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Meet the NOVA Science Studio Team

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Ralph Bouquet — Director of Education and Outreach, NOVARalph Bouquet is the Director of Education and Outreach for NOVA, the PBS science documentary series produced by WGBH in Boston. At NOVA, Ralph’s team supports science educators through the creation of free STEM classroom resources distributed through PBS LearningMedia and engages new audiences for NOVA’s broadcast and digital content through science communication events and outreach campaigns across the country. Before NOVA, Ralph taught high school biology and chemistry in Philadelphia and then worked in ed-tech at a Boston-based startup. Ralph received his B.A. in psychology from Harvard University and studied secondary science methods while completing his M.Ed. at UPenn.
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Tenijah Hamilton — NOVA Science Studio Program Manager, NOVATenijah Hamilton is the Program Manager for the NOVA Science Studio, the first youth facing program from NOVA, the PBS science documentary series produced by WGBH in Boston. Bringing with her a passion for work at the intersection of media and social impact, Tenijah joined the NOVA Education team in 2018 where she executed the Boston pilot of the NOVA Science Studio. Through her work as Program Manager, she aims to to empower the next generation of science communicators by making STEM more accessible for underrepresented youth. Previously she has worked in the public sector in Wellington, New Zealand as well as in New York City at the nonprofit arm of a major international film festival. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications and Film/Media Studies from the University of West Georgia.

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Alex Clark — Digital Video Producer, NOVAAlex Clark is the Digital Video Producer for the NOVA Science Studio and produces original videos for the program and leads video production training for site coordinators and students. Alex is a video journalist, cinematographer, and instructor of documentary filmmaking and he holds a degree in journalism from Columbia University. He has created TV and digital content for PBS, NBC, and NowThis. A lover of all things science, he produced and co-hosted Vox’s Emmy-nominated YouTube series, Glad You Asked.

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Kara Norton — NOVA Education Digital EditorKara is the NOVA Education Digital Editor responsible for producing original content for science educators on NOVA Education’s website and social media channels, as well as providing editorial support for the development of curriculum and workshop series for the NOVA Science Studio. Prior to NOVA, Kara worked as an independent wildlife and environment journalist. She has reported on a range of topics at the intersection of science and social issues including environmental justice for nail salon workers in New York City, the link between the illegal wildlife trade and COVID-19, the next generation of female ocean explorers, as well as a series of in-depth interviews with the organizers of the viral online movement Black Birders Week. Kara holds degrees in journalism and environmental studies from New York University.

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Dr. Brian Southwell — Advisor to the NOVA Science Studio ProgramDr. Brian Southwell is Senior Director of the Science in the Public Sphere Program in the Center for Communication Science at RTI International. He is a social scientist who oversees quantitative and qualitative research to assess risk perceptions, mental models of scientific concepts, and trust in science and scientists. In addition, Dr. Southwell is an Adjunct Professor and Duke-RTI Scholar with Duke University, where he has taught courses in sociology, public policy, and documentary studies. He also is a graduate faculty member (in Media and Journalism) and Adjunct Associate Professor (of Health Behavior) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Southwell’s contributions appear in more than 100 journal articles and chapters and his various books, including Misinformation and Mass Audiences (University of Texas Press) and Social Networks and Popular Understanding of Science and Health (Johns Hopkins University Press), have been focused on public understanding of science. Southwell is host of a public radio show, <a href="http://www.measureradio.net/">The Measure of Everyday Life</a>, for WNCU. He also is an active participant in efforts to address public understanding of science, including frequent talks in venues such as the Aspen Ideas Festival.
The NOVA Science Studio empowers students with the skills to tell engaging stories about science through text journalism and short-form video and creates a platform to amplify the voices of young people who have been traditionally underrepresented in science communication.
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The NOVA Science Studio is a new program aspiring to change the face of STEM by championing young diverse voices in science communication. Credit: Pekic/iStockphoto

