Sustainable Nano

Epizode

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  Ep. 47. Burn it Down: harassment, abuses of power, and advocating for change in STEM 21.07.2026 54min

  What does fighting abuses of power in Hollywood have to do with science? In this episode, reporter Maureen Ryan discusses her book, "Burn it Down: Power, Complicity and a Call for Change in Hollywood," and the many parallels with cultural structures in science and academia.
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  Ep 46. Centering What it's Really About 06.07.2026 43min

  An interview with Dr. Della Mosley, a healer, counseling psychologist, and former professor. In this conversation, recorded back in summer 2024, Dr. Della shares their perspective on holistic wellness for scientists, reflects on the project of supporting Wellness, Equity, and Liberation work in the CSN, and provides advice for scientists moving forward into the future.
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  Season 7 Preview 31.12.2025 2min

  It's the 7th season of the Sustainable Nano Podcast! Here's a quick preview of the three episodes of this final mini-season, including interviews with Dr. Della Mosley, Maureen Ryan, and Dr. Bob Hamers & Dr. Christy Haynes.
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  Ep 45. The World is Really Ready for Change 15.03.2024 37min

  Professor Mike Curry of the North Carolina Agricultural & Technological State University (NCAT) is a scientist, inventor, mentor, and advocate with a passion for bringing attention to the great research that happens at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). In this episode we share an interview between Dr. Curry and Dr. Bob Hamers, Director of the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, discussing Dr. Curry's nanocellulose research and the process of bringing HBCUs and Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) together for meaningful collaboration.
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  Ep 44. Part of Something Bigger: Social Media, Mentoring, & Friendship with Stuart Cantrill 20.12.2023 41min

  Early in the COVID pandemic, then-graduate student Safia Jilani became Twitter buddies with the Chief Editor of the prestigious journal Nature Chemistry, Dr. Stuart Cantrill. Dr. Jilani is now a Postdoctoral Fellow with the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, and Dr. Cantrill is now the Editorial Director for all of Nature's physics and chemistry journals... and they finally got the chance to meet in person last month! In this episode we bring you a conversation between these two chemists about the power and challenges of social media, the importance of mentorship, and being open to unforeseen career paths.
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  Ep 43. Revolutionizing How we Grow, Distribute, & Store Food: Revisiting the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station 07.11.2023 42min

  Five years after our first interview, we catch up with Dr. Jason White about chemistry at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and how nanoscience can benefit agriculture and global food security.
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  Ep 42. Why We All Feel So Terrible And What to Do About It 03.07.2023 43min

  Mental Health Awareness Month was back in May, but it's never too late to talk about mental health and strategies for taking care of ourselves during difficult times. In this episode we share a discussion with psychiatrist Dr. Kaz Nelson called "Why we all feel so terrible and what to do about it."
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  Season 6 Trailer 27.06.2023 2min

  Season 6 of Sustainable Nano is here!
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  Ep 41. Stronger, Tougher, Lighter 08.03.2023 27min

  What do nanotechnology, blacksmithing, and Star Wars have in common? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Suveen Mathaudhu about a range of topics from medical applications of materials science to metallurgy in The Mandalorian.
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  Ep 40. This Is the Future 22.10.2021 28min

  It's the first episode of season 6! We interview Olivia Geneus and Jarriaun Streets about founding #BlackinNanotech, how they got into science, and the challenges of communicating about nanotechnology.
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  Ep 39. Retelling a Story Through Illustrations: Lifeology Part 2 12.01.2021 51min

  How do you explain sustainable nanotechnology using art? Last fall the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology collaborated with Lifeology, an online platform that connects scientists and artists, to create a public-friendly "mini-course" called "What happens to nanoparticles in the environment?". On this episode of the podcast, CSN graduate students and course co-authors Stephanie Mitchell and Paige Kinsley talk with artist Elfy Chiang about her journey as an artist, working with scientists, and the excitement that can happen when collaborators surprise each other.
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  Ep 38. Beyond Jargon to Empathy: Lifeology Part 1 28.12.2020 42min

