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

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). Research in Ganesh’s lab examines molecular switches. He wants to know how molecules interact with one another and how they switch from one state to another. These tiny molecular switches act almost like electrical switches turning on and off the functions of different molecules. He also does research on viruses and how they change shape to infect their hosts. Beyond his scientific interests, Ganesh has also been passionate about music for as long as he can remember. He takes voice lessons now and enjoys singing in choirs in his free time. He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and his master’s degree in biological sciences from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. Next, G

Dr. Jacquelyn Gill is an Assistant Professor of Paleoecology and Plant Ecology at the University of Maine. Jacquelyn is a paleoecologist. She studies ecology and climate change over the past 20,000 years since the end of the ice age. This involves taking a forensics-like approach to analyzing the sediments and fossil records in lakes and bogs that give clues about past climates and landscapes. When she's not thinking about science, Jacquelyn likes to be outdoors, exploring the forest and coastline in Maine. Her indoor hobbies include a weekly trivia night, knitting, and reading. 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 recipient of the E. Lucy Braun Award for Excellence in Ecology, the Student Section Award for Excellent Women in Ecology, and the Cooper Award all from the Ecological Society of America. She also rece

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 Objects. In addition, Chad regularly contributes blog articles for Forbes Magazine. Chad studies ultracold atoms to improve our understanding of atomic physics. He uses lasers to drop the temperature of samples of atoms to just millionths or billionths of a degree above absolute zero. At these very cold temperatures, the atoms move very slowly, and interesting quantum effects arise. Free time can be hard to find with two kids and a puppy at home, but Chad enjoys hanging out with his family, reading science fiction and fantasy books, and playing basketball when he has the chance. He received his B.A. in Physics from Williams College and his Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the Unive

Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano is Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Michelle’s research uses fruit flies to examine how cells in the body go to the right place at the right time. Understanding why and how cells use their genetic information to move through the body is critical because if this movement doesn’t happen correctly, it could, for example, impact embryo development or affect how immune cells mobilize after an injury. Conversely, preventing cancer cells from moving could keep cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Michelle often spends her free time cooking and baking. Her kitchen looks a little like a lab, and she enjoys experimenting with making different foods. Michelle and her family also like to spend time together, travel, and listen to music. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her PhD in Developmental Genetics from New York University. Afterwards, Michelle complet

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. Mo studies amphibians like frogs and toads. These organisms are all currently at risk for extinction, and her lab is dedicated to trying to understand how to prevent losses of species in the future. Mardi Gras is Mo's favorite holiday, and she likes to spend her free time preparing for riding in the each Mardi Gras parade. She was able to ride on a float in the parade in New Orleans, and it was an incredible experience. Mo received her PhD in Biology from the University of Miami and completed postdoctoral research at the American Museum of Natural History and at the University of Miami. She worked as an Adjunct Assistant Professor and Project Director at the University of Miami before joining the faculty at Florida In

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’s research focuses on quantum computing. He and his colleagues are trying to build a new kind of computer called a quantum computer that can solve some types of problems that are unreachable for current supercomputers. A quantum computer uses individual atoms and has power that exceeds what you can do with known classical computing approaches. For Mark, physics is a hobby as well as his job. When he’s not thinking about physics, Mark likes spending time with his family, including his young kids. Getting outside and enjoying nature is a great way for Mark to relax and unwind. 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 going back to graduate school to earn his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Co

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 (CEDAR) Center, and the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) School of Dentistry. Luiz is co-founder of 2 biotech spin-off companies which resulted from his work on cancer research and regenerative medicine: he is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of HuMarrow and Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of RegendoDent. Outside of science, Luiz is a big fan of surfing, and he enjoyed frequent trips to the beach while completing his PhD in Sydney, Australia, and a postdoctoral fellowship in San Francisco, California. In addition to spending time in the water, Luiz loves music. He is a singer-songwriter who plays various instruments, includi

