The Ongoing Transformation

There was a time when everything on the internet seemed like it would be there forever, whether a Facebook status or a government website. But today the prospect of maintaining massive amounts of digital history is in doubt. This poses a particular issue for the open science movement, which has advocated for wide access to scientific data and papers over the last 25 years. The movement’s successes have led to the creation of digital research infrastructure such as data libraries and preservation systems that serve large and small research communities. Now, as the system is maturing, it’s becoming clear that open science isn’t free: it requires investment and significant effort to stay alive. Without it, open research cannot be verified or advanced. On this episode, host Megan Nicholson is joined by Jen Gibson and Kaitlin Thaney, authors of “Who Will Keep Research Data Infrastructure Open and Running?” in our Spring 2026 issue. Gibson is the executive director of Dryad, an open-access international research data repository and curation service. Thaney is the executive director of Invest in Open Infrastructure, a nonprofit that advances open-source solutions and systems for research communities. Resources:Read “Who Will Keep Research Data Infrastructure Open and Running?” for more on the importance of maintaining digital infrastructure.Visit Dryad and Invest in Open Infrastructure’s websites to learn more about open data, open infrastructure, and how you can support their work.

Think tanks are a vital part of the policy ecosystem, but what do they do? In this installment of Science Policy IRL, host Jason Lloyd talks to Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute. He has been involved in science and technology policy for his whole career, previously practicing telecommunications law and serving as the Federal Trade Commission’s chief technologist.In this episode, Chilson discusses what it’s like to work at a policy think tank, the questions about artificial intelligence that motivate his work, and why he is optimistic about our technological future. ResourcesCheck out Neil Chilson’s book, Getting Out Of Control: Emergent Leadership in a Complex World.Find more of Chilson’s work on his website and explore his Substack, including: “Red Teaming AI Legislation: Lessons from SB 1047”: How the concept of “red teaming” can be applied to creating legislation. “10 Years After the Best Tech Policy Movie Ever”: Lessons from The Lego Movie for emergent leadership.Learn more about the Abundance Institute’s vision for artificial intelligence policy by reading their recommendations here.

Kelvin Droegemeier, a longtime leader in science policy, joins host Megan Nicholson for this installment of Science Policy IRL. Droegemeier began his career as a research meteorologist and went on to serve in many different leadership roles in state and federal government. He directed the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2019–2021, served on the National Science Board from 2004–2016, and served on the Oklahoma Governor’s Science and Technology Council from 2011–2019. He is currently a professor and Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Science and Policy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On this episode, Droegemeier shares what it’s like to work on science policy at the state and federal levels, discusses what he sees as the pressing science policy issues of our time, and reflects on his leadership roles in academia and government. Resources:Read Kelvin Droegemier’s book, Demystifying the Academic Research Enterprise: Becoming a Successful Scholar in a Complex and Competitive Environment, to gain a better understanding of how the academic research enterprise works. Check out the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine project on Improving the Regulatory Efficiency and Reducing Administrative Workload to Strengthen Competitiveness and Productivity of US Research. Read Science, the Endless Frontier by Vannevar Bush and Issues’s project marking the anniversary of that report, The Next 75 Years of Science Policy, to learn more about the structure of scientific research in the United States. The National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators provide important metrics to understand the current state of science and engineering. What is the future of American science and technology? Check out Vision for American Science and Technology (VAST) for a potential roadmap.

On Science Policy IRL, we talk to people in science policy about what they do and how they got there. We’ve shared stories of how people have found their way into science policy careers at places like the White House, Congress, and federal agencies. In this episode, we’re exploring a different way into science policy: getting involved with your local government. Taylor Spicer, the executive director of Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL), shares how her organization helps scientists and engineers get involved in local policy. In a discussion with host Lisa Margonelli, Spicer talks about her path from international development to leading an organization dedicated to local civic engagement. She emphasizes that it’s important for people with STEM backgrounds to get involved with policy in their backyards, and describes how ESAL’s network can help you get started. Resources: Visit the Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL) website to learn more about making a difference where you live, and subscribe to the newsletter to find opportunities in your area. Want to join ESAL’s online community-building platform? Sign up here to be the first to hear when it launches in July.

