We Love Science

Send us a Text Message. We continue our conversation with Dr. Adriana Bankston, founder and CEO, Bankston Policy Consulting LLC to learn more about her career path. Her journey of discovery started close to home, in a family filled with scientists–from her grandparents to her parents. As an undergraduate at Clemson University, she was introduced to the world of research through a summer program. From there her interests blossomed, and in graduate school, at Emory University, she conducted research in muscular dystrophy for her dissertation. This experience also allowed her to volunteer with patients and instilled the understanding of the social impact of science. “What you are doing actually impacts real people,” Adriana explains. As she completed graduate school, her attention grew to understanding the obscure world of postdoctoral salaries, how such positions are defined, and the policies behind the status quo. This initial project led her to the world of advocacy and finding strategic ways to solve these challenges within science. Along the way, Adriana has also had several inspiring mentors, starting with her graduate school advisor: one of two female researchers within the department. With her positive experience as a mentee, Adriana now dedicates her time to mentoring graduate students and others who are new to the world of advocacy and policy. Looking to the future, she is excited about starting as an inaugural AAAS Congressional Policy Fellow sponsored by the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy which will allow her to work directly on Capitol Hill, a change from advocating on the outside. In addition to her experience in advocacy and policy, Adriana is also a science writer; as someone who describes herself as having too many opinions, writing has been an excellent outlet to share some of her ideas with the world. After you listen to the podcast, also read her latest blog post on the podcast website: https://welovesciencepodcast.com/f/how-policymaking-works-and-how-scientists-can-engage And if you want to learn more about science policy, Adriana will lead a workshop hosted by Genetics Society of America: Register here Tune into this episode to hear Adriana explain: How her family history influenced her career journeyHer first encounter with science policy and advocacyWhat it means to ride the rollercoaster with confidence Reach out to Adriana: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianabankston/ Website: https://adrianabankston.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdrianaBankston Other Great Episodes: Ep 5: FORE Advocating Change - Part 2 Ep 7: STEMLand Future of Science - The Journey Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, we explore policy for science with Dr. Adriana Bankston Founder and CEO, Bankston Policy Consulting LLC. As an advocate for science and research, Adriana shares the outcomes of research with members of Congress to support the continued support of federally funded research by policymakers. The funding that science gets every year is greatly impacted by what happens in Washington DC, specifically by political factors such as who is elected and general pro-science sentiments. As an entrepreneur and founder of her own policy consulting firm, Adriana has been excited to delve into different projects for her clients. One of the challenges of working for herself, however, which she has to balance, is constantly searching for work and opportunities and understanding how best to place value on her expertise when billing clients based on what others are willing to pay. In the course of her current work, she has found many connections between working at the lab bench and working in policy, especially in how to manage multiple projects and work with multiple partners toward common goals. Adriana admits that shifting her career focus away from bench work has been a steep learning curve. “You are starting from the bottom; you have to be ok with not knowing how things work,” she explains regarding the challenge of how to get comfortable learning how to become a professional in a new world. Even with this, however, Adriana loves following her passion with her work. To hear more about what it means to promote policy for science, listen to Adriana’s story. And, to dive deeper into the complex world of science policy, read Adriana's blog post at welovesciencepodcast.com Reach out to Adriana: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianabankston/ Website: https://adrianabankston.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdrianaBankston If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to also check out: Ep 4: FORE Advocating Change - Part 1 Ep 6: STEMLand Future of Science - The Work Ep 18: The Truth about Food - The Work Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. In this fourth installment of the CRISPR Chronicles, show hosts Fatu and Shekerah give a review of sickle cell anemia, the cause and symptoms of the disease, and discuss how the CRISPR gene therapy treatment works. Tune in to learn more about: welovesciencepodcast.com Hear directly from Sickle Cell Disease patients who received the treatment during the clinical trial: Victoria Gray and Jimi Olaghere Catch up on the previous CRISPR episodes: How CRISPR gene therapy is bringing hope to the worldthe secret behind CRISPR gene therapythe ups and downs of how the CRISPR saga developed Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. We continue our conversation with Jishad Kumar on his journey in science. Jishad remembers his first science wow moment during his childhood when a teacher captivated his interest in optics with kaleidoscopes. His curiosity instantly peaked and he really wanted to learn more about how to make such tools; eventually in high school he successfully built his own optical instrument with friends. While discovering the world of optics, Jishad also started to think more about what he wanted to do with his future; he knew there was more to the world than building fun optical tools. Around this same time, he was fortunate to have a very good math teacher who introduced him to the world of mathematics, and simultaneously Jishad discovered that he was very talented in this subject–always scoring at the top of the class. As he continued in his studies, Jishad was introduced to another amazing mentor–a priest who was also a dedicated physics teacher. This teacher taught him one-on-one the intricate details of physics and pointed out to Jishad that he also has a special talent for physics. This encouragement from his teachers and his natural talent set Jishad on the first steps in his journey into mathematics and physics. As he continued on to college and graduate school, he considered traveling abroad to complete his studies, however, this plan was not financially feasible for him or his family. Undeterred by this small setback, Jishad continued in his education in India and he completed his doctorate at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research. He credits his success in his doctoral program to his two outstanding Ph.D. supervisors who really supported him not only through his education but also his growth as an individual. At this stage, Jishad knew he wanted to teach and stay in academia; he set out on completing post doctoral fellowships and traveled the globe from the Czech Republic to the United States to his current position at Aalto University in Finland. His vision of success is still a work in progress; Jishad strives to do so much more in his career. “I want to do more, learn more, and love physics more,” he explains. Tune into this episode to hear Jishad discuss: His early career ambitions before deciding to follow his love of mathematics and physicsThe importance of mentors in shaping not only his understanding of science but also growth as a personNavigating the ups and downs, and egos of graduate school to find his intellectual strengthsReach out to Jishad: LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/drjishadkumar Other Great Episodes: Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello - The JourneyFrom Post doc to Assistant Professor - The JourneyNinja Warrior Scientist Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, Shekerah and Fatu have a delightful conversation with Jishad Kumar, a theorist and researcher. As a theorist he uses concrete assumptions and models to solve problems which can then be further investigated with in depth experimentation. Jishad’s journey into theoretical physics started accidentally when he discovered Brownian motion is related to particle motion and has nothing to do with the color brown. From there, he extensively read books and scientific articles building a very solid knowledge base for his graduate studies. But, Jishad had a difficult start in his research career; he struggled with his first project assignment and did not have good support from this research advisor. During this difficult period, however, he found guidance from another advisor who encouraged him to conquer his fear and gave him the motivation to continue with the assignment and ultimately succeed. Things continued to progress and his confidence grew as he was also able to design a very impressive doctoral research project examining superconductivity. Looking back, Jishad sees this initial research experience as very formative in his research journey, and he is grateful for this. “I cannot stay away from science,” he explains as he also looks back and reflects on all the challenges and triumphs of the journey. Currently Jishad’s research focuses on applications of quantum thermo-dynamics, such as quantum heat exchange, and he looks forward to future real-world applications and innovations from this research. His long term goals include setting up his own research lab with students and teaching. To hear more about Jishad’s work tune into the latest episode. Tune into this episode to hear Jishad discuss: His start in theoretical physics in a pre-wikipedia worldKeeping motivation on his journey even with several setbackFuture theoretical research goals and aspirations Reach out to Jishad: LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/drjishadkumar If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to also check out: Ep 26: From Postdoc to Assistant Professor - The Work Ep 29: