Best Institute For Diversity Science Podcasts (2025)

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S2E13: Diverse People Bring Diverse Perspectives 1:20:40

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1d ago1:20:40

1:20:40

Will’s joy this month is the annual Woof’s Boat Cruise in the lakes around Madison, and Amber's is a lovely, heartwarming gift from her former students! The cohosts start off discussing the benefits that diversity brings to organizations. Teams with more diversity tend to have more creative, transformative solutions to problems, and some reports sa…

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iNaturalist and Biodiversity Research, with Brittany Mason and Corey Callaghan 21:46

1d ago21:46

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by two guests, Brittany Mason, a Data Management Analyst at the University of Florida, and Corey Callaghan, Assistant Professor at the University of Florida in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. They were here to discuss their recent BioScience article, iNaturalist Accelerates Bio…

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Dr. Kaylee Alexander on digital humanities, being a research data librarian, visual culture, cemeteries, French cemetery laws, cemetery sculpture, ethically sound data visualisation and survival bias 57:37

6d ago57:37

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Kaylee Alexander discuss the digital humanities, being a research data librarian, visual culture, cemeteries, French cemetery laws, cemetery sculpture, ethically sound data visualisation and survival bias Who is Kaylee? Dr. Kaylee P. Alexander is a Research Data Librarian at the University of Utah’s J…

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Science Storytelling, with Kristy Ferraro and Adam Meyer 28:41

22d ago28:41

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we were joined by Dr. Kristy Ferraro, who is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Adam Meyer, a PhD candidate in the Ecosystem Ecology Lab, also at Memorial University. They were here to talk about their recent article in BioScience, "Beyond hero and villain nar…

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S6E5: Amanda Randles: A Check-Engine Light for the Heart 29:47

24d ago29:47

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Duke University associate professor Amanda Randles' work to simulate and understand human blood flow and its implications demonstrates how high-performance computing paired with scientific principles can help improve human health. In this conversation, she talks about how she brought together early interests in physics, coding, biomedicine and even…

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Professor Patricia MacCormack on philosophy, death activism, veganism, antinatalism, necrosexuality, the Anthropocene, dudebros in academia, and a loving and vitalist relationship to death 1:19:58

1M ago1:19:58

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Patricia MacCormack on philosophy, death activism, veganism, antinatalism, necrosexuality, the Anthropocene, dudebros in academia, and a loving and vitalist relationship to death Who is Patricia? Professor Patricia MacCormack is Professor of Continental Philosophy. She is the author of Cinesexuality (…

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S1E12: Moving From Surviving to Thriving: Addressing Bias Impacts on Mental Health 1:44:51

1M ago1:44:51

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Amber's geeky joy this month is the creativity of insurance commercials, and Will’s joy is visiting the American Players Theater for Shakespeare productions. July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness month, so the cohosts discuss bias and its effects on mental health. We talk about various ways that bias can cause mental health issues, whether that bia…

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Systemic Sexism in Academia, with Olivia del Giorgio, María Piquer-Rodríguez, and Silvia Lomáscolo 29:41

1M ago29:41

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by Olivia del Giorgio, at McGill University Department of Geography, in Montreal, Quebec, María Piquer-Rodríguez, at the Institute of Geographical Sciences, at Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany, and Silvia Lomáscolo, at the Institute of Regional Ecology at University of Tucumán and CONICET, in Arg…

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Episode 10: Why The '90s Matter 30:48

1M ago30:48

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The 1990s were a pivotal decade for the United States and the world. This season on None Of The Above, we rewinded to the ‘90s to cover the breakup of the Soviet Union, America’s unipolar moment, and the rise of China. We explored civil war in Afghanistan, the spread of nuclear weapons, South Africa’s transition to democracy, and much more. The ‘90…

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S6E4: Joel Ye: Examining Neural Data More Efficiently and Holistically 25:10

