How is this program funded?
We are completely donor supported. If you'd like to support Skype a Scientist, please donate on our PATREON, mail a check made out to "Sarah Mack SciComm Inc." (our legal name) to 2433 E Norris St Philadelphia PA 19125 or donate via paypal! Donations are tax deductible!
I am having an issue what do I do?
E-mail Sarah AT [email protected], we'll figure it out!
I was assigned a match but my teacher never contacted me, what do I do?
Check your spam folder. If you have contacted your match 3 times with no response, e-mail [email protected] and you will be put back into the matching pool. Unfortunately we cannot control the responsiveness of teachers.
Should I prepare a lecture for this class?
No, you do not need to prepare a lecture unless you really want to. We want this program to be as easy as possible for scientists to participate in and we also want students to feel that they've been heard. We feel the best way to do that is with a conversation, not a lecture.
My teacher is requesting that I do something I didn’t think I had to do (e.g. Write their lesson plans, do a session a week for 10 weeks, get a background check, teach about something I am clueless about), what do I do?
Gently remind the teacher that Skype a Scientist is intended as an interaction between students and scientists, not as general community service by scientists.
I thought I was only signed up to do 1 session, but my teacher thought I was going to do multiple. I only have time for 1, what do I do?
Tell the teacher that one sign-up form is for 1 session and if they want more sessions than that, all they need to do is fill out more session request forms.
Can I use something other than Skype?
Sure, whatever works for you works for us!
How do you match the scientists and teachers?
We match based on time zone, time availability, scientist type, and URM categories requested by teachers. We do matching once every 2 weeks, so it's possible to get multiple match e-mails in each semester.
We are completely donor supported. If you'd like to support Skype a Scientist, please donate on our PATREON, mail a check made out to "Sarah Mack SciComm Inc." (our legal name) to 2433 E Norris St Philadelphia PA 19125 or donate via paypal! Donations are tax deductible!
I am having an issue what do I do?
E-mail Sarah AT [email protected], we'll figure it out!
I was assigned a match but my teacher never contacted me, what do I do?
Check your spam folder. If you have contacted your match 3 times with no response, e-mail [email protected] and you will be put back into the matching pool. Unfortunately we cannot control the responsiveness of teachers.
Should I prepare a lecture for this class?
No, you do not need to prepare a lecture unless you really want to. We want this program to be as easy as possible for scientists to participate in and we also want students to feel that they've been heard. We feel the best way to do that is with a conversation, not a lecture.
My teacher is requesting that I do something I didn’t think I had to do (e.g. Write their lesson plans, do a session a week for 10 weeks, get a background check, teach about something I am clueless about), what do I do?
Gently remind the teacher that Skype a Scientist is intended as an interaction between students and scientists, not as general community service by scientists.
I thought I was only signed up to do 1 session, but my teacher thought I was going to do multiple. I only have time for 1, what do I do?
Tell the teacher that one sign-up form is for 1 session and if they want more sessions than that, all they need to do is fill out more session request forms.
Can I use something other than Skype?
Sure, whatever works for you works for us!
How do you match the scientists and teachers?
We match based on time zone, time availability, scientist type, and URM categories requested by teachers. We do matching once every 2 weeks, so it's possible to get multiple match e-mails in each semester.