Accidental Discovery of the Microwave Ep 30: Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello - The Work Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. It’s another Science Short, and today Fatu and Shekerah discover how bird eggs get their color–from brown, white, blue, speckled, and everything in between. To this day, scientists do not have a good understanding of why egg color developed in birds, but they do know that this trait co-evolved with the introduction of open-style bird nests, as opposed to covered nests. Open nests left bird eggs exposed and vulnerable to the outside environment, which led to one hypothesis that egg colors provide camouflage against potential predators. There are also other hypotheses that connect egg color to bacterial resistance, temperature regulation, and even female genetic fitness; literally as many hypotheses as there are egg color patterns. Even though it is still a big mystery as to why birds have colored eggs, how these colors are formed is not. Birds are only capable of making two pigments–blue and brown–and the different combinations of these pigments produce the diverse spectrum of all the colors we see in eggs. With domesticated birds such as chickens, however, egg color is directly linked to the breed of chicken. Specific breeds only lay specific colors, for example Orpingtons lay brown eggs, Ameraucana lay blue eggs, and the “olive egger” breeds lay olive-green eggs. Catch this episode to learn more about the egg-straordinary story of bird eggs and how they got their colors. Tune into this episode to learn more about: How scientists think different environmental pressures may be the key to why birds developed colored eggsWhat pigments are responsible for the diversity of color we see in bird eggs and how they are deposited on eggshells during egg developmentHow chicken egg colors are influenced by genetics and human selectionWhat causes speckling on bird eggsIf you enjoyed this episode, you’ll also enjoy: We Love Birds Too!The Science behind Baking with Yeast The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin Read about the Nature Ecology and Evolution study Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. Dr. Maria Qadri, CEO of Clearwater Leadership begins the conversation on her journey into entrepreneurship with memories of building things (flat pack furniture) with her father–both of her parents were engineers and science-y discussions were a hallmark of her childhood. As a child, Maria slowly started to envision becoming a doctor, mainly influenced by her diagnosis with type 1 diabetes and the time she spent with medical experts to understand and manage her disease. Ultimately, Maria landed on biomedical engineering as the best path for her, combining all of her interests. As she continued in her studies in college at University of Hartford, focusing on pre-med and biomedical engineering, Maria came to the revelation that she “could have so much more of an impact if [she] made the tools that doctors worked with.” This led to the first twist in her journey and she pursued a Masters at University of Connecticut and then received her doctorate at Rutgers University. Along the way, however, she stumbled upon science policy, leading to another turn in her journey. And again she came across a new realization: “good policy is good communication.” This inspired her to complete a unique post-doctoral fellowship at the Association of American Colleges and Universities focused on science communications and policy. She had found the perfect fit in what she was looking for, again combining several different interests. At this current stage in her career journey, Maria has amassed a wealth of experience and knowledge, it was just a matter of somehow putting it all together with the other goals she had in her life–starting a family and buying her first home–to find the perfect sweet spot. And now as the founder of her own company, Maria can proudly say she feels like she has it all–a daughter, a husband, a home, and her own business to invest in her many passions. As she looks back on her journey, Maria thinks about her village of family support and mentors that guided her every step of the way. One of the best pieces of advice she would give to anyone interested in following a similar journey is to “run towards the things you are afraid of.” Tune into this episode to hear Maria discuss: How her journey brought together many different interests as she grew both personally and professionallyWhy a Ph.D. is a degree in persistence, not intelligence What her vision is of success, and some tips for anyone interested in going to graduate school for a Ph.D. Reach out to Maria: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajq/ Email: ceo@clearwaterleadership.com Other Great Episodes: Ep 40: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Journey Ep 7: STEMLand Future of Science - The Journey Ep 37: Sista, Sista! Graduate School Years - The Journey Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. Our journey into science entrepreneurship continues! In this episode we speak to Dr. Maria Qadri, founder of Clearwater Leadership which specializes in