For our Love of Science: Recent Episodes
SPFBM
Celebrating the untold stories, the extraordinary discoveries, and the inspiring lives led by those whose jobs, passions, hobbies and more embody their love of science. Hear stories about -- the dedicated scientists who unravel the mysteries of biology; the artists and musicians who highlight the beauty of science through their craft; the educators, policy makers and science outreach advocates whose convictions propel them toward community engagement and preparing the next generation of STEM leaders; and the bona fide science enthusiasts who design their own unique journey to science fulfillment.
Today, we continue interviewing Beth Amato, a public health research communicator and writer at the University of Witwatersrand and Wits Health consortium in South Africa. In her early days, Beth truly disliked science and preferred poetry and storytelling. It wasn’t until she was much further in her education that she saw the link between captivating stories and science, and was really intrigued. Beth’s childhood memories were deeply touched by her mother who struggled with mental illness and ultimately took her own life. Through this tragedy, Beth began to ask several questions on trauma, psychology, and brain development and how this could also link to generational trauma and violent crime in South Africa. Her unique lens for understanding violence and crime through science led to an award and fellowship at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma for Early Childhood Development. Given the tumultuous history of her home country and the current state of high violence in South Africa, Beth wanted to get a more nuanced and granular perspective for such behavior and decision making. This curiosity led Beth to use her hustler instinct to seek out researchers in developmental biology and work with them, planting her start in science communication. Looking back, Beth wishes she could tell her younger self, “I don’t think I’m the best storyteller or best writer in the world, but I do it anyway. . . . You must just do it anyway . . . Tell the story. Make the mistake.” From her journey, Beth’s unique vision of success is rooted in showing the beauty of humanity through her work—of complexity and nuance connecting science to health. When she is not writing, Beth enjoys practicing yoga, sewing dolls, crafting origami, and experiencing childhood again through her 2 children.
In case you missed it, learn about Beth’s work as a public health communicator—https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/18258926
Check out more about Beth’s journey in the latest episode—https://welovesciencepodcast.com.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Beth’s journey and:
- What personal tragedy helped guide her path to storytelling
- How she was influenced by mentors who recognized her early talent
- What she would do differently looking back
Reach out to Beth:
- Email: Beth.amato3@wits.ac.za
- IG: @sweetlittlefrida
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 21: Who Should Art Represent? - The Journey
- Ep 40: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Journey
Support the show
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Today we are joined by Beth Amato, a public health research communicator and writer at the University of Witwatersrand and Wits Health consortium in South Africa. Beth’s work centers on science communication and engagement specifically focused on public health issues in South Africa and across the continent. Her day-to-day work involves translating research discoveries from the 5 research units of the health consortium into a palatable format that is relatable and accessible to audiences outside of academia. She describes her creative process as an intersection between communication, art, health, and science. For example, Beth recently reported on a discovery from the Anti-Viral Gene Therapy Research Unit which adapted cashew shell nut oil as a lipid transporter for mRNA vaccines. “Cashew nut shell oil is actually a waste product, and it is abundant across the continent; and is basically a biodegradable material that is very unique, and something that is African led and African made,” she explains. This discovery was key following the limitations in access experienced across Africa during the development of the COVID vaccine. In addition to writing articles, Beth and her team also used art to describe the process of developing the oil for use in vaccines. Her work even ended up in articles available in airport lounges for business travelers, catching the attention and interest of the business community in further expanding vaccine development in the global South. Throughout her work, Beth is motivated to decode data that initially seems incomprehensible to highlight its broader impact on humanity. The biggest challenge she comes across as a public research communicator is the reluctance of scientists to tell the story of their discoveries for broader audiences. But, Beth is patient and with a little bit of coaxing, she is able to get many brilliant yet shy minds to break out of their shell. One piece of advice she would give to someone starting in science communication is to be brave.
Check out more about Beth’s work in the latest episode.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Beth’s work and:
- Discover examples of the research areas represented by the Wits Health consortium—from rural health to genomics
- How she communicated on a recent discovery about the gut micro biome
- Why she is motivated to tell the story of science from the African perspective, as part of a global viewpoint
Reach out to Beth:
- Email: Beth.amato3@wits.ac.za
- IG: @sweetlittlefrida
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 20: Who Should Art Represent? - The Work
- Ep 44: The Colorful Life of Bird Eggs
Support the show
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We continue our discussion with Janet Price, Chief Science Officer (CSO) at Visium (formerly Lit Thinking), a company dedicated to promoting public health through air quality. As a child, Janet had an obsession with asking way too many questions and she found many of the answers at her local library. Originally she wanted to be a writer, specifically for the synopses found on the inside of a book cover —without spoilers of course. Once she joined Central Michigan University as an undergrad, Janet realized her love of microbiology and passion for exploring an “unseen” world; and this began her journey into research. Even though she isn’t in the lab anymore, there is still a deep connection to her current role as a CSO and her experience studying microbes. “The things we learn from these model systems, be they bacterial or small organisms, can really be applied, translationally, for human health and new technologies . . . I wanted to be a person that could take that new technology and bring it to the real world,” she explains. And this is now her primarily responsibility as a CSO combining her expertise and science communications to translate discoveries for the real world. Janet has had many memorable mentors along her journey and she specifically reflects on two during her time as a young researcher in graduate school at Central Michigan University and University of Michigan-Rockham Graduate School. Her mentors instilled in her the value of science for everyone and the importance of free thinking to drive good ideas. One piece of advice she would give to her younger self is to start in research early, as she looks back on her journey. In her spare time, Janet enjoys a good cup of tea (specifically Victorian Earl Grey), spending time with her family and dog, and getting lost in a good story—in a book, movie, or video game. Hear more about Janet’s journey in the latest episode—https://welovesciencepodcast.com.
Check out the previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/18244541
Tune into this episode to hear Janet share:
- How her interests evolved from searching for answers in local libraries to designing her own microbiology experiments
- How her graduate school mentors influenced her views of science
- What’s next for Visium and promoting air quality for public health
Reach out to Janet:
- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molecularjanet/
- And check out Visium: https://visium.one/
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 49: Advocating for Science and Research - The Journey
- Ep 61: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Journey
Support the show
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Today we are joined by Janet Price, Chief Science Officer (CSO) at Visium (formerly Lit Thinking) a company dedicated to creating room and building health solutions to promote air quality. During her time at Visium, Janet was fortunate to learn numerous new skills as her responsibilities grew with the company. She started in engineering supporting the development of the initial prototype product, and then transitioned to product validation, and now she relies on science communications to explain the mature product and how it works. Currently, clean air standards are based on how successfully harmful compounds are removed from the air, or how often air is exchanged within closed spaces. It's only recently that this focus has shifted more to considering how to remove pathogens from the air, as seen during the pandemic. With her leadership at Visium, Janet is passionate about setting this new standard for air quality and promoting new technologies to provide clean air for all that is also pathogen-free. “Let us protect those who are most vulnerable in our populations. Let’s make sure they have safe air, just like we’ve committed to having safe drinking water,” explains Janet. But, Visium alone can’t achieve this goal, it also requires input from many different players including the government. One piece of advice Janet would give to anyone looking to become a CSO is to get really good at communicating the science and staying connected with the current research. A CSO essentially works at the intersection of business and science and this means being able to speak the language of both fields.
Check out the latest episode on the website: https://welovesciencepodcast.com
Tune into this episode to hear Janet share:
- Why clean air is a public good
- How are air quality and standards are currently measured
- What are the gaps in air quality policy
- How you measure air changes in a building and why this is important
Reach out to Janet:
- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molecularjanet/
- And check out Visium: https://visium.one/
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
Ep 23: The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin
Ep 48: Advocating for Science and Research - The Work
Support the show
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We continue our conversation with David Calianese on his journey to teaching, research, and academia. David’s interest in biology and helping people started in high school with an opportunity to work as an emergency technician basic (EMT-B) providing care to patients in ambulances. It sounded exciting, but nothing could have prepared David for his first call responding to a woman in active labor in her living room. There wasn’t enough time to take her to the hospital, and he and his colleagues jumped straight to work helping the new mother have a safe and successful delivery. While this experience was a shocking eye-opener for then 16 year old David, it really ignited his ambition to study biology with a focus on pre-med. “It was luck and happenstance, truly,” David explains as he reflects on his first laboratory experience at Providence College. Very unexpectedly, during his first few days as an undergrad, David was approached by a friendly and eager professor to join his research lab; and even quicker than he could blink, David found himself deeply immersed in academic research. From his journey to high school and college and even graduate school at Rutgers University, David had a variety of mentors who helped guide him down his path and open up doors for a number of new experiences, including the big move to Japan. David’s adventure in Japan started with the daunting thought, what the hell did I get into, but he credits the support of his wife and the new friends they made to an unforgettable and rewarding experience in the new country. The best advice David would give his younger self, looking back at his very adventurous journey, is to have patience because we often have more time than we think. In his spare time, David enjoys playing board games like Dungeons and Dragons, or Wingspan; and bird watching with the Merlin app.
If you missed it check out the previous episode
Check out the latest episode on the website: https://welovesciencepodcast.com
Tune into this episode to hear David’s perspective on:
- Why he joined the EMT service as a teenager
- His first experience at a scientific research conference as an undergraduate student
- The transition from life in the US to working as a post-doc in Japan
- What has been the thorn and bud along his journey so far
Reach out to David on
- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcalianese/
- Seton Hall website: https://www.shu.edu/profiles/calianda.html
- IG: @DCBiolab
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
Ep 27: From Post doc to Assistant Professor - The Journey
Ep 14: Estrogen Heals Both Sexes - The Journey
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Today we are joined by a fellow Rutgers alumnus, David Calianese. He recently completed a post-doc at Osaka University in Japan and is now starting a new lab at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. David’s new lab will study the process of programmed cell death and its influence on the immune system, specifically as relates to cancer. The link between cell death and the immune system lies within particular enzyme-receptor interactions, and understanding these linkages and pathways more deeply will help to develop novel therapeutics and targets for cancer treatments. This is one short-term goal David envisions for his lab. Moving across the world from the US to Japan for his post-doc and then back to the US for a new position, was a big transition for David, filled with ups and downs, but in the end he was able to land a job he really wanted. Even though David is now miles away from the friendships (personal and professional) he built in Japan, he is very optimistic about keeping the connections he made abroad. As he sees it, “science is what unites the world,” because ultimately his research is going to help people he will never meet, and in a way that connects us all. Looking back at his first months as an assistant professor, David really enjoys the freedom of his new role and mentoring young students. It truly brings him excitement every single day. Some daily challenges he encounters as a new assistant professor come in two flavors–teaching and research. With his very limited teaching experience, David has to find ways of distilling complex topics appropriately for an undergraduate audience. And with working in a research environment, just setting up a lab can be tricky–where do you put new equipment? How do you organize the lab space and keep it functional? Despite these minor setbacks, David still has wonderful advice for anyone interested in a similar career path–find what you love and make it your life’s work. Hear more about David’s work on the podcast!
Check out the latest episode on the website: https://welovesciencepodcast.com
Tune into this episode to hear David’s perspective on:
- The application process in going from post-doc to assistant professor
- How to find the right support in becoming a new PI (primary investigator)
- Star Trek; yes, Star Trek (Trekkies, this one’s for y’all)
Reach out to David on:
- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcalianese/
- Seton Hall website: https://www.shu.edu/profiles/calianda.html
- IG: @DCBiolab
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
Ep 26: From Post doc to Assistant Professor - The Work
Ep 13: Estrogen Heals Both Sexes - The Work
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We continue our interview with Dave Latorra and Stephanie Ford, the entrepreneurs behind DNA is Love, a unique company that uses science to make cherished memories. Dave describes his science journey as “one thing leading to another.” After high school, he attended junior college where his interest in chemistry first blossomed, then he transitioned to biochemistry followed by microbiology, and ended up pursuing molecular biology during graduate school at Colorado State University. Throughout his journey, Dave has always kept an open mind about his career goals and this helped open the door to many diverse opportunities focused on product development and science. Although Stephanie had a very different career journey from Dave, what helps connect these two co-founders is their appreciation for each other’s curiosity. The idea for DNA is Love was built on Stephanie’s experience as a hospice caregiver and interest in family genealogy. She was inspired by her previous patients to create a unique way of holding onto the memories of those we love. In the brainstorming stages of the company, curiosity, care, and science all came together to give a new meaning on how we view DNA and what it means to us–it is our past, our present, and our future. But most importantly, it is also a special kind of connection and stability that never leaves us–just like love. Looking back at their younger selves, Dave and Stephanie offer this advice: stay on course and true to yourself, and believe in yourself. Check out the current episode to hear more about their journey!
To hear about the work of DNA is Love, check out the previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/17909274
Tune into this episode to hear Dave and Stephanie share:
- The scientific journey that inspired DNA is Love
- Which mentors inspired Dave and Stephanie along their career journeys
- How they plan to evolve DNA is Love into the future
Reach out to Dave and Stephanie and learn more about DNA is Love on their website: https://dnaislove.com
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
Ep 61: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Journey
Ep 38: The Secret Behind CRISPR Gene Editing
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We are so excited to have two special guests on our episode today–Dave Latorra and Stephanie Ford, who blend science, entrepreneurship, and keepsakes with their company, DNA is Love. Dave and Stephanie approach DNA is Love from each of their respective areas of expertise in biology and hospice care, respectively. DNA is Love has discovered a unique way to hold on to the memories of the people and pets in our lives through jewelry, picture frames, and other special items. And, what makes these items so priceless and personal is they contain actual DNA from the people and pets being commemorated–literally their essence. While Dave always had the general idea of somehow preserving DNA as part of family heirlooms, the concept didn’t come to fruition until he met Stephanie; she was able to bring the heart to the idea and give it life. Dave and Stephanie agree one of the most rewarding parts of the work is hearing from happy customers who share the joy, peace of mind, and gratitude they feel after receiving these special items. One of the biggest challenges they face, however, is in the marketing of this futuristic product and getting new customers to understand exactly what services are offered. For anyone who is interested in pursuing their own great idea to start a unique science-based company, Dave recommends doing your homework first and Stephanie emphasizes to just go for it!
Check out the latest episode on the website: https://welovesciencepodcast.com
Tune into this episode to hear Dave and Stephanie discuss:
- How they brought science together with creating lifelong, family memories
- What process is used to purify and verify the DNA in every sample collected
- What each of them brings to co-founding and running DNA is Love
- Why the reputation of DNA is Love is key to the ethos of the company
Reach out to Dave and Stephanie and learn more about DNA is Love on their website: https://dnaislove.com
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
Ep 60: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Work
Ep 35: How CRISPR Gene Therapy is Bringing Hope to the World
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We continue our interview with Colleen Kelley of Kids Chemical Solutions to learn about her journey into chemistry. Her journey began with a harrowing experience running from “raining radiation” as a young girl, facing this uncertainty with the same confusion as the adults around her. Reflecting back on this experience, Colleen realized that a lack of clear guidance and good communication founded in molecular literacy made it impossible for her, and those around her, to grasp how the community was impacted by the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island. This experience stamped itself into her memory as she continued through school and her love of chemistry grew. Towards the end of high school, Colleen started to explore ways to attend college, which was an unfamiliar career path in her family. Fortunately, she was able to find her way to University of Richmond by joining the military, which provided her with the support to follow her dreams. As a college student, she was introduced to the world of research and instantly enjoyed it; from there Colleen was encouraged by her mentor to attend graduate school. And she did; graduating from Penn State University with a Ph.D. in chemistry. Her journey into writing, however, developed from a desire to connect with students and effectively teach chemistry. And, it wasn’t easy; each rejection was followed by disappointment as her ideas changed and developed. Originally Colleen wanted to publish a text book, and after lots of trial and error, she created a fun comic book series, the MC Detective Agency. Looking at the next phase of her journey, Colleen is looking forward to publishing the next set of comic books to complete the bundle that will give readers a foundation of college level chemistry.
To hear about Colleen’s work with Kids Chemical Solutions, check out the previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/17740197
Tune into this episode to hear Colleen share:
- How she used characters to connect with her students and teach the principles of chemistry
- Her experience as a first generation college and graduate student
- The journey of creating and publishing a comic book
Reach out to Colleen and discover the MC Detective Agency on her website, Kids Chemical Solutions:
https://kidschemicalsolutions.com
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Episode 67: Memory and the Human Mind - The Journey
- Episode 40: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Journey
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Today we are interviewing Colleen Kelley, the creator and founder of Kids Chemical Solutions. she started her science education focused company to promote molecular literacy when she noticed many of her students were struggling with chemistry. Colleen wanted to develop a fun and creative solution that could give students of all ages–from 8 to 108–an easy way to learn and enjoy chemistry. Kids Chemical Solutions offers a variety of different educational materials for all ages including a comic book series, The MC Detective Agency–a mashup of Encyclopedia Brown, Agatha Christie, and a variety of popular animated movies. The main subtheme of the comic series revolves around the mysterious MC–but we aren’t giving any spoilers on the identity of this famous chemist. To figure it out, you’ll have to dive into the comic series yourself! The main characters of the series are Granny Eve and her grandchildren, Poppy and Ray. Each story revolves around solving mysteries, time travel, and includes a sprinkle of humor. The ideas that underlie each of the amazing adventures in The MC Detective Agency come to Colleen through her dreams, journaling, and daydreams. The storylines are funny, entertaining, quirky and educational, and brought to life with the help of an illustrator. Almost a year and a half of work goes into each comic book! “Chemistry requires imagination,” Colleen explains; which is a big advantage to start teaching chemistry at a young age–to build that 3D invisible world that is key to understanding the interactions and characteristics of molecules. However, regardless of your age–between 8 and 108– the most important piece of learning is just to have a beginner mindset, or as Colleen would describe it, inter-generational learning. This means it doesn't matter at what age you start to learn anything new, you only need to start at the beginning. One piece of advice Colleen would give to anyone interested in creating a science-themed comic book series is to first learn how to be a storyteller and then add the science.
Tune into this episode to hear Colleen share:
- How she defines molecular literacy and why it is so important
- What students and parents have to say about her comic book series, The MC Detective Agency
- Why writing an educational comic book is like making a kale smoothie
Reach out to Colleen and discover the MC Detective Agency on her website, Kids Chemical Solutions:
https://kidschemicalsolutions.com
Tedx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQfs0pIO-I
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Episode 66: Memory and the Human Mind - The Work
- Episode 58: Unpacking the Science Behind Everyday Things - Stuff Matters
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this bonus episode, we do a book review of Matt Ridley's "Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters." The book explores the functions of key genes, which are, unfortunately, often understood through the diseases they cause. It also highlights key figures in genomics, and ethical considerations like eugenics. Overall, we found this book to be engaging and accessible enough for diverse audiences.
If you enjoyed this episode you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 58: Book Review of "Stuff Matters"
- Ep 59: The Science Behind Printing Body Parts
- Ep 32: Book Review of "Crazy for Birds"
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this bonus episode, we’re back with another round of Hidden Genius! Shekerah puts Fatu in the hot seat with a mystery scientist. The clues start flowing and she has 5 chances to get it right. Can you guess this hidden genius before she does?
If you enjoyed this episode you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 24: From Dyslexia to Nobel Prize Winner! - Hidden Genius Challenge #1
- Ep 28: Yogurt-Making DIY Style - A Food Science Short
- Ep 23: The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We are joined again by Christine Vazquez, a viral immunologist and Principal Scientist at GSK, to hear about her journey into science. The earliest memories from her childhood picture Christine sitting with her dad watching educational shows like Stories from the ER and dreaming of growing up to become a medical doctor. Her dad, especially, nurtured her interest in science and reading through books. As an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, she was introduced to laboratory research as part of the curriculum and immediately felt a spark. “I think for me, what I became more interested in after exposure to research, was … I don’t necessarily want to treat patients. I want to figure out why they’re getting sick and how to help them get better. The broad interest still was the same; the research question changed,” explains Christine. This change in her perspective, and a strong aversion to taking the MCAT, encouraged her to look beyond medical school as the next stage of her journey unfolded. But, Christine didn’t really know if graduate school would be the right choice for her. More importantly, the experiences Christine had gained over time also evolved her perception of who is a scientist–some work at the bench and many others apply their knowledge to different fields like science writing and communications. There were endless opportunities for her at this stage; how could she make the right decision? Looking back at her journey, Christine had several influential mentors, especially teachers and guidance counselors who saw something in her that she didn’t even see in herself. They encouraged her to participate in extra-curricular activities and opened doors to new opportunities. If she could give one piece of advice to her younger self it would be, breath, it will all work out. Outside of work, Christine enjoys reading, especially literary fiction.
Check out the previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/17378991
Tune into this episode to learn about Christine’s journey:
- The importance of pivoting for Christine to find her way along her journey
- How her definition of “who is a scientist” evolved with different experiences
- Where Christine sees herself going next
Reach out to Christine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-vazquez/
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 61: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Journey
- Ep 65: Finding Your Fit: How to Navigate the Transition from Academia to Industry – The Journey
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In the final episode of our Academia to Industry series, we sit down with Dr. Christine Vazquez, a viral immunologist and Principal Scientist at GSK, to explore what it really means to make science work for patients. With humor, warmth, and sharp insight, Christine walks us through her deeply personal journey—from the tragic loss of her father to sepsis, to finding purpose in virology and infectious disease research.
Christine reflects on what she’s had to unlearn to succeed in industry. She also shares how she’s come to appreciate the power of using her scientific training to pivot, adapt, and make a real difference in people's lives.
Tune in to learn more about:
- How rotations in grad school changed her focus from bacterial to viral pathogens
- How to recognize and transfer the skills you’ve built, even when the language around them changes
- The realities (and myths!) of publishing, mentorship, and impact in industry science
- Why your project doesn’t define your worth as a scientist
Reach out to Christine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-vazquez
If you enjoyed this episode you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 60: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Work
- Ep 64: Finding Your Fit: How to Navigate the Transition from Academia to Industry – The Work
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Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Dr. LaTasha Fraser, program manager for the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) at New York University (NYU) joins us today to discuss her journey in science, the people who inspired her, and the lessons she learned along the way. She was motivated to go into science by a very unconventional source–the Maury Show. Specifically, Tash remembers the days she spent in front of the tv, when she was home sick, and engrossed by the family drama unfolding before her eyes as Maury would reveal the results of paternity testing. From there, Tash was determined to go into forensic science. She completed summer programs and attended the University of New Haven, which has a renowned forensic science program. After completing her undergrad, Tash realized laboratory research was a better fit for her career goals than working on a real-life crime scene; and she attended the University of Connecticut for her Masters in biochemistry. With this new drive, Tash completed her doctorate in molecular genetics from Rutgers University. While at Rutgers she was also introduced to the experience of recruiting students, and this moment changed everything for Tash. She couldn’t describe or specifically see what career path this activity encompassed, but Tash knew she wanted to help students become scientists. Looking back at her journey, one piece of advice she would give her younger self is reassurance. “The beauty of things not working out the way you envisioned them, is you learn how to navigate,” she explains. In her reflections, Tash also wishes she had more confidence in her decision making, rather than waiting for the approval or support of others. Outside of work Tash enjoys spending time with her family and singing karaoke–you can find her breaking into song and dance anytime!
If you missed the last episode listen here.
Listen to the latest episode here.
Tune into this episode to hear LaTasha discuss:
- How her dreams of becoming a forensic scientist were completely shattered by reality
- What she admired most about her mentors and their personalities
- How she envisions her future self
Reach out to LaTasha:
step@nyulangone.org
To learn more about STEP:
https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-and-middle-school-programs/high-school-programs/science-and-technology-entry-program.html
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 7: STEMLand Future of Science - The Journey
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Today we welcome Dr. LaTasha Fraser, program manager for the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) at New York University (NYU), which offers resources to middle school through graduate school students in numerous areas within STEM–engineering, math, medicine, and others.. The program works through a tiered system providing courses to strengthen introductory STEM coursework, to understand the application of STEM concepts in the real world, and an immersive introduction to medical and professional training. In her every day, Tash balances numerous responsibilities including making sure key deliverables are met for particular programs through various tasks from budgeting to achieving team goals to working directly with students. What she enjoys most is the ability to learn new things regularly and interact with students eager about STEM. “It makes me feel like I’m doing work that is truly affecting the lives of these students,” explains Tash. Apart from these highlights, there are also challenges that come with her role like being a saleswoman; she is constantly looking for new schools to partner with, realizing that every school will have different and unique needs, and advocating for support for the STEP program. The best advice Tash has for anyone who is interested in a similar career in program management is to get involved with student organizations or volunteer organizations to get a flavor of what it is like to juggle many plates and responsibilities.
Tune into this episode to hear LaTasha discuss:
- Why she feels like she is in the circus juggling plates like an acrobat
- What she loves about her job and working with students
- How program management compares to academic career paths
Reach out to LaTasha:
step@nyulangone.org
To learn more about STEP:
https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-and-middle-school-programs/high-school-programs/science-and-technology-entry-program.html
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 6: STEMLand Future of Science
- Ep17 : Mentors of Incalculable Worth - Anthology
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
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Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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We are back today with Ariel Parker, Director of Partnerships and Legacy at the Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB) to learn about her career journey. As a child, her science spark was ignited by a combination of playing with a toy microscope, an inspirational physics teacher, and the board game Life. In high school, Ariel was especially fortunate to attend a private school in the suburbs of Philadelphia and encountered fantastic teachers, many of whom were women with PhDs, who inspired her with stories from their time in academia and industry. Her teachers not only taught her the basics of STEM, but encouraged her to pursue opportunities outside of the classroom like summer research programs. Ariel’s journey through science in her youth was almost a fairy-tale-like experience guided by mentors, teachers, and experiences that set the foundation for her future. “I was solidifying the desire to be a scientist. . . I was definitely being prepared for a career there by the best,” she remembers. As an undergraduate at Swarthmore College, she contemplated becoming teaching faculty, or working in science outreach before a career assessment surprised her with options like diplomat and school principal. Ariel was at a bit of crossroad--how could she keep her interest in science yet find intersections with areas such as diplomacy? While attending Johns Hopkins University for her doctorate, Ariel reflected on her cv and let it “speak to her,” leading to a position as a public school biology teacher. Her intentional decision making at this step was rooted in her own personal experiences as a high school student, having exposure and access to great teachers and mentors. Currently, Ariel keeps herself busy with many hobbies outside of work–reading, learning, eating out, and passion projects. Check out the previous episode here.
Tune into this episode to hear Ariel share:
- How a career assessment almost derailed her science career goals
- The importance of finding a group of people who will fight for you, in rooms you are not in
- The importance of exposure, equity, and access in guiding her career choice
Reach out to Ariel:
- LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-parker/
- Email: pariel@seas.upenn.edu
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
Ep 52: How Science and Philosophy Intertwine - The Journey
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Suggest a guest
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Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Today, we are joined by Ariel Parker, Director of Partnerships and Legacy at the Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB)–a science and technology center funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The CEMB represents faculty across various disciplines at multiple institutions within mechanobiology, an interdisciplinary field exploring how physical forces affect living things. In her role, Ariel manages the educational programs, recruits new students, provides first-hand research experiences, organizes a postdoc preview day and much, much more. While Ariel’s role doesn’t require using a pipette anymore, she has made use of translational skills, such as successful project planning and knowing what questions to ask during the planning process. “A good researcher thinks not only about today, but their Tuesday, 3 months from now,” explains Ariel. Two of the favorite things about her job are the diversity of the tasks and responsibilities, and working with her colleagues. A challenge that Ariel encounters in her role is, of course, funding and the uncertainty this can create in providing sustainability for CEMB. Looking back at some of the events Ariel has organized for K-12 outreach, she recalls an outreach day where students conducted experiments with venus flytrap plants. The event allowed the students to have memorable experiences beyond simply learning the science. “Exposure, equity and access–those three things allow us to change outcomes for people,” Ariel explains. One piece of advice from Ariel is to embrace pursuing your interests broadly to find your perfect fit.
Tune into this episode to hear Ariel share:
- How her values drive her decisions in her career path
- Why there is no such thing as useless knowledge
Reach out to Ariel:
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-parker/
- Email: pariel@seas.upenn.edu
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 36: Sista, Sista! Graduate School Years - The Work
- Ep 12: Immunology and squid
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Dr. Luis Martinez is back to speak with us about his journey. As a senior venture associate at Capital Factory, a venture capital firm, his love of science began by noticing what was missing–people doing science who looked like him. Luis was raised in an incredible town on the U.S.-Mexico border–El Paso, Tx. His introduction to science came from experiences at the local library and shows like Star Trek and Cosmos. As a high schooler, he was on the science team and had the opportunity to take a state exam for chemistry. But, rather than studying, he took the exam without any preparation. And somehow he passed; ranking first in the state! This, for him, set a path to pursue science in college. He attended Trinity College as a first generation college student and had the incredible opportunity to complete research as an undergraduate. As a junior, he declared himself as a chemistry major and was introduced to graduate school by a guidance counselor. The decision for Luis was easy–graduate school was free–it was a clear yes. As a graduate student at Harvard University, he remembers his involvement in a major scientific discovery that focused on developing organic molecules using efficient and sustainable methods. From this discovery, he also learned about patenting and scaling innovations; important lessons he would need for the future. At the end of his doctorate, Luis had to decide between a postdoctoral fellowship or joining a consulting firm. He chose the latter. After a few years, however, a family emergency brought him back to El Paso to join the university as a chemistry professor. Later on, he again moved to Trinity University as a professor of entrepreneurship and innovation to lead an undergraduate entrepreneurship program. When Luis looks back at his journey so far, he recommends two pieces of advice, “Be bold; and don’t worry about it, it’ll all work out.”
Check out the previous episode with Luis.
