CURIOUS Scientists 🧪

By Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D.

The CURIOUS Scientists Podcast, hosted by Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D., is a platform that offers diverse perspectives on navigating and excelling in STEM careers. It explores the human side of science through... more

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FAQs about CURIOUS Scientists 🧪:

How many episodes does CURIOUS Scientists 🧪 have?

The podcast currently has 4 episodes available.

CURIOUS Scientists 🧪 episodes:

March 18, 2025 How I Animate 3D Molecules in Blender (Step by Step)
How could I quickly animate 3D molecules using free tools?
🤔 Who is this for?Chemistry educators, researchers, and mentors.✨ Join a community of scholars dedicated to making an impact through science; click here: https://www.cuvettecollective.org/📋 What is it about?Animating Dehydration Synthesis of Maltose in 3D using Blender and PyMOL: In this episode, Dr. Rosa demonstrates how to animate the dehydration synthesis of Maltose in 3D using Blender, PyMOL, and an add-on called Atomic Blender. Starting with downloading PyMOL and Blender, Dr. Rosa walks through preparing reactants, importing them into Blender, setting up the animation, and rendering the final product.
Key steps include validating the configurations of beta-D-glucopyranose, cleaning up duplicates in Blender, and highlighting atoms involved in the reaction. Dr. Rosa also covers setting up the world background and rendering the animation frame by frame. The episode promises valuable insights for any scientist interested in molecular animations.⌚️ Helpful Time Stamps & Resources00:00 Intro
00:29 Downloading Software
01:23 About Me
01:36 Animation Steps
02:00 Step 1: Sourcing from PyMOL
04:56 Hire us to animate!
05:06 Step 2: Import to Blender
09:12 Highlighting Atoms
12:05 Step 3: Animating in Blender
23:56 Step 4: World Background
25:44 Step 5: Rendering the Animation👩🏽‍💻 Blog post: www.cuvettecollective.org/molecularanimation/🎙️ Who is the host?Dr. Rosa promotes equity in science education, challenging traditional norms and oppressive systems. She leads several organizations focused on empowering diverse educators and driving systemic improvements. Through these organizations, she aims to foster a community of supportive educators who will transform science education and research.
Professional Network: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessarosaphd/
Personal Content: https://www.tiktok.com/@vanessalearns🙌🏽 How can I help the podcast?If you found this content helpful, please subscribe! If you're already subscribed, leave a like or a comment.
...more
29min
March 05, 20255 Qualities of Effective STEM Mentors with Dr. Juana Mendenhall & her mentees
What makes for an exceptional mentor in STEM?
In today's episode of the CURIOUS Scientists Video Podcast, we interview Dr. Juana Mendenhall and her students to discover five qualities of exceptional STEM mentorship from the perspectives of both the mentor and the mentee.
👕 Order your "Grace & Breaks" t-shirt here.

🤔 Who is this for?
Leaders in STEM who are responsible for mentoring the next generation of academic researchers.

📋 What is it about?
In this episode of the CURIOUS Scientist podcast, Dr. Juana Mendenhall, Vice Provost of Academic Innovation and Learning at Morehouse College, and her mentees share their insights into effective STEM mentorship.
⌚️ Time Stamps
00:00 Preview
01:28 Introduction
02:00 Bidirectional Mentorship
05:33 Scientific Identity
12:04 Adaptive Mentorship
14:42 Research Literacy
18:26 Time Management
📣 Speakers
Juana Mendenhall, Ph.D. | Vice Provost, Walter E. Massey Professor at Morehouse College and Senior Investigator with the Center of Molecularly Optimized Networks.
Isaiah Frazier | Biology Major on Pre-Med Track, McNair Scholar, Phi-Delta Epsilon Member, & Howard Thurmond Honors Program Participant.
Khari Rivers | Undergraduate Student at Morehouse College in Applied Physics & Aerospace Engineering.
Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D. | Director of Broader Impacts, NSF Center for Chemical Innovation (CCI): The Chemistry of Molecularly Optimized Networks.

