Further Together the ORAU Podcast

Recent Episodes

Episode 95: ORISE Featurecast: Nick Byrd works to untangle bias in Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Fellowship

Posted September 12, 2022 • 00:00:18

We all deliver and consume information through the lens of our own biases. Individuals can get the same information and have the same resources, but come to wildly different conclusions. Nick Byrd, a researcher in the ORISE Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, uses his background studying philosophy and applied engineering to help people understand their cognitive biases and engage in reflective thinking to de-bias decision-making processes. The intent isn't to change minds or opinions, but to engage us in critical thinking. Learn more about Nick's work during this conversation with host Michael Holtz. You can learn more about the ORISE IC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship here: About ORISE | IC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program (orau.gov)

Episode 94: ORAU is making an impact on air quality, weather and climate research

Posted September 2, 2022 • 00:31:48

ORAU's work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division (NOAA ATDD) is one of the hidden gems of our company. It's not work we talk about often, but it is exciting and compelling Our team's work focuses on climate research, atmospheric chemistry and dispersion, and boundary layer characterization. The Climate Reference Network, in particular, is a series of 140 stations around the country that collect data to monitor climate. Some of the stations are located in harsh weather conditions, in locations like Alaska. Kathy Rollow and Mark Hall discuss the importance of the Climate Reference Network, how they keep the stations operating in harsh conditions, and the importance the work of the team working for NOAA ATDD. Join host Michael Holtz for this fascinating conversation. Learn more about our air quality, weather and climate research here: Air Quality, Weather & Climate Research | ORAU

Episode 93: Jonathan Levine: from research program participant to startup leader

Posted August 24, 2022 •

For Jonathan Levine, reading the 2002 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report made it clear that global warming and its effects on those of lower-income households were clearly and swiftly becoming a reality. After the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Levine became a participant of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Postgraduate Research Program, studying deep sea gas and oil rising through the ocean. Levine left academia and started his own company called Folia Materials to address environmental issues. Jonathan talks to host Michael Holtz about his NETL experience, how ORISE helped build his career, and the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork. You can also read more about Jonathan's experience at NETL here: https://orise.orau.gov/netl/experiences/levine.htmlORISE is managed by ORAU for the U.S. Department of Energy

Episode 92: Endless possibilities: Jeff Kelly discusses using weather data for biological research

Posted August 10, 2022 • 00:21:47

Scientists and weather watchers have been tracking weather and animal migration data for decades, mostly because they thought the data was interesting. Today, Jeff Kelly, University of Oklahoma biology professor and ORAU consultant, and other scientists use the convergence of archived weather and animal migration data with current technology to track changes caused by climate change over time. "Now we can look at decades of bird migration data, bat emergency data, and start to look at patterns related to climate change and weather changes and how they've impacted animals in ways that nobody really thought about when they started archiving those data." Join host Michael Holtz for a conversation about Kelly's research. You can also read more about Kelly's work here: https://orau.org/impact/people/jeff-kelly-uses-weather-data-for-biological-research.html

Episode 91: Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge helps 14,000 of our neighbors access free primary care services

Posted July 29, 2022 •

The Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge provides no-cost primary care services to 14,000 people in its three-county service area. These are our neighbors, people who don't qualify for TennCare because they make a little too much money but can't afford health insurance. Think the coffee shop baristas, grocery store clerks, food delivery drivers, etc. Ashley Golden, director of health studies, is a member of FMCOR Board of Directors. She and Billy Edmonds, FMCOR executive director, talk about the work of the organization. Ashley has a fundraising goal of $5,000 to support FMCOR. Help her meet her goal by donating here: https://acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/story/H5kehfLearn more about FMCOR here: https://www.fmcor.org/