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Science Literacy in Iowa

Phil Roeder
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Flickr

Does drinking coffee prevent dementia? Will diet soda give you cancer?  Science and health reporting is often misleading and confusing. Host Ben Kieffer asks journalism professor Julie Andsager and microbiologist Lori Wallrath of the University of Iowa, and Iowa State University Nutrition Extension and Outreach Specialist Sarah Francison how to tell fact from fiction when reading about new scientific studies and health tips.

Also, what is the state of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in Iowa? Jeffery Weld from the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and Gina Schatteman of iExploreSTEM discuss their efforts to make STEM education fun and accessible to young Iowans.

Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River