What does it mean to be human?

Last week we had the distinct pleasure to welcome Dr. Briana Pobiner, a paleoanthropologist and science educator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Dr. Pobiner uses this question as an important framework to study the evolutionary past of the human species. During her research, Dr. Pobiner has traveled all over the world to places like Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Indonesia and her studies have been supported by organizations such as the Fulbright-Hays program, the Leakey Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation, Rutgers University, the Society for American Archaeology, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation.

Dr. Pobiner is a very impressive scientist, and we are grateful to the USA Science & Engineering Festival for this fantastic learning opportunity for our students. The ‘Nifty Fifty’, is a group of noted science and engineering professionals who will fan out across the Washington, DC area in the 2019/2020 school year to speak about their work and careers at various middle and high schools. Featuring some of the most inspiring role models in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or STEM, this signature program of the USA Science and Engineering Festival presents students with the latest in green technology, engineering, human health and medicine, astronomy and space exploration, nanotechnology, computer science, and more. #STEMatSLS