Dr. Shannon Manning is a Michigan State University (MSU) Foundation Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. The goal of Shannon’s research is to understand how pathogens (bacteria or viruses) cause disease in people. How likely a person is to get sick may be due to the different types of pathogens they are exposed to, but also genetic variation within a specific type of pathogen. Not every bacteria of a particular species is exactly identical, and some are more effective at attaching to targets and infecting hosts. When she’s not working in the lab, Shannon loves spending time with her family. On the weekends, Shannon can often be found at soccer games, swim meets, and other activities cheering on her four kids. Gardening is also one of her favorite hobbies, and she has been cultivating a wonderful assortment of flowers. 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 Epidemiolog

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. With a background in engineering and mathematics, Adam works on applying engineering and physics principles to living systems. He uses lessons from the natural world to develop solutions to real-world problems like how to filter things, stick to things, burrow in sand, and move quickly and efficiently under water. Adam and his family live on a small island where they enjoy hiking and hanging out by the sea shore together. In addition, Adam is a licensed pilot, so you can often spot him spending his free time flying small planes. He completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and engineering at Swarthmore College, and afterwards worked as a SCUBA instructor in Australia. Adam next decided to pursue graduate school, receiving his master’s degree in Biology from New York University and his PhD

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. As a paleontologist, Sarah primarily studies the fossils of creatures that lived millions of years ago to better understand the evolution of life and the ecology of life through time. She examines the remains of ancient organisms in the fossil record to understand what they looked like, how they ate, what they ate, how they moved, and more. Outside of the lab, you can often find Sarah out walking, riding around on her mountain bike, playing squash, birdwatching, or cooking. Sarah completed her undergraduate degree in geology at the University of Southampton and was awarded her PhD in paleobiology from the University of Leicester. Afterwards, she remained at the Univers

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. Jennifer is a physician scientist, and this means she splits her time between providing care to patients and doing research to find better ways of treating disease. Specifically, Jennifer performs surgeries and treats patients one day each week. She spends the rest of her week studying how to better treat patients with cancer and how cancer may ultimately be prevented. When she’s not doing research or treating patients, Jennifer enjoys spending quality time with her family. Some of their favorite activities include going for walks, biking, hiking, and visiting the beach. Jennifer also likes to explore her creative side through art and photography, as well as to be active through running, biking, yoga, and surfing. She received her A.S. degree in nursing and B.S. degree in biology from Gwynedd-Mercy College. Afterwards, Jennifer attended t

Dr. Joseph Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience at the University of Florida. Joe studies DNA from squishy marine invertebrates like ctenophores (e.g. comb jellies), cnidarians (e.g. jellyfish), tunicates (e.g. sea squirts), and sea cucumbers. His goal is to understand how different types of animals are related, how animals adapt to extreme environments, and how animals have evolved the extraordinary diversity we see today. When he’s not at work, Joe loves spending time with his family. He and his two kids enjoy dancing to “Tiny Bubbles” by Don Ho and songs by the band The Clash. Joe is also a fan of singer-songwriter Slim Whitman, and he plays guitar, drums, and keyboard. Joe received his PhD in bioinformatics from Boston University. Afterwards, he was awarded a research fellowship at the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral scholar at Sars International Centre for Marine Mo

Dr. Jingchun Li is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and she is the Curator of Invertebrates at CU Boulder’s Museum of Natural History. She is also a Packard Foundation Fellow and a National Geographic Explorer. Jingchun studies how different species interact with each other and how that has influenced their evolution. Her work focuses mostly on mollusks like clams, scallops, cockles, snails, octopus, and squid. For example, she has recently been examining giant clams that use symbiotic algae to become photosynthetic. As a museum curator, Jingchuin manages the museum’s collection of nearly one million invertebrates. She is responsible for developing the collection, good stewardship, documenting relevant details about each specimen, and making specimens available to scientists and the public. Some of Jingchun’s hobbies include rock climbing at a local gym with her lab members, spending time with her kids, watching musicals, readi

