エピソード

  • Coding and data analysis are cool: A conversation with Vivian Egan, former ORISE research program participant
    2025/07/31
    Vivian Egan is a self-described nerd who did math for fun as a kid. As a former ORISE research program participant at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Egan is doing time series studies on human behavior, two concepts that don't ordinarily intersect. Time series studies usually focus on financial or environmental data, so focusing on human behavior is novel. She's studying how people multitask and their reaction time to certain stimuli (think loud noises or other interruptions). In a recent conversation with the ORISE Featurecast, Egan talked in-depth about her research, the trajectory of her career, obstacles she's faced and successes she's realized along the way. To learn more about ORISE research opportunities at AFRL and other U.S. Department of Defense programs, visit https://orise.orau.gov/dodprograms/index.html
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    33 分
  • What happens in the lab doesn't just stay in the lab: A conversation with Jinfan Chen, Ph.D.
    2025/07/22
    Jingfan Chen, Ph.D., says she understood that her research had impact outside the laboratory setting when she was studying the solubility of cancer drugs. Lack of solubility -- put simply, whether a drug molecule can dissolve in liquid -- keeps potential cancer drugs from reaching the market. Her study of ways to make these drugs more soluble opened her eyes to the importance of her research outside the lab. Chen took first place in the 2024 ORISE Postdoc Poster Session Showcase for her research on the quality and safety of compounded off-brand semaglutide-based medications. As the demand for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy has grown, there have been occasional shortages of the name-brand medications. Off-brand compounded medications are more affordable than their name brand counterparts, but can often contain ingredients that are non FDA approved. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast Chen talks about her work on the poster that took the award, other research she has done, her career trajectory and so much more.
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    21 分
  • Understanding is a journey of education: An Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship conversation
    2025/06/30
    ORISE Featurecast host Michael Holtz is the first to admit he isn't a fan of math. What he knows now is that he wasn't encouraged or given the ability to grow into his understanding of mathematics. In this episode, he and Zachary Minchow-Proffitt, a 2025 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, have a conversation about Social Emotional Learning with Ralph Pantozzi, also a current AEF Fellow, and Dr. Sharon Sikora, an AEF Alumnus. Social Emotional Learning helps educators understand how to encourage their students by meeting them where ever they may be emotionally when they come into the classroom, taking comparison bias out of the process, and helping students understand that they don't have to grasp a difficult concept immediately; it takes time. This was a meaningful and wide-ranging conversation. Dr. Sharon Sikora is currently a preK - high school science curriculum specialist and high school chemistry educator for Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton, California. In 2016, Sharon left her classroom of 10 years at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii to focus her attention on national education advocacy and policy as a 2016 - 2017 Einstein Distinguished Educator Congressional fellow serving in the US Senate at the Office of Senator Schatz (HI). Sharon has a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from Pomona College and a Master of Science and Doctorate of Science in Chemistry from the University of Denver. She completed a post-doctorate study in science education as a Senior Fellow at the NSF funded Center for Learning and Teaching in the West (CLTW) after which she served as Denver Public Schools district science coordinator. Sharon has collaborated on and presented sessions with NSELA, NSTA, and ASCD. Sharon’s leadership activities have spanned the international, national, state, district, school and classroom levels. With over 25 years as a science educator and as a published author, most recently with ASCD Education Leadership ‘What Students Have to Say About Student Engagement’, Sharon is committed to improving education for all. Ralph Pantozzi has supervised K-12 instruction and taught mathematics in New Jersey public and private schools for 32 years. He has taught 6th grade math through Calculus BC and Mathematical Research. Most recently Ralph served as teacher and department chair at the K-12 all-girls Kent Place School in Summit, New Jersey. There he developed curriculum, instruction, and assessments coupled with physical and virtual learning resources to support girls’ engagement and long-term success with mathematics. As part of his work, he designed and maintained a learning space called the “Math Studio”. In a room full of books, games, puzzles, art and math, students socialize, communicate, and create mathematical ideas through exploration, play, and research. Zachary Minchow-Proffitt has taught all levels of science courses over the last eleven years. Most recently, Zachary was a Lead Teacher of Integrated Science and Independent Science Research (Biomedical Engineering, Bioinformatics, Data Science/AI) at the Academies of Loudoun, in Leesburg, Virginia, which is a public magnet school for advanced STEM and CTE courses of study. He was also a Beginning Teacher Coach for the school district, responsible for mentoring new secondary science teachers in their first years of teaching. Prior to teaching in Loudoun County, Zachary taught IB/AP Biology at Annandale High School, as well as at AC Flora High School in Columbia, South Carolina, where he taught all levels of science and worked with students from around the world through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Act gives the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the responsibility for managing the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. The DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) manages this program for DOE in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and the partnering Federal agencies, which, at the time of this recording, included the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Library of Congress (LOC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The DOE sponsors five placements in congressional offices. To learn more about the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, visit https://science.osti.gov/wdts/einstein.
