Welcome to season two of What on Earth?!

In this episode, we are celebrating LGBTQ+ History month with Dr. Izzy Jayasinghe! We talk to Izzy about what happens during a heartbeat, the challenges of climbing the academic ladder, and the importance of visible LGBT+ and science role models in school.

Dr. Izzy Jayasinghe majored in Cardiovascular Sciences and pursued a Ph.D. in Physiology at the University of Auckland. Since then, she's worked on several projects related to cell signaling and super-resolution microscopy in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Currently, she is a UKRI Future Leader Fellow and developing optical microscopes to "study the physics underpinning life" at Sheffield University.

If you'd like to contact Izzy for more information about her work or anything on the podcast, you can contact her on:

Twitter: [at]i_jayas

Content warning: This episode contains mention of death and suicide. This occurs between 1hr 10mins 15 seconds and 1hr 11mins 45 seconds. If you are not in a position to listen to this at the moment, we encourage you to skip this section and listen to the later part of the podcast. Thank you.

Welcome to season two of What on Earth?!

In this episode, we are celebrating LGBTQ+ History month with Itati Toby Santa Maria! We talk to Itati about the field of restoration ecology, the importance of grassy biomes for our climate, "decolonising ecology" from the perspective of a Chicanx person in the US and navigating institutions as a Non-Binary person. 

Itati Toby SantaMaria studied Biology at Kenyon College in Ohio and is currently doing a PhD in Plant Biology and Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour at Michigan State University, with Associate Professor Lars Brudvig, where they specialise in ecosystems science, plant ecophysiology, carbon and water cycling.

If you would like to contact Itai about their projects or anything mentioned in the  podcast, you can contact them on:

Twitter:  [@]itatiVCS

Welcome to season two of What on Earth?!

In this episode, we are celebrating LGBTQ+ History month with Dr. Craig Poku! We talk to Craig about the challenges in aspiring to study maths as a Black student, how fogs can be modelled in different urban/rural regions, and approaching climate change activism through an intersectional lens... oh, and as typical Londoners, we talked about London weather.

Craig Poku studied mathematics at King's College London and pursued a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences at Leeds University where he was looking at improving UK fog forecasting and modelling of fog microphysics. Currently, he is doing a postdoctoral at Leeds University, which focuses on fog over Northern India.. 

If you would like to contact Craig about his projects or anything mentioned in the  podcast, you can contact him on:

Twitter:  [@]C_Poku93

Welcome to season two of What on Earth?!

In this episode, we are celebrating both LGBTQ+ History AND International Women and Girls in STEM day with Dr. Sam Giles. We talk to Sam about her unexpected and accidental passion for fossilized fish, being a Queer parent in STEM, and how to make fieldwork more inclusive. 

Sam Giles studied Geology at the University of Bristol and did a  Ph.D. in Paleontology at the University of Oxford where she studied ray-finned fishes.  Currently,  she is a Royal Society Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham where she is studying the external and internal anatomy of living and fossil vertebrates.

If you'd like to contact Sam for more information about her work or anything on the podcast, you can contact her on:

Twitter: [at]GilesPalaeoLab
Email:  s.giles.1[at]bham.ac.uk

Let's talk to Scientists about how they decolonise their field!

In this episode, we interview a biological anthropologist, Dr. Michael Rivera. We talk to Michael about the importance of representation in attracting marginalized communities into nontraditional careers that lead to creating a diverse research community, his  Ph.D. research in coastal communities, and how he has been decolonizing both his research process and his subject of anthropology and archeology.  

Michael Rivera did his undergraduate at the University of Kent and has a Ph.D. with the University of Cambridge, where he looked at the human evolution of communities that lived by rivers, lake, and coastlines especially in the Baltic region. He also hosts a podcast, called @ArchandAnthPod, which aims to "explore what makes human beings such a unique, diverse and interesting species". If you would like to contact Michael, you can find him on:
 
Twitter: @riveramichael and @ArchAndAnthPod

*TW: this episode features topics on experiences of racism and explicit language was used*

How can we make Geology more inclusive?

In this episode, we interview a geology graduate, Maryam Helmi. We talk to Maryam about navigating the British schooling system as a minority, the exclusionary practices in academia, and the euro-centricity of our geology degree curriculum. We also talk to Maryam about her Decolonising the Curriculum exhibition for the Geoscience Outreach and Engagement course.

Maryam Helmi was an International student from Malaysia and graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Geology in 2020. She can be contacted via:
 
Twitter: @maryam_aTCK

Let's talk to an Earth Scientist!

In this episode, we interview a geologist, Dr. Kirstie Wright. We talk to Kirstie about her current postdoc on historical landslide generated tsunamis, moving between academia and industry, and her past experiences in the petroleum industry. She is also a Director of North Sea Core, which collects and transforms unwanted core material from the offshore petroleum industry to help reach a variety of geoscience subjects

Kirstie Wright is a geoscientist who researches volcanic and sedimentary systems. She has a Geology degree from the University of Leicester and a Ph.D. with University of Durham. Currently, she is doing a postdoctorate with the Lyell Centre and Deep Water research group at Heriot-Watt University and If you would like to contact Kirstie, you can find her on:
 
Twitter: @rocksandwiggles

How can we make science for everyone?

In this episode, we interview an engineer, Dr. Michael Sulu. We talk to Mike about why he decided to stay in engineering, how to be a good mentor, and all the amazing work that the UCL Race Equality steering group is doing  to transform the university.

Michael Sulu is a biochemical engineer and currently a research associate at UCL. His research interest includes food chemistry, fermentation and decision making. If you would like to contact Mike, you can find him on:
 
Twitter: @michaelsulu