“ How do we actually encourage our audiences to have trust in us and to feel comfortable with information that is being presented to them? I think in some ways also that is also why the role of the influencer, can be really important because people aren't just latching onto these personalities to just get information.

They could get information anywhere. There is a connection with a person, even if it's through, you know? The phone or the screen where they're like, oh, I followed this person. I subscribed to this person. I want to hear their perspective on hopefully this factual issue. And so again, it's messy.”

Out Think Influencers is the second podcast series from Out Think Media, where I team up with experts to give you the historical, cultural and emotional context needed to understand kids' media today.

Today’s episode takes a new turn down the road of Science Communications with Kacie Luaders.

In 2011, I was very online and very into new ways to use social platforms creatively, both for narrative and also marketing purposes. That had naturally led me to explore TweetUps in their early incarnations.

But Science Communicators were having a moment. Between the rise of YouTube, the early positive outlook of how YouTube could educate, combined with these micro-blogging platforms to draw new people to your content, I saw a LOT of scientists and science communicators grab their spotlight to shine on their corner of our life cycles. Some of my favorites are doing even better on TikTok and elsewhere, and I link to Out Think approved science influencers in the comments.

Now, in order to be considered for any outreach events at NASA, you need social media credentials (if they even have the programs anymore) and it’s a far cry from when I couldn’t find the guest parking lot at NASA and the Director of Communications met me at the security desk and drove me to the TweetUp herself.

In 2011, enough people at the NASA Communications team knew there was something exciting about showing people behind-the-scenes of a launch with special guests like Bill Nye. Thanks to this TweetUp (and the one I attended at Goldstone that was even cooler), I gained a level of understanding of just how much work goes into these explorations, and did become an ambassador for space to the people who read my work for other reasons–hello there, readers! Here I am, still talking about space in the context of media.

That’s why the work that Kacie Luaders is doing at Civic Science Media Lab to consider creativity in scientific ways and science in an expansive and artistic way is so intriguing to me. So join us as she explains how to be:

• More mindful of what you consume
• More conscious of the messenger
• How to find alternative source to confirm what a science influencer says or not

Join Kacie Luaders and me, Cindy Marie Jenkins, as we Out Think Influencers, a series where I team up with experts to give your family the historical, cultural and emotional context needed to Out Think Media.

Listen until the end to learn how Communicators can also be more mindful and the very first clue to key you into whether this is a reliable source or not.

Show Notes

1. 30 July 2024, “Consider This Next #3: Kacie Luaders talks to Cindy Marie Jenkins about bridging neuroscience and media literacy,” CivicSciTV-Radio,m https://open.spotify.com/episode/2U18wYk7Rwg3ZW57hFZkhK .
2. 9 August 2023, Veciana-Suárez, Ana, “Why is Miami Still Hit Hard by HIV Rates? UHealth Collective, https://news.umiamihealth.org/en/why-is-miami-still-hit-hard-by-hiv-rates/ .
3. 2013, Blackfish, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnSCBNmLuAA .
4.  Eco Womanist Institute Southeast.
5. 23 April 2025, “Can Creative Communities Transform Independent Artists’ Careers?” Could be Pretty Cool New, https://open.spotify.com/episode/1FW27Zhf1GtmAymdyMmM4x .

Want more? Join our Patreon for free or $3/month and hear our Exclusive Extended Minisode here.

Learn more about Out Think Media

Kacie (Willis) Luaders holds a BS in Music Recording Technology from Hampton University and an MFA in Sound Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. She is the Founding Producer of Could Be Pretty Cool, a media company focused on podcast production and sound design. Kacie participated in the 2019 Spotify Sound Up podcasting accelerator program and created the Spotify Original podcast "You Heard Me Write." She has been recognized as one of the '40 Under 40 in Podcasting' by Podcast Magazine. Kacie has also worked as a theatrical sound designer, arts administrator, and speaker for various arts and cultural organizations.

She has been a 2022 Emory Arts and Social Justice Fellow, a 2023 Black Public Media “PitchBlack” Immersive Forum Finalist, a 2023 Google News Initiative participant, and a 2024 Truist Foundation Fellow.

Cindy Marie Jenkins (she/her), Host & Creative Producer. I have written at the intersection of parenting, tech, and pop culture for over ten years, and in the entertainment industry for over twenty.

As a published essayist/journalist in both international and national media, I always want to help families and educators. While Deputy Editor for JingKids Int’l, I discovered how to channel my rabbit hole research skills to help families into practical and emotionally open articles.

That’s why I was excited to launch this venture to help families evaluate content creators on YouTube and have the dialogues needed to understand this new world. We recently premiered an interactive workshop for kids called Taming of the Screens, where we use Shakespeare to teach digital literacy.

Shortly after graduating from NYU, I moved to Los Angeles where I was a Teaching Artist at multiple local nonprofits, such as CTGLA (Center Theatre Group), Safe Moves, the Virginia Avenue Project, Enrichment Works, before building and managing an arts education wing of Antaeus Company and expanding its professional classical Academy.

For 15 years, I’ve run multiple workshops on arts marketing, outreach, and partnerships and was one of the first to pioneer digital marketing for Los Angeles theaters and nonprofits. Noticing that one gap between artists and potential audiences was curation, I produced and hosted review shows for both the emerging web series genre and traditional arts like live theatre.

Now, I'm thrilled to use all of this experience in arts and higher education, theatre for young audiences, kids media literacy, writing, and outreach to present Taming of the Screens in schools, camps, virtually, or with your community organization.

Deborah Lee Smith, Audio Editor

Adam Emperor Southard, Theme Composer (also a fantastic photographer)

Annie Collins, PR & Marketing Manager

Annie Ruby, UI/UX & series logo Designer

Produced by CMJ Communications LLC, DBA OutThink Media

Who do you like to watch? Who should I review next?

Read more: Reviews

If you’d like extended, exclusive, and early interviews with our guests, please join the Patreon here. There is a free tier and it’s where we will build this community to help families.