Interview with King of the Nerds winner, Kayla LaFrance

Electronic Products spoke exclusively with the King of the Nerds winner about her time on the show and how she aspires to influence the world of science, space, and technology. Here’s what the “royal nerd” had to say:

Electronic Products : What inspired you to pursue King of the Nerds ?

Kayla LaFrance: I wanted to be a part of KOTN because 1. I love the nerd culture and all things nerdy and 2. I thought it would be one of the most unique adventures I could find.
 
I got lucky when lightning struck twice. I had tried to get on season 1 and was asked to come to L.A. for the last selection phase; however, I turned that down when I was offered a chance to spend the summer working at NASA Ames on some Mars exploration research. When they started casting for season 2, they contacted me and asked if I wanted to give it another go. I was thrilled! It is not every day that you have such a unique opportunity come up twice. I still had to start at the beginning and go through the same selection process as everyone else. Nevertheless, when I made it to the final 11, it felt like a long two-year journey was finally culminating in one of the best adventures I could imagine. My aim for the show was to have fun and to enjoy the adventure that I was about to embark on.
 
EP: What in particular do you feel defines you as a nerd?

KL: I am extremely passionate about all subjects that I find interesting like Space exploration, Astronomy, Star Trek , Batman, hockey… I tend to take them to the max and obsess over them.
 
I love space and astronomy so much that I have spent most of my life learning the art of telescopes and studying all things NASA. I have won numerous awards including the NASA’s Greatest Fan contest and the Jack Horkheimer award presented by the National Astronomy League. All of my college education has been to focus my career path in human space exploration.
 
Star Trek and Batman are the bases of my collections and hours of entertainment, cosplay and conventions.
 
And hockey, I just cannot get enough, any league, any level, I am there. I play, I watch, I ref, you name it and I do it. I have NASA logos on my gear, Klingon written on my sticks and custom NASA and Batman jerseys to represent my nerd while out on the ice.
 
EP: Please elaborate on the “nerd skills” that you have.

KL: Batman , Star Trek , and space are three topics that I know far too much about! I love all aspects of this Nerdy trinity of mine. However, I do a lot more than reading comic books and watching TV. I also have several telescopes and spend hours under the stars. I know the stars very well and know my way around the night skies. I know how to send a rocket from the Earth to Mars and not only can I build you a rocket on the computer, but also I could pick up power tools and help build the rocket.

 
EP: What was one defining moment for you (either in school, life, etcetera…) when you knew you had to pursue space studies?

KL: Wow, this is a tough question. As a child I loved Star Trek . In the 7th grade I had a science teacher challenge me to learn about NASA, the real Starfleet. In 9th grade I went to my first space camp. All of these events helped lead me toward the path that I am on. My curiosity drove me to join astronomy clubs and compete in space related science competition throughout my junior high and high school careers.
 
While I tend to look at my days in Mr. Herrmann’s science class as a defining moment, I would have to say that it was my week at the Advanced Space Academy in Huntsville, AL that really solidified my curiosity into a dedication that had carried me even today.
 
EP: You worked at NASA and then became a contestant on King of the Nerds. Please discuss your job description, what department at NASA you worked in, and what you learned most from your time there.

KL: I had a small summer internship at NASA Ames during the summer of 2012. The internship offer came 7 days before the final offer to come to LA to film season one. Like a good space nerd that has dreams of space her whole life, I took the chance to go work at NASA.
 
While at NASA Ames I worked in a SETI sponsored lab where I participated in chronopotentiometry (CP) research on Mars soil. Basically, I referenced data that was collected on Mars during the Mars Phoenix mission and worked on an experiment to help improve the CP process on Mars. CP is a way to study the composition and concentration of elements in a soil solution when electricity is applied to it based on its reactions and reaction time.
 
I am not a chemistry major. I am an engineer and a physics student, so the learning curve was a challenge. I learned a LOT about chemistry that summer.
 
EP: How nerdy were your co-stars on the show? What types of geeky skills did they exude?

