OpinionDecember 3, 2021
Nonfiction Is Cool, and Our Kids Know It
Changes in publishing have altered this genre for the better, so put some books on your holiday list
Stories by Amanda Baker
Amanda Baker is a science communicator and outreach advocate. She has a geoscience PhD from Cornell University and has managed open-access, academic journals as well as the outreach journal Frontiers for Young Minds. She is currently writing and editing science content for kids, from curriculum materials to magazines like Smore. She has served as a Science Olympiad national event supervisor and taught a first-year writing seminar on sustainable earth systems while at Cornell.
OpinionAugust 19, 2020
Competing Toe to Toe without Sharing an Arena
The Regeneron Science Talent Search rethinks its youth STEM competition in the face of COVID-19
OpinionApril 6, 2020
To the Angry Grown-Ups in My Town
Yes, the young people around you are still learning. What are you going to teach them?
OpinionFebruary 19, 2020
The Many Meanings of “I Can’t”
So much can hide behind those two little words
OpinionJanuary 13, 2020
Flour, Butter, Science, Eggs: Recipes as Science Communication
Part protocol, part memoir, recipes can bring together the how and why
BehaviorAugust 2, 2019
It’s like an Analogy
Creative communication can help, or hurt, our attempts to bridge the divide between technically or emotionally disparate audiences
BehaviorJuly 22, 2019
Making Things We Know Will Disappear
For those stifled by shades of perfectionism, temporary media can remind us how to create things for the fun of it
BehaviorJuly 3, 2019
The Temptation of the Sorting Hat
Because sometimes tools designed to help us assess performance and potential just don’t
PolicyJune 24, 2019
See More Teams
It’s just so easy to let moments of personal glory overshadow the collaborative marvels that made them possible
ConservationJune 5, 2019
Making the Most of Your Summer Break
Avoid wondering where all of those summer hours went when school starts back up again
CognitionMay 2, 2019
Learning about Critical Thinking from Kitty Claws and Ice Cream Cones
Picture books provide some of our earliest and most concise introductions into how and why we make decisions
EnvironmentMarch 4, 2019
Looking for Nemo
Kids movies shape the way we look at the world long after we leave the theater
BehaviorFebruary 13, 2019
Remembering Why Curiosity Should Be Boundless
Young children provide gentle and chaotic reminders of how to be open to the world around us
BehaviorFebruary 1, 2019
Reading Today's Children's Books as One of Yesterday's Kids
Appreciating the need to balance timeless themes and timely narratives
EngineeringJanuary 21, 2019
Bringing Individual Potential to a Team Opportunity
The Broadcom MASTERS competition gives middle schoolers a chance to step from behind science fair posters and up to a series of hands-on challenges as part of a team
PolicyDecember 26, 2018
Making Connections with the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative
Building a national community of practice
CognitionDecember 5, 2018
3 Cheers for Metacognition
Embracing the ways each of us does—and does not—process information
Space & PhysicsNovember 21, 2018
Grown-Up STEM Programs for the Young at Heart
Because budding scientists come in all shapes and sizes
PolicyNovember 14, 2018
Putting Yourself on a Map
Even the most familiar place can feel new when you get the chance to zoom out or way, way in
BehaviorNovember 7, 2018
Working Hard Even If You Might Lose
Wanting to win can inspire us to do great things, but missing the mark should not blind us to all of our accomplishment along the way
CognitionOctober 24, 2018
Making Creepy Music Give You Goose Bumps
Discordant music and sounds can set up the scare, but what you do (or don’t) see can decide whether it lands
BehaviorOctober 17, 2018
Be Afraid... but Only If You Want to Be
Variations in brain chemistry and what make us feel safe can be the difference between those who enjoy getting scared and those who don’t
The SciencesOctober 10, 2018
Learning on the Back of an Envelope
Simple calculations can help demystify anything from geologic time to family budgets
CognitionOctober 3, 2018
The Danger of Seeing Breaks as a Form of Giving Up
Taking time to step away from a problem may be the cognitive kick you need for a solution