Science Reporter at KUNC-FM (2012)
As a reporter for KUNC, I covered local science stories, most often interviewing researchers working in Colorado. Highlighted below are my field-reported 'features' and slightly shorter 'mini-features.' All of my work, including numerous radio 'spots' and web writing, is available here.
Alzheimer's Drug Shows Promise For Down Syndrome
July 23, 2012
University of Colorado scientists have published the results of a small but encouraging clinical trial of a drug that’s improved the memories of young adults with Down syndrome. It’s the latest finding in one researcher’s 16 year quest that is both personal and scientific.
Molecular Profiles Point The Way To A Better Pint Of Beer
July 24, 2012
You don’t have to look too hard to find beer on the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins. But not all of it is at keggers. In the microbiology building, it’s a legitimate study subject.
What started as a creative teaching tool has now blossomed into cutting-edge research that may change the brewing industry.
Climbing With Chaos
August 5, 2012
Rock climbing is not on the list of sports at this summer’s Olympic Games in London. But for many Coloradans, rock climbing is a natural test of one’s athleticism—and wits. For one recent computer science graduate, rock climbing not only got him through school, but it became a topic of academic study.
Prairie Dog Homes And Companions
August 22, 2012
Sitting in a tower on a windy evening in a remote corner of northwestern Colorado, John Hoogland is doing what he likes best: watching prairie dogs. For the layman, this might sound as interesting as watching paint dry. But John Hoogland is a behavioral ecologist at the University of Maryland. For the past seven years he’s spent the spring and early summer in Colorado at the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.
Say Goodbye To Germs With Cold Plasma
August 14, 2012
Imagine a machine that could disinfect your toothbrush or clean a skin laceration in a matter of seconds—without using any liquid disinfectants or heat. It’s not a reality yet, but researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver are getting close.
New Hardworking Oxidant Punches The Clock 24/7
August 10, 2012
It’s long been thought that sulfur dioxide emissions from things like coal-burning power plants need to react in sunlight to make sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. But a new discovery suggests there might be more to the story.
A 20,000 Year Rewrite Of Human History
August 3, 2012
It turns out the Later Stone Age wasn’t quite so late. A University of Colorado archeologist has just completed a new analysis of artifacts that has pushed the period back by 20,000 years. The work may resolve one of the long-running paradoxes of human history—but in the process, it has created a new one.
Finding Nematodes
July 26, 2012
With no permanent residents, Antarctica is often a forgotten place. But not for Colorado State University soil ecologist Diana Wall. She's been a keen observer of one of the smallest animals now struggling to live in a place that’s still cold—but is beginning to warm.
The Search For A Drug To Treat West Nile And Its Viral Cousins
July 1, 2012
With pools of mosquitoes confirmed to be carrying West Nile Virus across Colorado, West Nile season is officially here. If you get infected, though, don’t expect to run to the pharmacy. A pair of local researchers is trying to change that.
