People Behind The Science Podcast - Stories From Scientists About Science, Life, Research, And Science Careers

Dr. Andrew Felton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences within the College of Agriculture at Montana State University-Bozeman where he is Principal Investigator of the Felton Lab there. Andrew splits his time between teaching and his research lab. His research focuses on dry land ecosystems, which includes deserts, grasslands, and shrublands. Studies in his lab examine how these ecosystems function, what plants and animals are present, and how the ecosystems respond to changes in the availability of water. Climate change impacts the size of precipitation events and increases evaporation through higher temperatures, and Andrew’s lab is also working to understand the implications of these changes for ecosystems that are already water-limited. Living in Bozeman, Montana, Andrew enjoys spending time in the mountains and the beautiful National Parks nearby, including Yellowstone. In the winter, he is an avid downhill skier, and he likes to go rock climbing in the

Dr. Edward DeLong is a Professor in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawai’i Mānoa as well as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. Research in Ed’s lab brings together a variety of disciplines to study microbial communities in the ocean. He is interested in their ecology, evolution, biochemistry, genomics, and their impacts on marine systems. Particularly of interest for Ed are the microscopic organisms that are the primary producers or “forests of the ocean” responsible for releasing oxygen and serving as food for other organisms in marine food chains. When he’s not working, Ed loves to be out in nature. He enjoys spending time outside with his family, hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling in the beautiful coral reefs near his house. Ed has also taken up yoga to help him stay limber and relaxed. Ed received his B.S. in Bacteriology from the University of California, Davis and his Ph.D. in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

Dr. Emma Louise Spanswick is an Associate Professor and a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Tier II Canada Research Chair in Geospace Dynamics and Space Plasma Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Calgary. Emma studies the Earth’s natural space environment, which is connected to our upper atmosphere and extends into the region around the Earth. Emma’s research examines this environment using remote sensing to examine the physics of the dynamics of the space environment, and they also investigate space weather, which encompasses all phenomena in space that can impact systems and technologies that are in orbit and on Earth. As part of her work, Emma also develops and designs remote sensing instruments and deploys them in the field to collect data. Outside of science, Emma spends much of her time with her family, including her two sons. They enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and being outdoors together. Emma's hobbies also include boxing and going to the gym for a

Dr. Kyle Cromer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. In his lab, Kyle takes gene editing a step further beyond just modifying “the typos” in DNA to correct them back to what the code should be. He uses genome-editing approaches to introduce new functions into cells for different therapeutic purposes. Kyle has always been interested in visual art, so he enjoys visiting art museums and has dabbled in creating his own art as well. He and his wife have been stretching their own canvases and creating their own abstract paintings, each meticulously planned and sketched out in advance. Most recently, the two of them have been immersed in preparations for the birth of their first child. He completed his BS in Animal & Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech and his PhD in Genetics at Yale University. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research in Genetics at Harvard Medical School. Next he worked as a postdoctoral fellow and subsequ

Dr. Philip J. Landrigan is a pediatrician and a public health doctor. He is Professor of Biology, Director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good, and Director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College. He is also Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In his work, Phil’s goal is to better understand how toxic exposures in the environment harm human health. As a pediatrician, he focuses primarily on the impacts on children’s health. On the public health side, he aims to harness science to prevent toxic exposures to keep kids healthy and prevent disease. His research has spanned many areas, including the health impacts of lead poisoning, air pollution, pesticides, plastic pollution, and chemical pollution. When he’s not working, Phil loves to spend his time outdoors, particularly hiking and kayaking. He is also an avid reader and enjoys spendi

Dr. Karen Strier is the Vilas Research Professor and Irven Devore Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Karen is a Primate behavioral ecologist. She is working to understand the biological basis of human behavior, evolution, and adaptation by studying our closest living relatives. Research in Karen’s group involves observing a critically endangered primate, the northern muriqui, in its natural habitat to understand how their behaviors are similar to or different from human behaviors. When she’s not in the lab or observing primates in the wild, Karen enjoys being outside, going for walks in nature, cooking delicious multi-course meals for her friends and family, reading, and spending time with her cats. Karen received her B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology and Biology from Swarthmore College, and she was awarded her M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University. After completing her Ph.D., Karen served as a lecturer at Harvard University and subsequently became a faculty member