Tune into this episode to hear about Luis’s journey and:
- How he chose his major as a first generation college student
- How he was able to adapt his unique professional experiences to drive his career journey
Reach out to Luis:
- LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drluismartinez/
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 43: Science CEO Level: Unlocked - The Journey
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Today we are joined by Dr. Luis Martinez, a senior venture associate with a background in organic chemistry and entrepreneurship at the venture capital firm, Capital Factory. The firm, based in Austin, Tx, was founded in 2009 to bring together entrepreneurs with potential partners, customers, and future hires. The firm works with a multitude of clients from corporate companies to start-ups to federal partners. Over the last year, they have invested about $23 million over 45 different entities within their expansive portfolio with a technology focus. Even though Luis has countless years of experience in entrepreneurship and innovation, he still finds that studying and understanding science is a very important and it is a worthwhile investment. “What is more awesome now in 2025, then when I got my Ph.D. in the 1990s, is that there are a lot more opportunities to apply your science and do what you do as a scientist beyond the paths that are presented out of graduate school,” he explains. In particular Luis finds the ability to take the unique skills learned in graduate school and apply them to different scenarios in entrepreneurship, start-ups, and solving critical questions to be key. For those who are interested in exploring entrepreneurship, he recommends taking time to visit your current or alumnus university entrepreneurship center, i.e. get out of the lab and walk across campus. Additionally, he suggests getting involved with training programs such as Activate and Nucleate, which focus on entrepreneurship for scientists. And, take advantage of the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program which facilitates the transformation of invention to impact. The last piece of advice he recommends is actually joining someone else’s start-up before venturing into your own to get the best hands-on experience.
Tune into this episode to hear about Luis’s work and:
- The next wave of science entrepreneurship careers
- Why science is important for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship important for science
- What areas of science are hot for entrepreneurship right now
Reach out to Luis:
- LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drluismartinez/
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 6: STEMLand Future of Science - The Work
- Ep 39: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Work
- Ep 42: Science CEO Level: Unlocked - The Work
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Today Latasha Wright, co-founder and executive scientific officer of BioBus takes us through her career journey, which had some very unexpected twists and turns along the way. Her childhood began in Mississippi as the youngest of 5 children. Both her parents nurtured the importance of education through constant exposure to books and just asking, “What did you learn today?”. Once Latasha started high school, however, she truly discovered her love of science with an incredible science teacher who encouraged mixing things together and blowing things up! She continued her education at Tougaloo College, a historically black college and university (HBCU), determined to get her degree in chemistry. As a college student, Latasha also received the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC U-STAR) scholarship. She also confidently declared her interest in going to graduate school for a PhD–but she didn’t know what a PhD actually was! This experience opened the doors to completing a program at the NIH, giving her first-hand experience in lab research. And, Latasha absolutely loved every minute of it. Excited for her future as a scientist, it was now time for Latasha to apply to programs; she was grappling between NYU, Berkeley, and Emory. However, a chance encounter with the associate dean of NYU changed her trajectory completely, and she ended up attending NYU. After receiving her doctorate in cellular and molecular biology, she completed two post-doctoral fellowships at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College. By chance, during her time back in NYC she met Ben Dubin-Thaler, and that connection led to the creation of BioBus. Currently, Latasha is really excited about bringing BioBus to the Bronx with a Community Lab. And she keeps reminding herself to “Be ready for the journey, it's gonna be good!”.
Tune into this episode to hear about Latasha’s journey and:
- How Latasha learned about the option of completing a Ph.D.
- Why she decided to go to NYU over Berkley and Emory
- What convinced her to transition from academia to science-outreach with BioBus
Reach out to Latasha:
Email: latasha@biobus.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latasha-wright-95bb7a16/
Book a BioBus visit: https://www.biobus.org/programs
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 67: BioBus of the Future - The Work
- Ep 42: Science CEO Level Unlocked - The Work
- Ep 6: STEMLand Future of Science - The Work
Check out Latasha's show on March 18th: Story Collider presents Stories of Brain and Beyond: https://www.storycollider.org/tickets/2025/mount-sinai-brain-beyond
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Today we are speaking to Latasha Wright, co-founder and executive scientific officer of BioBus, a science non-profit with a mission to support all students in acheiving their scientific potential. A real life version of the magic school bus, BioBus started as an upcycled 1974 transit bus, filled with microscopes, that brings science to students throughout New York City. The immersive experience of BioBus not only introduces students to asking questions and experimentation, but also challenges the idea of what science is and who does science. The curriculum of BioBus has also now expanded beyond the interactive bus-based experimental set up to also include community labs and junior scientist internship programs that encourage students to solve problems in their community using science. In her everyday life as an executive scientific officer, Latasha considers herself the manager of all managers. Her work touches on developing strategy for the organization as they expand, looking at equitable engagement with the community, integrating programs with what is already taking place in the community, and program evaluation as well as constantly finding ways to better teach science to students. “We are here to add the salt on top of something that’s already delicious,” explains Latasha. One of the more challenging aspects of her job is fundraising, which is common when it comes to running a non-profit. Her goal is to always make sure there are enough resources to support the organization and its mission currently, and into the future. The aspect of community is very foundational to the success of BioBus; many students walk away from their experiences with BioBus with a sense of belonging in a newfound accepting, scientific community. Latasha recommends that anyone who wants to start their own science non-profit should not go it alone–you need at least two kinds of people: a dreamer and a do-er. Check out the latest episode!
Tune into this episode to hear about Latasha’s work and:
- How BioBus adapts its programming to the interests of the community
- What she learned as a graduate student starting a non-profit
- Why she does not recommend starting a non-profit alone
Reach out to Latasha:
Email: latasha@biobus.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latasha-wright-95bb7a16/
Book a BioBus visit: https://www.biobus.org/programs
Check out Latasha's show on March 18th: Story Collider presents Stories of Brain and Beyond: https://www.storycollider.org/tickets/2025/mount-sinai-brain-beyond
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 48: Advocating for Science and Research - The Work
- Ep 42: Science CEO Level Unlocked - The Work
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Nikolay Kukushkin an author, neuroscientist and clinical associate professor at NYU shares with us the journey of his career path thus far. Niko grew up in Russia where the education curriculum requires students to specialize before college in their preferred subjects. Following the example of his parents, he decided to focus his studies on pursuing science. Although coming from a family of chemists, he is the sole biologist. He remembers having a wonderful childhood that was also very international–living in several countries around the world, after his family left at the fall of the USSR. Niko’s journey into publishing a novel began with a previous return trip to Russia as he was waiting to renew his visa and needed a way to pass the time. During that trip, he was invited by a friend who was a local science writer to illustrate her work. This then led to a side job in writing popular science for Russian media. From there, things happily snowballed into developing the concept for writing a novel–One Hand Clapping: The Origin Story of the Human Mind. And of course, he also brought his original illustrative style to the book. Looking back at his journey, from the time he spent at Saint Petersburg State University as a college student to his post doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Niko had countless mentors who shaped his approach to science and teaching. However, his most influential mentors will always be his parents, who instilled in him a genuine curiosity to explore the natural world from day one. The best advice he would give his younger self is “Keep calm and carry on.” He sees how things have turned out quite well on his journey so far and he is just at the very beginning of starting something interesting in his career journey. Even the regrets and setbacks along the way contributed to helping him grow and he would not do anything differently.
Tune into this episode to hear about Niko’s journey and:
- What big event he is preparing to celebrate with this friends
- How the international influence of his early childhood shaped his view of science
- How the doodles in his college notes eventually led to becoming an author
Reach out to Niko:
Website - https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/
Substack - https://nikolaykukushkin.substack.com/
And look out for the release of his book, One Hand Clapping
If you enjoyed this episode, check out Niko’s previous episode
Ep 66: Memory and the Human Mind - The Work
And one more:
Ep 56: Once upon a time - Origin stories
Ep 40: The art of Science with Laura Canil - The Journey
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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Our special guest for today is Nikolay Kukushkin, a clinical associate professor and neuroscientist at NYU, and author, who also considers himself a molecular philosopher. His research answers the question, “What is memory” at the most basic, cellular level. Most of Niko’s research takes place in the humble model organism, the sea slug. But now, he has shifted into exploring if generic, non-neuronal cells can behave similar to neurons and activate memory genes. Spoiler alert: non-neuronal cells undergo the same process of turning on memory genes as neurons!! And, when Niko and his lab dug into this question even deeper, they discovered that non-neuronal cells can actually differentiate between very, very fine patterns just like neurons, which is essentially a core property of memory. Apart from publishing papers, Niko has also written a bestseller called One Hand Clapping: Unravelling the Mystery of the Human Mind. The book explores the unique and special experience of the individual and the connection between the world within and outside the human body. It also goes into how our brains affect how we perceive the world. For example, if you consider those visual illusion images; you can only see one image at a time, never both. And the book explains why this is the case. As Niko was doing research for the book, he was surprised to discover how fragile our conscious perception is as he watched videos of treatment for epilepsy patients. Part of the treatment involves implanting electrodes into the brain of a patient. This treatment occurs while the patient is awake and they are able to communicate with the doctor how their perception and sensation changes as the electrodes are placed in different areas of the brain. Literally their perception of the world is impacted by the placement of the electrodes in the brain! Over the years, Niko has also realized even though it is actually hard to stop writing a book, you still have to start somewhere, and this is with a sentence.
Tune into this episode to hear about Niko’s work and:
- The broader takeaways from his latest discovery that non-neuronal cells can activate memory genes and learn
- The Buddist inspiration to the title of his book, One Hand Clapping
- How mapping the brain is like the game Minesweeper
- What he enjoys most about being a professor
Reach out to Niko:
X: @niko_kukushkin
Website - https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/
Substack - https://nikolaykukushkin.substack.com/
And look out for the release of his book, One Hand Clapping
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 51: How Science and Philosophy Intertwine - The Work
- Ep 13: Estrogen Heals Both Sexes - The Work
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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We continue our conversation with Chynna Broxton, an analytical developmental scientist at Spark Therapeutics on her journey to this point in her career. In the early days of her education Chynna vividly remembers the difficulty she had learning how to read; this setback didn’t deter her from doing well generally in her classes. In high school, however, something clicked in her brain in a way that felt very different compared to the struggles she had previously with reading. It was a big wow moment for Chynna as she effortlessly absorbed mathematical theorems and chemical equations in her high school STEM classes. She had an even bigger wow moment in her undergraduate biochemistry course at Saint Elizabeth University–understanding how molecules and compounds are applied to treat diseases. During the summer of her junior year, Chynna was encouraged by a mentor to attend the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, which allowed her to spend time at Syracuse University doing research. Chynna remains thankful to the mentor who encouraged her to apply for this foundational program and opened her eyes to the possibility of becoming a scientist. As she looks back, she had many thoughtful mentors from her early days in middle and high school to managers in the workplace who had faith in her and nurtured her abilities. These countless mentors have helped Chynna to tackle a continual battle with imposter syndrome. She could not believe her acceptance to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, initially, and even more recently had doubts about leading a three-hour workshop. Through the doubts, however, Chynna has really learned to persevere. The best advice she gives for handling imposter syndrome is, “Even if you don’t believe in yourself, you have to listen to the people who invited you there. They invited you there for a reason.” Reflecting back on her career journey, Chynna also realizes that her vision of success has changed over time as she has grown and evolved from the time she was a postdoc and defined by her research project, to now, as an analytical developmental scientist.
Tune into this episode to hear about Chynna’s career journey and:
- What influences from her childhood encouraged her to pursue science, despite difficulties
- How the realization that college professors with Ph.D.’s are also called Dr. opened a door for exploring career options
- The impact of mentors in guiding her career journey
- What does it mean to “make more space for [yourself], make more space for rest, and make more space for reflection”
Also check out her YouTube channel: @ChynnaNicoleplans
Instagram: @planning_phd
and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chynna-broxton/
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
Ep 61: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Journey
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
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In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chynna Broxton, an Analytical Development Scientist at Spark Therapeutics, to uncover the realities of working in the biotech industry. Chynna dispels common myths about transitioning to industry, addressing concerns about losing scientific engagement and sharing how she’s grown significantly at Spark. She gives a broad overview of her role, which involves developing methods to characterize gene therapy products for inherited genetic disorders.
Comparing Academia to Industry, Chynna breaks down the pros and cons of working in both, touching on such themes as flexibility, goals, compensation, and the tangible impact of your work. Drawing from her experiences working at a CRO (Contract Research Organization) and her current role at Spark, she highlights the main difference between these industry settings.
Not all industry jobs are the same, she explains. There are a wide variety of roles, and while some mirror the academic experience others are unique to the industry landscape.
For anyone considering a move from academia to industry, Chynna offers encouragement, and advice on finding your best fit. Join us to learn from Chynna what it takes to thrive in the biotech industry.
Tune in to Learn:
- What skills learned during her academic career directly transfer to this role
- What surprised her about working in industry
- The pros and cons of working in industry compared to academia
- Her key tip for finding a role in industry that's a good fit for you
- How her graduate and postdoctoral work prepared her for her current position
- What she loves about doing science other than the discoveries.
Reach out to Chynna:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chynna-broxton/
Email: cbroxton@steu.edu
If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 60: Arianne Hunter's experience - senior scientist at Abbvie
- Ep 50: Clinical trials to cure genetic diseases with CRISPR technology
- Ep 15: Joseph Iacona's experience - scientist at Janssen
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Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Finishing our conversation with Science Communication expert, Jens Foell, he takes us through the twists and turns that have formed his career journey so far. From a love of movies to a love of science, now merged into a successful science communication career with Germany’s premiere SciCom team. Among the many lessons he’s learned, Jens explains learning to trust himself, and having the courage to follow his path and do what he loves, even without a firm plan in place.
Tune in to learn:
· How doing a PhD in Germany is different from the U.S
· Why Jens recommends people should do what they love
Reach out to Jens:
Instagram: @jens.mailab
BlueSky: @fmriguy.bsky.social
Email: jens.florida@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-foell-2365a2a1
If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:
Ep 62: Jens’ work episode
Ep 39: The Art of Science – communicating science through graphics
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
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and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode, we have a wonderful conversation with Science Communication Expert and bestselling author, Dr. Jens Foell. In 2020, Jens transitioned from a research role in Florida to work with Germany's most prominent science communication team, Maithink media. As a science editor for their TV show, Maithink X, Jens fully embraces his love of science communication and learning by creating content that is both impactful and entertaining. Their goals align perfectly with the recent emphasis in Germany on supporting science journalism and communication to make science more accessible to the public. After all, “If you don’t share your science, you’re really just playing with rats for your own amusement!”
Jens gives us a 360 view of his role, and describes a fulfilling day and a frustrating day in the world of a TV science editor. He also offers advice for aspiring science communicators, emphasizing the importance of developing skills in reviewing papers, writing literature reviews, and understanding public interest. Jens’ passion for science communication runs deeper than his work as he is also a bestselling author of two non-fiction science books, both available in German.
