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Our guest today is Richard Edden 

Richard is a professor in the department of Neuroradiology at Johns Hopkins University. 

He uses a tool — a technology, a method— called Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to study the brain. Richard’s group focuses on both method development — how can they make MRS better? More informative? — and also what the specific findings mean for brain health. 

Resources:

Edden Research Group Web Page

Pubmed

Pubmed Central 

Healthy Brain and Child Development Study 

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Richard and today’s topic [1:20];

*Richard talks about his path to becoming a scientist, starting with growing up in Hampshire, England [2:18];

*On how a postdoc is a chance to go to the edge of what are qualified to do — go sideways — [15:30];

*What it’s like to work in a big lab [17:56];

*How interpreting an NMR spectrum is like solving a puzzle [18:50];

*How electronegativity is fundamental to NMR spectroscopy [24:12];

*Richard’s group has worked on interpreting magnetic resonance spectra taken on brain tissue [36:33];

*Magnetic resonance spectrum peaks — in brain tissue, one of the strongest peaks is from creatine [39:00];

*Richard began to ask, what can we do about some of those weaker signals in the spectra? [42:17]:

*Improving methods for looking at GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, in the brain [42:30];

*Richard’s primary interest in the methods vs the neuroscience led to a a funny thing that happened at a conference [46:20];

*How do changes between people in the amount of GABA relate to people’s ability to do particular tasks? [48:43];

*The approach Richard’s group has taken with Hadamard encoding (subtraction editing) to amplify the GABA signal [51:13];

*We made the experiment twice as fast because we eliminated waste in the old way of doing things [59:00];

*How Richard had the idea for Hadamard encoding years before putting it in practice with GABA in the brain [1:01:42];

*It’s always better to be doing something than not doing something, but doing starts you thinking and generating more ideas [1:03:45];

*These methods are being used in many studies, including the Healthy Brain and Childhood Development study - national level, 25 universities - recruiting pregnant mothers to study brains of thousands of babies during the first five years of life [1:04:15];

*Listener question from Lucy Pohl, an 11th grader at Nightingale-Bamford school in Manhattan: What issues in science have become more significant to you as a result of your research? [1:09:01];

*Richard gives advice to students interested in a career in science [1:12:34];

*Resources for listeners to learn more about Richard’s work [1:20:12]

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Our guest today is Richard Edden. 

Richard is a professor in the department of Neuroradiology at Johns Hopkins University. 

He uses a tool — a technology, a method— called Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to study the brain. Richard’s group focuses on both method development — how can they make MRS better? More informative? — and also what the specific findings mean for brain health. 

In this MINI episode, Richard talks to us about spectroscopy and a particular kind of spectroscopy: nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, also known as NMR (and more familiarly, MRI.) Richard talks about why electronegativity, a concept taught in high school and early college chemistry, is essential to how NMR works.  

Tune in on Thursday for the full-length interview!

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Richard and today’s topic [0:56];

*Susan explains electronegativity and phrases the question to Richard [1:45];

*Richard answers, beginning with an explanation of spectroscopy, starting with the visible light spectrum [3:12];

*Richard describes NMR and how electronegativity influences it [4:23];

*Richard talks about the features of molecules in our body and how NMR can help distinguish them [8:44]

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Our guest today is Stephen Steiner: President, CEO, and founder of Aerogel Technologies. Stephen has a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Materials Chemistry and Engineering which he completed in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering, also from MIT. 

Stephen has such an interesting story of really falling in love with science at a young age and doing so many interesting things on both the discovery side and the business side of science, really focused on aerogels. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stephen’s Aerogel Website 

Photo of an aerogel - looks holographic

Aerogel Protects Chocolate from Blowtorch video

Search “Supercritical Magic Carpet” on Youtube 

Search “World’s Lightest Solid” on Youtube 

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Stephen and today’s topic [1:24];

*Stephen tells us what aerogels are [3:20];

*Stephen talks about his middle school science fair projects which he did for extra credit, not because he liked science — at first! [4:27];

*Stephen’s high school science fair projects, now that he liked science! [6:09];

*Stephen’s foray into competitive science seminar with a teacher who taught him the algorithm for creativity [9:30];

*Things to consider when picking a research topic [12:23];

*Stephen’s first foray into making an aerogel [15:28]; 

*Removing a liquid from a gel while preserving the gel-like structure in a process called supercritical drying [21:10];

*Stephen decides to make an autoclave for supercritical drying [24:58];

*After FORTY tries, Stephen makes his first aerogel in his basement, at age 17! [30:00];

*Having a do-it-yourself attitude and persistence [35:14];

*Stephen’s experience with normal science classes while he was conducting real research in his basement in middle and high school [37:05];

*Undergrad institutions and what it takes to get in [45:04];

*Stephen applying to graduate programs and getting into MIT [49:05];

*Senior, established scientists like to help younger people who reach out for help [52:52];

*Stephen’s commitment to sharing knowledge and making knowledge accessible [53:22];

*Aerogels and their interesting properties [1:01:32];

