Choosing Science: Stories of Perseverance, Humanity, and Success

Ana-Maria Zamfirescu

Finding inspiration and a will to persevere might be challenging at times, especially when you have been prevented by outside forces, in a way or another, to achieve your goals. Although actions speak louder than words, stories of people that succeeded despite opposition can have the power to put wind into someones deflated sails and perhaps also fight against the impostor syndrome so many of us experience . Here I hope you will find such stories, which are mostly focused on scientific figures maybe less popular, but who greatly contributed to the development of science and in the process showed perseverance through obstacles. I will also highlight each individual's humanity, struggles and strength, and break the coldness that I feel exists between science/ scientists and the general public. Be prepared for sarcasm and a bit of fooling around sometimes, because what's life but empty without humour. Enjoy!

Episodes

  1. Prof. Rita Levi-Montalcini or how to create a completely new science field in one's bedroom

    04/20/2024

    Prof. Rita Levi-Montalcini or how to create a completely new science field in one's bedroom

    Send a text Professor Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012) A developmental biologist who left an indelible mark on the field of neuroscience through her groundbreaking discoveries and unwavering dedication to scientific inquiry, despite being forced at one point to conduct her research from the confinements of her bedroom in Turin. From her pioneering research on nerve growth factor (NGF) (which was found to also be involved memory and learning, physical and mental illnesses, and led to antibody based therapies decades after its discovery),   to her advocacy for gender equality in academia, Rtia’s contributions continue to inspire generations of scientists worldwide.  References  https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1302413110   https://dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/la-fata-timpului/rita-levi-montalcini-o-artista-a-stiintei-2311088.html  “Rita Levi-Montalcini and the discovery of NGf, the first nerve cell growth factor” - Luigi ALOE, Archives Italiennes de Biologie, 149: 175-181, 2011. DOI: 10.4449/aib.v149i2.1377 http://www.architalbiol.org/index.php/aib/article/view/149175/21701989  In praise of imperfection : my life and work. Levi-Montalcini, Rita. 1988 https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1986/levi-montalcini/lecture/  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612637/  Support the show Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

    32 min
  2. Prof. Dr. Lynn Margulis or how to be so good you get to use swearwords in your scientific titles

    12/19/2022

    Prof. Dr. Lynn Margulis or how to be so good you get to use swearwords in your scientific titles

    Send a text Although now Lynn Margulis is as the historian Jan Sapp has said "as synonymous with symbiosis as Charles Darwin's is with evolution", she faced intense criticism in her lifetime. At the beginning her ideas elicited responses such as, "Your research is crap. Don't ever bother to apply again" and has been intitally rejected by 15 journals, in the end her passion and stubbornness prevailed. Strong in her opinions and unbothered by other people's vitriolic attitudes, she was also soft at heart and left a lasting mark on many lives. Lynn lived on one speed only, trailblazing and revolutionizing science and how modern scientist think about the basic biological unit of the eukaryotic cell and its origins. May we all have half of the fate she had in her ideas! Resources: https://www.sciencealert.com/10-inspiring-women-in-science https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/discover-interview-lynn-margulis-says-shes-not-controversial-shes-right https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlhW12dGfFk https://www.thoughtco.com/about-lynn-margulis-1224847 https://www.nature.com/articles/480458a https://www.edge.org/conversation/lynn_margulis-lynn-margulis-1938-2011-gaia-is-a-tough-bitch  Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration Support the show Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

    46 min
  3. Dr. Walle Nauta or how to stick it to the Nazis while revolutionising neuroscience

    06/19/2022

    Dr. Walle Nauta or how to stick it to the Nazis while revolutionising neuroscience

    Send a text Dr. Walle Nauta was not only a brilliant neuroanatomist and scientist of the 20th century, but also a selfless, brave soul. He revolutionised research tools in neuroscience, making it possible to better understand one of the biggest mysteries of humankind, our brain. Exigent, but kind, intuitive, but rigorous, and most of all, humble, he lived a life to remember.   List of interesting people: John Boren, Joseph Brady, Boyd Campbell, Sven Ebbesson, Ford Ebner, Michael Fuortes, Robert Galambos, William Hodos, David Hubel, Harvey Karten, JacSue Kehoe, John Mason, William Mehler, James Petras, George Moushegian, Enrique Ramón- Moliner, Felix Strumwasser, and Eliot Valenstein. Resources: Lecture- https://infinite.mit.edu/video/walle-j-h-nauta-gross-anatomy-human-brain%E2%80%9D-brain-dissection-course-mit-department-psychology https://www.nap.edu/read/11807/chapter/16 http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/nauta-walle-j-h.pdf  https://righteous.yadvashem.org/?searchType=righteous_only&language=en&itemId=6748569&ind=NaN Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration Support the show Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

    21 min
  4. Dr. Hilde Mangold or how to live your life on fast forward

    04/01/2022

    Dr. Hilde Mangold or how to live your life on fast forward

    Send a text The short but fruitful life of Hilde Mangold produced one of the few doctoral dissertation that has ever been directly linked to a Nobel prize.  Hilde performed transplantations of cells from one darker newt embryo (type of amphibian) into a receiver lighter embryo in order to see if the transplanted cells will trigger the formation of parallel body axis that can be distinguished between them by colour. After hundreds of such delicate and complex transplantations, she managed to obtain such animals, proving the fact that thise specific cells were behind the rearrangement and fate specification of the rest of the cells in the embryo. These cells were coined as the "Spemann-Mangold organizer" after Hilde and her supervisor. These were remarkable findings that changed the trajectory of the modern developmental biology. Eleven years later this discovery was awarded the Nobel prize. Unfortunately, Hilde did not get to see this day coming. If you want to listen to the whole story of this gifted and determined woman, take a peak! Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW 1.       https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/hilde-mangold-1898-1924 2.       https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/jax-blog/2016/october/women-in-science-hilde-mangold# 3.       https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1935/spemann/lecture/ 4.       Hilde Mangold (1898-1924) and Spemann's organizer: achievement and tragedy Peter E. Fiissler*, Klaus Sander Institut ftir Biologie I (Zoologie) der Albert-Ludwigs-Universit~it, Albertstrasse 21 a, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany 5.       Hilde Mangold, Co-Discoverer of the Organizer VIKTOR HAMBURGER 6.       https://veteriankey.com/development-of-important-model-species-ii-vertebrates/ Support the show Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

    28 min
  5. Dr. George Washington Carver or how to have God as your lab assistant

    01/30/2022

    Dr. George Washington Carver or how to have God as your lab assistant

    Send a text Born just as slavery was abolished, Dr. George Washington Carver has managed to change the agricultural landscape of America through pure empiricism and perseverance and was one of the first African-American  pioneers and inventors who rose all by himself to popularity and international recognition.  Take a listen to te biography of a man that has touched many lives only by being his humble but eccentric self and through his geniune admiration of all God's creation.  A man who was driven by pure curiosity and gratitude, who approched research as a way of being. Maybe his life will inspire you to look at every day as an oportunity to be in awe (of how beautiful nature is, of course, you little cynic).   #LivesToRemember A few resources 1.       Biography “The Man who talked with the flowers”  by Glenn Clark 2.       https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Washington-Carver 3.       https://blackiowa.org/?s=carver 4.       https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/famous-inventors/george-washington-carvers-inventions.htm Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW  Support the show Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

    31 min

About

Finding inspiration and a will to persevere might be challenging at times, especially when you have been prevented by outside forces, in a way or another, to achieve your goals. Although actions speak louder than words, stories of people that succeeded despite opposition can have the power to put wind into someones deflated sails and perhaps also fight against the impostor syndrome so many of us experience . Here I hope you will find such stories, which are mostly focused on scientific figures maybe less popular, but who greatly contributed to the development of science and in the process showed perseverance through obstacles. I will also highlight each individual's humanity, struggles and strength, and break the coldness that I feel exists between science/ scientists and the general public. Be prepared for sarcasm and a bit of fooling around sometimes, because what's life but empty without humour. Enjoy!