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
- 829
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2025
189: Sinking His Teeth in to Exciting Research Questions in Periodontal Disease - Dr. George Hajishengallis
Dr. George Hajishengallis is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from the Univer…
188: Radiating Wisdom on Science and Speciation of Tropical Trees - Dr. Elizabeth Stacy
Dr. Elizabeth Stacy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. She received her Masters degree in Botany from the University of Georgia and her PhD in…
187: An Organic Chemist Leading the Charge Studying Antiaromatic Ions - Dr. Nancy Mills
Dr. Nancy Mills was a Murchison Professor (2011-2014) at Trinity University. She received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Arizona and she spent a few years teaching at Carleton College in…
186: Resistance on the Rise: Researcing the Arms Race of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria and Potential Transfers from Livestock to Humans - Dr. Tara Smith
Dr. Tara C. Smith is an Associate Professor in Epidemiology at Kent State University and Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Iowa. She received her PhD in Microbiology fr…
185: A Neuroscientist Following His Nose to Exciting Discoveries in Neuromodulation of Olfactory Circuits - Dr. Ricardo Araneda
Dr. Ricardo Araneda is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland. He completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at the University of Concepcion in Chi…
184: Well-Suited for Innovative Investigations of Deadly Tick-Bourne Viruses - Dr. Dennis Bente
Dr. Dennis Bente is an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He received a doctor of veterinary medicine degree and PhD from the U…
183: Unraveling the Tangled Banks to Understand Species Diversity and the Evolution of Insect-Plant Interactions - Dr. Diana Percy
Dr. Diana Percy is a Research Entomologist at the Natural History Museum, London, UK. She received her Masters degree in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and …
182: Demonstrating Great Taste in Research Investigating Our Chemical Senses - Dr. Paul Breslin
Dr. Paul Breslin is a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers University, a Member at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anatomy a…
181: Studying Wildlife Ecology, the Answers to Abundance, and the Science of Survival - Dr. Duane Diefenbach
Dr. Duane Diefenbach is an Adjunct Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Pennsylvania State University and Leader of the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He received his Master's …
180: A Deep Sea Rock Star Recording the Mysteries of the Geologic Record - Dr. Brian Romans
Dr. Brian Romans is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech. He received his Masters degree in Geology from the Colorado School of Mines and his PhD in Geological and…
179: A Researcher with an Eye for Great Science Studying Retinal Cell Rewiring After Damage - Dr. Rachel Wong
Dr. Rachel Wong is a Professor in the Department of Biological Structure at the University of Washington. She received her PhD in Vision Neuroscience from Australian National University. Afterward sh…
178: Variety is the Spice of Science! Experiments in Biodiversity and the Health of Our Ecosystems - Dr. Marc Cadotte
Dr. Marc Cadotte is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and the endowed TD Professor of Urban Forest Conservation and Biology at the University of Toronto, Scarborough. He…
177: Studying the Science of Sound and How Building Acoustics Affect Performance - Dr. Lily Wang
Dr. Lily Wang is a Professor of Architectural Engineering in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction and the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Faculty Development in th…
176: An Expert on Expertise Examining the Science of Performance and the Roles of Training and Talent - Dr. Zach Hambrick
Dr. Zachary Hambrick is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University. He received his Masters degree and PhD in Experimental Psychology from the Georgia Institute of Techn…
175: Rising to the Top Studying the Fluid Dynamics of Drops and Bubbles - Dr. James Bird
Dr. James "Jacy" Bird is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Boston University. He received a Masters of Engineering Science in Coastal Engineering from James Cook University in Austr…
174: Investigating the Intriguing Interactions between Animals and Plants - Dr. Dawn Bazely
Dr. Dawn Bazely is a Professor of Biology and former Director of the Institute for Research Innovation in Sustainability at York University. She received a Masters degree in Botany from the Universit…
173: Studying the Science of Romance in Plants and How to Avoid Dangerous Introductions with Invasive Species - Dr. Norman Ellstrand
Dr. Norman Ellstrand is a Professor of Genetics in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at the University of California, Riverside and Founder and past Director of the center for conservation …
172: A History of Success in Science Discovering and Characterizing Human Tumor Viruses - Dr. Patrick Moore
Dr. Patrick Moore is an American Cancer Society (ACS) Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, the Pittsburgh Foundation Chair in Innovative Cancer Research, the Director of th…
171: A Planetary Scientist Not Afraid to Get His Hands Dirty Studying Extraterrestrial Soil - Dr. Philip Metzger
Dr. Philip Metzger is a Planetary Scientist in the Florida Space Institute at the University of Central Florida. He received his Masters degree and PhD in Physics from the University of Central Flori…
170: Practicing Communicable Science Studying Viruses and Sharing Research with the World - Dr. Vincent Racaniello
Dr. Vincent Racaniello is the Higgins Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. He received his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Mo…