Tune in to learn:
- How Maithink X is changing Science Communication in Germany
- The creative model they use to communicate science
- Similarities between SciCom and a romantic relationship
- The Jens Foell Strategic Sequence to get a role in science communication
- How to deal with the biggest challenge in the SciCom field
- All about Jens’ bestselling books
- The “Simple” answer to life, the universe, and everything
- The best Turkish….Hm-mhm... German food to try
Links from the Show:
- Read Jens' Nature article on science communication in Social Media: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01138-0
- Discussion paper on Bees doing Math, original research article linked within: https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13420-021-00474-5
Reach out to Jens:
Instagram: @jens.mailab
BlueSky: @fmriguy.bsky.social
Email: jens.florida@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-foell-2365a2a1
If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 8 -The Pen is mightier than the pipette: Doing SciCom at a university Public Information Office
- Ep 12: Immunology and Squid: Science Outreach with Skype-A-Scientist
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode we continue our conversation with Arianne Hunter, a Senior Scientist at Abbvie, on how her journey led her to a love of organic chemistry and a career in industry. Growing up Arianne, describes herself as a really nerdy kid, who adored PBS kids, and enjoyed exploring the world through her toy microscope. As she grew up and learned more about different career opportunities, her interests bounced from orthodontia to food chemistry. Once she attended Dartmouth College, Arianne was presented head on with the rigor of organic chemistry and gladly accepted the challenge of the course as a chemistry major. The experience opened her eyes and solidified her goal of becoming a chemist. Following her undergraduate studies she received a SMART Scholarship from the Department of Defense, which supported her graduate studies at University of Oklahoma, and allowed her to work as a civilian scientist in the forensics field. Things were going very well for Arianne, but she always had this vision in the back of her mind of going back to academia; this led her to complete the two post-doctoral fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and California Institute of Technology (CalTech). As she neared the end of her fellowships, Arianna found herself at a crossroads–should she continue on the route of becoming a professor in academia, or should she try something new and jump into industry. Of course, she chose the latter and initially felt torn by the decision because it was at odds with her passion of giving back to the community and supporting first-generation students and minority women in STEM. “I had to come to the conclusion that not every decision is a permanent decision,” Arianne explains. She now sees that with her role in industry as a female scientist she can still inspire and influence the next generation of women in science. To hear more about Arianne’s career journey, check out the latest episode.
Tune into this episode to hear Arianne discuss:
- The winding road and experiences that led her to a career in chemistry
- What it means to “not be the hero”
- Influential mentors who guided her career choices, including mentors from her days as an athlete
- How she envisions her successful self, with a smile
Reach out to Arianne:
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariannehunter/
Instragram - @dr.arihunter
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:
- Ep 46: Connecting the Dots between Theory, Physics, and Mathematics - The Journey
- Ep 27: From Post doc to Assistant Professor - The Journey
- Ep 16: Storm Chasing and Forensics - The Journey
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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We have a wonderful guest today to start off our interviews for this season of We Love Science–meet Arianne Hunter, a Senior Scientist at Abbvie. She is a part of the centralized organic synthesis group and a synthesis expert for medicinal chemistry teams. Her day to day work involves identifying promising molecules that could be used as treatments, in short, she is one of the first steps in developing drugs. Arianne enjoys her work because it combines her two loves–organic chemistry and solving chemical synthesis problems. Similar to academia, her work involved investigating questions and looking to foundational organic chemistry to provide answers for how to bring molecules together and create specific chemical bonds, for example. When she compares working as a scientist in academia with industry, one of the biggest takeaways for Arianne is being able to see her wider impact very quickly. She is in awe everyday of getting to work closely with scientists who have worked on developing some of the biggest drugs for Abbvie and improving the lives of patients. However, Arianne does miss the academic culture of engaging with students regularly and mentoring the next generation. Before she joined industry, Arianne also worked with the government as a forensic chemist and this experience helped solidify her passion for more discovery rather than applied research. To hear more about Arianne and her work as an organic chemist in industry, listen to the latest episode.
Tune into this episode to hear Arianne share:
- Why she views doing science as almost a spiritual experience.
- Her thought process for transitioning from academia to the government to industry.
- How networking and speaking to people at conferences helped her find a position in industry.
Reach out to Arianne:
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariannehunter/
**Instragram - @dr.arihunter
If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:**
- Ep 45: Connecting the Dots between Theory, Physics, and Mathematics - The Work
- Ep 26: From Post doc to Assistant Professor - The Work
- Ep 15: Storm Chasing and Forensics - The Work
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode, we delve into 3D bioprinting. What is it? What materials and machinery are used? What are the steps needed to go from raw material cells to layers of tissue and finally a 3D organoid? What challenges have they faced in the bioprinting field and what breakthroughs have pushed it forward? What are the medical and R&D applications of bio-printed tissues and organs? Where is this technology currently? And how long will we really have to wait to get full-sized bio-printed organs on demand? Tune in to learn more.
If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 58: Unpacking the Science behind everyday things
- Ep 50: About the many CRISPR clinical trials to cure genetic diseases
- Ep 30: Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode, we dive into a world full of stuff. And no, we’re not just talking about your junk drawer! From razors and plastics to glass and yes ‘Delicious’ chocolate too, there’s so much science behind the everyday materials we take for granted.
In his NY Times Bestselling book “Stuff Matters,” materials scientist Mark Miodownik reveals how mundane items are steeped in a rich scientific history. How human ingenuity, perseverance, and good 'ole luck got us things from hot chocolate to 3D printing of body parts and everything in between.
If you’ve ever wondered about the story behind all the stuff around you, this book is a must-read. Whether it’s the paper you’re scribbling on or the stainless steel keeping your kitchen shiny, "Stuff Matters" will make you appreciate all the science that goes unnoticed in your daily life.
Tune in to this book review: recommended for curious minds, chocolate lovers, and anyone who’s ever pondered the significance of all their stuff.
If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:
- Ep 32: We Love Birds Too - Book Review
- Ep 22: The Science Behind Baking with Yeast - A Food Science Short
- Ep 38: The Secret Behind CRISPR Gene Editing
Visit our store: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Suggest a guest
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Instagram: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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For our first Science Shorty of the season, we are continuing with the exploration of color and biology, but this time no chickens or other fowl. Instead, we will explore some of the color patterns staring us right in the face—eye color and eye color genetics. Why do people have blue, green, hazel or even purple eyes? Hint: It’s all about the layers of the irides. How are those traits for eye color passed down from parent to child? Hint: Mendel’s rules don’t apply here, at least not completely. There’s more to it than meets the eye! To learn more about eye color and the interesting genetics behind it, listen to the episode.
Tune into this episode to learn:
- What kinds of melanin are responsible for which eye colors
- How irides and eye structure influence eye color
- The interconnectedness of two genes, HERC2 and OCA2, on eye color and the influence on color inheritance
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 54: The colorful life of bird eggs - chickens and turkeys
- Ep 44: The colorful life of bird eggs
- Ep 55: CRISPR food science
Resources:
1. Genotype-phenotype associations and human eye color by White and Rabago- Smith in Journal of Human Genetics (2011)
2. What color are your eyes? Teaching the genetics of eye color and vision by Mackey in Nature (2021)
3. Eye Colors from Cleveland Clinic
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Welcome back for season 4! This season we have so many amazing guests and other episodes lined up for our audience. But, before we get into that, let’s go back to revisit with our past guests on how it all started–how did they get their start in science? What influenced them to follow this career path? What surprised them along the way? From family encouragement and supportive teachers to enjoying the natural world and simply realizing what is and isn’t a good fit, our guests over the last season have proven that many different paths and experiences lead to a love of science. Listen to the origin stories from Richard, Adriana, Jishad, Maria, Laura, Ijeoma, and Cari.
If you haven’t heard their entire journey episodes, be sure to check those out too!
Episode 52 - Dr. Richard Summers
Episode 49 - Dr. Adriana Bankston
Episode 46 - Dr. Jishad Kumar
Episode 43 - Dr. Maria Qadri
Episode 40 - Dr. Laura Canil
Episode 37 - Dr. Ijeoma Kola
Episode 34 - Dr. Cari Skrdla
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In the Season 3 finale, We Love Science presents a special episode ALL ABOUT FOOD!! Specifically, we discuss how CRISPR gene editing technology is being used to improve our food and agricultural industry.
Gene editing in plants has 2 main goals. The first satisfies consumer preferences for food enjoyment, like improved taste. The second category of food edits has been aimed at solving food supply issues and growing food insecurities. To this end researchers have targeted traits to enhance crop yield and improve disease resistance.
CRISPR gene editing has also been used to improve our livestock and fish supply. While most of these products are still coming up in the pipeline. CRISPR gene-edited foods are already available on the market in the United States and abroad.
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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The egg color saga continues as Fatu and Shekerah look into how domesticated birds like chickens and turkeys got their egg colors. In the previous episode, we learned that the breed of chicken is responsible for egg color and this is all linked to the genetics of the rooster and hen. In the US for example, Leghorn chickens are the most common breed for egg-laying and they always produce white eggs, while Orpington’s lay brown eggs and Ameraucana lay blue eggs. Through many years of research, scientists have discovered exactly which genes in chickens are associated with egg color. For chickens that lay blue eggs like the Ameraucana and Dongxiang they both have the SLCO1B3 gene. And even more interesting, this gene has a specific mutation caused by an avian retrovirus that directly changes the way this gene is expressed to produce the blue egg color. So it is both the presence of the SLCO1B3 gene and the avian retrovirus mutation in Ameraucana and Dongxiang that is responsible for the trait of blue egg color. Even with the whole spectrum of the colors available to chicken eggs, consumer preference and culture ultimately determine what color eggs are sold around the world. Europeans have different color preferences compared to Americans and Japanese and this leads to the different egg colors across countries. To hear more about chicken egg color, and even turkey egg color listen to the episode.
Tune into this episode to learn more about:
- Bird egg color, genetics, and evolution
- What specific genes are associated with bird egg color and how those genes are passed down with each generation
- How an avian retrovirus is connected to blue gg color
- Turkey eggs and how they get their colors
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 44: The Colorful Life of Bird Eggs
- Ep 38: The Secret behind CRISPR Gene Editing
- Ep 39: The Art of Science - The Work
Sources:
Refine localizations of functional variants affecting eggshell color of Lueyang black-boned chicken in the SLCO1B3
An EAV-HP Insertion in 5′ Flanking Region of SLCO1B3 Causes Blue Eggshell in the Chicken
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode of "We Love Science," hosts Shekerah and Fatu delve into the safety and ethical considerations surrounding CRISPR gene editing technology. Joined by special guest, Irina Gostimskaya, we explore the complexities and implications of advances in biomedical technology, including the use of CRISPR in humans.
The main purpose of ethical guidelines in biomedicine is to protect patients and ensure responsible scientific conduct. Past abuses of biomedical technology including inhumane medical experiments set the stage for modern bioethics. Key moments that shaped current ethical guidelines include: the 1947 Nuremberg Code developed after the trial of Nazi doctors, and the 1978 Belmont Report issued in response to an unethical Syphilis study conducted on African American men.
Throughout the decades, groundbreaking advancements in biotechnology have compelled the scientific community to unite in discussion to create new guidelines for responsible and ethical use. The advent of CRISPR genetic engineering has been met with the same commitment to responsible application of the technology and ethical biomedical conduct.
Tune in to learn about:
· Historical context of Bioethics
· Safety concerns with DNA manipulation
· CRISPR-specific safety issues
· Ethical challenges with CRISPR gene editing
· The CRISPR babies scandal
Catch up on the previous CRISPR episodes:
· Ep 35: The first CRISPR Chronicles episode: How CRISPR gene therapy is bringing hope to the world
· Ep 38: A foundational discussion explaining the secret behind CRISPR gene therapy
· Ep 41: A look into the ups and downs of how the CRISPR saga developed
· Ep 47: The CRISPR Cure for Sickle Cell Disease
· Ep 50: CRISPR clinical trials
And you may also enjoy:
- Ep 23: The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin
- Ep 24: From Dyslexia to Nobel Prize Winner!
- Irina’s excellent CRISPR review article
Reach out to Irina: gostimskaya@gmail.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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We continue our conversation with Richard Summers, a theoretical biologist and emeritus professor at the University of Mississippi, to learn more about his career journey. Richard’s first science spark moment hit him very clearly when he was a young high schooler– he experienced first hand a lunar eclipse with his friends and this experience instilled in him a wonder for the natural world and the interconnectivity of all things. As a high school student, however, his mind was not focused yet on a potential career path; he just wanted to be cool. Once Richard entered college, he dedicated his time to find a suitable career path and spent weeks reading countless books in the college library. After reading hundreds of pages, Richard was still undecided. But he came to a wonderful conclusion: “I did realize one thing. I was limited in my understanding of what was in any of those books only by the amount of mathematics I could understand." This drive to fill in the gaps of his knowledge led Richard to pursue a degree in mathematics with a minor in physical chemistry. From his undergraduate coursework, Richard also gained an appreciation for the role of the observer within biology and this inspired him to go to medical school. His first week in medical school, however, came as a shock, when he realized there were no equations in his anatomy textbooks. After Richard graduated medical school, he had a full career as a doctor and academic. Although he has written many peer-reviewed articles throughout that time, it was not until much later in life that he considered writing books to share his ideas with broader audiences. When Richard reflects back on the many influential mentors who impacted his journey, he is grateful for two mentors he had as a post-doc after medical school. His mentors helped him to understand how to think and reason, which are lessons he carries even to this day. Now that he is retired, Richard notes that the best and worst thing about retirement is waking up and having to decide what to do everyday. Currently his family and grandchildren help him to fill the time and truly feel fulfilled in life. Listen to the episode to hear more!
In this episode, Richard will share with us:
- The defining moments that inspired his scientific pursuits
- The impact of mentorship in developing a new way of thinking about the world
- What to look forward to once you reach retirement
You can find Richard’s latest book here: Science as Natural Philosophy and Finding our Place in the Universe Reach out to Richard by email: rsummers@umc.edu
If you enjoyed this episode, also be sure to check out: From Post doc to Assistant Professor: The Journey
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode of We Love Science, Fatu and Shekerah explore a world that few modern-day scientists have explored before the intersection of biology and philosophy. Today we are speaking with Dr. Richard Summers, a theoretical biologist and emeritus professor at the University of Mississippi. His career spans from chairman of the department of emergency medicine to vice chancellor for research. Richard has also led cutting-edge research to understand how the human body responds to zero gravity environments and he has even worked directly with NASA. Throughout his career, between his lab research and academic leadership positions, Richard has managed to co-author up to 300 publications as well as books. And, his most recent book is titled “Science as Natural Philosophy and Finding our Place in the Universe”. This book explores the rich history of the origins of science as a way of creating our world view and understanding our place, as humans, in the world–natural philosophy as it used to be called. The origin story of science is not only about how we as humans observe and experience the world, interestingly it can also be deeply influenced by religious perspectives, especially during times in history when religious authority had strong emphasis on what was accepted in broader society. “We think of science, philosophy, and religion as being completely separate and conflicting schools of thought. My book connects the dots between the scientific perspective and those of philosophy and religion–in broad scale,” explains Richard. An overarching theme of all three is to have a better experience and understanding of our world. When it comes to writing, Richard believes that good writing just has to flow, and this means writing can be slow, arduous and often frustrating. However, this also means it’s important to sit and try everyday. Hear more about Richard’s work and his book by listening to the episode.
Tune into this episode to hear Richard explain:
- The evolution of science over time from observation to experimentation
- What does it mean to think of science as a natural philosophy
- The surprising interconnectedness between science, philosophy, and religion
You can find Richard’s latest book here:
Science as Natural Philosophy and Finding our Place in the Universe
Reach out to Richard:
By email: rsummers@umc.edu
If you enjoyed this episode, also be sure to check out:
- The Pen is Mightier than the Pipette: The Work
- The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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We Love Science podcast celebrates our 50th episode with a discussion all about the hopes and progress of CRISPR clinical trials. Before a new drug, therapy, vaccine, or medical device is approved for general use by the public, its safety and effectiveness are evaluated in a series of tests on volunteers. These Clinical Trials progress in 3 successive phases with each phase designed to answer specific questions about the product under evaluation. Questions can include: What side effects does it cause? What is the lowest effective dose? What is the highest safe dose? Does it improve patients’ quality of life? Is it an effective cure for the disease in question? How does it compare to the current treatments (if any are available) for that particular disease?
Currently, only one CRISPR gene therapy, Casgevy, is approved for public use. It is approved in several countries to treat the blood disorders, Sickle Cell Disease and Beta Thalassemia. However, many CRISPR clinical trials are still ongoing; they span ~ 10 major disease categories and occupy every clinical trial phase. In this episode, we discuss the successes and challenges of CRISPR clinical trials to cure HIV/AIDS, Cardiovascular disease, and others.
Tune in to learn more about:
· What questions do successive clinical trial phases answer?
· How can CRISPR technology cure HIV/AIDS?
· The results for the hereditary amyloidosis treatment, which is now in phase III of clinical trials
· Listener question: An update for Sickle Cell Disease CRISPR treatments
For more information on this topic, visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
Useful Links: US and EU clinical trials databases:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/
https://euclinicaltrials.eu/?lang=en
Catch up on the previous CRISPR episodes:
- Ep 35: The first CRISPR Chronicles episode: How CRISPR gene therapy is bringing hope to the world
- Ep 38: A foundational discussion explaining the secret behind CRISPR gene therapy
- Ep 41: A look into the ups and downs of how the CRISPR saga developed
- Ep 47: The CRISPR Cure for Sickle Cell Disease
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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We continue our conversation with Dr. Adriana Bankston, founder and CEO, Bankston Policy Consulting LLC to learn more about her career path. Her journey of discovery started close to home, in a family filled with scientists–from her grandparents to her parents. As an undergraduate at Clemson University, she was introduced to the world of research through a summer program. From there her interests blossomed, and in graduate school, at Emory University, she conducted research in muscular dystrophy for her dissertation. This experience also allowed her to volunteer with patients and instilled the understanding of the social impact of science. “What you are doing actually impacts real people,” Adriana explains. As she completed graduate school, her attention grew to understanding the obscure world of postdoctoral salaries, how such positions are defined, and the policies behind the status quo. This initial project led her to the world of advocacy and finding strategic ways to solve these challenges within science. Along the way, Adriana has also had several inspiring mentors, starting with her graduate school advisor: one of two female researchers within the department. Peers were also very supportive in fostering her interests especially as Adriana transitioned away from bench work and needed to gain new skills in the policy world such as writing letters to legislators and understanding the workings of Capitol Hill. With her positive experience as a mentee, Adriana now dedicates her time to mentoring graduate students and others who are new to the world of advocacy and policy. Looking to the future, she is excited about starting as an inaugural AAAS Congressional Policy Fellow sponsored by the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy which will allow her to work directly on Capitol Hill, a change from advocating on the outside. In addition to her experience in advocacy and policy, Adriana is also a science writer; as someone who describes herself as having too many opinions, writing has been an excellent outlet to share some of her ideas with the world. After you listen to the podcast, also read her latest blog post on the podcast website: https://welovesciencepodcast.com/f/how-policymaking-works-and-how-scientists-can-engage
And if you want to learn more about science policy, Adriana will lead a workshop hosted by Genetics Society of America: Register here
Tune into this episode to hear Adriana explain:
- How her family history influenced her career journey
- Her first encounter with science policy and advocacy
- What it means to ride the rollercoaster with confidence
Reach out to Adriana:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianabankston/
Website: https://adrianabankston.com/
Twitter: https://tw
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this episode, we explore policy for science with Dr. Adriana Bankston Founder and CEO, Bankston Policy Consulting LLC. As an advocate for science and research, Adriana shares the outcomes of research with members of Congress to support the continued support of federally funded research by policymakers. The funding that science gets every year is greatly impacted by what happens in Washington DC, specifically by political factors such as who is elected and general pro-science sentiments. As an entrepreneur and founder of her own policy consulting firm, Adriana has been excited to delve into different projects for her clients. One of the challenges of working for herself, however, which she has to balance, is constantly searching for work and opportunities and understanding how best to place value on her expertise when billing clients based on what others are willing to pay. In the course of her current work, she has found many connections between working at the lab bench and working in policy, especially in how to manage multiple projects and work with multiple partners toward common goals. Adriana admits that shifting her career focus away from bench work has been a steep learning curve. “You are starting from the bottom; you have to be ok with not knowing how things work,” she explains regarding the challenge of how to get comfortable learning how to become a professional in a new world. Even with this, however, Adriana loves following her passion with her work. To hear more about what it means to promote policy for science, listen to Adriana’s story. And, to dive deeper into the complex world of science policy, read Adriana's blog post at welovesciencepodcast.com
Reach out to Adriana:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianabankston/
Website: https://adrianabankston.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdrianaBankston
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to also check out:
FORE Advocating Change - Part 1
STEMLand Future of Science - The Work
The Truth about Food - The Work
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this fourth installment of the CRISPR Chronicles, show hosts Fatu and Shekerah give a review of sickle cell anemia, the cause and symptoms of the disease, and discuss how the CRISPR gene therapy treatment works.
Tune in to learn more about:
- The genetic basis of Sickle Cell Disease
- What Amazon delivery vans have in common with your Red Blood Cells
- The effect of mutant hemoglobin on Red Blood Cells
- The variety and severity of symptoms that SCD patients experience
- The disease burden of SCD throughout the world
- The clever strategy used to treat the disease with CRISPR gene therapy
- The results of the CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals gene therapy clinical trials
For more information on this topic, visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
Hear directly from Sickle Cell Disease patients who received the treatment during the clinical trial: Victoria Gray and Jimi Olaghere
If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy:
- The first CRISPR Chronicles episode: How CRISPR gene therapy is bringing hope to the world
- A foundational discussion explaining the secret behind CRISPR gene therapy
- A look into the ups and downs of how the CRISPR saga developed
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We continue our conversation with Jishad Kumar on his journey in science. Jishad remembers his first science wow moment during his childhood when a teacher captivated his interest in optics with kaleidoscopes. His curiosity instantly peaked and he really wanted to learn more about how to make such tools; eventually in high school he successfully built his own optical instrument with friends. While discovering the world of optics, Jishad also started to think more about what he wanted to do with his future; he knew there was more to the world than building fun optical tools. Around this same time, he was fortunate to have a very good math teacher who introduced him to the world of mathematics, and simultaneously Jishad discovered that he was very talented in this subject–always scoring at the top of the class. As he continued in his studies, Jishad was introduced to another amazing mentor–a priest who was also a dedicated physics teacher. This teacher taught him one-on-one the intricate details of physics and pointed out to Jishad that he also has a special talent for physics. This encouragement from his teachers and his natural talent set Jishad on the first steps in his journey into mathematics and physics. As he continued on to college and graduate school, he considered traveling abroad to complete his studies, however, this plan was not financially feasible for him or his family. Undeterred by this small setback, Jishad continued in his education in India and he completed his doctorate at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research. He credits his success in his doctoral program to his two outstanding Ph.D. supervisors who really supported him not only through his education but also his growth as an individual. At this stage, Jishad knew he wanted to teach and stay in academia; he set out on completing post doctoral fellowships and traveled the globe from the Czech Republic to the United States to his current position at Aalto University in Finland. His vision of success is still a work in progress; Jishad strives to do so much more in his career. “I want to do more, learn more, and love physics more,” he explains. To hear more about Jishad’s inspiring journey listen to this episode.
Tune into this episode to hear Jishad discuss:
- His early career ambitions before deciding to follow his love of mathematics and physics
- The importance of mentors in shaping not only his understanding of science but also growth as a person
- Navigating the ups and downs, and egos of graduate school to find his intellectual strengths
Reach out to Jishad:
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/drjishadkumar
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to also check out:
- Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello - The Journey
- From Post doc to Assistant Professor - The Journey
- Ninja Warrior Scientist
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this episode, Shekerah and Fatu have a delightful conversation with Jishad Kumar, a theorist and researcher. As a theorist he uses concrete assumptions and models to solve problems which can then be further investigated with in depth experimentation. Jishad’s journey into theoretical physics started accidentally when he discovered Brownian motion is related to particle motion and has nothing to do with the color brown. From there, he extensively read books and scientific articles building a very solid knowledge base for his graduate studies. But, Jishad had a difficult start in his research career; he struggled with his first project assignment and did not have good support from this research advisor. During this difficult period, however, he found guidance from another advisor who encouraged him to conquer his fear and gave him the motivation to continue with the assignment and ultimately succeed. Things continued to progress and his confidence grew as he was also able to design a very impressive doctoral research project examining superconductivity. Looking back, Jishad sees this initial research experience as very formative in his research journey, and he is grateful for this. “I cannot stay away from science,” he explains as he also looks back and reflects on all the challenges and triumphs of the journey. Currently Jishad’s research focuses on applications of quantum thermo-dynamics, such as quantum heat exchange, and he looks forward to future real-world applications and innovations from this research. His long term goals include setting up his own research lab with students and teaching. To hear more about Jishad’s work tune into the latest episode.
Tune into this episode to hear Jishad discuss:
- His start in theoretical physics in a pre-wikipedia world
- Keeping motivation on his journey even with several setback
- Future theoretical research goals and aspirations
Reach out to Jishad:
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/drjishadkumar
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to also check out:
From Postdoc to Assistant Professor - The Work
Accidental Discovery of the Microwave
Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello - The Work
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
It’s another Science Short, and today Fatu and Shekerah discover how bird eggs get their color–from brown, white, blue, speckled, and everything in between. To this day, scientists do not have a good understanding of why egg color developed in birds, but they do know that this trait co-evolved with the introduction of open-style bird nests, as opposed to covered nests. Open nests left bird eggs exposed and vulnerable to the outside environment, which led to one hypothesis that egg colors provide camouflage against potential predators. There are also other hypotheses that connect egg color to bacterial resistance, temperature regulation, and even female genetic fitness; literally as many hypotheses as there are egg color patterns.
Even though it is still a big mystery as to why birds have colored eggs, how these colors are formed is not. Birds are only capable of making two pigments–blue and brown–and the different combinations of these pigments produce the diverse spectrum of all the colors we see in eggs. With domesticated birds such as chickens, however, egg color is directly linked to the breed of chicken. Specific breeds only lay specific colors, for example Orpingtons lay brown eggs, Ameraucana lay blue eggs, and the “olive egger” breeds lay olive-green eggs. Catch this episode to learn more about the egg-straordinary story of bird eggs and how they got their colors.
Tune into this episode to learn more about:
- How scientists think different environmental pressures may be the key to why birds developed colored eggs
- What pigments are responsible for the diversity of color we see in bird eggs and how they are deposited on eggshells during egg development
- How chicken egg colors are influenced by genetics and human selection
- What causes speckling on bird eggs
If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll also enjoy:
- We Love Birds Too!
- The Science behind Baking with Yeast
- The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin
Read about the Nature Ecology and Evolution study
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Dr. Maria Qadri, CEO of Clearwater Leadership begins the conversation on her journey into entrepreneurship with memories of building things (flat pack furniture) with her father–both of her parents were engineers and science-y discussions were a hallmark of her childhood. As a child, Maria slowly started to envision becoming a doctor, mainly influenced by her diagnosis with type 1 diabetes and the time she spent with medical experts to understand and manage her disease. However, she was also influenced to consider engineering by her parents. Ultimately, Maria landed on biomedical engineering as the best path for her, combining all of her interests. As she continued in her studies in college at University of Hartford, focusing on pre-med and biomedical engineering, Maria came to the revelation that she “could have so much more of an impact if [she] made the tools that doctors worked with.” This led to the first twist in her journey and she pursued a Masters at University of Connecticut and then received her doctorate at Rutgers University. Along the way, however, she stumbled upon science policy, leading to another turn in her journey. And again she came across a new realization: “good policy is good communication.” This inspired her to complete a unique post-doctoral fellowship at the Association of American Colleges and Universities focused on science communications and policy. She had found the perfect fit in what she was looking for, again combining several different interests. At this current stage in her career journey, Maria has amassed a wealth of experience and knowledge, it was just a matter of somehow putting it all together with the other goals she had in her life–starting a family and buying her first home–to find the perfect sweet spot. And now as the founder of her own company, Maria can proudly say she feels like she has it all–a daughter, a husband, a home, and her own business to invest in her many passions. As she looks back on her journey, Maria thinks about her village of family support and mentors that guided her every step of the way. One of the best pieces of advice she would give to anyone interested in following a similar journey is to “run towards the things you are afraid of.”
Tune into this episode to hear Maria discuss:
- How her journey brought together many different interests as she grew both personally and professionally
- Why a Ph.D. is a degree in persistence, not intelligence
- What her vision is of success
And, some tips for anyone interested in going to graduate school for a Ph.D.
Reach out to Maria:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajq/
Email: ceo@clearwaterleadership.com
If you enjoyed hearing about Maria’s work, you might also enjoy:
- The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Journey
- STEMLand Future of Science - The Journey
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Our journey into science entrepreneurship continues! In this episode we speak to Dr. Maria Qadri, founder of Clearwater Leadership which specializes in data analysis, science communication, and leadership development training. As a new founder of her own company, Maria already has her sights set on the future–she looks forward to growing the company and bringing on additional people depending on how the portfolio for Clearwater Leadership develops and client needs. Maria admits she has always been afraid of entrepreneurship because of the realities of living with type 1 diabetes and the need to have reliable healthcare access. However, at this stage in her career journey she looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead in running her own company, similar to the intellectual pursuits in completing her doctorate. For those who are interested in following a similar career path, that pulls from education and work experience, Maria advises to ask questions about everything. She also explains, “Don’t treat [the journey] as closing doors, try to treat it as building bridges.”
Tune into this episode to hear Maria explain how she:
- Combined her scientific background with work experience to advance her career journey
- Started her own business as a solo entrepreneur
- Overcame the hesitation of becoming an entrepreneur
And, some tips if you are interested in following your own, independent science-focused venture
Reach out to Maria:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajq/
Email: ceo@clearwaterleadership.com
If you enjoyed hearing about Maria’s work, you might also enjoy:
- The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Work
- Sista, Sista! Graduate School Years - The Work
- The Truth about Food - The Work
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
You may think that the CRISPR-Cas genome engineering tool was developed from simple human ingenuity. And while its development certainly involved ingenuity, CRISPR was birthed in the wild. As a product of nature, it has an essential function in its native host; spoilers: its natural function involves defending its host from attacks. From the initial discovery in nature to its adoption as a gene therapy tool it took decades of twists and turns, ups, downs, and yes, ins and outs too.
In this episode of We Love Science Podcast, Fatu and Shekerah welcome special guest, Irina Gostimskaya, as the CRISPR Chronicles continues. Together, we take a CRISPR walk through history, discussing the men and women who made it possible to bring CRISPR therapies to the world through their curiosity, perseverance, and a sprinkle of good and bad luck.
Tune in to the episode to learn about:
· The cliffhanger that showed the world the first CRISPR sequence
· The real purpose of CRISPR in the wild
· How scientists assembled the puzzle pieces to use CRISPR for Gene editing
· The CRISPR patent dispute
· Bonus Food Science Content: Learn all about Russian cuisine
For more information on this topic, visit our website: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
Reach out to Irina: gostimskaya@gmail.com
Read Irina’s excellent CRISPR review article: CRISPR–Cas9: A History of Its Discovery and Ethical Considerations of Its Use in Genome Editing. Biochemistry Moscow 87, 777–788 (2022).
