I’m available for virtual and in-person events for kids at schools, libraries, and bookstores. I also love to talk to scientists and other experts about how to improve science communication.
Contact me at kathryn@kathrynhulick.com to arrange an event.
Meet the Author
Any grade level, 30 min to 1 hour
This interactive presentation shares the process behind creating a book like Welcome to the Future (Quarto, 2021). I talk about my career, the research process, interviews, the writing process, and the editorial process. I show examples from my own books. Throughout the entire presentation, I interact with the audience, asking them about what they like to write and how they edit. I also ask them to find the differences between a draft piece of art from my book and the final published illustration.
If time allows, I will spend the end of the presentation discussing thought-provoking questions about the future of technology with the students. These questions include ones like, “do you want a robot that does all your chores?” and “do you want to live forever?” Here are some videos I made about these questions.
Build a Robot
Grades 1 and up, 30 to 45 minute activity with time for Q&A
This interactive activity allows kids to practice design and engineering. We also discuss the ethics of developing technology. How can we design robots that will be helpful and beneficial to humans? The content is based on my nonfiction book, Welcome to the Future (Quarto, 2021).
How to Talk to a Rocket Scientist
Grades 4 and up, 30 to 45 minute activity with time for Q&A
This interactive presentation focuses on the importance of research, and especially primary source interviews. The content is based on the interview series I did for my nonfiction book, Welcome to the Future (Quarto, 2021).
Telling Ghost Stories
Grades 5 and up, 30 to 45 minute presentation with time for Q&A
This interactive presentation encourages critical thinking skills. The content is based on my nonfiction book, Strange but True (Quarto, 2019).
I open with a ghost story and a photo that seems to show a ghost. Then I discuss how a scientist would approach the story, including a brief introduction to the scientific method. I provide alternate explanations for the story that don’t involve the supernatural. Then, I ask participants to get in small groups and share their own strange experiences. Together, they come up with alternate ideas for what happened as well as ways to investigate scientifically.
