Science Unlocked: Empowering incarcerated and system-impacted learners

Fanuel Muindi interviews Anagha Krishnan and Hannah Dada, co-founders of Science Unlocked, a program designed to bring hands-on science education to incarcerated youth in Washington, D.C.

Recognizing that “students in secure facilities had never had the chance to do hands-on science—never looked at cells under a microscope or launched a bottle rocket,” Anagha explains how the program fills a critical gap in STEM education for system-impacted youth. Through monthly demonstrations at the Youth Services Center, Science Unlocked engages students with practical experiments that connect science to their everyday lives.

Hannah reflects on the program’s impact: “It’s so rewarding to see the light bulbs go off when students realize, ‘This is my DNA. This is what makes me who I am?” Their demos, like building speakers using physics concepts, resonate deeply with students, some of whom are aspiring musicians. “We’re not trying to turn every student into a scientist,” Anagha adds, “but science is part of life, no matter what you choose to do.”

Science Unlocked is a past recipient of microgrant funding from Research!America which enabled them to purchase critical supplies for their demos and expand their reach in the early days of the initiative. The co-founders also discuss their vision for scaling Science Unlocked nationwide, partnering with organizations like the Petey Greene Program to ensure sustainability. Looking ahead, they aim to expand to re-entry programs and create pathways for students to pursue their newfound interests post-release.

Learn more about Science Unlocked

Research!America Civic Engagement Microgrant Program

Petey Greene Program

Connect with Anagha

Connect with Hannah

Chapters

0:00 CivicSciTV Intro

0:16 QOTD Intro

0:36 Previously on QOTD

1:20 Meet the Founders

2:10 What is Science Unlocked?

4:30 Filling a Critical Gap

6:25 Hands-On Science

8:45 Misunderstood Goals

11:40 Building Partnerships

14:00 Demos in Action

15:45 Teaching Incarcerated Youth

17:55 Student Engagement

20:00 Measuring Impact

23:00 Long-Term Learning

25:00 Challenges of the Setting

27:08 Finding the Time

31:00 Key Learnings

33:00 Future Opportunities

35:30 Scaling the Program

38:10 The Power of Partnerships

42:10 Tracking Student Outcomes

44:48 Final Reflections

45:40 Rapid Fire Questions

Additional Readings: Anagha Krishnan & Hannah Dada Receive the Building a Better Community Through Service Award

How to cite the conversation: Dada, H., Krishnan, A., and & Muindi, FJ. Science Unlocked: Empowering incarcerated and system-impacted learners. (Video) Civic Science Television. Dec 18, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckK_F_Mgwto

Eileen Tucci

Eileen has a BA in Comparative Literature and Studio Film/Videommaking from Harvard University. She coordinates multiple programs on the CivicSciTV Network, and manages the social media posts, and newsletters.