Learning & Living STEMM in Connecticut

The American chestnut was once a giant of eastern forests. Then a fungal blight nearly wiped it out, and today Connecticut may have only about 1,000 left. Can it come back? Host Tanimu Deleon talks with Dr. Rachel Jeffrey of Southern Connecticut State University and Dr. Susanna Keriö of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Their two approaches are breeding trees that resist the blight and using a virus that infects the fungus itself. Hear how they're doing it, and how you can help.

What if the traditional view of depression—a simple imbalance of serotonin—was wrong? In this episode of Learning and Living STEM in Connecticut, host Tanimu Deleon talks with Dr. John Krystal, Chair of Psychiatry at Yale and recipient of the 2026 Connecticut Medal of Technology, to discuss his groundbreaking discovery of ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects and how it changed our understanding of depression's biology.

Josh Geballe, Managing Director of Yale Ventures, joins us to explain how the university turns lab discoveries into real-world impact. From accelerator funds and tech transfer to recent billion-dollar exits anchoring talent in Connecticut, Josh offers a clear-eyed look at how research becomes innovation — and why there's never been a better time to build.

The CASE Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program empowers scientists and engineers to work alongside policymakers tackling complex public issues. In this episode, Stephen Nichols, the CASE Science and Technology Policy Fellow serving with the Connecticut General Assembly, discusses his focus on artificial intelligence policy, data privacy, and other emerging technology issues. Listen, subscribe, and never miss an episode.

How do science and engineering shape public policy in Connecticut? This episode explores the CASE Technical Boards, a trusted, nonpartisan resource linking science and engineering to state decision-making. Host Tanimu Deleon is joined by Dr. Kenneth Rosen, Director of the CASE Technical Boards, and Anthony Camilliere, CASE’s liaison to state government, to discuss how technical expertise informs smarter policy and why it’s important.

In the latest episode of Learning and Living STEMM in Connecticut, host Tanimu Deleon is joined by guests from the EnergizeCT Green STEP program to explore how it enhances high school education through hands-on workshops in STEM, energy efficiency, and sustainable building practices—helping students discover real pathways into careers in clean energy and environmental innovation.

In the latest episode of Learning and Living STEMM in Connecticut, host Tanimu Deleon is joined by Michael Winter, Chief Scientist at RTX, the parent company of aviation industry-leading divisions Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Michael and Tan discuss Connecticut's role in the aerospace industry today and what technologies are being developed that show promise for future aviation applications. 

In the latest episode of Learning and Living STEMM in Connecticut, host Tan Deleon is joined by Michael Winter, Chief Scientist at RTX, the parent company of aviation industry-leading divisions Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Michael and Tan discuss Connecticut's role in the aerospace industry today and what technologies are being developed that show promise for future aviation applications. 

Dr. Thomas Pollard is the Sterling Professor Emeritus of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Professor Emeritus of Cell Biology and of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University, and the recipient of the 2025 Connecticut Medal of Science. In this episode, host Tan Deleon asks Tom to share insights from his 60-year career and research focus on the molecular basis of cellular motility and cytokinesis, and during the discussion, Tom reveals how his research was pivotal to the lifesaving treatment he received for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  

In this latest episode, host Tan Deleon is joined by Pamir Alpay and Michael Crair, principal investigators at QuantumCT, to discuss quantum—what it is and what it isn’t—and how Connecticut is among the leaders in the research and application of quantum technologies.