Science Straight Up

Judy Muller and George Lewis
  • 5.0 (6)
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In conjunction with Telluride Science, "Science Straight Up" delves into how science impacts our everyday lives. Your hosts, veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis talk to leading scientists and engineers from around the world.

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  1. EPISODE 1

    Mining Plastic: Changing the Narrative From Waste to Resource

    Amid growing piles of plastic waste in our landfills and in our oceans, Dr. Michael McGuirk of the Colorado School of Mines and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working on new methods to recycle plastics and turn them into useful products, from new plastics to fuels to polymers that can capture CO2 from the atmosphere and help ease global climate change.  His optimism about his research is tempered by the fact that he's worried by the current cutbacks in government research funds. His talk was recorded before a live audience at the Telluride Mountain Village Conference Center with veteran journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis moderating.

    32 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Life in Color: From Photochromic Crocs to the Future of Electronics

    Dr. Natalia Shustova’s lab at the University of South Carolina works with metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, molecules of metal ions and organic links. MOFs can be engineered with specific properties for a wide variety of applications – from building construction, clothing, and smartphone materials to pharmaceuticals and energy generation. Part of Dr. Shustova's work centers on nuclear waste management and she and her colleagues are exploring ways MOFs could be used in detecting and storing radioactive materials.  But wait, there's more!  And you'll hear all about it in this podcast moderated by veteran award-winning broadcast journalists George Lewis and Judy Muller.

    25 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Animating the Invisible: Molecular Movies and the Science They Reveal--Dr. Steve Corcelli, University of Notre Dame

    Movies tell stories – whether it’s a gritty historical drama or a teen vampire romance – there are few better ways to absorb content than by watching events unfold on the silver screen (or in the comfort of your home). Similarly, Steve Corcelli's molecular movies welcome viewers into a new world with cutting-edge visualizations that capture the motion of molecules in real time, allowing researchers to observe chemical and biological processes at the atomic level. Dr. Corcelli spoke at one of the "Town Talks" presented by Telluride Science and the session was moderated by veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis.

    23 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    The Good, The Bad, and The Possible: Generating Products from Above-Ground Carbon

    Dr. Josh Schaidle is the Laboratory Program Manager for Carbon Management at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. According to Schaidle, there are all sorts of untapped opportunities in above-ground carbon, found in biomass such as plants and trees and also in carbon dioxide emissions from factory smokestacks or in the air. During his presentation, Schaidle plans to describe the different ways we can access these carbon sources and convert troublesome greenhouse gases into the fuels and products that we use in our everyday lives. Veteran broadcast journalists George Lewis and Judy Muller are the hosts for this series of podcasts.

    26 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    DNA Origami: Folding DNA into Tiny Shapes--Dr Guillermo Acuña, University of Fribourg

    A revolution in fabricating DNA into useful objects is underway and Dr. Guillermo Acuña of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland is right in the middle of it. In a talk sponsored by Telluride Science, he laid out a world of possibilities; tiny drug delivery devices, nano sensors to detect disease, tiny traps to catch cancer cells. His presentation, in Mountain Village, Colorado, was moderated by veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis. Our sponsors are Alpine Bank and the Telluride Mountain Village Owners' Association.

    23 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    A heartwarming Tale: How Basic Research into Cell Behavior Spurred an Advance in Transplant Surgery

    Scientists, intensly focused on their own areas of research, don't usually stray out of their own lanes. So, Dr. Rohit Pappu, of Washington University in St. Louis, whose field is cellular and molecular biophysics and bioengineering, was surprised when asked to review a scientific publication about improving heart transplants. But when he began to read the article, he saw that a team of doctors at the Mayo Clinic, led by surgeon Paul Tang, had drawn on the basic research of his lab and others to save lives. Dr Pappu and Dr. Tang join us to tell this heartwarming tale about how studying little molecular communities within cells can lead to advances in medicine.  Veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis are our guides for this podcast.

    24 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Quantum Computing and Chemistry--Dr. Kade Head-Marsden, Univ. of Minnesota

    Quantum computing promises to supercharge scientific research with its ability to solve multiple problems all at once. It could lead to more rapid development of drugs and materials to improve the way we live. But first, there are some serious bugs that have to be overcome.  Dr. Kade Head-Marsden, a chemist at the University of Minnesota, who uses quantum computers to study molecules, lays it all out for us; what is quantum computing, how will it help us, what are the promises and pitfalls.  Her presentation, excerpted from a live talk sponsored by Telluride Science, was moderated by veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis.

    21 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    "What if the Future of Computing Isn't Silicon?"--Dr. Milan Delor, Columbia University

    The revolution in artificial intelligence is sucking up a lot of electrical power, something that's growing at an alarming rate.  Science may have a solution in a new generation of highly efficient computer chips that use materials other than silicon and depend on light, rather than electricity to process data, bringing down power demands.  Dr. Milan Delor, a chemist from Columbia University, spoke about the groundbreaking work his lab is doing in a "Town Talk" sponsored by Telluride Science. His presentation was moderated by veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis.

    24 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    "Shape up Those Proteins--The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Amyloids"--Dr. Ann McDermott, Columbia University

    Proteins are the building blocks of life. Our bodies make about 25-thousand of them.  Dr Ann McDermott, a biophysicist from Columbia University, studies the shapes of perteins as they clump into structures called amyloids.  Sometimes these amyloids stick to one another, forming amyloid plaques that can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's.  But Dr. McDermott and her colleagues are also looking at good amyloids that could lead science to develop new treatments for disease. She spoke at one of the "Town Talks" presented by Telluride Science. Veteran broadcast journalists George Lewis and Judy Muller moderated.

    28 min

  10. EPISODE 10

    "Trees in the City: Cooling, Carbon and the Complications"

    Dr. Lucy Hutyra admits she's "a total tree-hugger." She's the Chair of the Department of Earth and Environment at Boston University, and a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient. She and her BU colleagues study the impact of trees on urban environments, particularly their effects on carbon dioxide levels and heat. While trees can reduce heat and CO2 levels, complications arise because urban trees tend to live fast and die young.  She shared her research at one of the "Town Talks" put on by Telluride Science and the session was moderated by veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis

    29 min
See All Season 6 (10)

Ratings & Reviews

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6 Ratings

About

In conjunction with Telluride Science, "Science Straight Up" delves into how science impacts our everyday lives. Your hosts, veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller and George Lewis talk to leading scientists and engineers from around the world.

Information

  • Creator
    Judy Muller and George Lewis
  • Episodes
    43
  • Seasons
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Science Straight Up
  • Show Website
    Science Straight Up