefings focused on emerging biofuel technology, and I managed to score some behind-the-scenes interviews with the events’ sponsors and speakers. The above video, produced for ScienceCheerleader.com, contains some of that footage, my now-famous shorts and labcoat combo, and a little Princess Ladyfriend for good measure.

I hope you enjoy it!

I wrote this for ScienceCheerleader.com mostly because I like to talk about myself.

You may not know it, but you have a celebrity double. Everyone does. It’s not something you can control or influence. It doesn’t matter if you agree. Your celebrity double may not be particularly famous, the same gender as you, or even a human, but your double is out there, doing whatever it is that celebrity doubles do, just waiting to be identified.

Sadly (or perhaps quite impressively?), I seem to have an unprecedented ability to identify these synergies. Take a look at my personal archive for evidence. Now, I don’t make the rules or create the parings. Your celebrity doubles are mandated by a being far more powerful than me. My role is to simply point out the truth through conveniently positioned thumbnails like the ones below.

Coincidentally, my science and engineering friends have provided a wonderful array of case studies for celebrity doubles both real and imaginary: a) Jackie, ocean conservationist, and actress Christina Ricci, b) Uday, a neuroscientist, and New Orleans Governor Bobby Jindal, c) Brian, neuroscientist and Shrek, and d) Brandon, a computer engineer, and Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps. Celebrity doubles, like scientists and non-scientists, come in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes it clearly takes a little creativity to make them apparent.

But, even I’m having a bit of hard time coming up with a celebrity double for our very own Science Cheerleader. Surely, Shrek won’t make the cut this time, but there must be someone (or something) out there to do her justice.

It’s a classic case of Celebrity Double Trouble, and I need your help! Any ideas? (Free T-shirt if we select your idea!)

I wrote this for ScienceCheerleader.com this morning. There is a huge cash prize if you find the secret message. (not really)

Anyone can be a scientist, and not surprisingly, scientists are just like everyone else. That’s what NOVA ScienceNOW hopes to convey with their new show, The Secret Life of Scientists, a web video series that provides a personal and thought-provoking look at the lives of 16 scientists and engineers. Through a mixture of whimsical interview questions, each show will demonstrate how scientists and engineers can be athletes, musicians, artists, chefs, and, most importantly, incredibly human.

Although, SUPER-human might be more accurate for tonight’s episode featuring Nate Ball, a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, pole-vaulting coach, jazz pianist, and TV star. In his day job, Nate is chief technical officer and co-founder of a technology and innovation company, Atlas Devices. His business develops a tool that he helped invent, the Powered Rope Ascender, which enables military personnel and rescue workers to reverse-rappel up buildings at high speeds. Check out these awesome videos of Nate’s invention in action.

And, Nate isn’t camera-shy. He is currently a cast member on PBS’ Design Squad, a show that features two teams of contestants charged with brainstorming, designing, building, and testing products before putting them to the test.

I had a chance to ask Nate a few questions about how he balances all of these endeavors, what inspires him to innovate, and his strategies for creating more interest in science and engineering. You’ll find, just as I did, that Nate has transformed a childhood passion into a career and drawn from a variety of perspectives to keep himself grounded. To learn more about Nate’s drive to succeed, check out tonight’s episode of The Secret Life of Scientsts.

Dr. John: How do we demistify science and bridge the gap between scientists and society?

Nate: Bridging the gap between scientists & engineers and society has always been an extremely important endeavor, and certainly is now more than ever. The way I like to make my career of mechanical engineering more accessible is to point out that I get to do now what I loved to do as a kid–build stuff and solve problems! Did you like to make forts out of couch cushions when you were 6? It’s a great lead-up to civil or mechanical engineering. Love to make your own recipes in the kitchen? Chemistry or biology may be for you. What usually gives people that “aha!” sort of understanding about engineering is when they realize that engineering is responsible for everything around them, and what engineers do is no different from any of the creative experimentation and problem solving everybody did as a kid. It’s just at a higher level with some extra training.

Dr. John: You clearly balance your interests in science and technology with other interests in your personal life — why is this balance important?

