The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers





  
      <section class="entry-content instapaper_body clearfix" itemprop="articleBody">
 <div class="add-container clearfix" id="add-block-placer">
 </div>
 <p>
  “Dare to think the unthinkable.”
 </p>
 <h4>
  Science:
 </h4>
 <p>
  Stephon Alexander is a theoretical physicist who thinks about the connection between big things and small things.
 </p>
 <h4>
  Secret:
 </h4>
 <p>
  Stephon is a jazz saxophonist who loves to improvise music and ponder the physics of emotion.
 </p>
 <h2>
  A Real-Life Superhero
 </h2>
</section>
  

  
      

<div class='cove-video'>
  <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="inline-cove-player" frameborder="0" height="100%" id="partnerPlayer" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//player.pbs.org/partnerplayer/4VIt6rSnh2vrMgsbhwTgGw==/?topbar=false&amp;end=0&amp;endscreen=true&amp;start=0&amp;autoplay=false" width="100%">
</iframe>
</div>


  

  
      <div class="inline-caption">
 Stephon Alexander's 10th grade Physics teacher changes his life forever.
</div>
<h2>
 A Real Horn Player
</h2>

  

  
      

<div class='cove-video'>
  <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="inline-cove-player" frameborder="0" height="100%" id="partnerPlayer" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//player.pbs.org/partnerplayer/nwUT2qNWbaesoZxNZKNWlw==/?topbar=false&amp;end=0&amp;endscreen=true&amp;start=0&amp;autoplay=false" width="100%">
</iframe>
</div>


  

  
      <div class="inline-caption">
 Stephon Alexander makes the leap from Kenny G. to John Coltrane and never looks back.
</div>
<h2>
 30 Second Science with Stephon Alexander
</h2>

  

  
      

<div class='cove-video'>
  <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="inline-cove-player" frameborder="0" height="100%" id="partnerPlayer" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//player.pbs.org/partnerplayer/DJRpxYkdHLO-jZiIBz5Ylw==/?topbar=false&amp;end=0&amp;endscreen=true&amp;start=0&amp;autoplay=false" width="100%">
</iframe>
</div>


  

  
      <div class="inline-caption">
 We give Stephon Alexander 30 seconds to describe his science and he talks about big things and small things.
</div>
<h2>
 10 Questions for Stephon Alexander
</h2>

  

  
      

<div class='cove-video'>
  <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="inline-cove-player" frameborder="0" height="100%" id="partnerPlayer" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//player.pbs.org/partnerplayer/IVS_0YJUvfjms5-9vfsrxw==/?topbar=false&amp;end=0&amp;endscreen=true&amp;start=0&amp;autoplay=false" width="100%">
</iframe>
</div>


  

  
      <div class="inline-caption">
 We ask Stephon Alexander 10 questions and he chooses Coltraine over Einstein.
</div>
<h2>
 More Sax From Stephon
</h2>
<div class="flex-video">
 <div class="flex-video">
  <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/73_YMdiT2OA?feature=oembed" width="780">
  </iframe>
 </div>
</div>
<div style="padding-top: 50px;padding-bottom: 40px">
 
            <figure class="richtext-image full-width"><img alt="stephon-secretphoto" class="richtext-image full-width" height="280" width="265"
            src="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/media/images/stephon-secretphoto1_ksWLD3H.width-800.png"/><figcaption><div class="credit"></div></figcaption>
            </figure>
            
 <h1>
  Blog Posts
 </h1>
 <p>
  <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/blogposts/his-favorite-things-stephons-top-five-albums-ever/" title="His Favorite Things: Stephon’s Top Five Albums Ever">
   <span style="text-decoration: underline">
    His Favorite Things: Stephon’s Top Five Albums Ever
   </span>
  </a>
  <br/>
  <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/blogposts/ask-stephon-your-questions/" title="Ask Stephon Your Questions">
   <span style="text-decoration: underline">
    Ask Stephon Your Questions
   </span>
  </a>
  <br/>
  <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/blogposts/just-play/" title="Just Play!">
   <span style="text-decoration: underline">
    Just Play!
   </span>
  </a>
  <br/>
  <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/blogposts/is-it-all-about-us/" title="Is It All About Us?">
   <span style="text-decoration: underline">
    Is It All About Us?
   </span>
  </a>
  <br/>
  <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/blogposts/the-very-big-and-the-very-small/" title="The Very Big And The Very Small">
   <span style="text-decoration: underline">
    The Very Big And The Very Small
   </span>
  </a>
  <br/>
  <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/blogposts/where-does-science-come-from/" title="Where Does Science Come From?">
   <span style="text-decoration: underline">
    Where Does Science Come From?
   </span>
  </a>
 </p>
</div>

            <figure class="richtext-image full-width"><img alt="stephon-sciencephoto" class="richtext-image full-width" height="280" width="265"
            src="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/media/images/stephon-sciencephoto1_QUORTJ6.width-800.png"/><figcaption><div class="credit"></div></figcaption>
            </figure>
            
<h1>
 About Stephon Alexander
</h1>
<p>
 Stephon is a theoretical physicist who teaches at Haverford College.
</p>

  



the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Nova

Stephon Alexander

Physics & Math

Koch Foundation

NOVA Science Trust Logo

Draper

<p>Scientists have discovered a permanent visitor from interstellar space cruising through our solar system.</p>

Rebel Asteroid Found Flying Backwards Near Jupiter

<div class="rich-text"><p>Supercapacitors run on static electricity and they can recharge and deliver power faster than conventional batteries. Their main drawback is how much energy they can store. But a new technique for making supercapacitors may eliminate that disadvantage&nbsp;and propel them to the forefront of the renewable energy world.</p>
</div>

<div class="rich-text">A new way of making supercapacitors may help them store more energy than normal batteries.</div>

Supercharged Supercapacitors

<p>In this collection, you&#x27;ll find original short-form videos from NOVA Wonders, a 6-part series exploring the biggest questions on the frontiers of science.</p>

Science:

Secret:

A Real-Life Superhero

Related

Tiny Black Holes

Elements in the Ocean

Kryptos: Expert Q&A

A Real Horn Player

30 Second Science with Stephon Alexander

10 Questions for Stephon Alexander

More Sax From Stephon

Blog Posts

About Stephon Alexander