Claim OwnershipFurther Together the ORAU Podcast
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© Copyright 2024 Further Together the ORAU Podcast
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Join your host Michael Holtz as he discuss all things ORAU, through interviews with our experts who provide innovative scientific and technical solutions for our customers. Michael and his guests will talk about ORAU’s storied history, how we’re impacting an ever-changing world, as well as our commitment to our community.
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Like just about any kid, Abhishek Desai grew up in India with dreams of becoming an astronaut. While that dream didn't come true, Desai is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow studying space from Earth. His project at NASA focuses multimessenger and multiwavelength astronomy to explain processes happening inside an Active Galactic Nuclei. In this conversation with Further Together's Michael Holtz, Desai talks about coming to the United States for his education, the importance of collaboration and mentorship, the value of the NASA NPP program, and more. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
Shipra Sinha, Ph.D., is a a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow living in India and conducting research with the Goddard Space Flight Center. Shipra's research focuses on auroras, which occur at both the North and South Poles. Studying auroras is fascinating, as most people in the West know about the Aurora Borealis. Shipra says the biggest challenge with studying South Pole auroras is Antarctica. Getting there is a challenge, so she often has to make estimates about southern aurora behavior based on what is known about their northern counterparts. Throughout this conversation, Shipra talks to host Michael Holtz about how she became an NPP Fellow (this conversation took place before her official start date in January), the importance of surrounding herself with supportive people, the value of mentorship and collaboration, and more. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
James Rogers, Ph.D., is an astrobiologist in the NASA Postdoctoral Program. He studies exoplanets (extra-solar bodies like planets, asteroids, etc.). Rogers says scientists have detected thousands of exoplanets orbiting stars throughout the galaxy. Studying exoplanets and planet formation can help us piece together how our solar system fits into the galaxy and the universe. In this conversation, Rogers talks to host Michael Holtz about his fellowship, making the transition from England to the United States, the role of mentorship and collaboration in his work, and what comes next during his fellowship. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
Kelly Luis, Ph.D., is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Water and Ecosystems Group. A native of Hawaii, Luis studies what the color of water can tell us about the health of aquatic ecosystems. During her conversation with host Michael Holtz, Luis talks about the trajectory of her career, how she is contributing to science at NASA, obstacles she's overcome to get to where she is, and so much more. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
As Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2024 comes to a close, Further Together host Michael Holtz, a 12-year survivor of stage IIIB colorectal cancer, talks to Eric Mayer and Jessica Etheridge, CEO and director of marketing and branding, respectively, for Knoxville-based New Day Diagnostics. This March, New Day launched ColoHealth, a screening blood test for people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer. They talk about the importance of prevention and early detection, the rise in colorectal cancer rates among people under age 50, and the changing scientific landscape for early detection tests. Learn more at https://newdaydiagnostics.com/
While the idea of recognizing women in STEM has been a more recent phenomenon, ORAU has long included women in its scientific enterprise. In this episode, Amber Davis and Matthew Underwood introduce host Michael Holtz to three women among the many who have made history at ORAU. Meet Evelyn Watson, Ann Sipe and Helen Vodopick, three women who made significant contributions to work at the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies (the original name of ORAU). Their backstories are fascinating, and they were innovators in their own right. Watson was an English major who became a self-taught nuclear physicist. Sipe was the day-to-day manager of the ORINS Medical Division cancer hospital who had a heart for taking great care of her patients such. Vodopick was an oncologist at the cancer hospital who helped revolutionize the fields of nuclear medicine and radiation oncology. Check out this fascinating episode of Further Together, and learn more about Evelyn Watson and the history of ORAU at the ORAU Then and Now Blog: https://orau.org/blog/archive.html
Dr. Nicola "Nicky" Fox, is the associate administrator for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, which essentially means she is the head of science for NASA. Her directorate is responsible for more than 150 missions that are currently in space or in development. Further Together hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Fox about the importance of her role, the trajectory of her career, how she became interested in science and how the desire to work for NASA brought her from England to the United States. She also tells a great story about how her father propped 8-month-old Nicky in front of the television to witness Neil Armstrong landing on the moon. Perhaps that event planted the seed? Fox came to NASA as a Postdoctoral Fellow and rose through the ranks to her current role. We cover a lot in this great and fun conversation. Give it a listen.
