A Kid's Guide to Being a Scientist--Starting Now! (Part 7 of 7)

Hi! If you already read one of the earlier blog posts in this series, just skip down to the Tip section below. This introduction section is the same for each of the 7 blog posts. 

I was so honored to be interviewed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently, and have an article written about me published on their website. (https://strongly.mda.org/space-anthropologist-keirsten-snover-encourages-others-to-pursue-scientific-passions/) Sometimes people are surprised when they meet me or see pictures of me in articles like that one, because I have multiple disabilities, but I am still a scientist! I have a rare muscle disease that makes it hard to do some things, like walk and breathe. But I can still use a computer, so now I find ways to do science using the internet! 

The MDA asked me during my interview if I had advice for kids who want to explore science and space, and so I would like to share some suggestions here on my blog through a total of 7 tips. You can start being a scientist today, right now, and I will show you how! Since I find ways to use the internet to do science, I would like to share some ways that YOU can use the internet to do science, too! I have included links to several online websites that have great science resources. Of course, these are not the only places that have great science stuff--there are lots of other opportunities out there. These are just a few sites that I know about and I'd like to share with you, so you can have a starting point. So, go start being a scientist right now!

TIP #7 of 7: A special tip to any girls* interested in science and space! 

*If you are a boy, transgender, non-binary, gender fluid, or if your gender identity, expression, and/or behavior is described in different terms, don't worry, this tip IS for you, too! You may see STEM and space resources that are designed "for girls" online and in your community. This is because there are not a lot of women working in STEM and space-related jobs, so special programs have been created to encourage girls to explore these fields in hopes that they will choose a related career in the future. But anyone, no matter what their gender identity or expression, can be inspired by the resources that have been designed "for girls!"

Be sure to check out the Women@NASA website for some great info and resources. Also, don't miss the inspiring websites of two of my favorite role models, Abigail Harrison and Alyssa Carson! Abigail Harrison, AKA "Astronaut Abby," is an 18 year old who wants to be the first astronaut on Mars, and she actually created The Mars Generation organization! Alyssa Carson, AKA "NASA Blueberry," is now in the 10th grade and has been training impressively to be one of the first astronauts on Mars as well! I love following their adventures and learning from these young women, and I hope you will, too. A famous NASA motto is, "Failure is NOT an option." Make NASA's motto, YOUR motto! Let it remind you to keep trying, no matter what. Even if things don't turn out like you planned, or your science experiment doesn't end up how you hoped it would. You will never really fail as long as you never give up! 

Women@NASA: https://women.nasa.gov/

Astronaut Abby: http://astronautabby.com/

NASA Blueberry: http://nasablueberry.com/

(Image Credit: NASA)

A Kid's Guide to Being a Scientist--Starting Now! (Part 6 of 7)

Hi! If you already read one of the earlier blog posts in this series, just skip down to the Tip section below. This introduction section is the same for each of the 7 blog posts. 

I was so honored to be interviewed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently, and have an article written about me published on their website. (https://strongly.mda.org/space-anthropologist-keirsten-snover-encourages-others-to-pursue-scientific-passions/) Sometimes people are surprised when they meet me or see pictures of me in articles like that one, because I have multiple disabilities, but I am still a scientist! I have a rare muscle disease that makes it hard to do some things, like walk and breathe. But I can still use a computer, so now I find ways to do science using the internet! 

The MDA asked me during my interview if I had advice for kids who want to explore science and space, and so I would like to share some suggestions here on my blog through a total of 7 tips. You can start being a scientist today, right now, and I will show you how! Since I find ways to use the internet to do science, I would like to share some ways that YOU can use the internet to do science, too! I have included links to several online websites that have great science resources. Of course, these are not the only places that have great science stuff--there are lots of other opportunities out there. These are just a few sites that I know about and I'd like to share with you, so you can have a starting point. So, go start being a scientist right now!

TIP #6 of 7: Do Science Projects! 

Does your school have an annual science fair? If so, be sure to take part each year! If not, you could be the one to start up the first science fair program! If you are between the ages of 13 and 18, then you can enter the online Google Science Fair held every year starting in February. One of the prizes was to tour Virgin Galactic's Space Port and see their new spaceship! Also, check out NASA's International Space Apps Challenge, a 48-72 hour long hackathon held in April each year, where ordinary citizens try to solve real world problems using data from NASA. You can participate as an individual or a team--lots of kids do it--and you just need wifi! You don't need to be a coder to participate in Space Apps--you just need to be interested in solving problems, and that's what scientists do!

Google Science Fair: https://www.googlesciencefair.com/en/

NASA's International Space Apps Challenge: https://2017.spaceappschallenge.org/

(Image Credit: NASA)

(Image Credit: Google)

A Kid's Guide to Being a Scientist--Starting Now! (Part 5 of 7)

Hi! If you already read one of the earlier blog posts in this series, just skip down to the Tip section below. This introduction section is the same for each of the 7 blog posts. 

