Science! With Friends

In this episode, Jocelyn and Bradley talk with Dr. David Cornelison, a condensed matter physicist at Missouri State University and host of the weekly show “STEM Spots” on Missouri Public Radio. As Dave shares his stories and his science, he challenges the depiction of physicists in The Big Bang Theory, and the friends discuss whether the show has done more to help or hurt public engagement with science and scientists. (Spoiler alert: All physicists are exactly like Sheldon Cooper. BAZINGA!). Somehow -- perhaps by the hosts' own volition? -- talk turns to
the topic of free will, and whether it actually exists.


Find more about Dr. Dave Cornelison at:

https://www.ksmu.org/people/dr-david-cornelison#stream/0
https://physics.missouristate.edu/

Find Science! With Friends:

●Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
●Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/

Contact Science! With Friends (especially if you’re a scientist interested in a lively conversation about your science and science stories):
●Gmail: [email protected]

Produced by Basement Creators Network
Sound Editing by Vince Ruhl

In this “viral” episode, Jocelyn and Bradley sit down with Lisa Poppe, a Ph.D. student working in the—whoa, wait, WHAT? Indeed, as Lisa explains, everyone does have herpes, but not all the same kind. At the Nebraska Center for Virology, Lisa studies KSHV, a herpes virus associated with a type of cancer called Kaposi sarcoma. As they explore the big, small world of viruses, the friends discuss the science behind creating effective vaccines; why some viruses are particularly challenging to develop vaccines for; how storytelling and mutual respect are critical to fostering productive dialogue between scientists and non-scientists about vaccine effectiveness; and why The Prisoner of Azkaban is the best Harry Potter book. Join us, friends, for a freewheeling inquiry into our microscopic masters of the universe, from herpes to Hogwarts.

Learn more about Lisa
Poppe and her research:

Nebraska Center for
Virology: https://www.unl.edu/virologycenter/charles-wood-phd
Twitter: @whatuppoppe

Find Science! With Friends:

●Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
●Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/

Contact Science! With Friends (especially if you’re a scientist interested in a lively conversation about your science and science stories):
●Gmail: [email protected]

Produced by Basement Creators Network
Sound Editing by Vince Ruhl

Science is how we discover truths about reality. But what is “reality,” really? And will we ever be able to develop a complete picture of it? Jocelyn and Bradley tackle these questions in a discussion that—like reality itself—is strange, paradoxical, and at times absurd. They discuss various philosophical positions on the nature of reality and how we interact with it, and they consider how scientific theories from particle physics to cognitive neuroscience may challenge our commonsense conceptions of reality. Are we living in a material world, or is the universe a simulation? It’s Madonna vs. The Matrix as the hosts debate how, and to what extent, scientific knowledge reflects an underlying, “fundamental” reality.

Find Science! With Friends:

●Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
●Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/

Contact Science! With Friends (especially if you’re a scientist interested in a lively conversation about your science and science stories):

●Gmail: [email protected]

In this episode, Jocelyn and Bradley talk with Dr. Daniel Claes, professor of physics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The friends discuss key accomplishments in the field of high-energy physics and explore the big questions that will drive the field in the future. Dan also explains how he almost pursued a career in art, and how his interests in art and science intersect—not least in his love of comic books, which he explores in his famous Comic Book Physics 101 course.

Find more about Dan Claes at:

•https://www.unl.edu/physics/dan-claes-bio
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tb5gtc9HLE
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaltHSOPONQ
•http://www.dailynebraskan.com/culture/comic-books-inspire-unl-professor-s-love-for-physics-art/article_26ddb400-3ee1-11e9-800e-771789b44589.html

Find Science! With Friends:
● Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/
Contact Science! With Friends:
● Gmail: [email protected]

In this episode, Jocelyn and Bradley talk in-depth about science communication—what it means, why it’s important, and how it benefits both science and society. They discuss how scientists and non-scientists can share their stories to promote effective dialogue on scientific topics. They consider both the practical and philosophical challenges to "good" science communication. Ultimately, the hosts make the case that science communication plays a critical role in reconciling the value of scientific expertise with the cultural ideals of our democracy. Join us, friends, in our quest to save the world through science communication!

