In this episode of HOOS in STEM, we spoke with Jennifer Morse, UVA Professor of Mathematics, whose path to combinatorics defied expectations. Raised on a dairy farm in Vermont, Jennifer’s journey took her from liberal arts studies to eventually earning a PhD in mathematics. Now, as one of the field’s top researchers, she’s preparing to lecture at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians.

In this special bonus episode, we share a live story told by Professor Scott Acton, chair of UVA’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Recorded at Carr’s Hill as part of our ongoing collaboration with The Story Collider, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the personal side of a scientist’s journey. With humor, vulnerability, and insight, Scott Acton reflects on the experiences that shaped his path in STEM

Dr. Sontheimer is the department chair, professor, mentor, biotechnology founder, and textbook author behind a recent revolution in the emerging field of cancer neuroscience: a series of breakthrough discoveries that have catalyzed the ongoing translation of scientific research to successful clinical trials. From the evolutionary roots of binocular vision to recording single membrane ion channels over millionths of a second, Prof. Sontheimer has followed his curiosity to reshape our understanding of the glial cells that drive brain tumors and found institutions for training the next generation of distinguished neuroscientists. We are lucky to hear his story in this fitting finale of Hoos in STEM’s summer conversations.