KL: The other contestants were amazing individuals. We all have different strengths and weaknesses that always spark great conversations and endless laughs. One of the highlights for me was walking away from this adventure with the new friendships that were built at Nerdvana (where the show's contestants congregated), both from the cast and from the crew.
 
Each nerd brought different forms of skills to the table. Xander was extremely creative and orientated in the acting world, Katie had her robotics, Nicole brought chemistry and Brian brought a wealth of history and literary knowledge – just to name a few. We also all had fandoms that we knew more than other nerds. If you were to put us all back in Nerdvana today and tasked us with think tank activities, we would be a dangerous force!

EP: To what extent do you feel that the media’s portrayal of the “nerd stereotype” is accurate?

KL: In a way all stereotypes are based on some small truth. So there is an element of “Sheldon” (from The Big Bang Theory ) in all of us, some more than others. However, a beautiful thing about King of the Nerds is that it shows how diverse nerds really are.
 
Any of my friends will tell you 101 things that I do that are my “Sheldon” traits, but then you also see me wearing a hat, sporting a few tattoos and passionate about working on cars and playing hockey. These elements are not always considered to be nerdy traits. Every nerd that has come through the halls of Nerdvana has a set of typical nerd traits accented by traditionally non-nerd habits. Nerds cannot be quantified into a tiny window of personality traits. We cover far too many facets to be contained!
 
EP: What were some of the coolest projects/tasks that you completed while appearing on King of the Nerds?

KL: My favorite challenges have been Nerdio Kart and Robot dodge ball. Both of these challenges played to my strengths and skill sets of engineering and sports.
 
The most nerve-racking one would have to be the Science Fair. I spent hours and hours and hours building a contraption inside the volcano that would mix the different chemicals together at just a tug of a string. I spent so much time on the delivery system that I was worried I would let the team down on the science side of things. The rest of the team was really focusing on the performance aspect, but we still needed a working experiment. No amount of acting would help us if our volcano failed.  We did not have a very vigorous reaction and Chris, and I ran out of time to amp ours up. Standing before Mayim Bialik and Bill Nye – people that I respect in the science world – and feeling as if I had dropped the ball on the science side of this project was a crushing feeling.
 
 
EP: Outside of space exploration, what are some of your hobbies?

KL : I am not sure if I would consider my obsession to collect all things Batman a hobby, so let us just move right along to my love of astronomy and auto mechanics. Amateur Astronomy is one of the elements that got me started on the path I am on in life. I spend a lot of time with astronomy clubs in the various cities that I have lived. I love to present, to share, and to teach others how to use telescopes and to read the night sky.
 
I also love cars and trucks. I love to get under their hoods and get dirty working on them. My Grandpa LaFrance taught this hobby to me, it was one that we shared together for many years. Even though he has passed away, my love of cars and the desire to learn more has only grown. I spent years working on a 1930 Ford Model AA truck with my grandpa. Now whenever I work on that truck today it serves as a way to honor his memory and feel close to him again.
 
While some people might think of this as a very non-nerdy hobby, I believe that the ability to work on a car and truck is a practical skill for someone that wants to work on Mars rovers and rockets. Besides, I will be that nerd that not only has a great Batgirl cosplay, but also will have a matching Batmobile to go with it, that I built myself.
 
I also play hockey, I watch hockey, I earned my US referee certificate, I help teach skating and hockey. ANYTHING hockey related and I am all for it. I even worked at a rink for 7 years in Nashville and learned how to drive a Zamboni. At the University of North Dakota, I was a Student Equipment manager at the REA for the women’s hockey team. I LOVE HOCKEY!!!! Any level, any league, any country – I have a team that I follow!
 
EP: Now that you’ve been crowned “King of the Nerds ,” what are some of your long-term future goals?

KL: My short-term goal is to find a job within the astronautics/aerospace field or to find myself working on a PhD. Long-term, I want to work with Mars exploration through mission control and operations.