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Majors Minors & Maybes

Majors Minors & Maybes

Written by: Dr. W.
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Major Minors & Maybes is a narrative podcast about real jobs you may not have heard of told through the stories of fictional characters inspired by true career paths. Hosted by Dr. W., a college professor, mom, and part-time career detective, each episode is a fun, thoughtful deep dive into the winding roads that lead people to unexpected work.

Think:

  • Audio storytelling meets career exploration
  • Forensic entomologists, microbial ecologists, and other niche-but-fascinating professionals
  • Real-world insights, told with curiosity, warmth, and a touch of whimsy

A quick note: Our short stories are fictional, but the jobs are not. Every character you meet is a composite based on interviews, research, and real professional journeys.

If you’ve ever asked, “What else is out there?” This show is for you.

It's Perfect for:

  • College students figuring it out
  • Career changers with big questions
  • People who love science, creativity, and storytelling

Subscribe, explore, and get inspired!

Danielle Webster 2025
Careers Economics Personal Success Science
Episodes
  • Secret Scientists Behind Every Bite: The Food Scientist
    Jun 16 2026

    What do potato chips, yogurt, frozen pizza, sports drinks, and even your favorite cookies have in common?

    Behind each one is a food scientist.

    In this episode of Majors, Minors & Maybes, we're uncovering the fascinating career that blends chemistry, biology, creativity, and problem-solving into one delicious profession. Join us as we follow a day in the life of a food scientist, explore how food products are developed and tested, and discover the surprising science behind flavor, texture, safety, and shelf life.

    You'll also hear from Ranee Anderson, a real food scientist who shares what it's like to work in the field, how foods are tested for bacteria during processing and shipping, the biggest surprises about the profession, and advice for students who aren't sure whether they belong in STEM.

    Whether you're curious about science, love food, or are looking for a career that's equal parts laboratory and innovation, this episode serves up a career you may not have considered, but probably interact with every single day.

    Show Notes:

    Following the Flavor: Inside the World of Food Science

    The episode of “Majors, Minors, and Maybes” follows food scientist Josie as she troubleshoots chip texture and flavor in a lab, adjusting humidity, extrusion settings, and seasoning ratios while also tackling sodium reduction, shelf-life testing, plant-based protein experiments, and food safety reviews. Dr. W. explains that food science is controlled experimentation that blends chemistry, creativity, and collaboration to make foods safe, stable, and enjoyable across manufacturing and shipping. Guest Renee Anderson describes how research determines safe storage conditions and how food scientists study pathogens like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli, and she highlights the field’s breadth and varied entry points. The script outlines common degrees, internships, and related experiences, gives salary ranges (about $50k–$65k entry-level and $100k+ senior), shares a fact about annatto creating cheddar’s orange color, and teases a next episode on scientific curators of human genetic data.

    00:00 The Science of Crunch

    01:24 Meet Josie in the Lab

    03:19 Dialing In Flavor

    04:07 A Day in Food Science

    05:53 Is Food Science for You

    06:35 Food Safety and the Journey

    07:54 Guest Renee on Bacteria

    10:09 Food Science Career Paths

    12:00 Degrees Internships and Skills

    13:08 Belonging in STEM

    15:06 Paychecks and Reality Check

    17:14 Surprising Foods Scientists Touch

    18:54 Curious Fact Color and Taste

    19:46 Renee on Phages and Detection

    21:01 Wrap Up and Next Episode

    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • VR, Vital Signs & Video Games: The Medical Game Designer
    Jun 2 2026

    In this episode of Majors, Minors & Maybes, we explore the fascinating world of the Medical Game Designer. The creative minds building video games, VR simulations, and interactive experiences that teach patients, train doctors, and make healthcare less intimidating.

    Through the story of Andie, a designer creating a game that helps kids understand and manage asthma, we uncover how gaming, medicine, psychology, and technology collide to create real-world impact.

    From virtual emergency rooms to patient education adventures, this episode dives into:

    • how medical games are developed
    • the science behind learning through play
    • what to study if you’re interested in this career
    • internships, volunteer opportunities, and skills that help you break into the field

    Whether you love coding, storytelling, healthcare, or gaming, this episode might just introduce you to a career you never knew existed.

    Press start on one of the most unexpected careers in healthcare.

    Show Notes:

    Medical Game Designer: Turning Healthcare Into a High-Score Mission

    Dr. W explores the career of medical game designers, who combine game mechanics with medical knowledge to train healthcare professionals, educate patients, support rehabilitation, and reduce anxiety before procedures using tools like VR, AR, and mobile apps. The episode follows eight-year-old Liam using a VR asthma game where levels teach triggers, inflammation, and inhaler use, improving his confidence and adherence. Andie, a biomedical engineering major with a game design minor, is introduced as the creator who partnered with clinicians and developers after seeing kids’ fear in a children’s hospital. Dr. W explains daily work like building realistic scenarios and decision trees, collaborating with medical teams, user testing, and using gameplay data as a research tool, plus pathways into the field, portfolio-building tips, workplaces, schedules, and salary ranges.

    00:00 Saving Lives Like a Game

    00:19 Meet Dr W and the Quest

    00:48 Liam’s VR Asthma Mission

    02:05 Andy Builds the Game

    03:56 What Medical Game Designers Do

    05:03 Office Hours Career Advice

    06:44 A Day in the Job

    07:55 Majors Minors and Skill Stack

    09:15 Breaking In Salary and Workplaces

    11:11 Why This Career Matters

    11:46 Tech Data and High Scores

    12:21 Wrap Up and Next Episode

    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • The Mind Behind The Mission: The Aerospace Behavioral Scientist
    May 19 2026

    From astronaut teamwork and stress management to designing safer systems for pilots and space crews, this career sits at the intersection of psychology, engineering, neuroscience, and space exploration. But what does an aerospace behavioral scientist actually do every day? How do you study human behavior when gravity disappears? And what can students study now if they dream of helping humans thrive beyond Earth?

    Through storytelling, curious career exploration, and practical career insight, this episode uncovers a profession most people have never heard of, but one that may shape the future of human spaceflight.

    Perfect for students who love psychology, aviation, STEM, human performance, design thinking, or simply asking: “How do humans adapt when the world around them changes completely?”

    Because sometimes the biggest challenge in space… isn’t the rocket. It’s understanding the humans inside it.

    Show Notes:

    Aerospace Behavioral Scientist: Engineering Human Resilience in Space

    Dr. W. introduces the career of an aerospace behavioral scientist, experts who study how astronauts think, feel, communicate, and perform during long-duration missions in confined, high-stakes environments. Through a vignette of subtle crew tension and the example of Luna, a psychology major who added human factors engineering and pursued a master’s in space psychology, the episode explains how these scientists research isolation, sleep, stress, and team dynamics using Earth-based simulations and tools like behavioral monitoring, interventions, and virtual-reality “space inoculation” training. The script outlines relevant psychology specializations, complementary majors (e.g., human factors, aerospace, data science), the typical need for graduate school, workplaces like NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Lab and military/aviation labs, and a salary range of $75,000–$150,000. It closes by teasing a future episode on medical game designers.

    00:00 Astronaut Mindset Mystery

    00:55 Life in a Tin Can

    02:46 Meet Luna’s Origin Story

    05:54 What They Really Do

    08:05 Training and Education Path

    11:20 Career Reality and Pay

    11:47 Day to Day and VR

    12:53 Wrap Up and Next Episode

    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
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