Further Together the ORAU Podcast

Ken Tarcza has served as a leader in several capacities, from the military to the U.S. Department of Defense to the U.S. Department of Energy. One thing he knows to be true is this: leadership is not about the leader. Leadership is about people: meeting them where they are and creation conditions where they can be successful. In this episode of the Further Together podcast, hosts M

Like just about any kid, Abhishek Desai grew up in India with dreams of becoming an astronaut. While that dream didn't come true, Desai is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow studying space from Earth. His project at NASA focuses multimessenger and multiwavelength astronomy to explain processes happening inside an Active Galactic Nuclei. In this conversation with Further Together's

Shipra Sinha, Ph.D., is a a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow living in India and conducting research with the Goddard Space Flight Center. Shipra's research focuses on auroras, which occur at both the North and South Poles. Studying auroras is fascinating, as most people in the West know about the Aurora Borealis. Shipra says the biggest challenge with studying South Pole auroras i

James Rogers, Ph.D., is an astrobiologist in the NASA Postdoctoral Program. He studies exoplanets (extra-solar bodies like planets, asteroids, etc.). Rogers says scientists have detected thousands of exoplanets orbiting stars throughout the galaxy. Studying exoplanets and planet formation can help us piece together how our solar system fits into the galaxy and the universe. In this

Kelly Luis, Ph.D., is a NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Water and Ecosystems Group. A native of Hawaii, Luis studies what the color of water can tell us about the health of aquatic ecosystems. During her conversation with host Michael Holtz, Luis talks about the trajectory of her career, how she is contributing to science at NASA, obstacles she's o

As Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2024 comes to a close, Further Together host Michael Holtz, a 12-year survivor of stage IIIB colorectal cancer, talks to Eric Mayer and Jessica Etheridge, CEO and director of marketing and branding, respectively, for Knoxville-based New Day Diagnostics. This March, New Day launched ColoHealth, a screening blood test for people at average risk of

While the idea of recognizing women in STEM has been a more recent phenomenon, ORAU has long included women in its scientific enterprise. In this episode, Amber Davis and Matthew Underwood introduce host Michael Holtz to three women among the many who have made history at ORAU. Meet Evelyn Watson, Ann Sipe and Helen Vodopick, three women who made significant contributions to work a

Dr. Nicola "Nicky" Fox, is the associate administrator for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, which essentially means she is the head of science for NASA. Her directorate is responsible for more than 150 missions that are currently in space or in development. Further Together hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Fox about the importance of her role, the trajectory o

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the #1 cancer killer of men under age 50 and #2 of women under age 50. In this episode of Further Together, Michael Holtz welcomes his best friend, Ryan Vieth, as guest co-host. Ryan is in active treatment for stage IV colorectal cancer; Michael is a 12-year survivor of stage III colorectal cancer. They met when they

More than 18 million people in the United States are cancer survivors, and survivors are living longer than ever before. At the same time, the health impacts and side effects of cancer treatment can show up many years after treatment has ended. The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship advocates for quality cancer care for all people touched by cancer. In this episode of the F