2M ago25:10

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Understanding how the brain works remains a grand scientific challenge, and it's yet another area where researchers are examining whether foundation models could help them find patterns in complex data. Joel Ye of Carnegie Mellon University talks about his work on foundation models, their potential and limitations and how others can get involved in…

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Urban Rewilding, with Patt Finnerty 24:08

2M ago24:08

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by Dr. Patt Finnerty, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Global Ecology Lab at the University of Sydney. We discussed his recent BioScience article, Urban Rewilding to Combat Global Biodiversity Decline. More information on Writing for Impact and Influence can be found here.…

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Bridget Goosby on How Experiencing Racism Impacts Physical Health 43:41

2M ago43:41

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In this episode, Dr. Bridget Goosby of the University of Texas at Austin talks with Dr. Angela Byars-Winston about her work to better understand how experiencing racism and discrimination impacts a person's physical health. They also talk about a research project that they’re a part of that looks at the experiences and pressures that Black women in…

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Episode 9: A Military Without Rival 39:12

2M ago39:12

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The military and the very idea of national security changed a lot in the 1990s. Politicians promised a new period of peace and prosperity after the Cold War, but the military would not draw down from the international arena. On the contrary, the United States turned to policing the world, and the military carried out new types of missions meant to …

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S2E11: Guidelines for Fair and Legal Employment Practices with Guest Nicki Vander Meulen 1:20:02

2M ago1:20:02

1:20:02

The cohosts and returning guest Nicki Vander Meulen are dressed up in rainbows and sparkles in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month! Nicki’s joy is a bracelet with a neurodiversity symbol for Autistic people, and Will’s joy is a rainbow necklace and a pin he got when our Inequity Agents of Change nonprofit was admitted to Wisconsin’s LGBT Chamber of Commerc…

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Dr. Terri Daniel on toxic theology, healthy theology, complicated grief, being a non-religious chaplain, hospice and loss 1:16:41

2M ago1:16:41

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Dr. Terri Daniel on toxic theology, healthy theology, complicated grief, being a non-religious chaplain, hospice and loss. Who is Terri? Dr. Terri Daniel is an inter-spiritual hospice chaplain, end-of-life educator, and grief counselor certified in death, dying and bereavement by the Association of De…

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Episode 8: The Cost of Humanitarian Intervention 43:12

2M ago43:12

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When the Cold War ended, many imagined a more peaceful world. Yet the 1990s were marked by humanitarian crises in Somalia, Rwanda, and former Yugoslavia. Images of mass atrocities and genocide reached wide audiences on newly available 24/7 TV news channels, as humanitarians increasingly advocated for military intervention. The United States under B…

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Kaiping Chen and Corey Jackson on Trust in Science 45:25

3M ago45:25

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In this episode, Kaiping Chen and Corey Jackson talk about trust in science—and how we can think about it from the perspective of diversity science. They argue that the research community should aim to create an environment where non-scientists are being given the tools, support, and context to engage with research in a way that aligns with their n…

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Drones in Fieldwork, with Thilina Surasinghe, Kunwar Singh, and Amy Frazier 29:46

3M ago29:46

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For today's episode, we are joined by Thilina Surasinghe, Professor at Bridgewater State University in the Department of Biological Sciences, Kunwar Singh, Senior Geospatial Scientist at AidData and affiliate faculty at the Center for Geospatial Analysis, at the College of William & Mary, and Amy Frazier, Professor and the Jack and Laura Dangermond…

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S6E3: Jackson Burns: Avoiding Chemical Dead Ends 26:01

3M ago26:01

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Chemists and chemical engineers have modeled molecules for decades, but artificial intelligence and foundation models offer the prospect that researchers could train models with predictive abilities in one area of chemistry that could be fine-tuned for another. Trustworthy chemistry foundation models could help streamline the experimental time and …

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Trends in False Advertising and Related Competitor Disputes Involving FDA-Regulated Products 17:55

3M ago17:55

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On this special collaborative episode of Ropes & Gray's Non-binding Guidance and Talkin’ Trade podcast series, life sciences regulatory and compliance partner Josh Oyster is joined by intellectual property litigation partner Matt Rizzolo to discuss the complex world of false advertising and unfair competition disputes involving drugs, medical devic…

