Podcast
People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers
Hosted by Dr. Marie McNeely, featuring top scientists speaking about their life and c · EN
Are you searching for great stories to ignite your curiosity, teach you to perform better in life and career, inspire your mind, and make you laugh along the way? In this science podcast, Dr. Marie McNeely introduces you to the brilliant researchers behind the latest scientific discoveries. Join us as they share their greatest failures, most staggering successes, candid career advice, and what drives them forward in life and science.
26episodes
Episodes
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873: Finding Out How the Brain Controls Movement in Moths During Flight - Dr. Simon Sponberg
6d ago00:54:50Tap to summarizeDr. Simon Sponberg is Dunn Family Professor and Assistant Professor in the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences, as well as Adjunct Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Through his research, Simon is interested in understanding how the brain works with muscles to make bodies move. Animals move gracefully in nearly all environments on Earth, and many types of movement can be difficult to perform in robotics and other created systems. Simon uses animal models to study how the body and the muscles inform the brain in terms of the information we take in and how we react to the environment. When he's not doing science, Simon loves to cook. Cooking is an excellent creative outlet, it allows him to experience and understand other cultures, and it's fun to cook with people and enjoy the results together afterwards. Simon is also a big fan of hiking and spending time outdoors. He received his B.A. in physics and biology from Lewis & Clark College and his Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. Afterwards, Simon conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Washington before joining the faculty at Georgia Tech. He has been the recipient of an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biological Informatics, the University of Washington Postdoctoral Mentoring Award, the Young Investigator Award from the International Society for Neuroethology, an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, a Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship in the Neurosciences, and a Hertz Fellowship. In our interview, Simon shares more about his life and science.
Transcribe →872: Uncovering the Mechanisms Underlying Uneven Rates of Evolution Across Organisms - Dr. Martha Muñoz
2w ago00:52:00Tap to summarizeDr. Martha Muñoz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University. Martha is an evolutionary biologist who is working to better understand how and why evolution proceeds unevenly across the tree of life. Some features and branches of organisms evolve really quickly, while others remain inert or nearly inert for millions of years. Martha's research is uncovering the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, and she has discovered that behavior is a key architect of evolution. For Martha, nature is a wonderful source of peace and inspiration for her research. When she's not working, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking, seeing amazing views, and observing wildlife. She also spends her free time reading, going to museums, and visiting her family in New York City. She received her B.A. in biology from Boston University. Afterwards, Martha worked as a Fulbright Research Scholar at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, Spain. She was awarded her Ph.D. in Organismic & Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University. Next, Martha conducted postdoctoral research in the Research School of Biology at The Australian National University and subsequently the Department of Biology at Duke University. Prior to accepting her current position at Yale University, Martha served on the faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech. Martha has received numerous awards and honors, including the Boston University Department of Biology's Distinguished Alumni 'Rising Star' Award, and a Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Naturalists. She was also named a 'Scientist to Watch' by The Scientist Magazine in 2019. In our interview, Martha shares more about her life and science.
Transcribe →871: Committed to Conserving and Reintroducing Crocodile and Turtle Species - Dr. Steven Platt
3w ago00:49:11Tap to summarizeDr. Steven Platt is a Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Herpetologist for Southeast Asia. Steve is a crocodile and turtle biologist who studies these animals in the field and in captivity. Many species of crocodiles and turtles are endangered, and Steve is dedicated to better understanding and conserving them. When he's not working, Steve spends his time reading, going for walks outside, birdwatching, and hunting. He also used to raise chickens as a hobby. Birdwatching is a particular passion, and he aspires to one day see an ivory-billed woodpecker in the wild. He received his BSc in Forestry and Wildlife Management from Louisiana State University, his MSc in Biology from Southeastern Louisiana University, and his PhD in Zoology from Clemson University. Afterwards, Steve worked for WCS from 1996 - 2001. In 2001, Steve transitioned to working in academia. He served on the faculty at Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota for about five years, followed by five years as a faculty member at Sul Ross State University in Texas. In 2011, he accepted his current position and returned to WCS. In this interview, Steve shares more about his life and his work in research and conservation.
