On this episode of Go! For Launch, hosts Audrey and MacKenzie are joined by two extraordinary high school leaders, Sophia and Michelle, who serve as Chief Science Officers through SciTech Institute’s international CSO program. From organizing STEM fairs to meeting with elected officials, these student changemakers are redefining what youth leadership looks like—and showing how young people can spark real impact in their communities.

Sophia and Michelle share how they each found their way into STEM, what it means to be a Chief Science Officer, and why creating action plans has transformed their perspective on leadership, communication, and possibility. Whether they’re designing healthcare innovations or presenting at national conferences, these two are walking proof that curiosity, initiative, and collaboration can unlock powerful opportunities—at any age.

You’ll also hear how the CSO program prepares students to lead, travel, and advocate for issues that matter, and how Sophia and Michelle are already thinking ahead to futures in biomedical research, AI, and regenerative medicine. If you’re a student (or know one) who’s looking to lead with purpose, this is the episode to press play on.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. What the Chief Science Officers program is—and how to get involved

2. How action plans help students build real-world leadership and technical skills

3. The power of student voice in shaping schools, policy, and community engagement

4. Why exposure to conferences, travel, and networking is critical for young scientists

5. What regenerative medicine and AI in healthcare could mean for the future

Timestamps:

00:00:34 – Meet Sophia and Michelle: future biomedical innovators

00:01:29 – What a Chief Science Officer is—and what they do

00:03:10 – How they each discovered STEM and the CSO program

00:05:45 – How to start a CSO chapter at your school

00:08:11 – What is an “action plan” and why it matters

00:10:11 – Favorite projects and building momentum across schools

00:12:19 – Real-world lessons in leadership and professional growth

00:14:38 – From Florida to Chicago to D.C.: learning to lead on the road

00:16:05 – Talking with elected officials and advocating for STEM

00:17:40 – Reflections on growth and community impact

00:20:19 – Opportunities that emerged because of the CSO program

00:22:35 – Advice for students who want to lead and make a difference

00:25:32 – What’s next: colleges, careers, and continuing the mission

00:31:07 – What excites them most about biotech and healthcare

00:34:17 – Curiosities that keep them up at night—from environmental justice to unknowable science

Helpful Links:

• SciTech Institute’s Chief Science Officers Program – https://scitechinstitute.org/chief-science-officers/

• National STEM Ecosystems – https://stemecosystems.org/

• MIT InvenTeams – https://lemelson.mit.edu/inventeams

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This podcast is produced by volunteers at Accelerator Media, a nonprofit educational media organization. Our work is supported by listeners and viewers like you. If you’d like to help us ignite curiosity and inspire long-term thinking about our shared future, please consider volunteering with us or making a donation: https://acceleratormedia.org/donate/

On this episode of Go! For Launch, science policy fellow Dr. Natasha Dacic joins hosts Audrey and MacKenzie for a compelling look at how scientific research intersects with government decision-making—and how young scientists can help shape the future.

Dr. Dacic shares her journey from a small liberal arts college in Idaho to earning a PhD in environmental science at the University of Michigan, with research stops at NASA and fieldwork deep in the Idaho wilderness along the way. Now serving as a science and technology policy fellow through the AAAS on Capitol Hill, she offers an inside view of how science informs legislation—and why it often doesn’t.

Together, they explore the difference between fellowships and internships, how to communicate science to policymakers, and what it was like to help pass her first piece of legislation recognizing World Migratory Bird Day. This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about using science for public good, bridging policy and research, or just wondering how to make an impact without having it all figured out at once.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. What a science and technology policy fellowship actually is—and what fellows do on Capitol Hill

2. How Natasha navigated an unconventional path from physics and fieldwork to policy and politics

3. Why science often doesn’t drive policy, and how that can (and should) change

4. Practical advice for students and early-career scientists who want to make a difference

5. What it takes to pass a bipartisan piece of legislation—about birds

Timestamps:

00:00:34 – Natasha’s background and introduction to the AAAS fellowship

00:02:09 – Her journey from Idaho to NASA and the University of Michigan

00:08:21 – Discovering the NASA Student Airborne Research Program

00:14:25 – What drew her to science policy: environmental philosophy and beyond

00:16:35 – What science policy really means—and why it’s not all about data

00:20:39 – Why relationships, politics, and timing shape legislation more than science alone

00:26:41 – The role of science communication in influencing policy

00:29:21 – Internships vs. fellowships: what’s the difference?

