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NASA Spotlites videos are short (90-120 second) student-produced videos designed to address science misconceptions. The videos are used within classroom-ready 5E lessons that utilize interactive technologies. Lessons foster conceptual change and deeper understanding of scientific vocabulary.

Subject Matter Experts as Educators

Subject Matter Experts as Educators (SME2) videos are produced by students through digital media classes. Students edit raw footage from interviews with NASA engineers and scientists to create SME2 videos, providing an insider's view of STEM careers. These videos are designed to bring the experts into the classroom.

Play video - NASA SME<sup>2</sup>: Why Did You Become a Scientist?

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Interactive Lesson: Subject Matter Experts as Educators

NASA SME2: Why Did You Become a Scientist?

Join Martha Boyer, a scientist with the Space Telescope Science Institution, talking about why and how she chose her career path.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.

Related Subject Matter Experts as Educators Videos

NASA SME2: How Can Women Be Successful in a STEM Career?
Join Jessica Taylor, atmospheric scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, as she explains how she encourages women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: What is the Best Part of Being a Scientist?
Join Michelle Thaller, Deputy Director of Science Communication at NASA Headquarters, as she explains her favorite parts of being a scientist (learning, discovering, and exploring the unknown!).
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: How Far Can We See Past Earth's Atmosphere?
Join Begona Vila, an Instrumental Systems Engineer for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as she explains how far scientists can see past Earth's atmosphere using tools like the JWST. Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: Is There Pressure in Outer Space?
Join Stefanie Milam, Deputy Project Scientist on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, as she explains how pressure works in outer space.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: Why Do Scientists Use Models?
Join Jessica Taylor, atmospheric scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, as she explains how scientists and engineers use physical, computer-generated, and mathematical models to visualize data and understand our world.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: How Do You Study Stars?
Join Michelle Thaller, Deputy Director of Science Communication at NASA Headquarters, as she explains how astronomers study stars, and what tools they use to make discoveries.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: How Do You Become an Astrophysicist?
Join Martha Boyer, a scientist with the Space Telescope Science Institution, as she explains how she became an astrophysicist, and how others can do the same.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: How Does the Composition of a Comet Tell Us Our History?
Join Stefanie Milam, Deputy Project Scientist on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, explaining what comets are and how NASA studies them to learn about the formation of our universe.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.
NASA SME2: What are Bioindicators?
Join Jessica Taylor at the Virginia Living Museum as she explains bioindicators.
Produced by Newport News Public Schools in Newport News, Virginia.