Science Studio

SCIENCE STUDIO: 3-D Periodic Table

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Shiv Khanna, professor of physics, Virginia Commonwealth University. Khanna talks about why reducing matter to a very small scale dramatically changes their properties, and offers the example of gold and aluminum and how they change when they are broken down into very small particles. Khanna also explains the concept of "superatoms" and how these superatoms can expand the periodic table into 3 dimensions. http://www.people.vcu.edu/~khanna/ Aired May 19, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Schizophrenia

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with psychiatrist & genetics researcher Dr. Michael Escamilla, Director of the Center of Excellence for Neurosciences at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Escamilla talks about the symptoms of schizophrenia, and how some people suffering from the disorder can live fairly normal lives while others encounter difficulty fitting in socially. He also talks about the search for genes that may increase risk for schizophrenia, and why the disorder is not caused solely by genetic factors, but by environmental ones as well. Aired May 12, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Chagas Disease

Mon, 06 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Igor Almeida from the Border Biomedical Research Center at the University of Texas at El Paso. Almeida talks about his research into Chagas disease, a tropical disease caused by a parasite and spread by the blood-sucking kissing bug. He talks about promising research with a so-called knockout mouse which could lead to a potential vaccine for Chagas.

Aired May 5, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Addiction and the Latino Community

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with sociologist Alice Cepeda, assistant professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California. Cepeda talks about drug use and gender roles in Mexican families. Why are men treated differently than women when they re-enter society after serving time for drug possession? Cepeda also explains the different stages of addiction, and how some people cope better with addiction than others. She also talks about an interesting study which shows that aging long-term heroin users in Mexico displayed better overall health than other men their age, with the exception of the symptoms of long-term drug usage, such as skin lesions and Hepatitis C. Aired April 28, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Vaccines & Immunotherapy

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Dr. Qizhi Cathy Yao, Professor in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor School of Medicine. Yao talks about the differences between vaccines and immunotherapy, both of which are used to fight disease, but at different stages of the disease. She talks about the challenges of developing a vaccine for HIV, and her hopes of developing a way to fight and cure pancreatic cancer. Aired April 21, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Heavy Elements and Star Death

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, Associate Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Enrico is a self-proclaimed "stellar mortician" who studies the deaths of stars. He talks about what becomes of stars like our sun (and larger ones) when they finally collapse and lose their battle with gravity. Enrico also talks about how the heavy elements came to be created as the universe expanded. He also share the fascinating fact that humans, on average, have more gold in our bodies than the universe and the sun! http://www.ucolick.org/~enrico/home.html

Aired April 14, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Gene Bank Preservation

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with David Dierig, Research Leader, Location Coordinator, Plant and Animal Genetic Resources Preservation Research with the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Dierig talks about the center's gene bank, which provides long-term preservation of diverse genetic resources for U.S. food & agriculture. Their gene bank is the most diverse in the world, and could be used to restore plant and/or animal populations in case of a catastrophe. http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=54-02-05-03

Aired April 7, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Drug Discovery

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

In a rebroadcast from Sept. 13, 2009, Keith talks with Andrei Nikolaev from the University of Dundee, Scotland, College of Life Sciences. Nikolaev talks about drug discovery of so-called neglected disease, and synthesizing compounds to gain biological knowledge of such diseases. Aired March 31, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Animal Behavior

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 01:30:00 +0000

In a rebroadcast from Aug. 30, 2009, Keith talks with Matthew Anderson from the Department of Psychology, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia. He talks about animal behavior, specifically that of flamingos. Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Do they prefer the left leg over the right one? And why are flamingos pink? Could they be another color? Aired March 24, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Graphene

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Chun Ning (Jeanie) Lau, Professor of Physics at the University of California at Riverside. Lau talks about graphene - a thin, one-atom-thick membrane of graphite that is strong, bendable, and displays high thermal & electrical conductivity. Aired March 17, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Isotopic Fingerprinting

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Michael Ketterer, professor of Analytical & Environmental Chemistry, Northern Arizona University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. Ketterer talks about the use of isotopic fingerprinting in investigating lead contamination, and why mass spectrometry can be used in nuclear forensics, tracing uranium and plutonium in the environment. Ketterer also talks about his part-time work as an ombudsperson at Northern Arizona University.

Aired March 10, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: IBM Smart Technology

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with Romelia Flores, Master Inventor and Distinguished Engineer with IBM Global Solutions. Flores talks about her early interest in math and computers, and how it led her to her current career path. She also talks about how IBM is working with clients to create a “Smarter Planet” by improving health care, roadways, and more to create a better way of living. Aired March 3, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO - Nuclear Waste Management

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with May Nyman, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Oregon State University. She talks about her time at Sandia National Laboratories researching nuclear waste management and using titanium dioxide to quickly and more efficiently absorb radioactive strontium, neptunium, and plutonium. She also talks about the benefits of virtual collaboration with other universities on conducting research. Aired Feb. 24, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Universe

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Stephan Meyer of the University of Chicago's Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, and Enrico Fermi Institute. Meyer takes us back to the Big Bang and explains why the universe appears to be expanding faster than previously theorized. He also tells us the difference between dark matter and dark energy, and why they have everything to do with the acceleration of the universe's expansion. Aired Feb. 17, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO - EURENCO