00:34:17 – Natasha’s two NASA internships and how she landed them

00:36:46 – What it’s really like working in the Senate as a science fellow

00:41:00 – How she helped pass legislation for World Migratory Bird Day

00:46:51 – What’s next after the fellowship—and why it’s a tough time for science jobs

00:48:55 – Advice for young people wanting to use science to change the world

00:54:43 – Do phone calls to Congress matter? (Yes!)

00:55:08 – Natasha’s final reflections and what she’s most curious about today

Helpful Links:

• AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships – https://aaas.org/programs/science-technology-policy-fellowships

• NASA Student Airborne Research Program – https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/early-career-opportunities/student-airborne-research-program/

• U.S. Congressional Research Service – https://usa.gov/agencies/congressional-research-service

• World Migratory Bird Day – https://migratorybirdday.org/

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This podcast is produced by volunteers at Accelerator Media, a nonprofit educational media organization. Our work is supported by listeners and viewers like you. If you’d like to help us ignite curiosity and inspire long-term thinking about our shared future, please consider volunteering with us or making a donation: https://acceleratormedia.org/donate/

On this episode of Go! For Launch, planetary scientist Dr. Mohamed Ramy El-Maarry joins hosts Audrey and MacKenzie to share his incredible journey—from growing up in Egypt dreaming about space and dinosaurs, to working on missions for ESA, NASA, and the UAE Space Agency. Now an associate professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, Dr. El-Maarry is helping lead planetary science education and exploration across the Middle East.

He walks us through his winding path into planetary geology, the serendipity of working on comet 67P with ESA’s Rosetta mission, and the experience of joining NASA’s New Horizons flyby of Arrokoth—one of the most distant objects ever visited. Along the way, we explore the UAE’s ambitious plans for Mars, the Moon, and asteroid missions, and how global collaboration is fueling the next chapter of space science.

This episode is a must-listen for aspiring planetary scientists, space enthusiasts, and anyone wondering how curiosity and courage can shape a world-class career—even when you start far from the world’s biggest space agencies.

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In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How Dr. El-Maarry’s passion for both space and geology led him to planetary science

2. What it’s like to work on missions to Mars, comets, and the Kuiper Belt

3. The UAE’s vision for space exploration and science education

4. Why international collaboration is vital to advancing space technology

5. How an asteroid came to be named after Dr. El-Maarry—and why it matters

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Timestamps:

00:00:34 – Dr. El-Maarry’s early life and educational path

00:05:24 – Discovering planetary geology and defying expectations in Egypt

00:12:07 – Working with NASA and ESA on Mars missions

00:18:14 – Falling in love with comets through ESA’s Rosetta mission

00:25:14 – From Mars to comets: expanding a research focus to icy worlds

00:30:03 – Joining NASA’s New Horizons mission to Arrokoth

00:36:43 – The challenge of reaching Uranus and Neptune

00:37:29 – The UAE’s space exploration program: Hope mission, lunar plans, and asteroid tour

00:45:12 – The role of international collaboration in space research

00:48:23 – Space exploration as a catalyst for education and technology

00:54:11 – Why planetary science constantly evolves—and why that’s exciting

00:57:15 – Tangible innovations born from space research

00:57:46 – How an asteroid got Dr. El-Maarry’s name

01:01:55 – What Dr. El-Maarry is most curious about today: solar system formation and exoplanets

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Helpful Links:

• Dr. Mohamed Ramy El-Maarry – Khalifa University profile https://ku.ac.ae/college-people/mohamed-ramy-el-maarry

• Rosetta Mission Overview – ESA https://esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta_overview

• New Horizons and Arrokoth – NASA https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/kuiper-belt/arrokoth-2014-mu69/

• Emirates Mars Mission – Hope Probe https://emiratesmarsmission.ae/

Follow Accelerator Media:

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https://instagram.com/xcelerator.media/

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—

This podcast is produced by volunteers at Accelerator Media, a nonprofit educational media organization. Our work is supported by listeners and viewers like you. If you’d like to help us ignite curiosity and inspire long-term thinking about our shared future, please consider volunteering with us or making a donation: https://acceleratormedia.org/donate/