NC State's Audio Abstract: Recent Episodes
NC State University
A podcast that explores both innovative research and the people behind it at NC State. We’ll feature short conversations about big advances and small ones, studies that may directly impact your life as well as fun quirky findings, and how and why researchers of all stripes do what they do.
John Dole, master of all things poinsettia, talks about the flower most associated with the holiday season.
Erin McKenney talks palatial guts, six degrees of academic separation, and cecum envy on this episode of Audio Abstract.
It only takes one really hot, dry summer to dramatically increase the risk of wildfires.
On this episode of Audio Abstract we talk to Rob Scheller, a professor of landscape ecology, about the "perfect" conditions for wildfires, their causes, and what we may be able to do to: a) better predict which areas may be at risk each year; and b) reduce the severity of any wildfires that do occur.
Different breeds have different pain tolerances - but the results are not always what veterinarians have assumed they'd be.
It's early summer, and turtles are on the move. Unfortunately, that can bring them into contact with all kinds of hazards, from cars to family pets. Fortunately, NC State's Turtle Rescue Team (TRT) is here to help.
Jessica Buchy, veterinary specialty intern with NC State's TRT and the North Carolina Museum of Sciences, brought a special guest, Leech, to the podcast, to talk about how we can help our injured reptilian friends (they also see snakes, frogs, toads and skinks).
Animals brought to the TRT receive the best standard of care, whether they're receiving surgical intervention, having infections or illnesses treated, or rehabbing in preparation to return to their habitat. (There can even be acupuncture involved - remember Tara Harrison's earlier podcast? She helps with the turtles, too!)
So if you find an injured turtle, snake, or toad - be mindful of your safety first - you can contact the TRT for help.
TRT Cell phone/turtle pager: 919-397-9675 *Typically monitored from ~8am-8pm
TRT E-mail: turtle-rescue-team@ncsu.edu
TRT Address: 1060 William Moore Dr Raleigh, NC 27607
The TRT is completely volunteer-run and donation-supported. If you'd like to help, please visit their website.
They're currently accepting applications for a specialty license plate, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the TRT.
For biologists, ecologists or any scientist who does hands-on work in the outdoors field research is an integral part of the experience. But not all scientists experience fieldwork the same way. NC State Ph.D. student Lauren Pharr joins Audio Abstract to talk about Field Inclusive, an initiative aimed at supporting marginalized and historically excluded biologists and researchers.
Field research encompasses work that takes scientists into the great outdoors to collect data on soil, plants and wildlife. And that work can come with some inherent risks: snakebites, ticks, or injuries from falls - especially if you're interested in endangered woodpeckers, which Pharr studies by climbing trees and checking in on the nests.
And although those are important risks to recognize, there is another issue - social field safety.
According to Pharr, social field safety is about what happens when scientists are out in the field and interacting with the public. And for researchers from marginalized communities, sometimes not "looking like a scientist" can lead to difficult or potentially dangerous situations.
"Starting Field Inclusive, our goal is to raise awareness about social field safety for people in academia, advisors, managers, anyone who has marginalized and historically excluded students who professionally work in the outdoors," Pharr says.
Pharr has some basic tips for researchers and advisors, from introducing yourself to people in the community to wearing clothing and using vehicles that are easily identifiable as belonging to a university.
But the bigger impact will be in getting people to expand their ideas about what "scientists" look like.
"Having an open mind, being receptive, understanding that these issues can affect people differently - then becoming an advocate - that's where it starts," Pharr says.
Max Scott talks about the New World screwworm, Panamanian "fly factories" and some really gross infestations - including the case of the "zombie deer."
DeLeon Gray talks about the concept of belonging and the effect it can have on Black and Latino students in particular.
Does Salmonella really just love peanut butter? Food safety expert Ellen Shumaker joins us again to talk about the recent recall.
Kelly Oten talks about invasive species in N.C. - from beetles to trees - and what we can do about them.
Adriana de Souza e Silva talks about grassroots digital mapping of the pandemic in Brazil.
Ellen Shumaker talks about fall food safety - from trick-or-treating to fairs, fire pits and fall potlucks.
Shweta Trivedi talks about giving pre-veterinary students hands-on experiences through VetPAC.
Vanessa Volpe explains how systemic racism can affect healthcare quality and availability for Black populations.
Casey Theriot talks about how C. diff does what it does and what researchers are doing to stop it.
Volcanologist Arianna Soldati talks about how volcanoes operate and what it's like to get up close and personal with lava.
Delisia Matthews and Qiana Cryer-Coupet talk about sneakerheads, hypebeasts, and what it means to be a part of the community.
Greg Lewbart, a professor of aquatic medicine here at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine, knows that when treating turtles and fish, innovative solutions are part of the process.
Computer scientist Brad Reaves talks about robocalls - how they work and what happens when you answer one.
Mathematical biologist Alun Lloyd talks about the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses in the US and the methods we can use to stop them.
Astrophysicist Steve Reynolds gives us the lowdown on the solar minimum, space weather, and other cool facts about our favorite star, the Sun.
Erin McKenney explains how sourdough does what it does and how you, too, can turn microbes into bread.
On July 31, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Reynolds Coliseum. Jason Miller explains why the event has been lost to history until now.
One of the weirdest primates around - the aye-aye - just got weirder. Like, extra finger weirder.
Entomologist Matt Bertone joins Audio Abstract to debunk some arachnid myths and share the spidery love.
Learn about the role the climate office plays in North Carolina and how it can help our state potentially predict and prepare for the results of a changing climate.
Planetary geologist Paul Byrne talks about Venus, what can happen when the sun gets hotter, and what planets need to be habitable.
Paul Byrne explains how tectonic, volcanic and impact processes shape planetary surfaces - and what they can teach us about both distant worlds and our own.
Wouldn't it be cool if we could monitor our health by just putting on a shirt? This episode of Audio Abstract covers the emerging field of smart clothing production.