Shine Bright Like the Firmament

Madeline Shepley
  • 4.7 (12)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Conversations with STEM professionals who are practicing Catholics to show that faith and science don't need to be mutually exclusive.

  1. 6d ago

    Just Keep Swimming

    In this episode, Madeline chats with Dale Williams, an aerospace engineering PhD student at Purdue University. During their conversation, they discuss his relationship with mutual friend Jeff Kuhn, the importance of going through material a few times, his research in astrodynamics, how Kerbal Space Program inspired his engineering degree, radically trusting God, how he came to Catholicism, the necessity of both head knowledge and heart knowledge, and so much more! During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episode 89 of this podcast, Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterley, The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, Why I Am Catholic by Brandon Vogt. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    Just Keep Swimming

  2. Jul 15

    Venturing from the Ivory Tower

    In this episode, Madeline chats with Niels Arboel, a biologist, teacher, and author. During their conversation, they discuss his background, how he became Catholic and the role of papal authority in that, some history of the reformation in Denmark, why nature points to God, background for his book, the God of the Gaps fallacy, and so much more! During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episodes 47 of this podcast and The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones by Thomas Salerno. You can also find his book, The Wonder of Creation here. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    Venturing from the Ivory Tower

  3. Jul 1

    The Bridge Connector

    In this episode, Madeline chats with Kellan Weston, a postdoctoral fellow (at the time of the recording) doing translation neuroscience and scientific officer at Combined Brain. During their conversation, they discuss translational neuroscience, what Combined Brain does and her role in its work, the role her sister’s genetic disorder played in getting into her field, gain of function variance, her educational experience, her experience with the Society of Catholic Scientists including starting a local chapter, and so much more! During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episodes 19, 65, 66, and 100 of this podcast and the Society of Catholic Scientists. If you're interested in joining the St. Louis chapter of the Society of Catholic Scientists, you can email Kellan at stlcatholicscientists@gmail.com Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    The Bridge Connector

  4. Jun 17

    Has Anyone Introduced You to Our Lord and Savior, Hadrian Marlowe? (Empire of Silence, Part 2)

    In this special episode, Madeline continues chatting again with her friend Ben Stapleton and new guest Fr. Gabriel Mosher, OP about Empire of Silence, book 1 of the Suneater series by Christopher Ruocchio. During their conversation, the three discuss pick up where they left off in the previous episode with the second half of Empire of Silence and the questions the book tackles. See the previous episode for part 1 of the discussion. You can catch up on Ben's previous episodes before the Empire of Silence discussion here and here. Fr. Gabriel is the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center, a Dominican friar of the Western Province, and a beta reader for the Suneater series. You can follow him on his Twitch here. Content Warning: This episode includes spoilers for Empire of Silence. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    Has Anyone Introduced You to Our Lord and Savior, Hadrian Marlowe? (Empire of Silence, Part 2)

  5. Jun 3

    Has Anyone Introduced You to Our Lord and Savior, Hadrian Marlowe? (Empire of Silence, Part 1)

    🎉 🎉 🎉 It's been FOUR years since the start of this podcast! 🎉 🎉 🎉 In this special tangent and anniversary episode, Madeline celebrates by chatting again with her friend Ben Stapleton, an electrical engineer for a utility company, and new guest Fr. Gabriel Mosher, OP. During their conversation, the three discuss how each of the three came to the Suneater series by Christopher Ruocchio, Fr. Gabriel’s background, an overview of the first half of Empire of Silence (book 1 of the series), and the questions the book tackles. You can catch up on Ben's previous episodes here and here. Fr. Gabriel is the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center, a Dominican friar of the Western Province, and a beta reader for the Suneater series. You can follow him on his Twitch here. Content Warning: This episode includes spoilers for Empire of Silence. During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey, A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr., the I Might Believe in Fairies podcast, and the Dresden Files series. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    Has Anyone Introduced You to Our Lord and Savior, Hadrian Marlowe? (Empire of Silence, Part 1)

  6. May 20

    Microcosm

    In this episode, Madeline chats with her friend Jess Fetterman, a historian with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. During their conversation, they discuss a brief history of how agriculture became sciencey, her family’s connections to farming, an influential high school research experience, living history, some basics on the Quakers and the college she went to, her unique college experiences, marrying traditional and modern agricultural practices, subsidiarity, her grad school stints and mental health, the importance of cultivation to our humanity, the effects of her parents’ mixed marriage on her religious upbringing, the liturgy and how her husband helped her be comfortable with different liturgies, how she met her husband, being a biritual marriage, and so much more! During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episodes 63 and 97, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, and the Inkwells and Anvils community. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    Microcosm

  7. May 6

    A Printer's Choice

    In this episode, Madeline chats again with Bill Patenaude, a retired mechanical engineer who used to work for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. During their conversation, they discuss talk about his sci-fi novel and its sequel, the inspiration for the novel, why he chose a near-future sci-fi setting, the importance of feedback on creative endeavors, the incarnational aspect of reading, and so much more! During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include his previous episode on the podcast as well as episode 94, Laudato ’Si, 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Sore Must Be the Storm anthology, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, and Dune by Frank Herbert. If you're interested in checking out Bill's writing, you can check out his blog and read his debut novel, A Printer's Choice. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

    A Printer's Choice

  8. Apr 22

    Engineering Your Own Weirdness

    In this episode, Madeline chats with Evan Rowland, a CAD and consumer electronics mechanical engineer. During their conversation, they discuss everyone’s own unique weirdness, engineering ethics, his time at Colorado School of Mines, his time in the oil and gas industry, CAD and change management, free will and the nature of God, subcreation and childlikeness, his discernment of the diaconate, service and spiritual parenthood, and so much more. During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the Game Favorites comedy game show, episode 44 of this podcast, and the What God Is Not podcast. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

    Engineering Your Own Weirdness
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4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Conversations with STEM professionals who are practicing Catholics to show that faith and science don't need to be mutually exclusive.

Information

  • Creator
    Madeline Shepley
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Shine Bright Like the Firmament
  • Show Website
    Shine Bright Like the Firmament

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