All Things STEM: Recent Episodes
CSU STEM-NET
On this show we will explore all things STEM. Most importantly we will highlight the incredible CSU STEM faculty, students, staff and administrators that bring us the best STEM research and the best STEM education.
The Quiet Crisis: Student Mental Health, Social Anxiety, and the Future of College SuccessHost: Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Guest: Dr. Amanda Morrison, Professor of Psychology at California State University, East Bay
Runtime: Approximately 38 minutes
About This EpisodeStudent mental health challenges are not always loud or visible. They may appear through withdrawal, missed classes, limited participation, loneliness, avoidance, or a student’s hesitation to ask for help.
In this episode of the All Things STEM Podcast, Dr. Frank A. Gomez speaks with clinical psychologist and psychology professor Dr. Amanda Morrison about depression, anxiety, social anxiety, self-diagnosis, and the pressures affecting today’s college students.
Dr. Morrison explains how faculty can recognize students who may be silently struggling while creating classroom environments that encourage connection, healthy risk-taking, and personal growth. The conversation also explores the complicated influence of social media, the importance of distinguishing normal discomfort from a clinical disorder, and how kindness, belonging, and human connection can support student success.
In This EpisodeListeners will learn about:
- Why many mental health struggles are internal and difficult to recognize
- How depression and social anxiety can both cause withdrawal for different reasons
- The subtle signs that may indicate a student is struggling
- The benefits and risks of mental health awareness and online self-diagnosis
- Why not every distressing experience should be treated as a disorder
- How avoidance can provide temporary relief while maintaining anxiety over time
- Ways faculty can structure courses to build confidence and reduce discouragement
- How low-pressure classroom interactions can strengthen belonging
- The role small talk plays in developing trust and relationships
- How kindness and technology may help create healthier learning environments
Episode Chapters00:00 — Introduction
An overview of student mental health and the quiet challenges students may experience.
01:03 — Dr. Morrison’s Career Journey
How an influential high school psychology teacher inspired her interest in research, clinical psychology, and anxiety disorders.
06:22 — Recognizing Quiet Mental Health Struggles
How depression, anxiety, and social anxiety may appear through withdrawal, avoidance, limited eye contact, or reluctance to ask for help.
10:12 — Depression, Anxiety, and Social Anxiety
The differences between low mood, lack of motivation, fear of judgment, and worry about the future.
13:45 — Supporting Students Through Course Design
The effects of high-stakes assignments and the value of smaller opportunities that allow students to build confidence and stamina.
18:29 — Social Media and Self-Diagnosis
The benefits of greater mental health awareness and the risks of turning ordinary stress, sadness, or shyness into a diagnostic identity.
24:47 — Are Students Experiencing More Distress?
Why increased reporting reflects both greater awareness and real increases in the challenges students face.
27:49 — Loneliness and Campus Connection
How repeated, low-pressure interactions can help students develop relationships and feel a stronger sense of belonging.
33:43 — The Value of Small Talk
Why simple conversations can create familiarity, safety, and trust.
34:41 — Kindness, STEM Learning, and Technology
Dr. Morrison discusses research on engagement, classroom kindness, and using technology to support rather than replace human learning.
37:23 — Closing Reflections
A reminder that student well-being depends on empathy, community, resilience, and meaningful human connection.
Key TakeawaysMental health challenges may be easy to miss because students who are struggling often become quieter rather than more disruptive.
Faculty do not need to become therapists, but they can create learning environments where students feel safe asking questions, making mistakes, and connecting with others.
Students’ distress should be taken seriously, while recognizing that anxiety, sadness, loneliness, and discomfort are also universal human experiences.
Avoiding uncomfortable situations may reduce anxiety temporarily, but gradually facing manageable challenges can help students build confidence.
Community does not always develop automatically. Instructors can create opportunities for relationships through stable groups, paired discussions, icebreakers, and meaningful classroom interactions.