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with Gregory O.D. Smith, president and CEO of EURENCO, a uranium enrichment company located in Eunice, New Mexico. Smith talks about the large, fast centrifuges that separate uranium-238 from uranium-235 and result in an enriched uranium product for nuclear power plants. www.eurenco.com

Aired Feb 10, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Protein-Protein Interactions

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Kevin Burgess, Professor of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station TX. Burgess talks about the importance of learning how proteins interact, and which molecules interact best with others. Resulting research has led to advances in fighting HIV, diabetes, and cancer. Burgess also talks about his work with florescent molecules and how they can be used to mark DNA strands or view interactions between proteins inside a cell. Aired Feb. 3, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Conservation & Agriculture

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with Francisco Molinar, District Conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Molinar is an agricultural engineer, and he talks about water conservation in the desert. Some crops actually benefit from the hot, dry conditions in the Chihuahuan Desert, but specialized irrigation and land-leveling techniques will be crucial in conserving water in the future. Aired Jan. 27, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Superconductivity

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Allan J. Jacobson, Professor of Chemistry, and Director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity, at the University of Houston. Jacobson briefly explains the nature of superconductivity - when certain materials are cooled below a certain temperature, they lose all resistance to electricity, they repel magnetic fields, and become perfect conductors of electricity. Though it's not fully understood how these superconducting materials work, the Texas Center for Superconductivity is looking into ways to get materials to become superconductive at higher temperatures. http://tcsuh.com/ Aired Jan. 20, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Self-Sustaining African Agriculture

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 02:30:00 +0000

In a rebroadcast from June 14, 2009, Keith & Russ talk with Steve Forbes and Dennis Wambugah, graduates of the Environmental Science & Engineering Program at UTEP. They talk about ways poor African nations can use their own resources to develop a self-sustaining agricultural lifestyle. Aired Jan. 13, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Behavior

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 02:30:00 +0000

In a rebroadcast from June 7, 2009, Keith talks with Dennis Mitchell, president of IGN Behavior Studies. Mitchell talks about training teachers and family members on diffusing an argumentative environment. www.ignconsulting.com

Aired Jan. 6, 2013.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Companion Animals

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Gaylene Fasenko, Assistant Professor of Animal & Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Consumer & Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University. Fasenko talks about her early career in avian embryology, and how she eventually made the move to study companion animals and their relationship with humans. She also talks about the evolution of the domestication of dogs, and about the dangers of overly-selective breeding of dogs. Aired Dec. 30, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Research in Science & the Arts

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with Junius Gonzales, Provost at the University of Texas at El Paso, and Dena Kay Jones, Professor of Music at the University of Texas at El Paso. Gonzales talks about his background in science, technology, and health research, and how, in his position as Provost, he aims to enrich the research capabilities of UTEP faculty. Jones talks about the research opportunities provided by UTEP that allowed her to thoroughly investigate the life and works of Joaquin Rodrigo, and about the importance of researching the language, history, and background of music in preparation for a performance. Aired Dec. 23, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Nanotoxicology

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Jason White, head of the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station. White talks about testing the toxicity of nanomaterials against plants. He has found that smaller particles of nanomaterials such as silver tend to be more toxic than larger particles, especially when they begin to accumulate. Aired Dec. 16, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Efficient Light Sources

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Russ talks with Xiaoqin "Elaine" Li, professor of Physics at the University of Texas at Austin. She introduces us to quantum dots, colloids, and the field of plasmonics, and how they can be used to create more efficient light sources. www.ph.utexas.edu/person/li_xiaoqin Aired Dec. 9, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Trombones & Physics

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith talks with Allen Hermann, a physicist who has worked and taught at universities such as the University of Colorado and Tulane University, and at scientific hubs such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Solar Energy Research Institute. Hermann talks about his past groundbreaking research, how he missed a chance at making millions with one of his discoveries, and about his rewarding life as a jazz trombonist. Aired Dec. 2, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Stress and the Brain

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk to Lawrence Reagan, a stress neurologist with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience. Reagan talks about how stress affects the brain, with an emphasis on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the connections between obesity & depression. http://ppn.med.sc.edu/lreagan.asp

Aired Nov. 25, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Creation of the Universe

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Fridolin Weber, Professor of Theoretical Physics at San Diego State University. Weber talks about the creation of the universe, and why the more we learn, the less we seem to understand the nature of the universe. http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~fweber/

Aired Nov. 18, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Geophysics

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with geophysicist Kenneth Verosub, Distinguished Professor of Geology at the University of California at Davis. Verosub talks about the tens-of-thousands of years it takes for the Earth’s magnetic poles to reverse, and he also discusses ways that countries might resolve water issues when a major water system is shared internationally, such as the Rio Grande along the US/Mexico Border, or the Jordan River or the Tigris/Euphrates in the Middle East. Aired Nov. 11, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: Addiction

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Keith & Russ talk with Terry Robinson, professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan. Robinson talks about the long-term effects on the brain of exposure to addictive psychostimulants. Aired Nov. 4, 2012.

SCIENCE STUDIO: I-20 Wildlife Preserve

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Keith is on location to Midland TX to visit with Nathan Knowles, Executive Director of the I-20 Wildlife Preserve; and Derek Faust, consultant and environmental scientist. Hear about this unique playa wetland and its importance in supporting biodiversity in the region. http://i20wildlifepreserve.org. Aired Oct. 28, 2012.