*Why aerogels are such good insulators — the Knudsen effect [1:04:52];

*How do properties of elements perpetuate in aerogels made out of those elements? [1:10:27];

*How aerogels were first invented [1:15:29];

*Why making aerogels ends up breaking the ideal gas law [1:18:35];

*What does it mean when PV no longer equals nRT? [1:20:53];

*What is the critical point? Liquid and the gas become the same! [1:25:12];

*Properties of supercritical fluids and the magic in watching them form [1:29:12];

*Applications of aerogels kicked off by a listener question from Riley, a junior from the Chapin School, about aerogels and space travel [1:33:07];

*The challenging problem of insulating cryogenic tanks for rockets and potential for polyimide aerogels to solve this [1:37:07];

*What advice does Stephen have for students interested in science? Spoiler: Thorium! [1:45:40]

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Our guest today is Stephen Steiner. 

Stephen is President, CEO, and founder of Aerogel Technologies, a company based outside of Boston. Stephen has a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Materials Chemistry and Engineering which he completed in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering, also from MIT. 

And prior to graduate school, Stephen got his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and that is actually how I know Stephen! I was in the graduate program in chemistry and a lab teaching assistant one summer — I think it was the summer of 2001 — and Stephen was working at the stockroom window where undergrads needed to get various supplies for completing their lab projects.

Stephen has such an interesting story of really falling in love with science at a young age and doing so many interesting things on both the discovery side and the business side of science, focused on aerogels. 

In this MINI episode, Stephen talks to us about the invention of aerogels, and how the process of making them defies the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, and how we see that by the formation of a critical fluid. Tune in on Thursday for the full-length interview!

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Stephen and today’s topic [0:56];

*Stephen tells us what aerogels are [3:02];

*Stephen describes the invention of aerogels [3:38];

*Stephen talks about why the ideal gas law no longer holds in the formation of aerogels [6:26].

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Our guest today is Jodi Schottenfeld-Roames. We also have guests hosts — Serena Bunkin and Riley McManus. Serena and Riley are juniors at The Chapin School and are co-hosts of the Bio Break podcast. 

Jodi is a lecturer in the Molecular Biology department at Princeton University. She teaches a research course for molecular biology majors in their junior year, she co-teaches a biology course for non-majors, and teaches in the Freshman Scholars Institute. Jodi’s research explores the genetic and cell biological requirements to form a branched tubular organ system, like our circulatory system for example. 

Links to resources or topics mentioned in this episode:

Higher Educating — an article featuring Jodi’s teaching, written by Susan Keatley for the Princeton Alumni Weekly magazine

Learn.Genetics: Genetic Science Learning Center (University of Utah)

HHMI Biointeractive 

iBiology 

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Jodi, Serena, and Riley and today’s topic [1:31];

*Riley asks what led Jodi to pursue a career in science [2:55];

*Serena asks Jodi about integrating research and teaching [10:30];

*Jodi talks about the fall research course she teaches for junior molecular biology majors at Princeton [11:17];

*Learning to be a scientist — going from learning the basics in introductory courses to asking questions and designing experiments to push science forward [13:45];

*Susan asks about how Jodi eases this transition of learning to be a scientist for students [15:32];

*Jodi describes genotypes and phenotypes, and talks about the work her students do to better understand this relationship in the fruit fly tracheal system [18:10];

*Jodi shares some results from this work [24:45];

*The amazing and beautiful shapes of cells [25:43];

*Model systems — what are they? How are they helpful in biology? [28:20];

*Riley comments on model systems and Jodi adds more — model systems help us get basic research done so we can do applied work (e.g., develop medicines) in humans [32:56];

*Serena comments and talks about learning style and hands-on learning methods, then she asks how Jodi’s teaching has pushed her research forward and vice versa [36:13];

*Jodi shares how research affects her teaching — the nature of a research class helps Jodi get to know each student deeply and understand what each student needs to learn, and also talks about how teaching impacts research [37:33];

*Riley asks about teaching students who are not science majors [43:40];

*Jodi talks about the importance of teaching science to non-majors and gives examples of when this knowledge could be useful like serving on a jury or facing a difficult diagnosis [44:20];

*Susan asks Jodi about advice she would give to students interested in science - Jodi talks about free outreach events at nearby colleges [49:52];

*Jodi recommends a few online resources for anyone wanting to learn more about biology (these are listed as links above in the show notes) [52:41]

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Our guest today is Jodi Schottenfeld-Roames. We also have guests hosts — Serena Bunkin and Riley McManus. Serena and Riley are juniors at The Chapin School and are co-hosts of the Bio Break podcast. 

Jodi is lecturer in the Molecular Biology department at Princeton University. She teaches a research course for molecular biology majors in their junior year, she co-teaches a biology course for non-majors, and teaches in the Freshman Scholars Institute. Jodi’s research explores the genetic and cell biological requirements to form a branched tubular organ system, like our circulatory system for example. 

In this MINI episode, Jodi talks about the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and how her lab conducts research to learn more about this connection in the fruit fly tracheal system. Tune in on Thursday for the full-length interview!