I was so honored to be interviewed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently, and have an article written about me published on their website. (https://strongly.mda.org/space-anthropologist-keirsten-snover-encourages-others-to-pursue-scientific-passions/) Sometimes people are surprised when they meet me or see pictures of me in articles like that one, because I have multiple disabilities, but I am still a scientist! I have a rare muscle disease that makes it hard to do some things, like walk and breathe. But I can still use a computer, so now I find ways to do science using the internet! 

The MDA asked me during my interview if I had advice for kids who want to explore science and space, and so I would like to share some suggestions here on my blog through a total of 7 tips. You can start being a scientist today, right now, and I will show you how! Since I find ways to use the internet to do science, I would like to share some ways that YOU can use the internet to do science, too! I have included links to several online websites that have great science resources. Of course, these are not the only places that have great science stuff--there are lots of other opportunities out there. These are just a few sites that I know about and I'd like to share with you, so you can have a starting point. So, go start being a scientist right now!

TIP #5 of 7: Find a mentor! 

If you are in middle school, you can apply for a mentor through the NASA Girls and NASA Boys Virtual Mentoring Program. Girl students in grades 8-12 are eligible to take part in NASA's Aspire 2 Inspire online mentoring program. If you’re a teen with a disability and you want to go to college to study a STEM field, then you can apply for an online mentor through the DO-IT Pals Program. Mentors in the DO-IT Pals Program also have disabilities themselves, and are practicing professionals in a STEM field. Other mentoring programs, both online and face-to-face, may be available in your community. Check with your school, ask local community organizations, or use a search engine to find out. If you are in elementary school, it's not too early to get a mentor! See if there are any mentoring programs in your area for your age group, or see if there is an adult your parent or guardian or teacher knows who likes science! 

NASA Girls & NASA Boys Virtual Mentoring: https://women.nasa.gov/nasagirls/

NASA's Aspire 2 Inspire Mentoring Program: https://women.nasa.gov/a2i/

DO-IT Pals Mentoring Program: http://www.washington.edu/doit/programs/do-it-pals

(Image Credit: NASA)

(Image Credit: DO-IT, University of Washington)

A Kid's Guide to Being a Scientist--Starting Now! (Part 4 of 7)

Hi! If you already read one of the earlier blog posts in this series, just skip down to the Tip section below. This introduction section is the same for each of the 7 blog posts. 

I was so honored to be interviewed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently, and have an article written about me published on their website. (https://strongly.mda.org/space-anthropologist-keirsten-snover-encourages-others-to-pursue-scientific-passions/) Sometimes people are surprised when they meet me or see pictures of me in articles like that one, because I have multiple disabilities, but I am still a scientist! I have a rare muscle disease that makes it hard to do some things, like walk and breathe. But I can still use a computer, so now I find ways to do science using the internet! 

The MDA asked me during my interview if I had advice for kids who want to explore science and space, and so I would like to share some suggestions here on my blog through a total of 7 tips. You can start being a scientist today, right now, and I will show you how! Since I find ways to use the internet to do science, I would like to share some ways that YOU can use the internet to do science, too! I have included links to several online websites that have great science resources. Of course, these are not the only places that have great science stuff--there are lots of other opportunities out there. These are just a few sites that I know about and I'd like to share with you, so you can have a starting point. So, go start being a scientist right now!

TIP #4 of 7: Get involved with local, national, and/or international science organizations! 

The Mars Generation is a great organization for kids interested in space and STEM fields. You can join their Student Space Ambassador Program and The Mars Generation will give you resources to help you share your excitement about space with your community. They even award scholarships to Space Camp! Is there a science club at your school you can join? Is there a science museum in your community that offers memberships or science activities? If you don't find what you are hoping for nearby, start something yourself! You can start your own club at school, or even start an organization online, like a Facebook group. For example, you could start a Rocket Club with help from the National Association of Rocketry. Your club members could learn about the history of rockets, watch videos of rocket launches, and complete all sorts of rocket-related activities from creating simple water bottle rockets to building and launching model rockets!

The Mars Generation: http://themarsgeneration.org/

National Association of Rocketry: http://www.nar.org/

(Image Credit: The Mars Generation)

(Image Credit: National Association of Rocketry)

A Kid's Guide to Being a Scientist--Starting Now! (Part 3 of 7)

Hi! If you already read one of the earlier blog posts in this series, just skip down to the Tip section below. This introduction section is the same for each of the 7 blog posts. 

