In the Spotlight

The process of developing from a single fertilized egg cell to a mature adult requires your cells to know exactly what specialization they will have AND spatially where they need to be in the developing organism. That's a lot for us to figure out! PhD student Andrew Montequin uses frogs to study exactly how these cellular processes occur so that we can better understand everything from evolution to cancer metastasis. 

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Evo-Devo (Despacito Biology Parody) by A Capella Science (YouTube video)
• Biologists Home In on Turing Patterns (news article) 
• Why use the frog in research? 
• Lab website for the LaBonne Lab at Northwestern University

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Climate change is something a lot of us hear about on a daily basis, but how much do we really know about the history of our climate. It turns out our Earth's past may hold some clues to its future.  Here to walk us through her work in Deep Time is Nilou Sarvian, a 5th year PhD candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary sciences at Northwestern University.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• A fascinating insight into the triggers for Snowball Earths
• A short video Climeworks, a novel carbon-capture technology
• A somber piece on The Atlantic discussing the latest IPCC report

Make sure to reach out to Nilou on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Evidence-based interventions are so critical to treating mental illness and behaviors like suicide, but the road to developing these interventions is far from easy. Psychology PhD candidate Abby Ridge-Anderson shares more about her path into adolescent suicide research, how new treatments can specifically target the drivers of suicide, and common misconceptions about suicide and mental illness.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Ask Dr. Jill: Does Mental Illness Play a Role in Suicide? (website)
• Uncovering Suicidal Thoughts and 10 Things to Say to a Suicidal Person (website for suicidal individuals and their loved ones)
• Reach Out: How to Help Someone at Risk of Suicide (article)
• News articles on Meghan Markle's mental health stories and ways that it has changed the way we talk about suicide
• Suicidal Behavior in Children and Adolescents by Barry M. Wagner (book)
• Managing Suicidal Risk: A Collaborative Approach by David A. Jobes (book)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents by Alec M. Miller, Jill H. Rathus, & Marsha M. Linehan (book)

If you or someone you care about is struggling with suicidal thoughts, we encourage you to check out the following resources: 

• The Jed Foundation
• 13 Reasons Why by Helping Give Away Psychological Science (HGAPS)
• The Trevor Project
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)
• The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) 

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

While the concept of tiny houses may evoke imagery straight out of a fairy tale, these small abodes help empower women around the world. Here to walk us through this fascinating concept is Alice Wilson, a 3rd year PhD candidate in urban sociology at the University of York, in the United Kingdom. Join us as we chat about the definition, history, and significance of tiny homes.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• This article from the Conversation on why more and more people are living in tiny homes
• This article on the unspoken difficulties of living in a tiny house
• This (accessible!) academic article assessing whether tiny homes are here to stay
• Alice's blog, where you can keep up with her latest thoughts on the subject
• A great episode from our friends over at HookedOnScience

Make sure to reach out to Alice on Twitter or Instagram!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

We are introducing a new monthly policy episode series called "Science Policy in the Spotlight," where we will focus our attention on a timely and local policy topic in the greater Chicago area and understand how science helps inform the topic. This series, we're focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 schooling.
In the 4th and final episode of this series, we are focusing on one aspect of education that's been particularly challenging during the changing learning environments of the pandemic - social and emotional learning (SEL). Former educator and now Northwestern University professor Dr. Tim Dohrer shares his decades of experience on the topic and personal observations of how SEL has changed in the last few years!
If you want to learn more about the information discussed throughout this episode, our sources are listed here: 

• Introduction to the topic of education loss during the pandemic from the University of Arizona and CNBC
• Statistics on mental health of children shared by Dr. Dohrer on depression rates and treatment seeking
• Information on the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and one of their recent working papers on supportive relationship building and resilience
• The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) in Chicago and their introductory page on social and emotional learning
• CPS remote learning policies and a news article entitled "Chicago Public School student says high school students should leave cameras on during remote learning" 

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases! Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu 

