April 13, 2026

Episode 7: State Tournament Preview

Lights, Camera, Science! 🎬 The 2026 State Tournament Preview. This week on The STEM Yard, host Alonzo Alexander sits down with NCSO Director Lisa Giacomelli and Science House Executive Director Jason Painter to preview the 2026 NC Science Olympiad State Tournament. Whether you’re a rookie or a veteran, this episode is your “director’s cut” for navigating the big weekend at NC State University on April 17–18, 2026.

March 30, 2026

Episode 6: Rodolphe Barrangou

Get ready for an inside look at the frontier of biotechnology with Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou, a CRISPR pioneer and Distinguished Professor at NC State University. In this episode, Dr. Barrangou pulls back the curtain on his journey from student to the National Academy of Sciences, sharing why failure is actually a scientist’s greatest asset and why he is so optimistic about the future of STEM.

March 23, 2026

Episode 5: Circuit Lab

In this episode of The STEM Yard, host Alonzo Alexander welcomes back Everett Brostedt, an NCSO undergraduate assistant and the dedicated Event Leader for the Circuit Lab competition. Everett provides essential event information and resources to help teams prepare for both the test and hands-on portions of the event. Beyond the competition, Everett shares what inspired him to become an Electrical Engineering major and reflects on the importance of exploring diverse interests before committing to a field of study. His transition from a former NC Science Olympiad competitor to a student leader offers valuable perspective for anyone navigating the path from high school to a STEM career.

March 09, 2026

Episode 4: Water Quality

Go behind the scenes with the NCSO undergraduate student staff, a dynamic group of former Science Olympiad competitors who turned their love of STEM into leadership, mentorship, and service. In this episode, Max Thai, John Palmer, Benjamin Bates, Everett Brostedt, and Azlyn Raja share their personal Science Olympiad journeys, favorite competition memories, and the experiences that shaped who they are today.

February 25, 2026

Episode 3: NCSO Q&A

Go behind the scenes with the NCSO undergraduate student staff, a dynamic group of former Science Olympiad competitors who turned their love of STEM into leadership, mentorship, and service. In this episode, Max Thai, John Palmer, Benjamin Bates, Everett Brostedt, and Azlyn Raja share their personal Science Olympiad journeys, favorite competition memories, and the experiences that shaped who they are today.

February 11, 2026

Episode 2: NCSO Student Staff

Go behind the scenes with the NCSO undergraduate student staff, a dynamic group of former Science Olympiad competitors who turned their love of STEM into leadership, mentorship, and service. In this episode, Max Thai, John Palmer, Benjamin Bates, Everett Brostedt, and Azlyn Raja share their personal Science Olympiad journeys, favorite competition memories, and the experiences that shaped who they are today.

January 26, 2026

Episode 1: Rodney Smith

Principal Rodney Smith of Alston Ridge Middle School shares why the Science Olympiad matters, offering a school leader’s perspective on how NCSO builds teamwork, problem-solving skills, and a strong culture of STEM learning.

June 17, 2025

Episode 10: 2025 SONT Part 2

Part two of The STEM Yard’s special coverage is here! Join us LIVE from the 2025 National Science Olympiad Tournament at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln! This episode features interviews with North Carolina teams sharing their Nationals experiences, competition strategies, celebration plans, and advice for future participants. Highlights include a special segment with the Division B National Champions. Don’t miss this exciting glimpse behind the scenes of Nationals 2025!

June 10, 2025

Episode 9: 2025 SONT Part 1

In part one of our Nationals Series, host Alonzo Alexander sits down with Sue Ellen Pegg, College Relations Director at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Maiya Yu, Science Olympiad Board member. 🎧 Tune in for behind-the-scenes insights, inspiration, and the start of our journey through Nationals 2025!

May 09, 2025

Episode 8: Live from States

Ready for some science shenanigans? This week on the STEM Yard, we’re LIVE from the NC Science Olympiad State Tournament!  Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at these young scientists as they tackle challenges that’ll make you question your own school projects. Don’t miss out on the fun—tune in, laugh with us, and let’s nerd out together!

April 07, 2025

Episode 7: States Preview

The State Tournament is just around the corner, and we’re here with the NCSO crew! Join us for our latest episode where Lisa, Jayne, and Jason break will be chatting about the upcoming tournament on April 25th and 26th—because who doesn’t love some STEM-tastic shenanigans? The team discusses the bungee drop event, home bases, the theme for this year and so much more. So grab your lab goggles and tune in! Because if STEM were a sport, this would be the Super Bowl! Host Alonzo Alexander dives into Emily’s journey from Science Olympiad to soaring through the skies. ✨ Curious how she went from science experiments to mastering flight? Spoiler: No capes were involved!

March 24, 2025

Episode 6: Emily Torkelson

In this episode of the STEM yard we’ve got Emily Torkelson joining us—not just your average Configuration Design Engineer at Aurora Flight Sciences, but also a former Science Olympiad competitor and world champion flyer! 🏆✈️ Host Alonzo Alexander dives into Emily’s journey from Science Olympiad to soaring through the skies. ✨ Curious how she went from science experiments to mastering flight? Spoiler: No capes were involved!