The radio program Science Friday, heard on NPR, recently featured a very strange duo. Black Eyed Peas star Will.i.am has partnered with science inventor and educator, Dean Kamen, to highlight the importance of science education programs.
This past Friday, Ira Flatow interviewed what the show called "the odd couple" about their recent partnership and an upcoming television special titled "i.am.FIRST – Science is Rock and Roll" which will air Sunday August 14th.
The Science Friday interview was both entertaining and informative. This episode can be heard from the Science Friday Website, or on NPR.org. My favorite part of the interview was when the host, Ira Flatow, asked Will.i.am what motivated him to lend his celebrity to this project.
FLATOW: Well, what is so motivating for you? We don't often hear musicians and rock stars wanting to help kids out in science.
WILL.I.AM: Well, someone helped me out when I was a kid.
FLATOW: A-ha.
WILL.I.AM: And music saved my life out of the ghetto that I'm from. And, you know, when I saw these kids and what they were doing, I was thinking, uh-oh, here comes another 20 years from now, my ghetto, even though I escaped from it, it's still my ghetto. My ghetto is still going to be a ghetto because I know my ghetto doesn't have this program, and these kids are going to go off, you know, and master at this skill, and they're going to create new devices, and they're going to invent new medical equipment, and people in my ghetto aren't.
And they're going to have to - there's going to be charities and philanthropy. That's not the only way to help ghettos is via philanthropy. The way to truly help ghettos is bring opportunity and jobs and change commerce in that community.
When there is a BMW dealership and not a used car dealership, someone changed that community. When there's a Mercedes dealership and not a second-hand - if there's a Louis Vuitton store and not a second-hand store; if there's a Whole Foods and not a liquor store; if there's a Chase Bank and not a check casher. That's how you - I've got to change my neighborhood.
Dean and Will both expressed a belief that most kids don't have an opportunity to see the opportunities in science and technology.
According to ABC.com:
The Black Eyed Peas front man/entrepreneur/tech wizard, will.i.am pairs up with inventor/FIRST founder Dean Kamen for i.am.FIRST -- Science is Rock and Roll, a groundbreaking, one-hour special promoting education, science and technology. The first of its kind, the special takes an inside, up close look at the 20th Annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship, a worldwide science and robotics K-12 competition that celebrates technology and features live performances by The Black Eyed Peas and Willow Smith, as well as special appearances from a host of high profile celebrities speaking out to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. i.am.FIRST -- Science is Rock and Roll airs SUNDAY, AUGUST 14 (7:00- 8:00 p.m., ET) on The ABC Television Network.
If my car is in motion, NPR is on my car radio. The Science Friday program is usually the one time my children are not conspiring together to escape from the vehicle through any means necessary, at every opportunity.
I will be tuning in to ABC on Sunday evening prepared to behold science greatness, and will be writing about it on Monday, August 15th, 2011.
Science Friday has a facebook page to "like" for more information.
Sources: ABC.com, Science Friday, and NPR.org
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Tracy Lynn Cook is a writer in Gilbert, Arizona. To read more, please visit her blog at www.TLCsThoughts.com, or browse by topic:
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Thanks to Dan Hill, in Arizona, for his topic suggestion.
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