2Scientists

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The power of words Mar 13, 2020

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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 Mar 05, 2020

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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 Feb 27, 2020

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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.

Same same but different Feb 21, 2020

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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.

Breathing and bugs and biofilms...Oh my! Feb 14, 2020

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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.

Stem by name, stem by nature Apr 11, 2019

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She enjoys STEM advocacy, she works on stem cells, she is: Dr. Kristi Stemler. While she works at MD Anderson, she isn’t a cancer researcher. Rather she looks at the role of stem cells and diet in making cancer sufferer’s lives more comfortable. We talked to Kristi about being a first generation college graduate, an artist and thrower of sharp implements! This episode also features a guest appearance from cancer scientist, Stanford postdoc, and our SF taste of science coordinator: Saumyaa.

23 and them Apr 04, 2019

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In the immortal words of Jeff Goldblum (well, his character anyway) “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” This feels like a recurring theme in today’s world of technology that has the power to change our very DNA. Enter Dr. Katherine Drabiak, a doctor of jurisprudence and a bioethical scholar. What are our rights once we spit in a tube for 23 and me? How do we decide when science is being done for the greater good or just for profit? These are the kind of questions Katherine has considered in the course of her work.

What a scientist looks like Mar 27, 2019

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Picture a scientist. Do you see the typical white lab coat, and a researcher trying to cure diseases? Who do you consider to be a scientist? Could it be a teacher? A girl scout leader? A comedienne? Our friend Ana Zambrana, says yes to all of the above. Whether talking to school children, or delivering monologues, Ana keeps those scientific principles in mind. Find out more about her outreach activities with Bardo Científico, or follow her antics on Twitter.

Science out in the open Mar 21, 2019

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Anson Mackay studies the effects of climate change on freshwater ecosystems. His work often takes him way out to areas like Lake Baikal in Siberia, but openness in his work is not limited to geography. He understands his privilege as a white male professor at a prestigious university. He is an advocate for more open access to scientific information. He also supports efforts for gender equality, increased diversity and inclusion of ethnic minorities and the LGBTQ community. Don’t believe us? Check out his Twitter!

Statistically speaking Mar 14, 2019

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Ask the average scientist about statistics and watch them squirm. Not Dr. Karen Lamb though, she loves applying her training to real life problems. We met up with her in Melbourne to talk stats, scicomm and Superstars of STEM. You can follow Karen and her adventures on Twitter.

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