Curiosity can be a powerful motivator, especially when it comes to something with the vast appeal – and possibilities – as space.
Neerav Raju knows this only too well.
Captivated by the intrigue of what lies beyond since building a rocket in Grade 5, the now 12-year-old Miltonian finds himself on a seemingly endless adventure of discovery about all things space and STEM related.
Fellow youth – or anyone for that matter – are welcome aboard this voyage via his SpaceQuest STEM Explorers: Curious Neerav’s Podcast.
“I saw this space video in Grade 5 about how the universe is always expanding; I found that really cool,” said the Irma Coulson PS seventh grader, who’s got the script all ready for season four’s first episode and will soon be recording it. “When they started talking about planets and things I found that really interesting, so I started doing my own research.”
With mom Neelima Mangal a seasoned podcaster on women in technology and female empowerment, Neerav had a built-in mentor to help share his newfound passion.
So with plenty of encouragement and some technical guidance, the local lad’s podcast was launched three years ago – with the initial episode centred on his fascination with LEGO.
Neerav would continue experimenting with his podcast through episodes about various celebrations like Diwali, Christmas and Canada Day before narrowing his focus to space and science.
His short segments – just a few minutes each, so as to hold young viewers’ attention – explore a wide variety of topics, with fun facts and discoveries shared along the way.
“It helps me learn while I talk about it,” said Neerav, whose attention to detail means even the slightest error while recording is unacceptable – resulting in numerous takes before an episode airs. “My hope is for more people who are curious, like me, to learn about space.
“Building that rocket was one of my favourite projects and this (podcast) feels like an extension of that.”
With a meticulous nature and never-ending thirst for knowledge, the young podcaster looks towards a future in space engineering.
As for earth-based interests, he keeps busy with a number of volunteer projects – such as being a math program teaching assistant – as well as playing the alto-saxophone and piano and taking part in several different sports.
Click here to learn more about SpaceQuest STEM Explorers.
https://open.spotify.com/show/5nwGDC1AWZj9KzpkTQ74hr