data analysis, science communication, and leadership development training. As a new founder of her own company, Maria already has her sights set on the future–she looks forward to growing the company and bringing on additional people depending on how the portfolio for Clearwater Leadership develops and client needs. Maria admits she has always been afraid of entrepreneurship because of the realities of living with type 1 diabetes and the need to have reliable healthcare access. However, at this stage in her career journey she looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead in running her own company, similar to the intellectual pursuits in completing her doctorate. For those who are interested in following a similar career path, that pulls from education and work experience, Maria advises to ask questions about everything. She also explains, “Don’t treat [the journey] as closing doors, try to treat it as building bridges.” Tune into this episode to hear Maria explain how she: Combined her scientific background with work experience to advance her career journeyStarted her own business as a solo entrepreneur Overcame the hesitation of becoming an entrepreneurAnd, some tips if you are interested in following your own, independent science-focused venture Reach out to Maria: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajq/ Email: ceo@clearwaterleadership.com If you enjoyed hearing about Maria’s work, you might also enjoy: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The WorkSista, Sista! Graduate School Years - The WorkThe Truth about Food - The Work Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. You may think that the CRISPR-Cas genome engineering tool was developed from simple human ingenuity. And while its development certainly involved ingenuity, CRISPR was birthed in the wild. As a product of nature, it has an essential function in its native host; spoilers: its natural function involves defending its host from attacks. From the initial discovery in nature to its adoption as a gene therapy tool it took decades of twists and turns, ups, downs, and yes, ins and outs too. In this episode of We Love Science Podcast, Fatu and Shekerah welcome special guest, Irina Gostimskaya, as the CRISPR Chronicles continues. Together, we take a CRISPR walk through history, discussing the men and women who made it possible to bring CRISPR therapies to the world through their curiosity, perseverance, and a sprinkle of good and bad luck. Tune in to the episode to learn about: · The cliffhanger that showed the world the first CRISPR sequence · The real purpose of CRISPR in the wild · How scientists assembled the puzzle pieces to use CRISPR for Gene editing · The CRISPR patent dispute · Bonus Food Science Content: Learn all about Russian cuisine For more information on this topic, visit our website: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Reach out to Irina: gostimskaya@gmail.com Read Irina’s excellent CRISPR review article: CRISPR–Cas9: A History of Its Discovery and Ethical Considerations of Its Use in Genome Editing. Biochemistry Moscow 87, 777–788 (2022). Jump directly to the next episodes in the CRISPR series: Cure for Sickle Cell Disease Other Great Episodes: The Secret Behind CRISPR Gene EditingHow CRISPR Gene Therapy is Bringing Hope to the WorldYogurt Making - DIY Style - A Food Science Short Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. We continue our discussion with Laura Canil to learn about her journey in becoming a scientific illustrator. Her earliest memories in science didn't exactly start in science–initially she wanted to be an inventor and then a painter. As she continued in her education, Laura started to also explore science communication. All of these interests remained in the back of her mind as she received her bachelors and masters in physics and materials science in Italy. As a graduate student in Berlin, completing her doctorate research on photovoltaic and photocells, Laura realized that she enjoyed the communications aspect of science a little bite more than the research. She would spend hours making just the right figures and animations to explain her research clearly. As she reached the end of her graduate school journey, Laura began to think critically about what comes next. She didn’t know at this point that scientific illustration was a potential choice for a fulfilling career. By chance, she contacted someone online who was already working in the field, and as she learned more and more about his career, it all just clicked. Laura knew this was the right path for her. After receiving her doctorate, she took a gap year to develop additional skills for professional illustration–powerpoint was just not going to cut it. And as she learned and grew in her art, the company CanilVisuals developed organically as a natural next step to get her professional career off the ground. When Laura looks back on her journey, she doesn’t recall one specific mentor who helped guide her along the way. Rather, she had tremendous support from her community–friends, Ph.D. supervisors, family, illustrators and other freelancers–encouraging her to reach for her goals. And when reflecting