Bristol Harris
“Hi. I am eager to pass on my love for a STEM career to following generations and their parents/teachers. I have years of experience using simple everyday science to launch complex rockets to the moon! My experience at the Kennedy Space Center spans across Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs. My fingerprints are on the moon!
As Sr. Research Engineer at Space Exploration For All, I am very knowledgeable of the latest space exploration efforts by all space-faring nations and ground telescope observatories. Recently, I have led Middle School and High School Astronomy clubs and have consulted with students, parents, and teachers on Science Fair projects.
My STEM Chats are multimedia presentations with familiar every day props as appropriate. Audience participation is encouraged, so chats are never boring! Chats are customized for audiences of all ages – youth or adults – and all sizes. Please click here so we may schedule a “chat” for your group, class, or business.”
Here are brief summaries of three chat presentations –
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Rocket Science Chat Presentation
– Simple Science in Complex Rockets
Summary:
Are there really such people as “Rocket Scientists,” or are they really just engineers?” I believe that I am a Rocket Scientist, and I believe that average or above student can be one today also. Hopefully, at the end of this chat, most of the audience will agree. A rocket scientist’s work is to understand the science that impacts the complicated designs of a large rocket intended for sending large spacecrafts to other space objects – moon, planets and beyond.
As I worked on the world’s largest operational rocket, Saturn V, we rocket scientists encountered simple science that we gave simple names – the pogo effect, the pipe-organ effect, and the backward “S” geometry issues. We tested the “Q-Ball” with a tube and compressed air tank. There was nothing complicated about that science!
The most complicated science was from the science of biology. That issue dealt with how do you catch a cockroach loose in the Lunar Module without damaging critical equipment? That led to another question: “What is a cockroach’s favorite food?”
This and many other simple science issues resulted in 6 successful moon landings! Please click here so we may schedule this “chat” for your group, class, or business.
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Telephone and Space Exploration Chat Presentation
– Scientific Discoveries in a Culture
Summary:
Scientific discoveries do not exist in isolation; the discoveries are made in a culture that will greatly influence the speed and benefits of the adaptation of the discoveries. The classic examples of this truth is the discovery that the earth is not flat and the earth orbits around the sun.
But there are more recent impressive examples of culture impacts on scientific discoveries – the telephone and moon landings. The usual culture arguments are “What good is that discovery anyway?” and “It is a waste of time and money!” Those statements are usually brought up in any discussion about moon exploration, but few people know that the same arguments also were made against the telephone!
Why would anyone argue against such a great communication breakthrough? It was culture! This and many more interesting facts are presented that will help students select a STEM career at this time in their culture. One final thought that is sure to invoke a lot of discussion is “What are your thoughts about a one-way human mission to Mars without any capability to return to Earth?”
Please click here so we may schedule this “chat” for your group, class, or business.
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STEM is Hardly Fun, or
STEM is Hard and Fun Chat Presentation
– It’s All About Attitude!
Summary:
Science is all around us, and we deal with it every day. If we boil water to cook an egg, or to make tea, then we are involved in science! If we boil that water in Denver, Colorado, or if we boil it at New York city, there will be a difference. We as “scientists” most know about this difference and take actions to solve the scientific issues involved.
Many students may have the attitude that they cannot learn science, or techie stuff, or math. If they keep that attitude, they will be right! Most STEM knowledge can be broken down into simple information that may be easily learned while having fun. All a student needs is an attitude change to “I REALLY can do this!”
This chat will show students and parents/teachers that STEM does require effort, but is interesting; that average and above students will find a STEM career easily reachable with the right attitude, which is also known as the “right stuff!” It is the attitude that says, “Failure is not an option.”
Please click here so we may schedule this “chat” for your group, class, or business.