People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Ryan Martin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Case Western Reserve University. As an Evolutionary Ecologist, Ryan is interested in animal diversity and design. Animals seem to be well adapted to their environment, and Ryan works to understand how diversity, adaptation, and design occur through the action of natural selection. He investigates how the presence of predators, weather conditions, and other environmental features change the way animals survive and produce offspring. In his free time, Ryan enjoys trying new restaurants with his fiancée. They also love to go hiking with their dogs, and Ryan has been honing his photography skills. He received a B.S. in Ecology and Evolution from the University of California, Santa Cruz and was awarded his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Afterward, Ryan conducted postdoctoral research at North Carolina State University and the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis in Knoxville, TN before accepting a faculty position at Case Western where he is today. Ryan is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.

Dr. Kim Waddell is an Assistant Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine as well as a faculty member with the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, a Senior Fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, and Research and Innovation Manager in the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, Kim is a Research Health Scientist at the VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion. Kim’s research focuses on behavior change and how to help motivate people to make decisions that are more aligned with their longer term goals. She is particularly interested in physical activity and using approaches from behavioral science to motivate adults who have had a stroke or have Parkinson’s disease to increase their daily activity. Another area that Kim is interested in is designing clinical decision support systems and ways to improve decision making to make sure that people are getting the right amount of the right kind of rehabilitation after stroke. When she’s not working, Kim tries to go running as often as possible to clear her head and disconnect from technology. She also enjoys cooking, particularly trying new recipes, as well as watching local sports teams and traveling. Kim received her BS in Health Science from Truman State University and her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then attended Washington University in St. Louis where she earned her PhD in Movement Science and her Master’s degree in Clinical Investigation. Kim conducted postdoctoral research at the VA and Penn before joining the faculty there. Recently, she was awarded the 2024 Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research’s Early-Stage Investigator Award, and in our interview, she shares more about her life and science.

Dr. Francisca Ikuenobe is a Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. In her research, Franca studies rocks to understand the clues they can reveal about the living things, environments, and climates of the past. Franca is particularly interested in the microfossils of pollen, spores, and phytoplankton that are preserved in rock. She uses these to help determine the age of rocks and what they can tell us about the history of an area. Franca loves reading entertainment magazines like Vogue Magazine and watching entertainment news on TV. When Entertainment Tonight is about to start, she drops everything she’s doing to watch it. She received her B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Ife in Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University). Afterwards, Francisca worked as a production geologist and subsequently a palynologist for Shell Petroleum Development Company for a year before enrolling in graduate school. She received her M.Sc. in applied geology also from the University of Ife where she next worked as an assistant lecturer. Francisca was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Award for her Ph.D. work in Geology at Cambridge University. Following the completion of her Ph.D., Francisca joined the faculty at Missouri S&T where she is today. Francisca has received various awards and honors for her work, including being named an Honorary Global Counselor by Missouri S&T’s Office of International and Cultural Affairs, an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, an African Scientific Institute Fellow, an elected fellow of the Geological Society of America, as well as receipt of the Distinguished Service Award from Goretti Old Girls International, Inc. and receipt of the Science and Technology Award from the Nigerian People’s Forum. In addition, Francisca has been awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award, Outstanding Students Leaders’ Outstanding Student Advocate Award, the Faculty Excellence Award, Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Woman of the Year Award all from Missouri S&T. Francisca joined us for an interview to talk about some of her experiences in life and science.

Dr. John Majercak is Head of Antibody Discovery at Lampire Biological Laboratories, a life science company at the forefront of innovation and discovery. At Lampire Biological Laboratories, John works primarily with antibodies, a type of blood protein. He generates new antibodies and provides existing antibodies to companies and academic institutions for use in research, development of antibody therapeutics, and other applications. When he’s not at work, John enjoys listening to podcasts and exploring other scientific fields, including physics, astronomy, and space exploration. He also spends his free time doing home renovations, and he’s currently working on a bathroom remodel. John received his PhD in Biochemistry from Rutgers University. Afterwards, he completed an industry postdoctoral fellowship at Novartis. Over the next nearly two decades, John worked at several companies, rising in the ranks to hold various positions at Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Molecular Templates before joining the team at Lampire in 2023. In our interview, John shares more about his life and science.