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Justin J. Shaifer

Justin J. Shaifer

Linkedin Top Voice in Technology, Science TV Show Host & STEM Educator

Biography

“Step aside Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Justin J. Shaifer is the emerging STEM personality we need to hear.” –Forbes

Growing up in a single-parent home on the south side of Chicago, Justin Shaifer spent his days goofing off, acting up and excelling as the class clown. Although secretly fascinated with science, he never had the opportunity to express that excitement—it just wasn’t cool. That was until his mom made him sign a contract at 14 years old promising he would figure out a way to pay for college. Read More >

While searching for scholarships, Shaifer quickly realized there were pools of money around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Education. And he made good on that contract. Shaifer earned scholarships from NASA and NOAA that covered 100% of his tuition and room and board at Hampton University. He graduated with a degree in marine and environmental science, earning the department’s highest GPA while also serving as student body president.

Today, Shaifer is so much more than cool. An entrepreneur, speaker, top voice in technology and STEM advocate, he travels the country as the role model he never had, making STEM dope, he says. Inspired to pay his success forward, Shaifer co-founded the STEM Success Summit, a large-scale conference for diverse STEM students that secured sponsorships from Best Buy and General Motors. He also co-founded Beyond: A gamified platform that helps diverse students learn tech skills while earning prizes from their favorite brands. Shaifer has hosted science TV shows with WGBH, the Travel Channel and Al Roker Entertainment.

Known as “Mr. Fascinate,” Shaifer has made it his life’s work to bring his passion for STEM disciplines to the next generation, especially kids who are typically underrepresented in elite science-based careers. From his viral TEDx talk, "How to Speak Generation Z," to his body of curriculum development work, Shaifer is a leading figure in STEM education and diversity. His energy never fails to get audiences interested in hearing what he has to say. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

Who is Mr. Fascinate

Science Host Reel

Speaking Reel

Host Reel

TEDx: How to Speak “Generation Z”

Why STEM is COOL! (To Me)

Speech Topics

The Importance of Diversity in STEM

In the world of STEM, Justin Shaifer sometimes feels like an anomaly: He’s one of the few African-American men who has worked in these areas. That’s why he’s on a mission to make sure there are many more people of color joining these fields, too. In this inspiring talk, Shaifer shares his journey — from growing up on the south side of Chicago with little access to STEM programs to his achievements today. As the founder of the STEM Success Summit — a large-scale recruiting conference for diverse college students and young professionals — Shaifer provides insights on what it takes to overcome adversity and best practices for diverse groups to stay ahead of the curve.

The Future of Technology

With his unique experience working in television and with industry leaders and leading-edge innovators, Justin Shaifer has been on the frontlines of the future — learning about pioneering technologies, like 3D printing, artificial intelligence, genomics and commercial space flight. In this captivating, forward-thinking talk, “Mr. Fascinate” helps prepare corporate stakeholders on the newest technological breakthroughs and how they can make the most of them, as well as who they need to hire and train to prepare for the future for their companies.

How to Lead Generation Z

In his popular TEDx talk, “How to Speak Generation Z,” Justin “Mr. Fascinate” Shaifer taught audiences how to effectively engage a generation who grew up with iPads and smartphones in their hands. His insights were based on his work as the co-founder of the STEM Success Summit, a large-scale recruiting conference for diverse students and young professionals. Now, Shaifer has taken his experiences a step further — creating a workshop for corporate stakeholders to learn how to hire, recruit, market and retain Gen Z workers — one of the most diverse generations in our history. In this talk, Shaifer shares some of these best practices, so that managers and business owners can understand how to lead the next generation as they enter the workforce.

Why STEM Is Dope

Boring lectures and uninspiring teachers often ruin students’ perceptions of STEM. Justin “Mr. Fascinate” Shaifer changes all that for students. In this keynote, Shaifer shares his own personal story of overcoming adversity — growing up on the south side of Chicago, where STEM was considered anything but cool — to the amazing heights he’s been able to reach in his own career. Students will learn about real-life experiences of modern STEM professionals, and the prospects of STEM scholarship opportunities and careers. It’s a refreshing perspective on STEM from an unconventional voice, who entertains, educates and inspires.

Bring STEM to Class: A Practical Guide for Educators

Most teachers recognize the importance of 21st-century skills for the modern workforce, but few effectively translate them into lesson plans for their students. Based on Justin's professional experience in multiple STEM disciplines and STEM youth development programs, this tech-savvy workshop walks educators through unique lesson plans to engage students in STEM.

Building a Diverse Metaverse

This talk, targeted at corporate practitioners, highlights some of the greatest disruptive innovations happening in Web 3.0 today - NFTs, DAOs, Smart-Contracts, and much more! Shaifer shares why the metaverse and other decentralized technologies are primed for unprecedented inclusivity - and how we can leverage these platforms to create the most equitable technology to date.