Nate: I pursue quite a few activities outside my office, which I find really important. For one, it gives my brain a chance to rest after exercising the analytical one for 14 hours a day at work (I love my job!). Play music and spending time doing really active things is my chance to change up what I’m working on and recharge the engineering part. I actually find that I’m never as focused as right after a hard workout. My brain just feels like it works differently–nothing seems distracting, I have much better clarity on whatever I was trying to solve before, and I’m even relieved to be sitting down again. But the whole “giving the analytical side a rest” isn’t the only part of it; I find that the things I balance my work with are really complementary to the engineering I do. Exercising the creative part of the brain with playing music or figuring out how to coach one of my pole vaulters keeps the colorful brain half flexible and ready to attack engineering challenges in a new way. So it’s a very important two-way street.

Dr. John: What is your most cherished accomplishment?

Nate: Having heard through a parent that their kid was inspired to pursue engineering after reading about some of my work. That was one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever heard!

Dr. John: Who inspired you to pursue career in mechanical engineering?

Nate: I credit my parents and grandparents with nurturing my interests in engineering-related activities that launched me toward where I am now. When I was about 3 years old around Christmas, my granddad gave me a block of wood, a hammer, and a bunch of roofing nails. After a lot of hammered fingers, I was off to the races and never stopped! My parents’ continued support of all the projects I made growing up, from kayaks to land sailers to potato guns and a Tesla coil, was really responsible for me getting hooked on technical problem solving. They supported my decision to go to MIT and are still cheering me on today.

Dr. John: How big of role can citizens play in the scientific process?

Nate: A huge one! You don’t have to have formal training in science or engineering to be perceptive about how the world works, and the observations of countless laymen have always made tremendous impacts in technical development. Take anything you’re familiar with and think about how it could be improved. How about that bad intersection you always avoid when driving to work because the lights aren’t timed well? Do you always slip on your front walk with the coated pavement? That old car you drove in high school that needed some special operator training (jiggle the key just like this to get it to start…). Every person on earth has some amount of intuition and more than enough capability to observe how things work. We execute careful problem solving processes many times each day whether we realize it or not. And sometimes, average Joe or Jane Citizen makes an observation that’s particularly insightful, and the scientific process helps make another leap forward for everyone’s benefit.

Dr. John: How do you encourage people to become more interested in science?

Nate: I engage many people in a lot of different venues to familiarize them with science and engineering. Some outreach I do directly, some through the engineering reality TV show I host (Design Squad on PBS), and some is done with the help of the very-real engineered products I have helped create, which closely resemble some of the equipment on Batman’s tool belt. Nothing captures the imagination like zipping up a rope at 10 feet per second, and when I’m able to close the loop between what people are seeing me demonstrate and the engineering that made it possible, you can practically see the light bulb go on in their head. And that’s a great feeling.

I wrote this for ScienceCheerleader.com on Oct 1, 2009. Tell as many people as you can.

Hooray! October is Energy Awareness Month, a national effort to empower citizens to reshape the energy economy and be part of the solution to climate change. This year’s theme, “A Sustainable Energy Future; Putting All the Pieces Together”, encourages everyone to see themselves as a piece of the much larger puzzle that includes efforts from the Federal Government, private industry, and the general public.

While scientists and engineers are working to solve many of our energy challenges, there are steps that each of us can take now to lower our emissions while reducing energy and waste disposal costs. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Personal Emissions Calculator can help you measure your own carbon footprint and then take action. The Department of Energy provides an array of low- or no-cost methods specifically geared towards homeowners who want to save energy without compromising their comfort. Google’s Energy Saver Gadget optimizes your computer’s power management settings. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Effiency offers a map of utility programs that provide incentives for those who invest in energy efficiency. You can also help by simply spreading the word and making your friends and family aware of their energy consumption.

If protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, saving taxpayer dollars, and creating a better world for our children is not enough incentive, how about a chance to meet The President of the United States? Oh yes!

