So the 2014 SciFund Challenge Outreach 101 class is in the final dash to the finish! The best part of the class for me has been learning about all of the amazing science outreach programs that class participants are already conducting. Here are just some of the incredible things that scientists in the class are doing.

Getting kids excited about robotics

Juan Pablo Carbajal, a physicist at the University of Gent, runs a nonprofit – Dwengo – that gets kids excited about getting involved in robotics. Dwengo has such an inspiring mission: to give every child the chance to build a robot before the age of 18. Check out their video:

 

They Blinded Me with Science

Nichole Bennett, an ecologist at the University of Texas-Austin, is behind the They Blinded Me with Science radio show. It is an awesome weekly science radio talk show featuring guest researchers and science news. You can find it on 91.7 FM KVRX, if you’re in Austin, Texas. Not in Austin? No worries: Nichole has got you covered. You can listen over the internet. And check out an episode right here:

Because Nichole cannot be limited to just one communication medium, she also runs a free outdoor science lecture series in Austin: Science under the Stars! So, next time you are in Austin, go get some outdoor science.

Squidtoons: incredibly awesome science comics

Garfield Kwan, a marine biologist at the University of California-San Diego, is the artistic genius behind Squidtoons. Seriously, this is the best science comic series I have ever seen. You owe it to yourself to take a look.

Talking about conservation

Nathan Johnson, a marine biologist at Texas A&M at Galveston, is a contributing author for the blog BioDiverse Perspectives. It is a really incisive graduate student-run blog that discusses biodiversity and conservation research.

Talking about teaching science

Mirjam Glessmer, an oceanographer at the Hamburg University of Technology, runs a blog: Adventures in oceanography and teaching. How do we teach oceanography – and science more generally – in an interesting way? That’s what Mirjam deals with in her blog, which is crammed full of tips and techniques for those looking for ways to engage their students.