Wonder Yonder
Wonder Yonder is a creative studio that turns complex scientific content into engaging stories and vibrant visuals. Their team specialises in making challenging STEM topics easy to understand in compelling visuals and they collaborate with educators, scientists and NGOs. We have recently interviewed Nikitaa Sivaakumar, formerly an engineer and now designer and founder of Wonder Yonder, to speak about her motherhood and career journey and why she wanted to partner with our organisation.
1- When was Wonder Yonder launched and what is its mission?
Wonder Yonder was started in 2021 and our mission is to make STEM learning fun, engaging and accessible for all. We address the (wrong) perception that Science and STEM subjects are challenging and uninteresting through creative visual storytelling. Our approach transforms complex concepts into easily digestible content, utilising mediums such as comics, storybooks, zines, animations, curriculum design, lesson plans, workbooks, worksheets, and games. Our online store also offers science-themed merchandise, enhancing our impact. This multi-pronged strategy bridges the gap between intricate scientific knowledge and the general public, fostering both appreciation and understanding of the sciences.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonder.yonder/
2- Please tell us about yourself and your career path and why you became interested in helping scientists communicate their science to the public.
I'm an engineer turned designer with over 7 years of experience working on children based products and designing innovative learning experiences. I have created interactive exhibits, toys, games, storybooks, curriculum content and workshops for children and young adults. I became interested in science communication because science to me, back in school, seemed very hard and difficult to grasp because it wasn't visual enough. Through the years, upon reading a varied range of non-fiction across different scientific disciplines, I realised how beautiful science actually is and came closer to connecting with it. Pairing it with my illustration skills, I figured it became a lot simpler to communicate science. Wonder Yonder started as an experiment where I created comics based on high school Physics concepts and started posting it on social media. One thing led to another and my efforts gained traction - a lot of people started appreciating and following my work which is when I realised people loved 'visualising' science. This led to me working with scientists to communicate their research through fun visuals for the general audience and now we do it as a team of five at Wonder Yonder.
3- What career obstacles have you faced as a mother in STEMM?
One of the major initial obstacles for me was managing my schedule and time - I had to fulfil my roles as a mother and had to be available to my baby. At the same time, I had to do justice to my projects and dedicate time to work on them. And to top it off, the added responsibility of managing a household and tending to my own personal needs. I had to identify a balance between all of these.
Nikitaa Sivaakumar, founder of Wonder Yonder
4- How did you overcome those challenges?
I was actively looking for and experimenting with ways to find a balance in my routine. That's when during one of my searches, I found a wonderful co-working/ nursery space in my locality - this worked wonders for me. I am now able to use the co-working space for 5-6 hours a day while my 10-month old gets to play with other kids, childcare workers and a dedicated teacher - right in the next room. It took a whole load off of me - I also get to meet my baby during my break time at work so both of us feel content and happy.
5- Why did you decide to partner with Mothers in Science?
I wanted to connect with other STEM professionals, especially mothers. Being a mother in STEM myself, I realise how challenging it can get with juggling various tasks and responsibilities. We at Wonder Yonder would love to tell stories of research and shine a spotlight on the wonderful work done with mothers in STEM through our illustrations and animation. If this can help bring recognition in some way to the wonderful mothers out there, then I consider it a personal win.
6- What advice would you give to a mother in STEMM?
I would give a mother in STEMM an advice I gave myself when I became a mother - every added responsibility is like a boundary constraint being added to an equation. We just have to get creative about finding a solution, keeping the constraints in mind. Solutions always exist and things always work out in the end - we just need to have the right mindset to navigate difficulties.