This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
It's always a pleasure to come across a series of videos that deal with a subset of science that is told well, produced well and have a continuity that viewers can expect.
I was paying my "blog calls" to people attending Science Online 2012 and came across Yale's website and found Ainissa Ramirez, a (now former) Associate Professor of Materials Science there. She, along with Yale's broadcasting department, have created a series of videos about material science called Material Marvels. Let's take a look at her video about the insulating effects of the Space Shuttle tiles.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Her work has already been featured here on Sci Am at Graphene: The Pencil Material That Will Revolutionize Our Lives
Dr. Ramirez clearly knows her stuff and has great ideas on how to demonstrate and convey complex topics clearly. Even more impressive is the support given to her by Yale. The videos are produced, filmed and edited by Yale. Now that she is no longer in her lab, Yale is creating a special "Science Studio" that will allow her to film demonstrations that include fire and chemicals, something that a normal studio usually cannot accommodate.
Dr. Ramirez is no stranger to outreach either, she has been coordinating Yale's Science Saturdays, which brings science to the public by inviting families to lectures and demonstrations since 2004. She will also be delivering a TED talk this month, on the schedule right after Bill Nye, who she said is her hero!
Currently, she has five of her seven videos in her series available for viewing. Dr. Ramirez can be found on twitter at @blkgrlphd
Image courtesy of Yale University