on the choices she has made, there isn’t anything she would do differently. “I am who I am because of the choices I’ve made,” explains Laura; that person is a brilliant scientist AND a talented artist. Tune into this episode to hear Laura share her perspectives on: How she transitioned from studying languages to physics to scientific illustrationExploring and learning more about different career options as a studentWays to combine different interests and skills into one careerWorking as a freelancer Future plans for CanilVisuals Reach out to Laura: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-canil-8a203819b/ X (formerly Twitter): @laura_canil More about CanilVisuals: https://www.canilvisuals.com/ Other Great Episodes: Ep 21: Who Should Art Represent - The Journey Ep 31: Quantum Biology with Clarice Aiello - The Journey Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. We Love Science is closing out 2023 with another spectacular interview. In this episode we speak with Dr. Laura Canil, a freelance scientific illustrator with her own company, CanilVisuals. As a scientific illustrator, Laura takes on a variety of projects like creating figures to accompany journal articles, crafting catchy covers for journals, producing original scientific comic strips, and guiding others who need advice in developing their own beautiful and engaging designs. After receiving her Ph.D. in physics, Laura took some time off to plan her transition as a freelance scientific illustrator. There was a lot of fear and excitement during this time in starting her own company, but she took the jump and really enjoys her work creating visuals to accompany groundbreaking research. Laura also found a lot of support in the beginning from friends and colleagues she met during graduate school. Her network served as a receptive audience for constructive criticism during her early days testing the waters as an illustrator. For practice, Laura would select papers from people she knew and designed journal covers and other illustrations to accompany their research publications. This provided her with constructive feedback as she perfected her craft and built her portfolio to move on to the next step of reaching out to new clients. “It’s easier when you really like something because then you have all the motivation to go through the hard parts,” she explains. Tune into this episode to hear Laura share her perspective on: Living and working outside of her home country Transitioning into a freelance career from graduate schoolDeveloping new skills to become a scientific illustratorAdvice for those looking to take the jump Reach out to Laura: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-canil-8a203819b/ X (formerly Twitter): @laura_canil More about CanilVisuals: https://www.canilvisuals.com/ If you enjoyed hearing about Laura’s work, you might also enjoy: Ep 32: We Love Birds Too! Ep 20: Who Should Art Represent - The Work Ep 8: The Pen is Mightier than the Pipette - The Work Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. Humans have ~6 billion bases of DNA in each cell. But every gene has a specific and unique sequence that serves as a kind of genetic address. Before any gene can be edited, the editor must first find the gene's location within the genome. Luckily CRISPR-Cas has a built-in GPS component that makes finding a gene address easy, and switching out one genetic address for another is as easy as typing a street address into your Google Maps navigation app...well almost as easy. In this episode, show hosts Fatu and Shekerah deliver the second installment of the CRISPR Chronicles series. We discuss the secret sauce that makes CRISPR-Cas gene editing powerful, flexible, and easy to use—it's the gene editing genie that the scientific community had been waiting for. CRISPR-Cas gene editing has two main components (RNA and protein), each of which plays a critical role. The merger of these 2 components into a unified system is what makes CRISPR-Cas gene editing superior to its predecessors. Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) and TAL Effector Nucleases (TALENs) were the gene editing tools of choice before CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered. Unfortunately, the design, production, and implementation of ZFNs and TALENs were difficult and expensive, which prevented their rapid adoption on a global scale as has occurred with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Tune in to the episode to learn: For more information on this topic, visit our website: WeLoveSciencePodcast.com Jump directly to the next episodes in the CRISPR series: the CRISPR sagaCure for Sickle Cell Disease Other Great Episodes: The first CRISPR Chronicles episodechanged the way we prepare foodA Nobel Prize winner who overcame dyslexia Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. In this episode Shekerah and Fatu continue their discussion with Ijeoma Kola, a public health historian of race and medicine. When she was younger, Ijeoma didn’t exactly have a science spark moment, but she was positively influenced by her mother’s career as a nurse. She remembers in middle school attending a summer program, Center for Talented Youth, at Johns Hopkins University, where she was first introduced to genetics and genomics. From this experience, Ijeoma was convinced that she would continue to study science and become a doctor. Things started off as she expected during her undergrad at Harvard University; however, one late night studying organic chemistry Ijeoma suddenly realized that maybe this career path wasn’t really for her. She wanted to help people, but didn’t see how memorizing amino acids was the best way to reach this goal. “Do I want to make people better by prescribing medicine, or do I want to make people better by changing the environment that we live in?