Beyond the Bench

How can social media be used as a science education platform, and how can we improve science education at the high school and collegiate levels? Tamara El-Hayek Ewing, Lab Manager and Instructional Support in the CSUSM Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, discusses effective practices to inspire and engage chemistry students, her use of social media as a science communication tool, and her path to becoming a chemistry educator.

How can STEM professionals better support marginalized students and trainees, and why is gender a crucial factor in the study of neuroendocrinology? Dr. Troy Roepke, a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers, discusses the role of gender inclusivity in the study of estrogens and reproduction, how being a queer person has impacted their career path in the sciences, and the importance of visibility for LGBTQ+ people and their allies working in STEM and STEM-supporting jobs.

Why are monarchs and milkweed important, and what is it like to write a popular science book? Dr. Anurag Agrawal, a Professor of environmental studies at Cornell University and author of Monarchs and Milkweed, discusses insect-plant interactions, comparative biology, and tips for students in the biological sciences.

What is it like to work in both a university and government setting, and what is some current research in the fight against the citrus disease huanglongbing? Dr. Michelle Heck, a Research Molecular Biologist at the Boyce Thomson Institute and USDA Agricultural Research Service, discusses parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of huanglongbing, tips on mentoring students, and endurance cycling.

What makes a good bicycle tire, how can we keep the aesthetics in athletics, and why is the activity of biking much more than racing and new technology? Ronnie Romance, a bicycle lifestyle influencer, product designer, and Official Bike Scientist, discusses his approach to bike builds and product design, and the joys of leisurely bike riding and aesthetics!

What does the long-term management of the citrus disease huanglongbing entail, and what are the benefits of working with a multidisciplinary group of scientists when running a lab? Dr. Lukasz Stelinski, a professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Center, discusses his approach to combating huanglongbing throughout his career, how his immigration from Poland shaped his approach to his work, and tips for staying creative and balanced throughout anyone's career.

How can TikTok be used as a science communication platform, and what is the current and future state of cannabis research? Riley Kirk, a Natural Product Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate at The University of Rhode Island (URI), answers some fascinating questions about the chemistry of cannabis, discusses her recent (quite successful) introduction into the world of TikTok, and shares her hopes and dreams for the future directions of cannabis science in the U.S!

What kinds of interesting questions can you investigate as a biology graduate student, and what is day-to-day life like in this role? Ayala Berger, Sam Levell, and Annika Rose-Person from the University of California Riverside's (UCR) Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology discuss their experience as graduate students, how they got interested in specific biological questions, and the role of biologists in today's society.

What is a Farm Management Specialist, and how can economics education help agricultural scientists? Christopher Narayanan, a Farm Management Specialist at The University of Tenessee Institute of Agriculture, discusses how his diverse career experiences (including U.S. Marine Corps infantry and Wall Street analyst and banker) have led to his current position and how he uses his knowledge of agricultural commodity markets to improve Tenessee farms!

What is integrated pest management, and what is it like working for a non-profit public garden? Dr. Ryan Gott, Associate Director of Integrated Pest Management at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, discusses plant health care, how to make your yard more insect-friendly, why we need more resources for helping graduate students apply to non-academic jobs, and why the visibility of LGBTQ+ people and their allies working in STEM and STEM-supporting jobs is important!

Why are plant and insect identification services essential, and how much fun is it to work at a plant disease and insect clinic? (Hint: a lot of fun.) Dr. Matt Bertone, Director and Diagnostician at the NCSU Plant Disease & Insect Clinic, discusses all things insect identification, specifically with flies. He also gets into why spiders are awesome, and he shows us some of his beautiful macro photography!

What is the role of science policy in today's America, and how can scientists transition from academia into the policy world? Dr. Brian Gray, a former Congressional Science Fellow, discusses his path from being an evolutionary biology Ph.D. student in California to working with legislators in D.C., why science policy impacts every person's life, and how scientists can play a role in shaping policy!

What complexities play into the management of weeds in crop systems, and what does a weed scientist do for their job on a daily basis? Dr. Lynn Sosnoskie, a weed scientist at the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, discusses the variety of tactics she employs to control weeds, why weed management is more complex than people typically think, and how she got into the field of agricultural science in the first place!

In this episode, Dr. Noah Whiteman, an Evolution Professor at UC-Berkeley, shares his story of growing up in northern Minnesota, being a 1st-generation college student, navigating starting his lab while being the first out LGBTQIA+ faculty member in his departments at the University of Arizona and UC-Berkeley, and finding joy and unexpected discoveries through his research on various organisms.

How can America's wartime victory gardens be reimagined to inform an increasingly uncertain future, and how can digital tools be used to create compelling narratives around food and farming? Dr. Rose Hayden-Smith - an Emeritus University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension Advisor in Digital Communications in Food Systems & Extension Education, the Editor of the UC Food Observer, and a Food and Society Policy Fellow - discusses how her journey through a Ph.D. in US history and working with many forms of technology led to a career in extension, how she started the UC Food Observer, and how gardens are an engaging first step towards uniting our communities and joining up the thinking between policy areas!