The NOVA Science Studio Goes National

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You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: These are unprecedented times. As we’ve faced these new challenges across the globe and together as a nation, we’ve had to adjust to a reality that has meant embracing a new normal. From sourdough starter kits and adventures in online learning to finding a love for the great outdoors while social distancing, staying close to home has not curbed the joy of discovery, but has perhaps instigated the rediscovery of what was already within arms’ reach.
When exploring our own communities and lives, we begin to uncover how science intersects with society in ways that inform our lived experiences. Like when a childhood love of the natural world, spurred on by adventures on your ancestral land, develops into a <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/blackinnature-tropical-paleontology/">career in tropical paleontology</a> and helps to normalize what it means to be #BlackinNature. Or when honoring your community’s Comanche tradition of caring for eagles turns into <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/eagle-repository-conservation-native-american/">running one of only seven tribal-run eagle repositories</a> in the country, aiding wildlife preservation efforts. With a focus on hyperlocal storytelling, the <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/introducing-nova-science-studio/">NOVA Science Studio</a> (NSS) aims to give students the tools to tell their own stories through the science happening right in their own backyard.
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After a <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/science-told-teens-reflecting-pilot-nova-science-studio/">successful pilot run in Boston</a>, the NOVA Science Studio will begin a new cycle, welcoming 30 students to join remotely from across the country. They will be grouped into 5 cohorts, or “sites,” each run virtually by a Site Coordinator. The program uses a hybrid science communication and video production curriculum developed by NOVA staff. This includes a workshop series featuring diverse STEM and SciComm experts and a video tutorial series aimed at increasing tech literacy. The students will work together to produce short science videos on topics of their choosing. Throughout the course of the program, students at the five sites will learn about topics such as scientific misinformation, video production skills, and a wide range of STEM careers, under the guidance of a Site Coordinator and the mentorship of a NOVA producer.
Student applications now open. Read below to find out how to apply for the 2020-2021 cycle of the NOVA Science Studio program.
<h3>NSS Student Applicant Information:</h3>
 · The NOVA Science Studio is open to students over the age of 13. Please note that if you are under 18 years of age, permission from a parent or guardian is required to submit your application· You must reside in the United States or a U.S. territory· You must have regular access to technology with the ability to film video (smartphone, DSLR, iPad, etc.) and a computer (laptop, tablet, desktop computer, etc.)· The program will run from December 2020 to May 2021 and you must commit to attending NSS sessions twice a week for an hour each· Student participants will work in groups of three to complete the final project (a video three to five minutes in length about a science story of your choosing)· NOVA producers will guide and mentor students throughout the program
To apply to be part of the NOVA Science Studio program, students must download and fill out the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/10fFOZZlik8zb-kIYEzCrPCxSt3lsHyw6/view?usp=sharing">NOVA Science Studio Student Application</a> (with parent/guardian if under 18) and submit it to <a href="mailto:novasciencestudio@wgbh.org">novasciencestudio@wgbh.org</a> no later than December 15, 2020.
The application period for students has ended.
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<h3>NSS Site Coordinator Applicant Information:</h3>
 NSS Site Coordinators must be over 18 years old and live in the United States or a U.S. territory and will commit to:
• Participate in the program with a cohort of six students from December 2020 through May 2021• Instruct and support six students via sessions that explore video production techniques, science communication, and storytelling• Attend training sessions run by the NOVA staff before the program launch with students• Lead three sessions a week for an hour each with students in the cohort, with a total time commitment of 12-15 hours a month• Attend check-in sessions with the NOVA Science Studio Program Manager• Support students in their cohort with regular feedback and to help them develop and refine their video projects 
NSS Site Coordinators will receive a $3,000 stipend for their participation and management of the student cohorts.
The application period for the Site Coordinator position has ended.
 Email us at <a href="mailto:novasciencestudio@wgbh.org">novasciencestudio@wgbh.org</a> with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
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This fall, we are excited to take the NOVA Science Studio to the national stage with a virtual launch of our program that will engage students across the country.

Tenijah Hamilton

Articles

Meet the NOVA Science Studio Team

The NOVA Science Studio Goes National

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