Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined in-studio by Dr. Burcin Becerik-Gerber, founding director of the Innovation in Integrated Informatics Lab and the Center for Intelligent Environments, Technology, and Society at the University of Southern California. They talk about her work developing adaptive built environments using machine learning and systems thinking. They also discuss an incredible course she teaches called “Innovation in Engineering Design for Global Challenges,” in which USC students travel to refugee camps around the world to work with their inhabitants to design sustainable, feasible solutions to critical problems.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Kristina (Kris) Ropella, Dean of the College of Engineering and professor of biomedical engineering at Marquette University. They talk about her research in biosignal processing and medical imaging for diagnostic biomedical devices. They also discuss her role as Dean of Engineering, a position that is still incredibly rare to be held by a woman.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with Dr. Gary Paul Nabhan, founder of the Center for Regional Food Studies at the University of Arizona. They talk about sustainability, conservation, indigenous agriculture, and his newest of several books, “Mesquite: An Arboreal Love Affair.”

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with Dr. Livia Eberlin, an analytical chemist at the University of Texas. They talk about her recognition as a 2018 Sloan Research Fellow, Moore Inventor Fellow, and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient. They also discuss her incredible work at the intersection of chemistry and medicine, including the invention of the MasSpec Pen, a handheld device allowing for rapid, nondestructive analysis of cancerous tissue during surgery.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with Dr. Ross MacPhee, Curator of the Department of Mammalogy in the Division of Vertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. They talk about his newest book, “End of the Megafauna: The Fate of the World’s Hugest, Fiercest, and Strangest, Animals.” In it, Ross discusses new and exciting theories underlying the multiple extinction events of Earth’s largest prehistoric mammals.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara chats with award-winning documentarian and creative director of Genepool Productions, Sonya Pemberton. They talk about her newest film, Vitamania, as well as other projects she’s produced and aired across the globe. They also discuss the challenges of bringing Australian-made films to an American audience in the current science media landscape.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with Wright State University professor of philosophy Dr. William Irvine about his new book, “You: A Natural History.” They discuss the various identities that make you, well, you, including perspectives from evolutionary biology, genetics, and physics. Then the conversation turns to classical philosophy and the perspective of the stoics.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by author and artist Shawn Sheehy to talk about his newest book, “Beyond the Sixth Extinction: A Post-Apocalyptic Pop-Up.” They discuss his journey into the paper arts as well as the ecological and evolutionary science that goes into his work.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara connects with science writer David Quammen to talk about his new book, “The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life.” They discuss the complexity of modern evolutionary theory, from classical Darwinian natural selection to recent discoveries in the field of molecular phylogenetics.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by J.R. Becker, author of the “Annabelle and Aiden” children’s book series. They discuss how his transition into fatherhood inspired him to write books for kids that emphasize science, skepticism, and awe.