Tracking Traits

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Penn State undergrads interview research scientists forging new pathways to understanding human evolution. A production of Penn State's Center for Human Evolution and Diversity.

Penn State's Center for Human Evolution and Diversity


    • Aug 9, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 22 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Tracking Traits

    An Ecological Approach to Emerging Diseases

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 47:06 Transcription Available


    Penn State's Forensics alumna Sam Muller interviews anthropologist Sagan Friant about her research on human-environment interactions and their impacts on human health, particularly in Nigeria. Much of Friant's work centers on the emergence of new zoonotic diseases, which originate in animals and can be transmitted to humans. Sam MullerPenn State Forensics alumna, Class of 2022Sagan FriantAssistant Professor of Anthropology, Penn State

    Ancient Microbiomes and Modern Medicine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024 29:03 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergrad Thomas Sontag  interviews associate professor of anthropology Laura Weyrich  about her research on  the history of our microbiomes and explains why it holds relevance to contemporary medicine.Thomas SontagUndergraduate student at Penn State majoring in BiologyLaura WeyrichAssociate Professor of Anthropology at Penn State

    The Evolution of Infectious Diseases

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 26:51 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergrad Emma Sieminski  interviews Biology and Entomology professor, former Director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and current Senior VP of Research, Andrew Read about his research on the ecology and evolution of infectious disease. Emma Sieminski Undergraduate student at Penn State majoring in Forensic ScienceAndrew ReadEvan Pugh Professor of Biology and Entomology, Senior Vice President of Research at Penn State

    Water Challenges Across the Globe

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 7, 2024 39:41 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergrad Thomas Sontag interviews associate professor Asher Rosinger about his research, which explores how people in different parts of the world meet their water needs.Thomas SontagUndergraduate Biology student at Penn StateAsher RosingerAssociate Professor of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State

    Making New Laws for New Scientific Discoveries

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 33:11 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergrad Emma Sieminski interviews professor Jennifer Wagner about her research at the interface of emerging science and law. Emma SeiminskiUndergraduate Forensic Science  student at Penn StateJennifer WagnerAssistant Professor of Law, Policy and Engineering at Penn State

    Microbes: the great interconnectors of all life on Earth

    Play Episode Play 35 sec Highlight Listen Later Oct 1, 2023 32:44 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Tom Sontag interviews professor Seth Bordenstein  about his pioneering research in the burgeoning field of microbiomesThomas SontagUndergraduate Biology student at Penn StateSeth BordensteinProfessor of Biology and Entomology, Huck Chair in Microbiome Sciences, and director of the One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State

    The Health Effects of Stress as We Age

    Play Episode Play 35 sec Highlight Listen Later Jun 25, 2023 39:10 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Kassi Bradburn interviews professor David Almeida about his novel, decades-long research into the role daily stressors play in the lives of people across the lifespan. Kassi BradburnUndergraduate student at Penn State, double majoring in Forensic Science and Biobehavioral Health with a minor in ChemistryDavid AlmeidaProfessor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State

    Contemporary Politics and the Evolution of Narcissism

    Play Episode Play 58 sec Highlight Listen Later Mar 4, 2023 40:17 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Hannah Marchok interviews professor Pete Hatemi about his pioneering, interdisciplinary  research investigations into the role narcissism plays in contemporary American politics. Hannah Marchok Undergraduate Biobehavioral Health student at Penn State with a minor in Global Health.Pete Hatemi Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Microbiology and Biochemistry at Penn  State. 

    Adoption, Twins and the Genetics of Personality

    Play Episode Play 56 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 29, 2023 28:36 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Alexis Capel interviews professor Jenae Neiderhiser about her long-term, interdisciplinary  research investigations into the interplay between genetic and environmental factors that shape the personalities of children as they grow into adolescence. By focusing on the development of adopted children and twins raised in different situations, Dr. Neiderhiser (an adopted person herself) is able to observe how these different factors play out. Alexis CapelUndergraduate Biological Anthropology student at Penn State. Jenae NeiderhiserDistinguished Professor of Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State. 

