University of Michigan Podcast Sheds Light on the Human Side of Science

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- What do satellites, safety, and social impact all have in common? Find that out, and much more, with the new season of How to Science, the award-winning podcast from the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Now in its second season, How to Science explores science, the research behind the science, and the people studying it—set in the context of space orbits, the psychology behind how children become scientists, the Flint water crisis, and more.

Hosted by Monica Dus, an assistant professor in LSA's Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, How to Science features some of the leading early-career scientists in the country. Six new 15- to 20-minute episodes will drop in Season 2, with one new episode every other week through January 2019. The podcast will cover an array of topics, including an astronomer's story of balancing risk and reward in science research, advice for science activists and advocates, how to deal with biosecurity risks when researching dangerous data like the H5N1 flu virus, and handling conflicts of interest in science. Last year, the podcast featured various LSA faculty, including professors Orie Shafer, Meg Duffy, and Sara Aton, along with physics and astronomy professor Tim McKay.

"I am very excited for the upcoming season of How to Science," says Dus, whose research focuses on feeding behavior and the effect of sugar on the brain. "This season features more anecdotal storytelling, and these researchers have some amazing stories, as you can imagine. Our goal is to uncover the human side of science and discuss issues that appeal to and impact a broad audience."

Launched in 2017, How to Science uses audio storytelling to make complex scientific issues accessible and relatable to people in their everyday lives. How to Science is a rarity—one of the few podcasts of its kind hosted by a trained scientist who is currently doing the research and managing a research lab. The podcast won the 2018 UCDA Design Competition Excellence Award for Integrated Marketing.   

The natural sciences at LSA comprise some of the most distinguished and globally-recognized programs of their kind. Under the leadership of Associate Dean Chris Poulsen, the natural sciences division in LSA is home to 14 science departments, including astronomy, earth and environmental sciences, statistics, and physics, along with 14 research centers and museums, including the Museum of Paleontology, the U-M Biological Station, and the Genomic Diversity Laboratory. LSA scientists pursue an extensive portfolio of research that helps us understand the physical world through observation, empirical data, and collaboration.

The first three episodes of the second season of How to Science are now available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and wherever you get podcasts. You can also join the How to Science Facebook group to stay up-to-date on the latest podcast happenings. For more information about LSA, visit www.lsa.umich.edu.

SOURCE University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

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