Last week, President Obama announced the SAVE (Securing Americans Value and Efficiency) Award, which challenges Federal employees to submit practical, environmental-friendly ways of improving government efficiency and savings. Do you have a innovative idea for preserving light bulbs at government facilities? Or how about a brilliant method for reducing the cost of air conditioning?  You have until October 14, 2009, to submit your ideas for consideration in the fiscal year 2011 Budget. In November, the winner will have the opportunity to present his or her idea to President Obama himself. Stay tuned for news on whether you will also be drinking beers with him.

I’ll return with more Energy Awareness Month reports throughout the next few weeks, including some behind-the-scenes video interviews with speakers, sponsors, and others attending the four-part energy event, The Road to the New Energy Economy. I’m energized — are you?

Citizen scientists, I’d like you to meet Ziya Tong, a new correspondent on the Emmy-nominated science video series, NOVA ScienceNOW. Ziya joins a NOVA program well-known for exploring important science and technology topics at the interface of politics, art, and society. So far, she’s covered areas like gene therapy, how walruses and sea lions have influenced human language, and the hunt for the earliest macromolecules. I recently had a chance to chat with Ziya about how her work in science broadcasting is creating common ground for scientists and the public.

For Ziya, it turns out that exploring far-out science topics is just another day at the office – literally! In addition to her work with NOVA, she also hosts Daily Planet, Discovery Channel Canada’s daily science show, and previously served as host and producer on PBS’ Wired Science. She even hosted a travel show, Island Escapes, during which she visited over 50 countries (approximately 45 more than me).

“I’m inspired in a new way every day,” Ziya said. “I’ve had the unique opportunity to meet, and most importantly, learn from very inspiring people.”

Ziya’s work in video production, writing, directing, and hosting has reinforced the importance of presenting science in a way that is meaningful and understandable to people. She operates from several guiding principles: keep things simple, live what you love, and get out in the field to experience real science.

Importantly, she has seen first-hand the impact of citizen participation in the scientific process. For example, in the Wired Science episode, Flotsam Found, Ziya worked with Curt Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer who tracks data points of garbage floating in the ocean. By aggregating records of things people have found on the beach — rubber ducks, shoes, etc — Curt is able to track the flow of objects over ocean currents.

When it comes to getting people involved, Ziya has been a part of some pioneering efforts in the media space. One of her first hosting gigs came on ZeD TV, a Canadian variety show that included user-generated video content and interactive features through its website. This concept would later influence the development of Current TV, a network led by former Vice President Al Gore. Also, on Daily Planet, there is currently an interactive segment, Planet You, where viewers can record and contribute their science and technology ideas.

Ziya also discussed her place as a role model and the importance of mentoring students who are interested in careers in science and communications. She credited much of her own success to the “fantastic visionaries” Arthur and Marilouise Kroker, her mentors at McGill University, where she received a Masters degree in Communications. Ziya hopes to play a similar role for aspiring young science broadcasters, particularly women.

“It’s important to present to young people, especially young women, a new face in the science and technology realm,” she said. “I want to present a critical and thoughtful view that demonstrates the impact that scientists have on society.”

Ziya is not the only one trying to demystify science. On August 31, NOVA ScienceNOW launches The Secret Life of Scientists, a web video series that provides a personal and thought-provoking look at the lives of 16 scientists and engineers. Through a mixture of whimsical interview questions, each show will demonstrate how scientists and engineers can be athletes, musicians, artists, chefs, and, most importantly, incredibly human.

Ziya also offered advice to young students looking to pursue a career in science, whether at the bench or with a camera. “Persistence and passion,” she said. “If you can demonstrate that you care more than anyone else, eventually people will see that.”

As for her future, Ziya has considered lecturing and even writing a book about her experiences covering science and technology across the globe. For now, you can find Ziya on her personal website and access every episode of NOVA ScienceNOW via streaming, download, and RSS or iTunes.

Check out this FoxNews story about ScienceCheerleader.com’s Brain Makeover project:

Professor, Cheerleaders Unite to Teach Science

Tuesday , August 04, 2009
By Joseph Abrams

Just don’t call him professor pom-pom.

A physics professor who says he’ll do “anything” to get people interested in science is teaming up with the Philadelphia 76ers cheerleaders to offer online lessons on magnetics, mass and matter — all through the magic of miniskirts.

