People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers
Are you searching for great stories to ignite your curiosity, teach you to perform better in life and career, inspire your mind, and make you laugh along the way? In this science podcast, Dr. Marie McNeely introduces you to the brilliant researchers behind the latest scientific discoveries. Join us as they share their greatest failures, most staggering successes, candid career advice, and what drives them forward in life and science.
Our website with show notes]]
Greetings science fans!
We’re elated to welcome you to People Behind the Science where we explore the lives and experiences of the people behind the research and scientific discoveries of today.
People Behind the Science’s mission is to inspire current and future scientists, share the different paths to a successful career in science, educate the general population on what scientists do, and show the human side of science.
In each episode, a different scientist will guide us through their journey by sharing their successes, failures, and passions. We are excited to introduce you to these inspiring academic and industry experts from all fields of science to give you a variety of perspectives on the life and path of a scientist.
Our esteemed guests will tell you:
what motivates them and how they balance their competing responsibilities
how they worked through some of the most challenging times in their careers
advice to help you through your own journey through life and science
Our Podcast
People Behind the Science is a podcast focused on the people doing fascinating research through interviews with top scientists. We are proud to have interviewed so many inspiring scientists, including U.S. National Academy scientists like Josh Sanes, Nick Spitzer, Lou Muglia, Jacob Israelachvili, Gene Robinson, Larry Squire, John Dowling, James Berger, and David Spergel, as well as popular scientists in the media like Donna Nelson (science advisor for the TV show Breaking Bad) and Jack Horner (science advisor for the Jurassic park movies). We are honored to have shared their amazing stories with people in all 50 states in the USA and in over 120 countries across the world.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 42 minutes
- Episodes
- 828
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2025
828: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Particle Nature of Dark Matter - Dr. Djuna Croon
Dr. Djuna Croon is Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology at Durham University. Trained as a particle physicist, Djuna is interested in …
827: Chilling Out Studying the Biodiversity of Arctic Arthropods - Dr. Chris Buddle
Dr. Chris Buddle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences and Associate Dean of Student Affairs at McGill University. He is a community ecologist who studies biodivers…
826: Visualizing Molecules to Understand Links Between Structure and Function - Dr. Beth Stroupe
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 G…
825: Sizing Up Signals in Seismic Waves to Understand Earth’s Interior Structure - Dr. Zach Eilon
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 …
824: Looking Beneath the Surface to Study the Science of Water Movement, Distribution, and Quality: Dr. Tess Russo
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 mo…
823: Probing Protein Dynamics from Molecular Switches to Shape-Changing Viral Particles - Dr. Ganesh Anand
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…
822: Using Lake Sediments to Get to the Core of Key Issues in Ecology and Conservation - Dr. Jacquelyn Gill
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 y…
821: Illuminating the Quantum Physics of Ultracold Atoms - Dr. Chad Orzel
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…
820: Studying the Molecular Information Cells Use to Move Through Their Environments - Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano
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…
819: Making Great Leaps Studying the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Tropical Frogs - Dr. Maureen Donnelly
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 Assoc…
818: Shining Light on the Exciting Capabilities of Quantum Computing - Dr. Mark Saffman
Dr. Mark Saffman is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received is B.Sc. with honors in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology. M…
817: Creating New Cancer Models and Advancing Regenerative Medicine - Dr. Luiz Bertassoni
Dr. Luiz E. Bertassoni is the founding director of the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub and Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences at the Knight Cancer Institute, where he is als…
816: Deciphering Genetic Variations in Bacteria that Lead to Disease - Dr. Shannon Manning
Dr. Shannon Manning is a Michigan State University (MSU) Foundation Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. The goal of Shannon’s research is to understand how p…
815: Fascinated by the Effects of Material Properties on the Form and Function of Fishes - Dr. Adam Summers
Dr. Adam Summers is a Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences and Department of Biology at the University of Washington, and he conducts research in his lab within the Friday Harbor…
814: Uncovering the Secrets of Ancient Creatures By Studying Fossils and the Fossilization Process - Dr. Sarah Gabbott
Dr. Sarah Gabbott is a Professor of Palaeontology in the School of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at the University of Leicester. She is also Director of Green Circle Nature Regeneration CIC…
813: Investigating the Impacts of the Gut Microbiome on Immunotherapy Cancer Treatments - Dr. Jennifer Wargo
Dr. Jennifer Wargo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a Stand Up To Cancer researcher. Jennifer is a physician s…
812: Studying the Evolutionary Diversity of Squishy Sea Creatures - Dr. Joseph Ryan
Dr. Joseph Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience at the University of Florida. Joe studies DNA from squishy marine invertebrates like ctenophores (…
811: Investigating Clams with Photosynthetic Algae, Parasites in Mud Shrimp, and Other Species Interactions that Shape Evolution - Dr. Jingchun Li
Dr. Jingchun Li is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and she is the Curator of Invertebrates at CU Boulder’s Museum o…
810: Studying Social Behavior, Reproduction, and Health in Female-Dominant Species - Dr. Christine Drea
Dr. Christine Drea is the Earl D. McLean Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, as well as Professor in the Department of Biology, the University Program in Ecology, and the Duke Institute for Brain…
809: Bright Researcher Studying Exoplanets and their Stars and Developing New Astrophysics Technology - Dr. Kevin France
Dr. Kevin France is an Assistant Professor in the Department for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences as well as an investigator within the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the Univers…