How can scientists play a critical role in public policy, and how can grad students get involved? Morgan Dundon and Stephanie Piper from UC Riverside's Center for Science to Policy discuss their experience in public policy as graduate students, the professional development opportunities they host on campus, and what they have learned from legislators!

How can we enable a global response to disease by creating low-cost vaccines using plant viruses? Dr. Larry Grill, the Dean of Research and a Research Professor at the Keck Graduate Institute, discusses his research in vaccine development and disease diagnostics in developing countries, how his experience founding Large Scale Biological Corporation led to the development of vaccine production technology, and his undergraduate teaching philosophy!

How do transposable elements contribute to gene and genome evolution, and what are the benefits of a hands-on laboratory education for undergraduates? Dr. Sue Wessler, a Professor of Genetics at the University of California Riverside and Home Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), discusses her career researching fragments of DNA that can insert into new chromosomal locations, how she has helped to make the NAS more inclusive, and the Dynamic Genome course-based undergraduate research experience that she developed and implemented at two universities!

How can we use quantitative modeling to solve plant disease issues around the world, particularly huanglongbing? Dr. Neil McRoberts, a Professor of Plant Pathology at UC Davis, discusses the intersectionality of his epidemiology research, how he got interested in the field of plant pathology at an early age while growing up in a small Scottish town, and how there's room for everyone in science, even those who despise labwork!

Why is plant virology important for biosecurity, and how can we form international professional connections at conferences and via Twitter? Dr. Adrian Fox, a Senior Plant Virologist at Fera Science Ltd., discusses his research and plant diagnostic work, what it's like to be an industry scientist, how he communicates science via his dog's Twitter account, and his myriad of activities outside of science, including playing the trombone and baking.

What particular challenges do first-generation college students face, and how can science education impact their experience? Alex Cortez, the Academic Coordinator and Instructor of the Dynamic Genome Program at UC Riverside, discusses his educational journey, the importance of undergraduate research experiences, and advice for other first-generation college students.

What is the psychological toll of COVID-19, and what can we do to support each other during this time? Dr. Erin Berman, a Clinical Psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), discusses how isolation is affecting the mental health of people of all ages and walks of life and what steps we can take to get through this time.

How can underrepresented students in academia best be prepared to succeed in their professional lives? Dr. Gabriella Sanguineti, a Research & Outreach Coordinator and Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at PRISM at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has endless advice from her journey through academia and experience advocating for students! Dr. Sanguineti recognizes the many people who helped her get to her current position, and the general importance of networking and mentorship in one's career path.

What does a virologist do, and how is the University of California Riverside (UCR) working to keep people safe from COVID-19? Dr. Juliet Morrison, an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Plant Pathology at UCR, discusses her research on host responses to viral pathogens, the COVID-19 pandemic, and her journey into virology after she moved from Jamaica to the United States!

When it comes to dragonfly evolution, are all the questions answered? No! Dr. Jessica L. Ware, an Assistant Curator in Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History, discusses her research on the evolution of insects (dragonflies, in particular), her journey of overcoming barriers throughout her education as an African American woman, and the importance of increasing access to science, technology, engineering, and math education for People of Color, young and old.

What are heterogeneous catalysts, and how can they help address the world's environmental and energy challenges? Dr. K. Leslie Abdul-Aziz, an Assistant Professor in Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of California Riverside, discusses her research on sustainable catalysis and materials, her entrepreneurial spirit, and the importance of research groups that have a diversity of backgrounds encompassing unique experiences and identities.

How can we fight against citrus greening disease? Dr. Emilyn Matsumura, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis, discusses her research on plant and insect viruses and the importance of finding community as an international scholar.

How can we use genetic engineering to combat plant disease? Dr. Jim Thomson, a research geneticist at the USDA, explains his research on using genetic engineering to improve citrus greening disease tolerance and the perks of working as a government scientist for the USDA.

How can engineered genes escape plants? Dr. Norm Ellstrand, a distinguished professor and geneticist at UC Riverside and the director of the California Agriculture and Food Enterprise (CAFE), discusses his career-long fascination in applied plant evolutionary biology, his process for writing popular science, and his love of birding.

What is huanglongbing, and what are scientists doing to combat it? Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell, a research entomologist at UC Riverside and the director of the Lindcove Research and Extension Center, gives an overview of integrated pest management - how scientists fight pests that threaten our crops - and shares her experience as one of the first women in agricultural entomology.

Why are native bees important, and what can we learn from studying their physiology? Dr. Hollis Woodard, an assistant professor of entomology at UC Riverside, discusses her research on bumble bees, the challenges and rewards of being a principal investigator, and the evolutionary questions that initially set her on a path to becoming a scientist.

What does an extension specialist do, and how can good mentorship be career-changing? Dr. Monique Rivera, an extension specialist at UC Riverside, discusses her love of agriculture, her career path from art-enthusiast to scientist, and her experiences with mentorship.