S2 E10: On the stellar success of our public school alumna featuring @astrokirsten

What happens when a great science teacher meets a curious mind? Proud Wiradjuri woman, astrophysicist and TikTok superstar, Dr Kirsten Banks, joins us on the Teach NSW Podcast, to reflect on the impact of her public school experience.It all began with a Year 10 excursion to see a Hubble Space Telescope documentary, sparking a passion for science that set the trajectory of her career in astrophysics.With meteoric success on social media as @astrokirsten, Dr Kirsten’s mission as a passionate science communicator is to make the wonders of the universe engaging for everyone.In this episode, Dr Kirsten shares how a dedicated high school teacher fostered her curiosity for science, offers a glimpse into the day and night in the life of an astrophysicist, and answers some hard-hitting space questions. Are aliens real? And what exactly is ‘spectroscopic disambiguation’?Whether you’re interested in a heartfelt tribute to the power of public education, or simply science-curious, we hope you enjoy this stellar episode.We acknowledge that this episode of the Teach NSW Podcast was recorded on the homelands of the Darug people. We pay respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples listening to the Teach NSW Podcast today. Connect with usIf you would like to provide feedback or suggestions for future episodes, please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get in touch with the Teach NSW Podcast team. Follow the Teach NSW team on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be the first to know when new episodes are released.Resources and useful links:Teach NSW - become a teacher in a NSW public school and find out how a career in teaching can open doors for you.Thinking Skills - discover learning activities and resources, including templates for implementing the ‘5 Whys’ technique in your classroom. Dr Kirsten Banks - learn more about Dr Kirsten’s story via her website and view her Instagram, YouTube and TikTok channels to access engaging science content to use in your classrooms.