Transcribe →870: Determining the Drivers of Diversity in Bats and Other Mammals - Dr. Sharlene Santana
4w ago00:37:57Tap to summarizeDr. Sharlene Santana is Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington and Curator of Mammals at the University of Washington's Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. As an integrative and evolutionary biologist, Sharlene explores questions about evolution from a variety of perspectives. She is working to understand why some groups of organisms are more diverse in terms of their number of species, appearance, or behavior. There are over 1,400 species of bats that fulfill a variety of ecological roles, and much of Sharlene's research focuses on diversity in bats. Outside of work, Sharlene loves trying new restaurants in Seattle, as well as traveling to other countries and learning about other cultures. In her free time, you can find Sharlene hiking or swimming with her dog, attending ballet performances, and listening to music and podcasts. She is also a fan of good storytelling in books, movies, TV series, and documentaries. She completed her undergraduate training in biology at the University of the Andes in Venezuela, and she was awarded her Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Afterwards, Sharlene conducted postdoctoral research at the Institute for Society and Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles. She joined the faculty at the University of Washington in 2012. In our interview, Sharlene shares more about her life and research.
Transcribe →869: Developing Extracellular Vesicle Treatments to Address Brain Aging and Inflammation - Dr. Ashok Shetty
Jun 1500:39:11Tap to summarizeDr. Ashok K. Shetty is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics and Associate Director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Texas A&M University, Naresh Vashisht College of Medicine. He is developing treatments for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders using stem cells and stem cell-derived products, such as extracellular vesicles. These are tiny vesicles secreted by stem cells that carry microRNAs and proteins. Once they make their way into the brain, they can induce beneficial changes in neural cells to improve brain function. Science takes up a lot of Ash's time, but when he's able to get a moment to himself, he enjoys spending time with family, cycling on a stationary bicycle, playing brain games like Sudoku, and going out to see movies at the theater. Ash earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, and he completed postdoctoral research at Montana State University and Duke University. Afterward, he joined the faculty at Duke University in the Division of Neurosurgery. He joined the faculty at Texas A&M University College of Medicine in 2011. In 2024, he was honored with the University Distinguished Professor Award from Texas A&M University, and he has also received the College of Medicine's Senior Research Excellence Award. In addition, Ash is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair. He has received the Research Career Scientist Award from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, has been recognized among the "World's Top 1% of Scientists" across all scientific fields, and he was the 2025 honoree of Fast Company's World Changing Ideas. In this interview, Ash shares details about his life and his work in science.
Transcribe →868: Engineering Affordable Organic Electronics to Power and Light the World - Dr. Ayse Turak
Jun 800:50:49Tap to summarizeDr. Ayse Turak is Associate Professor and Associate Undergraduate Chair of the Department of Engineering Physics at McMaster University. Ayse develops and studies plastic-based electronic materials, such as solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Her goal is to create affordable, sustainable, and ubiquitous plastic materials to provide power and light for people around the world. In her free time, Ayse loves to travel, visit new places, see new things, explore new cultures, and seek adventure. She also enjoys theatre, writing, and volunteering with various social justice organizations. Ayse received her B.Sc. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Queens's University and her PhD from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she was a Canada Graduate Scholar. Afterwards, Ayse conducted research as a Marie Curie Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research and subsequently worked as a visiting professor at Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey before joining the faculty at McMaster University. Ayse has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including the Early Researcher Award, the Petro-Canada Young Innovators Award, and a Leadership in Teaching and Learning Fellowship from McMaster University. In addition, she was recently nominated as a Full member at Sigma Xi, and she is the co-chair of the Canadian Chapter of the Society of Information Display. In our interview, Ayse shares more about her life and research.