Dr. Joseph S. Takahashi is Professor and Chair of Neuroscience and the Loyd B. Sands Distinguished Chair in Neuroscience at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He is also an Investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Joe and his lab members are trying to better understand the biological clocks in our bodies that control our 24-hour schedules. Within each of us are internal clocks that are genetically controlled. A special set of genes within nearly all of our cells turns on and off each day to regulate a wide variety of biological functions, and Joe is studying these genes and how they contribute to our biological rhythms. Functions influenced by our biological clocks include our sleep schedules, blood sugar, body temperature, liver metabolism, and many other aspects of our physiology. When Joe isn’t at work, he enjoys playing tennis, skiing, hiking, eating delicious food, and drinking great wine. Joe received his B.A. in biology from Swarthmore College and he was awarded his Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Treadway is the Winship Distinguished Research Professor in Psychology and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at Emory University. He is also affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory. One of the aims of Michael’s lab is to investigate how the brain makes decisions about where to invest your effort and whether something you want is worth the work it will take to get it. The second aim of Michael’s research is to examine this process in people with conditions like major depression. His goal is to understand how the relevant circuitry in the brain typically works, and how the circuitry changes in depression, leading to a different set of decisions. This work has the potential to help identify new targets for interventions. Outside of science, Michael and his wife love spending time with their two young children and playing games together, particularly card games. He also enjoys playing the piano, listening to music, and going to live mus

Dr. Marcia Bjornerud is Professor of Geology and the Walter Schober Professor of Environmental Studies at Lawrence University in Wisconsin. In addition, she is a writer for “Elements”, the New Yorker’s science and technology blog, and she is the author of the textbook The Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science, the popular science book Reading the Rocks: The Autobiography of the Earth, and the recently released book Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World. Marcia is a structural geologist who studies the deeply eroded roots of mountain belts and ancient plate boundaries to better understand the long-term effects of tectonic processes and rock deformation in Earth’s deep crust. Outside of science, cross country skiing is a passion for Marcia, and she loves getting out in the winter to ski, including participating in ski marathons. Marcia is also an urban forager who enjoys making jams and preserves from wild berries and grapes that she picks. Marcia received her B.S. de

Dr. Renato Polimanti is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and he also has appointments in Biomedical Informatics & Data Science, as well as Chronic Disease Epidemiology at the Yale University School of Medicine, the School of Public Health, and the Wu Tsai Institute. Research in Renato’s lab examines human genetics from different perspectives. His current projects aim to understand the molecular mechanisms that predispose certain individuals to develop psychiatric disorders and symptoms, and the links between co-morbid conditions like cardiovascular disease. He is particularly interested in internalizing psychiatric disorders, which include depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of Renato’s favorite pastimes include reading, traveling to different countries, and trying various kinds of foods. He is a big fan of authentic Italian food as well as sushi, and Renato has explored many of the local restaurants in New Haven, Connecticut. Renato completed his bachelor’s degree (BSc), Ma

Dr. Bruce Beehler is an ornithologist and Research Associate in the Bird Division of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Bruce's research is focused on the birds of the boreal conifer forests of the U.S. and Canada. He is interested in understanding how the permanent resident birds survive in these forests year round. Bruce spends much of his free time outside and immersed in nature. He enjoys playing tennis, going for hikes, and kayaking, as well as watching wildlife at the feeders outside his home. He completed his undergraduate studies in American Civilization at Williams College and received his Masters and PhD degrees in Biology from Princeton University where he studied behavioral ecology of the birds of paradise. Afterwards, Bruce worked for ten years at the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of Natural history. Before returning to the Museum in 2014, Bruce worked for Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the U.S. Department of State, Counterpart Interna

Dr. Dawei “David” Han is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. David studies how snakes hear. Snakes are able to detect sound without external ear structures, particularly low frequency vibrations, and David is interested in how this process works, as well as the structures and pathways involved. When he’s not working, David enjoys taking care of his pet snakes at home and observing reptiles and amphibians in the wild in his backyard and local parks. There are a variety of snakes native to Maryland, and it’s fun to get outside and see what he can find. David received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from China Agricultural University and his master’s degree in Biology from Truman State University. He recently completed his PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Maryland, College Park where he is now conducting postdoctoral research. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.

Dr. Barbara Katzenback is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. Barb studies how frogs defend themselves from diseases to stay alive, and she also investigates how the environments that frogs live in impact their ability to defend against diseases. Frogs and other amphibians are critical components of the food web, they are important for pest control, they are indicators for the health of their environment, and they produce interesting molecules on the surface of their skin that may have relevance for human health. Barb’s hobbies outside of science include engaging in a variety of physical activities like running, yoga, and hiking with her husband and two dogs. She’s also experimented with soccer, spin classes, cross country skiing, rock climbing, and inner tube water polo. Some of her other interests include pottery, art, crafting, baking, gardening, sewing, and leisure reading. Barb earned her BSc with Honors in Immunology and Infection from the University of Alb