Technology can help students overcome barriers, but it should strengthen human potential rather than replace learning, mentorship, or connection.
Featured Quote
“The confidence follows the experience. It doesn’t precede it.”
— Dr. Amanda Morrison
About the GuestDr. Amanda Morrison is a Professor of Psychology at California State University, East Bay. She is a clinical psychologist whose teaching, research, and clinical work focus on anxiety disorders and their treatment. Her work explores how people can move from avoidance toward engagement and how classrooms can cultivate kindness, belonging, confidence, and student well-being.
Listen and SubscribeListen to this episode and explore past conversations at calstate.edu/allthingsstempodcast.
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Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
Featured Guest:
Dr. Katherine Arias Garcia, Chancellor’s and NSF STEM Education Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Irvine
Host:
Dr. Frank Gomez, Executive Director, CSU STEM-NET
Main Topic:
Centering Latinx students’ voices and experiences in STEM education research through pláticas methodology.
Key Themes Discussed:
Pláticas as a research method
Dr. Arias Garcia describes pláticas as relational conversations grounded in trust, lived experience, and co-constructed knowledge. Unlike traditional interviews, pláticas are not one-directional or extractive. They allow students to share openly and participate in the knowledge-building process.
Microaggressions and belonging in STEM
The episode highlights how Latinx students may experience subtle but repeated messages that question their competence, identity, or place in STEM. These experiences can lead students to feel both highly visible and invisible, affecting their sense of belonging and persistence.
The human side of STEM learning
Dr. Arias Garcia explains that STEM environments often prioritize performance, productivity, and efficiency, leaving little room for reflection, emotion, or identity development. Pláticas help reveal what students are carrying and what institutions may overlook.
Moving away from deficit framing
Rather than asking what students lack, Dr. Arias Garcia encourages researchers and institutions to ask what strengths students bring. For example, students who work while attending school may be demonstrating responsibility, persistence, and time management, rather than simply facing a barrier.
HSI servingness and accountability
The conversation distinguishes between simply being designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and actually serving students. True servingness requires campuses to listen to student experiences, allocate resources intentionally, develop culturally relevant programming, and act on what students share.
Mentorship with structure and purpose
Dr. Arias Garcia discusses mentorship as relational, reciprocal, and intentional. She notes that mentorship should not be left to chance or personality fit. Campuses should create structured mentorship systems that support students early and consistently.
Expanding how STEM defines rigor
The episode pushes back on the idea that culturally responsive methods weaken STEM education. Instead, Dr. Arias Garcia argues that they expand rigor by capturing dimensions of student experience that traditional methods may miss.
Reciprocity in research
Dr. Arias Garcia explains that research should give back to students and communities. Examples include paid research roles, student co-authorship, conference participation, and culturally relevant advising tools such as the Latinx pre-med guide she co-created with students.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this episode of All Things STEM, Dr. Frank A. Gomez welcomes Dr. Rick Sperling, who brings thoughtful insight into how Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) support students through the lenses of culture, identity, and institutional practice. Together, they reflect on how “servingness” is about more than enrollment numbers—it’s also about the day-to-day choices and structures that shape student experiences.
They also discuss how shifts in research funding can influence institutional priorities and decision-making, and what that can mean for accountability and whose voices are included. Along the way, they explore common challenges in grant narratives, the difference between representation and shared influence, and why self-determination can be a powerful driver of long-term, meaningful progress.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- Why HSIs benefit from pairing key metrics with deeper measures of impact and student experience
- How funding uncertainty can shape priorities—and why including students, families, and communities matters
- How deficit narratives get rewarded in proposals—and what gets lost because of it
- The difference between representation and shared influence (including who shapes curriculum, rewards, and opportunity pathways)
About the guest:
Dr. Rick Sperling is Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Community-Based Research at St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, TX). He earned a PhD in Educational Psychology from UT Austin and brings quantitative expertise to questions of race, culture, power, and institutional behavior in HSIs—especially around hiring, tenure, assimilation, deficit mindset, and systemic racism.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this episode of All Things STEM, host Dr. Frank Gomez speaks with Susan Keefe, California Director of Beyond Plastics and former Oracle executive, about one of the most misunderstood issues in environmental policy: the belief that plastic recycling works as intended.
