Get ready to blast off into a world where science meets storytelling with our special guest Jen Swanson, the NASA STEMfluencer who is making waves with more than 40 nonfiction books for kids (and their curious adults), as well as her inspiring podcast Solve It for Kids. In this conversation, we journey through Jen's inspiring path to becoming a NASA STEMfluencer, her firsthand experiences at the Kennedy Space Center during the Artemis One launch, and her exciting encounters with astronauts. Her passion for bringing the wonders of STEM to children is as infectious as it is vital for fostering future generations of innovators. Plus, don't miss out on hearing about the behind-the-scenes access she's had, including an exclusive look inside the Johnson Space Center.
I am fortunate to count Jen Swanson as a friend. One of the things I love about Jen is her amazing ability for taking big concepts that are difficult and boiling them down to smaller ideas and details that people can understand. We delve into the craft of nonfiction writing and the importance of connecting with experts to bring authenticity to the page.
In this conversation, you'll learn how Jen's book Astronaut-Aquanaut, benefited from insights provided by real-life space and sea adventurers like Fabian Cousteau, and how a bold request led to a private tour of the renowned CERN facility. We also examine the educational power of STEM books, from creatively teaching car safety in Save the Crash Test Dummies to highlighting the importance of climate awareness in Footprints Across the Planet. This conversation is a tribute not only to the art of making science relatable but also to those educators who seamlessly weave these narratives into their classrooms, igniting curiosity and a passion for knowledge in their students.
You can listen to the full podcast here (or wherever you download your podcasts). Be sure to subscribe, like, and comment.
You can watch the full video of our conversation here. Please be sure to subscribe, like, and comment.
You can order Jen Swanson's books at bookshop.org.
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