Dr. Beth Stroupe is a Professor in the Department of Biological Science and the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University (FSU). She is also Director of the Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program there. Research in Beth’s lab focuses on understanding what molecules and proteins look like. This is important for better understanding how these molecules work, both from a basic science perspective and with an eye towards controlling molecules for clinical applications. They use a variety of different techniques that allow them to visualize these very tiny molecules. When she’s not working, Beth and her partner enjoy spending quality time with their two cats, as well as growing black-eyed peas and other vegetables in their garden, kayaking, hiking, and exploring the great outdoors. Beth completed her undergraduate training at Wake Forest University where she majored in chemistry and minored in music. She was awarded her PhD in biochemistry from the Scripps Research Institute. Afterwards, Beth conducted postdoctoral research at Brandeis University before joining the faculty at FSU where she is today. In our interview, Beth shares more about her life and science.

Dr. Zach Eilon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and he is also conducting research at Brown University. Zach is interested in understanding the earth’s tectonics, including how continents are built, how they break apart, and what is going on under the earth’s surface beneath the ocean floor. He wants to know how tectonic plates move and interact with each other. To study these tectonic movements, Zach uses data collected on the energy released during earthquakes. This energy picks up different signals on its way through the earth, and Zach creates computer programs to interpret those signals and produce snapshots of what is occurring inside the earth, including the types of rock that are present, their temperature, and other features. Zach spends his free time hanging out with friends, scoping out potential new houses on the internet with his wife, and running. He recently completed his first marathon and is looking forward to the next one. In addition, Zach is an enthusiastic home chef, and he loves listening to a wide array of podcasts. He hails from the United Kingdom where he completed his undergraduate and masters degrees in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Afterwards, he was awarded the Herchel Smith Scholarship to attend Harvard University for a year for a Special Studentship. Zach was next received his MPhil and PhD in Seismology from Columbia University. He recently completed his position as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Brown University. Zach has joined us today to talk about his experiences in life and science.

Dr. Tess Russo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at The Pennsylvania State University. Tess is a hydrologist which means she studies water. Her research examines how water moves, how much of it there is in the world, and how the actions of humans change how water moves in the world. Tess has been spending a lot of time doing home renovations. When she's not working on her house, she likes to visit family and travel. She received her PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Her fantastic work is already getting a lot of attention. Last year, Tess was featured by the Green Sense Podcast, Scientific American, and she is a guest on an upcoming episode of Startalk Radio with the wise and wonderful Neil Degrasse Tyson. Tess is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.

Dr. Ganesh Anand is an Associate Professor of Chemistry as well as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at The Pennsylvania State University (or Penn State University) at the University Park campus. He is also an elected Board Member of the International Society for Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS). Research in Ganesh’s lab examines molecular switches. He wants to know how molecules interact with one another and how they switch from one state to another. These tiny molecular switches act almost like electrical switches turning on and off the functions of different molecules. He also does research on viruses and how they change shape to infect their hosts. Beyond his scientific interests, Ganesh has also been passionate about music for as long as he can remember. He takes voice lessons now and enjoys singing in choirs in his free time. He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and his master’s degree in biological sciences from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. Next, Ganesh attended Rutgers University where he earned his PhD in biochemistry. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellow at the University of California San Diego. Ganesh served on the faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore for over a decade before accepting a faculty position at Penn State where he is today. His lab is recognized as a Waters World Center of Innovation in Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry. Ganesh is founding member and former Director of the Singapore National Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry (SingMass) and the former Vice President of the Singapore Society for Mass Spectrometry. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.

Dr. Jacquelyn Gill is an Assistant Professor of Paleoecology and Plant Ecology at the University of Maine. Jacquelyn is a paleoecologist. She studies ecology and climate change over the past 20,000 years since the end of the ice age. This involves taking a forensics-like approach to analyzing the sediments and fossil records in lakes and bogs that give clues about past climates and landscapes. When she's not thinking about science, Jacquelyn likes to be outdoors, exploring the forest and coastline in Maine. Her indoor hobbies include a weekly trivia night, knitting, and reading. She received her Masters degree and PhD in Geography from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Afterward she served as a the Voss Postdoctoral Fellow at Brown University before joining the faculty at the University of Maine. She was the recipient of the E. Lucy Braun Award for Excellence in Ecology, the Student Section Award for Excellent Women in Ecology, and the Cooper Award all from the Ecological Society of America. She also received the Trewarth Award for Best Student Paper, the Graduate Peer Mentor Award, and the Whitbeck Dissertator Fellowship from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Jacquelyn is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.

Dr. Chad Orzel is the R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics at Union College. He is also author of the popular science books How to Teach Physics to Your Dog, How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog, Eureka: Discovering Your Inner Scientist, and the soon-to-be-released book Breakfast with Einstein: The Exotic Physics of Everyday Objects. In addition, Chad regularly contributes blog articles for Forbes Magazine. Chad studies ultracold atoms to improve our understanding of atomic physics. He uses lasers to drop the temperature of samples of atoms to just millionths or billionths of a degree above absolute zero. At these very cold temperatures, the atoms move very slowly, and interesting quantum effects arise. Free time can be hard to find with two kids and a puppy at home, but Chad enjoys hanging out with his family, reading science fiction and fantasy books, and playing basketball when he has the chance. He received his B.A. in Physics from Williams College and his Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the University of Maryland. Before joining the faculty at Union College, Chad conducted postdoctoral research in the Physics Department at Yale University. In our interview, Chad shared his experiences from his life and science.

Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano is Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Michelle’s research uses fruit flies to examine how cells in the body go to the right place at the right time. Understanding why and how cells use their genetic information to move through the body is critical because if this movement doesn’t happen correctly, it could, for example, impact embryo development or affect how immune cells mobilize after an injury. Conversely, preventing cancer cells from moving could keep cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Michelle often spends her free time cooking and baking. Her kitchen looks a little like a lab, and she enjoys experimenting with making different foods. Michelle and her family also like to spend time together, travel, and listen to music. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her PhD in Developmental Genetics from New York University. Afterwards, Michelle completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She joined UMBC in 2008 and has received the Donald Creighton Outstanding Faculty Member Award from the UMBC Graduate Student Association for her excellent mentorship. In our interview, she shares more about her life and science.

Dr. Maureen (Mo) Donnelly is a Professor of Biology and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida International University (FIU). She is also a Research Associate in the Department of Herpetology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Mo studies amphibians like frogs and toads. These organisms are all currently at risk for extinction, and her lab is dedicated to trying to understand how to prevent losses of species in the future. Mardi Gras is Mo's favorite holiday, and she likes to spend her free time preparing for riding in the each Mardi Gras parade. She was able to ride on a float in the parade in New Orleans, and it was an incredible experience. Mo received her PhD in Biology from the University of Miami and completed postdoctoral research at the American Museum of Natural History and at the University of Miami. She worked as an Adjunct Assistant Professor and Project Director at the University of Miami before joining the faculty at Florida International University. Mo is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.