—So their social health is better, so their neighborhoods are better, so that their socio-economic status is better. All of those things also shape our health and health outcomes,” explains Ijeoma. It took a little bit of quick thinking, but she was able to transition from her molecular biology major to a history and science major without losing any credits. After receiving her doctorate from Columbia University in history of public health, Ijeoma took an “eat, pray, love” style gap year to reset her thoughts on what to do next. After some brainstorming and reflecting on her own graduate school journey, she founded Cohort Sistas to support black women and non-binary individuals pursuing graduate degrees. Looking back on her journey, Ijeoma wishes she had given herself more grace and forgiveness along the way, to take care of herself not only intellectually but also mentally and physically. The journey is hard enough as it is after all, and as long as it's getting done, we are all doing a good job—it doesn't need to be perfect. Tune into this episode to hear Ijeoma discuss: Mentoring and the impacts on her career journey How to shift in your career journey as you find new ways to reach your goals What skills and experiences inspired her to found Cohort Sistas Reach out to Ijeoma: info@cohortsistas.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijeomakola/ And be on the lookout for her book! More about Cohort Sistas: https://www.cohortsistas.org To join Cohort Sistas: https://community.cohortsistas.org Other Great Episodes: Ep 7: STEMLand Future of Science - The Journey Ep 17: Mentors of Incalculable Worth - Anthology Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. The good conversations just keep coming! In this episode we meet Dr. Ijeoma Kola, a historian of public health with an emphasis on race and medicine; her current research focuses on the evolution of the understanding of asthma in Black urban communities in the 20th century. In short, she is a storyteller—pulling together the full narrative, or history, of medical and health innovations and their impacts on broader communities. In addition to looking at the broad impacts of health and medicine, Ijeoma also has a specific interest in understanding how individuals and communities view their own health and their relationship within the larger medical institution. As a researcher and historian, Ijeoma has several publications and she is now in the process of writing a book on the history of the rise of asthma in the Black community. The book will cover the early perception of asthma as a predominantly White, elite illness to the present day, with asthma mostly impacting Black urban communities. When she is not writing and researching, Ijeoma is the founder and executive director of Cohort Sistas, a mentoring organization that supports black women and non-binary doctoral students through building community and providing resources to help individuals succeed and thrive through their graduate education. Her own experience as a doctoral student was isolating, stressful, and even miserable in some instances, and she wants to change this for the next generation, especially for underrepresented scholars. “The entire goal and vision is to be able to provide folks with the resources, mentorship, and community I wish I had when I was getting my Ph.D.,” she explains. Ultimately, she hopes to grow the Cohort Sistas community to 10,000 scholars to capture individuals at many stages of their training. Tune into this episode to hear Ijeoma’s thoughts on: Starting your own nonprofit to support studentsFinding community during your graduate school journeyWhat it means to be a public health historian and how this research impacts our understanding of current health issuesHow to join Cohort Sistas or become involved in the growing community Reach out to Ijeoma: info@cohortsistas.