Find Science! With Friends:

●Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
●Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/

Contact Science! With Friends:
●gmail: [email protected]

In this episode, Jocelyn and Bradley sit down with Liz Neeley, the Executive Director of Story Collider, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing true, personal stories about science through a weekly podcast and live shows around the world. Liz discusses her background in marine biology, what drew her to science communication, and how scientists can use storytelling to share their work in more meaningful and impactful ways. In addition, the friends talk about how scientists can have more effective conversations with the public about challenging subjects like climate change, vaccines, and new technologies, and how we all have a role to play in making the science community more inclusive.

Find more about Liz Neeley at:
●Twitter: @LizNeeley
●The Story Collider: https://www.storycollider.org/, https://www.storycollider.org/staff-bios/2019/1/9/liz-neeley
●The National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative: https://www.nncionline.org/

Find Science! With Friends:

●Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
●Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/

Contact Science! With Friends (especially if you’re a scientist interested in a lively conversation about your science and science stories):
●Gmail: [email protected]

In this episode, Jocelyn (a.k.a. SciTalker) shares her science story with Bradley. They discuss her earliest encounters with the beauty of science, how she became a science historian, the importance of science education and communication, and her #PolymathGoals.

Jocelyn Bosley is a historian of science, math ninja, physics enthusiast, and aspiring polymath whose diverse interests in the sciences and humanities have led her to a career at the intersection of science and storytelling. She currently serves as the Assistant Director for Education and Outreach in the interdisciplinary Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), where she organizes the annual Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physical Sciences (WoPhyS) and co-founded UNL’s annual Science Slam. She is the co-creator and curator of the website Funsize Physics, which showcases the wonder, beauty, and potential of cutting-edge condensed matter and materials research in posts and activities for the science-curious public. She also spent nine years as a math and science mentor to highly gifted middle-school students, where she honed her “strangely educational and educationally strange” science pedagogy.

Find more about Jocelyn Bosley at:

Funsize Physics: https://funsizephysics.com/
Nebraska MRSEC: http://mrsec.unl.edu/education
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciTalker
117B on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6sVV7VOaVGvM3Ta4wBJs-Q

In this episode, Jocelyn interviews Bradley (a.k.a. The Quantum Dude) about his science story. They discuss the origin of his love for science, the journey that led him to become a physicist, his current work with high-intensity lasers, and his passion for effective science communication and storytelling.

Bradley Nordell is a quantum physicist, specializing in condensed matter physics and nanoelectronics, as well as a science fiction writer, futurist, and recent TEDx speaker. Whether the scientist or the writer came first, he does not know, but both play a crucial role in his world-building, writing, and research. Since childhood, Bradley has been driven by the great questions in life, as to the nature of reality, how to create artificial consciousness, quantum gravity, the interpretations of quantum mechanics, applying percolation theory of neural systems, next-generation low-k dielectric materials, boron carbide, and memristors. He also has a strong passion for science education and effective science communication. He has participated in various outreach programs, including "Sunday with a Scientist" programs at Morrill Hall at UNL. Bradley currently works as the Laboratory Manager of the Extreme Light Laboratory in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Find more information on Brad at:

●Extreme Light Laboratory: https://www.unl.edu/diocles/home
●Twitter: @bradleynordell, https://twitter.com/BradleyNordell
●LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-nordell/
●Science blog: https://medium.com/science-coffee
●ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bradley_Nordell
●TedxLincoln: http://www.tedxlincoln.com/speakers/2019/bradley-nordell.html

In this introduction episode, Jocelyn and Brad introduce viewers to the Science! With Friends podcast, which highlights the personal side of science—the weird, awesome, surprising, humorous, and inspiring stories that make science meaningful in all our lives.

Find Science! With Friends:

●Twitter: https://twitter.com/SciWithFriends
●Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciWithFriends/

Contact Science! With Friends:
●Gmail: [email protected]