🔬 Sponsor
This episode was sponsored by the NSF-Funded Center for Chemical Innovation, the Center for Molecularly Optimized Networks, or MONET, as part of its broader impact on higher education and professional development. MONET's overarching goal is to advance the field of polymer science through innovative research while actively engaging and inspiring the public.

🎞️ Editor
A special thank you to Rafael Fernanz, founder of Cinematic Memories, for editing the introduction of today's episode!

📄 Resources
A new way to treat worn knee cartilage; surgery optional with Dr. Juana Mendenhall at TEDxPeachtree.
Soft Skills for STEM by Dr. Juana Mendenhall.
Dr. Mendenhall speaking at the Platform Summit (2015).

🎙️ Who is the host?
Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D., founded Cuvette Collective to partner with scientists in bridging the gap between academic research and societal impact. A leading voice in transforming how researchers demonstrate, measure, and amplify their societal impact, Dr. Rosa combines chemistry, graphic design, animation, and statistics expertise to innovate science communication solutions collaboratively.
Connect Professionally on LinkedIn
Connect Personally on Instagram

🙌🏽 How can I help the podcast?
Level 1: 🧪 If you found this content helpful, please subscribe!
Level 2: 🧬 If you're already subscribed, leave a like or a comment.
Level 3: ⭐️ If you’ve already done that (and are super incredible), you can: Click here to become a monthly Benefactor 🌎 of Cuvette Empowered, an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing grants to scientists with limited resources to broaden their impact.

🌎 Learn more about Cuvette Collective:
✨ Join a community of scholars dedicated to making an impact through science (https://www.cuvettecollective.org).

🎼 Music Licenses:
MB0160UJUMLXQQS
MB01WIWIXZJMVOK
...more
26min
December 05, 2024Experts Discuss 9 CRUCIAL Questions to Succeed in Undergraduate Research
How can we help our undergraduates receive UREs (Undergraduate Research Experiences) across the U.S. and ensure they submit competitive applications?

🤔 Who is this for?
Undergraduate Students and their mentors.

📋 What is it about?
In this episode, we:
Explore the key differences and unique benefits of REUs, including hands-on mentorship from professors, the thrill of discovering the unknown, and the joy of applying classroom knowledge to real-world research.

Learn practical tips on enhancing your REU applications, understand eligibility criteria, and discover the importance of personalized applications.

Find out how REUs can pave your way to graduate school and provide a well-rounded research experience, including funded travel and housing. Don't miss this opportunity to explore different paths and hear real-life experiences from our panelists!

⌚️ Helpful Time Stamps
00:00 Nine Ways to Succeed In Undergraduate Research
01:32 REUs v. Internships
03:39 Can Seniors Apply?
04:52 Previous experience required?
06:56 Time Commitment
07:59 Compensation and Benefits
09:08 Selecting Opportunities
11:26 Common Application Questions
13:22 A Competitive Application
17:09 The Strongest Applications
22:49 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

📣 Speakers
Kylia Butler | GMU Public Health Junior and Student Host

Xia Parkes | GMU Biology Junior and Student Host

Brandon Speed | Doctoral Candidate and President of GMU NOBCChE

Marissa E. Yáñez, Ph.D. | Chief Diversity Officer, UC Berkeley College of Chemistry

Ashley Wallace, Ph.D. | Associate Director of Diversity and Student Engagement, University of Pennsylvania Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter

Jennifer Poo, M.A. | Education, Outreach, and Diversity Manager, NSF Center for Chemical Innovation (CCI): Genetically Encoded Materials

Mike Schwartz, Ph.D. | Managing Director, NSF Center for Chemical Innovation (CCI): Sustainable Nanotechnology

Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D. | Director of Broader Impacts, NSF Center for Chemical Innovation (CCI): The Chemistry of Molecularly Optimized Networks

📄 Helpful Resources
👩🏽‍💻 Blog post: https://www.cuvettecollective.org/ure
NOBCChE

Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) | GMU

Inaugural SURD fellows

Summer Undergraduate Research Diversity Program (SURD)

