Technology

Episode 158: Why Does a Spacecraft Need a Heat Shield?

Meet the Expert: Dr. Sarah D’Souza, the Orion Thermal Protection Deputy System Manager at NASA Ames Dr. Sarah D’Souza is currently the Orion Thermal Protection System (TPS) Deputy System Manager at NASA Ames Research Center which is part of NASA’s Artemis program. Dr. D’Souza is a California native with a passion for all things aerospace and a proud graduate of the… Continue Reading Episode 158: Why Does a Spacecraft Need a Heat Shield?

Skylar Hughes, volcano expert in a lava tube

Episode 157: What Can We Learn from Volcanoes?

May 17, 2023

Meet the Expert: Skylar Hughes, volcano expert and tour guide for Big Island VIP Skylar Hughes is a private volcano tour guide on The Big Island of Hawaii. Originally from Steamboat Springs Colorado, he spent much of his time in nature and the outdoors. In need of change and scenery he first made his way… Continue Reading Episode 157: What Can We Learn from Volcanoes?

Episode 156: How Do Plants Survive in Extreme Habitats?

May 10, 2023

Meet the Expert: Matthew Biggs, Expert Gardener, author, and broadcaster Matthew trained at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He has presented numerous television programmes, notably Channel 4’s ‘Garden Club’, stepped behind the camera to direct Meridian Television’s popular gardening series ‘Grass Roots’ and worked as Horticultural Consultant for a garden design series on Channel 5.… Continue Reading Episode 156: How Do Plants Survive in Extreme Habitats?

Episode 155: How Will AI Help Help Humans with Mobility?

May 4, 2023

Meet the Expert: Dr. Brenna Argall, robotics engineer Dr. Argall is an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Northwestern University. Her research lies at the intersection of robotics autonomy, machine learning and human rehabilitation. She is director of the assistive & rehabilitation robotics laboratory (argallab) at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the nation’s premier rehabilitation hospital.… Continue Reading Episode 155: How Will AI Help Help Humans with Mobility?

Episode 154: How Do You Slow Down a Spaceship?

April 27, 2023

Meet the Expert: Julie Wolfson, Orion Program Risk Manager at Lockheed Martin In this role, she works to ensure that Orion risks to the success of every Artemis mission are identified early and handled properly. She collaborates with engineers from multiple disciplines analyzing technical and safety concerns, and finance staff to accurately assess the potential… Continue Reading Episode 154: How Do You Slow Down a Spaceship?

Episode 153: Why are Shark Teeth Shaped like That?

April 20, 2023

Meet the Expert: Dr. Lisa Whitenack, Associate Professor and Shark Expert Associate Professor of Biology Lisa Whitenack has contributed to two chapters in the third edition of Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives. She is the lead author of the book’s first chapter, which is about shark paleobiology, with co-authors from Yale University and the… Continue Reading Episode 153: Why are Shark Teeth Shaped like That?

Episode 152: How Do You Move a Rocket?

April 13, 2023

Meet the Expert: Dan Zapata, Crawler Systems Engineer, Exploration Ground Systems Kennedy Space Center Dan Zapata is a crawler systems engineer for the Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. One of seven certified drivers for the agency’s crawler transporters –six-million-pound platforms that carry rockets and spacecraft from Kennedy’s iconic Vehicle… Continue Reading Episode 152: How Do You Move a Rocket?

Episod 151: Can You Problem-solve Like an Orangutan?

April 7, 2023

Meet the Expert: Dr. Laurel Neme, science writer for National Geographic As a young girl growing up outside of Chicago, Laurel Neme dreamed of helping animals. At first, she wanted to be a large animal veterinarian and talk to the animals like Dr. Dolittle. Later, she wanted to be an animal scientist like Jane Goodall,… Continue Reading Episod 151: Can You Problem-solve Like an Orangutan?

Episode 150: How Do You Build a Droid?

March 30, 2023

Meet the Expert: Dr. Topher Hunter, scientist and expert droid builder Topher Hunter, PhD, is a scientist at a small medical device company. However he didn’t start out planning to go there. He’s been a professor of engineering, a company scientist, a volunteer medical first responder, a professional photographer, and a professional science communicator at… Continue Reading Episode 150: How Do You Build a Droid?

Episode 148: How Do You Get Energy from the Wind?

March 19, 2023

Neil Milani is currently a senior application engineer for Bachmann electronic and lives in Greenville, SC with his wife, 2 kids and Bongo their pet sugar glider. He has a B.S. in both Physics and Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering along with 30 years of experience working in automotive, telecom and renewable energy… Continue Reading Episode 148: How Do You Get Energy from the Wind?

Episode 147: How do you make a spacecraft safe?

March 12, 2023

Meet the Expert: Vera Demchenko, Systems Verification & Test Engineer with Lockheed Martin’s Orion Program. Vera Demchenko is a Systems Test and Verification Engineer on Lockheed Martin’s Orion Program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and beyond. In this role, Vera ensures that the Orion spacecraft is properly tested and verified for… Continue Reading Episode 147: How do you make a spacecraft safe?

Episode 145: How Do Astronauts Live in Space?

February 21, 2023

Meet the Expert: Dr. Mike Harrison, Chief Medical Officer for Axiom Space Michael Harrison, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. is the Chief Medical Officer for Axiom Space. Dr. Harrison is also an emergency medicine and critical care medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. He is an aerospace medicine specialist. His interests include operational… Continue Reading Episode 145: How Do Astronauts Live in Space?

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