Shaping Science with Nick Dirks

Angus Fletcher, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss how the humanities inform the sciences, the role of neurons as action initiators, and why he thinks artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a hoax. With degrees from the University of Michigan and Yale University, he is currently a professor of story science at Ohio State University’s Project Narrative. Trai...

D. Graham Burnett, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss the role of democracy in science and the impact technology has on attention spans. Prof. Burnett is the Henry Charles Lea Professor of History at Princeton University. He co-authored the paper “Attention sanctuaries: Social practice guidelines and emergent strategies in attention activism” published in Ann...

Stuart Firestein, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss the science of smells, learning from failure, and the utility of uncertainty. Formerly the Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, Prof. Firestein is the author of “Ignorance: How it Drives Science” and “Failure: Why Science is So Successful,” which have been translated into 1...

Peter Salovey joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss his groundbreaking work on emotional intelligence and lessons he’s learned after more than two decades in higher education leadership. Prof. Salovey served as the twenty-third president of Yale University from 2013 to 2024 and currently is Sterling Professor of Psychology at Yale with secondary appointments in the S...

Ariel Ekblaw, PhD, founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss the complexity and promise of modern space exploration. Dr. Ekblaw talks about the work her nonprofit is doing in developing “space LEGOs” to create customizable space structures for humans, the utility of zero gravity for medical applications, and her thoughts on democrati...

Mary Woolley, President of Research! America, joins Nick Dirks in the premiere episode of Shaping Science, The New York Academy of Sciences' new podcast. Mary discusses her more than three-decade career at the helm of Research! America, the importance of federal support for research, and hope for the future of science, despite recent challenges. This episode of Shaping Science was made possibl...

Welcome to the "Shaping Science" podcast where we talk with experts from science, academia, industry, and beyond to explore the latest in research, education and innovation for the public good.