From clever costumed superheroes to persistent little girls, makers come in all shapes and sizes. Host Gillian King-Cargile (@gkingcargile) will highlight new stories that focus on thinking, tinkering, and making. First, she’ll interview Ruth Spiro (@RuthSpiro), author of Made By Maxine and the Baby Loves Science series, about her latest book Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever. The book explores the friendship between two very different makers who want to build, grow, and make the world a little more functional and fabulous.
Then, she’ll interview Varian Johnson (author of The Parker Inheritance) (@varianjohnson) and Darian Johnson (@darianbjohnson). They’re twin brothers with backgrounds in structural engineering and technology and they just collaborated on a Batman comic in the new DC book Flash Facts: Ten Terrific Tales about Science and Technology. The comic anthology shares fun adventures with superheroes exploring everything from 3-D printing to the depths of the ocean to outer space. The comic anthology was edited by Mayim Bialik, who is a real-life PhD and one of the stars of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
The STEM Read podcast is produced in association with WNIJ. Support for the STEM Read podcast comes from NIU STEAM and Northern Illinois University.
- Hear Ruth Spiro’s First Appearance on The STEM Read Podcast
- Baby Loves Science
- Made by Maxine
- What is the Maker Movement?
- NIU STEAM’s Collaborative Innovation Cycle
- Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever
- Meet illustrator Holly Hatam!
- Where’s Waldo? Seriously, haven’t we found him yet?!
- https://youtu.be/hz6JnREkEV4" target="_blank">Regrow your veggies!
Varian Johnson and Darian Johnson
- Flash Facts: Ten Terrific Tales about Science and Technology
- Flash Facts interview with Varian and Darian Johnson
- The Parker Inheritance
- Twins
- Want to try 3D Printing?
- Check out an interview with teacher/maker/librarian Todd Burleson, who’s doing awesome things with his library and makerspace.
- Read the article from Time about Makers assisting in creating critical supplies to fight COVID-19.
- Find designs to 3D print a face mask holder.
- Learn more about NIU’s Future Telling web series.
- Find out about STEM Read’s virtual experiences for schools and libraries. Learn the STEM. Live the book!
