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.
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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
- 829
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2025
469: Using Structural Geology to Understand Earth's History - Dr. Marcia Bjornerud
Dr. Marcia Bjornerud is Professor of Geology and the Walter Schober Professor of Environmental Studies at Lawrence University in Wisconsin. In addition, she is a writer for “Elements”, the New Yorker…
468: Studying the Selection, Planning, and Production of Skilled Movements - Dr. Richard Ivry
Dr. Richard Ivry is Professor of Psychology and Professor of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on what makes certain individuals r…
467: Creating Cell-Free Gene Editing On A Chip For Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment - Dr. Eric Kmiec
Dr. Eric Kmiec is Director of the Gene Editing Institute of the Helen F. Graham Cancer and Research Institute at Christiana Care Health System. He also holds faculty appointments at the University of…
466: Researching the Comparative Genomics of Pathological and Beneficial Bacteria - Dr. Rebecca Wattam
Dr. Rebecca Wattam is a Research Associate Professor in the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory within the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech. Rebecca is the outreach and biology…
465: Physicist Examining Magnetic Materials and Studying Superconductivity - Dr. Deepak Singh
Dr. Deepak Singh is an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Missouri and Principal Investigator of the Magnetism and Superconductivity Research Laboratory there. Deepak’s…
464: Making New Materials for Soft and Flexible Bio-Inspired Robots - Dr. Carmel Majidi
Dr. Carmel Majidi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. There, he also holds courtesy appointments in the Robotics Institute and in Civi…
463: Conducting Investigations to Improve Health in Low-Income Countries and Indigenous Communities - Dr. Alexandra Martiniuk
Dr. Alexandra Martiniuk is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine of the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana Schoo…
462: Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms Cells Use to Communicate During Development and Regeneration - Dr. Michael Levin
Dr. Michael Levin is Professor and Vannevar Bush Endowed Chair in the Department of Biology at Tufts University. He is also Director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts and Director of the Tufts C…
461: Atomic Layer Deposition Developer, Fundamental Physicist, and Scientific Philosopher - Dr. Tuomo Suntola
Dr. Tuomo Suntola is a co-owner and Board Member of the Finnish atomic layer deposition technology company Picosun Ltd. He is also Chairman of the Finnish Society for Natural Philosophy, Chairman of …
460: Cosmic Conquests - Seeking to Answer Key Questions About Our Universe - Dr. Jo Dunkley
Dr. Jo Dunkley is a Professor of Physics and Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. Jo is a cosmologist who conducts research to approximate how space behaves as a whole. This includes looki…
459: Developing Novel Therapies for Bone Regeneration and Restoration - Dr. Kurt Hankenson
Dr. Kurt Hankenson is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School. Kurt is a veterinarian and a scientist. His research focuses on developing new treatments to imp…
458: Researching Robotic Systems for Rehabilitation of Stroke and Spinal Cord Injury - Dr. Marcie O'Malley
Dr. Marcie O'Malley is the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Mechanical Engineering, as well as a Professor of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University. Marcie is also …
457: Using Virtual Reality to Tackle Tough Challenges in Surgical Training - Dr. Justin Barad
Dr. Justin Barad is the CEO of Osso VR, a virtual reality surgical training software company. Justin and the team at Osso VR are developing a surgical training platform that uses virtual reality and …
456: High Energy Physicist Studying Particle Collisions and Cosmic Rays - Dr. Daniel Whiteson
Dr. Daniel Whiteson is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. He is also co-author of the book We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe. As a particle p…
455: Decoding the Colorful Communication Cues Used By Female Fish - Dr. Lori Hosaka LaPlante
Dr. Lori Hosaka LaPlante is an Associate Professor of Biology at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. Her research focuses on how and why animals use color signals during communication. In particul…
454: Computer Scientist Creating Social Simulations to Study Human Behavior - Dr. Samarth Swarup
Dr. Samarth Swarup is a Research Associate Professor working in the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory at the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech. In the lab, Samarth studies hum…
453: Conducting Sweet Citizen Science-Based Research on the Genetics of Taste - Dr. Nicole Garneau
Dr. Nicole Garneau is a Curator of Human Health, the Department Chair of Health Sciences, and Principal Investigator of the Genetics of Taste Laboratory at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In…
452: Examining the Evolution of Host Specificity in Plant-Eating Insects - Dr. Douglas Futuyma
Dr. Douglas Futuyma is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University. He also holds an appointment as a Research Associate at the American Museum of N…
451: Studying Skin and Follicle Formation and How These Processes Fail in Cancer - Dr. Sunny Wong
Dr. Sunny Wong is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology and the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan School of Medicine. Sunny’s lab studies sk…
450: Unearthing Clues About Our Planet's Past From Tiny Fossils Found in Rock - Dr. Francisca Ikuenobe
Dr. Francisca Ikuenobe is a Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. In her research, Franca studies rocks to understand the clues they can reveal abo…