Watch Chemical and Biomolecular Engineer, Tamara Robertson at Work

Hi, I’m Tamara Robertson. I’m a chemical and biomolecular engineer, science host, SAG actress, and wardrobe designer. If you can’t tell by my varied titles, I’m a quirky tinkerer and an avid collector of skills. The truth is that I believe Learning is Living and am always seeking out the next adventure in life. It’s often hard to describe what I “DO” for a living, because it changes quite often. But I think it would be fun to give a sneak peek into some of the ways I spend my days.

Most of the world met me as a finalist on Science Channel’s Mythbusters: The Search

A shot from the third episode of the show, when we had to build and race cardboard boats. It was the birth of my love for Contact Cement. [left to right: Brian Louden, Jason Kerestes, Dr. Tracy Fanara, Jon Lung, Allen Pan, Tamara Robertson, Chris Hackett, Dr. Martin Pepper

While serving in the organization Engineers Without Borders, one project included the implementation of a system for harvesting rain in a remote village in Asanquiri, Bolivia. Bringing the ability to attain clean water and replicate similar systems in nearby villages was a truly life-changing experience for me. It started my passion for relief work around the world.

Bringing designs to life is the most rewarding part of being an engineer. If you’ve never built before, no worries! Start small, use cardboard for initial concept designs, trust the calculations, utilize the internet to learn the science and skills, and document and share your journey. You’ve got this! Here I am working with a drill press on Mythbusters: The Search.

I can also be found blowing people’s minds with science on the new Science Channel series Scijinks. Focusing on the fun side of science as well as educating the masses about new innovations each day was a new learning experience, which I truly enjoyed. Here I am pre-brewing up some Elephant Toothpaste to surprise some unsuspecting aroma designers in “Brewed Awakening.”

My passion for the film industry doesn’t just include being in front of the camera. I get to spend a good deal of time behind the scenes as a wardrobe designer for indie films, webseries, and commercials in Los Angeles, CA. Here I am weathering a costume utilizing one of my favorite analogs for “mud” – cocoa powder! It comes out easily and the actors love the smell

Yet my favorite place to be is where my love of science, outreach, wardrobe design, and superheroes meet: on the road talking to kids about superhero science.