James Trefil’s 20-year campaign for science literacy has led him to link up with some unlikely allies at ScienceCheerleader.com, where he and a scantily clad crew of dancing Darwins offer 18 video lessons on core ideas in science.

Click here for photos of the science cheerleaders.

Trefil, who’s left behind his classroom for the summer to help on the Brain Makeover videos, said it made sense for him to use “a little sex appeal” in his effort to reach and teach nonscientists.

“Why not cheerleaders?” asked Trefil, the Robinson Professor of Science at George Mason University. “My own philosophy is, any way you can get the scientific message across, that’s a good thing.”

The Web site offers brief scientific lessons from members of the Sixers squad (“All matter is made of atoms,” explains Lauren), and a bit more background from the septuagenarian Trefil, who does not appear in the videos. Visitors can then take a quiz to judge their own scientific literacy.

The site is the creation of science advocate Darlene Cavalier, a Master of Science Policy who has spent a decade working for Discover Magazine and was also one of the original 76ers dancers.

Cavalier, who is also leading projects to increase the number of citizen scientists in the country, told FOXNews.com she doesn’t worry that some people visiting the site might be less interested in their physics than their physiology.

“More than anything I think it does help break stereotypes,” said Cavalier, who said a higher percentage of Tennessee Titans cheerleaders have formal science training than do members of Congress. Cheerleaders have the edge 10 percent to 8 percent, she said.

For Cavalier and Trefil, having a better educated population isn’t just an end in itself — they say that in order for the general populace to debate ideas like stem cell treatments, they have to understand the science of stem cells first.

“To me, scientific literacy is one of the support pillars for having a really democratic society,” Trefil said. “Democracy is a place where people who are affected by decisions have a say in how the decisions are made. And if you don’t understand the science, you are effectively excluded from the debate.”

Some students could be getting more skirts with their science soon. Cavalier said she’s fielded a number of requests from high school teachers who want to use her videos next year “to turn people on to science.”

For the time being, Trefil says his final exams are usually enough to scare students into paying attention in his classes. But he hasn’t ruled out using the unorthodox method next year to break through any stragglers.

“That’s a good idea,” he told FOXNews.com. “Maybe I will.”

My latest video blog entry for Science Cheerleader featuring more awesome music from Princess Ladyfriend.

On Saturday, July 11, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA), the Defense Agency responsible for protecting the Pentagon, conducted an operational response test to a simulated outdoor airborne biological attack on the Pentagon grounds. The study consisted of the release of a harmless gardening powder into the Pentagon parking area, where nearly 100 citizen volunteers were positioned, followed by subsequent decontamination and surface sampling of the volunteers. The results will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of various emergency personnel and guide future operational responses to attacks on the Pentagon.

Best of all, Pentagon security relaxed its usual restrictions on photography and permitted media to film virtually all aspects of the operation. I had an opportunity to interview various subject matter experts, including Mr. Paul Benda and Dr. Christina Murata, Director and Deputy Director of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Directorate at the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, as well as some of the volunteers for a SciCheer video report.

If you’re interested in learning more about the operational response test, check out “Armed with Science”, the Defense Department’s weekly science podcast, this Wednesday at 2pm ET on Pentagon Web Radio. I’ll be interviewing Mr. Benda and Dr. Murata live, and anyone can submit questions before or during the show by posting to the Armed with Science podcast or the Twitter page.

Let’s talk about things that frighten me and start with the mysterious creatures of the deep. I mean, really — surviving under extreme pressures and temperatures, often without sunlight, in a hostile ocean environment where you might very well be someone else’s dinner? We’ve all seen Pirates of the Caribbean. Creepy.

Still, someone needs to ensure that the marine environment is protected from various human pressures like pollution and over-fishing. That person is just not me.

That’s why I’m asking YOU to go down there on my behalf as part of Earth Dive, a global citizen science project that calls on recreational scuba divers and snorkelers to monitor the ocean for key indicator species.When you participate in Earth Dive, your observations are recorded in a special database, called the Global Dive Log, and accessible through a clever Google mapping interface. Over time, observations are aggregated to create a Global Snapshot of the state of the world’s oceans. You can also use the satellite map feature to look for your house, which is totally cool. Importantly, everyone who contributes data is automatically added to a petition demanding that policymakers take action.