Learn more about Nicky Fox: https://science.nasa.gov/people/nicola-fox/
Learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: https://npp.orau.org/index.html
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the #1 cancer killer of men under age 50 and #2 of women under age 50. In this episode of Further Together, Michael Holtz welcomes his best friend, Ryan Vieth, as guest co-host. Ryan is in active treatment for stage IV colorectal cancer; Michael is a 12-year survivor of stage III colorectal cancer. They met when they were named 2023 Ambassadors for Fight Colorectal Cancer, a leading advocacy organization dedicated to the fight against colorectal cancer. Together, Michael and Ryan have a conversation with Anjee Davis, CEO of Fight CRC, during which they talk about cancer advocacy, the importance of survivors sharing their stories to eliminate the stigma associated with CRC, and the need to advocate all year long. Fight CRC creates opportunities for survivors, patients and caregivers to find community through virtual meetups, the Ambassador program and more. They also discuss United in Blue and Call on Congress, two Fight CRC events in Washington, DC, later this month.
To learn more about Fight Colorectal Cancer, and to participate virtually in United in Blue and Call on Congress, visit https://fightcolorectalcancer.org/
More than 18 million people in the United States are cancer survivors, and survivors are living longer than ever before. At the same time, the health impacts and side effects of cancer treatment can show up many years after treatment has ended. The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship advocates for quality cancer care for all people touched by cancer. In this episode of the Further Together podcast, Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Shelley Fuld Nasso, CEO of NCCS. Full disclosure: Holtz is a member of the NCCS Cancer Policy Advocacy Team, which works with lawmakers on policy issues important to cancer survivors. Topics discussed on this podcast include efforts to pass legislation that would enable survivorship care plans for all survivors so they understand and can prepare for the long-term side effects of treatment; the State of Survivorship survey, which NCCS conducts every year; the need for a longitudinal study for adult cancer survivors; the importance of caregivers, who are the unsung heroes in cancer land. Nasso also shares the many ways NCCS educates and empowers cancer survivors and caregivers. There is a lot to unpack in this conversation.
To learn more about the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, visit https://canceradvocacy.org/
In this episode of Further Together: The ORAU Podcast, Ken Tobin, chief research and university partnerships officer, and Cathy Fore, senior director of university partnerships, look ahead to the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions. In conversation with Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood, Tobin and Fore talk about the meeting's theme -- Redefining the Next Generation STEM Enterprise -- as well as the slate of keynote speakers and panelists. The annual meeting is a great opportunity to bring together ORAU subject matter experts, university consortium members and federal agency partners to discuss key issues and build relationships to find solutions together. While the annual meeting is an invitation-only event, the topics are relevant beyond the walls of ORAU. To that end, future podcast episodes will include a post-meeting wrap-up and interviews with some of the meetings speakers.
Amanda Lopez is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow in the Water and Systems Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her research background is in coastal geoscience world and she is currently studying the impact of wildfires on the land-sea interface. In this episode of Further Together, Lopez tells host Michael Holtz that she has wanted to be a scientist for as far back as she can remember. Her childhood included a love of Bill Nye the Science Guy and Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" series. Lopez says no one in her family was surprised she wanted to pursue the sciences. She also discusses how she gravitated toward coastal studies, the importance of mentorship and collaboration, the importance of the NASA NPP and so much more. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
Taylor Hutchison, a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow working on the James Webb Space Telescope, says her research focus is on distant galaxies --some of the first galaxies ever found in the early universe -- which give us a view toward understanding the history of the universe. In this episode of Further Together, host Michael Holtz asks Hutchison about her research emphasis, how she got to be a NASA NPP Fellow, what led her to a career in the sciences and so much more. To learn more about the NASA NPP Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
Trevor Maxwell was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer in March 2018. During his treatment journey he was dismayed to learn that support services specifically geared to men are sorely lacking, so he set out to change that. In 2019, he launched Man Up to Cancer, an organization that encourages men facing all forms of cancer to avoid isolation and connect with each other. Men find connection in The Howling Place, a private Facebook group, in 40-plus chapters across North America and around the world, and at an annual retreat called the Gathering of Wolves. MUTC also offers chemo backpacks to men undergoing chemotherapy, and is piloting men-only support groups at five cancer centers in 2024. The organization achieved non-profit status in November 2023 to continue its efforts to reach even more men who are not on social media, and to continue to provide all services at no cost. Further Together host Michael Holtz, a 12-year survivor of stage IIIB rectal cancer, is a member of the MUTC board of directors and recently recommended an ORAU-Directed Research and Development project to study the importance of peer-to-peer support for men facing cancer as part of his white paper, "Meeting the Moment: Aligning ORAU capabilities with the federal government's priorities to end cancer as we know it." Holtz and Maxwell discuss all things MUTC, the importance of peer-to-peer connection for men's mental and physical health, and how research will play a key role in reaching even more men in the future. To learn more about Man Up to Cancer, visit manuptocancer.org.