We are introducing a new monthly policy episode series called "Science Policy in the Spotlight," where we will focus our attention on a timely and local policy topic in the greater Chicago area and understand how science helps inform the topic. This series, we're focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 schooling.
In the 3rd episode of this 4 episode series, we next dive into the research behind COVID-19, but this time more specifically about transmission and risk mitigation strategies in schools. Dr. Priya Edward and many others from Lurie Children's Hospital are doing ongoing research on how SARS-COV-2 transmission through schools can be characterized and shares about how this could make a big difference in how we make policy decisions moving forward.
If you want to learn more about the information discussed throughout this episode, our sources are listed here: 

• Dr. Edward's study on asymptomatic COVID-19 transmission in Chicago private schools and preprint study on COVID-19 variants in children
• Information on the childhood opportunity index measurement
• Detailed information on COI in Chicago zip codes as of 2015 and the "Healthy Chicago 2.0" plan of action that incorporates COI data
• Chicago Teacher's Union's safety committee resources, including vaccination rates in Chicago Public Schools
• The CDC's "Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools" 

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases! Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu 

We are introducing a new monthly policy episode series called "Science Policy in the Spotlight," where we will focus our attention on a timely and local policy topic in the greater Chicago area and understand how science helps inform the topic. This series, we're focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 schooling.
In the 2nd episode of this 4 episode series, we are hearing much more on the topic of risk and transmission in kids - are children really as immune to COVID-19 as the media portrays them to be? What research questions do we still need to figure out? All this and more from a pediatric infectious disease specialist, Dr. Taylor Heald-Sargent!
If you want to learn more about the information discussed throughout this episode, our sources are listed here: 

• Dr. Heald-Sargent's early paper from the pandemic on SARS-CoV-2 in children
• CDC's March 11th MMWR report on COVID-19 risk in children
• More on the ABC Science Collaborative and their study on rates of secondary transmission in schools

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases! Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

We are introducing a new monthly policy episode series called "Science Policy in the Spotlight," where we will focus our attention on a timely and local policy topic in the greater Chicago area and understand how science helps inform the topic. This series, we're focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 schooling.
In the 1st episode of this 4 episode series, we will hear from Chicago Public Schools nurse and active member of the Chicago Teachers Union, Dennis Forsuth, to best understand the teacher experience during the changing safety guidelines of COVID-19. 
If you want to learn more about the information discussed throughout this episode, our sources are listed here: 

• "90% of U.S. school boards are picked by voters, but not in Chicago. Here's why that could change" news article
• "Chicago will have the largest elected school board of any major U.S. city" news article
• Nationwide analysis of school boards from the Pew Charitable Trust
• COVID-19 Vaccine Doses by ZIP Code reported and updated by the city of Chicago
• COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Data reported and updated by the Illinois Department of Public Health
• "South Siders In Chicago’s Least-Vaccinated Areas Say Misinformation, Mistrust Behind The Lag. Here’s What They Say Can Help" news article
• "Chicago teachers approve deal to end walkout over COVID safety protocols" news article
• Risk of diabetes diagnosis in kids after COVID-19 as studied by the CDC and as reported by the New York Times
• "What's new in the January 2022 Safety Agreement?" summary fact sheet by the Chicago Teachers Union
• What is an unfair labor practice (ULP)? from the U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority
• Update on the CTU: "ULP charge now moves to trial before an administrative law judge" news article 

If you want to follow the Chicago Teachers Union, you can follow them on Twitter or check out their website and blog for updates.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases! Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

The world of prostheses has been advancing rapidly, but how can we make sure that the benefits are reaped by everyone that needs it? Here to talk us through prosthetic development and equity initiatives in the field is Maggie Swerdloff, a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at Northwestern University.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Check out the EEG Hair Project to learn more about diversity in EEG research
• Find out about interesting prostheses research at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab

Make sure to reach out to Maggie on Twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

Welcome to In the Spotlight, the science communication podcast brought to you by Northwestern University's Science Policy Outreach Taskforce! This season, we are unveiling a new episode series alongside our normal content, called "Science Policy in the Spotlight." We want to showcase some local policy issues in the greater Chicago and Evanston communities where science is important to the discussion. Each policy series, we will interview scientists, community members, elected officials, and more to try to understand different perspectives and how science informs their work. We can't wait to release the first series on March 28th - see you then!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu