​Jaida Elcock is a graduate student at the University of Washington. Her research focuses on elasmobranch ecology and conservation. She is particularly interested in the movement ecology of migratory elasmobranchs, as this information is still unknown for many species. Jaida received her B.S. in Biology with University Honors from Northern Arizona …

Nichole Broderick is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Johns Hopkins University. Her research focuses on impacts of the microbiome on animal health. Nichole’s teaching portfolio includes Tiny Earth, a microbiology-based authentic research course in which students search the soil and other environments for antibiotic-producing microbes. Through h…

Michael Baym is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard University. His research is centered around the problem of antibiotic resistance, at the intersection of experimental, theoretical and computational techniques. His work ranges from understanding the basic mechanisms of evolution to the development of algorithms for computa…

I grew up in New Philadelphia, OH and have always been interested in animals. I participated in 4-H equine projects and milked cows at local dairy farms in high school, but did not decide I wanted to pursue veterinary medicine until I was in college at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. There I earned a BA in Molecular Biology and minor in Environ…

Watch her session here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83167298401 Abby Lewis is an ecologist who studies the effects of human activities on freshwater lakes. Her research has taken her everywhere from Southern California to Iceland, where she has studied how Los Angeles night lighting changes water quality in unseen ways and how invisible nutrient poll…

Caitlin Cunningham is a PhD candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at Dalhousie University. Her research looks at how cities can be better designed to support wildlife and meet biodiversity conservation goals. She is especially interested in how small spaces, like lawns and roadside verges can be used as wildlife habitat in the city. In her spare t…

Wieteke Holthuijzen is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at Northern Illinois University, where she studies the ecological impacts of introduced house mice on Midway through a collaborative research effort with Island Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Previously, Wieteke served as the Invasive Plant Control S…

An internationally renowned archaeologist with more than thirty seasons of excavation experience, Prof. Eric H. Cline has conducted fieldwork from Greece and Crete to Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. Drawing on his forthcoming book, Digging Deeper, Cline will answer questions that archaeologists are most frequently asked: How do you know where to dig? Ho…

An archaeologist's daily life is quite different than the images portrayed in popular movies and media. However, there is still plenty of discovery, adventure, and personality. Blogging has offered archaeologists the opportunity to communicate both their work and their lives in a personalized and ongoing way that departs from printed books and docu…

This webinar presents evidence for the late Roman/early Byzantine leprosy epidemic that affected Thebes, and probably a much wider area of Greece. It also will look at individuals who were buried in two mass graves, suggesting that they died in a catastrophic event, such as an epidemic disease. The Justinianic plague, known to be the first wave of …

What can Roman toilets teach us about daily life in ancient Rome? What does the archaeology of these structures reveal about Roman hygiene, public sanitation, customs related to purity or cleanliness? In a talk that investigates and illustrates some key examples of public and private Roman toilets from Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Ostia, we take…

Dr. Murty Studies the influence of neuromodulatory systems on both memory and memory-guided decisions using human neuroimaging.

Dr. Sarah Ward studies behavioral and pharmacological effects of the cannabinoid, serotonin, and opioid receptor systems on neuropathic pain and neuroprotection, learning and memory, and addiction.

Dr. Russ Buono is a science educator and researcher in molecular biology and the genetics of the human brain and disease states.

​Janelle Shane's AI humor blog, AIweirdness.com, looks at the strange side of artificial intelligence. She has been featured on the main TED stage, in the New York Times, The Atlantic, WIRED, Popular Science, All Things Considered, Science Friday, and Marketplace. Her book, "You Look Like a Thing and I Love You: How AI Works, Thinks, and Why It’s M…

Chelsea Connor is a herpetologist focusing on anoles at university in Texas. She's studying the interactions between an invasive species, Anolis cristatellus (Crested anole), and an endemic species, Anolis oculatus (Eyed anole), on the Commonwealth of Dominica where she's from. Chelsea is also a science communicator who loves sharing fun facts abou…

Melissa Molho is a Ph.D. candidate in the Plant Pathology Department at the University of Kentucky where she studies virus-host interactions in plants. She likes doing outreach activities and advocating for diversity and inclusion in science. Melissa is originally from Mexico City and she loves learning about different cultures. She also enjoys rea…

Dr. Wei Wei is a plant pathologist at the United States Department of Agriculture. She obtained her PhD in Microbiology from Oregon State University. Her research focuses on understanding the interactions between bacterial pathogens and their plant hosts to help improve plant disease control and prevention strategies. When she is not working in the…

Chelsea Newbold is a master’s student at Oregon State University where they study the effects of fungicide resistance on the growth and development of grape powdery mildew. Chelsea is visually impaired, from a low-income background, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community giving them a unique perspective on plant science and the world of plant health.…

Peter Soroye is a PhD Student in Biology at the University of Ottawa studying the impacts of climate change and habitat loss on pollinators. Peter's research focuses on pollinators like bumblebees and butterflies, but he's interested in finding solutions to help wildlife more broadly. When not doing research, Peter enjoys camping, hiking, playing b…

Imari Walker's travels have influenced her concern for the future of clean accessible water and our growing islands of plastic pollution in the sea. She completed her Bachelors in Marine Science at University of California, Berkeley and is a PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering at Duke University. Her research investigates the fate, occurrenc…

Dr Chris Baker is an ecologist who uses DNA sequencing to work out how species interact. His current research uses DNA from blood-feeding leeches to measure animal biodiversity in the Ailao Mountains of China’s Yunnan Province. His previous research took him to the savannas of Kenya where he worked on termites that grow fungus for food, and ants th…

I am a botanist that loves plants and travels the world searching for them! I am also interested in science communication and policy. I want my work to have a positive impact on society.

Dr. Rob O’Malley is an evolutionary anthropologist and primate behavioral ecologist who works for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program (www.aaas.org/DoSER). The program fosters constructive science engagement between scientific and religious communities, recognizing…

​Alexis Stutzman, BIG Founder PhD Candidate, Genetics and Molecular Biology Curriculum at UNC Chapel Hill UNC-IMSD Genetics Diversity Excellence Fellow, B.S. Univ of Chicago ‘18 Alex studies molecular determinants of 3D genome architectural changes during fruit fly wing development. Markia Smith, BIG Co-organizer PhD Student in Pathobiology and Tra…

Aarin A Williams, MS, LCGC Licensed Certified Genetic Counselor MS Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling, Stanford University. BS Biology, Howard University. Aarin currently practices prenatal, cancer and general genetics at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Loydie A. Jerome-Majewska, PhD Ph.D. Columbia University, Post-doc: Sloan Kettering In…

Dr. Janina M. Jeff is a senior scientist and population geneticist, with over 20 scientific publications. In addition to her public speaking and prominent position in STEAM, She also is the host and executive producer of a podcast called In Those Genes! The show uses Black culture and hip hop as a vessel to teach genetics to the Black community.…

Tykee James moved to DC and joined the National Audubon Society as Government Affairs Coordinator in December of 2018. His background is highlighted with experience as an environmental educator, community organizer, and environmental policy advisor in his hometown, Philly. Tykee is a birder and his passion for the hobby stems from his experience se…

Restoring Reefs with Liz Burmester.

Planet Microbe with Luis Valentin

Arik (he/him/his) is a huge herp-nerd and graduate student in Zoology at the University of Florida, where he researches amphibian disease ecology. He is currently trying to understand the impact and presence of the amphibian killing fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), throughout amphibian communities in Florida, and researching how coinfec…

A Board Member and President of BioCurious, a community lab space, a leader on two iGEM teams in 2014 and 2015 and a member of multiple community lab science projects including Open Insulin, Real Vegan Cheese, CuttleWranglin, DIY Bioprinter, and Kombucha Genomics. I push for open source science and for the creation of more community lab spaces.…

Bret Grasse is the manager of cephalopod operations at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. He has advanced the field of cephalopod husbandry (aka raising and taking care of cephalopods in an aquarium), and has figured out how to keep many cephalopod species happy and healthy in captivity that humans were previously unable…

​Dr. Carly Anne York is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. Her interests lay in the field of animal physiology, and she earned her doctorate studying how squid use their sensory systems to evade predators.

​Laura is a Program Coordinator at the Center for Disaster Risk Policy and an instructor in the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program at Florida State University. She conducts research in UAS integration and applications, operates as a public, unmanned pilot and member of the CDRP UAS Team, and occasionally serves as a UAS Coordinator …

Hagfish Slime with Sarah Schorno

Riley Black is the critically-acclaimed author of natural history books such as Skeleton Keys, My Beloved Brontosaurus, and Prehistoric Predators. Her bylines have appeared in publications from Slate to Nature, and she’s a frequent volunteer with paleontology field programs around the west. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.…

I am a Chilean astronomer searching for optical counterparts of short gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves. Currently, I am a third year Astronomy PhD student at the University of Maryland (UMD). I am working with Dr. Leo Singer from NASA using the Zwicky Transient Facility to cover large portions of the sky and maximize the probability to find…

Paleontology with Triceratops with Sophie Cajune

Designing Missions to the Moon and Mars with Sydney Dolan

Kandrea Wade is entering her second year as a PhD student in the Information Science department at CU Boulder focusing on algorithmic identity and the digital surveillance of marginalized groups. Along with developing her research at CU Boulder, Kandrea seeks to discover and assist in creating proper ethical regulations and education on algorithmic…

Nick did his Master's at the University of Connecticut studying what people think about black bears and black bear management. He has also researched human-beaver coexistence, and media portrayals of grizzly bear conservation. Now he's a research associate at the University of Alberta, where he uses GIS to understand the impacts of resource develop…

Meet Me in Orbit with Erin Eldridge

Bugs with Gwen

Did you Know that Plants Can Move? With Joyce Chery

Elephants are humans too with Dr. Caitlin O'Connell

How to Make a Mountain with Stacy Phillips

Marine Biology in a Museum: Specimens and Discovery, with Dean Pentcheff

Vaccines with Devika Varma

She's DINO-mite! Puzzler, detective, anatomist, geologist, which would you choose? Fossil Preparator at the Perot Museum Myria Perez does it all! Right now she is puzzling back together a skull of a Pachyrhinosaurus. By researching fossils, she can understand our Earth's history and in turn, understand its future. Some of the fossils she has worked…