I was so honored to be interviewed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently, and have an article written about me published on their website. (https://strongly.mda.org/space-anthropologist-keirsten-snover-encourages-others-to-pursue-scientific-passions/) Sometimes people are surprised when they meet me or see pictures of me in articles like that one, because I have multiple disabilities, but I am still a scientist! I have a rare muscle disease that makes it hard to do some things, like walk and breathe. But I can still use a computer, so now I find ways to do science using the internet! 

The MDA asked me during my interview if I had advice for kids who want to explore science and space, and so I would like to share some suggestions here on my blog through a total of 7 tips. You can start being a scientist today, right now, and I will show you how! Since I find ways to use the internet to do science, I would like to share some ways that YOU can use the internet to do science, too! I have included links to several online websites that have great science resources. Of course, these are not the only places that have great science stuff--there are lots of other opportunities out there. These are just a few sites that I know about and I'd like to share with you, so you can have a starting point. So, go start being a scientist right now!

TIP #3 of 7: Explore science! 

If you don't have access to a science lab, there are many places to find virtual science labs online. For example, HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) has several interactive virtual science labs on their website. If you like Space, take a look at the Moon, Mars, and Sky features that Google Earth offers--you can view Moon landing sites, Mars rover models, constellations, and more. Make sure to go on lots of virtual field trips—for instance, Discovery Education has Earth & Space Science virtual field trips! One exciting trip is to Lockheed Martin's Space Operations and Simulations Center to visit their Mars Habitat Module. If you don't have your own telescope, don't worry, because you can look at objects in space using an online telescope through sites like WorldWide Telescope. There are tons of great apps to explore as well. NASA's SSRE (Space Station Research Explorer) app will tell you about all the research scientists are doing on the ISS (International Space Station). You can even take a virtual tour of the ISS through the website of European Space Agency (ESA). YouTube videos are another great source of science stuff--just make sure the source is reliable, like the NASA Education YouTube Channel. Don't miss NASA TV, where you can watch live broadcasts of all the mission launches!

HHMI Virtual Labs: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/explore-virtual-labs

Google Earth: Moon Feature: https://www.google.com/moon/

Google Earth: Mars Feature: https://www.google.com/mars/

Google Earth: Sky Feature: https://www.google.com/sky/

Discovery Education Earth & Space Science Archived Virtual Field Trips: http://www.discoveryeducation.com//Events/virtual-field-trips/explore/by-theme/earth-and-space-science.cfm

WorldWide Telescope: http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/

NASA SSRE App: https://apps.nasa.gov/content/space-station-research-explorer

ESA's Virtual Tour of the ISS: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/International_Space_Station/Highlights/International_Space_Station_panoramic_tour

NASA Education YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9SM7V7J1pAhPabOUST01fw

NASA TV: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public

(Image Credit: Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

(Image Credit: Google Earth)

A Kid's Guide to Being a Scientist--Starting Now! (Part 2 of 7)

Hi! If you already read the Part 1 blog post, just skip down to the Tip section below. This introduction section is the same for each of the 7 blog posts. 

I was so honored to be interviewed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently, and have an article written about me published on their website. (https://strongly.mda.org/space-anthropologist-keirsten-snover-encourages-others-to-pursue-scientific-passions/) Sometimes people are surprised when they meet me or see pictures of me in articles like that one, because I have multiple disabilities, but I am still a scientist! I have a rare muscle disease that makes it hard to do some things, like walk and breathe. But I can still use a computer, so now I find ways to do science using the internet! 

The MDA asked me during my interview if I had advice for kids who want to explore science and space, and so I would like to share some suggestions here on my blog through a total of 7 tips. You can start being a scientist today, right now, and I will show you how! Since I find ways to use the internet to do science, I would like to share some ways that YOU can use the internet to do science, too! I have included links to several online websites that have great science resources. Of course, these are not the only places that have great science stuff--there are lots of other opportunities out there. These are just a few sites that I know about and I'd like to share with you, so you can have a starting point. So, go start being a scientist right now!

TIP #2 of 7: Learn all you can about science! 

Take all the science courses you can in school, including in high school and college. You can even take lots of free courses in many science topics online, starting right now! Some of the most popular websites to find these classes are through the Khan Academy, Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn. Lots of kids sign up for these classes--you don't have to wait until you are in college to study advanced science topics. If you don't meet the minimum age requirement for these programs, a parent or mentor can sign up and you can take the course together. I'm even taking free classes through these websites right now myself--one of my favorite classes is called, "How to Survive on Mars" and it's a lot of fun! Also, be sure to check out the TED Talks website to learn about interesting and inspiring ideas in only about 18 minutes or less! 

Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/

Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/

edX: https://www.edx.org/

FutureLearn: https://www.futurelearn.com/

TED Talks: https://www.ted.com/

(Image Credit: FutureLearn)

(Image Credit: edX)