From where does it STEM?

JP hosts a roundtable with four early-career scientists launching the Atlas of Inspiring Latin American Scientists, a new project amplifying representation, mentorship, and global collaboration. A powerful conversation about imposter syndrome, visibility, returning home, and why becoming what you don’t see can change an entire generation.

What happens when the academic path doesn’t work out but the love for science never fades? Sheeva Azma shares how she left her PhD, built a career in science journalism and policy, founded Fancy Comma LLC, and found a new way to contribute to science beyond the lab.

From physics to genomics to NASA, Dr. Chris Mason and Dr. Afshin Beheshti share the unconventional paths that led them into space biology. We talk about collaboration, GeneLab working groups, how high school and undergraduate students can join real NASA projects, and why curiosity, not credentials, is the key to discovering life beyond Earth.

HHMI Investigator Steven Henikoff shares the untold story behind BLOSUM matrices, centromere biology, and the early days of computational genomics. From being drafted during Vietnam to shaping how we align every protein sequence today, this episode explores how curiosity, collaboration, and mentorship can shape an entire field.

NYU neuroscientist Shane Liddelow shares his path from a small town in Western Australia to Stanford and beyond: how mentorship shaped him, how he builds lab culture with feedback and trust, and why confidence, community, and clear communication matter as much as grit.