NPR · WDIY Lehigh Valley Public Radio
Where Teen Curiosity Meets World-Class Science
Teen Scientist is an award-winning NPR podcast hosted by Aryash Shyam — exploring AI, space, climate, math, and the breakthroughs shaping our future, one conversation at a time.
Three-time Excellence in Broadcasting Award winner · 2024 Keystone Media Award
About Teen Scientist
Teen Scientist, hosted by Aryash Shyam on WDIY, Lehigh Valley Public Radio, brings bold ideas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to life from a teenage perspective. Airing the first Thursday of every month from 6:00 to 6:30 PM, the program features conversations with young innovators, researchers, scientists, engineers, educators, and leading STEM experts exploring the discoveries, breakthroughs, and big questions shaping the future.
From artificial intelligence and climate science to space, medicine, math, the brain, technology, and the future of learning, Teen Scientist makes complex ideas accessible, engaging, and relevant for curious listeners of all ages.
Teen Scientist has received three Excellence in Broadcasting Awards from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters in 2021, 2023, and 2024, as well as a 2024 Keystone Media Award from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.
What we do:
- Interviews leading scientists and innovators
- Explores breakthrough discoveries
- Highlights inspiring research
- Encourages young people to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
- Inspires the next generation of scientists
Your Host
Aryash Shyam
Teen Scientist Host · Youth Media
Aryash Shyam is a Lehigh Valley ninth grader, young scientist, STEM communicator, and host of Teen Scientist on WDIY, Lehigh Valley Public Radio. He brings a student's curiosity and a broadcaster's focus to conversations with researchers, innovators, and leading STEM experts, helping students and families understand the science shaping their world. Through Teen Scientist, Aryash explores artificial intelligence, space science, biotechnology, climate innovation, health, mathematics, and student research — making complex ideas clear, human, and relevant.
- 2026 Genes in Space Junior Scientist Award winner
- 2026 PETE&C Technology Student of the Year
- 2025 Pennsylvania State Merit Winner, 3M Young Scientist Challenge
- First place, NASA 2026 AIAA Essay Contest
- Lehigh Valley Science Fair winner
Where to Listen
Tune in on your favorite platform — new episodes air the first Thursday of every month.
Episode 1 · August 6, 2026
Can AI Really Transform Education?
with Dr. Justin Reich · MIT Teaching Systems Lab
It is 10:37 p.m., your essay is due tomorrow, and an AI chatbot is offering you an outline, a thesis, and a sentence smarter than anything you were about to write. Did it just help you learn, or quietly do the thinking for you? On this episode of Teen Scientist, host Aryash Shyam talks with Dr. Justin Reich, Director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab and Associate Professor at MIT, about what happens when generative AI lands in homework, classrooms, and the learning process itself.
Dr. Reich explains why generative AI 'crashed the party' in schools, how students use it as a tutor, a shortcut, or a survival strategy, and why 'is it cheating?' is the wrong question. Drawing on his series The Homework Machine and his book Failure to Disrupt, he and Aryash explore AI's 'jagged frontier,' what past edtech hype can teach us, and how teachers can redesign assignments, so students still do the thinking that real learning requires.
AI · Education · Edtech · MIT · Generative AI
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about tuning in, subscribing, and staying up to date with Teen Scientist.
Who is the host of Teen Scientist?
Teen Scientist is hosted by Aryash Shyam, a young scientist and STEM communicator, on WDIY, Lehigh Valley Public Radio (NPR). You can learn more on his WDIY host page.
When does Teen Scientist air?
Teen Scientist airs live on the first Thursday of every month from 6:00 to 6:30 PM on WDIY, Lehigh Valley Public Radio. New episodes are also available on all major podcast platforms shortly after broadcast.How do I subscribe to Teen Scientist?
You can subscribe on NPR, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Podbean, or Castbox. Search "Teen Scientist" on your preferred app, or use the listening links in the "Where to Listen" section above to go directly to the show.What topics does Teen Scientist cover?
Teen Scientist covers artificial intelligence, climate science, space biology, mathematics, neuroscience, data literacy, media literacy, and more — all from a teenage perspective. Every episode features a conversation with a leading researcher, scientist, engineer, or expert at the frontier of their field.How can I suggest a guest for the show?
Guest suggestions are welcome! Use the contact form on the Connect page to send your idea — include the guest's name, field, and why their work would resonate with a curious teen audience.Are past episodes archived and available to stream?
Yes — all past episodes are available on NPR at https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1057826866/teen-scientist and on all major podcast platforms.