Eat the crust

Eat the crust? No, we’re not talking bread, we are talking about that layer of our planet earth, because our guest is geoscientist, Beth Bartel. For someone who’s worked a lot with GPS, much of Beth’s career has been pretty meandering. For now though she’s settled on a job she loves, helping communicate the science of geology and natural hazards, while training other scientists to share their work.

We talked to Beth about the challenge of tackling pseudoscience, and the need for including social sciences to inform other fields of research.

Season 7ScientistsIncApril 16, 2020science, scicomm, #2scis, Women in STEM, geologyComment

The doctor will see you now

Oz Ismail went from being a research scientist taking pictures of bones, to a doctoral scientist, taking pictures of brains. He spent his PhD imaging as part of a project on Alzheimer’s disease. We talked to him about what’s known about the disease and the difficulties in treatment and diagnosis.

We also talked about how along the way he’s performed stand-up, worked with friends to create the Minorities in STEM community, and how he himself is co-host of a science podcast called Why aren’t you a doctor yet? Thankfully, Oz now is Dr. Ismail and currently playing up his Britishness in Portland, OR.

Season 7ScientistsIncApril 9, 2020The Carpenter's Armsscience, scicomm, #2scis, neuroscience, Alzheimer's, comedyComment

The H.E.A.R.T. doctor

How many people knew what they wanted to do when they were 9? Sure, maybe you wanted to be a rockstar or a fire fighter, but a psychologist? Well we know one person at least! Dr. Lindsey Rodriguez is a social psychologist interested in the science underlying close relationships. As the director of Healthy Emotions and Relationship Theories (HEART) Laboratory she and her colleagues are looking for new ways to help people with difficult relationships.

We talked to Lindsey about her work studying how alcohol can be harmful and helpful in romantic relationships, and how to do that in a scientific manner.

When science gets political

Science, genetics, teaching and policy. Four things that easily define our guest Dr. Amy J Hawkins. She’s studied the ways that DNA can be damaged in cancer. She’s worked on curricula to help teach genetics at the Genetics Science Learning Center in Utah. She’s worked with policy makers to help improve the lives of fellow Utahans.

All makes sense because science, people and politics are all connected. Find out how in this episode with Amy.

Season 7ScientistsIncMarch 26, 2020Pegasus City Breweryscience, scicomm, #2scis, genetics, teaching, policy, politicsComment

Academic stand-up

Knock knock.
Who’s there?

Since this is the extent of our joke-telling ability, we’ll leave the real thing to the experts and one of our favorites is Kyle Marian. She began her scientific career as an anthropologist, but has since transitioned into communicating science through…comedy?

Find out more about the parallels between academia and stand-up, and how Kyle uses her art as a powerful tool to include those most disenfranchised.

Before we go on though, this episode contains a lot of strong language and explicit content. Now that you’ve been warned, go forth and enjoy!

Season 7ScientistsIncMarch 19, 2020Railgartenscience, scicomm, #2scis, comedy, anthropology, inclusionComment

The power of words

What’s the shape of a word? How do you save a dying language? How is studying languages a science anyway?

All excellent questions for our guest Prof. David Adger a linguist at Queen Mary University of London. He is interested in what underlies the patterns found in the grammar of human languages.

Why would anyone study this? As David states, just to better understand the world. But there are also more practical applications like saving dying, often Indigenous languages which hold within them stories and knowledge that can help everyone’s understanding of the world.

Mental health in Mandarin and modeling in Montréal

Julian (Zunping) Xue is an MD/PhD (so good they doctored him twice!). He’s a mathematician trying to understand evolution. Why does it set off down a certain path, but not others?

He’s also a psychiatrist, in fact the only Mandarin speaking one in all of Montréal. We spoke to him about the connections between two seemingly very different fields, his work to create a network of health professionals for the local Chinese community, and his disgust for the last season of Game of Thrones.

The eccentric nucleus

Ankita Patil studies mircrotubules, which as the name suggests are small tube-like structures. They can assemble and disassemble in neurons to transport things around cells. Outside of her research though, Ankita is a mentor to other women in STEM as part of the Philadelphia chapter of the Association for Women in Science. She is also the City Coordinator for taste of science in Philadelphia and in whatever time she has left, she draws cartoons, often about science.

Season 7ScientistsIncFebruary 27, 2020Good Karma Cafescience, scicomm, #2scis, neuroscience, structure, protein, sciartComment

Same same but different

Despite our physical differences, humans are genetically 99.9% the same. Graduate student Renée Fonseca is fascinated by why this is, and how it is important in the case of human health. Part Colombian, part Puerto Rican and part American, Renée’s background is partly responsible for her scientific interests.

We discussed her Fulbright Scholarship, outreach in research and the importance of respecting local communities. We also talked to her about her local advocacy.

Season 7ScientistsIncFebruary 20, 2020Mermaid Tavernscience, scicomm, #2scis, genetics, immigrant, health, demographicsComment

Breathing and bugs and biofilms...Oh my!

Bugs of a biofilm flock together, or so says Dr. Sophie Darch.

Sophie and her lab study how bacteria interact with each other. She’s interested in what these interactions mean for chronic infections in diseases like Cystic Fibrosis.

We talk about her journey through science, moving from the UK to the US, and “basic” research.

Season 7ScientistsIncFebruary 13, 2020World of Beerscience, scicomm, #2scis, bacteria, disea, cystic fibrosis Comments