Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM
We’re Kathy Nelson and Linda LaTourelle — co-hosts of Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM.
Kathy, an electrical engineer, launched the podcast in 2020 to share real, unfiltered stories of women working across STEM disciplines. Now with over 130 episodes, the mission remains the same: to amplify the voices of ordinary women doing extraordinary work in science, technology, engineering, and math.
We’re deeply committed to:
- Normalizing the presence of women in STEM by making their stories visible
- Building community for women who may be the only ones like them in their workplace
- Educating listeners about the wide variety of STEM careers — and what they actually look like
- Empowering growth and retention by addressing the challenges behind the leaky pipeline
From early-career professionals to experienced leaders, our guests share how they got started, how they’ve grown, and what they’ve learned along the way. This podcast is a space where women in STEM can be seen, heard, and supported — because representation isn’t just powerful, it’s essential.
Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM
128. Kalpana Pot - Actor, Writer, Host, and Space Communicator
Kalpana Pot is an actor, writer, host, and space communicator. Renowned for her vibrant online presence, particularly in space science, Kalpana has cultivated a platform with over 200K followers on Instagram and 4.4 million likes on TikTok.
Importantly, she challenges the prevailing narratives about women in STEM, a perspective not often encountered. Furthermore, it's uncommon to find a woman in STEM with a substantial following, but Kalpana leverages her platform to educate people about space. Ultimately, she aims to combat the recent surge in anti-science sentiments by blending storytelling with scientific exploration.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- The challenges she faces in Hollywood as a woman in science.
- How she seamlessly combines her acting career with her passion for science content creation.
- The importance of representation and normalizing women in STEM through mass media.
- The significant role of science communicators in addressing misinformation and conspiracy theories.
- Insights into her recent book, "Spaced Out."
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887
Resources
Book: Spaced Out: A Casual Approach to the Cosmos
Connect with Kalpana Pot on Instagram
Geena Davis Institute: For 20 years, the Geena Davis Institute has been at the forefront of championing equitable representation in media. Our commitment to building a better world extends beyond gender, encompassing the interconnected identities often marginalized in the media. Through our ground-breaking research, we understand the life-changing impact of representation, and have devoted ourselves to pioneering new pathways within entertainment and media.(https://geenadavisinstitute.org)
