“In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.”- Les Brown. Dr. Schneps has devoted his life to exploring how we learn science. He is a founding member of the Science Education Department at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and has dedicated his ample knowledge and valuable time on science education research programs that are making positive impacts on human lives. He has also founded and is the director of the Laboratory for Visual Learning (LVL) where neurological differences including those associated with autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia and ADHD are researched to understand how they affect science learning. Dr. Schneps also founded the Science Media Group to explore opportunities of using television and computer-based media to educate the public about science. Through his work at the Science Media Group, he helped produce award winning programs such as "A Private Universe", and "Minds of Our Own.” He was awarded the George E. Burch Fellowship in Theoretic Medicine and Affiliated Sciences in 2010 – 2012.

What inspired you to found the Laboratory for Visual Learning? What are some developments coming out of this research that can help people?M: I began the Laboratory for Visual Learning to help understand how differences in people’s brains could alter the way they learn concepts related to science. This work was an outgrowth of earlier investigations we did looking into how cultural differences change how people learn. (This relates to scientific misconceptions, described in our well-known video “A Private Universe.”) We realized that differences in the brain, related to things like dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD could produce other differences in the way people learn, similar to the cultural differences we observed.
Some of the research coming out from the Laboratory show that people with “disabilities” sometimes can have different ways of looking at information, that can lead to advantages in certain areas. For example, many people with dyslexia may have advantages for working with images and photographs, and these advantages could be important in many careers, such as in science. Our research suggests that science related careers are welcoming for people with neurological differences such as dyslexia, because there are so many different ways people can show their strengths in science.

Can you tell us more about your work in educational television media; specifically award-winning programs "A Private Universe", and "Minds of Our Own"? Who can benefit from these programs?M: These videos can be seen on the Internet by searching for them at www.learner.org. These videos show that “naive theories” people form to help understand the world around them can sometimes be incorrect, and very difficult to change through standard education. For example, most people know that when you get closer to a fire or something like a glowing light bulb, you feel more warmth. So, when we ask people "why does it get warmer in the summer time,” they think back to their naïve theory about how getting closer to a fire makes things warmer, and assume that the earth gets warmer in the summer time because it is closer to the sun. This is not the scientific explanation, but it’s an explanation that people hang onto even after they are taught the correct ideas in school. It’s a good thing that people are making theories about the universe around them, as this shows that they are interested and curious, and want to understand. The difficulty comes when science teaching doesn’t take these theories into account, and just tries to force people to change their minds without considering the good thinking they’ve already done. The videos talk about how these ideas interact with teaching.

What challenges did you face during your school days? How did you overcome those challenges?M:  My primary challenge is that I have dyslexia, a difficulty with reading and spelling. This made it very difficult for me to read books, and right complex materials. I was able to get around these challenges by doing work in experimental science, where I could focus on the concepts, and express myself in the laboratory. Later in life, I discovered that I could make videos about my ideas, and so I established a large group that created videos and television programs about science and learning. Most recently I have overcome my challenges by using technology: things like text-to-speech and speech to text, and other computer tools that help me do my work.

You have received plenty of awards and recognition. Which award is closest to you heart and why?M: This is a difficult question to answer. The awards are nice to receive, but they are not the thing you really remember. You remember the impact you’ve had on people, and this is always the greatest reward. Some awards provided money that is help me continue with my research, and these are always welcome, of course. The work I did on A Private Universe is among the work closest to my heart. So, those awards perhaps mean a great deal to me.

Which childhood memories do you cherish the most?M:  Even though my parents are from America, when I was young we moved to Japan, and I grew up in Tokyo. My most cherished childhood memories are of the time I spent in Japan.

>What do you like to do when you are with your family/friends?M:  I enjoy cooking (and eating). There is a science to cooking, and it’s a specialized type of knowledge, and I enjoy thinking about the ways foods are prepared, and then spending time with family and friends producing interesting foods. It reminds me of doing science, but it’s something that everyone can enjoy and share in.

What is your favorite place to visit? What do you like about that place?M:  I enjoy visiting Italy. Partly because I enjoy the cooking, but also because the people are always so sunny, and have a great sense of humor. I also very much like the fact that Italians cherish their artwork, and I enjoy looking at the art everywhere around. But, there are lots of places that I like to visit, so it’s difficult to choose.

What are your other hobbies?M:  I like to ride and repair bicycles. Riding a bicycle and being outside is a lot of fun, and repairing the bicycles is something scientific I can do with my hands, and I find it relaxing.

What tips do you have for those in our community who want to overcome their learning challenges?M:  If possible, try to find some technological solution to help you do things you cannot do. In particular, if you could learn to become good at using computers, there are very few problems you won’t be able to solve. For example, if you have a poor memory, you can use things like Google search to help find answers to questions, or remind you of things you have forgotten. Using computers, you can greatly extend the power of your brain. There is no reason to struggle to do things that machines can do, and so learning to use the machines can really help you in life. (But, if you cannot learn to use computers, then learn to use other people to help you. Whatever you do, don’t struggle by yourself.)

Any special message for our community?M: Follow your bliss. Do the things that you love to do most, and worry less about the things you don’t like to do that you may be bad at doing. If you are doing things you love, you’ll feel motivated to overcome your challenges and succeed. So, it’s important to try lots of things and discover which of these are the things you enjoy doing, and then to focus on those things you love and do well.