Episode 2

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Published on:

26th Nov 2025

Operating at the Intersection of STEM, Creativity and Fun with Nancy Scales Coddington, Multipotentialite

In this first guest episode, I chat with my longtime friend and collaborator, Nancy Scales Coddington. Nancy is a multipassionate, operating at the intersection of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), creativity and fun.

In a wide-ranging conversation, we cover topics including what it means to be a Renaissance Person, responsible science storytelling, refusing to niche down, the fun of blowing things up with liquid nitrogen, where creativity is found in STEM, and combining dance and movement with STEM.

Promised Show Notes Materials (take a drink):

Follow Nancy on Social Media:

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | X | YouTube

A few things Nancy and I discuss:

  • 4:09 Science Storytelling
  • 4:28 Defining "Renaissance Person"
  • 8:02 Where Nancy thrives as a Renaissance Person
  • 9:40 Being anti-niche
  • 12:43 How Nancy connects the dots for STEM curious educators and youth to build STEM identity
  • 15:16 Working in science museums and the fun of blowing things up and making food with liquid nitrogen
  • 16:20 Building science communication skills
  • 20:05 Using emotion in storytelling including responsibly using negative emotions
  • 24:15 Increased distrust of science during the pandemic
  • 25:03 Creativity in "left brain" and "right brain" activities
  • 29:46 Creativity in science and math vs engineering and technology
  • 37:14 Dancing and movement with STEM
  • 40:44 Explaining your complexity without overwhelming the listener
  • 44:53 Improv Game: "You might be a Renaissance Person if..."
  • 47:23 Rapidish Fire Questions

Quotes from the Episode:

  • "When I hear somebody say, stay in your lane, I'm like, oh...that sounds like a challenge. (Nancy) Challenge accepted! (Sara)
  • "Visually, how do you translate the story of the universe into an outfit? You know, not a collection? One outfit... (Nancy) This is not Project Runway folks. This is, you know, one episode. (Sara) Make it work! (Nancy)"
  • "I love weather because I call it the gateway drug to STEM. And I can talk to a 3-year-old and I can talk to a 93-year-old with dementia. And it's that word relevant. It matters in their life." (Sara)
  • "But people, I know this is a spoiler people, normal people don't read white papers. (Nancy) Except for Renaissance nerds who read it for fun like me. (Sara)"
  • "My elevator speech is that I help to bridge science with storytelling. I help the STEM curious to find their STEM identity and space in out-of-school or afterschool spaces." (Nancy)
  • "Where there's gonna be STEM and creativity and fun is where you're gonna find me." (Nancy)

Calling all Renaissance People!

If you’re a Renaissance Person who’d like to join the conversation as a guest on my show, complete this quick form and I’ll get back to you as I’m scheduling recording dates.

Follow me, your host, Sara Kobilka on LinkedIn, where I put most of her social media energy and Facebook.

Stay updated about the Renaissance People Community I am building. This podcast is just one part of a multifaceted project because that’s how Renaissance People roll!

And should you care to support the production of this podcast, I'd love it if you'd buy me an oat milk cappuccino, the caffeinated beverage of my choice.

This podcast is hosted and edited by Sara Kobilka.

Theme music is by Brian Skellenger

Podcast distribution support provided by K.O. Myers of Particular Media

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About the Podcast

Connecting The Dots with The Renaissance People
with Sara Kobilka
This is a podcast for and by Renaissance People (and people who want to cultivate a Renaissance mindset).

Renaissance People are complex people with interests and expertise in a wide variety of realms.

Referred to with many terms (including multipotentialites, generalists, multi-hyphenates, Jack/Jill-of-all-trades, versatilists, and boundary spanners), we reject the singular niche and embrace a bramble of knowledge, both deep and wide.

We have an insatiable love of learning for the sake of learning. We deeply believe that serendipitous opportunities to apply or share that knowledge will arise. We plant seeds of concepts and cross-pollinate ideas everywhere we go because we never know where an idea might blossom or inspire someone else.

We connect the dots and see commonality in unique ways others cannot because of our diverse experiences.

In collaboration with invited guests, host Sara Kobilka (Renaissance Woman) will explore:

- What it means to be a Renaissance Person in the modern world
- How and where we can thrive
- What inspires us

We'll also flex our creative minds with fun challenges. Think of it as part captivating interview, part game show and part improv performance.

This podcast is part of Sara's effort to build a Renaissance People Community which she invites listeners to join at renwomanconsulting.com/renaissance-people-community

About your host

Profile picture for Sara Kobilka

Sara Kobilka

Hi! I'm your host Sara Kobilka. I own Renaissance Woman Consulting LLC and I'm a dedicated lifelong learner.

Warning, my complexity may overwhelm you, but I'm done simplifying myself and suppressing my passion. I am a loud and proud Renaissance Woman!

What's that? A cheeky play on the term "Renaissance Man" (think Leonardo di Vinci who simultaneously excelled in art, science, engineering and more).

I'm a multipotentialite, building a community for other Renaissance People to revel in our multi-dimensionality. Because we all need to find a place of belonging with "our people" and we don't always fit in the box (that's why we're such creative outside-the-box thinkers!)

In this community, I'm creating opportunities to connect, collaborate and span society's artificial boundaries.

My insatiable curiosity has driven my career path in many directions (but connected with a golden thread of learning and sharing).

My passions include:
• Community building
• Education
• Communication
• Outreach and Engagement
• Networking (esp. with LinkedIn) and Collaboration
• Career Coaching

Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, access, accessibility and justice remain at the heart of my work. I spell out each word because they all matter and have different meanings.

I've spent years specializing in science communication in TV/radio, education and the non-profit realm. As a scientist, journalist and educator, I bridge gaps between the scientific community and those who consider themselves to be outside of it.

Visit my LinkedIn profile to learn more because there's never enough space!