Science in Progress

In today's episode I talk with Gina Ramirez, a PhD candidate at Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste in La Paz, Mexico. Gina and I met just over a year ago when I was an instructor with the NGO Clubes de Ciencia. Gina is one of the amazingly dedicated staff members in La Paz and with the team there, she coordinates 1 week workshops for undergraduates in Mexico that are all about science! We also get to hear about Gina's exciting research that includes analzying data about fish communities in national parks and a National Geographic funded project involving an underwater ROV.

Clubes de Ciencia  Gina's Research CIBNOR UABCS Alcoholes académicos

So excited to be joined by Laura Abondano on this episode.  Laura and I started chatting about recording this show about a year ago.  I found Laura's work on the website 500 women scientists.  She studies woolly monkey reproductive behaviors and paternity patterns.  We hear all about Laura's research and what it's like studying primates in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.

Laura has a website with colleagues where they post awesome info about woolly monkeys. Find it here:

https://monochorongo.wordpress.com/

In this episode, I have a fun conversation with Dave Thomas from University of Oklahoma.  We walk about Dave's research in plant biology and biofuels.  We also hear about his strategies for using carnivorous plants to teach plant bio at his home institution!

In this episode I chat with Abbie Kropf a 2nd year PhD student at Iowa State University.  Abbie is in the department of entomology at Iowa State.  In this episode, we talk about how Abbie started in her Masters research in Costa Rica.  She spend multiple seasons in Costa Rica studying forest fragmentation with Dr. Mike Wasserman and Dr. Peter Beck.  

We also have a great discussion about perserserverance in grad school and suggestions for finding grad school labs that will be a good fit.

As a side note, Abbie was incredibly kind when my dog began barking mid-recording.  Thanks, Abbie!!

Find more info on Abbie's research here: https://www.ent.iastate.edu/dept/faculty/gassmann/people/abigail-kropf

Johnny joins me on the podcast to discuss his research on coastal resilience and climate change.  Johnny's currently a PhD student at Rutgers University.  He switched over to the PhD program after spending time in a masters program at Rutgers.  We talk about some of his decision-making behind the switch.

Johnny also won the ESA's graduate student policy award! https://www.esa.org/esa/tag/hill-days/

Johnny Quispe's website: https://johnnyquispe.com/

In this episode, I sit down with Priya Shukla of UC Davis' Bodega Marine Lab.  Over the past couple of years, Priya has worked as lab manager for the Ocean Acidification group at BML.  Recently, she accepted a spot in UC Davis' Ecology PhD program!  Priya discusses what it's like to work as a lab manager (for 3 different labs at once!) and what it was like applying to grad school amidst all the work at BML. We talk a bit about Priya's career trajectory and Priya shares some awesome advice about how to get involved in this field that we like so much.

Follow Priya on twitter: @Priyology

Priya's website

Priya is a Forbes contributor!

I'm joined by Diego Balbuena who just finished up his undergrad degree at Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Lima, Peru!  In this episode we talk about Diego's path to becoming an ecologist.  Diego took a couple of years off to develop skills in studying the wildlife that live in rainforest canopies.  He has fantastic tales from the field as well as a real passion for the ecology research that he conducts.

Diego on Twitter

Diego's website

In this episode I chat with Dan Clark, a PhD candidate in Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University.  During this podcast, Dan and I discuss some of the many decisions that prospective grad students have to make when applying to programs.  We talk about things ranging from the differences between MS and PhD programs and living in places that get so much snow!  Dan received his masters from CUNY-ESF, and it's great to hear his research path and how he made decisions about grad school.

This week, I'm joined by Jason Sadowski of the UC Davis Bodega Marine.  We talk about Jason's path from undergraduate research at Rutgers University to his current work on marine invasions in northern California.

Jason's website: https://jasonsadowski.wordpress.com/

twitter: Jason_Sadowski

linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-sadowski-861a75ab/