Transcribe →867: Examining How Fungi and Soil Microbes Drive Ecosystem Recovery After Wildfires - Dr. Sydney Glassman
Jun 100:41:20Tap to summarizeDr. Sydney Glassman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology at the University of California, Riverside. She studies how wildfires affect soil bacteria and fungi, with a particular interest in how soil microbial communities help ecosystems recover after disturbance. Her work focuses especially on mycorrhizal fungi, which form beneficial relationships with plant roots, as well as other fascinating bacteria and fungi that play important roles in nature. Outside of work, Sydney spends most of her time with her husband, her young children, and their two dogs (one an extra-large mixed breed and one an extra-small mixed breed). Reading books together is a favorite family pastime. She completed her B.A. in Biology with a Concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. Next Sydney received a Master's of Environmental Studies degree in Environmental Biology from the University of Pennsylvania working with Professor Brenda Casper. She was awarded her PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, & Management from the University of California, Berkeley working with Professor Tom Bruns. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at UC Irvine working with Professor Jennifer Martiny in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology before joining the faculty at UC Riverside in 2018. In this interview, Sydney shares more about her life and science.
Transcribe →866: Astrochemist Studying the Elements of Planet and Star Formation - Dr. Ted Bergin
May 2500:44:46Tap to summarizeDr. Edwin "Ted" Bergin is Professor and Chair of Astronomy at the University of Michigan. Ted is an astrochemist who is interested in understanding how and why stars, planets, and living organisms came to be. He examines the formation of stars and planets to better understand the origins of Earth and life on Earth. Since the newly forming stars and planets he studies are so far away, Ted uses astronomical techniques to determine the presence and abundance of the molecules needed to form living things. When he's not pondering the origins of life, Ted loves spending time with his family. Recently, he began a quest to fulfill his lifelong dream of learning to play the guitar. Ted enjoys old school 1970s rock and roll music, and he is slowly working his way up to playing pieces like George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun". He completed his undergraduate training in Astronomy at Villanova University, and he was awarded his PhD in Astronomy from the University of Massachusetts. Before joining the faculty at the University of Michigan, Ted worked as an astronomer/astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Ted has been awarded the University of Michigan Henry Russel Award for his exceptional scholarship and teaching. This is the highest award given to Assistant Professors. Ted joins us to talk about his experiences in life and science.
Transcribe →865: Investigating How Frogs are Impacted by Climate Change, Fungal Disease, and Selection Pressures - Dr. Cori Richards-Zawacki
May 1800:43:16Tap to summarizeDr. Cori Richards-Zawacki is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Director of the Pymatuning Lab of Ecology at the University of Pittsburgh. Cori studies topics in ecology, evolutionary biology, behavior, and conservation in frogs. In particular, she is working to understand how frogs use different body forms, colors, and other features to survive partially on land and partially in water. When she's not working and doing research, Cori enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two young daughters. She likes to play soccer, hike, go mountain biking, and do other outdoor activities. Cori received her Bachelor's degree in engineering and biology as well as her PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology both from the University of Michigan. She conducted postdoctoral research at the Smithsonian Institute and the University of California, Berkeley. Cori next served on the faculty at Tulane University prior to joining the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in 2015. In our interview, Cori shares more about her life and science.
Transcribe →864: Investigating How Brain Inflammation May Contribute to Compulsivity - Dr. Laura Bradfield
May 1100:41:17Tap to summarizeDr. Laura Bradfield is Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at The University of Sydney. In the lab, Laura studies the behavioral and brain mechanisms of compulsivity and compulsive disorders. Conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder, substance use disorder, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease all have elements of compulsivity. Rather than focusing on one particular condition, Laura and her team are working on developing better animal models of compulsivity and understanding how inflammation in certain parts of the brain affects compulsive behaviors. Outside of research, Laura loves to sing, and she enjoys going out for karaoke with colleagues in the evenings during conferences. She is also a fan of CrossFit workouts and spending time with her 14-year-old daughter. Laura received her bachelor's degree with honors in psychology and her PhD in neuroscience from the University of New South Wales, Sydney. She conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Sydney and subsequently the University of New South Wales. Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Sydney, Laura served as a Lecturer at University of New South Wales and a Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney. In this interview, she shares more about her life and science.
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