    A Geneticist's Approach to Human Microbiomes

    Play Episode Play 35 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 29, 2022 40:05 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Kassi  Bradburn  interviews assistant professor of biology  Emily Davenport about her unique approach to researching the complex relationship that human beings have with our microbiomes. Her lab uses high-throughput sequencing technologies and novel computational and statistical techniques to approach this material from a genomic perspective. HOST:Kassie Bradburn, Penn State undergraduate  student double majoring in Forensic Science – Biology Option and Biobehavioral Health with a minor in Chemistry.GUEST:Emily Davenport, Assistant Professor of Biology at Penn State working to understand the complex relationship humans have with our microbiomes. Her lab uses 

    Unexplored Dimensions of Human Scalp Hair

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2022 38:22 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Hannah Marchok  interviews postdoctoral researcher Dr. Tina Lasisi about her her efforts to fill in gaps in our understanding of human hair morphology, as well as possible explanations for the evolution of different hair types, and the importance of approaching biological anthropology from a more inclusive standpoint. HOST:Hannah Marchock, Penn State undergraduate  student majoring in Biobehavioral Health with a minor in Global HealthGUEST:Dr. Tina Lasisi, postdoctoral researcher, University of Southern California

    The Challenges of Teaching Science in U.S. Public Schools

    Play Episode Play 55 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 22, 2022 36:36 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Alexis Capel interviews Dr. David Plutzer, Professor of Political Science and Sociology, about his continuing research on the teaching of evolution and climate change in public schools across the United States.HOST:Alexis Capel , Penn State Undergraduate Student, Biological AnthropologyGUEST: Dr. David Plutzer, Penn State Professor of Political Science and Sociology

    COMING SOON: Season 2 of Tracking Traits

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 0:31 Transcription Available


    Get ready, listeners! Our research conversations about human evolution and diversity continue, with a new slate of guests covering a wide range of fascinating topics.From the challenges of teaching science in US public schools to the effects of stress on our health as we age to the links between genetics and personality, we'll present conversations that are sure to tickle your curiosity bone. If you haven't already subscribed, you'll want to do it now so you won't miss a single episode!

    Exploring the Endless Mysteries of Human Sexual Selection

    Play Episode Play 28 sec Highlight Listen Later Oct 4, 2021 30:57 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate Amy Mook interviews Dr. David Puts, Associate Professor of Anthropology about his research. Puts' Behavioral Endocrinology and Evolution Lab focuses on the evolutionary and neuroendocrine bases of human sexuality and sex differences.HOST:Samantha Muller, Penn State Undergraduate Student, Forensic Science, minor in AnthropologyGUEST:Dr. David Puts, Associate Professor of Anthropology

    Addressing the Male Side of the Human Infertility Equation

    Play Episode Play 40 sec Highlight Listen Later Sep 27, 2021 21:56 Transcription Available


    Recent Penn State graduate Amy Mook interviews Dr. Marta Tomaszkiewicz, Assistant Research Professor of Biology about her innovative research on male infertility.  Marta is particularly interested in understanding the potential of using RNA information and RNA-based technologies to answer important biological questions. She is currently testing the hypothesis that variation in ampliconic gene expression can explain differences in semen characteristics between fertile and infertile men. Her work can be followed at: https://twitter.com/amplicomicsHOST:Amy Mook, Penn State Alum, Genetics and Developmental BiologyGUEST:Dr. Marta Tomaszkiewicz, Assistant Research Professor of Biology 