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Episode 7: America's China Gamble 41:25

3M ago41:25

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China’s violent Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 marked a turning point in US-China relations. After two decades of slowly but steadily nurturing friendly relations, the United States would choose to develop economic ties without insisting on democratic reforms. The prevailing hope was that China’s economic growth would inevitably lead to politic…

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S2E10: Healing and Understanding Intergenerational and Collective Traumas 1:42:18

3M ago1:42:18

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To celebrate Star Wars Day ("May the Fourth be with you!)", Will and Amber dress in their favorite colors (pink and green) as "Star Wars" characters, and share "Star Wars" related joys. Amber's joy is attending one of Disneyland's After Dark Nites for "Star Wars" last year - with her mom, Will, and producer Eric Roman. Will's joy is the fun "Star W…

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Episode 19 - Joe Roman, Conservation Biologist and Book Author 52:04

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The podcast episode with Dr. Joe Roman, featured on the WeWhale Pod, explores his journey as a conservation biologist, focusing especially on marine ecology, whales, and their ecological importance. The discussion covers his unique research on whale feces—how it recycles nutrients in the ocean through the "whale pump"—and shares anecdotes from his …

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Dr. Sydney Campbell on Medical Assistance in Dying for mature minors, children’s participation, policy, assisted dying, childism, participatory research and end-of-life contexts 1:00:39

3M ago1:00:39

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Sydney Campbell on Medical Assistance in Dying for mature minors, children’s participation, policy, assisted dying, childism, participatory research and end-of-life contexts Who is Sydney? Dr. Sydney Campbell is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. She completed he…

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Sudan and the Limits of Western Peacebuilding (from the archive) 26:33

3M ago26:33

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Sudan’s civil war recently entered its third year. It has claimed the lives of around 150,000 people and displaced around 13 million. In this archival episode, we revisit the outbreak of violence that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces, led by…

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Moving Beyond Crisis and Ecological Grief, with Marco Malavasi 23:46

4M ago23:46

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by Marco Malavasi, plant ecologist and cartographer at the University of Sassari, in Italy. We discussed his recent BioScience article "Beyond crisis and grief: Rethinking conservation narratives," which serves as a guide to more productively communicating about—and thinking about—conservation in a…

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S6E2: Prasanna Balaprakash: Predicting Earth Systems and Harnessing Swarms for Computing 30:51

4M ago30:51

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In the second episode in our series on foundation models for science, we discuss Oak Ridge National Laboratory's work and hear about lessons learned from the recent 1000 Scientists AI Jam, a recent event that brought together researchers from several Department of Energy national laboratories, OpenAI and Anthropic. My guest is Prasanna Balaprakash,…

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Episode 6: How Apartheid Ended in South Africa 40:05

4M ago40:05

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In the 1990s, South Africa ended apartheid, a brutal system of racial segregation, and became a democracy. During the Cold War, the United States supported South Africa’s apartheid government because it was anti-communist. But American civil rights activists pushed Washington to reassess its support – which it did as the Cold War wound down. Nelson…

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S2E09: Discovering Room To Grow! With Guest Sandy Eichel 1:00:29

4M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Will, Amber, and returning guest Sandy Eichel are dressed up in purple and green to celebrate Spring! Sandy shares their joy about early spring flowers, Amber continues that thread sharing her joy about the flower farms and tulip festival in Oregon, and Will’s joy is using butterfly pea flower tea to make color-changing cocktails! Sandy leads off t…

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Professor Claire Nally on literature, Goth, Steampunk, death memoirs, representations of dead women, death positive libraries & working in academia 42:39

4M ago42:39

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Claire Nally on literature, Goth, Steampunk, death memoirs, representations of dead women, death positive libraries & working in academia Who is Claire? Claire Nally is Professor of Modern and Contemporary Literature at Northumbria University, UK, where sheresearches Irish Studies, Neo-Victorianism, G…

