Scientists are among the most interesting people you’ll ever meet, and they do some of the most exciting and creative work imaginable. But for most of us, that work can often seem abstract and hard to grasp.
Joe Palca, NPR science correspondent, is ready to come to the rescue. He’s gathered a group of notable scientists working in six hot-topic disciplines and planned a series that offers insights into what they do—and why it’s important to you. Informal conversations will reveal dynamic fields filled with innovation, passion, and promise that are worlds away from coolly clinical, lab-coated stereotypes. You’ll come away from these entertaining and accessible sessions with plenty of new information, as well as a deeper confidence in your ability to make the connection between science and your life.
Featured Topic: Neuroscience
Featured Scientist: Sam Wang, Princeton Neuroscience Institute
In the final program in this series, Palca is joined by Sam Wang, associate professor of neuroscience at Princeton University. Wang’s research focuses on unlocking the secrets of the cerebellum—the region of the brain that integrates sensory information and coordinates action and movement. He is particularly curious about the cerebellum’s role in non-motor functions and is using neural imaging of this part of the brain to search for clues to the causes of autism, a major concern of his laboratory.
Click here to view the full lecture series.