Summer Research Programs & Scholarships in STEM

Search REU Sites

Summer Research Early Identification Program

Penn VPSE

Applying to Summer Undergraduate Research Programs: Why, How, and More!, Center for Genetically Encoded Materials

Undergrad — NSF CCI

Raychelle - BurksNSF Center for Computer Assisted Synthesis

Cuvette Collective

CURIOUS Scientists 🎙️

🎙️ Who is the host?
Dr. Rosa promotes equity in science education, challenging traditional norms and oppressive systems. She aims to foster a community of supportive educators who will transform science education and research.
Professional Network: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessarosaphd/

Personal Content: https://www.tiktok.com/@vanessalearns

🙌🏽 How can I help the podcast?
Level 1: 🧪 If you found this content helpful, please subscribe!

Level 2: 🧬 If you're already subscribed, leave a like or a comment.

Level 3: ⭐️ If you’ve already done that (and are super incredible), you can:
Become a monthly Benefactor 🌎 of Cuvette Empowered LTD, an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing grants to scientists with limited resources: https://www.cuvettecollective.org/#/portal/signup

Tip the Producers 💸 https://cuvettecollective.org/#/portal/support
...more
25min
October 23, 2024 Be Heard! Effectively Framing Research with Dr. Adri Corrales
How can we effectively communicate equity-centered research in STEM?
✨ Join a community of scholars dedicated to making an impact through science; click here: https://www.cuvettecollective.org/
🤔 Who is this for?
In this episode of CURIOUS Scientists, Dr. Adri Corrales joins the discussion to share her insights on the complexities of navigating power dynamics and effective framing in STEM education.
📋 What is it about?
The conversation covers adaptive strategies for different audiences and balances between innovative and empathetic communication styles. Highlighting challenges in the peer review process, the necessity of clear and accessible presentation, and overcoming traditional academic publishing hurdles, the episode provides practical advice for academics aiming to make their research impactful and accessible. Topics such as the hidden curriculum, visual aids, and engaging social media content emphasize a paradigm shift in academic communication to benefit educators and support educational reforms.
⌚️ Helpful Time Stamps & Resources
00:00 Opener
00:41 Intro
01:08 Storytime: Framing a Conference Talk
06:34 Questions to Ask when Framing Research
10:34 A Framework for Framing
11:48 Effective vs. Ineffective Framing
12:50 Applying the Framing Framework
16:23 A Critical Perspective on Framing
17:50 "Success" as a Researcher
21:01 Framing for Research vs Practice
22:08 Challenges in Academic Writing
27:04 What Academia could learn from Social Media
31:40 What we want to learn about framing
34:40 Should Empathy have no place in Research?
35:45 Outro
TEDx video by Dr. Nat Kendall-Taylor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8wol2nGSpY
Study defining interdependence: "the idea that everyone in the province has a stake in addressing addiction." https://www.frameworksinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/AddictionValuesPaper.pdf?ref=cuvettecollective.org
👩🏽‍💻 Blog post: https://www.cuvettecollective.org/framing/
🎙️ Who are the hosts?
Dr. Adri Corrales:
Dr. Corrales' background is in chemist education research with a focus on equity and inclusion in science education, as well as expertise in qualitative research methods and critical theory.
Professional Network: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-corrales-6a3280124
Dr. Vanessa Rosa:
Dr. Rosa promotes equity in science education, challenging traditional norms and oppressive systems. She leads several organizations focused on empowering diverse educators and driving systemic improvements. Through these organizations, she aims to foster a community of supportive educators who will transform science education and research.
Professional Network: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessarosaphd/
Personal Content: https://www.tiktok.com/@vanessalearns
💃🏽 What can I do about this issue?
Use clear and accessible language to communicate research findings
Provide concrete examples and practical solutions for educators
Consider your intended audience when framing messages
Ensure your framing aligns with your values and beliefs
🙌🏽 How can I help the podcast?
If you found this content helpful, please subscribe! If you're already subscribed, leave a like or a comment.
...more
37min

FAQs about CURIOUS Scientists 🧪:

How many episodes does CURIOUS Scientists 🧪 have?

The podcast currently has 4 episodes available.