Locally Sourced Science

In today’s show, you’ll hear about two citizen science projects that are happening in our area.

First off, Liz Mahood speaks with Nathaniel Launer, outreach coordinator at the Community Science Institute, also known as CSI.  He will describe ongoing citizen science projects involving monitoring of local bodies of water.

For more information about Community Science Institute synoptic stream sampling, go to: http://www.communityscience.org/volunteer/synoptic-sampling/ 

After that, you’ll hear Jeff Pea’s interview of Dr. Emma Greig.  She is the project leader at Project Feeder Watch based at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  She describes how Project Feeder watch works and how the project concluded with an extra month this past season as the pandemic started to spread across North America.

For more information about Project Feeder Watch, visit: https://feederwatch.org/

To close out the show, we present an interview about a new, remote youth education program being run this August by the Cornell Botanic Garden.  It is called “Plants Have Families, Too”, and will provide materials to kids ages 8 to 11 so that they can get outside and learn about plant families.  Cornell Botanic Gardens hopes that this program will inspire young students to become budding scientists. To learn more, visit: https://events.cornell.edu/event/plants_have_families_too

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Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interview of Nathaniel Launer: Liz Mahood

Interview of Dr. Emma Grieg: Jeff Pea

Interview about “Plants have Families Too”: Esther Racoosin

Music: Joe Lewis, Blue Dot Sessions, Ben Jordan

In today’s show, you will hear about different programs in which mentors help students learn more about science.

First, you’ll hear an interview of Dr. Kelly Jun Liu. She is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG) at Cornell University. Dr. Liu, Dr. Tim Huffaker and Dr. Volker Vogt direct the MBG Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates, also known as the REU program.  In the interview, Dr. Liu describes how the REU program introduces students to the experience of developing, working on and presenting a research project. 

The REU program was initiated in 2013 by Dr. Eric Alani. It has continued up to the present, although the 2020 program had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MBG program receives financial support from the National Science Foundation and several programs at Cornell, including the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the Weill Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, and the Division of Nutritional Sciences. The MBG program has received administrative help from Anne Dunford, Katelynn Wagner, Jennifer Robinson, and Joan Olson. More information can be found here: https://mbg.cornell.edu/undergraduate/summer-research-experience/

In the second portion of our show, we hear an interview of Cornell graduate student Lisette Payero. She is a fellow in the Alfred P. Sloan Minority Graduate Scholarship Program.  Payero discusses the features of the Sloan graduate program, the mentor- training component of the program, and her research interests.

In the third segment of today’s show, you’ll hear about how local K-12 students are learning about Science Technology, Engineering, Art and Math fields in their 4-H clubs. These students are participating in the annual Tompkins County Youth 4-H fair. Brenda Carpenter, Cornell Cooperative Extension-Tompkins 4-H Coordinator, talks about how the 4-H participants have been able to move ahead with the fair amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more, visit http://ccetompkins.org/4-h-youth.

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Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interview of Dr. Kelly Liu; Interview of Brenda Carpenter: Esther Racoosin

Interview of Lisette Payero: Candice Limper

Music: Joe Lewis, Blue Dot Sessions, Ben Jordan

In today’s show, we highlight the work of three researchers at Cornell University who are people of color.  All three of the scientists study different aspects of how the human immune system responds to pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. 

The show begins with Scarlett Lee’s interview of Dr. Avery August.  He is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor of Immunology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. August is also Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at Cornell.  In the interview, Dr. August reflects on how he was first introduced to the concept of doing laboratory research by an organic chemistry professor. He also discusses how he became interested in doing immunology research. Dr. August details his current research goals as well as his hopes for helping to increase the diversity of the Cornell faculty.

Later in the show, Candice Limper speaks with Jessica Elmore, a graduate student in Dr. August’ lab.  She discusses her research understanding the role of immune cells in the development of chronic lung inflammatory disease.

Today’s show concludes with Liz Mahood’s interview of Kristel Joy Yee Mon, a graduate student who is completing her PhD research in the field of developmental immunology.  She is a member of the laboratory of Associate Professor Brian Rudd at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

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Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interview of Dr. Avery August: Scarlett Lee

Interview of Jessica Elmore: Candice Limper

Interview of Kristel Joy Yee Mon: Liz Mahood

This month has been marked by protests and rallies across the country.  Americans are calling for racial justice, and scientists and scholars in academia are talking about how to dismantle systemic racism in their fields of study.

