Shaping Science with Nick Dirks

The New York Academy of Sciences
  • 5.0 (8)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Welcome to Shaping Science with Nick Dirks where we talk with experts from science, academia, industry, and beyond to explore the latest in research, education and innovation for the public good. Episodes are released on a bi-monthly basis.

  1. MAR 23

    #14 Britney Schmidt on Robotic Submersibles, Rising Sea Levels, and the Potential of Extraterrestrial Life

    Britney Schmidt, PhD, joins Nick Dirks to discuss what we can learn from earth’s harshest environments, what the Thwaites Glacier tells us about rising sea levels, and why she believes Europa deserves more attention than Mars. Dr. Britney Schmidt is a planetary scientist, glaciologist, and astrobiologist whose groundbreaking work explores the hidden oceans beneath ice worlds – both on Earth and beyond. Currently Associate Professor at Cornell University and Principal Investigator of the Planetary Habitability and Technology Lab, Dr. Schmidt leads major NASA- and NSF-funded projects, including the development of robotic submersibles to study Earth’s subglacial lakes and Europa's potential ocean, helping us understand habitability in the solar system and resilience in the face of climate change. In 2024, Prof. Schmidt was named a Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists Laurate, which is administered by the Academy in collaboration with the Blavatnik Family Foundation. 00:00 Intro 02:15 From the Deserts of Arizona to the Ice Sheets of Antarctica 05:42 ICEFIN: Robotic Submersibles Studying Ice at the Bottom of the World 11:11 Measuring Ice Melt in the Underbelly 18:00 Interdisciplinary Research: Planetary Science Meets Physics and Engineering 25:26 Aliens on Our Own Planet: Observations from 530 Meters Beneath the Ice Shelf 31:24 Studying the Pace and Physics of Ice Melt 39:17 Rising Sea Levels: Correcting the Problems and Treating the Symptoms 43:38 The Impact of Funding Cuts for Scientific Research 47:22 Why Europa Deserves More Attention than Mars

    56 min

  2. MAR 9

    #13 Ron Gonen on Reducing Landfill Waste, Effective Messaging Around Sustainability, and the Case for Extended Producer Responsibility 

    Ron Gonen, MBA, joins Nick Dirks to discuss the environmental benefits of the circular economy, how the military industrial complex fueled the rise of our consumer economy, and why focusing on taxes can be effective when convincing skeptics to be more environmentally conscious. Ron Gonen is an environmental entrepreneur, investor, and author who is the Founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners, a New York-based investment firm building the circular economy. A former Deputy Commissioner of Sanitation in New York City, Gonen has long been a leader in sustainable innovation, public-private partnerships, and zero-waste initiatives. He is the author of “The Waste-Free World: How the Circular Economy Will Take Less, Make More, and Save the Planet”.    This episode of Shaping Science was made possible with the generous support of Tata Sons. For more info, visit: nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts/  00:00 Intro 02:08 Pushing for Economic and Environmental Sustainability in NYC 10:00 From Circular Economy to Linear Economy back to Circular Economy 14:14 The Lasting Impact of the Military Industrial Complex 17:41 The Lightbulb and the Principle of Obsolescence 21:58 "There’s a great future in plastics..." But there are also some concerns... 28:00 Sustainable Ways to Source and Produce Plastic 31:08 Food Waste: The Largest Part of the Waste Stream 39:28 Fashion: The Last Frontier of the Costly Consumer Culture 44:15 Closing the Loop and “Extended Producer Responsibility”

    50 min

  3. FEB 23

    #12 Neurobiologist Stuart Firestein and Playwright Jake Brasch on a Moving New Off-Broadway Play and on the Ties that Bind Us - Aging, Family, Recovery and Memory