After nearly 30 years in the technology sector, Susan shifted her career toward environmental advocacy following a personal reckoning tied to chemical contamination and childhood cancer cases in her hometown of Toms River, New Jersey. That experience led her to examine the connections between plastics, fossil fuels, public health, and corporate accountability.
Throughout the conversation, Susan explains why plastic recycling was never designed to function at scale, how decades of industry messaging shaped public behavior, and what actually happens to plastic once it enters the waste stream. She draws on policy research, waste-tracking investigations, and on-the-ground advocacy to illustrate where systems fail—and where meaningful change can still occur.
Listeners will also hear insights on:
The health risks associated with plastics and their chemical additives
Why “recyclable” labels are often misleading
Gaps in enforcement of California’s plastic reduction laws
Practical steps individuals, communities, and institutions can take now
This episode offers a clear look at the realities behind plastic use and recycling, and challenges listeners to rethink convenience, demand transparency, and consider solutions that protect public health and the environment.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this episode of All Things STEM, host Dr. Frank Gomez welcomes Dr. Christopher Meyer, Dean of Science and Mathematics at Fresno State, and Dr. Lynn Cominsky, Physics Professor at Sonoma State University. Together, they discuss the escalating threats to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in education, the sweeping cuts to federal grant funding, and the profound impacts these changes have on students, faculty, and institutions.
The conversation dives into:
- The termination of billions in federal grants and its toll on campus research, innovation, and student opportunities.
- The dismantling of evidence-based programs like the What Works Clearinghouse, and what that means for education and accountability.
- How faculty and universities are adapting—turning to state initiatives, philanthropy, and industry partnerships for support.
- The broader consequences of policy shifts on DEI, Pell Grants, TRIO programs, and access for low-income and DACA students.
- Resistance from higher education institutions, including lawsuits and campus advocacy, and why leadership and solidarity are more critical than ever.
Dr. Meyer and Dr. Cominsky highlight the human stories behind these policy changes, emphasizing the resilience of students, the responsibility of educators, and the urgent need to safeguard equity and innovation in STEM.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this timely episode of All Things STEM, Dr. Frank Gomez is joined by Dr. Carmen Domingo and Dr. Leticia Márquez-Magaña of San Francisco State University for a candid conversation on the shifting landscape of higher education. They delve into the real-world impact of sweeping federal budget cuts, the chilling effect on DEI efforts, and the personal and professional toll on students, faculty, and researchers. Grounded in experience and driven by a commitment to justice, this episode explores how leadership, collaboration, and community can push back against systemic setbacks. Tune in for a bold discussion on what it means to lead, resist, and reimagine during uncertain times.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this urgent and thought-provoking episode, host Dr. Frank Gomez is joined by Dr. Amy Sprowles, Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology at Cal Poly Humboldt, and Dr. Heather Macías, Associate Professor of Teacher Education at Cal State Long Beach. Each of our guests has distinguished themselves as scholars, teachers, and leaders, dedicated to promoting excellence, diversity, and harmony in education.
Together, they confront the growing existential threats to higher education—ranging from sweeping cuts to NSF and NEH grant funding, to the dismantling of DEI efforts under current political pressures. The conversation dives deep into how these changes are affecting faculty, students, and campuses, and explores how public institutions can resist, adapt, and continue advancing inclusive and innovative teaching and research.
This is Part I of a powerful two-part series that highlights the need for community, courage, and clarity in a time of unprecedented uncertainty.