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Jodi, Serena, and Riley and today’s topic [0:56];

*Jodi explains the terms genotype and phenotype and how they relate to each other [2:42];

*Jodi describes the research she and her students do to better understand the genotype-phenotype connection in the fruit fly tracheal system [6:47];

*What this works suggests about cell shape [9:22];

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Elizabeth is the leader of the Metric Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, also known as NIST, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In this role, Elizabeth serves as the national advocate for the International System of Units, known as the SI, in the United States.

Our timing could also not be better, as this episode will air during Metric Week in the United States! October 5 - 11. 

Links to resources or topics mentioned in this episode:

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

NIST Metric Program 

Beyond Measure 

Redefining the the SI in 2018

Kibble balance including video 

DIY Kibble balance video 

SI Teacher Kits from NIST

Top 10 Tips for Teaching the Metric System

US Metric Association Science Fair Award Program 

US Metric Association National Metric Awards 

NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

NIST Professional Research Experience Program (PREP)

NIST International and Academic Affairs Office 

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Elizabeth and today’s topic [1:43];

*What led Elizabeth to pursue a career in metrology [3:06];

*Origins of the metric system [12:15];

*Metric system prefixes over the last 150 years [15:12];

*Structure of the metric system — the units, constants, and prefixes [17:26];

*Replacing the final physical objects of the metric system in 2018 [19:24];

*Conventional versus the Kibble balance and impact on measurement accuracy [21:33];

*The Metric Program and everything Elizabeth does as leader [26:55];

*Metric system misconceptions [30:09];

*Examples of the metric system in everyday life [33:40];

*Visualizing volume with the metric system [37:27];

*Science literacy and the metric system [39:08];

*Importance of standardization in science and measurement [41:30];

*Resources for students and teachers [43:50];

*US Metric Association awards [48:56]; 

*NIST internships and professional development programs for middle school teachers [51:30]

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Elizabeth is a physical scientist and the leader of the Metric Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, also known as NIST, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In this role, Elizabeth serves as the national advocate for the International System of Units, known as the SI, in the United States. As the NIST website states, “The Metric Program supports businesses, officials, educators, and the public in understanding and applying the SI across commerce, education, and daily life.”

Our timing could also not be better, as this episode will air during Metric Week in the United States! October 5 - 11. 

In this MINI episode, Elizabeth talks about the origins of the metric system and dispels a misconception about the metric system. Tune in on Thursday for the full-length interview!

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Elizabeth and today’s topic [0:56];

*Origins of the metric system [2:11];

*Metric system misconceptions [6:33]

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Sarina is a product manager at a software company that specializes in lab safety, SciSure.

Topics mentioned in this episode:

On safe chemical storage: Stanford Compatible Storage Group Guide 

Prudent Practices In the Laboratory

 CSHEMA- Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association 

Chemical and Engineering News series on Lab Safety in Wake of UCLA Accident 

On careers in HVAC:

He Skipped College to Become a Repairman from the Wall Street Journal August 2024

Why I Skipped College to Be an HVAC Tech from the Wall Street Journal June 2024 

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Sarina and today’s topic [1:41];

*What led Sarina to pursue a career in lab safety [3:27];

*What does Sarina love about her job and why is it a good fit for her skill set? [7:20];

*Some of the top safety concerns real labs face [9:29];

*How has safety software helped? [15:09];

*Compliance versus safety and how software plays a role in compliance [16:46];

*Ensuring centralized and standardized information in a lab [18:48];

*On how the culture of lab safety has changed in recent decades [23:31];

*On safe chemical storage, and a listener question from a 6th grader at Cockeysville Middle School in Baltimore Country about mixing chemicals [31:03];

*Examples of specific chemicals that should not be mixed [36:28];

*The joys and dangers of dry ice [37:48];

*What are the career opportunities in the safety field and what skills are required in these jobs? [40:40]:

*The sustainability aspect of lab safety [42:55];

*Sarina’s advice for students interested in science [45:37]

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Sarina is a product manager at a software company that specializes in lab safety — the company is called SciSure. Sarina has a background in chemistry — she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Haverford College, and went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from New York University. I reached out to Sarina about the podcast when I read on her Linked In page that she works at the intersection of science, safety and software. I loved this description — it made me think about the importance of safety in the lab on a lot of levels - personal safety in terms of lab accidents but also longer term exposure to certain chemicals, etc and also environmental safety — and made me want to learn more about how software tools can help with safety.  

In this MINI episode, Sarina talks a bit about what it’s like to have a career in lab safety, discusses some of the safety challenges real labs face, and answers a listener question from a 6th grader about mixing chemicals. Tune in on Thursday for the full-length interview! 

Highlights of the episode:

*Susan introduces Sarina and today’s topic [0:55];

*What led Sarina to pursue a career in lab safety [2:09];

*Some of the top safety concerns real labs face [4:54];

*On safe chemical storage, and a listener question from a 6th grader at Cockeysville Middle School in Baltimore Country about mixing chemicals [6:15];

*Example of chemicals that should not be mixed together [10:26]

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