    Neurobiologist Stuart Firestein and playwright Jake Brasch join Nick Dirks on Shaping Science to discuss “The Reservoir,” a new Off-Broadway play that touches on universal themes, including aging, family, recovery and memory.   Stuart Firestein, PhD, a neurobiologist at Columbia University, also advises the Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project, who are co-producers of the play.  Jake Brasch is a recent graduate of The Julliard School and holds a BFA from NYU Tisch. This is his first production staged in New York.  For more info, visit: nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts/   00:00 Intro 05:24 Alcoholism, Freewill, and the Pressures of Addiction 08:22 Combing the Comedic and the Tragic 15:08 The Biological Character of Memory Loss 19:44 The Perspective of a Theatergoing Neurobiologist 25:25 Parallels between Memory Loss from Alcoholism and Alzheimer's 28:12 Mental Exercises to Combat Memory Loss 34:13 Physical Exercises to Combat Memory Loss 37:59 Consciousness and Memory 41:18 How Life Experiences and Memory Connect 46:15 The Role of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project

    51 min

  4. FEB 9

    #11 Chandrika Tandon on Growing up in India, Navigating War-torn Lebanon, Transforming Higher Education and Music as Emotional Empowerment 

    Chandrika Tandon joins Nick Dirks on Shaping Science to discuss how perseverance and determination have fueled every aspect of her life, from her childhood in India, to working her way up to the top of the corporate world as a partner at McKinsey, to becoming a visionary philanthropist with a passion for music and education. The Chair the Board of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, which bears her name following a landmark $100 million gift, Chandrika Tandon also serves on the Board of Governors at The New York Academy of Sciences.  This episode of Shaping Science was made possible with the generous support of Tata Sons. For more info, visit: ⁠nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts⁠ 00:00 Intro 02:53 Going on a Hunger Strike to Attend Business School 08:46 Navigating Warn-torn Lebanon in the 1970s 11:50 Arriving in NYC in the Winter Wearing a Sari and Sandles 15:48 Improving Operations at Service Institutions 22:37 Transitioning into Higher Education 26:45 Understanding the Limitations and Challenges of an Academic Institution 30:46 Vastly Improving Engineering Education in NYC 38:00 Chandrika’s “Crisis of Spirit” and Music as Emotional Empowerment 44:30 Finding a Life of Impact and Meaning in the Tech Era

    49 min

  5. JAN 26

    #10 Ian Bogost on Being an Interdisciplinarian, Lessons from the Dot-Com Era, and New Approaches to AI 

    Ian Bogost, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the tenth episode of Shaping Science to discuss the intersection of philosophy and technology, how gaming compares to previous moral panics, and new approaches to integrating AI in higher education. Prof. Bogost is a philosopher, author, game designer, and professor whose work explores the intersection of technology, media, and culture. He is currently Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor at Washington University in St. Louis.  This episode of Shaping Science was made possible with the generous support of Tata Sons. For more info, visit: ⁠nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts⁠ 00:00 Intro 02:05 The Intersection of Philosophy, Computation, History, Culture, and Game Design 06:33 What Should You Be Taught? And What Should You Learn? 11:43 The Role of a ‘Bricoler’ in the Dot-Com Era  14:28 Exploring the Various Applications of Gaming 18:47 The Impact of Gaming of Attention 25:25 Gaming, Gambling, Media Effects, and Moral Panics in Culture 28:00 Technology and Philosophy: The Utility and Possibilities of Gaming 32:30 The Role of AI in Higher Education 40:37 A New Approach to Integrating AI 45:50 Pending Book: “The Small Stuff”

    49 min

  6. JAN 12

    #09 Nicolas Langlitz on Medical Anthropology, Neuropsychedelia, and the Decade of the Brain

