For our final “Meet the Bloggers” of the semester we are introducing our Science/Film blogger Steven Zeko. Zeko uses his blog to evaluate the science accuracy in a variety of films such as Outbreak, Contagion, Sam Mendes’ Skyfall and more. He blogs under Steven’s Science in Cinema, so check him out!
Steven’s bio:
Steven Zeko is a senior at Lewis university, working towards a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education. He is currently involved in immunology research and Chem-ED research. Following his education, Steven wants to teach biology, chemistry, and physics at a high school level. In his free time, Steven enjoys playing video games, reading, playing golf, and watching movies. He is typically reading two books at any given time, with one book being a science book and the other being any good book that he can find. Currently, Steven is reading Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Educated by Tara Westover. His fascination with science began when he was a kid by watching the works of Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Both being wonderful STEM educators, he hopes to invoke their ability to energize a crowd just by educating people about science.
Below is our Q&A with Steven:
-Who are you and what is your role in the Jet Fuel Review?
My name is Steven Zeko, I am a senior at Lewis University. My role with the Jet Fuel Review is as a film blogger. Specifically, focusing on the science in films!
-What book might we find on your nightstand right now?
The current book that can be found on my nightstand would be Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
-If you had the chance to co-write with one author, who would you choose? Why?
If I had the opportunity to co-write with one author, I would write with Noam Chomsky. This would be a great opportunity for me to soak in as much information as possible. I probably wouldn’t be able to provide any information that his great mind is not already filled with, but I could possibly get a brief glimpse into his mind.
-Describe your perfect reading atmosphere.
Although unconventional for a college student, my perfect reading atmosphere takes place in a soft lit room, with an old fashioned, and some jazz on in the background.
-What might your personal library look like?
My personal library would contain all of the classic great works along with current advancing science books. I would probably find some present-day best sellers in there as well.
-If you could “re-make” a poorly written movie that was based on a book, what movie would it be?
If I were to remake a movie that was based on a book and manufactured poorly, I would remake Stuart Little (1999)
-What piece of literature can you reread over and over again?
One book that I can reread on repeat would be The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, but I’m not much of someone who can reread a book. I tend to have a longer list of books that I still have yet to read.
-Give us a quote from your favorite (or any) book/movie.
“The capacity to blunder slightly is the real marvel of DNA. Without this special attribute, we would still be anaerobic bacteria and there would be no music.” – Lewis Thomas, The Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher
-If you were invited to have coffee with any fictional character, who would you most like to meet? Why?
I think that I would want to meet Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. I would find it fascinating to try to pick his brain.
-Share your top five favorite pieces of writing (anything included, be it movies, books, etc.).
- Get Out directed by Jordan Peele
- Death by Black Hole by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski