Discovering Academia

Brent Valentine & Keller Kramer

We are two college students, who travel the world recording podcasts with academics about their research, passions, and current events. We hope our casual conversations covering a range of topics can help promote curiosity and make academia more accessible. We have recorded episodes in America, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore & China, with plans to travel to more countries soon. See our www.discoveringacademia.com for more information and educational resources.

  1. 4d ago

    #088 - Marion Nestle: Food Politics, Industry Influence, and the Fight for Public Health

    Marion Nestle is Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University and one of the most cited food policy researchers in the country. Her decades of work on corporate influence, nutrition science, and agricultural policy make her one of the field's most authoritative voices. In this episode, Nestle breaks down how food companies engineer overconsumption through advertising, product placement, and strategically funded research designed to produce favorable results before the study begins. She explains why blaming individuals for poor dietary choices is an unfair ask when they're up against a $1.5 trillion industry whose entire goal is to get you to eat more of the wrong things. We also discuss the corn economy as a lens into U.S. agricultural subsidies, how a single congressional appropriations act stripped sustainability language from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines, and what it would actually take to reform a food system that isn't broken — it's working exactly as designed. For more information about this episode, see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/marion-nestle This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only. Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    47 min

  2. Apr 29

    #087 - Robert Langer: Inventing the Future of Medicine

    Robert Langer is an Institute Professor at MIT, one of only 14 to hold this title, and a pioneering figure in biotechnology. His work in bioengineering has led to revolutionary new platforms for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and nanotechnology that form the basis of countless medical treatments and over 40 companies. In this episode, we discuss the design philosophy behind inventing technologies that solve previously impossible problems, like creating a pill that can inject large molecules from inside the stomach. Professor Langer also explains the science of a single-shot, self-boosting vaccine, his approach to bridging the gap between academia and industry, and his belief in fostering a creative, free-thinking environment to tackle the world's biggest health challenges.’   For more information, please see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/robert-langer   This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    37 min

  3. 11/25/2025

    #086 - Richard Miller: There Is No "Mechanism" of Aging

    Professor Richard Miller of the University of Michigan, a leading expert in the biology of aging, joins us to redefine what aging is and how we can slow it down. Discover the groundbreaking work of the Interventions Testing Program (ITP), which has identified over a dozen compounds—including the drug Rapamycin—capable of extending the healthy lifespan of mice by up to 30%. Miller reveals why this level of lifespan extension is considered ten times more effective than finding a complete cure for all adult cancers. We dive into his revolutionary concept of "Aging Rate Indicators" (the biological "speedometer") and how this new metric is essential for filtering promising anti-aging drugs in mere months, bypassing the need for decades-long clinical trials. Learn why the search for a single "mechanism of aging" is a flawed approach and why widely popular concepts like cellular senescence and telomeres are considered scientific "zombie ideas". If you're interested in the future of longevity and the science behind the most effective anti-aging drugs, this episode provides an unfiltered look at the cutting edge of biogerontology.   For more information, please see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/richard-miller This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    1h 15m

  4. 11/06/2025

    #085 - Steven Austad: Riding Lions and Unlocking the Secrets of Aging

    Steven Austad is a Distinguished Professor and the Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as the Scientific Director of the American Federation for Aging Research. A former Hollywood lion trainer turned leading biologist, Austad explores the evolutionary and biological mechanisms that control how fast we age. In this episode, we dive into the science of longevity — from why island opossums age slower to what birds can teach us about extending human healthspan. We also discuss why women consistently live longer than men, despite facing more health challenges in old age, and the flaws in how aging research is conducted in sterile lab environments. Finally, Austad shares insights behind his famous $100 million bet that someone alive today will live to 150. Topics: longevity science, women’s lifespan, comparative biology, aging research, healthspan extension, evolutionary biology For more information about this episode, see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/steven-austad This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    1h 9m

  5. 10/28/2025

    #084 - Ying Lu: How Cells Recycle Protein and Prevent Alzheimer's

    Ying Lu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School. His work combines physics, biochemistry, and quantitative methods to understand the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes, particularly protein degradation. In this episode, we discuss why curiosity is the most powerful engine for scientific breakthroughs, from the discovery of CRISPR to modern weight-loss drugs. We explore the cell’s sophisticated quality control system, where a "barcode" tag called ubiquitin marks unwanted proteins for destruction by a nanoscale "shredder." Professor Lu explains how failures in this system are linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer, and how his research could lead to new therapies that either inhibit or boost this process to restore health.   For more information about this episode, visit our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/ying-lu   This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    58 min

  6. 05/30/2025

    #083 - Homa Bahrami: Super-Flexibility, Agile Organizations, & The Evolution of Silicon Valley

    #083 - Homa Bahrami: Super-Flexibility, Agile Organizations, & The Evolution of Silicon Valley In this episode, we talk with Homa Bahrami, Senior Lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, about how leaders and organizations can thrive in constant change. We explore her concept of super-flexibility—the ability to balance stability with adaptability—through insights drawn from decades of research in Silicon Valley. From the dot-com boom to the AI revolution, Homa breaks down what it takes to lead in a fluid world. Whether you're launching a startup or navigating a corporate career, her advice on mindset, mentorship, and agility is timely and actionable. For more information about this episode, see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/homa-bahrami   This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    1h 6m

  7. 05/23/2025

    #082 - Amber Boydstun: Media Storms, Social Media, and the Battle for Your Attention

    Feeling overwhelmed by the news? UC Davis Prof. Amber Boydstun explains "media storms" – why some stories dominate while others fade – and breaks down the challenges of getting reliable info from social media vs. traditional news. Learn why deep dives still matter in our fast-paced world. For more information, please visit our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/amber-boydstun   This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    1h 8m

  8. 05/15/2025

    #081 - Manvir Singh: Shamanism, Psychedelics, and Our Shared Humanity

    Why do humans everywhere tell stories, make music, and believe in the unseen? Professor Manvir Singh, an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at UC Davis, dedicates his research to understanding why human societies around the world develop such recurring traditions – from shamanism and religion to music and legal systems. In this episode, join us on a journey through the heart of human culture as Professor Singh shares insights from his immersive fieldwork with the Mentawai people of Indonesia. We dive deep into his investigations into shamanism, exploring how these ancient practices help people create order out of chaos, and uncover the complex and significant role altered states of consciousness and psychedelics have played in human societies for millennia. Tune in to explore what makes these traditions stick and how these powerful experiences have profoundly shaped what it means to be human!   For more information, see our website: https://www.discoveringacademia.com/episodes/manvir-singh   This presentation is a service of Discovering Academia, and all information presented is for commercial and informational purposes only.  Discovering Academia provides no assurances as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and possesses no actual knowledge of any topic presented. Any opinions expressed in this presentation are solely attributed to each individual asserting the same and do not reflect the opinion of Discovering Academia.

    1h 19m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

We are two college students, who travel the world recording podcasts with academics about their research, passions, and current events. We hope our casual conversations covering a range of topics can help promote curiosity and make academia more accessible. We have recorded episodes in America, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore & China, with plans to travel to more countries soon. See our www.discoveringacademia.com for more information and educational resources.

Information

  • Creator
    Brent Valentine & Keller Kramer
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Discovering Academia