If you enjoyed this episode you will also enjoy hearing about:
- The Secret Behind CRISPR Gene Editing
- How CRISPR Gene Therapy is Bringing Hope to the World
- Yogurt Making - DIY Style - A Food Science Short
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We continue our discussion with Laura Canil to learn about her journey in becoming a scientific illustrator. Her earliest memories in science didn't exactly start in science–initially she wanted to be an inventor and then a painter. As she continued in her education, Laura started to also explore science communication. All of these interests remained in the back of her mind as she received her bachelors and masters in physics and materials science in Italy. As a graduate student in Berlin, completing her doctorate research on photovoltaic and photocells, Laura realized that she enjoyed the communications aspect of science a little bite more than the research. She would spend hours making just the right figures and animations to explain her research clearly.
As she reached the end of her graduate school journey, Laura began to think critically about what comes next. She didn’t know at this point that scientific illustration was a potential choice for a fulfilling career. By chance, she contacted someone online who was already working in the field, and as she learned more and more about his career, it all just clicked. Laura knew this was the right path for her. After receiving her doctorate, she took a gap year to develop additional skills for professional illustration–powerpoint was just not going to cut it. And as she learned and grew in her art, the company CanilVisuals developed organically as a natural next step to get her professional career off the ground.
When Laura looks back on her journey, she doesn’t recall one specific mentor who helped guide her along the way. Rather, she had tremendous support from her community–friends, Ph.D. supervisors, family, illustrators and other freelancers–encouraging her to reach for her goals. And when reflecting on the choices she has made, there isn’t anything she would do differently. “I am who I am because of the choices I’ve made,” explains Laura; that person is a brilliant scientist AND a talented artist.
Tune into this episode to hear Laura share her perspectives on:
- How she transitioned from studying languages to physics to scientific illustration
- Exploring and learning more about different career options as a student
- Ways to combine different interests and skills into one career
- Working as a freelancer
- Future plans for CanilVisuals
Reach out to Laura:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-canil-8a203819b/
X (formerly Twitter): @laura_canil
More about CanilVisuals:
https://www.canilvisuals.com/
If you enjoyed hearing about Laura’s work, you might also enjoy:
- Who Should Art Represent - The Journey
- Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello - The Journey
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We Love Science is closing out 2023 with another spectacular interview. In this episode we speak with Dr. Laura Canil, a freelance scientific illustrator with her own company, CanilVisuals. As a scientific illustrator, Laura takes on a variety of projects like creating figures to accompany journal articles, crafting catchy covers for journals, producing original scientific comic strips, and guiding others who need advice in developing their own beautiful and engaging designs. After receiving her Ph.D. in physics, Laura took some time off to plan her transition as a freelance scientific illustrator. There was a lot of fear and excitement during this time in starting her own company, but she took the jump and really enjoys her work creating visuals to accompany groundbreaking research. Laura also found a lot of support in the beginning from friends and colleagues she met during graduate school. Her network served as a receptive audience for constructive criticism during her early days testing the waters as an illustrator. For practice, Laura would select papers from people she knew and designed journal covers and other illustrations to accompany their research publications. This provided her with constructive feedback as she perfected her craft and built her portfolio to move on to the next step of reaching out to new clients. “It’s easier when you really like something because then you have all the motivation to go through the hard parts,” she explains.
Tune into this episode to hear Laura share her perspective on:
- Living and working outside of her home country
- Transitioning into a freelance career from graduate school
- Developing new skills to become a scientific illustrator
- Advice for those looking to take the jump
Reach out to Laura:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-canil-8a203819b/ X (formerly Twitter): @laura_canil
More about CanilVisuals:https://www.canilvisuals.com/
If you enjoyed hearing about Laura’s work, you might also enjoy:
We Love Birds Too!
Who Should Art Represent - The Work
The Pen is Mightier than the Pipette - The Work
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Humans have ~6 billion bases of DNA in each cell. But every gene has a specific and unique sequence that serves as a kind of genetic address. Before any gene can be edited, the editor must first find the gene's location within the genome. Luckily CRISPR-Cas has a built-in GPS component that makes finding a gene address easy, and switching out one genetic address for another is as easy as typing a street address into your Google Maps navigation app...well almost as easy.
In this episode, show hosts Fatu and Shekerah deliver the second installment of the CRISPR Chronicles series. We discuss the secret sauce that makes CRISPR-Cas gene editing powerful, flexible, and easy to use—it's the gene editing genie that the scientific community had been waiting for. CRISPR-Cas gene editing has two main components (RNA and protein), each of which plays a critical role. The merger of these 2 components into a unified system is what makes CRISPR-Cas gene editing superior to its predecessors.
Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) and TAL Effector Nucleases (TALENs) were the gene editing tools of choice before CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered. Unfortunately, the design, production, and implementation of ZFNs and TALENs were difficult and expensive, which prevented their rapid adoption on a global scale as has occurred with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.
Tune in to the episode to learn:
- How CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing works
- What is the secret sauce that sets this technique apart?
- Which CRISPR component is the GPS, and which is the scissor?
- How the system can be used to create mutations and to fix mutations
- Bonus Food Science Content: Hear about the best food to eat in Kenya
For more information on this topic, visit our website: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com
If you enjoyed this episode you will also enjoy hearing about:
- The first CRISPR Chronicles episode
- How an accidental scientific discovery changed the way we prepare food
- A Nobel Prize winner who overcame dyslexia and discovered a key to the aging process
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this episode Shekerah and Fatu continue their discussion with Ijeoma Kola, a public health historian of race and medicine. When she was younger, Ijeoma didn’t exactly have a science spark moment, but she was positively influenced by her mother’s career as a nurse. She remembers in middle school attending a summer program, Center for Talented Youth, at Johns Hopkins University, where she was first introduced to genetics and genomics. From this experience, Ijeoma was convinced that she would continue to study science and become a doctor. Things started off as she expected during her undergrad at Harvard University; however, one late night studying organic chemistry Ijeoma suddenly realized that maybe this career path wasn’t really for her. She wanted to help people, but didn’t see how memorizing amino acids was the best way to reach this goal. “Do I want to make people better by prescribing medicine, or do I want to make people better by changing the environment that we live in?—So their social health is better, so their neighborhoods are better, so that their socio-economic status is better. All of those things also shape our health and health outcomes,” explains Ijeoma. It took a little bit of quick thinking, but she was able to transition from her molecular biology major to a history and science major without losing any credits. After receiving her doctorate from Columbia University in history of public health, Ijeoma took an “eat, pray, love” style gap year to reset her thoughts on what to do next. After some brainstorming and reflecting on her own graduate school journey, she founded Cohort Sistas to support black women and non-binary individuals pursuing graduate degrees. Looking back on her journey, Ijeoma wishes she had given herself more grace and forgiveness along the way, to take care of herself not only intellectually but also mentally and physically. The journey is hard enough as it is after all, and as long as it's getting done, we are all doing a good job—it doesn't need to be perfect.
Tune into this episode to hear Ijeoma discuss:
Mentoring and the impacts on her career journey
How to shift in your career journey as you find new ways to reach your goals
What skills and experiences inspired her to found Cohort Sistas
Reach out to Ijeoma:
info@cohortsistas.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijeomakola/
And be on the lookout for her book!
More about Cohort Sistas:
https://www.cohortsistas.org
To join Cohort Sistas:
https://community.cohortsistas.org
If you enjoyed hearing about Ijeoma’s journey, you might also enjoy:
STEMLand Future of Science - The Journey
Mentors of Incalculable Worth - Anthology
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
The good conversations just keep coming! In this episode we meet Dr. Ijeoma Kola, a historian of public health with an emphasis on race and medicine; her current research focuses on the evolution of the understanding of asthma in Black urban communities in the 20th century. In short, she is a storyteller—pulling together the full narrative, or history, of medical and health innovations and their impacts on broader communities. In addition to looking at the broad impacts of health and medicine, Ijeoma also has a specific interest in understanding how individuals and communities view their own health and their relationship within the larger medical institution. As a researcher and historian, Ijeoma has several publications and she is now in the process of writing a book on the history of the rise of asthma in the Black community. The book will cover the early perception of asthma as a predominantly White, elite illness to the present day, with asthma mostly impacting Black urban communities. When she is not writing and researching, Ijeoma is the founder and executive director of Cohort Sistas, a mentoring organization that supports black women and non-binary doctoral students through building community and providing resources to help individuals succeed and thrive through their graduate education. Her own experience as a doctoral student was isolating, stressful, and even miserable in some instances, and she wants to change this for the next generation, especially for underrepresented scholars. “The entire goal and vision is to be able to provide folks with the resources, mentorship, and community I wish I had when I was getting my Ph.D.,” she explains. Ultimately, she hopes to grow the Cohort Sistas community to 10,000 scholars to capture individuals at many stages of their training.
Tune into this episode to hear Ijeoma’s thoughts on:
- Starting your own nonprofit to support students
- Finding community during your graduate school journey
- What it means to be a public health historian and how this research impacts our understanding of current health issues
- How to join Cohort Sistas or become involved in the growing community
Reach out to Ijeoma:
info@cohortsistas.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijeomakola/
And be on the lookout for her book!
More about Cohort Sistas:
https://www.cohortsistas.org
To join Cohort Sistas:
https://community.cohortsistas.org
If you enjoyed hearing about Ijeoma’s work, you might also enjoy:
Mentors of Incalculable Worth - Anthology
Estrogen Heals Both Sexes - The Work
Who Should Art Represent - The Work
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Every year, approximately 8 million children are born with a serious genetic disorder, and 3 million of them die before the age of 5. This disease burden is about to change. In this episode, we launch the CRISPR Chronicles series that will run throughout season 3. Since the pivotal paper by Doudna and Charpentier in 2012, CRISPR has taken the world by storm. Scientists have used this genome engineering tool in the lab to quickly and easily create mutants to study gene function in laboratory animals. But more importantly, the power of CRISPR gene editing as a biomedical intervention to cure diseases has been realized. Currently, dozens of clinical trials are ongoing or on the verge of being launched to cure everything from genetic blindness and sickle cell anemia, to cancers and HIV. In fact, the Sickle Cell Disease treatment, exa-cel is poised to become the first CRISPR gene editing therapy to be approved by the FDA. Due to its far-reaching impacts, Doudna and Charpentier won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2020 for discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing; thereby, breaking the boundary as dual female winners of this prize.
In this series we will explore:
· How CRISPR gene editing works
· The CRISPR origin story and major milestones
· The many clinical trials giving hope to the millions of people worldwide suffering from cancers, and genetic and infectious diseases
· The ethical debate of using CRISPR gene editing technology
For more information on this topic, visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
Hear directly from Sickle Cell Disease patients who were cured during the clinical trial: Victoria Gray and Jimi Olaghere
If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy:
- Dr Ken Shatzkes work combating the opioid crisis
- Dr Joseph Iacona on the drug development process in pharma
- How the accidental discovery of Penicillin changed the world
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
There's more from Dr. Cari Skrdla on her journey in becoming a neuroscientist and successful business woman, as we continue season 3. In her youth, Cari was always drawn to the world around her; she constantly asked questions to better understand how and why things are the way they are. This curiosity stayed with her as she became interested in theater and acting. Cari was really inspired by how individuals could change to embody different characters as part of a story. How can a person be King Lear in a play one day and the next a character from the musical Color Purple? After high school, Cari received her bachelors in psychology from Eastern Michigan University, but she didn’t want to be a therapist; rather she used her psych background as part of her first position in human relations and employee management.
As Cari continued in her journey, she attended graduate school at Boston University for a doctorate in neuroscience. As part of her graduate research she conducted an interesting study on runners to understand how their thinking, especially memories, can influence not only how quickly they start a race, but also how likely they are to win. With all of these experiences, and her innate drive for curiosity, Cari was able to develop the foundations of her current personal coaching service, LifeBack Investing Club—how are human beings manufactured and programmed, and how can you use this to your advantage?
Cari’s career path so far has been an amazing journey; she has had several influential mentors including her father and constantly tells herself to just keep doing what you are doing—be a disruptor! As she gets ready for the next phase in her life and journey, she looks forward to getting even more fulfillment from areas in her life other than work, like family, and building a legacy.
Tune in to the episode to hear Cari bring light to:
- Why do we live life with these fixed ways of being and who are we really?
- How are our current actions influenced by memory, or compliance with the past?
- Is it possible to overcome our negative habits, or create new ones?
- How do we handle personal relationships and other complex relationships?—let the love out, let the joy out!
- Her experience at Clown College (Yes, you read that right) in Orlando, Florida, class of 1999
Reach out to Cari:
questions@everythingandjack.com
cari@lifeback.life
take the Mindset Quotient Test: mindsetquotienttest.com
If you Enjoyed hearing about Cari's work, you will also enjoy:
- Dr. Kelli Duncan in Estrogen Heals Both Sexes
- Dr. Julia Olayanju in The Truth about Food
- Quantum Biology with Dr. Clarice Aiello
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We Love Science Podcast kicks off season 3 with Dr. Cari Skrdla, a passionate neuroscientist and accomplished businesswoman. As the founder and CEO of LifeBack Consulting, Cari uses her research findings to guide employers in bringing the human experience to the forefront in the workplace.
Through the evolution of the hiring process from paper applications, to background checks, to personality tests, Cari says that employers are still missing so much. Employee turnover is rampant--new hires quickly became unhappy at the workplace and leave. This highlights the importance of considering the human aspect in employee recruitment and retention, and her research gives some insight into this.
Spanning generations, Cari’s research explores the environmental influences, cultural shifts, and significant events that contribute to the shaping of a human being. These explain the behavioral patterns and hardwiring of a generation of individuals. As every generation is shaped specifically by the current state of the world they are born into, each is inherently different from the other generations. How then do we all relate to one another and understand each other in the workplace?
Her innovative approach offers a fresh perspective on supporting employees through her one-of a-kind Mindset Quotient Test, emphasizing the significance of mental and emotional well-being. We are all trying to live a happy, fulfilling life both personally and professionally. The key, she says, is understanding oneself and one's influences. However, this research often does not reach the public in an impactful way.
Tune in to the episode to hear Cari bring light to:
· How “The Silent Generation” (Gen X) was influenced differently compared to “Millennials” (Gen Y), and “The Virtual Generation” (Gen Z), and what is the current force driving human evolution
· How can we ensure that we are taking care of the humanity of an individual?
· Do quiet rooms and mental health days really work?
· What does modern day 'fight or flight' look like?
