Public Television : Season 10

About Season 10

In Roadtrip Nation: Season 10, three soul-searching young adults take the Roadtrip of a lifetime to figure out where their lives are going. Hopping aboard Roadtrip Nation's iconic green RV, Jackie, Megan, and Zachariah travel the country to interview influential leaders in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and learn the steps they took to get where they are today. By speaking with individuals who have found success on their own terms, the Roadtrippers are inspired to take the next steps to define their own roads in life.

EPISODES

Episode 1: Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone
A new team of Roadtrippers embarks on a cross-country Roadtrip to interview innovative leaders about their roads in life. Starting their 7-week journey in Southern California, the team interviews Dr. Graeme Rae, the Chief Scientist for Surfline.com.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Graeme Rae
Episode 2: Embracing Change
In Hollywood, the Roadtrippers interview Dr. Valerie Weiss, who abandoned her Ph.D in Biophysics to make films. Later, at Facebook headquarters, the team meets Director of Data Operations Delfina Eberly before embarking on a zipline tour through Redwoods at the Mount Hermon Outdoor Science School.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Valerie Weiss
- Delfina Eberly
- Suzy Clark
Episode 3: The Power of Serendipity
The Roadtrippers interview food scientist Elise Benstein at the Jelly Belly factory before speaking with Nuclear Engineer Deon Clark about his rough childhood in South Side Chicago. Later, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Paul Salopek shares his non-linear life experiences.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Deon Clark
- Elise Benstein
- Paul Salopek
Episode 4: Don't Feel Trapped
At Texas Instruments, the Roadtrippers interview Process Integration Engineer Byron Williams before heading to the ATT Foundry to meet Senior Marketing Manager Tracey Parrish. Later, at the National Space Biomedical Research Center, Deputy Chief Scientist Dorit Donoviel talks about shifting careers.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Dorit Donoviel
- Tracey Parrish
- Byron Williams
Episode 5: No More What If's
In Chicago, the Roadtrippers interview Zach Kaplan, the CEO and Co-Founder of Inventables, a company that connects product developers with novel materials. The team then heads to Chicagoland Skydiving Center to interview skydiving instructor Ward Hessig and do a skydive of their own.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Zach Kaplan
- Ward Hessig
Episode 6: Uncertainty is Opportunity
In New York, the Roadtrippers interview Radiolab radio show host Jad Abumrad, who discusses his unsuccessful attempts at other careers. Jad's story teaches the team that they might not end up where they planned in life, but their ultimate road could be even better than what they expected.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Jad Abumrad
Episode 7: Be Well-Rounded
In New York City, the Roadtrippers interview Mariette DiChristina, Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American. Later, the team meets Vicki Smith, a game designer at Vicarious Visions who forged a path in video games after feeling unfulfilled as an engineer.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Mariette DiChristina
- Vicki Smith
Episode 8: This Is Only The Beginning
The Roadtrippers finish up their cross-country journey in Massachusetts, speaking with MIT Biophysicist Jeremy England, and Juan Enriquez, a life sciences researcher. For their final interview, the team meets Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular biologist and the 3rd Mexican-American woman to earn a Ph.D in science in the U.S.
- Leaders Interviewed :
- Juan Enriquez
- Lydia Villa-Komaroff