Fungi are ubiquitous in nature—in fact, you’re likely breathing in fungal spores as you read this. Most fungi are harmless to healthy people. But changes in the global climate, in human settlement patterns, and even in our own body temperatures have made fungal pathogens an increasing health threat.On this episode, host Jason Lloyd interviews Angel Desai, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor at the University of California Davis Medical Center. Desai and George R. Thompson III cowrote “Foiling the Growing Threat of Fungal Pathogens” in the Winter 2025 Issues. Desai discusses what fungal pathogens are, why they are becoming more dangerous, and how the public health community can respond. Resources: Learn more about fungal pathogens by reading Angel Desai and George R. Thompson III’s Issues article, “Foiling the Growing Threat of Fungal Pathogens.” Angel Desai and Maimuna S. Majumder’s October 2020 Issues article, “How Contact Tracing Apps Could Help Prevent COVID-19 Super-Spreader Events,” offers lessons about contact tracing and disease surveillance that can be applied to future outbreaks. How can wildfire smoke spread disease? Read Leda N. Kobziar and George R. Thompson III’s “Wildfire Smoke, a Potential Infectious Agent” in Science to learn more. Check out “Infectious Diseases in a Changing Climate” by Matthew C. Phillips, Regina C. LaRocque, and George R. Thompson III in JAMA to read more about the impact of climate change on infectious diseases.

“People always say, ‘Well, if I could only do one art form, what would it be?’ And I always say dance.” —Susan Magsamen In our podcast miniseries Music and Health, we’re exploring how music impacts our minds, bodies, and communities. In this installment, we’re learning about the power of dance. Host J. D. Talasek is joined by David Leventhal and ConstantinaTheofanopoulou. Both began their careers as dancers and use dance to inform their current work. Leventhal is a program director and one of the founding teachers of Dance for PD, a program that offers people with Parkinson’s disease research-backed dance classes. Theofanopoulou is a research assistant professor at Rockefeller University. Her research focuses on understanding the neuroscience of complex sensory motor behaviors. They discuss how dance is helping patients regain movement abilities, and what neuroscience research says about dance as a form of healing. This series is produced in collaboration with Susan Magsamen and Leonardo journal.Resources: Listen to the first episode of the mini-series, Music and Health: The Creative Arts and Healing, featuring Renée Fleming and Susan Magsamen. Visit the Dance for PD website to learn more about the program, and find classes in your area or virtually. Learn more about Constantina Theofanopoulou’s research by visiting her website.

From lullabies to movie soundtracks to workout playlists, music has the capacity to change how we feel. But what is the evidence that music’s effects can transform physical health? On our new podcast miniseries, Music and Health, we’ll explore the power of music to heal our minds, bodies, and even communities. On the first episode of this series, host J. D. Talasek is joined by Renée Fleming and Susan Magsamen. Fleming is an opera soprano, actress, and long time advocate for the healing powers of the arts. She recently edited a book called Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness. Magsamen founded the International Arts + Mind Lab, and created the NeuroArts Blueprint. They discuss health and arts research, current initiatives to use the arts to heal, and how this vital approach to care can be expanded. This series is produced in collaboration with Susan Magsamen and Leonardo journal. Resources Read Renée Fleming’s book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, to learn more about how music and the creative arts are being used for health. The book was also recently reviewed in Issues by Susan Fitzpatrick, who called Fleming’s introduction “beautifully written, providing a lyrical and comprehensive summary of the main ideas in the book.” Learn more about Susan Magsamen’s work by visiting the International Arts + Mind Lab website, and check out Magsamen and Ivy Ross’s book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. Visit the NeuroArts Blueprint website to find information on how the creative arts impact the brain. You can also find more information about and apply for the Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Award. Visit the Sound Health Initiative website to learn more about the partnership between the National Institutes of Health and the Kennedy Center to research the potential of music to treat a wide range of conditions. Listen to the Real Young Prodigys’ song “Where My Bus At” and learn more about how the song helped inspire change in Louisville. Thank you to the Real Young Prodigys for allowing use of their song in this episode!