  How do you explain sustainable nanotechnology in text shorter than a tweet? This fall the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology collaborated with Lifeology, an online platform that connects scientists and artists, to create a public-friendly "mini-course" called "What happens to nanoparticles in the environment?". On this episode of the podcast, CSN graduate students and course co-authors Jaya Borgatta and Stephanie Mitchell talk with Lifeology co-founder Paige Jarreau about Lifeology, her journey to becoming a professional science communicator, and the importance of empathy in achieving accessible communication.
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  Ep 37. Shine Bright like a Diamond... Inside of a Worm 06.10.2020 17min

  Zack Jones, a graduate student in the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, gives diamonds to his study organism. But they're nanodiamonds, not jewelry, and after the tiny worms eat them, Zack uses their fluorescent and magnetic properties to see where the material accumulates within the worm's body. This episode talks about worms, defective diamonds, and how the combination of the two can provide information on environmental contamination.
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  Ep 36. "Yes, and...": A Guide to Effective Science Communication Using Improvisation 20.08.2020 40min

  Science communication takes a lot of different forms, including improvisation. In this episode, we interview Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology graduate student Paige Kinsley and alum Liz Laudadio. The episode dives deep into the life skills you can learn from doing improv, how it can make you a better listener, and how it relates to science storytelling. Not to mention the benefits of finding hobbies to do with your labmates.
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  Ep. 35 Photographing the Unphotographable 08.05.2020 37min

  How do you photograph the unphotographable? In this episode we interview MIT research scientist Felice Frankel, who specializes in visualizing science, using pictures to draw audiences in and help scientists more deeply examine their own work, including nanoscale materials that are smaller than wavelengths of light! We also have a mini-interview with graduate student Paige Kinsley about how COVID-19 is affecting chemistry labs in the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology.
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  Ep. 34 Winter Holiday Mini-Episode: Colorful Carbon Dots 20.12.2019 8min

  Winter can get pretty dark, especially in northern latitudes, and many cultures have winter holidays that feature and celebrate lights. For our last episode of 2019 we decided to talk about the bright and colorful chemistry of carbon dots!
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  Ep. 33 It Just Didn't Feel Like Me: Belonging and Sexism in Science 26.11.2019 48min

  How often do college women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) experience sexism? And how do these experiences affect their likelihood of staying in scientific fields? In this episode we talk with Majel Baker, a counseling psychologist who investigated these questions in her doctoral dissertation. Spoiler alert: sexism is bad. But there are ways we can work to improve the situation.
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  Ep 32. An Electronic Circuit on Every Seed? 30.10.2019 36min

  What if every seed you planted could include a sensor to monitor moisture and nutrients? What if every tissue had nanoscale electronics to check for viruses when you blew your nose? Our fourth season launches with an interview about the future of nanotransistor technology with Professor Mike Filler from Georgia Tech.
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  Season 4 Preview 29.10.2019 1min

  Sustainable Nano Season 4 is coming soon!
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  Ep 31. Jumping Asteroid Clouds: Supporting Vulnerable Learners in Educational Achievement 22.03.2019 48min

  Last November, Dr. Cat Hicks wrote an essay on Medium called "Reading vulnerable learners' applications to grad school: we need to stop failing them." In this episode of the podcast, University of Minnesota graduate student Becky Rodriguez interviews Dr. Hicks about her essay, her educational and career path, and how our educational system can be stacked against vulnerable learners. She offers some advice for applicants, those who review applications, and others who may just want to help. "A truly inclusive and diverse future will produce way better work, and you only get there by saying, 'we have to be comfortable with letting people be different.'" Our conversation is especially relevant given recent conversations about unfairness and fraud in U.S. college admissions. (And if you want to know what any of this has to do with asteroid fields, you'll just have to listen to the episode.)