· The systemic challenges facing the scientific community
· The effect that some self-declared gurus can have on the public
· How your unconscious biases are holding you back
Reach out to Cari:questions@everythingandjack.com
cari@lifeback.life
take the Mindset Quotient Test: mindsetquotienttest.com
If you Enjoyed hearing about Cari's work, you will also enjoy:
- Dr. Kelli Duncan in Estrogen Heals Both Sexes
- Dr. Julia Olayanju in The Truth about Food
- Quantum Biology with Dr. Clarice Aiello
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach o
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @thee_fatu_b
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
We are doing some summer reading y’all! In this special book review episode, Fatu and Shekerah learn about birds, from the book Crazy for Birds by Misha Maynerick Blaise. In this book, Misha takes the reader on a whirlwind trip into all things birds–how they fly, how they communicate, how they build nests, what they eat, how birds are reflected in different cultures around the world. From sooty-capped hermits to cliff swallows to red-breasted chats and everything else in between the book is strewn with lovely illustrations and nuggets of knowledge about all things birds. Listen to the podcast to hear our review of Crazy for Birds, **and If you are already a big bird fan, or just need an interesting read, pick it up at your local library or bookstore today!
And catch us in about a month for Season 3!**
Meet Dr. Clarice Aiello! She is a principal investigator at the quantum biology tech lab at the University of California, Los Angeles. Clarice has a background in quantum engineering, which means she studies the teeniest, tiniest particles that behave under their own special laws–the laws of quantum mechanics. Her current work combines her expertise to understand how nature might use quantum mechanics to function and function optimally. From her work she has seen that chemical reactions are directly affected by quantum mechanics, for example electrons use tunneling to optimize their function and magnetic fields influence chemical reactions due to a property called spin. This may come across as far out complicated science, but there are direct implications to how quantum phenomena, such as magnetic fields, cause changes in our cells which can lead to disease. As a primary investigator and leader of a research team the favorite part of her job is talking with her team about science. Listen to the episode, to learn more about Clarice’s work and the emerging field of quantum biology.
For more information visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
If you enjoyed listening to our episode with Clarice, check out an episode with one of our past guests:
- Dr. Caroline Bartman - From Post doc to Assistant professor
- Dr. Erin Jimenez - Ninja Warrior Scientist
- Dr. Kelli Duncan - Estrogen Heals Both Sexes
Reach out to Clarice:
Email - cla@ucla.edu
And read her recent article - It’s Time to Take Quantum Biology Research Seriously
And if you are interested in quantum biology, check out the book Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology by Johnjoe McFadden and Jim Al-Khalili
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music by TimMoor from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130
Music by ScottHolmesMusic https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot
Ever wondered what your life would be like if you didn't have access to a microwave oven? And I don't mean cooking over a fire for your camping trip or your Appalachian Trail hike (Ooooo this sounds awesome!) I mean everyday of your life planning and preparing all your meals, leftovers, quick snacks, movie night popcorn...everything! Now let's be clear, there are many people in the world who live their lives that way, and it's normal for them. But can you do it? Or is just the thought of it giving you terrifying end of the world daymares. I can speak from personal experience that it's not easy. When I go visit my family, even heating up water for tea has me pacing or grinding my teeth--my sister would say, "it's an opportunity to practice patience." Aaaarrgghh!!!
In this episode, we discuss the accidental discovery that led to people like me kissing patience goodbye...that is, of course, until it comes back to bite us in the butt. Learn how curiosity and ingenuity changed our lives around food.
For more information on this topic, visit our website: welovesciencecpodcast.com
Curious to find out more about the science behind this topic?Learn about all the ways that you use electromagnetic waves every single day of your life
Learn why magnetrons are magical
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Fatu and Shekerah are back at it with more fermentation talk . . .but this time in yogurt making! The process of fermentation, as a way to preserve foods, goes back thousands of years, as we learned in our first Food Science Short (The Science behind Baking with Yeast). Unlike with baking, however, yeast are not part of the process of fermenting milk to make yogurt, rather the work is done by our other favorite microorganism—bacteria! In yogurt making, bacteria break down the sugars in milk to produce acid, which changes the consistency of the proteins in the milk leading to a tart, thick, rich, smooth custard-like product. And, under the right conditions, it is very easy to even make yogurt at home! Interestingly, yogurt has been associated with many positive attributes that are believed to contribute to overall good health, but no one has been able to prove this definitively, even with modern studies. Listen to the episode to learn more and you might even be inspired to start your own delicious experiments in the kitchen!
For more information visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music by TimMoor from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130
Music by ScottHolmesMusic https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot
Caroline Bartman, Ph.D. didn’t start her science journey in childhood; in fact, she wasn’t even interested in science at all in her youth. It wasn’t until Caroline got into college that she was drawn into the problem solving and experimental aspects of research. After her first summer job at the NIH studying HIV, Caroline began to envision herself as a future scientist. However, as an international studies major in college with only one semester of lab experience, she felt she was at a disadvantage to make this pivot in her journey. Fortunately, Caroline had another opportunity to join a lab at the University of Chicago and her mentor instilled in her the confidence and support to follow her dream of becoming a scientist. Looking back, one thing she would do differently is learn basic programming for data analysis; this is a skill Caroline wished she had spent time on rather than learning it on the fly with google. Now that she is getting ready to set up her own lab, her dream is to do exciting and rigorous science with colleagues and lab members who feel motivated and supported to come to the Bartman lab everyday. Click the link to hear more about Caroline’s journey as a “late bloomer” in science.
If you enjoyed Caroline's story, you may also enjoy:
Dr. Erin Jimenez: Ninja Warrior Scientist - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/8978865
Dr. Kelli Duncan: Estrogen Heals Both Sexes - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/11216573
Reach out to Caroline:
Twitter: @Caroline_Bartma
Lab website: https://bartmanlabpenn.squarespace.com
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music by TimMoor from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130
Music by ScottHolmesMusic https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot
Today we are speaking with the wonderful Caroline Bartman, Ph.D. about her transition from post doctoral fellow at Princeton University to assistant professor at UPENN. Caroline currently studies cellular metabolism as a postdoc with the goal of understanding how and why metabolism differs in cancer cells compared to healthy cells. Overall, she has enjoyed her time as a postdoc and the opportunity to conduct independent work on interesting research. While the prospect of setting up her own lab in the near future is a little bit scary, she is looking forward to building a positive, supportive community where everyone feels they belong and can contribute to great science. The research focus of the Bartman Lab will be cells with extreme metabolism such as immune cells and cancer cells—an expansion of the focus of Caroline’s current research as a postdoc. As a woman in science, overall her experience has been very good, but there have been moments when Caroline has felt undervalued for what she brings to the table. As she establishes her own lab and advances in her career, Caroline wants to work towards addressing issues that negatively impact the participation women in science. Click on the link to hear more about Caroline’s work and her research interests!
Reach out to Caroline:
Twitter: @Caroline_Bartma
Lab website: https://bartmanlabpenn.squarespace.com
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music by TimMoor from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130
Music by ScottHolmesMusic https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot
In this special short episode Shekerah and Fatu continue their deep dive into the food science of yeast—this time exploring how our favorite little microbe is a key player in fermented beverages like wine and beer. Humans have been fermenting beverages for thousands of years, and after many many years of trial and error, the underlying chemistry of fermentation started to come together. For almost 100 years beginning in the 1780’s, many scientists experimented with different conditions to understand exactly how sugars were broken down into carbon dioxide and alcohol. But, it wasn’t until 1850 when Louis Pasteur discovered that yeast were responsible for driving this specific reaction. Today, beer and winemakers have honed and perfected their understanding of both natural and commercial yeast to produce the many different varieties of fermented beverages available today, each with unique characteristics and flavors.
For more information, visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
The Challenge is on!! In this episode, we launch “The Hidden Genius,” a new series in which we explore the lives of great scientists and challenge you to figure out who they are. Can you guess who is this episode’s hidden genius?
For more information, visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primusand LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Do you know what penicillin is? Chances are that someone in your family or even your pet has taken this drug. Penicillin is an antibiotic that’s used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, from strep throat and skin and ear infections, to more serious illnesses like pneumonia and sepsis; its use has saved millions of lives worldwide. What would you say if I told you that the discovery of this life-saving drug was completely accidental? Waaaaatttt!!! Yep that’s right Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928 when he wasn’t even looking for it. In this episode, we explore the accidental discovery of penicillin and the decade-long struggle to purify it and develop it into a drug that has had a significant public health impact. This story highlights the power of curiosity in scientific discoveries. Are you curious?
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Additional Resources:
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1945/fleming/facts/
https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/flemingpenicillin.html
**Let’s talk about yeast y’all!! On this special episode short Fatu and Shekerah dive into one of humankind's most favorite microbes. Responsible for giving bread its rise and adding that extra touch to beer and other adult beverages, yeast has been used by humans for centuries to improve our cooking. Learn how the yeast we use commercially at the store compare to wild yeast found naturally all around us and exactly what makes yeast so useful for cooking. Warning, this episode may even inspire you to get into the kitchen and start developing your own recipes, because sometimes the best experiments start in the kitchen!
Reach out to Fatu:*www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm* Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com**
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Additional Resources:
https://redstaryeast.com/science-of-yeast/#how-yeast-is-made
https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/attention-at-home-bakers-three-surprising-things-you-might-not-know-about-yeast-469552/
https://www.seriouseats.com/all-about-dry-yeast-instant-active-dry-fast-acting-and-more
**In this episode, Chidiebere shares his journey from childhood curiosity to dual success. From a young age, he was driven by his endless curiosity, always eager to tinker, fix and explore. But it wasn't until high school that another side of him was awakened - a love for the art of drawing. Inspired by a friend's incredible talent, he decided to teach himself how to draw. And despite being self-taught, Chidiebere's passion for art only grew stronger as he relentlessly pursued perfection.
In spite of his success in art, Chidiebere never lost sight of his dream to enter the world of medicine. It was then, during a time of profound struggle in his journey that he created the powerful "Black Fetus" image, a piece that would change his life forever. This image not only showcased his artistic abilities but also opened doors and provided opportunities in the field of medical illustration. Chidiebere is grateful for the mentors who believed in him as he pursued his dual passions, becoming a successful medical illustrator.
Discover Chidiebere's inspiring story of overcoming challenges in pursuing both science and art.
Reach out to Chidiebere:**management@chidiebereibe.com
https://www.chidiebereibe.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
In this episode, Chidiebere Ibe talks about his work as a medical illustrator. He is known for producing vivid depictions of people of color in various medical contexts. Some of these contexts are so normal and universal to humans that it's surprising to find a paucity of such images including persons of color. Here, he shares with us the details of some of his current projects, his creative process, and his future plans to fulfill his mission of normalizing diversity in medical illustrations. Tune in to learn more, and to find out how you can support this mission and advocate for this very important work.
Reach out to Chidiebere:management@chidiebereibe.com
https://www.chidiebereibe.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Dr. Julia Olayanju shares her amazing journey so far, describing her bombshell "aha" moment and how her personal circumstances inspired and shaped her journey. She also gives some powerful advice about moving forward despite all the doubts, fears, and odds! And remember that throughout our lives "we are all becoming someone," so just embrace the journey and live the life you want.
Reach out to Julia:
team@foodniche-ed.com
Food Niche: www.foodnicher.com Food Niche-Ed: https://foodniche-ed.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primusand LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
Meet Julia Olayanju! She is a scientist, educator and thought-leader driving change in the food industry. Her food passion stems from a desire to explain the why--the science behind food--by providing an evidence-based rationale for food choices. Driven by her passion, Julia founded two organizations: FoodNiche and FoodNiche-Ed. Each organization is focused on promoting food and health using different approaches. Through FoodNiche Inc, Julia forms strategic partnerships with food industry leaders and brings together innovators to tackle the problems in our food system. Each year FoodNiche Tech Summit and FoodNiche Global Summit brings hundreds of leaders together. FoodNiche-Ed is a technology company with a platform that empowers teachers to drive change through education by introducing the science of food and health to students, without increasing the teachers’ workload.
Since starting these companies, Julia is proud of the impact she sees from her work on people’s lives, especially with children as they are empowered to think differently about food and nutrition. While there have been many challenges along the road, Julia enjoys all of the lessons that she's learned--every day is different. Julia also speaks about her experience as a black woman in STEM and the importance of diversity in mentorships to support the next generation. Her advice for those on their own journey into entrepreneurship extols the role that mentors and community play in success; nobody likes opening their door for strangers, but people will always open the door for a familiar face.
Reach out to Julia:
team@foodniche-ed.com
Food Niche: www.foodnicher.com Food Niche-Ed: https://foodniche-ed.com
Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic
The first compilation episode featuring mentors as the superstars they are!
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music by TimMoor from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130
Music by ScottHolmesMusic https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot
**Growing up, Joey was interested in space and weather, basically anything destructive if you ask his family. He was also a big X-Files fan and the show drew him into science, exploration, and forensics. He went on to earn a master’s degree in biomedical forensic science, but after learning more about the realities of that field he decided against pursuing forensics as a career, and decided instead to jump into research and earn a doctorate. Reflecting on how far he has come, he credits some very amazing high school teachers who really impacted, encouraged, and cemented his love of science. In grad school, his thesis advisor (Hey Carol Lutz!), was also an excellent role model and mentor as he grew into an independent researcher. Looking back, he would give one very powerful piece of advice to his younger self.
Overall, Joey is very happy with the start of his career journey and looks forward to building a successful future at Janssen. He still plans to use his valuable skills in forensic science, though not quite by starting a second career. His advice for anyone job hunting or looking for opportunities in industry is to use LinkedIn as a tool to reach out to those who are currently working in departments or organizations you are interested in. A short hello, expressing your interest in an open position can make the difference in landing an interview and securing a job.
Reach out to Joey:https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephiacona77 Reach out to Fatu:**
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus Twitter: @PrimeScienceSP
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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**It’s a Rutgers reunion y’all! In this episode, Fatu and Shekerah reconnect with another Rutgers grad–Joseph Iacona, who is a Scientist in Experimental Pathology at Janssen.
Reach out to Fatu:**
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Listen to Kelli's amazing journey!
**Reach out to Kelli:
keduncan@vassar.edu
Read some of Kelli’s papers:**
Estrogen Formation and Inactivation Following TBI: What we Know and Where we Could go
Atypical gene expression of neuroinflammatory and steroid related genes following injury in the photoperiodic Japanese quail
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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**In this episode, Shekerah and Fatu jump back into academia to speak with Dr. Kelli Duncan, a neuroscientist and professor of biology at Vassar College. Kelli studies the neuro-protective properties of estrogen during traumatic brain injury (TBI). Interestingly, Kelli has discovered that there is a difference between the sexes with regards to brain injury and estrogen production pathways. This discovery leads to even more questions about what happens with neural injuries as estrogren levels change such as during pregnancy, menopause, and peri-menopause. At Vassar, Kelli enjoys the balance between working in the lab and teaching in the classroom. Most of her work is funded through internal grants provided by the university, but she also has the option of applying for larger NIH grants when needed. She enjoys not having the pressures of running a lab at a more research-intensive institution, like constantly writing grants. There are also challenges with this environment, however, since her lab is mostly powered by undergraduates; balancing her own schedule with that of students in the lab who have a full course load, extracurriculars, and other obligations can be challenging in a different way. As a black faculty member, the hardest lesson for Kelli to learn was to overcome her own doubts in her abilities–she is good at what she does and was hired for that reason, period! However, as a black faculty member at a predominately white institution, it can be easy to become overburdened and do too much. As Kelli has advanced in her career, she has learned to balance being a mentor for students of color in STEM alongside her own personal career goals, and other obligations for the university. Kelli explains,“[This] works for me,” and with the variety of opportunities within academia, there is something for everyone interested in combining research and teaching–it’s just about finding the right fit.
