NOVA’s Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers Profiles President Klawe

Secret Life of Scientists

Harvey Mudd College President Maria Klawe was featured on the latest episode of PBS’s Emmy-nominated NOVA web series, The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers.

On the March 14 episode, President Klawe describes her path to becoming an accomplished mathematician and computer scientist. She explains how she found common ground between her award-winning scholarly work and her “secret life” as a painter.  She also speaks about her life-long passion to encourage women and underrepresented groups to enter science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

The Secret Life of Scientists provides a playful, humanizing snapshot of innovators who are shaping our world. Each episode features one of today’s leading scientists, and shows what happens when the lab coats come off—like a biologist who is also a professional wrestler or a NASA astronomer who puts on 50 pounds of historical costuming to recreate Renaissance dances.

The series is the brainchild of series executive producer Joshua Seftel, an award-winning filmmaker who has directed films and television projects such as War Inc. starring John Cusack, Marisa Tomei and Ben Kingsley; the Emmy-nominated Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; Taking on the Kennedys (named by Time magazine as “one of the ten best television programs of the year”); and the Peabody Award-winning radio and television series This American Life.

“Today, we know every intimate detail about actors and pop stars,” says Seftel.  “The scientists in the Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers inspire people and are changing our world.  We should know about them, too.”

Secret Life has also featured:

• Famous physicist Michio Kaku, lacing up his ice skates and showing off his slick figure skating skills.
• Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, lighting up Secret Life with his cosmic tie collection.
• Erika Ebbel, a beauty-queen-turned-biochemist, who replaced her lab coat with a tiara and evening gown, and taught audiences how to “gown walk.”

This season’s The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers will feature 16 scientists and engineers by the season’s end.

Follow the Secret Life blog, and join the discussion on Facebook or Twitter @secretlifer.

Media Contact for President Klawe

Judy Augsburger
Director of Public Relations
jaugsburger@hmc.edu
909.607.0713

Media Contact for NOVA

Karen Laverty
NOVA National Promotions
karen_laverty@wgbh.org
617.300.4382