Dr. Christine Drea is the Earl D. McLean Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, as well as Professor in the Department of Biology, the University Program in Ecology, and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences at Duke University. Research in Christine’s lab examines animal behavior from an integrative perspective. She and her colleagues are investigating the genetic, behavioral, cognitive, sensory, and endocrine mechanisms involved in social interactions and communication in socially complex animals. Christine focuses primarily on female-dominant species such as hyenas, lemurs, and meerkats. Christine’s hobbies outside of science include gardening, playing and walking with her two dogs, and traveling. She completed her undergraduate training in zoology at the University of Maryland College Park. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in psychobiology from Emory University. Afterwards, Christine conducted postdoctoral research in physiology at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and subsequently she was awarded a

Dr. Kevin France is an Assistant Professor in the Department for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences as well as an investigator within the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Kevin’s research focuses on improving our understanding of planetary systems outside of our own solar system. His research helps determine how the earth was formed, how it came to look the way it does, and how it fits into the broader perspective of planetary systems throughout the galaxy. Kevin also does laboratory and space mission work to develop the technology that will allow them to answer these questions. Kevin spends his free time enjoying an outdoor lifestyle living in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. His hobbies include hiking, skiing, biking, trail running, and spending time with his wife and 9-month old baby. He received his bachelor's degree in Physics and Astronomy from Boston University, and he was awarded his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Johns Hopkins University. Afterwards,

Dr. Keshav K. Singh is the Joy and Bill Harbert Endowed Chair and Professor of Genetics, Dermatology and Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is also the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Mitochondrion Journal. In addition, Keshav is the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of the company Yuva Biosciences. Research in Keshav’s lab focuses on how to reverse aging and diseases like cancer that are associated with aging. Mitochondria are relevant for all of the hallmarks of aging, including things like changes in epigenetic regulation, genomic instability, and communication problems between cells. He is working to better understand the intricacies of how mitochondria work and how they can be targeted or leveraged to improve health. Outside of work, Keshav enjoys flying kites on the beach, traveling, and painting. In particular, he gets creative painting all different kinds of mitochondria, and this is a great outlet for him when experiments aren’t working in the lab. Keshav began his studies in

Dr. Luise Hermanutz is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Memorial University in Canada. Her work is dedicated to solving the puzzle of how organisms survive and adapt in their environments. She is interested in how plants and animals interact and how that shapes the world around us. Most of Luise's work focuses on northern boreal forests and arctic tundra. Luise likes to spend her spare time outdoors enjoying the nature of Newfoundland, and she is particularly fond of snowshoeing in the woods behind her house. In addition, Luise has fun cooking, entertaining, and reading. She received her PhD in Plant Ecology from Western University in London, Ontario. Afterward, She taught as an Instructor in the Geography Department at Memorial University and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Wollongong in Australia, before joining the faculty at Memorial University. Luise is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.

Dr. Jia "Leo" Li is an Associate Professor of Physics at Brown University. He is a condensed matter experimental physicist, and his research involves stacking different layers of two-dimensional (2D) material together to discover new electronic properties that could revolutionize future technology, including the next generation of computers and electronics. In his free time, Leo enjoys rock climbing and trail running. Running is a great way to clear his mind when he is frustrated from a failed experiment or stuck on a particular equation. He finds parallels between finding solutions to physics problems and identifying the perfect running or climbing routes. Leo completed his undergraduate studies at Tsinghua University in China, and he received his MS and PhD degrees in Physics from Northwestern University. Afterwards, Leo worked as a postdoctoral researcher in physics at Columbia University before joining the faculty at Brown University where he is today. He has been the recipient of a Sloan Research Fellows

Dr. Eric Kmiec is Director of the Gene Editing Institute of the Helen F. Graham Cancer and Research Institute at Christiana Care Health System. He also holds faculty appointments at the University of Delaware and the Wistar Institute. Eric and his colleagues are working to develop new ways to treat cancer by destroying the genes that cause cancer cells to be resistant to typical therapies like chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy. Throughout his life, Eric has enjoyed sports. He particularly likes playing baseball and hockey, and he still plays baseball competitively in a league in Philadelphia. Eric also spends much of his time doing landscaping and yard work. He Received his B.A. in Microbiology from Rutgers University, his M.S. in Cell Biology and Biochemistry from Southern Illinois University, and his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Florida School of Medicine. He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Rochester before joining the faculty at the Univers

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