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    1 時間 3 分
  • An engineer doing a physics job: Rebecca Masline, Ph.D. talks about nuclear fusion
    2025/06/19
    Rebecca Masline, Ph.D., is a researcher at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She completed her Ph.D. at University of California San Diego in 2023. She took third place in the ORISE Postdoc Poster Session Showcase in 2024 for her poster on helium ash in the exhaust streams created by nuclear fusion. In this conversation, Masline explains that when atoms combine to make fusion happen, we get energy, which we like, but we also get one ash of helium as a byproduct. Masline’s research focuses on characterizing and understanding the behavior of helium in the exhaust stream of these nuclear fusion devices and investigate whether we can use that to characterize efficiency of a fusion power plant as a whole. She also talks about her mentors and what drives her as a scientist. To learn more about Masline and her research, visit https://orise.orau.gov/people/success-stories/2025/rebecca-masline.html
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    21 分
  • Doing something significant: Joshua Hayes, Ph.D., REAC/TS associate manager for health physics
    2025/06/04
    Joshua Hayes, Ph.D., is associate manager for health physics at the Radiation Emergency Assistance/Training Site. He's also a Marine, an ultramarathon runner, a husband and a soon-to-be girl dad. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, hosts Michael Holtz and Amber Davis talk to Hayes about how all roads led to him coming to work at REAC/TS. He was a CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear)Marine who helped with cleanup following the Fukishima disaster. He went back to Japan to study radiation exposure in boars and other animals as a master's and doctoral student. Hayes says he is excited about the work he does. REAC/TS is a deployable U.S. Department of Energy asset managed by ORISE. REAC/TS responds to radiation incidents around the world, either by phone or in person. The team also trains medical professionals to respond to radiation incidents. Hayes says the variety of applications of his knowledge -- from answering calls from individuals concerned they've been exposed to radiation to training teams in far-flung locations -- keeps him excited about his work. To learn more about REAC/TS, visit https://orise.orau.gov/reacts/index.html
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    54 分
  • Sharing enthusiasm and a love of science: A conversation about mentorship with Alison Gerken, Ph.D.
