Cara Santa Maria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cara Santa Maria
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At New York ComicCon in 2018
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Cara Louise Santa Maria
October 19, 1983 Plano, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation | Science communicator, producer, journalist, podcaster, television host, neuroscientist |
Cara Louise Santa Maria (born October 19, 1983) is an American who helps explain science to everyone. She hosts a podcast called Talk Nerdy. She also co-hosts The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast. Cara was a co-host for the show TechKnow on Al Jazeera America.
Cara Santa Maria started writing for The Huffington Post in March 2010. She became their first science reporter and hosted a web series called Talk Nerdy to Me. This was from October 2011 to April 2013. She also co-hosted Take Part Live with Jacob Soboroff on Pivot TV. In May 2013, she joined The Young Turks as a guest panelist sometimes. She also appeared on the TV show Brain Games.
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Early Life and Education
Cara Santa Maria was born and grew up in Plano, Texas. She is the younger of two daughters. Her parents were a teacher and an engineer. They raised their children in a religious faith. Cara even went to church every day before school for a while. After her parents divorced, she left her church when she was 15 years old. Her family background includes Puerto Rican heritage from her mother's side.
Becoming a Science Communicator
Cara Santa Maria used to be a vocal jazz singer. She even tried out for the second season of American Idol, but she was not chosen. After that, she decided to study psychology. In 2004, she earned a degree in psychology and philosophy from the University of North Texas. She then earned a master's degree in biological science in 2007. Her master's studies focused on how the brain works, which is called neuroscience.
Cara taught biology and psychology to college and high school students in Texas and New York. Her research covered topics like how the brain works, especially in people with vision problems. She was studying for a higher degree in clinical neuropsychology at Queens College, CUNY. She worked there as a teacher and researcher. However, she left after a year to focus on sharing science with the public full-time.
In 2004, Cara won an award for her research on how alcohol affects the brains of people with vision problems. She also helped create computer guides for students with brain issues and vision problems.
Finding a Passion for Science
In a 2013 interview, Cara was asked how she became interested in science. She said that when she was very young, she loved dinosaurs. She even tried to dig for dinosaur bones in her backyard. She thought she would become a paleontologist. But in high school, she avoided science because it seemed hard. She later found out that paleontology involved studying rocks and dirt, which she didn't enjoy.
She ended up studying psychology in college. She realized how interesting the brain and how it affects behavior was. So, she decided to continue her studies. She earned her master's degree in biology, focusing on neuroscience.
As of January 2019, Cara Santa Maria was working towards a higher degree in Clinical Psychology. Her studies focused on Social Justice and Diversity at Fielding Graduate University.
Career in Science Communication
In 2009, Cara Santa Maria moved to Los Angeles to start her career in science communication. Before this, she worked in universities. She helped create and host a TV show pilot called Talk Nerdy to Me for HBO, but it was never shown. Cara has appeared on many TV shows. These include Larry King Live, Geraldo at Large (Fox News), Parker Spitzer, and The Young Turks.
She has also co-hosted Hacking the Planet and The Truth About Twisters on The Weather Channel. She was also a host for TechKnow on Al Jazeera America. She used to host Take Part Live on Pivot (TV channel).
Cara often appears on popular online shows. These include Stan Lee's FanWars, Wil Wheaton's Tabletop, and The Point. She has also been a guest on many podcasts. Some of these are The Nerdist Podcast, Point of Inquiry, and Star Talk. In a 2012 interview, Cara said that her work in science can sometimes cause strong opinions. She tries to write with respect for other people's ideas.
Cara Santa Maria has been interviewed by well-known magazines. These include Scientific American, The Times of London, and Glamour.
Podcasts and Books
In March 2014, Cara Santa Maria started her weekly podcast called Talk Nerdy. New episodes come out every Monday. Guests on the show are usually people who work in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). However, people from new media and pop culture also appear. Topics like politics are also often discussed.
Cara wrote the introduction for a book by activist David Silverman. The book was published in December 2015.
On July 18, 2015, it was announced that Cara Santa Maria would join The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe (SGU) podcast. This happened during a live recording of their 524th episode. She then joined the other SGU members to record her first show as a regular team member.
In July 2015, Cara Santa Maria became a correspondent for "Real Future" on Fusion. In 2016, she hosted online video segments for the TV show America's Greatest Makers. In 2017, Cara was a guest on the Netflix series Bill Nye Saves the World.
Professional Awards
- 2014: Knight Innovation Give Forward Award. This award was given by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It recognized Cara's efforts to make science clearer for many people.
- 2015: 67th Los Angeles Area Emmy Award. This was for a segment about the Natural History Museum's project to label insects.
- 2016: 68th Los Angeles Area Emmy Award. This was for the series SoCal Connected.
- 2016: 66th Annual Golden Mike Award.
- 2017: 69th Los Angeles Area Emmy Award. This was also for the series SoCal Connected.
Personal Life
Cara Santa Maria has been open about her experiences with feeling very sad or down, which is sometimes called major depressive disorder. She has shared that she takes medicine daily to help with this. She also said that talking to a therapist has greatly improved her mental well-being.
See also
In Spanish: Cara Santa Maria para niños
