Learning to tell powerful stories through science fair
Joseph Stunzi鈥檚 mom had a pacemaker, a medical device to help her heart beat properly. While his dad, an engineer, designed and manufactured cellphones. Fate may have been what led him to the topic of his scientific research, which merged the experiences of both of his parents.
His mother鈥檚 condition led him to research how cell phone use could interfere with her pacemaker or others with similar conditions. The research was conducted at a time when cellular technology was just coming on the scene. 鈥淐ellphones were becoming more advanced than pacemaker shielding technology,鈥� Joseph explained.
鈥淢y whole life, I鈥檝e watched my mom get surgery after surgery,鈥� said Joseph (Intel STS 2008, Intel ISEF 2005-2008, DCYSC 2003). In school he learned about human physiology, such as how the heart pumps blood, but, he didn鈥檛 learn about what happens if a heart doesn鈥檛 work correctly. Through his research and his desire to communicate the science, Joseph was able to grow his own understanding.
His parents encouraged him to enter his research into the 京东影业影视传媒 & the Public’s former (DCYSC). 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I had the potential,鈥� he said.
Not only did Joseph apply, but he also won first place, and went on to participate in Intel ISEF.
鈥淪cience fair is such an integral part of my life story,鈥� Joseph said. 鈥淢y life was research and science until college. And then it transitioned into film because I was a little burnt out, which can happen when you start in a lab at 12.鈥�
Now, Joseph works as a creative technologist and consultant at Locomotive, an agency and production company comprised of Emmy Award-winning filmmakers, social entrepreneurs, and innovators. He applies his communications background to help companies tell impactful stories through film. Proceeding his current job, he was the director and producer of Facebook Stories, now known as Community Voices. He also worked on product design at Google and Apple.
鈥淭he stories that are people-centric are the ones I’m most proud of.鈥� These stories stick out to Joseph because he was born premature with a visual disability, so he knows firsthand the importance of technology and accessibility. One of the stories he helped produce during his time at Facebook was about a blind man named
“Some of the projects I鈥檝e worked on have gone on to win Emmys,” he said. “I鈥檝e been a part of so many cool things.”
Joseph credits the Society鈥檚 science competitions for his communication skills and confidence. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have had the confidence to take a nontraditional path had I not gotten on planes to travel to these competitions,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have learned to communicate had I not gone to every single science competition, at the state level on up,” Joseph said.
