What does science look like when you strip away the lab coats and take a peek behind the equipment? In this episode of Blue Collar | White Coat, we meet Kyle Luker — a machinist, welder, former firefighter, and self-taught problem-solver whose hands quietly keep research moving forward. From wildland firefighting to managing an R&D machine shop at a major university, Kyle's winding path into the world of academic science is a reminder that discovery depends on far more than degrees and data.

Kyle shares how he learned to weld in the field, why TIG welding feels like meditation, and how he eventually became the person scientists call when their experiments require something that has never been made before. Along the way, he breaks down the often unseen relationship between engineers and tradespeople, the hidden labor behind every experiment, and why practical experience is just as essential to innovation as theory.

If you've ever wondered who actually builds the equipment that makes scientific breakthroughs possible — or if you're curious about unconventional paths into STEM — this episode will change the way you see scientific work.