🔗 Listen now to hear how California State University faculty are standing strong and reimagining what it means to educate, advocate, and endure.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this powerful episode of All Things STEM, Dr. Frank Gomez sits down with Dr. Guillermo Escalante—bodybuilder, educator, and Interim Associate Dean at CSU San Bernardino—to explore how the discipline of fitness fuels leadership in higher education. From his roots in Costa Rica to balancing fatherhood and academia, Dr. Escalante shares how resilience and vision can create real impact. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on overcoming adversity, building structure, and shaping student success.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In today's episode, we're excited to have Dr. Roberto Gonzalez, a cultural anthropologist with an incredible journey that takes him from mechanical engineering to hands-on fieldwork with indigenous communities in Southern Mexico. Dr. Gonzalez’s work spans a wide range of topics, from the everyday practices of subsistence farming to indigenous science and the ethical dilemmas surrounding military tech and algorithmic policing. His research is a cool mix of hard science and social science, giving us a fresh perspective on how technology is changing our world. We’ll also dive into his experience with the Human Terrain System program and his latest thoughts on the tech industry’s growing involvement with defense contracts. This conversation is all about why it’s so important to consider the ethics of AI and other advanced technologies.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
In this episode of All Things STEM, Dr. Frank A. Gomez speaks with Dr. Fred Smoller, Associate Professor of Political Science at Chapman University and President of the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon. Join us as we delve into Fred's journey and the exciting developments of the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon. They discuss the origins and evolution of the Sustainability Decathlon, a competition that promotes green, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions. The conversation highlights the educational significance of hands-on experiences in sustainable housing projects and examines strategies for sustaining and expanding such initiatives through innovative funding models and community engagement efforts.
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Hosted by Dr. Frank A. Gomez
Music licensed by Premium Beat
Assistant Professor Eric Wood, an expert in Avian Ecology and Conservation at Cal State Los Angeles, joins "All Things STEM" to discuss his research on the impact of environmental and global changes on biodiversity in urban landscapes, specifically in Los Angeles. His work explores how historical racial redlining has affected urban development, income inequality, and bird habitats. By combining avian research with social issues, Professor Wood's work sheds light on sustainability and equity in urban ecosystems. This episode offers a unique perspective on the intersection of wildlife biology and urban ecology, highlighting the historical and ongoing influences shaping metropolitan natural environments. Listeners will gain insights into how interdisciplinary research can inform and improve urban greening and conservation strategies in marginalized areas.
Key points:
Professor Eric Wood discusses his research on avian ecology and conservation in urban landscapes
Historical racial redlining has impacted urban development, income inequality, and bird habitats
The research combines avian biology with social issues, focusing on sustainability and equity
The episode explores the intersection of wildlife biology and urban ecology
Interdisciplinary research can inform and improve urban greening and conservation strategies in marginalized areas
Episode Credits
Produced, edited, and mixed by Monica Alarcon
Music licensed by Premium Beat
Introducing Dr. Kristen Walker, esteemed Professor of Marketing at Cal State Northridge, whose pioneering research bridges public policy, technology, and marketing realms. Dr. Walker's scholarly focus centers on cultivating socially responsible business practices within technology landscapes, touching on interactive marketing, social media dynamics, and safeguarding youth privacy. Join us as we explore Dr. Walker's perspectives on the paramount significance of trust and privacy in technology, navigating the intricate landscape shaped by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.
"Long-term goals of sustainability restoration for the Redwood in California would be to increase forest resiliency. We want to manage forests to be resistant and resilient to factors such as drought, pathogens, and fire. Given the changing climate, if the forest dies, it is uncertain whether they will regenerate. The conditions may be too hot or too dry." In this episode, Dr. Frank A. Gomez engages in a conversation with Dr. Lucy Kerhoulas to discuss the intricate relationship between climate and redwood trees, exploring the mutual impact they have on each other's existence and growth.
