The New York Academy of Sciences

This podcast highlights discussions from the Ethical Considerations in Research for Pediatric Populations symposium presented by the New York Academy of Sciences and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and is made available thanks to funding provided by Johnson & Johnson. Click here to watch a recorded version of the full conference, available on demand until September 13, 2023.

The Intersection of Conflicts of Interest and Healthcare by The New York Academy of Sciences

Often cited as the "4th Industrial Revolution" big data has the potential to transform health and healthcare by drawing medical conclusions from new and exciting sources such as electronic health records, genomic databases, and even credit card activity. In this podcast you will hear from tech, healthcare, and regulatory experts on potential paths forward that balance privacy and consumer protections while fostering innovations that could benefit everyone in our society. This podcast was...

Pediatric cancer is the leading cause of death by disease past infancy among children in the United States and Europe. Despite prevailing increases in overall survival rates, it continues to be one of the most challenging diseases to treat. This podcast will discuss the latest advancements in pediatric cancer research and how they can lead to newer, faster, and better treatments for children and adolescents with cancer. This podcast was produced using excerpts from the 2018 Sohn Conference:...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is set to become the most common cause of liver transplant in the coming decade. Although almost one-third of adults worldwide suffer from the condition, which is also associated with diabetes and obesity, there are currently no approved treatments. This podcast will discuss the basis of liver disease as well as several cutting edge approaches that are being developed to model the disease and speed the discovery of new therapeutics. This podcast has been...

In 2016, the WHO declared the Zika virus a global medical emergency when, after six decades of dormancy, the virus arrived in the Americas. After scientists made the connection between Zika and thousands of cases of microcephaly in babies, a race began to better understand the virus. But it turns out that Zika is not so easy to study. In this podcast, we talk to two Blavatnik Award Scholars using the latest genomic technology to track Zika's spread and pave the way for new genomic...

In this episode, we continue to look at some of the fascinating and innovative work that researchers are doing in New York State's Proof of Concept Centers. Hear from two companies that are doing something about the weather by trying to better understand the unique meteorology of cities to improve forecasting and creating more effective and efficient wind turbines. This podcast is made possible by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), PowerBridgeNY, and...

We hear all the time that building a robust future for STEM relies on engaging diverse groups of young people in STEM fields today. The Academy's Global STEM Alliance program is focused on doing just that. Meet four young women participating in our programs who offer inspiring insights into their hopes for their careers and the field, and hear about the innovative projects they're working on today.

Climate change may be controversial in the political realm, but for three Blavatnik Awards Scholars, all leading experts in environmental studies, there is no debate. The Earth's ice sheets, glaciers, forests, and animals have all been altered by high levels of CO2 and increasing global temperatures. But are these changes permanent? This podcast examines the latest ecological, geological, and biogeographic research related to climate change. This podcast was produced as part of the 2017...

How can we do more without causing less strain on the environment? In this podcast we continue our discussion with New York entrepreneurs participating in the state's Proof of Concept Centers program. This time, we take a deeper look at two companies addressing garbage and energy storage by taking on what some may think of as the smaller aspects of these problems. This podcast is made possible by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), PowerBridgeNY, and...

Clinical trials to evaluate new drugs are typically built around one design, the randomized controlled trial, but this method has come under scrutiny in recent years for being expensive, lengthy, and cumbersome. In this podcast you'll hear from experts asking if alternative designs would be better for determining the safety and efficacy of new therapies. This podcast was produced following a conference on this topic held in partnership between the NYU School of Medicine and the Academy. It...

The management and removal of industrial waste is a concern that faces companies and governments around the world. In this podcast you'll hear from entrepreneurs in New York participating in the state's Proof of Concept Centers program, who are creating technologies focused on the handling of industrial waste. This podcast is made possible by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), PowerBridgeNY, and NEXUS-NY.

When the UN announced its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, it was clear that the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were even more ambitious than the previous Millennium Development Goals. It was also clear that collaborative partnerships will be the key to achieving them. In this podcast you'll hear how the Academy, business leaders, academia, and government are working together to help make the world a better place for all. You'll also hear from young...

Proof of Concept Centers allow emerging technologists to try out their ideas, work with mentors, and develop marketable products. One of the key challenges participants face is turning a product into a viable business. In this podcast you'll hear from participating teams as they pitch their products to potential commercial customers and investors in the clean energy sector. This podcast is made possible by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), PowerBridgeNY,...

You see the headlines all the time linking nutrition to health and aging, but it's not so easy figuring out where the science is behind them. This podcast examines the connections between nutrition and longevity through the eyes of scientists researching the question. This podcast is made possible by a grant from the Abbott Nutrition Health Institute.

In this special podcast, learn about the stories that shaped the Academy's 200 year history. From the emergence of the Academy on a bustling street in downtown Manhattan of 1817 to the professionalization and expansion of the sciences through the 1800s. From our early efforts to help disseminate and share scientific research long before the internet to our efforts today to expand who has access to scientific careers around the globe. Featuring commentary and highlights from Simon Baatz, PhD...

The Academy's After School STEM Mentoring program improves science education and brings science out of the lab and into the community by placing early-career STEM professionals in public middle schools to serve as mentors to students. This is the last podcast in a three-part series. For more on this topic, view our Developing Scientists through Outreach eBriefing.

Are physicists on a path to upend some of the time-tested fundamental theories of physics? This podcast explores the interplay between quantum theory and general relativity, and how these phenomena may be exploited, from black holes to quantum computing. Featuring Daniel Harlow (Harvard University Center for the Fundamental Laws of Nature), Scott Aaronson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Brian Swingle (Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics), with moderation from George...

So many of our misconceptions about science come from where we first encountered them the classroom. How can we do a better job of teaching science, both so we make sure we have a new generation of STEM professionals, but also a STEM-literate public? The second of the three-part series. For more on this topic, view our Developing Scientists through Outreach eBriefing.

According to Enrico Fermi, there's a high probability of extraterrestrial life, but we haven't found any yet. Why is that? Listen in as top scientists discuss the question of what and who else might be out there. Featuring Adam Frank (University of Rochester), Louisa Preston (astrobiologist and author), Jason Thomas Wright (Pennsylvania State University), and Stephen M. Gardiner (University of Washington), with moderation by Ira Flatow (PRI's Science Friday ), this podcast features audio...