![]() Santa Maria wrote the foreword of atheism activist David Silverman's book, Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World, published in December 2015. Additionally, atheism and politics are popular topics of conversation. New episodes premiere every Monday and guests typically revolve around those involved in STEM fields, however individuals with careers oriented in new media and pop culture also make appearances. In March 2014, Santa Maria debuted her weekly podcast entitled Talk Nerdy. Santa Maria has been interviewed by Scientific American, The Times of London, Columbia Journalism Review, and Glamour. Speaking with Chris Mooney on Point of Inquiry in 2012, Santa Maria recognized that her work on behalf of science can sometimes be polarizing, and said that she tries “to write with a lot of respect and reverence for people’s ideas.” She has also guested on multiple podcasts, such as The Nerdist Podcast, Point of Inquiry, Star Talk and the Joe Rogan Experience. She makes regular appearances on popular YouTube programs, such as Stan Lee's FanWars, Wil Wheaton's Tabletop, and The Point. ![]() She is a former host of Take Part Live on the Pivot (TV channel). Santa Maria has co-hosted Hacking the Planet and The Truth About Twisters on The Weather Channel, as well as TechKnow on Al Jazeera America. Santa Maria has appeared on various programs including Larry King Live, Geraldo at Large, Parker Spitzer, Studio 11, The Young Turks, Attack of the Show!, The War Room with Jennifer Granholm, LatiNation, The Nerdist, and SoCal Connected. She co-produced and hosted a pilot entitled Talk Nerdy to Me for HBO, but it never went to air. In 2009, Santa Maria moved to the Los Angeles area to begin a career in science communication, after previously having worked in academia. In the clinical neuropsychological setting, she assisted in development and research of computer adapted guides for educational management of students with both neuropsychological dysfunction and visual impairment. Santa Maria received the Texas Psychological Association and Texas Psychology Foundation's Alexander Psychobiology/Psychophysiology Award for her contributions in undergraduate research concerning neuropsychological deficits among individuals with alcohol dependence or abuse in a visually impaired/blind population. Santa Maria then enrolled in a doctoral program studying clinical neuropsychology at Queens College, City University of New York, where she worked as an adjunct professor and laboratory researcher, but withdrew after a year of coursework to pursue science communication full-time. There, she also taught biology laboratory courses and performed neuronal cell culture duties and electrophysiology research at the Center for Network Neuroscience. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy from the University of North Texas in 2004, before graduating with her Master of Science in biological science with a concentration in neuroscience from her alma mater in 2007. Santa Maria originally entered college with the intention of studying vocal performance and jazz studies she auditioned for the second season of American Idol but ultimately did not receive a ticket to Hollywood. In addition, she qualified as an International Baccalaureate student and participated in academic competitions. During her high school career, she was involved in choir where she was a member of the group Sound Invention, as well as cheerleading, being promoted to captain by her teammates during one season. In 2001, Santa Maria graduated from Plano East Senior High School having accumulated a year of college credit. In her youth, she was also involved in gymnastics. Santa Maria worked various jobs as a teenager, including being employed at a head shop, a bakery, CiCi's Pizza, as well as in retail. Her ancestry is English, Puerto Rican and Italian. Through her father's remarriage, she has adoptive twin stepsisters, in addition to three half-brothers, who were also adopted. ![]() Years after her parents divorced, Santa Maria left the LDS church at 15 and came out as an atheist. Her parents, a school teacher and an engineer, both came from Catholic families and converted to Mormonism together as adults, raising their children in the religion, and for a while she attended church daily before classes. Santa Maria was born and raised in Plano, Texas, the younger of two daughters.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |