Behind the Science: an Interview With Our Biotech Design Lead

Q: What do you do at The Lawrence?

A: I am Biotech Lead in the Center for Transforming Science & Society and also serve as Design Strand Lead. I spend most of my time designing and finding homes for learning experiences that emphasize different ways science innovations and societal challenges intersect. I lead the design and provide ongoing support of our Hands-on Biotech exhibit space, and I collaborate with lots of folks internally and externally to develop experiences for different learning contexts that expand people’s notions of what kinds of problems biotechnology can be used to solve. I’m currently engrossed in the design of the upcoming Future of Food exhibition, which has involved a new way of collaborating between Production Studio, Public Engagement, and Learning as well as integrating voices from our community. Opening in February!

Q: What is your favorite exhibit at The Lawrence and why?

A: Anytime I can do any work with the planetarium is a good day in my mind.  I love it in there!

Q: Describe your path to science/education.

A: I started out as a scientist, doing academic research in chemistry and materials science. I went into science as a way to spend time understanding the world around me, and within a few years of graduate school it was clear that the narrow focus was too constraining. Mostly as a way to stay connected with non-hyper-specific areas of science, I started writing a science blog and then got into adult-oriented event programming (Nerd Nite Madison). I also found some part time education & communication jobs: I started the education & outreach work of an National Science Foundation-funded research center for my post-doc advisor, and I taught at college level in a few capacities. After a few years of that I was able to get a job at The Lawrence, starting off in the Learning Design Group working on their Amplify Science project. I was a science curriculum developer and an app developer, and learned a ton in that role about learning design and effective collaboration. After their V1 product launched I was lucky enough to move over into the Biotech Lead role, where I’ve been ever since.

Q: What is something new you’ve learned at The Lawrence?

A: Coming from a science background, it’s interesting to see the sometimes different ways educators and scientists organize things. For example, physical vs. chemical changes is an important idea in science education but not as important to practicing chemists. There are all sorts of really important things that don’t fall neatly into either category, but at the same time the distinction can be a helpful one for students to learn first. Here’s one that seems definitely scientists’ fault: the Periodic Table of the Elements is super confusing and should definitely be reframed as the Periodic Table of Atoms (shout out to Carissa Romano in the Learning Design Group for introducing me to that).  

Q: What is one unexpected place/thing/topic that you’ve connected to science?

A: Can I say urine here?  Urine has all these fascinating connections to science. It was a basic ingredient of research for early alchemists (and the source of discovery of the element phosphorus in fact), it helped people discard “vital force theory” and decide matter is matter, and it was critical in the development of the first explosives.

Q: If you could be any animal, real or imaginary, which would you be and why?

A: I love exhilarating and intense experiences, so definitely anything that could fly.  Magical powers would be a plus.

Q: Do you have an unrealized project you want to talk about?

A: My house is filled with kids toys with no clear homes, but my spare nails and screws are extremely organized!

Q: What age group do you love to teach or work with, and why?

A: Working with any age of students is great, but right now I’d say middle schoolers. They’re still young enough to be playful but old enough to start to take on more complex science ideas that connect to social issues.