In this episode, Dr. Nicole Quinn speaks with Dr. Tenneille Ludwig, board member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, and Dr. Rita Carsetti, President of the International Union of Immunological Societies, about the essential role scientific societies play in the global research ecosystem. They discuss how societies bring researchers together across borders, establish guidelines and nomenclature, support early-career scientists, and advocate for science at the policy level. The conversation also explores how international societies promote equitable access to knowledge, combat misinformation around issues like stem cell therapies and vaccines, and strengthen public trust through clear communication and global collaboration.

Image courtesy of Drs. Tenneille Ludwig and Rita Carsetti

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Daylon James speak with Dr. Sarahanne Field, Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Trial and Error, about the importance of publishing negative results and studying science itself through meta-science. Sarahanne shares how the journal was founded to challenge publication bias and create space for well-designed studies that produce unexpected or null findings. The conversation explores incentives in academic publishing, the “file drawer problem,” registered reports, open data, and how cultural and structural change can support more transparent and rigorous science. Sarahanne closes with a hopeful vision for a research culture that rewards honesty, collaboration, and high-quality work, even when the results are not flashy.

Image courtesy of Dr. Sarahanne Field

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, Drs. Nicole Quinn and Brenda Raud speak with Dr. Rachel Perry at the Yale School of Medicine about the long-standing expectation that scientists must move between institutions or countries to advance their careers. Rachel shares her unconventional path of remaining at Yale from undergraduate training through faculty appointment, and discusses the intentional decisions, mentorship strategies, and clear scientific differentiation required to build independence while staying in one place. Brenda offers a contrasting perspective shaped by international mobility, highlighting both the professional benefits and personal costs of relocating. Together, they explore how shifting norms around dual-career couples, family considerations, remote collaboration, and open data are challenging traditional models of academic progression, and offer practical advice for scientists navigating whether to move—or stay—while building meaningful, impactful careers in science.

Image courtesy of Dr. Rachel Perry.

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Arun Sharma speak with Euan Adie, Founder of Altmetric, about rethinking how we measure research impact beyond traditional citations. Euan shares the origin story of Altmetric and explains the difference between attention and real-world influence, including policy, education, and clinical impact. The conversation explores the challenges of reforming research assessment, the role of social media and institutional communications in increasing visibility, and how AI is changing the way scientific information is discovered and evaluated. Euan also reflects on the need to better reward researchers for contributions outside of traditional publications, and what meaningful change in research culture could look like.

Image courtesy of Euan Adie.

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Jason Goldsmith chat with Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada. Rob shares insights on workforce trends in the life sciences and explains why the biggest skills gaps in biotech aren’t technical, but in so-called “success skills” like communication, project management, and critical thinking. He discusses how co-ops, internships, and work-integrated learning help bridge the gap between academic training and industry expectations, the role of government and employers in building talent pipelines, and what trainees can do to better prepare for careers in today’s bioeconomy.

Image courtesy of Rob Henderson

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Jason Goldsmith chat with Dr. César de la Fuente, Presidential Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. de la Fuente discusses his work using AI to discover new antibiotics, and building a new large language model in his lab. He talks about opportunities for AI to assist researchers with administrative tasks, as well as current limitations of the technology. He also touches on the future of AI, including the generation of “AI scientists,” and the need to address server use and environmental impacts.

Image courtesy of Dr. César de la Fuente

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Arun Sharma chat with Tamara Poles, Founder and CEO of Universal SciCom. Tamara discusses her career path into science communication and how she helps scientists become effective communicators. She also talks about the importance of authenticity and storytelling when engaging with the public, and how early-career scientists can cultivate their communication skills.

Never miss updates about new episodes.

In this episode, co-hosts Drs. Nicole Quinn and Daylon James chat with Drs. Lisa Corwin and Sandhya Krishnan from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Corwin is an Associate Professor and Principal Investigator of the REACH Lab, which studies how early-career scientists engage with and persevere through challenges in their research. Dr. Krishnan is a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Postdoc Associate with FLAMEnet, and Project Lead at the Science of Failure. They talk about how students cope with research failures and how mentors can normalize and allow for failure on a smaller scale. They also talk about how researchers can be transparent with their experimental results.

Images courtesy of Drs. Lisa Corwin and Sandhya Krishnan

Sign up to receive helpful advice and updates on new episodes.