    2025/05/21
    Alison Gerken, Ph.D., a research ecologist with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, was one of the recipients of a 2024 ORISE Mentor Award for her excellence in mentoring young scientists. In this conversation with ORISE Featurecast host Michael Holtz, Gerken discusses the importance of mentorship for herself and for young scientists. She says learning to use the tools of experimental design and biology to answer questions about behavior and ecology fueled her passion for research, particularly in researching how farmers can protect their investment in providing safe food for Americans and the rest of the world. To learn more about ORISE research opportunities at the USDA-ARS, visit https://orise.orau.gov/usda-ars/index.html
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    19 分
  • How science helps solve problems: An FBI Visiting Scientist Program conversation
    2025/04/24
    Gene Peters is the chief of Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research at the FBI Laboratory in Virginia, where he leads research staff to develop new capabilities in, improve existing methods for, and strengthen the foundations and defensibility of science applied to forensic, counterterrorism, and intelligence challenges. His team's research spans forensic aspects of anthropology, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, genetics, geology, microbiology, statistics, toxicology, and physical sciences involving pattern evidence. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, Peters discusses the importance of the FBI Visiting Scientist Research Program. He also discusses how many of the researcher that join him have been inspired by what they see on shows like "CSI." For Peters, his TV inspiration was "Quincy MD." He says that while that TV show didn't actually spur an interest specifically in forensics, it did spur an interest in using science to solve problems. To learn more about the FBI Visiting Scientist Research Program, visit https://orise.orau.gov/fbi/default.html
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    30 分
  • Sharing federal resources created by and for educators: An Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship conversation
    2025/04/03
    Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows have a unique role in the nation's STEM education system. They represent educators from all over the country in policy discussions, and they help develop classroom and other educational resources that are accessible to educators and students everywhere. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, host Michael Holtz and guest co-host Zachary Proffitt-Minchow, himself an AEF Fellow, discuss how Fellows develop and can help amplify the availability of these resources. They are joined by Katherine Mauro, who is placed in the Air Force and Space Force STEM Outreach Office; Jorge Ambriz, a Capitol Hill Fellow working in Rep. Raul Grijalva's office; and Jonathan Gerlach, an AEF program alumnus and senior director of partnerships at Legends of Learning. Katherine Mauro brings over 10 years of experience in education to her role as an elementary school Library Media Specialist in Newtown, Connecticut. She is passionate about empowering students to become the next generation of changemakers and enjoys creating cross-curricular STEM lessons. Her accolades include being honored as a Connecticut state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, as well as a 2020 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. Katherine’s goal as an educator is to empower students through the use of both authentic experiential learning and technology tools, finding that both are essential elements in a classroom environment that cultivates learning for all types of students. Jorge Ambriz is a dynamic educator with a decade of experience in inspiring students to excel in mathematics while championing educational equity. Notably, Ambriz was selected to join a national cohort of STEM educators for professional development through Texas Instruments' Teachers Teaching with Technology (T3) program. This experience fortified his pedagogical approach, enriching classroom instruction through innovative integration of educational technology. Beyond his academic achievements, Ambriz is deeply committed to fostering inclusive learning environments and expanding access to rigorous coursework for minority students. His unwavering belief in the potential of every student drives his relentless pursuit of excellence in mathematics education. Looking ahead, he remains steadfast in his mission to cultivate the next generation of critical thinkers and problem solvers, equipped to thrive in an ever-evolving global landscape. Jonathan W. Gerlach has extensive experience in the field of education and business. Jonathan W. began their career in 2007 as an Elementary Science Department District Resource for Title I School for the School District of Hillsborough County. In 2011, they served as a 2011-2012 Einstein Capitol Hill Fellow for the U.S. Department of Energy, where they focused on STEM education, educational innovation, teacher effectiveness, and ESEA implementation. In 2012, they joined Discovery Inc. as a Global Consultant for STEM Initiatives, where they were the architect of Discovery Education's three STEM culture transformation systems. Jonathan W. also served as a Senior Manager Professional Development, developing and implementing professional development plans for school districts nationally. In 2018, Jonathan joined EVERFI as a Senior Director of Enterprise Account Management, leading a team supporting a multi-million dollar book of business. Jonathan W. also served as a Sr. Director Customer Success - Global STEM Partnerships, managing high level partnerships with corporate partners supporting STEM initiatives in schools. In 2021, Jonathan joined Legends of Learning as Senior Director, Partnerships & Business Development, leading sales and partner management for all of Florida and select top 25 sized districts across the nation. Jonathan W. doubled the footprint and revenue through new sales of key large accounts, and led strategy and operations for the territory from account management, marketing, and support. Additionally, Jonathan has served as a Global STEM Consultant and Keynote Speaker for GE-STEM Transformation Consulting since 2018, supporting districts and organizations through keynotes and customized professional development. The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Act gives the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the responsibility for managing the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. The DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) manages this program for DOE in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and the partnering Federal agencies, which, at the time of this recording, included the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Library of Congress (LOC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Department of Homeland Security...
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    52 分