    Exploring the Relationship of Skin Pigmentation to Cardiovascular Health

    Play Episode Play 31 sec Highlight Listen Later Sep 19, 2021 26:24 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate student Samantha Muller interviews Postdoctoral Fellow in Physiology Tony Wolf about his research on variance in cardiovascular responses to thermal stressors. Tony is particularly interested in understanding the various factors underlying population disparities in cardiovascular function that lead to increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Among these factors are skin pigmentation and socioeconomic background. HOST:Samantha Muller, Penn State undergraduate student in Forensic Science, with a minor in Anthropology; member of the MicroARCH Lab GUEST:Dr. S. Tony Wolf, Postdoctoral Fellow, Penn State Physiology 

    Evolutionary Drivers of our Taste Preferences for Vegetables

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Sep 13, 2021 30:34 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate student Hannah Marchok interviews Assistant Professor of Geography, African Studies, and Anthropology Bronwen Powell about her research into factors that may drive dietary practices across different groups of people in different regions of East Africa. Powell also shares her passion for wild foods, international collaborations, and inter-disciplinary approaches to dietary behavior change. HOST:Hannah Marchok, Penn State Biobehavioral Health, with a minor in Global Health; member of the Shriver Lab hair teamGUEST:Dr. Bronwen Powell, Assistant Professor of Geography, African Studies, and Anthropology

    Time, Tapeworms and the Evolution of the Human Diet

    Play Episode Play 57 sec Highlight Listen Later Sep 7, 2021 25:46 Transcription Available


    Penn State undergraduate student Samantha Muller interviews PhD student Natalia Grube about her research exploring the potential of the tapeworm as a proxy to more accurately pinpoint humanity's adoption of meat eating and cooking with fire. Their conversation also covers Natalia's passion for youth outreach, the importance of  diverse collaborations, and strategies to improve scientific literacy nationally. HOST: Samantha Muller, Penn State Forensic Science undergrad, with a minor in Anthropology; member of the microARCH LabGUEST:Natalia Grube, Penn State graduate student in Biology, member of the Anthropological Lab

    Evolving Our Understanding of Our Skin's Evolution

    Play Episode Play 34 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 30, 2021 42:27 Transcription Available


    Recent Penn State graduate Amy Mook interviews Nina Jablonski about her ground-breaking research into the evolution of skin pigmentation, and the promise of that research to help to heal the damage inflicted over generations through misguided racist constructs perpetuated by the scientific establishment of the past.   HOST:Amy Mook, 2020 graduate of Penn State's Genetics and Developmental Biology programGUESTS:Dr. Nina Jablonski, Evan Pugh Professor of Anthropology, Penn State Co-director of the Center for Human Evolution and Diversity

    Evolutionary Genetics of Superficial Traits

    Play Episode Play 34 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 23, 2021 38:43 Transcription Available


    Undergraduate student Hannah Marchok interviews Dr. Mark Shriver about his work tracking down what he calls "superficial" physical traits that distinguish people from one another - and about his life as a research scientist. Host:Hannah Marchok, Penn State Biobehavioral Health major, minoring in Global HealthGuest:Dr. Mark Shriver, Professor of Biological Anthropology, Penn State UniversityCo-director of the Center for Human Evolution and Diversity  

    Meet the CHED Heads

    Play Episode Play 33 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 16, 2021 27:58 Transcription Available


    In this debut episode, the co-directors of Penn State's Center for Human Evolution and Diversity (CHED) are interviewed by a recent graduate of the university about the origins and mission of their Center – and this podcast.HOST:Amy Mook, 2020 graduate of Penn State's Genetics and Developmental Biology programGUESTS:Nina Jablonski, Evan Pugh Professor of Anthropology, Penn State Mark Shriver, Professor of Anthropology, Penn State 

    Coming Soon - the Tracking Traits podcast!

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Jun 19, 2021 0:19


    It's Summer 2021. Are you feeling a little Anthro-curious? Then why not check out Tracking Traits - a new podcast that's about to launch from Penn State's Center for Human Evolution and Diversity? Each episode features an undergraduate Penn State student interviewing a scientist who is charting new pathways to understanding human evolution. You can subscribe now at trackingtraits.buzzsprout.com

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