A multi-identity, intersectional coalition of STEM professionals and academics has started a movement called #ShutDownSTEM.

To learn more about this movement, Candice Limper spoke with Graduate Student Jeff Pea.  We’ll hear their conversation at the beginning of the show.

Butterfly being struck by raindrop (video courtesy of Dr. Sunny Jung)

In the second part of today’s show, Dr. Scarlett Lee speaks with Dr. Sunghwan “Sunny” Jung. His laboratory studies how insects, birds and plants survive pounding forces experienced during hard rains. Dr. Jung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering in the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His journal article can be found at: https://www.pnas.org/content/117/25/13901

We close out the show with the science news.

Show Host: Marty Alani

Show Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interview of Jeff Pea: Candice Limper

Interview of Dr. Sunghwan “Sunny” Jung: Scarlett Lee

On today’s show, we will be covering different scientific topics

First, Dr. Scarlett Lee interviews Doug Olsen, Vice President of operations at Ithaca-based Rheonix, Inc., about his company’s COVID-19 MDx Assay using their Encompass workstation.  Rheonix recently received FDA Emergency Use Authorization for their machine that quickly analyzes nasopharyngeal swab test samples.

Later in the show, Esther Racoosin speaks with Dr. Vivian Zayas, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Cornell University. Zayas studies how people’s minds shape, and are shaped by, their life circumstances. She recently wrote an article titled, “How people react to the threat of disease could mean COVID-19 is reshaping personalities”. https://theconversation.com/how-people-react-to-the-threat-of-disease-could-mean-covid-19-is-reshaping-personalities-137366

You’ll also hear a report on recent local science news from Liz Mahood.

Show Host and Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interview of Doug Olsen: Scarlett Lee and Candice Limper

Interview of Dr. Vivian Zayas: Esther Racoosin

Music: Joe Lewis, Blue Dot Sessions, Ben Jordan

Today should be the first day of the Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference (PCST 2020), in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Sadly, it was postponed due to COVID-19. We decided to bring the spirit of the conference (that wasn’t) to you through interviews we conducted at the previous PCST conference that was held in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2018. In Dunedin, we spoke with attendees who have/had connections to the Finger Lakes region, especially to Cornell University.

Bruce Lewenstein has been on this show many times before. He is one of the founders of the PCST network. He is a Professor of Science Communication at Cornell University and the Chair of the Department of Science and Technology studies. He talked to us about the importance of the PCST network.

We also interviewed two of his former students, who are both well-established professors now: Dominique Brossard is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and John Besley
is the Ellis N. Brandt professor of Public relations at Michigan State University.

• Lewenstein
• Brossard
• Besley

Two other conference attendees with Cornell ties were Christine O’Connell, who at the time was a professor at Stony Brook’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and School of Journalism. Since then she became the Executive Director of a nonprofit foundation called Riley’s Way. She talked to us about the workshop she has developed, that focused on women in STEM fields and bias in science communication. Christine received her bachelor’s degree at Cornell.

We also spoke to Vicki Martin about how Citizen Science fits into Public Communication. Vicki was a Research Fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and is currently a Research Fellow at the Institute for Future Environments at the Queensland University of Technology.

We produced this episode because PCST had a strong impact on two Locally Sourced Science contributors, Kitty Gifford and Mark Sarvary who attended the PCST conference in 2018. They organized an international panel on bringing science communication education to the undergraduate level.

Conversations at PCST 2018 helped to flesh out ideas about a Science Communication and Public Engagement undergraduate minor that was launched at Cornell University in Spring 2020. If you are interested in Science Communication, join the Friends of Cornell University SciComm (FOCUS) LinkedIn group.

Show Host and Producer: Mark Sarvary
Music: Joe Lewis

In today’s episode, we observe the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day by exploring soil bacteria and volcanology. We also learn about how to observe the natural world that surrounds us.

We start off with a brief history of Earth Day presented by Candice Limper.

