What do cybersecurity and Dungeons & Dragons have in common? Elaina Mayer—CISSP, professor, and award-winning cosplayer—reveals how creativity fuels data defense. From AI risks to rolling dice in the classroom, this episode dives into the unpredictable world of cyber threats and the epic quest to protect your data.

Back in the early 2000s, the biggest news in my sleeply little hometown was that our super-tall science teacher, Brian Campbell, was leaving the high school (one of only two in the whole county)… for a job at NASA. To us, it felt like he was blasting off to some screen-filled control room out of a summer blockbuster to push the launch button himself.

Fast-forward 25 years — Brian’s now a Senior Earth Science Specialist at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, working on big-deal missions like ICESat-2 (measuring ice sheets, sea ice, and sea level rise) and SMAP (mapping soil moisture for farmers, scientists, and disaster response teams worldwide).

In this episode of Blue Collar White Coat, we swap small-town stories, dig into how satellite data can and does help farmers in those small towns, and talk about why science communication needs fewer gatekeepers and more real talk.

We cover:

• How a blue collar-to-NASA career path actually happens

• Why STEM careers aren’t just for people with PhDs

• How satellites measure everything from melting ice to the water in your soil

• Real-world climate change impacts on farming and working coastal communities

• Why building trust in science starts with meeting people where they are

Whether you’re a farmer, field tech, student, or just science curious, this one’s packed with hands-on STEM stories, NASA missions, and the kind of working class science that keeps our world running.

What do mice, Old Bay Seasoning, and cancer research have in common?

Rysheem McGirt.

In the very first episode of Blue Collar White Coat Podcast, host Amy Weldon reconnects with her friend and former dolphin training volunteer, now full-time animal welfare project manager. Rysheem's full-time job supports biomedical research outside of their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland and on the side he's doing everything from Door Dash to stand-up comedy. From working two jobs in grade school to earning his MBA before he turned 30, Rysheem's STEM career has been anything but traditional, but that's what makes him the perfect guest for our first episode!

Hear how his team helps scientists fight cancer and why that means so much to him then stick around for some laughs, side hustle stories, and a little bit of Baltimore accent flair.