Earth Dive is what I like to call a win-win-win situation. I don’t have to be in the ocean; your hobby provides a sense of personal enrichment; and we all work together to monitor and conserve marine life on this planet.

The Vancouver Aquarium has re-imagined the classic arcade game, Frogger, to better reflect the global decline in the amphibian population. The new version, Frogster, retains the spirit of the original game (e.g., horrendous controls and even more horrendous graphics) but now offers a myriad of new dangers, including loss of habitat, pesticides, pollution, and other human factors. The game also provides informative “Did you know?” facts about the amphibian population; for instance, did you know that air pollution is deadly because frogs breathe through their skin? Neither did I!

Frogster is advertised as “The Hardest Game You’ll Ever Play”, and they aren’t kidding. Navigating through car exhaust, polluted water, and human interference is a lot harder when you’re a helpless little frog. In fact, it was so frustrating to watch my frogs repeatedly drowned or flattened by oncoming traffic that I was compelled to help.

FrogWatch USA makes it easy! Since 1998, they’ve leveraged citizen scientists to monitor the health and behavior of various frog species around the country. In as little as 20 minutes a week, you can monitor frogs and toads in your own neighborhood wetlands and help scientists develop practical ways to help conserve these important animals. You can even learn to make your own frog calls — great fun at parties!

So play Frogster, get motivated, and let’s start monitoring some frogs!

Here’s my latest ScienceCheerleader report…

Looking for a fun way to translate your love of pignut hickory (Carya glabra) into scientific data that can help the planet? Look no further than the National Phenology Network (NPN), an organization that calls on citizen scientists to monitor the influence of climate change on plants and animals in the US.

NPN defines phenology as the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events, such as the first flower on a plant, the appearance of a songbird species in spring, or the changing leaves in fall. Phenological events are particularly sensitive to climate variations (e.g., temperature), and shifts in timing can dramatically affect the planet’s ecological systems. That, in turn, can affect the way we live – allergies, recreation, farming, and our ability to respond to natural disasters are all impacted by phenology.

NPN harnesses the power of citizen scientists and the Internet to collect, share, and store information on patterns of phenology for 200 critical plant species across the nation. NPN will use your contributions to help scientists identify which species are changing, and ultimately, better predict the impact of changing phenologies on natural systems and people. Do this immediately:

1. Select your favorite plant.
2. Learn about site selection, plant marking, and phenological observations.
3. Join the network and become an official participant.
4. Start observing, collecting, and reporting.
5. Feel a sense of personal satisfaction and enrichment.

At this time, citizen scientists can only monitor plant species. However, in 2010, NPN will welcome observations for many species of animals, including yellow-bellied marmots, hummingbirds, wood frogs, bumblebees, and all of your favorite Disney characters.

As copied and pasted from its home on ScienceCheerleader.com…

If you’re anything like me, you take pride in knowing everything. That’s why I spend my free time reading and contributing to the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), an online, collaborative project documenting biodiversity knowledge about all life present on Earth. EOL is a global initiative seeking to create an “infinitely expandable” resource for all of our planet’s 1.8 million known species.

Launched in February 2008, EOL draws from existing databases, such as AmphibiaWeb and Mushroom Observer, and sponsorship from a number of leading scientific organizations. The scientific community and general public can contribute to this growing body of knowledge by posting images to the EOL Flikr group and adding tags and text comments to any species page. In addition, citizen naturalists with a demonstrated commitment to quality science can apply to become curators who are responsible for maintaining EOL’s vetted content.

The Encyclopedia of Life makes it ridiculously easy to get involved – users can log in using OpenID, which eliminates the need to create and forget yet another annoying username/password. They also have a discussion forum and a Twitter page. OmniSCIENCE is just a click away!

PROJECT SNAPSHOT:

• Topics: Biology, Computers and Technology
• Location: at home, close to home
• Duration: any
• Cost: free
• Gear: no
• Level of Difficulty: easy