STEAMTalk Podcasts

Episode 1

 

Guest: Nichole Spencer

Nichole has taught science and mathematics for 8 years at Title-I schools in the Phoenix area, and was recently recognized as the top-ten 2018 Arizona Teachers of the Year for her commitment to excellence in teaching. Nichole has since transitioned to a position with Phoenix College as the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) Coordinator, in which her primary work is to support students and faculty in the STEAM disciplines.
 

Nichole has won many awards for her work on STEAM education. In this two part episode, we discuss the state of STEAM education in Arizona and the country more broadly, what works, what doesn’t and what can change. Importantly, Nichole provides actionable steps for teachers, parents, students, and community members interested in improving STEAM education.

Part 1

 

Part 2

    

Episode 2

 

Guest: Mario Villalobos

Mario Villalobos works at ELEC Chile Group in Santiago, Chile as an Electrical and Civil Engineer working in sustainability. He introduced a new large-scale project throughout Chile in LED lighting with special modifications to optimize efficiency and reduce materials cost. This successful program has expanded to other South American countries. His career has taken him all over the globe, speaking fluent Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and English while inspiring innovation in his area. Mario earned two degrees in Electrical and Civil/Electrical Engineering from the Universidad de Santa Maria and the Universidad de Santiago de Chile respectively. He also received an award for the Improvement of Lighting Efficiency from the Engineering department.

 

Episode 3

 

Guest: Jay Hardin

Jay Hardin is an interdisciplinary artist and college instructor. His body of work includes paintings, drawings, collages, digital media, sound, and performance. The common thread throughout all of his work is that it is process-driven and often utilizes unconventional techniques involving body movement and dance to create his abstract rhythmic forms and sounds. Hardin is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. He received his BFA in painting from the University of Arizona and his Masters in Fine Arts in drawing from Arizona State University. He currently lives and works in Phoenix, Arizona, and teaches drawing at Phoenix College.

In this episode, Jay discusses the path to making a living as an artist, the choices surrounding art degrees and their value, the appeal of collaborative art, and the inspirations and innovations that have shaped his art.