Fail-Safe Science

failsafescience

Hello! Welcome to the Fail-Safe Science podcast. Fail-Safe Science is a video repository of successful scientists sharing stories about challenges they experienced during graduate school, how they overcame them, and advice they have for current grads. Ultimately, we created this repository to help science graduate students realize that they are not alone in the challenges they face.  To accompany the repository, each week we will be dropping an audio-only podcast version of one of the videos. Check back each week to listen to the latest featured scientist!

  1. Episode 20: Dr. Edauri Navarro Pérez

    4D AGO

    Episode 20: Dr. Edauri Navarro Pérez

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Edauri Navarro-Pérez, a postdoc at Arizona State University. Her dissertation research focused on roots, specifically how soil restoration treatments, in a greenhouse, affect root development. Now, her postdoc is through ESSA, Earth Systems Science for the Anthropocene, where she does various things including leading a seminar, mentoring an undergraduate, helping organize events for the community and students, and doing research in ecological-human relationships with water. Here, Edauri talks about an experimental failure, and how she navigated feeling delayed in her research due to these setbacks and the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s listen! Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Edauri Navarro-Perez University Profile: https://search.asu.edu/profile/3254652  Website: https://edaurinp4.wixsite.com/mysite  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing  Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    15 min

  2. JAN 26

    Episode 19: Dr. Ramesh Laungani

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Ramesh Laungani, an Associate Professor at Marist University in the School of Science in the department of Environmental Science and Policy. His dissertation research focused on nitrogen and carbon cycling in grasslands. Now, his work with undergraduates primarily focuses on the ecological impacts of biochar, a potential solution to climate change and long term carbon sequestration. Here, Ramesh talks about how he got through an error that cost him a whole field season’s worth of data. However, Ramesh was able to cope with it and now uses the experience to inform his own mentoring. Let’s listen! Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Ramesh Laungani Faculty Profile: https://www.marist.edu/science/faculty/ramesh-laungani  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing  Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    14 min

  3. JAN 19

    Episode 18: Dr. Gwen Iacona

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Gwen Iacona, an Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University, where she serves as the Assistant Director for the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes. She also serves on the advisory board for the National Parks Service, where she promotes data-driven ecological decision-making. Gwen’s dissertation research focused on the costs and benefits of managing protected areas for conservation, and her work now primarily focuses on how we can support conservation decision makers in achieving the outcomes they are looking for. Here, Gwen talks about her struggles with her prospectus exam, and how she bounced back with the help of fieldwork and taking the space to realize why she wanted the PhD in the first place. Let’s listen! Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Gwen Iacona Faculty Profile: https://search.asu.edu/profile/3379414   Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing  Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    13 min

  4. JAN 12

    Episode 17: Dr. Xyonane Segovia

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Xyonane Segovia, an Assistant Teaching Professor at Arizona State University. Her dissertation research focused on malaria, specifically looking at resistance evolution of the malaria parasite. Now, she’s in a position where she teaches various subjects including evolutionary medicine, global health and biology. Here, Xyonane talks about navigating an experiment failure while working on her Ph.D., as well as how she coped with feelings of imposter syndrome throughout graduate school, which included strategies like therapy, medication, exercise, and, as she notes perhaps most of all, talking to other graduate students. Let’s listen! Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Xyonane Segovia Faculty Profile: https://search.asu.edu/profile/1109035  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing  Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    16 min

  5. JAN 5

    Episode 16: Dr. Hong Wang

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Hong Wang, a Professor in the Department of Physics at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Her PhD research focused on atomic force microscope imaging of protein and DNA complexes, and her current work focuses on single molecule studies of DNA repair. Here, Hong talks about what it was like for her to navigate pregnancy (with twins) while in graduate school, and how she adjusted her research and expectations for herself leading up to the birth, as well as after becoming a new mom. Let’s listen! Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Hong Wang Lab Website: https://hwang.wordpress.ncsu.edu/  Faculty Profile: https://physics.sciences.ncsu.edu/people/hwang18/  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing  Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    16 min

  6. 12/29/2025

    Happy Holidays and 2025 Wrap-Up!

    Hello Fail-Safe Science listeners! This is Olivia Davis- one of the co-founders of Fail-Safe Science. We hope you are all getting some much deserved rest and practicing self-care after a long year. We don’t have a new episode dropping this week, but we still wanted to pop on and check in with you all. In the meantime, if you are looking for mental health resources this holiday season, please check out our show notes. If you’d like to catch up on Fail-Safe Science before our new episodes drop, you can find all of the episodes we’ve released so far on Podbean, or wherever you stream your podcasts. Wishing you Happy Holidays and a wonderful start to the New Year! See you in 2026 with more stories from scientists across the globe. Bye! Transcript: Here Guide for Self-Care during the Holidays: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zqiLVtvO6wPB9K9HMK9udftF-_Nj8WAUGKkBKg8FkxQ/edit?tab=t.0  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    4 min

  7. 12/22/2025

    Episode 15: Dr. Holly Molinaro

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Holly Molinaro. Holly is currently a consultant for General Mills and Blue Buffalo dog food company where she assists on understanding animal behavior to create better products. Her PhD research focused on animal emotions, specifically dogs, and her work now is focused on broadly helping people help their animals, whether in zoos, shelters, or industry partners. She has also been working on starting her own consulting firm, Animal Wellbeing Solutions, which focuses on animal welfare in these contexts. Here, Holly discusses what it was like to navigate receiving feedback on one of her potential dissertation chapters before and during her prospectus exam, and what it felt like writing up results for an experiment that didn’t go exactly the way she hoped. Ultimately, Holly shares how she reframed her view of what failure means to move forward to where she is today. Let’s listen! Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Holly Molinaro Website: https://animalwellbeingsolutions.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellbeingsolutions/  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    15 min
  8. Episode 14: Dr. Kat Magnone

    12/15/2025

    Episode 14: Dr. Kat Magnone

    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Kat Magnone, who at the time of this recording was an adjunct Chemistry instructor at Cincinnati State. Their dissertation research studied high school students learning about sodium chloride dissolution using molecular level animations. Here, Kat discusses their experience failing their qualifying exams on their first try at the second institution they went to for their PhD. They then share how going through this challenge inspired them to change not only their approach to science and research but also their approach to mental health. Let’s listen!   Transcript: Here Scientist Info: Kat Magnone Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=m3QZZOsAAAAJ&hl=en  Fail-Safe Science Repository: https://risecenter.asu.edu/fail-safe  International Postgraduate Mental Health Alliance (MHA): https://www.ispmha.com/  Mental Health Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14G5m91FLPY5gZSHUzWXAQ4Jnm4uX9AS0yhypus3gsuQ/edit?usp=sharing Land Acknowledgement Resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10lLcxY7OSsuTnXyq_CSC5Wvst8MSMRurisBfX5hK7AI/edit?tab=t.0

    12 min
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About

Hello! Welcome to the Fail-Safe Science podcast. Fail-Safe Science is a video repository of successful scientists sharing stories about challenges they experienced during graduate school, how they overcame them, and advice they have for current grads. Ultimately, we created this repository to help science graduate students realize that they are not alone in the challenges they face.  To accompany the repository, each week we will be dropping an audio-only podcast version of one of the videos. Check back each week to listen to the latest featured scientist!

Information

  • Creator
    failsafescience
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Fail-Safe Science