“We have to have a shared vision of goals that have explicit value judgements about what it means to have a humane society. There has to be this ideal that we want to strive for and by this, I mean there is a need to form a critical theoretical perspective and analysis where you understand groups and people and micro level issues and how they are connected and interconnected with broader economic systems. We have to see a broader picture beyond individuals and this idea of individual will…and move toward ideals of justice, equity and a more humane society”. In this episode, Dr. Frank A. Gomez engages in a conversation with Dr. Erualdo R. González, a Professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University, Fullerton, where they explore topics including community engagement, sustainability, equity, and the effects of gentrification.
"The big barriers are upfront purchase price, vehicle range, and the availability of charging infrastructure. There are more visible gas stations than charging stations. The range anxiety piece is one that has dogged the electric vehicle market; people feel like they will get stranded. However, most electric vehicles, with some exceptions, will have a 250-to-400-mile range. Also, upfront purchase prices have reduced. Charging station logistics are a concern. I conducted a study that looked at access to charging infrastructure and the way access is inequitable, even here in California, a state that has a lot of (A) vehicle charging infrastructure and (B) a bit of a justice and equity lens applied to these kinds of policies. Most EVs are owned by folks who have higher income, higher education, and tend to live in single-family homes. This means there is an inequity in who is getting access to the benefits of being an electric vehicle owner." In this episode, Dr. Frank A. Gomez engages in a conversation with Dr. Kevin Fingerman to explore the obstacles hindering the progress of transportation electrification in our state and country. They delve into potential solutions that can be approached from an energy justice perspective.
“I think we need to improve both nutrient and physical activity environments everywhere children grow, go to school, and play. And we need both universal policies and policies that support children with less resources so we can give all children a fair chance to grow healthy.”
In this episode, host Dr. Frank A. Gomez sits with Dr. Emma Sanchez, associate professor of Health Education at San Francisco State University, to discuss her research on racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health. She shares her research on the impact of policies and environments on health and disparities. She also addresses obesity, maternal and child health, food, neighborhood conditions, physical education policies, and the significant impact of these policies on the most vulnerable populations within our communities, children.
“61% of teachers in the workforce in California are white, while white students only compose 22% of the student population. So, you already see this disproportion. Latinx teachers are 1 in 5 while Latinx students are 55 to 56 percent of the K-12 student population.” In this episode, host Dr. Frank A. Gomez sits with Dr. Tina Cheuk, assistant professor of Elementary Science Education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, to discuss issues that include the development of culturally and linguistically diverse learners in STEM settings. In addition, to the struggles of teachers of color across the pipeline.
“If students do not see people who mirror them, they get this opinion that I am not good enough. People that look like me are not there, so they won’t strive to be a teacher. How should we reimagine or reinvent how we look at applicants?”
“Why is it important to mentor students, especially students of color in STEM areas?” In this episode, host Dr. Frank A. Gomez sits down with Dr. Frank A. Gomez, a Professor of Psychology at California State University, San Marcos, to discuss his leadership in mentoring underrepresented students and his personal mentorship experiences that impacted his life.
“Science and academia are not the world that many folks inhabit prior to considering a career in that area, and this is where mentorship becomes essential…I have seen people come into the field and experience brick walls and challenges at multiple times and feel that they are failures. Getting small success along the way is very important to feel that you are competent and can pursue this career, and this is where a mentor can be very helpful”.
“I was always making an effort to find those affinity groups…for mentorship.. and support”. In this podcast, host, Dr. Frank A. Gomez, sits down with Dr. Louise Edwards, Assistant Professor of Physics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, to discuss her journey as the first Black Canadian to receive a Ph. D. in Astronomy, her passion for helping students of color enter STEM fields, and her research in evolution of galaxies.
“Maybe your whole experiment collapsed or maybe somebody made a racist comment to you and it really brought you down…this is the time to reach out to those people who you have been building those relationships within your affinity groups. My advice is find your people, find your network. Whether or not it is in the physics department. Everyone has tough times, but if you’re having more positive than negative and your enjoying what you’re doing and you have a goal that you want to achieve. Just keep going”.
