Scientista

Fear has dominated the way we talk about climate change for decades. But fear doesn’t motivate most people to act—it overwhelms them.

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina are joined by Anne-Therese Gennari, known as the Climate Optimist, for a conversation about why fear-based climate messaging fails—and what works instead. Drawing on behavioral science and lived experience, we talk about how motherhood reshapes the way people think about risk, responsibility, and the future, and why mothers can be powerful drivers of climate action in their own communities.

The episode explores climate communication through a human lens: how people make decisions under uncertainty, why proximity matters more than abstraction, and what changes when climate action starts close to home.

This conversation is about communicating climate in ways that reflect how people actually think—and act.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

Scientista: Highlights from 2025 brings together moments from conversations across the year with leaders, decision-makers, and cultural figures shaping what happens next.

Hosted by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina, the Scientista Podcast explores how people navigate power, responsibility, and judgment in complex systems — from policy and climate to culture and economics.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, hosts Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina reflect on their journey with Scientista, discussing their vision for empowering women in science and the importance of community support. They share personal stories, insights from their favorite guests, and outline future initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and leadership among women in STEM fields. The conversation emphasizes the need for allies and the significance of building a supportive network for women facing challenges in their careers.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

Do we actually need billionaires?

On this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty speaks with Abigail Disney about extreme wealth, hoarding, and the cultural narratives that allow inequality to persist. Abigail has been outspoken for years about the harm caused by concentrated wealth, and in this conversation she explains why accumulation at the highest levels stops serving human needs and starts distorting systems meant to support society.

They discuss how extreme wealth is often shielded from scrutiny, why philanthropy doesn’t resolve the underlying problem, and how stories about success and merit have been used to normalize levels of inequality that would once have been unthinkable.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

Abby Hopper spent nearly a decade leading the solar industry’s most influential advocacy organization — and now, she’s stepping into a new chapter.

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty sit down with Abby to reflect on her path from big-law attorney to clean-energy leader, and the turning points that reshaped her career along the way. She shares how becoming a mother of three young kids forced a major pivot, what she learned about navigating demanding industries as a woman, and why leaving at the top isn’t a retreat — it’s a choice to grow.

Abby also talks about the culture shift she’s helped drive in clean energy, the work still ahead, and how she’s approaching a future that’s wide open.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

Ann Drake and MarySue Barrett are creating the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay, a new hub where women leading in technology, infrastructure, business, and space can come together to tackle real-world challenges. They join Sweta and Monica to talk about the power of convening women, the importance of building networks early, and why evidence-driven solutions must lead the way.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

In this episode, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina sit down with Dr. M. Sanjayan—ecologist, award-winning storyteller, and former CEO of Conservation International—for a conversation about what it takes to lead in one of the toughest, most important sectors on earth.

Sanjayan reflects on a childhood spent exploring the forests of Sierra Leone, the scientific rigor that shaped his career, and the mentors who opened doors when traditional pathways were limited. He also gives straight talk on today’s biggest conservation challenges—from the destabilizing impact of foreign-aid cuts to the urgent need for financial models that value nature as infrastructure, not afterthought.

For emerging scientists and conservationists, his advice is both practical and energizing: build real scientific depth, find mentors who advocate for you, and keep the joy and curiosity that brought you into this work in the first place.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

This episode is part of our Best Of the Scientista Podcast series, where we revisit some of our most impactful conversations.

Jennifer Klein, Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia SIPA and former Director of the White House Gender Policy Council, joins the Scientista Podcast to reflect on the fight for the 28th Amendment, the global backlash against gender equality, and what it meant to be the first person to say “menopause” in the Oval Office. Drawing on her experience shaping gender policy at the highest levels of government, Klein speaks candidly about what progress really looks like, the persistence required to advance equity, and why showing up still matters. A powerful conversation at the intersection of policy, leadership, and gender justice.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

“AI will tell you to walk across the English Channel… it’s not intelligent. It is pattern recognition.”

NRDC Chief Science Officer Dr. Ticora Jones joins the Scientista Podcast for one of our most candid conversations yet.

Dr. Jones talks about what AI really is (and isn’t), the collapse of USAID under Trump’s second term, why global development work depends on genuine collaboration—not American saviorism—and how she helps her own organization slow down and learn together instead of getting swept up in hype.

She also shares why she wants her seven-year-old daughter to grow up grounded in a sense of “I can,” how community sustains women and women of color in science, and why finding your people is essential when the world feels chaotic.

If you care about science, public trust, or how we rebuild institutions that matter, this conversation is for you.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world

How do you explain science when people stop believing in facts? Amber Sullins, chief meteorologist at ABC15 Phoenix and a five-time Emmy Award winner, joins Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina to talk about the changing climate of communication itself. From confronting misinformation to covering record-breaking heat, Sullins shares how empathy, persistence, and plain language can rebuild trust in science—one forecast at a time.

Thank you for listening! Learn more about Scientista here: www.scientista.world