    Nicolas Langlitz, MD, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the ninth episode of Shaping Science to discuss medical anthropology, the anti-psychiatric movement, and the therapeutic potential of LSD. Prof. Langlitz is a German-born anthropologist and historian of science, currently serving as a Professor of Anthropology at The New School for Social Research., where he also oversees the Psychedelic Humanities Lab at The New School. He holds both an M.D. and a Ph.D., reflecting his interdisciplinary expertise spanning medicine, anthropology, life sciences, and the history of science. His dissertation evolved into the book Neuropsychedelia: The Revival of Hallucinogen Research since the Decade of the Brain (University of California Press, 2012), an ethnographic study of psychedelic research laboratories in Switzerland and California  This episode of Shaping Science was made possible with the generous support of Tata Sons. For more info, visit: ⁠nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts⁠ 00:00 Intro 08:48 The Psychological Depth of Psychedelics Research   13:01 From Beatniks and Hippies to the Psychedelic Renaissance   25:16 The Medical Benefits of Psychedelics Research   32:46 The Role of the FDA and Congress in Psychedelics Research 39:48 The Politics of Treating PTSD with Psychedelics

    46 min

  7. 12/15/2025

    #08 Laura Spinney on the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the Origins of Language, and the Complexity of Identity

    Laura Spinney joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss how the “Spanish” flu got its name, why societies change over time, and the role of genetics and DNA in understanding language origins in Eastern Europe. Laura Spinney is a science journalist and author whose work explores how science, society, and culture intersect. She is best known for her international bestseller Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World’ which redefined how we understand pandemics and their social aftermath. A fluent writer in both English and French, Spinney contributes to The Economist, The Guardian, Nature, and National Geographic. Her latest book ‘Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global traces how one language left the steppes of Ukraine and went on to become the dominant language family on Earth. This episode of Shaping Science was made possible with the generous support of Tata Sons. For more info, visit: ⁠nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts⁠ 00:00 Intro  03:46 Collective Memory and the 1918 Flu Pandemic 09:20 Why Was it Called the “Spanish” Flu? 13:42 Using Linguistics, Archeology, and Genetics to Explore the Origins of Language 17:14 Language and its Relationship to Politics 25:15 The Role of Genetics and DNA in Understanding Language Origins in Eastern Europe 35:52 Adaptability: How Societies Change Socially and Economically Over Time 40:43 A Global Tableau: Explaining the Complexity of Identity  44:00 How to Make History Resonate with Younger Audiences

    49 min

  8. 12/01/2025

    #07 Agustín Fuentes on Biological Anthropology, Sex as a Spectrum, and What It Means to be Human

    Agustín Fuentes, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss his boundary-crossing work in anthropology; humanist questions around the power of belief; and the biological character of gender and sex. Dr. Fuentes is a biological anthropologist whose research challenges entrenched ideas about what it means to be human. A professor at Princeton University, he is known for his work on human evolution, cooperation, creativity, and is the author of influential books including Why We Believe: Evolution and the Human Way of Being and Race, Monogamy, and Other Lies They Told You.    This episode of Shaping Science was made possible with the generous support of Tata Sons. For more info, visit: ⁠nyas.org/ideas-insights/podcasts⁠ 00:00 Intro 03:10 Anthropology: Uniting the Natural Sciences, the Social Sciences, and the Arts 07:04 Finding the Balance Between Biological Anthropology and Cultural Anthropology 10:29 Anthropological Considerations Around Race and Racism 18:30 Debunking Biological Myths and Theoretical Framings of Biology 24:35 Exploring the Humanist Questions Around the Power of Belief 29:00 What is Distinctively Human? 32:06 The Biological Character of Gender and Sex, And the Biological Limits of the Binary 39:05 Pushing Back Against Binary Distinctions 43:50 Language’s Role in the Distinctiveness of Being Human

    48 min
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About

Welcome to Shaping Science with Nick Dirks where we talk with experts from science, academia, industry, and beyond to explore the latest in research, education and innovation for the public good. Episodes are released on a bi-monthly basis.

Information

  • Creator
    The New York Academy of Sciences
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The New York Academy of Sciences
  • Show Website
    Shaping Science with Nick Dirks

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