Minority “Underrepresentation endangers the mind of a nation not the health of various STEM fields”. In this podcast, host, Dr. Frank A. Gomez, sits down with National Medal of Science awardee and Computational & Applied Mathematics University Professor, Dr. Richard A. Tapia, to discuss his incredible life journey, his mathematics contributions, and his amazing work in influencing and inspiring underrepresented minority and female students in science and math.
“When I argue with the math department I don’t say that bringing in blacks, browns, and women are going to improve the quality of mathematics. Mathematics is in good shape and it is going to keep going. On the other hand, not having a STEM workforce in Silicon Valley that has the flavor of black and brown, now that does hurt the nation. With 18% brown and 13% black, that’s a large group of people and if they are not in the backbone of this country, which is science and technology, then the country will be weakened”.
Listen to our conversation with Dr. Tony Coulson, Professor of Information and Decision Science in the Jack H. Brown College at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). We discuss the Cybersecurity Center he directs at CSUSB, and the educational impact he is making on students and the institution.
In this month’s episode, Dr. Brittney Beck, assistant professor of teacher education and director of the Citizen Scientist Project at Cal State Bakersfield (CSUB), and Dr. Antje Lauer, professor of biology at CSUB, discuss the importance of citizen science and its impact on communities such as KERN County.
Join us on this episode for a one-on-one with Justice Mena, a recent chemistry graduate from California State University, Northridge. We discuss his CSUN experience, current research projects, and future goals.
Critical Race Theory (CRT) has become a topic of fierce political debate in the US and has most prominently played out in public school districts as parents, teachers, and school administrators grapple with how to teach race, discrimination, and inequality in the classroom. In today's episode, we discuss these issues with Dr. Gabriela Chavira, a Professor of Psychology and NIH BUILD Principal Investigator at California State University, Northridge. We also discuss how CRT is a tool to enhance CSU STEM programs and research.
Over the years, wildfires have severely impacted the State of California. Today, dry conditions across California raise concern for an early fire season. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Craig Clements, a Meteorologist Professor, as we discuss his Fire Weather Research Laboratory at San Jose State University. He talks about how his research analyzes wildfire behavior. In addition, he discusses how they are preparing the next generation of scientists on wildfires and what to expect this summer.
Dr. Frank A. Gomez sits down with Dr. Katy Pinto, Professor of Sociology at Cal State Dominguez Hills, to discuss campus institutional barriers and implementing institutional changes to help students navigate those barriers. She also talks about the meaningful connections and partnerships she has made with her students to help them achieve their academic goals.
Listen to our conversation with CSULA’s Public Health Professor, Dr. Melanie Sabado-Liwag, as we take a deep dive into the ongoing health disparities within communities of color. We discuss these disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the serious ramifications that may lie ahead, and how this impacts the CSU campuses post COVID-19.
Listen to the insightful conversation we had with Dr. Heather Macias, Assistant Professor at California State University, Long Beach, on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP). We discuss what CRP really means and how it can empower students. We also address some of the best ways CRP can be used within STEM fields, for both k-12 and higher education.
Learn about the San Francisco State's BUILD program and how Dr. Leticia Marquez-Magana, the Lead Principal Investigator, is enabling full representation in science at SFSU. Join the conversation, as she discusses various topics from why she applied to the BUILD grant, its' impact on San Francisco State's students, the importance of research within the California State University system, and how compositional representation in higher education is important.
On this show we will explore all things STEM. Most importantly we will highlight the incredible work of our CSU STEM faculty, students, staff, administrators and programs. Start listening January 11, 2021 and join us on this STEM journey and listen to the incredible stories and research our California State Universities are doing.
All things STEM-NET podcast Host is Dr. Frank Gomez, Executive Director of the STEM-NET affinity group within the California State University system.