Science Sound Bites, a Podcast for STEM Curriculum Supplementation

Abstract

First hand accounts of research are a valuable part of students’ understanding and integration of scientific material, yet it is often difficult to access scientists to discuss ongoing research projects. To address this issue, we offer details of a podcast called Science Sound Bites; a tool designed to supplement STEM and biology curricula at the middle and high school grade levels. Roughly 20 minutes in length, each episode consists of a candid interview of a PhD- or MD-level researcher about their current research, while infusing and defining field-specific scientific terminology. Additionally, each Science Sound Bites podcast comes with a short biography of the interviewee and a list of terms that are defined within the episode, which serves to help teachers find relevant podcasts for a given lesson plan. The goal of this podcast is to provide real world applications of science in an attempt to bridge the gap between scientists in the field and students in the classroom.