Reach out to Kelli:
keduncan@vassar.edu
Read some of Kelli’s papers:**
Estrogen Formation and Inactivation Following TBI: What we Know and Where we Could go
Atypical gene expression of neuroinflammatory and steroid related genes following injury in the photoperiodic Japanese quail
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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**Meet Dr. Sarah McAnulty—she has combined her love of science and entrepreneurial skills to start the educational non-profit, Skype a Scientist! For students, families, and others who want to speak directly to scientists and ask questions that no one else seems to know the answer to, Skype a Scientist makes this opportunity possible. As an Executive Director, Sarah uses her creative energy to run all the day-to-day activities of the Skype a Scientist program from developing and scheduling Instagram posts to matching scientists with students to coaching scientists on how to speak to audiences of various ages.
While starting your own non-profit can have numerous challenges, the science communications field is at the heart of Sarah’s work and she feels there are many opportunities for a diversity of career paths for those who are interested.
Links:**
Skype a Scientist: https://www.skypeascientist.com/
Reach out to Sarah:
Tic Tok, Instagram, Twitter - @SarahMackAttack
Squid facts hotline:
1-833-SCI-TEXT
1-833-724-8398
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Growing up Sarah had two subjects that she enjoyed—writing and biology, and while everyone was sure she would become a writer, Sarah had several mentors along the way that nurtured her love for science and discovery. And now, Sarah works in the best of both worlds, in science communications. Shekerah and Fatu continue their conversation with Dr. Sarah Ellinwood, Managing Editor at BioBuzz and Workforce Genetics on how she got to where she is now. As an undergrad at Roanoke College, Sarah was initially in pharmacy and in her sophomore year things took a turn when she was exposed to hands-on bench research. Working with a professor, she contributed to research exploring environmental impacts on fish populations. Later on, she participated in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Through this program, she worked in a protein biology lab at the University of Michigan; this ultimately became the deciding factor to convince her to go to graduate school. Early on in her grad program at the University of Maryland, Sarah was certain that she did not want to stay in academia, but she did not know of any alternative career paths other than industry. By chance, after returning to her alma mater for an alumni event with current students, Sarah was introduced to the field of science communications. After completing her doctorate, she found interesting roles as a medical writer and communications consultant for biotech companies, before joining BioBuzz and Workforce Genetics. It was a winding, bouncy road through the trenches, but she made it! Click the link to hear more about Sarah’s journey including what advice she would give her younger self and why she encourages bringing your authentic self to work every day.
Reach out to Sarah:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ahlbrand/
@SarahE_PhD (Twitter)
sarah@workforcegenetics.com
Recent article from Sarah:
How Science and the Arts are Intermixing in the BioHealth Capital Region
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Art of Science Communication
https://www.asbmb.org/career-resources/communication-course
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Shekerah and Fatu continue their journey into the world of science communications with Dr. Sarah Ellinwood, Managing Editor at BioBuzz and Workforce Genetics. BioBuzz, the media and publication arm of Workforce Genetics, provides information for job seekers in the Washington D.C./Philadelphia area interested in the biotech field, like newly minted PhDs and postdocs looking for alternatives to academia. In addition to targeting job seekers, BioBuzz publishes articles for those interested in the regional biotech industry more broadly and want to know “who’s who” in the field. As a managing editor, Sarah can more or less do whatever she wants (within reason), but the main focus of her work is managing the editorial content of BioBuzz. This includes writing her own articles; providing final edits and reviewing articles written by staff writers or freelancers; coordinating the newsletter; and running with her own sparks of inspiration to craft articles she feels would connect well with readers. Recently, Sarah published an article connecting the life of plants to the biotechnology sector—and it was a hit! Sarah’s interest in science communication began in grad school; through workshops and networking, she was able to navigate the path of her career journey. For others interested in a similar career path, Sarah recommends getting out there and networking, and encourages reaching out to those already working in the field to learn more about how to get started. To help prepare the next generation of writers and managing editors, Sarah teaches a course on science communication with the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Click the link to hear more about Sarah’s story.
Reach out to Sarah:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ahlbrand/
@SarahE_PhD (Twitter)
sarah@workforcegenetics.com
Recent article from Sarah:
How Science and the Arts are Intermixing in the BioHealth Capital Region
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Art of Science Communication
https://www.asbmb.org/career-resources/communication-course
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Our story with Sarah continues this week as she discusses her road to science writing. Initially, Sarah followed her love of animals and began working at a local veterinary office. There she became interested in understanding how pet medications work to treat animals and was advised to study biochemistry. Completely sold on this idea and fueled by her curiosity, she completed an undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Puget Sound, and then completed her doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder. After completing her Ph.D., all the signs were pointing Sarah towards science writing, even though she was unsure of this decision herself. She attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, to complete a certificate in science communication. Through this program, Sarah gained experience working at several different media outlets focused on local news, audio storytelling and podcasting, and research news for a global outlet. Toward the end of the certificate program, Sarah attended a unique postdoc opportunity at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; this unforgettable experience allowed her to work close to the science without actually having to do **the science, which she enjoys. Eventually all of her experiences, from working at the veterinary office to discovering her interest in writing about science, culminated in her current position at U Washington in the College of Engineering and the Information School as a PIO. Sample news articles from Sarah’s portfolio can be found in part 1 of this 2-part series. If you are interested in becoming a science writer, Sarah recommends putting together your own portfolio, or sample of writing. You can get started with your local university paper, or university news office.
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed**, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to Sarah:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcquate-b2aab880/ Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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**Are you curious about becoming a public information officer (PIO)? What exactly are they and what do they do? Well, meet Sarah McQuate, a public information officer at University of Washington. Sarah spoke with Fatu and Shekerah about how her love of science (gently) pushed into her career path that aligned with her three goals: making science accessible to the general public, helping scientists explain their science better, and increasing diversity in science. Sarah writes about the amazing research that is produced from the College of Engineering and the Information School at U of Washington with topics ranging from traditional technology (robots, search engines, etc) to climate and air quality to the intersection of technology and medicine. Her day to day as a PIO varies everyday, which Sarah enjoys. She is often juggling her time between interviewing scientists for a story, writing a story and reading research papers, and connecting reports to researchers for a story. And, when Sarah is not writing articles in her office she is actively involved in university diversity and equity committees that support leadership in hiring, retention, and developing equitable practices for the future of the institution. Sarah also takes some time to answer listener questions about how she got started and what her least and most favorite parts are about her job. Click the link to hear more
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed**, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to Sarah:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcquate-b2aab880/
Read some articles from Sarah:
- A GoPro for beetles: Researchers create a robotic camera backpack for insects | UW News
- Do Alexa and Siri make kids bossier? New research suggests you might not need to worry | UW News
- Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit | UW News
- Video: Arsenic makes these south Puget Sound fish unsafe to eat | UW News
- How lizards get their spots | Nature
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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As we continue our conversation with David, he shares how he came to enjoy working in science and informal education. He reflects on the early influence the Franklin Institute had on shaping his understanding of who can be a scientist and how science could be fun. From caring mentors to his first job, the people and experiences at the Franklin really were a positive influence for David during his teenage years to early adulthood. Currently, David is really looking forward to creating unique and impactful STEM education experiences in Philadelphia, especially for Black communities. When he is not serving the community as a non-profit STEM education leader, David dedicates his time to his family and is developing a sneaker cleaner, inspired by his days in the lab. Click the link and listen to David’s career journey!
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to David:
david.buckholtz@stemlandscience.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-b-04902866/
STEMLand Science Foundation: https://stemlandscience.org
Subscribe to the newsletter and request a workshop
STEMLand Science on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stemlandfoundation/?utm_medium=copy_link
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Meet David Buckholtz, a program director with STEMLand Science Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to informal science education for students from underrepresented communities. Fatu and Shekerah learn about David’s journey in forming STEMLand Science—from early brainstorming sessions at the local coffee shop, to providing exciting science education for middle school-aged youth, to adapting the STEMLand curriculum in response to the pandemic. David is dedicated to connecting and inspiring young students, and representing the possibility and diversity in science for his students. Building a science education non-profit from the ground up was no easy feat, but with determination and dedicated leadership, David and his colleagues successfully recruited a board of directors and watched STEMLand Science blossom into reality. Listen to David’s journey!
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to David:
david.buckholtz@stemlandscience.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-b-04902866/
STEMLand Science Foundation: https://stemlandscience.org
Subscribe to the newsletter and request a workshop
STEMLand Science on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stemlandfoundation/?utm_medium=copy_link
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Part1: Dr. Ken Shatzkes, a fellow Rutgers University alumni and senior program officer at the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE), joins Fatu and Shekerah to share his journey through science. As a private foundation, FORE supports programs around the country focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery in response to the opioid crisis. Ken has developed programs, convened partners, and built collaborations with grantees covering a variety of different projects to meet FORE’s mission. While it has been challenging to develop the programs portfolio at FORE from scratch, Ken enjoys shaping his grantmaking to meet the direct needs of organizations on the ground and hearing touching anecdotes from grantees about how much their work has progressed with support from FORE. Although his training is in infectious diseases, he credits his ability to look at the complexity of the opioid epidemic and highlight innovation as part of his success in this new role.
Part 2: Fatu and Shekerah continue their conversation with Dr. Ken Shatzkes exploring his journey more fully from his interest in science to gaining translational skills in government, at non-profits, and in academia. His journey into science started in 6th grade with an interesting science fair experiment that examined nicotine addiction. From high school on, Ken had several influential mentors who advised and supported him, including his graduate advisor who supported his decision to pursue a career outside of academia. After graduating with a doctorate in infectious diseases and immunology and starting his career journey, Ken hit a rough patch where his progress came to an unexpected halt. This moment of introspection forced him to re-evaluate what he wanted out of life, what he wanted out of his career, and how to care for his mental health.
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to Ken:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshatzkes/
Learn more about FORE and check out their grantees:
https://forefdn.org
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Music by TimMoor from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130
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Part1: Dr. Ken Shatzkes, a fellow Rutgers University alumni and senior program officer at the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE), joins Fatu and Shekerah to share his journey through science. As a private foundation, FORE supports programs around the country focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery in response to the opioid crisis. Ken has developed programs, convened partners, and built collaborations with grantees covering a variety of different projects to meet FORE’s mission. While it has been challenging to develop the programs portfolio at FORE from scratch, Ken enjoys shaping his grantmaking to meet the direct needs of organizations on the ground and hearing touching anecdotes from grantees about how much their work has progressed with support from FORE. Although his training is in infectious diseases, he credits his ability to look at the complexity of the opioid epidemic and highlight innovation as part of his success in this new role.
Part 2: Fatu and Shekerah continue their conversation with Dr. Ken Shatzkes exploring his journey more fully from his interest in science to gaining translational skills in government, at non-profits, and in academia. His journey into science started in 6th grade with an interesting science fair experiment that examined nicotine addiction. From high school on, Ken had several influential mentors who advised and supported him, including his graduate advisor who supported his decision to pursue a career outside of academia. After graduating with a doctorate in infectious diseases and immunology and starting his career journey, Ken hit a rough patch where his progress came to an unexpected halt. This moment of introspection forced him to re-evaluate what he wanted out of life, what he wanted out of his career, and how to care for his mental health.
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to Ken:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshatzkes/
Learn more about FORE and check out their grantees:
https://forefdn.org
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Let’s talk regeneration! In this episode, Fatu and Shekerah interview Dr. Erin Jimenez, a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a research fellow, Erin studies regeneration in zebrafish at the level of gene regulation--she is answering the age-old question of how organisms are able to regrow damaged body parts by exploring unique regions of the genome. Recently, her biggest success includes developing a transgenic zebrafish by using CRISPR to remove important gene regulatory regions that directly impact the organism’s ability to regenerate. Starting her journey as a first-generation community college student, interested in art, Erin faced some challenges along the way and was ultimately inspired and empowered to pursue a career in science by connecting with others who shared life stories similar to hers. When not in the lab, Erin is a phenomenal martial artist skilled in muay thai and kickboxing; a true super woman kicking butt in and out of the lab! Ultimately, she aspires to become a professor who will promote an inclusive scientific community by maximizing efforts to increase enrollment and ensure support is provided to retain individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Please subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed, and be sure to turn on new episode notifications!
Reach out to Erin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-jimenez-phd/
Twitter: @ErinJimenezPhD
Facebook: Erin Jimenez
Email: erinjimenez9@gmail.com
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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In this episode, Fatu and Shekerah speak with another amazing STEM professional at The New York Academy to Sciences--Rowena Kuo, Program Manager of Virtual Programs. Rowena discusses her current work developing the next generation of STEM champions through programs such as 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures, which provides STEM mentors to high school girls globally, to guide them in developing 21st century skills for college readiness and leadership in science. She also manages the Junior Academy and Innovation Challenges; both programs challenge high school and adult participants, respectively, to devise solutions for real-world problems. Winning solutions have often been adopted by companies for further development. Rowena also shares her STEM journey thus far, and how her love of science blossomed throughout the years in fun and sometimes surprising ways. She has had several special mentors during her journey, including her grandfather, who encouraged her to hone her expertise, leadership, and passion for informal STEM education.
Reach out to Rowena: rkuo@nyas.org
Learn more about 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures:
https://www.nyas.org/programs/global-stem-alliance/1000-girls-1000-futures/
Learn more about The Junior Academy:
https://www.nyas.org/programs/global-stem-alliance/the-junior-academy/
Learn more about Innovation Challenges:
https://www.nyas.org/programs/innovation-challenges/
Reach out to Fatu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah:
www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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Please subscribe (free) through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed
In this episode, Fatu and Shekerah are joined by Adrienne Umali, Program Manager of In-Person Programs at The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). Adrienne shares with us her amazing journey from bench research to teaching in public schools to developing programs that bring science experiences to students. She manages the After School STEM Mentoring Program (ASMP), which provides unique, hands-on curricula designed with STEM professionals for students, and the Scientist-in-Residence program, for partnering scientists with classroom teachers to create special projects for STEM learning. Adrienne also shares how she has adapted her curriculum and program manager duties for the challenges of learning during the pandemic, moments that have inspired her throughout her career journey, and her advice for exploring new, unexpected opportunities. Listen to get inspired!
Reach out to Adrienne:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aumali/
Learn more about NYAS:
https://www.nyas.org
Learn more about ASMP:
https://www.nyas.org/programs/global-stem-alliance/afterschool-stem-mentoring/
Learn more about Scientist-in-Residence:
https://www.nyas.org/programs/global-stem-alliance/scientist-in-residence/
Highlights from Adrienne’s Journey, if you’re interested in teaching check out: NYC Teaching Fellows and she also mentioned Teach for America
Read Neil Pasricha’s advice on practicing gratitude using Rose, Rose Thorn Bud
For all our fellow food science lovers, check out this Baked Feta Pasta recipe
Reach out to Fatu on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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This is the podcast you’ve been waiting for! In this episode, the creators, Drs. Shekerah Primus and Fatu Badiane Markey discuss their backgrounds, and how their passion for all things science inspired them to create this podcast. Listen to get a flavor of what’s to come.
Please subscribe (free) through iTunes, google podcasts or your favorite podcast app or copy the RSS Feed
Reach out to Fatu on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm
Twitter: @fatu_bm
and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com
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