Shaping Science with Nick Dirks
Episodes
#15 Steven Johnson on 19th Century Literature, the Future of Academic Research, and the Role of the Humanities in AI Development
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Steven Johnson joins Nick Dirks to discuss his journey from majoring in semiotics to becoming a bestselling author widely known for his pers...
#14 Britney Schmidt on Robotic Submersibles, Rising Sea Levels, and the Potential of Extraterrestrial Life
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Britney Schmidt, PhD, joins Nick Dirks to discuss what we can learn from earth’s harshest environments, what the Thwaites Glacier tells us about ris...
#13 Ron Gonen on Reducing Landfill Waste, Effective Messaging Around Sustainability, and the Case for Extended Producer Responsibility
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ron Gonen, MBA, joins Nick Dirks to discuss the environmental benefits of the circular economy, how the military industrial complex fueled the...
#12 Neurobiologist Stuart Firestein and Playwright Jake Brasch on a Moving New Off-Broadway Play and on the Ties that Bind Us - Aging, Family, Recovery and Memory
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Neurobiologist Stuart Firestein and playwright Jake Brasch join Nick Dirks on Shaping Science to discuss “The Reservoir,” a new Off-Broadway ...
#11 Chandrika Tandon on Growing up in India, Navigating War-torn Lebanon, Transforming Higher Education and Music as Emotional Empowerment
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Chandrika Tandon joins Nick Dirks on Shaping Science to discuss how perseverance and determination have fueled every aspect of her life, fr...
#10 Ian Bogost on Being an Interdisciplinarian, Lessons from the Dot-Com Era, and New Approaches to AI
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Bogost, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the tenth episode of Shaping Science to discuss the intersection of philosophy and technology, how gaming compa...
#09 Nicolas Langlitz on Medical Anthropology, Neuropsychedelia, and the Decade of the Brain
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nicolas Langlitz, MD, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the ninth episode of Shaping Science to discuss medical anthropology, the anti-psychiatric movement, a...
#08 Laura Spinney on the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the Origins of Language, and the Complexity of Identity
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Spinney joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss how the “Spanish” flu got its name, why societies change o...
#07 Agustín Fuentes on Biological Anthropology, Sex as a Spectrum, and What It Means to be Human
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Agustín Fuentes, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss his boundary-crossing work in anthropology; humanist qu...
#06 Angus Fletcher on the Hoax of Artificial General Intelligence, Teaching Creativity, and the Future of the Humanities
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Angus Fletcher, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss how the humanities inform the sciences, the role of neuron...
#05 D. Graham Burnett on the Philosophy of Science, the Crisis of Human Fracking, and the Need for Attention Sanctuaries
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 technolog...
#04 Stuart Firestein on the Science of Smells, Learning from Failure, and the Utility of Uncertainty
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stuart Firestein, PhD, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss the science of smells, learning from failure, and the util...
#03 Peter Salovey on Emotional Intelligence, Public Trust in Science, and the Future of Higher Education
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Salovey joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss his groundbreaking work on emotional intelligence and lessons he’...
#02 Ariel Ekblaw on the Intersection of Physics, AI, Philosophy, and Ethics in Space Exploration
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ariel Ekblaw, PhD, founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute, joins Nick Dirks in the latest episode of Shaping Science to discuss the complexity and promi...
#01 Mary Woolley on Threats to Science, the Role of Advocacy, and Funding Research
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Woolley, President of Research!America, joins Nick Dirks in the premiere episode of Shaping Science, The New York Academy of Sciences' new podcas...
Introducing the "Shaping Science" Podcast
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the "Shaping Science" podcast where we talk with experts from science, academia, industry, and beyond to explore the latest in re...