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijeomakola/ And be on the lookout for her book! More about Cohort Sistas: https://www.cohortsistas.org To join Cohort Sistas: https://community.cohortsistas.org Other Great Episodes: Ep 17: Mentors of Incalculable Worth - Anthology Ep 13: Estrogen Heals Both Sexes - The Work Ep 20: Who Should Art Represent - The Work Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. Every year, approximately 8 million children are born with a serious genetic disorder, and 3 million of them die before the age of 5. This disease burden is about to change. In this episode, we launch the CRISPR Chronicles series that will run throughout season 3. Since the pivotal paper by Doudna and Charpentier in 2012, CRISPR has taken the world by storm. Scientists have used this genome engineering tool in the lab to quickly and easily create mutants to study gene function in laboratory animals. But more importantly, the power of CRISPR gene editing as a biomedical intervention to cure diseases has been realized. Currently, dozens of clinical trials are ongoing or on the verge of being launched to cure everything from genetic blindness and sickle cell anemia, to cancers and HIV. In fact, the Sickle Cell Disease treatment, exa-cel is poised to become the first CRISPR gene editing therapy to be approved by the FDA. Due to its far-reaching impacts, Doudna and Charpentier won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2020 for discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing; thereby, breaking the boundary as dual female winners of this prize. In this series we will explore: For more information on this topic, visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com Hear directly from Sickle Cell Disease patients who were cured during the clinical trial: Victoria Gray and Jimi Olaghere Jump directly to the next episodes in the CRISPR series: the secret behind CRISPR gene therapy the CRISPR sagaCure for Sickle Cell Disease Other Great episodes: the drug development process in pharmaThe Accidental Discovery of Penicillin Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. There's more from Dr. Cari Skrdla on her journey in becoming a neuroscientist and successful business woman, as we continue season 3. In her youth, Cari was always drawn to the world around her; she constantly asked questions to better understand how and why things are the way they are. This curiosity stayed with her as she became interested in theater and acting. Cari was really inspired by how individuals could change to embody different characters as part of a story. How can a person be King Lear in a play one day and the next a character from the musical Color Purple? After high school, Cari received her bachelors in psychology from Eastern Michigan University, but she didn’t want to be a therapist; rather she used her psych background as part of her first position in human relations and employee management. As Cari continued in her journey, she attended graduate school at Boston University for a doctorate in neuroscience. As part of her graduate research she conducted an interesting study on runners to understand how their thinking, especially memories, can influence not only how quickly they start a race, but also how likely they are to win. With all of these experiences, and her innate drive for curiosity, Cari was able to develop the foundations of her current personal coaching service, LifeBack Investing Club—how are human beings manufactured and programmed, and how can you use this to your advantage? Cari’s career path so far has been an amazing journey; she has had several influential mentors including her father and constantly tells herself to just keep doing what you are doing—be a disruptor! As she gets ready for the next phase in her life and journey, she looks forward to getting even more fulfillment from areas in her life other than work, like family, and building a legacy. Tune in to the episode to hear Cari bring light to: Reach out to Cari: questions@everythingandjack.com cari@lifeback.life take the Mindset Quotient Test: mindsetquotienttest.com If you Enjoyed hearing about Cari's work, you will also enjoy: Dr. Kelli Duncan in Estrogen Heals Both Sexes The Truth about FoodQuantum Biology with Dr. Clarice Aiello Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. We Love Science Podcast kicks off season 3 with Dr. Cari Skrdla, a passionate neuroscientist and accomplished businesswoman. As the founder and CEO of LifeBack Consulting, Cari uses her research findings to guide employers in bringing the human experience to the forefront in the workplace. Through the evolution of the hiring process from paper applications, to background checks, to personality tests, Cari says that employers are still missing so much. Employee turnover is rampant--new hires quickly became unhappy at the workplace and leave. This highlights the importance of considering the human aspect in employee recruitment and retention, and her research gives some insight into this. Spanning generations, Cari’s research explores the environmental influences, cultural shifts, and significant events that contribute to the shaping of a human being. These explain the behavioral patterns and hardwiring of a generation of individuals. As every generation is shaped specifically by the current state of the world they are born into, each is inherently different from the other generations. How then do we all relate to one another and understand each other in the workplace? Her innovative approach offers a fresh perspective on supporting employees through her one-of a-kind Mindset Quotient Test, emphasizing the significance of mental and emotional well-being. We are all trying to live a happy, fulfilling life both personally and professionally. The key, she says, is understanding oneself