People Behind the Science Podcast

Dr. Tim Long is Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Macromolecules Innovation Institute at Virginia Tech. He was awarded his B.S. in Chemistry from St. Bonaventure University and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech. Prior to joining the faculty at Virginia Tech, Tim worked as an Advanced Research Scientist and subsequently a Senior […] The post 863: Dr. Tim Long: Developing Novel Materials with Wide Applications from Medicine to Manufacturing appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Tajie Harris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience in the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia. She received her B.S. degree in biology from Bemidji State University in Minnesota and her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Afterwards, Tajie conducted Postdoctoral Research in immunoparasitology at the University […] The post 862: Dr. Tajie Harris: Understanding How the Brain Battles Infection appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Eric Pop is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering as well as Materials Science & Engineering at Stanford University. Eric received his B.S. in electrical engineering, B.S. in physics, and a M.Eng. in electrical engineering from MIT. He was awarded his PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Afterwards, Eric conducted postdoctoral research at […] The post 861: Dr. Eric Pop: Engineering Novel Solutions for Data Storage and Energy Management in Electronics appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Ana Luisa Trejos is an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as Biomedical Engineering at Western University in Canada. She is also an Associate Scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute. Ana Luisa was awarded her B.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Costa Rica and her M.A.Sc. in mechanical engineering from […] The post 860: Dr. Ana Luisa Trejos: Making a Mechatronic Tremor Suppression Glove for People with Parkinson’s Disease appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Lawrence Uricchio is Assistant Professor and the Youniss Family Professor of Innovation in the Department of Biology at Tufts University. He completed his bachelor’s degree in physics at Carleton College, received master’s degrees in biophysical sciences and computer science from the University of Chicago, and was awarded his PhD in bioinformatics from the University […] The post 859: Dr. Lawrence Uricchio: Modeling How Ecological and Evolutionary Processes Drive Adaptation in a Changing World appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. R. Douglas Fields is Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Adjunct Professor in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program at the University of Maryland, College Park. In addition, Doug is the author of numerous books and magazine articles about the brain, including the […] The post 858: Dr. Douglas Fields: Studying New Cellular Mechanisms of Memory Involving Myelin appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Talithia Williams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean for Research and Experiential Learning at Harvey Mudd College. In addition, Talithia is Host of the PBS Series NOVA Wonders and author of the book Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics. She received a B.S. in mathematics from Spelman College, and […] The post 857: Dr. Talithia Williams: Mathematician and Communicator with an Eye for Modeling Cataract Development in Populations Over Time appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Tyler Susko is Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cadense, Inc., a company that creates groundbreaking adaptive solutions. He is also a Teaching Professor and Undergraduate Vice Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara. And he is Principal Engineer and Owner of Susko Engineering, LLC. Tyler received […] The post 856: Dr. Tyler Susko: Engineering Innovative Shoes to Help Feet Move Forward appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. David Sedlak is the Plato Malozemoff Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Co-Director of the Berkeley Water Center, Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure, and Director of the Institute for Environmental Science and Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. […] The post 855: Dr. David Sedlak: Working to Purify and Preserve Our World’s Water Supply appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Carla Finkielstein is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences within the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech. She is also Director of the Integrated Cellular Response Laboratory at Virginia Tech, a Member of the Executive Committee of the Susan G. Komen Blue Ridge Board, and past member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Breast […] The post 854: Dr. Carla Finkielstein: Studying How Disruptions in Circadian Control of Cell Division May Cause Cancer appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Donald L. Smith is the Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Plant Science at McGill University. He is also CEO of BioFuelNet Canada, Head of Biomass Canada, and Head of the McGill Network for Innovation on Biofuels and Bioproduct. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Acadia University and his PhD […] The post 853: Dr. Donald Smith: Getting to the Root of How Microbes Help Plants Thrive Under Stress appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Andrew Friedman is an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He is also a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Andy received his bachelor’s degree in physics and astrophysics from the University of California, Berkeley and his master’s and PhD degrees […] The post 852: Dr. Andrew Friedman: Using Astrophysics to Unravel the Enigma of Quantum Entanglement appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Kristen Lani Rasmussen is Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. Kristen received her bachelor’s degree in meteorology and mathematics as well as music from the University of Miami. She then attended the University of Washington where she was awarded her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Atmospheric Sciences. Afterwards, […] The post 851: Dr. Kristen Rasmussen: Examining Extreme Weather Events and Earth’s Most Intense Storms appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Dave Jackson is Professor of Plant Genetics at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from the University of Leeds and was awarded his PhD from the John Innes Institute. Afterwards, Dave conducted research as a NATO and USDA Postdoctoral Fellow at the Plant Gene Expression Center in Berkeley, CA, […] The post 850: Dr. Dave Jackson: Investigating the Biology and Genetics of Plant Growth, Form, and Cellular Communication appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Joyce Ohm is an Associate Professor of Oncology in the Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was awarded her PhD in Cancer Biology from Vanderbilt University. Afterwards, Joyce conducted postdoctoral research in oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to joining the faculty at Roswell […] The post 849: Dr. Joyce Ohm: Examining the Role of Epigenomics in Development and Disease appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Bryan Cassone is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Biology at Brandon University in Canada. Bryan received his B.Sc. in biology, specializing in environmental science, from the University of Western Ontario, his M.Sc. in integrative biology from the University of Guelph, and his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Notre […] The post 848: Dr. Bryan Cassone: Exploring Molecular Entomology from Pervasive Pests to Plastic-Eating Caterpillars appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Natalia Vergara is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine on the Anschutz Medical Campus. Natalia received her B.S. in biochemistry from the National University of the Litoral in Argentina. She worked as an instructor and research intern at the National University of Entre […] The post 847: Dr. Natalia Vergara: Scientist with Her Sights Set on Using Stem Cells to Study and Treat Retinal Degeneration appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Randy Blakely is a Professor of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University and Executive Director of the Florida Atlantic University Brain Institute. Randy received his B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He next conducted postdoctoral research at the Yale/Howard Hughes Medical Institute […] The post 846: Dr. Randy Blakely: Studying the Genetics and Mechanisms of Specialized Proteins in the Brain that Regulate Neurotransmission appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Nirosha J. Murugan is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Tissue Biophysics as well as Distinguished Research Chair and Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University. She was awarded her B.S. in behavioral neuroscience, her M.S. in biophysics, and her PhD in biomolecular sciences from Laurentian University. Afterwards, […] The post 845: Dr. Nirosha Murugan: Decoding the Role of Biophysical Signals in Health and Disease appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Sonia Contera is an Associate Professor of Biological Physics at the University of Oxford Physics Department, and a Research Fellow of Green Templeton College. She is also the author of the recently released book Nano comes to Life. Sonia received her bachelor’s degree in physics from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She attended graduate […] The post 844: Dr. Sonia Contera: Applying Physics and Nanotechnology to Understand Mechanics and Shape in Biological Systems appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Donovan German is Associate Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Donovan received his B.A. in Marine Science from the University of San Diego, his M.S. In Biology from California State University in Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of […] The post 843: Dr. Donovan German: Breaking Down the Mysteries of Digestion in Animals With Unusual Diets appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Trudy G. Oliver is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology as well as a Duke Science and Technology Scholar at Duke University. She received her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Oklahoma Baptist University, and her PhD in cancer biology from Duke University. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University […] The post 842: Dr. Trudy Oliver: Investigating the Biology and Origins of Small Cell Lung Cancer appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Ian Winship is an Associate Professor and a former Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Scholar in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta. He is also Director of the Neurochemical Research Unit there. Ian received his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in Psychology from the University of Alberta. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University […] The post 841: Dr. Ian Winship: Investigating How Brain Damage Occurs in Stroke and Developing Therapies to Improve Stroke Recovery appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Chin-Cheng “Scotty” Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech. He received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in entomology from National Taiwan University. Scotty served as a Visiting Scientist at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) within the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. He […] The post 839: Dr. Scotty Yang: Managing Ant Infestations and Invasions and Studying Ant-Pathogen Interactions appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Jonathan Payne is a Professor and Chair of Geological Sciences at Stanford University. He also holds a courtesy appointment in Biology, is a Member of Stanford’s interdisciplinary biosciences institute Bio-X, and is an Affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Jonathan received his B.A. in Geosciences from Williams College. Afterwards, he worked as […] The post 838: Dr. Jonathan Payne: Examining Interactions Between Changes in Earth’s Environments, Extinction Events, and Evolution of Life appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Kathryn (Katie) Whitehead is an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University where she also holds a courtesy appointment in Biomedical Engineering. Katie received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware and her PhD in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research […] The post 837: Dr. Kathryn Whitehead: Developing Novel Nature-Inspired Drug Delivery Systems appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Heather Lench is Professor in Psychological and Brain Sciences and Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs at Texas A&M University. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Florida State University, her Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Fresno, and her PhD in Social Psychology from […] The post 836: Dr. Heather Lench: Investigating the Impacts of Emotions on Behaviors, Thoughts, and Decisions appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Uri Tabori is a Staff Physician in the Division of Haematology/Oncology, Senior Scientist in the Genetics & Genome Biology program, and Principal Investigator of The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Uri is also a Professor in Paediatrics and Associate Professor in the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. He received his […] The post 835: Dr. Uri Tabori: Dedicated to Clinical Care and Conducting Research to Combat Childhood Cancers appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Elaine Guevara is a Lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University. She received her BA in biological anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her MA in biological anthropology from Hunter College. During her master’s program, Elaine also worked at the American Museum of Natural History as an Archives Assistant and subsequently […] The post 834: Dr. Elaine Guevara: Examining the Genetics and Molecular Biology of Brain Aging in Humans and Non-Human Primates appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Kristen Lynch is a Professor and Chair of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her B.A. in biochemistry and her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Harvard University. Afterwards, Kristen pursued postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco. She served on the faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical […] The post 833: Dr. Kristen Lynch: Researching Alternative Splicing for Gene Regulation in the Immune System appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Nick Haddad is a Professor in Integrative Biology at Michigan State University and a Senior Terrestrial Ecologist at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. In addition, Nick is the author of the recently released book The Last Butterflies: A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature. Nick received his BS in Biology from Stanford […] The post 832: Dr. Nick Haddad: Recovering Rare and Endangered Butterfly Populations through Conservation Corridors and Other Strategies appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Louis L. Jacobs is Emeritus Professor in the Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences and President of the ISEM at SMU. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution from the University […] The post 831: Dr. Louis Jacobs: Unearthing Ancient Fossils to Reveal the History of Life on Our Planet appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Karen Daniels is a Professor in the Department of Physics at North Carolina State University. She received her BA in physics from Dartmouth College. Karen then worked for about three years as a science teacher at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn before enrolling in graduate school at Cornell University where she earned her PhD […] The post 830: Dr. Karen Daniels: Physicist Figuring Out How Materials Deform and Fail appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Leif Karlstrom is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon. He completed his undergraduate training at the University of Oregon, receiving a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics, as well as a B.M. in Violin Performance. He received his PhD in Earth and Planetary Science from the University of […] The post 829: Dr. Leif Karlstrom: Modeling the Mechanics of Fluid Flow for Melting Ice and Molten Magma appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Djuna Croon is Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology at Durham University. She received her bachelor’s degree in physics from Amsterdam University College and her master’s degree in physics from Kings College London. Next, Djuna was awarded her PhD in Theoretical Particle Physics from the University […] The post 828: Dr. Djuna Croon: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Particle Nature of Dark Matter appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Chris Buddle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences and Associate Dean of Student Affairs at McGill University. He received his undergraduate training in Ecology at the University of Guelph and was awarded his PhD in Ecology and Environmental science from the University of Alberta. Afterwards, Chris conducted postdoctoral research at […] The post 827: Dr. Chris Buddle: Chilling Out Studying the Biodiversity of Arctic Arthropods appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Beth Stroupe is a Professor in the Department of Biological Science and the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University (FSU). She is also Director of the Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program there. Beth completed her undergraduate training at Wake Forest University where she majored in chemistry and minored in music. She was awarded […] The post 826: Dr. Beth Stroupe: Visualizing Molecules to Understand Links Between Structure and Function appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Zach Eilon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and he is also conducting research at Brown University. He