Facetime with Scientists

fromthelabbench

This show dives into the world of science (and art!) with behind-the-scenes chats with researchers in their natural habitats. Get ready to hear and see the scientific process in new detail!

  1. 9h ago

    Physicist Professor Diva Makes Celebrities of Scientists

    Reres Fota is a theoretical physicist who also goes by another name: Professor Diva! The Diva was born when Reres started combining his two loves, in the classroom and on social media: physics and heels dancing! Reres is a PhD researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he also teaches a wildly popular class on quantum mechanics. His mission is to make physics accessible to anyone and everyone! In this podcast episode, we talk about his journey, his philosophy on teaching and science communication, the value of visuals, making of celebrity scientists, and more!

  2. 4d ago

    Dissecting Fruit Fly Brains to Understand Microcephaly

    Taylor Hailstock recently defended her PhD at Emory. Her study organism? The fruit fly! Her study target? Microcephaly and brain development! You'd be amazed what we can learn about human diseases from studying the brains of flies. In fact, Taylor recently connected a gene called Orb2 for the first time to microcephaly. Learn more in this podcast episode with Dr. Hailstock!

  3. Aug 7

    This biochemist helps natural killer cells fight cancer

    For Zee, turning the body's own immune system into a more efficient killer of cancer cells isn't science fiction; it's what she works on daily! Zainab Hakeem is a PhD candidate in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department at the University of Georgia. She is working with the immune cells with the most bad-a** name—Natural Killer cells—to help them kill cancer cells more efficiently by binding tightly to antibodies that, in turn, find and latch onto specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells. Zee uses biochemistry, tuning molecular receptors and proteins to control their interactions, to help the immune system in its fight against cancer. Learn more with Zee in this podcast from her work in the lab!

  4. Jul 27

    A Scientist with Type 1 Diabetes Aims to Cure this Disease with Beta Cells in a Dish

    Caterra Leavens in a cell and molecular biologist who is studying type 1 diabetes. Specifically, she is creating gene-edited insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells in the lab. One day, these cells may be transplanted into humans to treat this disease! Oh yes, Caterra also has type 1 diabetes herself, which is why she has a particular passion for developing a cure. Learn more about her PhD research in this podcast episode where I interview her in the lab!

  5. Jul 18

    Mini Spinal Cords in a Dish Help Neuroscientist Nuri Study ALS

    Nuri Smith is a researcher working to better understand ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease)... by growing tiny spinal cords in a dish! By studying balls of neurons, motor neurons, and muscle cells, Nuri is learning more about how ALS progresses and produces symptoms -- and eventually how we might treat this disease in a targeted way. Listen to Nuri talk about organoids, her experiences in the lab, her commitment to communicating brain science, and more in this podcast!

  6. Jul 13

    All about ants, with ant researcher Dr. Jane Waters

    Jane Waters leads the ant lab at Providence College. Her lab studies ants and other insects, exploring their natural history, collective behavior, and metabolic physiology. It turns out that ants can teach us a lot about broader rules of social interaction, the energy use of growing organisms (or even cities!), and even the human brain! Learn more about ants and get a glimpse at some fascinating ant species and ant behavior in this Facetime with Scientists podcast episode.

  7. Jul 3

    What rockets are made of, a chat with materials scientist Emma McCarthy

    Emma has always dreamed of designing rockets. What she didn't expect was that she wouldn't design their shape, but the materials they are made of (and the materials they will take on their missions to the Moon and beyond)! Through her education and research in mechanical engineering, she's become an expert in extreme materials processing and characterization. Learn more about materials science with Emma as she polishes a metal sample for electron microscopy in this latest episode of Facetime with Scientists!

  8. Jun 27

    Love Letters to Insects, with Science Artist Manuela Guzman

    Manuela Guzmán, is a visual Artist and illustrator born in Bogotá, Colombia. She recently completed her MFA program of the Rhode Island School of Design. Her subject of choice? Insects!Manuela is fascinated by all the ways insects influence the world around us, and our views on the world, and hopes to inspire people to get curious about insects and nature through her art. As she writes in her thesis, "in the context of an environmental emergency marked by extraction, extinction, and global warming, this project responds to the urgent need to change our relationship with non-human life. An “affective” approach in scientific communication becomes essential for the way we learn about our surroundings."In this podcast episode, dive into Manuela's art while learning about insects!

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About

This show dives into the world of science (and art!) with behind-the-scenes chats with researchers in their natural habitats. Get ready to hear and see the scientific process in new detail!

Information

  • Creator
    fromthelabbench
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © fromthelabbench
  • Show Website
    Facetime with Scientists