Soar into a world where aviation, chess, and poetry combine! Meet Wayne David Hubbard, a true Renaissance man, and follow his adventure in learning from his first flight in middle school to helping thousands of kids discover a love of STEM. There are also links to books we discuss, including his two volumes of poetry, as well as a special section dedicated to meteorologist Archie Williams. Full show notes and pictures.

[04:02] David's life has a  "choose your own adventure" flair. We learn about the books that influenced his journey as a kid, including  How Things Workby David Macauley and   Hawaiian Computer Mystery. Some other wonderful "choose your own adventure books" that may connect with readers today include:Time Travel Inn (Choose Your Own Adventure)by Bart King andEndlessly Ever After: Pick YOUR Path to Countless Fairy Tale Endingsby Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat.

[07:06] "Choose your own adventure, wow, that is a philosophy in and of itself." Today, David works for the Federal Aviation Administration at the Air Traffic Control Systems Command Center. At [08:23], David discusses the nonlinear path that got him there, including time in the Marine Corps and working in meteorology. 

[11:00] Meteorology took us to Archie Williams, an African American who won a gold medal in the 400-meter dash in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and served as a meteorologist during World War II and the Korean War.  Click throughthe gallery for an overview of the incredible life of Archie Williams. And followartist Mark Fiorefor more. 

[14:22] We learn about David's passion for inspiring kids to dream about and engage in STEM activities through the chess clubs he's founded and the Aviation Career Education camps he's led.  Over the years, thousands of kids have benefitted from his commitment to mentoring and giving back.

[23:36] Poetry, STEM, and the stars. We learn about David's books, including Mobius: Meditations on Home, which addresses the question how do you know when you are home?  Death Throes of the Broken Clockwork Universe will be published by Atmosphere Press in October 2022. "The themes of these poems, many of which are written over about a ten year period, are time, place and love. And also there is quite a bit of science woven into it as well."

[30:11] David shares his three-pronged strategy for success:  look for patterns, ask for help, and fail faster. [32:48] "I learned that failure isn't the end of the world. It's really not the end of anything. And what I mean by failing faster is to close

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