MAYIM BIALIK

IS A SCIENCE SUPERHERO

by Melissa Fales

If Mayim Bialik was especially convincing as neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, it’s because she has a PhD in Neuroscience in real life. Bialik also happens to be a huge proponent of getting kids interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and, being a lifelong DC Comics fan, she’s combined these two interests into her latest project, a graphic novel released February 2.

Flash Facts is a collection of stories, curated and edited by Bialik, that use some of the world’s most popular superheroes to engage kids in science lessons. “In Flash Facts, various artists and scientists have come together to explain some of the most incredible things about the natural and supernatural world with our favorite DC characters,” says Bialik. “Everything from understanding the environment to thinking about time travel and virtual reality; these are the facts you want to know!

Flash Facts helps middle grade readers make connections between the STEM lessons they learn in school and their daily lives with superheroes as their guides as they learn about things like forensic science and the polar ice caps. The book includes short stories and artwork contributed by major players in today’s comics scene, such as Dustin Hansen (Microsaurs, My Video Game Ate My Homework), Cecil Castellucci (Batgirl) and Michael Northrop (TombQuest, Dear Justice League). “I’m so excited,” says Bialik, who also wrote the anthology’s foreword and afterword. “As a longtime DC fan and a scientist, this is the perfect project for me to get to be a part of … I grew up reading comic books and I love this process so much—seeing an idea become a visual work of art that has the power to entertain and teach—it’s a dream.”

Teaching is something Bialik knows about. After spending four years in the early 1990s portraying Blossom in her breakout role on the television show of the same name, she left acting for a while to pursue her academic goals. “I left academia to be a stay-at-home mom, which was a big decision, but one I stand by,” she says. “It was the right decision for me and my family. I was teaching junior high and high school neuroscience after getting my degree, which allowed me flexibility to be with my kids. Acting is my main job now but I’m still looking for ways to bring my love of teaching to people.”

For Bialik, the opportunity to play a neuroscientist on TV was one more way to reinforce the importance of STEM and break down barriers for people who have a negative perception of science and scientists in general. “I think the more we talk about all of the ways STEM touches our lives, the more exciting and accessible it will become,” Bialik says. “It was such an honor to play a scientist on TV since I am one in real life, and Big Bang really brought that world to so many living rooms all over the world. The more we can show that scientists are creative, interesting, engaged artists of their own variety, the more we can change those old stereotypes of the lone scientist in the lab.”

It’s crucial, says Bialik, to get kids interested and engaged in STEM now because the jobs of the future will require skill in those areas. “STEM careers are some of the fastest growing in the world,” says Bialik. “The workforce needs individuals with training in STEM, and STEM fields are creative, fun, and a wonderful path for a life of adventure and success!”

Flash Facts isn’t Bialik’s first foray into publishing. She’s written books about parenting and cooking, but she’s best known for her 2017 release, Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular and the companion piece, Boying Up: How to Be Brave, Bold and Brilliant, published the following year. “These books were true labors of love,” says Bialik. “I recommend them for anyone who has a child or used to be one! I used my neuroscience background to talk about the process by which girls become women and boys become men, along with information about psychological development, cultural variations in understanding puberty, and real-life advice about having difficult conversations about the changes that go on during this transition from childhood to adulthood.” 

While fans will surely miss her antics as Amy Farrah Fowler, they can tune in to Bialik’s new show, Call Me Kat. “It’s an American version of the hit BBC series, Miranda,” says Bialik. “I play a woman who is 39 and single and opens a cat cafe where you can hang out with and adopt cats as you sip your coffee or tea. Kat is goofy, awkward, and fun, and I love playing her!” Joining Bialik on the cast for the show are Swoosie Kurtz, Leslie Jordan, Cheyenne Jackson, Kyla Pratt, and Julian Gant.

“STEM careers are some of the fastest growing in the world. The workforce needs individuals with training in STEM, and STEM fields are creative, fun, and a wonderful path for a life of adventure and success!”

Bialik also hosts a podcast called The Bialik Breakdown, designed to debunk common myths and misconceptions about mental health. “During the quarantine, I decided to finally use my platform to start conversations about mental health that went beyond diagnoses and medications, which is what many of us hear about,” she says. “I wanted to talk to experts in mental health and people living with challenges and find out what works for them and what doesn’t. Many of these ‘experts’ happen to be famous friends of mine, but what resonates throughout the episodes is a need for us all to understand the connection between mind and body and a desire to be curious about our mental health as it impacts our relationships and general well-being.” 

Much like The Bialik Breakdown, Flash Facts is especially timely as it’s been released during the pandemic, a time when people are spending more time at home and are looking for new content to listen to and read. This is exactly the kind of book my boys need,” says Bialik. “They’re 12 and 15, and this kind of accessibility to STEM topics is so important right now when kids have more downtime and more independent time. Any reading that is entertaining and educational is a big hit in our house!” 

For more information about Flash Facts, visit dccomics.com/graphic-novels/flash-facts.