Sanah Baig is the Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she leads the management of the more than $4 billion USDA Science enterprise responsible for ensuring U.S. agriculture’s success through the advancement of science, technology, and innovation. Deputy Under Secretary Baig was a keynote speaker at ORAU's 2023 Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions, which brings together members of our university consortium and our federal government agency partners. Baig is the first representative from the USDA to address the ORAU annual meeting, and she hopes there will be more opportunities in the future. In this conversation, Michael Holtz and Baig discuss the importance of agriculture to the U.S. economy, how agriculture is changing in light of climate science, the opportunities that exist for academia, and her role in public service. To learn more about Baig's mission area, visit https://www.ree.usda.gov/.
ORAU and Villanova University teamed up to offer a workshop during which participants received certification in Basic Industry Bioprocessing Techniques. In this episode of Further Together, host Michael Holtz talks with Rosalind Wynn, associate professor in the Villanova Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Tracie Curtright, ORAU project manager, about the Innovation Partnership Program that funded the workshop. The certification earned by workshop participants is recognized by most pharmaceutical industry processing facilities. Participants were successful in growing cells and were able to measure cell viability/population. Mammalian cell culture samples created during this workshop are currently under cryopreservation storage for use in future collaborative projects between Villanova and Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing. To learn more about the Innovation Partnership Program, visit https://orau.org/partnerships/grant-programs/innovation-partnerships.html
What is the optimal age to teach climate change science to young people? Chris Nelson, Ed.D., project manager, and Kristin Hurst, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Resources at Southern Illinois University, teamed up on an ORAU-Directed Research and Development project to study when it is best to teach young people about climate change science. They worked under the hypothesis that high school students have more developed cultural and ideological viewpoints, whereas the worldviews of middle school students not quite as developed. At the same time, they reframed the conversation to demonstrate how climate change is impacting things young people enjoy -- food, activity, travel, etc. This conversation focuses on how they approached their research, what they learned and what could happen next as a result of their work together.
Reinier Janssen is a staff scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Host Michael Holtz had the opportunity to talk to Janssen toward the end of his NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowship, where he worked on novel instrumentation based on superconducting detectors. During this conversation, Holtz and Janssen discuss how he developed his interest in science, what the NASA NPP Fellowship has meant to his career, what drives him, and what happens next. To learn more about the NASA NPP, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html
Host Michael Holtz and Brenda Blunt, ORAU senior director of health policy, had the opportunity to participate in the StoryCorps Project while attending the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Health Equity Conference in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. Listeners may be familiar with StoryCorps from interviews that air on National Public Radio. During this interview, Holtz and Blunt talk about health equity through their experiences in and around the healthcare system and as patients within the system, and how ORAU is working to help solve the equity puzzle. ORAU has permission from the StoryCorps Project to broadcast this interview.
Further Together host Michael Holtz gets the tables turned on him and becomes the interviewee in this episode. Holtz received a Thought Leadership Research Award through the ORAU Research and University Partnerships Office to write a white paper that makes recommendations for research projects based on ORAU's capabilities and the federal government's cancer research priorities. Matthew Underwood, communications and marketing specialist, and Brenda Blunt, senior health policy director, talk with Holtz about ORAU's history in the cancer space, from running a cancer hospital for 24 years, to managing long-term epidemiology programs for workers exposed to radiation in the workplace, to leading health communications efforts and affecting policy change to impact patient outcomes, and so much more. Then they walk through Holtz's recommendations for seven potential ORAU-Directed Research and Development projects that could involve some of our university consortium partners. Learn more about the white paper here: https://orau.org/news/releases/2023/making-an-impact-on-cancer-personally-and-professionally.html
Laura Fackrell is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow who is looking ahead to the potential to humans living on the moon. Her research focuses on the role of nitrogen in lunar habitats, particularly how nitrogen is affected by plants and microbes in the soil or growth medium. Nitrogen is a key element in plant growth, so her research will also have an impact on creating better and more sustainable agriculture here on earth. In this conversation with host Michael Holtz, Fackrell talks about her career in research, the value of mentorship, and the value of being a mentor to younger scientists. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Program, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html.
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