Roots to STEM Podcast

Episode 5: Eduardo Tassoni

“This was actually the second time I was going abroad for more than a week – the first time was that three month internship, the second time was interviews, which was a week long, and then the third time is living abroad for my PhD for 4, 5, 6 years.”
Eduardo Tassoni is a third year graduate student in the biology department at Stanford University, studying cellular stress mechanisms in Onn Brandman’s lab in the biochemistry department. Eduardo is from São Paulo, Brazil, and in this episode we talk about how this has influenced his trajectory as a scientist, and how being an international student impacts his experiences as a grad student in the US. Eduardo tells us about how difficult it can be to live so far away from family and friends, especially during this time of COVID-19, when there is lots of uncertainty about when he’ll be able to travel home again. Even with challenges like these, Eduardo encourages all international students who want to come to the US for grad school to apply, and to not feel like it is outside the realm of possibility. We also talk about how Eduardo got started doing research in his undergrad, and how simply being bold and asking for what he wanted has opened up lots of opportunities for him, including the internship that would ultimately start his journey to Stanford.
Get in touch with Eduardo:
TwitterEmail: etassoni@stanford.eduGet in touch with Steph:
InstagramTwitterGet in touch with the podcast:
Email: rootstostempodcast@gmail.comWebsite: rootstostempodcast.comListen and subscribe:
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Episode 4: Nora Moskowitz

“Therapy is a tool that I use that actually helps me both feel better and excel at my work.”
Nora Moskowitz is a third year PhD candidate in the Laboratory of Organismal Biology at Stanford University, where she studies dietary preference in poison frogs. Nora is a huge proponent of mental wellbeing both in her department and in her lab, so in addition to hearing Nora’s story into science, we also spend a lot of this episode talking about mental health. Nora tells us about her experiences with mental health in grad school, including having to leave a field season early in order to prioritize her mental health. In this episode, Nora gives us a lot of really practical advice for how to maintain mental wellbeing in grad school, along with some recommendations that Principal Investigators (PIs) could implement in order to help their students.
Get in touch with Nora:
InstagramTwitterEmail: noramosk@stanford.eduGet in touch with Steph:
InstagramTwitterGet in touch with us:
Email: rootstostempodcast@gmail.comWebsite: rootstostempodcast.comListen and subscribe:
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Episode 3: Daniel Shaykevich

“I think the other lesson I learned was that science needs good storytelling as part of it.”
Daniel Shaykevich is a third year graduate student in the biology department at Stanford University and a talented filmmaker who incorporates science into his art and art into his science. Daniel tells us about how he has gotten from his early stages of experimenting with plants in his bathtub to where he is now, studying the neurobiology of spatial navigation in cane toads as a PhD candidate at Stanford. He has had lots of fun along the way, including an internship at a Hollywood production company and lots of close encounters with all sorts of wildlife in the tropical rainforests of Ecuador and French Guiana. This conversation with Daniel reminds us all to take advantage of the tools and resources right around us to accomplish our goals, whether those goals are conducting experiments, making films, or anything else.
Mentioned in the episode:
Science SketchesFollow Daniel:
Twitter @dshakey18Instagram @dshakey96LOBSU YouTube Channel Contact us:
rootstostempodcast@gmail.comFollow Steph:
Twitter @stephaniecatyInstagram @sciencestephanieListen and Subscribe:
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Episode 2: Magdalena Warren

“It doesn’t matter what your background is or who your parents are or what the color of your skin is, you can do whatever it is you want to do.”
Magdalena (Maggie) Warren is a third year PhD student in the biology department at Stanford University, and also the co-host of this podcast! Maggie tells us the story of how she went from being a straight-A student in high school to failing classes in college, taking a few years off and working, then going back to school and getting her degree from Cal State Dominguez Hills. Now Maggie is at Stanford, studying the microbiota of honey bees as a graduate student in Tad Fukami’s lab. In this episode, Maggie talks about situations where she has been discouraged from pursuing her goals and the mentality that she has that helps her carry on despite those obstacles. We also discuss the importance of having mentors and advocates to help us advance in our educations and careers. Maggie is so full of amazing advice, so prepare for an episode full of inspiration and motivation.
Mentioned in the episode:
SACNASResearch Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)Contact us:
rootstostempodcast@gmail.comContact Maggie:
mlwarren@stanford.eduFollow Steph:
Twitter @stephaniecatyInstagram @sciencestephanieListen and Subscribe
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Episode 1: Introduction to Roots to STEM

This our first ever episode of the Roots to STEM podcast, a podcast where we talk to scientists about the paths they’ve taken to get where they are today. In this episode, we discuss how Steph came up with the idea for this podcast and how Maggie got involved along the way. We also talk about what you can expect in future episodes. Expect to see episodes coming out every other week.
Contact us:
rootstostempodcast@gmail.comListen and Subscribe:
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