In our feature interview, Janani Harihanan speaks with soil scientist Dr. Roland Wilhelm. They discuss the newly discovered and characterized soil bacterium Paraburkholderia madseniana, which is named after the late Cornell scientist Eugene Madsen. Dr. Wilhelm also talks about the fascinating ways that plants and soil bacteria interact with each other.

Later on in the show, Liz Mahood presents an overview of one of Earth’s most iconic features, the volcano. She talks about some current volcano research and what scientists are learning about the causes of some eruptions.

We also hear from local educator Laurie Rubin about the benefits of getting outside and observing the natural world.

We close out the show with a poetry reading, in observance of National Poetry Month. Local author Jay Leeming reads “At the Falls”, from his book Miracle Atlas.

Show Producer: Esther Racoosin

Featured Interview: Janani Harihanan

Music: Joe Lewis, Blue Dot Sessions, Ben Jordan

In today’s show and in future shows, Locally Sourced Science will be covering different scientific topics relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, you’ll hear a feature from veterinarian and Cornell graduate student Dr. Scarlett Lee. She speaks with Dr. Steven Osofsky, a wildlife veterinarian at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.  He talks about the evidence that SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, came from wild species being sold in urban markets.  Osofsky then discusses why governments must put a stop to the trade and sale of wildlife species in order to conserve those species and maintain human, animal and environmental health.

Later in the show, in observance of early spring and the re-emergence of flora and fauna, you’ll hear a lively aural landscape of birds and bees.  Cornell student Ben DeMoras, who attended last summer’s workshop on applied science communication at Cornell’s Shoals Marine lab on Appledore Island, talks about some of the research being done on the Island. 

Show Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interviews: Dr. Scarlett Lee, Ben DeMoras

Music: Joe Lewis, Blue Dot Sessions, Ben Jordan

In the month of March, we are recognizing the contributions of women scientists to all fields of science.   This is our last edition of our special Women’s History Month episodes. Of course, LSS will continue to post interviews of women scientists in upcoming shows.

Today, you’ll hear a podcast from Cornell graduate student and Locally Sourced Science contributor, Candice Limper.  She speaks with fellow graduate student Dr. Scarlett Lee from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.
In this interview, Dr. Lee, who is a veterinarian, talks about what is known so far about COVID-19 disease in humans of different ages.  She discusses the disease in light of her research interest, which is the effect of age on the immune system.

Later in the show, you’ll hear an interview of Dr. Jarra Jagne, a veterinarian and Senior Extension Associate at the Animal Health Diagnostic Lab in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University.  She specializes in avian diseases and advises poultry producers on how to avoid disease outbreaks in their flocks. Here, she talks about zoonotic diseases such as SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, that can spread from animals to humans.

Also, in today’s show, Liz Mahood’s presents a profile of Dr. Mary Guinan, the Dean of the School of Community Health Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Show Producer: Esther Racoosin

Interviews: Candice Limper & Esther Racoosin

Profile of Dr. Mary Guinan: Liz Mahood

Music: Joe Lewis, Blu Dot Sessions, Ben Jordan

While this is another episode celebrating woman scientists, first we talk about the importance of handwashing and Ignac Semmelweis the father of handwashing.

As you know, this month we are recognizing Women scientists, and the contributions that they are making to help us understand the diverse world around us and the worlds inside us. 

We recently spoke with Dr. Mingming Wu, Professor of Biological and Environmental Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  Dr. Wu uses engineering and physics principles to understand biological processes.  She is interested in the forces that are exerted on cells, or by cells, when they move inside the body.  

In January of this year, Dr. Wu and colleagues published a study exploring how breast cancer tumor cells move inside the body.  The group created a device that could be used to study how breast cancer cells respond to the presence of a chemokine, a hormone released by lymph node immune cells that can attract tumor cells in the body. 

At the AAAS meeting in 2018, we interviewed Dr. Amelia Safi, who talked about the use of antibiotics in the dairy industry.

Lastly, we dedicated a segment to Tu Youyou, who won the “Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine” in 2015.

Show Producer: Mark Sarvary

Interviews: Mark Sarvary & Esther Racoosin

Profile of Tu Youyou: Liz Mahood

Music: Joe Lewis