NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

Bioengineering Kidneys

Kidneys are essential for keeping the body functioning but one in seven Americans suffer from kidney disease. Alex Hughes, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses the kidney's role in the body, its structure and how his lab is working to grow new kidney tissues.  

History Trapped In Ice

Ice cores allow scientists to reconstruct climate conditions far into the past. Peter Neff, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, discusses the process of collecting ice cores, how data is obtained from them and what the past may teach us about the future.

Leonid Meteor Shower

Every fall, the Leonid meteor shower puts on an amazing display with observers counting numbers from thousands to tens of thousands of meteors per hour. Joe Pesce, an astrophysicist with the U.S. National Science Foundation, discusses meteor showers, why they occur and how to view the Leonid meteor shower.

Perspectives in STEM

The future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics will require many perspectives to achieve its utmost potential. Keivan Stassun, professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University, discusses astronomy, his efforts in expanding diversity in STEM and some of the discoveries that are resulting from it at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, and his recent MacArthur Fellowship that acknowledges those efforts.

Concrete Designs

Advances in materials science and rapidly developing technologies are leading to new approaches to engineering concretes and building infrastructure. Reza Moini, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton University, discusses his work with concrete, 3D-printing techniques and how his lab takes inspiration from nature as it works to reimagine the future of building materials.

National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot

The world of artificial intelligence is changing the way people live, work and think. This new frontier is also shifting the world of scientific research and has led the U.S. National Science Foundation to launch the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource pilot. Tess deBlanc-Knowles, NSF special assistant to the director for AI, discusses developing safe and responsible A.I. and how it is impacting new discoveries.

Biology and Living Systems

To advance the understanding of complex living systems, research must have an integration of scientific disciplines. Pankaj Jaiswal, a program officer in the U.S. National Science Foundation Division of Integrative Organismal Systems' Plant Genome Research Program, and Robyn Smyth, a program director in the NSF Division of Environmental Biology's Ecosystem Science Cluster, discuss plant genomes and water systems research.

Global Artificial Intelligence Research Agenda (Part 2)

An interagency effort has crafted a document to support the entire artificial intelligence research ecosystem, from foundational discoveries to societal applications. Jillian Mammino, a contractor at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Mary Beech, director of workers and technology policy in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy; and Craig Jolley, a senior data scientist in the Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation at the U.S. Agency for International Development discuss the Global AI Research Agenda.

Bioplastics from Bacteria

Plastics are foundational in modern life, but only a fraction of those produced are recycled. WashU researchers Arpita Bose, associate professor of biology; Eric Conners, a graduate student; and Tahina Ranaivoarisoa, a lab manager in the Bose Lab, discuss purple bacteria and how they might be used to produce biodegradable bioplastics.

Global Artificial Intelligence Research Agenda

An interagency effort has crafted a document to serve as a starting point to align an international artificial intelligence research vision. Michael Littman, the division director of the U.S. National Science Foundation Information and Intelligent Systems in the NSF Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and Joshua E. Porterfield, a Federation of American Scientists Impact Fellow in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies discuss the Global Artificial Intelligence Research Agenda.