Dr. Michael Middlebrooks is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Tampa. Michael’s research focuses on various species of sea slugs, particularly a group called the Sacaglossan sea slugs. Some of them have developed the ability to use chloroplasts from the algae they eat to become photosynthetic themselves. Michael studies how being a photosynthetic animal can change their ecology and their interactions with other organisms. He also does some work on seagrass restoration and how this affects plant-animal interactions. Scuba diving is Michael’s favorite thing in the world to do, and he’s able to explore the underwater world and look for cool animals both for work and in his free time. In addition, he enjoys listening to live music and reading. He received his B.S. in biology from Florida State University and his Ph.D. in Integrative biology from the University of South Florida. He remained at the University of South Florida to conduct postdoctoral research before joining the faculty at the Uni

Dr. Satesh Bidaisee is a Professor of Public Health and Preventative Medicine and Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at St. George’s University in Grenada. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Center for Global Health at Old Dominion University and a Visiting Professor at Chitkara University in India and at Kasetsart University in Thailand. Many aspects of human health are linked with conditions in our environment. Satesh’s research aims to identify and understand environmental factors that can impact human health, both positively and negatively. One of Satesh’s passions outside of science is aviation. He has been fascinated by aircraft since childhood, and for the past decade, Satesh has enjoyed flying throughout the Caribbean region as a private pilot. Satesh received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree (D.V.M.) from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, a Master’s of Science (M.S.) degree in Public Health from St. George’s University, and a Doctor of Education Degree (Ed.D.) from

Dr. Karine Gaelle Le Roch is a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease and Vector Research at the University of California, Riverside. Karine’s research focuses on parasites, and much of her work has focused on the parasite that causes malaria in humans. She is working to better understand the life cycle of the parasite, how the molecular components in its body work together, and how the parasite’s function can be disrupted after a person has been infected in order to treat and cure malaria. When she’s not doing science, Karine enjoys sailing in the San Diego Bay, skiing in the winter, spending time with her son, and watching him play soccer. She received her BA in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the University Paris-Sorbonne, her MS in host-parasite interactions between Oxford University in the UK and the University of Lille in France, and her PhD in Parasitology and host-parasite interactions from the University Paris-Sorbonne.

Dr. Rebecca Wattam is a Research Associate Professor in the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory within the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech. Rebecca is the outreach and biology lead for a bioinformatics research center that scientists use to share and analyze their data on bacteria and bacterial genomes. This research center was originally funded to study bacteria that can make us sick in order to develop vaccines, identify drug targets, and predict outbreaks of illnesses. However, there are a lot of beneficial types of bacterial that are also now being studied based on their use for fermentation, alternate energy sources, probiotics, and other purposes. Rebecca is particularly interested in examining the similarities and differences between groups of bacteria. Living in Blacksburg, Virginia, Rebecca is close to the beautiful Appalachian Trail. She spends much of her free time hiking, canoeing, exploring the outdoors, and watching the wildlife. Rebecca received her B.S. and M.S. degrees

Dr. Catherine Emily Carr is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. In the lab, Catherine is interested in understanding how animals perceive their environment. This work involves observing animal behavior in the field, as well as laboratory studies to try to understand the biology of how different fish, birds, and reptiles use their senses and their nervous systems to perceive the world around them. Much of Catherine’s recent work has focused on hearing and how animals use the sounds they perceive and produce. Lately, Catherine has enjoyed spending her free time reading and doing volunteer work for the Maryland State Park system. As a volunteer she has been removing invasive species, like English Ivy and Japanese honeysuckle, from her local parks in an effort to restore the native habitats. Catherine received her undergraduate training in Zoology with first class honors at the University of Cape Town, and she completed her M.A. degree in

Dr. James O'Dwyer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Biology and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The research in James’s lab uses computational and theoretical approaches to better understand the patterns we observe in the world. He is an ecologist and is particularly interested in biological complexity. The goal of his lab is to build models and make predictions that will provide us with novel and unexpected information about how nature works. In his free time, James enjoys hiking, traveling, and strategic board games like Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride. He was awarded a master's degree in Physics from the University of Durham, as well as a master's and PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Cambridge. James was awarded an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship conducting research at the University of Oregon and the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, and he was also

Dr. Jonathan (Jony) Kipnis is a BJC Investigator and the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He is also Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Neurosurgery and Director of the Brain Immunology and Glia Center there. Jony is a neuroimmunologist. He works at the intersection of the immune system and the nervous system. The brain controls immune system activity, and the immune system affects brain function. The two work together to ensure our survival and well-being. Jony's research is improving our understanding of how they interact when we’re healthy and in cases of nervous system damage or disease. When he’s not working, Jony loves to read a good book, enjoy a nice glass of wine, cook, and eat delicious food. He particularly has a passion for grilling. He completed his BSc in Biology at Tel Aviv University, and he received his MSc in Neurobiology and PhD in Neuroimmunology from the Weizmann Institute of Sci