299 - Maya Ajmera on Social Entrepreneurship and the State of Science

<p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style= "font-family: Cambria, serif;">This week, Tom is joined by special guest, Maya Ajmera, the President and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of its award-winning magazine, <em>Science News</em>.</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style= "font-family: Cambria, serif;">In 1993, Maya founded The Global Fund for Children (GFC), a non-profit organization that invests in innovative, community-based organizations working with some of the world’s most vulnerable children and youth. She is also a celebrated children’s book author with more than twenty books under her belt. Recently, Maya was awarded the 2020 Public Service Award by the National Science Foundation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style= "color: #222222;">In this conversation, Tom talks with Maya about social entrepreneurship, why science matters now more than ever, and her extraordinary journey through the world of science and impact. Maya highlights the importance of project-based learning, science fairs, equity in delivering science news,</span> <span style="color: #222222;"><em>and</em></span> <span style= "color: #222222;">providing all learners with the opportunity to become a scientist or engineer, and the Society for Science & the Public’s role in</span> pushing these changes forward.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:10] About today’s episode with Maya Ajmera.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:53] Tom Vander Ark welcomes Maya to the podcast!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[1:00] Maya shares how she first became entranced with the world of science through duckweeds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[3:00] Maya speaks about her experience both attending the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and now being a trustee.</span></p