Think Bill Nye, but a lady.
It’s time we gave girls a female science role model in mainstream science media.
Hi, I’m Sophie. I am a science educator, actor, comedian, and general goofball. I hold degrees in Behavioral Neuroscience and Theatre, and have spent about half of my life blending the two fields. I’ve worked in research labs, clinical research hospitals, autism spectrum integrated classrooms, and some of the best science museums in the country (looking at you, Museum of Science, Boston, and Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago). As a performer, I’ve played on stages and screens in Chicago and Boston, including the Second City Training Center’s Musical House Ensemble.
Now I’ve combined these fields to create Science with Sophie, a science comedy show for girls.
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Working in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), there’s a clear problem: We don’t have enough women. The National Science Foundation reports that women make up only 30% of STEM professionals in the United States.
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Not only is this true in the lab, the hospital, or the science museum, it’s reflected in the media we watch every day. I’ve noticed it since I was a child, and it hasn’t changed. If I notice it, other women and girls notice too.
When I was growing up, I had some really stellar children’s programming to enjoy and learn from. The problem: the hosts of these science shows were all men. The closest thing I had to a female role model in science was Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, and she was a cartoon.
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It’s been more than two decades since the wonderful show Bill Nye the Science Guy first aired. In over twenty years of stellar educational television, we have yet to see a strong female science role model with substantial reach. Together, we can change that.
Science with Sophie is my solution to this serious problem. It’s a fun, fast-paced, upbeat science show that uses comedy and a female host to inspire girls to do science every day.
A little more about the show
Sophie Science hosts the series. She is bright, fun, and ready for anything. The audience will join her on adventures around the city, showing girls that there is science all around them; whether they’re on a street, in a park, at home, or on a bus, science is everywhere! Together, Sophie and the girls watching do experiments that use materials found around the house, so anyone and everyone can try something new. Episodes include experiments, recurring segments, different genres, songs, behind-the-scenes peeks at cool science jobs, and more!
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Along the way, we meet Sophie’s wacky cast of characters: a super-buff water molecule, a skeptical microscope, a loving Mother Earth, and a rapping brain, to name a few. The whole gang will encourage girls that they can be anything they want to be.
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Sophie Science also interviews experts in all kinds of surprising science careers. The show highlights how diverse STEM careers can be: the jobs, and the incredible women doing them. Science with Sophie also features field-report-style interviews with kids about all kinds of science topics. It’s a fast-paced, fun-filled, joyful exploration of the world around us, with every discovery leading to a new question, a new idea, and a new episode.
The Creative Team
The all-female writing team is comprised of scientists, educators, child development specialists, and comedians. The team spans Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Alaska.
We have a talented crew ready to go: a production company, musicians, sets, designers and more. Now we need YOU!
Funding the Fun
Our immediate goal is to raise enough money to get this series off the ground. One year of funding will support the show’s pilot season and help get Science With Sophie in front of girls across the country.
Here are some of the things we need money for:
- Equipment rentals
- Locations and sets
- Transportation
- Travel costs to interview STEM experts
- Lighting
- Sound
- Props and wardrobe
- Insurance and legal
- Pre-production
- Actually filming the episodes
- Stipends for the writing team and crew - it’s important to pay artists for their work!
- Food for hungry staff during 12-hour shoots
- Post-production
But the show is just the beginning. With enough support, Science with Sophie can expand to curriculum development, after-school programs, online resources, and so much more.
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“When can I see the show?”
Early 2017! Stay tuned for channel/internet release updates.
Material Science (...the perks)
We're excited about all the perks offered, but I want to call out a few:
Want a personalized science song, or an answer to a science question you’ve always had? Get them made-to-order by Sophie Science! I, Sophie, will write you (or a kid you know) a mini song about a science topic of your choice, or make a customized video just for you.
I work at the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere: the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. You and five guests can explore the over 14 acres of exhibits and get a behind-the-scenes tour with Sophie Science.
Science with Sophie is all about showcasing amazing women. We commissioned a campaign-exclusive poster from registered nurse and artist Bridget Maley. The poster features a quote from the show and looks stunning on any wall.
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Even More Evidence
Educational television has the power to create memories, foster relationships, inspire, and set examples for millions of people across the globe. I want to use that scope to show girls people who look and sound like them, and ignite their internal fire to become the future female scientists we need.
Girls are naturally curious, inquisitive, brave, and thoughtful. Science With Sophie is designed to remind them that they are all of those things, even when they might hear otherwise. Girls are everything they need to be, and they are scientists.
Exposure to scientific thought and engineering practices can help girls be more responsible and productive global citizens, no matter what career path they choose. How would the world be different if politicians solved problems like engineers? How would society change if businesses thought like scientists? How would a girl be inspired if she saw a smart, strong, fun woman doing science on TV?
Let's Make It Happen
The time is now, the place is here, the support is you. Every donation helps make Science with Sophie a reality. Let’s give today’s girls a platform to flourish as tomorrow’s scientists, engineers, and world changers.
Check out the perks to find the one that’s right for you. If you aren’t able to contribute dollars, you can help tremendously by sharing this page with your own network! Spread the word on Facebook, Instagram, email, with actual face-to-face conversations, through sidewalk chalk… feel free to get creative, scientist. Thank you!