hails from the United Kingdom where he completed his undergraduate and masters degrees in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Afterwards, […] The post 825: Dr. Zach Eilon: Sizing Up Signals in Seismic Waves to Understand Earth’s Interior Structure appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Tess Russo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at The Pennsylvania State University. She received her PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Her fantastic work is already getting a lot of attention. […] The post 824: Dr. Tess Russo: Looking Beneath the Surface to Study the Science of Water Movement, Distribution, and Quality appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Ganesh Anand is an Associate Professor of Chemistry as well as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at The Pennsylvania State University (or Penn State University) at the University Park campus. He is also an elected Board Member of the International Society for Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS). He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and […] The post 823: Dr. Ganesh Anand: Probing Protein Dynamics from Molecular Switches to Shape-Changing Viral Particles appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Jacquelyn Gill is an Assistant Professor of Paleoecology and Plant Ecology at the University of Maine. She received her Masters degree and PhD in Geography from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Afterward she served as a the Voss Postdoctoral Fellow at Brown University before joining the faculty at the University of Maine. She was […] The post 822: Dr. Jacquelyn Gill: Using Lake Sediments to Get to the Core of Key Issues in Ecology and Conservation appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Chad Orzel is the R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics at Union College. He is also author of the popular science books How to Teach Physics to Your Dog, How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog, Eureka: Discovering Your Inner Scientist, and the soon-to-be-released book Breakfast with Einstein: The Exotic Physics of Everyday […] The post 821: Dr. Chad Orzel: Illuminating the Quantum Physics of Ultracold Atoms appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano is Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and her PhD in Developmental Genetics from New York University. Afterwards, Michelle completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She […] The post 820: Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano: Studying the Molecular Information Cells Use to Move Through Their Environments appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Maureen (Mo) Donnelly is a Professor of Biology and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida International University (FIU). She is also a Research Associate in the Department of Herpetology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Maureen received her PhD in Biology […] The post 819: Dr. Maureen Donnelly: Making Great Leaps Studying the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Tropical Frogs appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Mark Saffman is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received is B.Sc. with honors in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology. Mark worked as a Technical Staff Member at TRW Defense and Space systems and subsequently an Optical Engineer at Dantec Electronics Inc. in Denmark before […] The post 818: Dr. Mark Saffman: Shining Light on the Exciting Capabilities of Quantum Computing appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Luiz E. Bertassoni is the founding director of the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub and Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences at the Knight Cancer Institute, where he is also co-section head for Discovery and Translational Oncology. He is also faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research […] The post 817: Dr. Luiz Bertassoni: Creating New Cancer Models and Advancing Regenerative Medicine appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Shannon Manning is a Michigan State University (MSU) Foundation Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. She earned her B.S. in biology from the University of Michigan, her M.P.H. in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology, and her Ph.D. in Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Michigan. Afterwards, Shannon was awarded an Emerging […] The post 816: Dr. Shannon Manning: Deciphering Genetic Variations in Bacteria that Lead to Disease appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Adam Summers is a Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences and Department of Biology at the University of Washington, and he conducts research in his lab within the Friday Harbor Laboratories there. He completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and engineering at Swarthmore College, and afterwards worked as a SCUBA instructor […] The post 815: Dr. Adam Summers: Fascinated by the Effects of Material Properties on the Form and Function of Fishes appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Sarah Gabbott is a Professor of Palaeontology in the School of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at the University of Leicester. She is also Director of Green Circle Nature Regeneration CIC, a non-profit organization in the UK, and she is co-author of the recently released book Discarded: How Technofossils Will be Our Ultimate Legacy. […] The post 814: Dr. Sarah Gabbott: Uncovering the Secrets of Ancient Creatures By Studying Fossils and the Fossilization Process appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.

Dr. Jennifer Wargo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a Stand Up To Cancer researcher. She received her A.S. degree in nursing and B.S. degree in biology from Gwynedd-Mercy College. Afterwards, Jennifer attended the Medical College of Pennsylvania where she earned her M.D. Jennifer completed […] The post 813: Dr. Jennifer Wargo: Investigating the Impacts of the Gut Microbiome on Immunotherapy Cancer Treatments appeared first on People Behind the Science Podcast.