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Artwork for People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Marie McNeely, featuring top scientists speaking about their life and c
Cancer Research
Geobiology
Microbiology
Deep Subsurface Biosphere
Academia
Mentorship
Chemotherapy
Microtubule Poisons
Personalized Medicine
Nutrition
Tissue Engineering
Immune System
Cell Biology
Biomarkers
Chemical Engineering
Regenerative Medicine
Molecular Biology
Environmental Science
Drug Development
University Of Wisconsin-Madison

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 dri... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes836Founded12 years ago
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Artwork for People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Latest Episodes

Dr. Lawrence Uricchio is Assistant Professor and the Youniss Family Professor of Innovation in the Department of Biology at Tufts University. Research in Lawrence's lab focuses on modeling how evolutionary and ecological processes work. They use a co... more

YouTube

Dr. R. Douglas Fields is Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Adjunct Professor in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program at the University of Maryland, College Park. In... more

YouTube

Dr. Talithia Williams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean for Research and Experiential Learning at Harvey Mudd College. In addition, Talithia is Host of the PBS Series NOVA Wonders and author of the book Power in Numbers: The... more

YouTube

Dr. Tyler Susko is Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cadense, Inc., a company that creates groundbreaking adaptive solutions. He is also a Teaching Professor and Undergraduate Vice Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Univer... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Douglas Fields
Neuroscientist; NIH NICHD researcher; author
National Institutes of Health (NICHD)
Episode: 858: Studying New Cellular Mechanisms of Memory Involving Myelin - Dr. Douglas Fields
Talithia Williams
Associate Professor of Mathematics; host of NOVA Wonders; author and researcher
Harvey Mudd College
Episode: 857: Mathematician and Communicator with an Eye for Modeling Cataract Development in Populations Over Time - Dr. Talithia Williams
Dr. Tyler Susko
Founder and CTO of Cadence, Inc.; UCSB mechanical engineering faculty
Cadence, Inc.; University of California, Santa Barbara
Episode: 856: Engineering Innovative Shoes to Help Feet Move Forward - Dr. Tyler Susko
David Sedlak
Plato Malozemoff Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Berkeley Water Center co-director, and author of Water 4.0
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: 855: Working to Purify and Preserve Our World's Water Supply - Dr. David Sedlak
Carla Finkielstein
Associate professor of biological sciences; director of the Integrated Cellular Response Laboratory at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Episode: 854: Studying How Disruptions in Circadian Control of Cell Division May Cause Cancer - Dr. Carla Finkielstein
Donald Smith
Professor of Plant Science at McGill University; CEO of BioFuelNet Canada; researcher in plant-microbe signaling and nitrogen fixation
McGill University; BioFuelNet Canada
Episode: 853: Getting to the Root of How Microbes Help Plants Thrive Under Stress - Dr. Donald Smith
Dr. Andrew Friedman
Astrophysicist and cosmologist, assistant research scientist at UC San Diego
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, UC San Diego; MIT
Episode: 852: Using Astrophysics to Unravel the Enigma of Quantum Entanglement - Dr. Andrew Friedman
Dr. Kristen Lani Rasmussen
Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Episode: 851: Examining Extreme Weather Events and Earth's Most Intense Storms - Dr. Kristen Rasmussen
Dr. Dave Jackson
Professor of Plant Genetics at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Episode: 850: Investigating the Biology and Genetics of Plant Growth, Form, and Cellular Communication - Dr. Dave Jackson

Host

Dr. Marie McNeely
Host of the show, interviewer of scientists, focused on human stories behind research, career insights, and clear science communication.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 356 ratings
  • scientists talk about t their research and careers. interesting behind the scenes look at science 🔭🧪

    Audible
    5
    Mike Green
    United States2 years ago
  • fascinating stories from interesting people

    scientists talk about t their research and careers. interesting behind the scenes look at science 🔭🧪

    Audible
    5
    Mike Green
    United States2 years ago
  • Voyage through the cosmos. 🌌

    Dr. Marie McNeely introduces scientists and their stories to the public in a unique and profound manner, she has a logical approach towards crucial conversations. “Einstein was urging us to tear down the walls around science that have excluded and intimidated so many of us — to translate scientific insights from the jargon of its priesthood into the spoken language shared by us all, so that we may take these insights to heart and be changed by a personal encounter with the wonders they reveal.” ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sinai.Coons
    United States4 years ago
  • Voyage through the cosmos. 🌌

    Dr. Marie McNeely introduces scientists and their stories to the public in a unique and profound manner, she has a logical approach toward crucial conversations. “Einstein was urging us to tear down the walls around science that have excluded and intimidated so many of us — to translate scientific insights from the jargon of its priesthood into the spoken language shared by us all, so that we may take these insights to heart and be changed by a personal encounter with the wonders they reveal.”

    ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sinai.Coons
    United States4 years ago
  • Absolutely love this show!

    Dr. Marie is an excellent host - not only does she have a fabulous “radio voice,” but she asks fantastic questions that allow you to learn about complicated scientific topics in an accessible fashion. Her guests are super interesting, and the information that they cover consistently blows me away. Really grateful for this resource!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ArlieLP
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host for a clear, engaging interview style and accessible science explanations.
Overall, the production quality and conversational approach are highlighted as strengths, with appreciation for humanizing science.
Guests are described as interesting and stories as inspiring, with high regard for the depth of career and research insights.
Some feedback notes that the show sometimes emphasizes high-profile academic pedigrees and can feel niche to casual listeners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#202
United Kingdom/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#181
Germany/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#35
South Korea/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#60
New Zealand/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#129
Sweden/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#153
Norway/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

858: Studying New Cellular Mechanisms of Memory Involving Myelin - Dr. Douglas Fields
Q: So, Doug, do you have a favorite story of a failure or a challenge or one of these difficult times that you faced that you can tell us about today?
Fields argues that in science there is no true failure—experiments that don't work are part of the process, akin to rock climbing where you learn from falls. Real 'failures' occur when projects are hampered by practical barriers like funding, equipment, and collaboration issues, rather than the data itself.
852: Using Astrophysics to Unravel the Enigma of Quantum Entanglement - Dr. Andrew Friedman
Q: What have you learned from the funding and collaboration challenges of cross-disciplinary projects?
Success required persistence, luck, and aligning the right reviewers; many rejections happened before NSF funding, but with the right team and continued refinement, the work eventually gained support and visibility.
852: Using Astrophysics to Unravel the Enigma of Quantum Entanglement - Dr. Andrew Friedman
Q: What is the Cosmic Bell Experiment and why is it important?
It's an entanglement test where measurement settings are chosen by distant astronomical sources to minimize the chance of hidden variables influencing results, helping to rule out local-realist explanations and reinforcing quantum mechanics' predictions.
852: Using Astrophysics to Unravel the Enigma of Quantum Entanglement - Dr. Andrew Friedman
Q: How do you describe what you do when people ask you what your work is about?
I explain that we study the universe's history from the Big Bang to today, using distant astronomical objects to learn about fundamental physics and quantum mechanics, often thinking of the universe as a laboratory for understanding how the world works.
854: Studying How Disruptions in Circadian Control of Cell Division May Cause Cancer - Dr. Carla Finkielstein
Q: Can you describe a favorite story of failure and how you grew from it?
Carla recounts a challenging early thesis period where years of work yielded no results, leading to a pivotal shift in diagnosing and redesigning experiments, ultimately fostering resilience and a growth mindset in her lab.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features in-depth conversations with scientists about their research, career paths, collaborations, and the human side of science. Episodes highlight how researchers navigate funding, mentorship, and interdisciplinary work, often weaving personal stories with technical insights to illuminate how discoveries unfold in real life. Listeners can expect approachable explanations of complex topics, behind-the-scenes looks at scientific careers, and practical career advice for aspiring researchers. A standout aspect is the host's ability to draw out meaningful personal and professional narratives from guests across biology, physics, environmental science, medicine, and engineering, making science feel accessible and human.

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1. Science Friday
2. Hidden Brain
3. Radiolab
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. People I (Mostly) Admire

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 12 years ago and published 836 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Douglas Fields
2. Talithia Williams
3. Dr. Tyler Susko
4. David Sedlak
5. Carla Finkielstein
6. Donald Smith
7. Dr. Andrew Friedman
8. Dr. Kristen Lani Rasmussen

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