STEAM-powered solutions:

For over two decades Kari Byron has been a strong presence in the world of science, adventure and travel television. She is best known as Discovery Channel’s first and longest running female presenter on its flagship show Mythbusters but has gone on to present and produce shows spanning several networks. Her passion and advocacy for science continues to be showcased as a co-founder of the National STEM Festival in Washington DC., as well as a successful podcaster, author and entrepreneur.

Heidi Gibson is the Manager for the Global Sustainability Series at the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC). Heidi manages a team developing the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research guides, transformative educational materials designed to support youth to discover, understand, and act on global issues within the context of their local communities. Previously as an SSEC research fellow, Heidi helped develop the structure of the guides and aligned them to frameworks from socio-scientific, place-based, participatory action, and civic and global learning research. She is passionate about engaging young people to realize their own power to transform the world. She has a Master of Arts degree in international education from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of William and Mary. Heidi authored the book From Ideas to Actions: Transforming Learning Using Critical Global Issues and her past work includes researching and directing global education programs, serving in the US diplomatic corps, and teaching civics using an experiential approach.

Sophie Shrand is an award-winning TV Host, STEM educator, filmmaker and entrepreneur with degrees in Behavioral Neuroscience and Theatre. Sophie has brought inclusive science comedy to more than 2 million learners worldwide. Sophie is an Obama Presidential Center Featured Changemaker, and sits on the Board of Trustees at National Children’s Museum.

Sophie is the Creator and Host of Science With Sophie, a Telly Award-winning science comedy series for girls and everyone. She is the Host of streaming series Theory of Awesome, and can be seen on digital channels like the Museum of Science and Indeed. As a public STEM educator, Sophie has taught over 25,000 students and hundreds of thousands of families at world-renowned museums. As an actor, Sophie has performed improv, musical theatre, and Shakespeare across the country, including the American Repertory Theater and The Second City.

Sophie’s expertise in equity-centered, cross-generational, educational entertainment has been featured by NPR, Scholastic, Nat Geo Kids, TIME for Kids, Inverse, EdSurge, and The International Academy of Web Television.

Sophie is the Founder and Executive Producer of Cool Jacket Productions, an independent production company that finds joyful solutions to serious problems. Through educational entertainment, CJP’s projects spark curiosity, compassion, and change.

Dr. Arlyne Simon is an inventor, biomedical engineer, and author of the ABBY INVENTS® children’s book series. She works as an AI Systems Architect at Intel Health and Life Sciences. She has been honored as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN® Ambassador, and her life-size statue has been exhibited at the Smithsonian and the MIT Museum. It is currently on display at Vital Voices in Washington DC. Her books, Abby Invents® Unbreakable Crayons and Abby Invents® The Foldibot, introduce K-5 students to inventing and patenting. Both titles have earned recognition from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Purdue University, and named a finalist for the 2022 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Children’s Science Picture Books.

Arlyne’s healthcare innovations include a blood test, syringe designs, and ultrasound imaging advancements. She holds a doctorate degree in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from Georgia Tech.

You can learn more about her work at abbyinvents.com or at arlynesimon.com