Ep 63: Building Trust with Science Communication - The Journey

Send us a textToday, we are joined by Ariel Parker, Director of Partnerships and Legacy at the Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB)–a science and technology center funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The CEMB represents faculty across various disciplines at multiple institutions within mechanobiology, an interdisciplinary field exploring how physical forces affect living things. In her role, Ariel manages the educational programs, recruits new students, provides first-hand research experiences, organizes a postdoc preview day and much, much more. While Ariel’s role doesn’t require using a pipette anymore, she has made use of translational skills, such as successful project planning and knowing what questions to ask during the planning process. “A good researcher thinks not only about today, but their Tuesday, 3 months from now,” explains Ariel. Two of the favorite things about her job are the diversity of the tasks and responsibilities, and working with her colleagues. A challenge that Ariel encounters in her role is, of course, funding and the uncertainty this can create in providing sustainability for CEMB. Looking back at some of the events Ariel has organized for K-12 outreach, she recalls an outreach day where students conducted experiments with venus flytrap plants. The event allowed the students to have memorable experiences beyond simply learning the science. “Exposure, equity and access–those three things allow us to change outcomes for people,” Ariel explains. One piece of advice from Ariel is to embrace pursuing your interests broadly to find your perfect fit.   Tune into this episode to hear Ariel share:How her values drive her decisions in her career path Why there is no such thing as useless knowledge Reach out to Ariel: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-parker/Email: [email protected] you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:Ep 36: Sista, Sista! Graduate School Years - The WorkEp 12: Immunology and squidTHE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textDr. Luis Martinez is back to speak with us about his journey. As a senior venture associate at Capital Factory, a venture capital firm, his love of science began by noticing what was missing–people doing science who looked like him. Luis was raised in an incredible town on the U.S.-Mexico border–El Paso, Tx. His introduction to science came from experiences at the local library and shows like Star Trek and Cosmos. As a high schooler, he was on the science team and had the opportunity to take a state exam for chemistry. But, rather than studying, he took the exam without any preparation. And somehow he passed; ranking first in the state! This, for him, set a path to pursue science in college. He attended Trinity College as a first generation college student and had the incredible opportunity to complete research as an undergraduate. As a junior, he declared himself as a chemistry major and was introduced to graduate school by a guidance counselor. The decision for Luis was easy–graduate school was free–it was a clear yes. As a graduate student at Harvard University, he remembers his involvement in a major scientific discovery that focused on developing organic molecules using efficient and sustainable methods. From this discovery, he also learned about patenting and scaling innovations; important lessons he would need for the future. At the end of his doctorate, Luis had to decide between a postdoctoral fellowship or joining a consulting firm. He chose the latter. After a few years, however, a family emergency brought him back to El Paso to join the university as a chemistry professor. Later on, he again moved to Trinity University as a professor of entrepreneurship and innovation to lead an undergraduate entrepreneurship program. When Luis looks back at his journey so far, he recommends two pieces of advice, “Be bold; and don’t worry about it, it’ll all work out.”               Check out the previous episode with Luis.Tune into this episode to hear about Luis’s journey and:How he chose his major as a first generation college studentHow he was able to adapt his unique professional experiences to drive his career journey  Reach out to Luis: LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drluismartinez/If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:Ep 43: Science CEO Level: Unlocked - The Journey THE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textToday we are joined by Dr. Luis Martinez, a senior venture associate with a background in organic chemistry and entrepreneurship at the venture capital firm, Capital Factory. The firm, based in Austin, Tx, was founded in 2009 to bring together entrepreneurs with potential partners, customers, and future hires. The firm works with a multitude of clients from corporate companies to start-ups to federal partners. Over the last year, they have invested about $23 million over 45 different entities within their expansive portfolio with a technology focus. Even though Luis has countless years of experience in entrepreneurship and innovation, he still finds that studying and understanding science is a very important and it is a worthwhile investment. “What is more awesome now in 2025, then when I got my Ph.D. in the 1990s, is that there are a lot more opportunities to apply your science and do what you do as a scientist beyond the paths that are presented out of graduate school,” he explains. In particular Luis finds the ability to take the unique skills learned in graduate school and apply them to different scenarios in entrepreneurship, start-ups, and solving critical questions to be key. For those who are interested in exploring entrepreneurship, he recommends taking time to visit your current or alumnus university entrepreneurship center, i.e. get out of the lab and walk across campus. Additionally, he suggests getting involved with training programs such as Activate and Nucleate, which focus on entrepreneurship for scientists. And, take advantage of the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program which facilitates the transformation of invention to impact. The last piece of advice he recommends is actually joining someone else’s start-up before venturing into your own to get the best hands-on experience.    Tune into this episode to hear about Luis’s work and:The next wave of science entrepreneurship careersWhy science is important for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship important for scienceWhat areas of science are hot for entrepreneurship right nowReach out to Luis: LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drluismartinez/If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:Ep 6: STEMLand Future of Science - The WorkEp 39: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The WorkEp 42: Science CEO Level: Unlocked - The Work THE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textToday Latasha Wright, co-founder and executive scientific officer of BioBus takes us through her career journey, which had some very unexpected twists and turns along the way. Her childhood began in Mississippi as the youngest of 5 children. Both her parents nurtured the importance of education through constant exposure to books and just asking, “What did you learn today?”. Once Latasha started high school, however, she truly discovered her love of science with an incredible science teacher who encouraged mixing things together and blowing things up! She continued her education at Tougaloo College, a historically black college and university (HBCU), determined to get her degree in chemistry. As a college student, Latasha also received the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC U-STAR) scholarship. She also confidently declared her interest in going to graduate school for a PhD–but she didn’t know what a PhD actually was! This experience opened the doors to completing a program at the NIH, giving her first-hand experience in lab research. And, Latasha absolutely loved every minute of it. Excited for her future as a scientist, it was now time for Latasha to apply to programs; she was grappling between NYU, Berkeley, and Emory. However, a chance encounter with the associate dean of NYU changed her trajectory completely, and she ended up attending NYU. After receiving her doctorate in cellular and molecular biology, she completed two post-doctoral fellowships at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College. By chance, during her time back in NYC she met Ben Dubin-Thaler, and that connection led to the creation of BioBus. Currently, Latasha is really excited about bringing BioBus to the Bronx with a Community Lab. And she keeps reminding herself to “Be ready for the journey, it's gonna be good!”.Tune into this episode to hear about Latasha’s journey and:How Latasha learned about the option of completing a Ph.D.Why she decided to go to NYU over Berkley and EmoryWhat convinced her to transition from academia to science-outreach with BioBusReach out to Latasha: Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latasha-wright-95bb7a16/ Book a BioBus visit: https://www.biobus.org/programs If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:Ep 67: THE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textToday we are speaking to Latasha Wright, co-founder and executive scientific officer of BioBus, a science non-profit with a mission to support all students in acheiving their scientific potential. A real life version of the magic school bus, BioBus started as an upcycled 1974 transit bus, filled with microscopes, that brings science to students throughout New York City. The immersive experience of BioBus not only introduces students to asking questions and experimentation, but also challenges the idea of what science is and who does science. The curriculum of BioBus has also now expanded beyond the interactive bus-based experimental set up to also include community labs and junior scientist internship programs that encourage students to solve problems in their community using science. In her everyday life as an executive scientific officer, Latasha considers herself the manager of all managers. Her work touches on developing strategy for the organization as they expand, looking at equitable engagement with the community, integrating programs with what is already taking place in the community, and program evaluation as well as constantly finding ways to better teach science to students. “We are here to add the salt on top of something that’s already delicious,” explains Latasha. One of the more challenging aspects of her job is fundraising, which is common when it comes to running a non-profit. Her goal is to always make sure there are enough resources to support the organization and its mission currently, and into the future. The aspect of community is very foundational to the success of BioBus; many students walk away from their experiences with BioBus with a sense of belonging in a newfound accepting, scientific community. Latasha recommends that anyone who wants to start their own science non-profit should not go it alone–you need at least two kinds of people: a dreamer and a do-er. Check out the latest episode!Tune into this episode to hear about Latasha’s work and:How BioBus adapts its programming to the