and one's influences. However, this research often does not reach the public in an impactful way. Tune in to the episode to hear Cari bring light to: Reach out to Cari: questions@everythingandjack.com cari@lifeback.life take the Mindset Quotient Test: mindsetquotienttest.com Other Great Episodes: Dr. Kelli Duncan in Estrogen Heals Both Sexes The Truth about FoodQuantum Biology with Dr. Clarice Aiello Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. We are doing some summer reading y’all! In this special book review episode, Fatu and Shekerah learn about birds, from the book Crazy for Birds by Misha Maynerick Blaise. In this book, Misha takes the reader on a whirlwind trip into all things birds–how they fly, how they communicate, how they build nests, what they eat, how birds are reflected in different cultures around the world. From sooty-capped hermits to cliff swallows to red-breasted chats and everything else in between the book is strewn with lovely illustrations and nuggets of knowledge about all things birds. Listen to the podcast to hear our review of Crazy for Birds, and If you are already a big bird fan, or just need an interesting read, pick it up at your local library or bookstore today! And catch us in about a month for Season 3! Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. Our conversation with Dr. Clarice Aiello continues! In the beginning, Clarice actually didn’t have a passion for science; she was a big reader and had little interest in math and related subjects. She originally wanted to be a journalist and when she didn’t get into a journalism program, engineering became her plan B. That is how she discovered her love of physics. As an engineering student, Clarice met an amazing mentor who took her under his wing and introduced her to quantum mechanics–a truly life changing moment. “Nothing is linear; you end up where you end up. That’s very scary and that is also the beauty of it,” Clarice explains as she reflects on the many detours and turns she has had in her career journey to become a quantum biologist. One of the biggest challenges facing the field of quantum biology, however, is the lack of acceptance as a legitimate field from other researchers within the biological sciences. Clarice explains how she is working with her colleagues to build out the field from the ground up; and one day she hopes that others will also see the vision of future discoveries that can come from understanding the intersection of biology and quantum engineering. Being a pioneer can be a lonely path, but someone has to do it! Listen to the episode, to learn more about Clarice’s journey and the emerging field of quantum biology. For more information visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com Reach out to Clarice: Email - cla@g.ucla.edu And read her recent article - It’s Time to Take Quantum Biology Research Seriously And if you are interested in quantum biology, check out the book Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology by Johnjoe McFadden and Jim Al-Khalili Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic

Send us a Text Message. Meet Dr. Clarice Aiello! She is a principal investigator at the quantum biology tech lab at the University of California, Los Angeles. Clarice has a background in quantum engineering, which means she studies the teeniest, tiniest particles that behave under their own special laws–the laws of quantum mechanics. Her current work combines her expertise to understand how nature might use quantum mechanics to function and function optimally. From her work she has seen that chemical reactions are directly affected by quantum mechanics, for example electrons use tunneling to optimize their function and magnetic fields influence chemical reactions due to a property called spin. This may come across as far out complicated science, but there are direct implications to how quantum phenomena, such as magnetic fields, cause changes in our cells which can lead to disease. As a primary investigator and leader of a research team the favorite part of her job is talking with her team about science. Listen to the episode, to learn more about Clarice’s work and the emerging field of quantum biology. For more information visit our website: welovesciencepodcast.com If you enjoyed listening to our episode with Clarice, check out an episode with one of our past guests: Dr. Caroline Bartman - From Post doc to Assistant professorDr. Erin Jimenez - Ninja Warrior ScientistDr. Kelli Duncan - Estrogen Heals Both Sexes Reach out to Clarice: Email - cla@ucla.edu And read her recent article - It’s Time to Take Quantum Biology Research Seriously And if you are interested in quantum biology, check out the book Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology by Johnjoe McFadden and Jim Al-Khalili Reach out to Fatu: www.linkedin.com/in/fatubm Twitter: @thee_fatu_b and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Reach out to Shekerah: www.linkedin.com/in/shekerah-primus and LoveSciencePodcast@gmail.com Music from Pixabay: Future Artificial Intelligence Technology 130 by TimMoor Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes: Hotshot by ScottHolmesMusic