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Episode 5: Why the Israel-Palestine Peace Process Failed 45:19

4M ago45:19

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The 1990s witnessed a turning point in one of the world’s most intractable disputes. After four decades of conflict, the 1991 Madrid Conference opened the door for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. A flurry of negotiations and agreements followed. The Camp David Summit in 2000 was the Clinton administration’s last-ditch attempt to prod…

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Gentoo Penguins in the Falklands, with John Bates, Sushma Reddy, and Rachael Herman 50:04

5M ago50:04

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by John Bates, Curator of Birds at the Field Museum, Sushma Reddy, Breckenridge Chair of Ornithology at the University of Minnesota and the Bell Museum, and Rachael Herman, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stonybrook University. Our guests were here to chat about a recent research trip to the Falkla…

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Episode 4: Fewer Nukes, More Danger 38:29

5M ago38:29

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Nightmares of mushroom clouds and fears of mutually assured destruction plagued many during the Cold War. But by the early 1990s, both the United States and Russia promised a world with fewer nuclear weapons. Together, they agreed to dismantle 80% of their strategic nuclear warheads. Meanwhile, other countries such as North Korea and Pakistan saw v…

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Death and Institutions: Processes, Places and the Past 1:00:29

5M ago1:00:29

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What's the episode about? In this episode, get an overview of the 2025 Edited Collection Death and Institutions: Processes, Places and the Past What is the Book About? Institutions play a crucial role in shaping experiences of end-of-life care, dying, death, body disposal and bereavement. However, there has been little holistic or multidisciplinary…

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Coalition-Building for Labor Actions in Life Sciences Departments, with Aspen Ellis 34:45

5M ago34:45

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For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by Aspen Ellis, PhD candidate at University of California, Santa Cruz, for a discussion of the largest academic strike in history and a recent BioScience article on the topic.By American Institute of Biological Sciences

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S2E08: Unpacking the Science and Controversy around "Implicit Bias" 1:16:54

5M ago1:16:54

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March is Disneybound* month, something Amber enjoys every year, so for this month’s episode, we got dressed up as Chip (Will) and Dale (Amber) from Disney’s Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers! What’s bringing us joy this time? Will shares about how much joy cosplay brings to him, and getting to inhabit a character who’s someone other than himself - even …

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The 7th International Symposium of the Death Online Research Network (DORS#7) and Tamara Kneese on digital death, genAI, ethics, data, society & collective action 1:31:19

5M ago1:31:19

1:31:19

What's the episode about? In this episode, hear highlights from the 7th International Symposium of the Death Online Research Network (DORS#7) and Tamara Kneese on digital death, genAI, ethics, moving from academia to the private sector, data, society & collective action What was DORS#7? The 7th International Symposium of the Death Online ResearchNe…

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Episode 3: The CIA, Afghanistan, and the Road to 9/11 46:17

5M ago46:17

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This is the story of how a CIA covert action program inadvertently created the conditions for the Taliban to seize control and provide safe haven for Osama bin Laden. Following a Cold War proxy battle between the Soviet Union and the United States, al Qaeda gained strength throughout the 1990s, leading to the deadliest attack on American soil on Se…

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S6E1 - Ian Foster: Exploring and Evaluating Foundation Models 29:53

5M ago29:53

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Large language models aren't just powering chatbots like ChatGPT. This type of computational model is an example of a particular flavor of artificial intelligence known as foundation models, which are trained on vast amounts of data to make inferences in new areas. Although text is one rich data source, science offers many more from biology, chemis…

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Episode 2: How Democracy Failed in Russia 45:24

6M ago45:24

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America was on top of the world in the 1990s as its erstwhile rival, Russia, was struggling to find its footing. President Boris Yelstin's liberal reforms were soon dashed by economic crises and infighting among Russian elites. US policymakers also contributed to this tragedy, which would lead to Vladimir Putin's rise by the end of the decade. In t…

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S2E07: Living Black History! With Guest Bernie Hoes 1:42:36

6M ago1:42:36

1:42:36

For this Black History Month episode, Will wears the Black History Month colors while Amber dresses in an Ankara print; they are joined by educator Bernie Hoes. What’s bringing us joy? For Will, it's an Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy he attended with friends; for Amber, it's Portland's My People's Market, a gathering of diverse vendors and entrepreneurs…

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Todd Meyers on grief, anthropology, entanglements, addiction, language, overdose death, opioid crisis, life’s incoherence and knowing your limits 1:19:31

6M ago1:19:31

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Todd Meyers on grief, anthropology, entanglements, addiction, language, overdose death, opioid crisis, life’s incoherence and knowing your limits Who is Todd? Todd began his career as a painter, earning a BFA in studio from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His interests slowly moved to the …

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Episode 1: Dawn of Unipolarity 42:32

6M ago42:32

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The 1990s were a decade of transformation and optimism. Teenagers were listening to grunge rock and hip hop on their walkmans. Flannels and jean jackets became staples of ‘90s fashion. And seemingly without warning, the Cold War was over, the Soviet Union had dissolved, and the United States emerged as the sole superpower. Today’s world seems more …

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S5E7 - Computational Scientists Discuss 2024 Nobel Prizes 12:17

7M ago12:17

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Wrapping up our discussion of the 2024 Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry, computer scientist Mansi Sakarvadia and computational structural biologist Josh Vermaas talk about the recent prizes and what they mean for science. You'll hear about how the prizes both break down research barriers and introduce concerns about misinformation and public t…

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Professor Michele Aaron on filmmaking and end of life care, hospice documentary, death and LGBTQIA+ communities, palliative care, film practice, ethics, visual culture and dying 1:07:05

7M ago1:07:05

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What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Michele Aaron discuss filmmaking and end of life care, hospice documentary, death and LGBTQIA+ communities, palliative care, film practice, ethics and visual culture and dying Who is Michele? Michele completed her BA in English Literature at Queen Mary’s (or QMW as it was then) and both my MA, (in Cul…

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S2E06: Joy in Challenging Beauty Standards 1:17:50

7M ago1:17:50

1:17:50

We help you ring in the New Year with this month's episode (released New Year's Day)! Will shares that (last year's) New Year's Eve festivities brought him joy; and Amber gives us an inside look at her Spotify Wrapped. This episode's main discussion topic is Beauty Standards and the Halo Effect (allowing people whom you might find more attractive t…

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Alvin Thomas on the Strength and Resilience of Black Fathers 41:17

8M ago41:17

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Dr. Alvin Thomas is a a clinical psychologist whose work sits at the intersection of positive child and youth development and father involvement. In this episode, he talks with Institute for Diversity Science Chair Angela Byars-Winston about how other researchers can approach work about Black boys and men, and how focusing on the strengths and resi…

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The Global Dynamics of Open Data - and where it leaves diversity. A conversation with Mark Hahnel 47:08

8M ago47:08

47:08

Open data has been a recurring theme on the podcast - for better or worse. Every year, Digital Science and Springer Nature publish a report on the status of open science, so we thought this year's report was a good occasion to take stock and have a good discussion not only on the status of open status but also on where it's going, how and why. To h…

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S5E6 - Anil Ananthaswamy: AI's Nobel Moment 32:17

8M ago32:17

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2024 was artificial intelligence’s Nobel Prize year with the physics and chemistry prizes recognizing the underpinnings and application of these algorithms. Science journalist and author Anil Ananthaswamy spent years writing a popular book, Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI, that explores the equations and historical context for…

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S2E05: Christmas is NOT Cancelled: Moving Past Cancel Culture 1:04:59

8M ago1:04:59

1:04:59

This month's episode focuses on the holiday season. We share holiday-related joy! Amber discusses visiting Disneyland during the holidays and the extra magic it brings! Will's joy is his friends' annual (faux) gingerbread crafting party. This episode's main discussion topic focuses on cancel culture and how to move past cancel culture to have produ…