interests of the community What she learned as a graduate student starting a non-profitWhy she does not recommend starting a non-profit aloneReach out to Latasha: Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latasha-wright-95bb7a16/ Book a BioBus visit: https://www.biobus.org/programs Check outTHE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textNikolay Kukushkin an author, neuroscientist and clinical associate professor at NYU shares with us the journey of his career path thus far. Niko grew up in Russia where the education curriculum requires students to specialize before college in their preferred subjects. Following the example of his parents, he decided to focus his studies on pursuing science. Although coming from a family of chemists, he is the sole biologist. He remembers having a wonderful childhood that was also very international–living in several countries around the world, after his family left at the fall of the USSR. Niko’s journey into publishing a novel began with a previous return trip to Russia as he was waiting to renew his visa and needed a way to pass the time. During that trip, he was invited by a friend who was a local science writer to illustrate her work. This then led to a side job in writing popular science for Russian media. From there, things happily snowballed into developing the concept for writing a novel–One Hand Clapping: The Origin Story of the Human Mind. And of course, he also brought his original illustrative style to the book. Looking back at his journey, from the time he spent at Saint Petersburg State University as a college student to his post doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Niko had countless mentors who shaped his approach to science and teaching. However, his most influential mentors will always be his parents, who instilled in him a genuine curiosity to explore the natural world from day one. The best advice he would give his younger self is “Keep calm and carry on.” He sees how things have turned out quite well on his journey so far and he is just at the very beginning of starting something interesting in his career journey. Even the regrets and setbacks along the way contributed to helping him grow and he would not do anything differently. Tune into this episode to hear about Niko’s journey and:What big event he is preparing to celebrate with this friendsHow the international influence of his early childhood shaped his view of scienceHow the doodles in his college notes eventually led to becoming an authorReach out to Niko: Website - https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/Substack - https://nikolaykukushkin.substack.com/ And look out for the release of his book, One Hand Clapping If you enjoyed this episode, check out Niko’s previous episodeEp 66: Memory and the Human Mind - The WorkAnd one more: Ep 56: Once upon a time - Origin storiesEp 40: The art of Science with Laura Canil - The Journey  Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textOur special guest for today is Nikolay Kukushkin, a clinical associate professor and neuroscientist at NYU, and author, who also considers himself a molecular philosopher. His research answers the question, “What is memory” at the most basic, cellular level. Most of Niko’s research takes place in the humble model organism, the sea slug. But now, he has shifted into exploring if generic, non-neuronal cells can behave similar to neurons and activate memory genes. Spoiler alert: non-neuronal cells undergo the same process of turning on memory genes as neurons!! And, when Niko and his lab dug into this question even deeper, they discovered that non-neuronal cells can actually differentiate between very, very fine patterns just like neurons, which is essentially a core property of memory. Apart from publishing papers, Niko has also written a bestseller called One Hand Clapping: Unravelling the Mystery of the Human Mind. The book explores the unique and special experience of the individual and the connection between the world within and outside the human body. It also goes into how our brains affect how we perceive the world. For example, if you consider those visual illusion images; you can only see one image at a time, never both. And the book explains why this is the case. As Niko was doing research for the book, he was surprised to discover how fragile our conscious perception is as he watched videos of treatment for epilepsy patients. Part of the treatment involves implanting electrodes into the brain of a patient. This treatment occurs while the patient is awake and they are able to communicate with the doctor how their perception and sensation changes as the electrodes are placed in different areas of the brain. Literally their perception of the world is impacted by the placement of the electrodes in the brain! Over the years, Niko has also realized even though it is actually hard to stop writing a book, you still have to start somewhere, and this is with a sentence. Tune into this episode to hear about Niko’s work and:The broader takeaways from his latest discovery that non-neuronal cells can activate memory genes and learn The Buddist inspiration to the title of his book, One Hand Clapping How mapping the brain is like the game MinesweeperWhat he enjoys most about being a professor Reach out to Niko: X: @niko_kukushkinWebsite - https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/THE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textWe continue our conversation with Chynna Broxton, an analytical developmental scientist at Spark Therapeutics on her journey to this point in her career. In the early days of her education Chynna vividly remembers the difficulty she had learning how to read; this setback didn’t deter her from doing well generally in her classes. In high school, however, something clicked in her brain in a way that felt very different compared to the struggles she had previously with reading. It was a big wow moment for Chynna as she effortlessly absorbed mathematical theorems and chemical equations in her high school STEM classes. She had an even bigger wow moment in her undergraduate biochemistry course at Saint Elizabeth University–understanding how molecules and compounds are applied to treat diseases. During the summer of her junior year, Chynna was encouraged by a mentor to attend the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, which allowed her to spend time at Syracuse University doing research. Chynna remains thankful to the mentor who encouraged her to apply for this foundational program and opened her eyes to the possibility of becoming a scientist. As she looks back, she had many thoughtful mentors from her early days in middle and high school to managers in the workplace who had faith in her and nurtured her abilities. These countless mentors have helped Chynna to tackle a continual battle with imposter syndrome. She could not believe her acceptance to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, initially, and even more recently had doubts about leading a three-hour workshop. Through the doubts, however, Chynna has really learned to persevere. The best advice she gives for handling imposter syndrome is, “Even if you don’t believe in yourself, you have to listen to the people who invited you there. They invited you there for a reason.” Reflecting back on her career journey, Chynna also realizes that her vision of success has changed over time as she has grown and evolved from the time she was a postdoc and defined by her research project, to now, as an analytical developmental scientist. Tune into this episode to hear about Chynna’s career journey and:What influences from her childhood encouraged her to pursue science, despite difficulties How the realization that college professors with Ph.D.’s are also called Dr. opened a door for exploring career options The impact of mentors in guiding her career journeyWhatTHE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chynna Broxton, an Analytical Development Scientist at Spark Therapeutics, to uncover the realities of working in the biotech industry. Chynna dispels common myths about transitioning to industry, addressing concerns about losing scientific engagement and sharing how she’s grown significantly at Spark. She gives a broad overview of her role, which involves developing methods to characterize gene therapy products for inherited genetic disorders. Comparing Academia to Industry, Chynna breaks down the pros and cons of working in both, touching on such themes as flexibility, goals, compensation, and the tangible impact of your work. Drawing from her experiences working at a CRO (Contract Research Organization) and her current role at Spark, she highlights the main difference between these industry settings. Not all industry jobs are the same, she explains. There are a wide variety of roles, and while some mirror the academic experience others are unique to the industry landscape.For anyone considering a move from academia to industry, Chynna offers encouragement, and advice on finding your best fit. Join us to learn from Chynna what it takes to thrive in the biotech industry.Tune in to Learn:What skills learned during her academic career directly transfer to this roleWhat surprised her about working in industryThe pros and cons of working in industry compared to academia Her key tip for finding a role in industry that's a good fit for youHow her graduate and postdoctoral work prepared her for her current positionWhat she loves about doing science other than the discoveries.Reach out to Chynna:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chynna-broxton/Email: [email protected] you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:Ep 60: Arianne Hunter's experience - senior scientist at Abbvie  Ep 50: Clinical trials to cure genetic diseases with CRISPR technologyEp 15: Joseph Iacona's experience - scieTHE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a textFinishing our conversation with Science Communication expert, Jens Foell, he takes us through the twists and turns that have formed his career journey so far. From a love of movies to a love of science, now merged into a successful science communication career with Germany’s premiere SciCom team. Among the many lessons he’s learned, Jens explains learning to trust himself, and having the courage to follow his path and do what he loves, even without a firm plan in place.Tune in to learn:·       How doing a PhD in Germany is different from the U.S·       Why Jens recommends people should do what they loveReach out to Jens:Instagram: @jens.mailabBlueSky: @fmriguy.bsky.social Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-foell-2365a2a1 If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also enjoy:Ep 62: Jens’ work episodeEp 39: The Art of Science – communicating science through graphicsTHE ADMISSIONS GAME - SATIRE EDITIONYour satirical guide to elite college admissions by the fictional counselor to the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the Show: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Fatu:www.linkedin.com/in/fatubmInstagram: @thee_fatu_band [email protected] Reach out to Shekerah:www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and [email protected] Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoorMusic from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic