Y Life Science

Dr. Sam St. Clair and graduate student, Ryan Pienaar discuss their ecological research, specifically looking at fires in both desert and forest ecosystems. They talk about how their studies have identified factors in both systems.

This episode was recorded on April 18, 2025

Sylvia and Leah team up with Dr. Jani Radebaugh and Emma Gosselin to uncover how Earth’s sand dunes—specifically those in Alaska—help scientists decode landscapes on other planets. A quick dive into the surprising ways our world mirrors worlds far beyond.

This episode was recorded on April 18, 2025

Dr. Matthew Madsen and Janetta Teichert talk with Sylvia and Leah about range management and their research with the native shrub, Winterfat.

This episode was recorded on April 15, 2025

Bean Museum student hosts, Sylvia and Leah sit down with Dr. Blaine Griffen and students, Bailey Marlow (grad student) and David Neu (undergrad) to discuss their research with native and invasive crab species. They also discuss the human impact we have on our oceans and our stewardship responsibilities.

This episode was recorded on April 9, 2025.

In this episode, Sylvia and Katy visit with Dr. John Sproul and student researcher, Rachel Christensen. John and Rachel share their research with ground beetles and how they find them and sequence their genomes. Discussion topics range from Darwin jokes to museum collections and fly fishing. Mentioned in this episode is a book called, "The Feathered Thief" by Kirk Wallace Johnson.

This episode was recorded on November 25, 2024.

Dr. George Handley (george_handley@byu.edu), professor of comparative literature is joined by students, Becca Black and Julia Morgan as they visit with host, Sylvia Duke about the environmental humanities. This episode explores various connections with science and the humanities, spiritual connections with nature, and how we can make a difference in not just loving our earth but taking care of it. 

Instagram: byu.ges

Stewardship Lab: 139 SCOB (700 N 500 E, Provo)

This episode was recorded on November 13, 2024.

Dr. Robert Johnson (botanist) and Dr. Shawn Clark (entomologist) discuss the day to day work they do managing the plant and insect collections at the Bean Museum. In this episode they talk about their research interests and why they love the work that they do.

This episode was recorded on November 7, 2024.

Former co-host, Austen Lambert, and Dr. Josh LeMonte join Katy and Sylvia on this episode of the podcast. Austen shares his master's degree research he conducted with Josh LeMonte in eastern Utah. The discuss how studying the earth's soil can tell us about human history and the impact we have on the environment.

This episode was recorded on August 29, 2024.

Our guests in this episode come from the College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences. Dr. Sean Warnick and Dr. David Grimsman are joined by Brian Brown, Tanner Day, and Dakota Mundell. They discuss various projects their interdisciplinary research group (IDeA Labs) are working on, specifically in the  life sciences, working with honeybees and looking at their waggle dance and how to recreate it using AI and robotics. 

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2024.

Dr. Paul Frandsen (Plant and Wildlife Sciences) is joined by Gabi Jijon (PhD), Danyon Gedris (undergrad) and Ashlyn Powell (recently graduated).  They discuss their research projects with the genetics of caddisflies. Among other things, they talk about their future research plans and the reasons they enjoy learning about the the natural world. 

Episode Thumbnail (from right to left): Danyon Gedris, Gabi Jijon, Taden Lemmon

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2024.

Hosts Sylvia and Austen talk with Dr. Neil Hansen and graduate student, Elisabeth Currit about soil science and Elisabeth's research in Bears Ears National Monument. 

This episode was recorded on April 15, 2024.

Dr. Steve Peterson (Plant and Wildlife Sciences) and graduate students, Haley Moon and Otto de Groff, visit with student hosts Austen Lambert and Sylvia Duke. Sylvia will be joining Austen for the next few episodes and then take over when Austen graduates in the spring of 2024. Various topics are discussed on this episode including mine reclamation, wild horses, and Bristlecone Pine. Visit Dr. Peterson's Geospatial Habitat Analysis Lab.

This episode was recorded on March 5, 2024.

Amanda Rees, director of the BYU Sensory Lab and two of her assistant student managers, Mattie Prince and Lauren Cromarty, join Austen in this episode. They talk about the BYU Sensory lab and how students can participate in helping gather data for the food industry and for research in the food science and nutrition department. You can also follow the Sensory Lab on Instagram @byusensorylab.

This episode was recorded on November 17, 2023.

Dr. Brad Geary and two of his students, Jacob Henrie and Melissa Burrell, discuss their research projects and how they are finding new ways to solve problems related to plant growth.

Historically women have been excluded from exercise science research. Since Title IX, more studies have been done as there have been more female athletes. This episode of the Y Life Science Podcast explores the research conducted by Jessica Linde and Jayson Gifford. Jessica asked the question about exercise tolerance during different phases of the female menstrual cycle. Read more about this study here.

This episode was recorded on October 19, 2023.

Dr. Earlene Durrant (Dr. D) talks with Austen and Katy about her career in physical education and athletic training. She was inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2000. You can read her bio here. Dr. D was selected as the honored alumnus for fall of 2023 for the College of Life Sciences. She was highlighted here in the college magazine (Impact) and this is a link to her seminar given on October 19, 2023 and a summary published on December 14, 2023.

This episode was recorded on October 12, 2023.

Dr. Rikelle Richards (rickelle_richards@byu.edu) and undergraduate student, Kyle Lyman, talk about their research study with nutrition and their work with the Provo Food and Care Coalition. Dr. Richards was recent awarded the 2023 General Education (GE) Professorship. Read more about Dr. Richards and this award here.

If you are a BYU student experiencing food or house insecurity, visit foodandhousinginsecurity.byu.edu. If you are interested in work with Dr. Richards and her research, you can email her directly.

This episode was recorded on September 27, 2023.

Dr. Timothy Jenkins and undergraduate student, Kelaney Stalker join Austen and Katy to discuss epigenetics. Kelany describes a project she worked on to be able to differentiate between menstrual blood and peripheral blood using epigenetics. This work has implications in forensic science that could potentially help in domestic violence and sexual assault cases.

This episode was recorded on September 27, 2023.

This episode introduces another research podcast called,  "Winging It! From Curiosity to Scientific Fact" produced by Dr. Steven Peck and his student research assistants. In this episode Courtney Roos and Sara Evans join Dr. Peck as they describe the scientific process and how they record and share their findings. They are specifically looking to answer questions about  birds and their songs.

This episode was recorded on September 18, 2023.

Dr. April Hulet and Curtis Drake explain how they are researching ways to restore native plants and grasses by managing cattle grazing. 

This episode was recorded on June 6, 2023

Dr. Mark Belk and undergraduate student, Noah Larsen discuss some of their research projects, specifically their paper about native Utah fishes. They also discuss the importance of understanding these species and their ecological role so that we can effectively preserve biodiversity. Dr. Belk mentions Doctrine and Covenants 59:18-20 (see below).

18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen...

Dr. Julianne Grose is joined by graduate student, Kenneth Ewool and undergraduate student, Ciara Green as they discuss how microbiology can solve problems. Specifically, they discuss phages (virus that infects bacteria) and metabolism. 

This episode was recorded on April 11, 2023

Dean Laura Bridgewater and undergraduate student, Emma Clawson, join Austen and Katy for this discussion about faith and science. Dean Bridgewater tells us about the learning objectives for a unique class taught in the College of Life Sciences which shares the title of this podcast episode, "Life Sciences and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ." She also shares her goals for students who graduate from BYU in the College of Life Sciences. President Russell M. Nelson's April 2023 general conference talk, "Peacemakers Needed" is referenced in this episode.

This episode was recorded on April 10, 2023.

Dr. Liz Bailey and graduate student, Sierra Nichols talk about their biological science education research. The studies below look at various gender gaps observed in both remote and in-person science classrooms.

This episode was recorded on March 16, 2023.

Female In-Class Participation and Performance Increase with More Female Peers and/or a Female Instructor in Life Sciences Courses

Participation and Performance by Gender in Synchronous Online Lectures: Three Unique Case Studies during Emergency Remote Teaching

Dr. Rachel Buck and undergraduate student Sara Frutos discuss their wetlands research around Utah Lake. They talk about the problem with the invasive species, Phragmites, as well as their research methods, and field work. If you are interested in working with Dr. Buck, you can reach out to her at rachelbuck@byu.edu.

This episode was recorded on February 23, 2023.

Dr. Rick Jellen and student researcher, Ryan Brady, talk about their genetic research with oats and quinoa. Dr. Jellen's research was recently featured on the cover of "Nature" and is linked below. They also discuss Bishop Gérald Caussé's talk in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints October 2022 general conference about Earth's stewardship.

This episode wa...

Austin and Katy talk with Bill Rudy and Patrick Smith-LaBombard about the BYU recycling program. Learn what product BYU accepts for recycling and where it goes after you put it in the bin. If you are interested working with Bill as part of the BYU recycling team, email byurecycling@gmail.com.

This episode was recorded on September 30, 2022.

Dr. Tom Smith from the Plant and Wildlife Sciences department at BYU talks about his research with bears. He also gives advice about how to avoid bear interactions and what to do if you are ever faced with a bear in the wild. 

This episode was recorded on September 22, 2022.

BYU students, Olivia Burns, Chad Hyer, and Elias Johnson talk with host, Austen Lambert about the new Y talk initiative and how anyone and everyone can participate. To learn more go to sustainability.byu.edu or visit this link to track and submit your conversations. 

This episode was recorded on November 2, 2022

Dr. Steven Peck and Dr. Michael Whiting talk about the history of teaching evolution at Brigham Young University.

This episode was recorded on October 12, 2022.

Dr. Matt Arrington (matt_arrington@byu.edu) and undergraduate student, Nathan Grooms, talk to us about urban agriculture and the benefits of using a hydroponic system.

You can read more about their research here:
https://lifesciences.byu.edu/moving-agriculture-upward-for-urban-residents

https://lifesciences.byu.edu/magazine/propagating-innovation-and-inspired-research

This episode was recorded on September 22, 2022.

After their amazing experience during spring term of 2022, Dr. Seth Bybee and four students, Eva Jasinski, Rachel Sutherland, Lily Gregson, and Cordon Wade discuss their study abroad in Vietnam. Students worked with either Dr. Bybee on team Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) or Dr. Gareth Powell on team beetle (Coleoptera). 

This episode was recorded on July 17, 2022.

Maliea Holden and Kate Scanlan talk with hosts, Austen Lambert and Katy Knight about how to create energy from waste (yes, they work with poop) using extremophiles, or organisms that live in extreme environments. Maliea and Kate work in Dr. Zach Aanderud's lab at Brigham Young University. In this episode they share some stories about field and lab work as well as why they enjoy this research and why they feel it is important.

This episode was recorded on June 8, 2022.

Teresa Gomez and Steve Schill talk about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the importance of mapping for conservation purposes. They tell us about various projects they've worked on and how using maps and GIS can assist in research going on all over the world. 

This episode was recorded on April 19, 2022.

This episode features Dr. Gareth Powell, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biology at Brigham Young University and Natalie Saxton, PhD student at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. They discuss their research, adventures doing field work, as well as the vast biodiversity of insects. 

This episode was recorded on February 15, 2022.

Dr. Richard Gill and graduate students, Stau Segi and Kalai Ellis describe their research projects in the south pacific, specifically in Samoa and Hawaii. They discuss the importance of the connection between the work they're doing and traditional ecological understanding. 

This episode was recorded on February 10, 2022.

Dr. Benjamin Abbott (benabbott@byu.edu), assistant professor of ecosystem ecology at Brigham Young University, joins Samuel Bratsman (sbratsmanx@gmail.com), plant and wildlife sciences graduate student, to discuss the history, ecology, and future of Utah Lake.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.

The following links were either mentioned in the episode or are resources available to find out more about Utah Lake:

utahlake.byu.edu
timpanogostribe.com
Utah Historical Quarterly
https://utahlake.org
https://utahvalleyvisioning.org/
conserveutahvalley.org
utah.gov

Utah Lake Photography...

In this episode we hear from Dr. Alison Whiting and Dr. Michael Whiting, both curators at the Bean Life Science Museum and faculty at Brigham Young University. They share how their love for science has taken them on adventures and influenced their kids.

Nature Article: Loss and recovery of wings in stick insects

This episode was recorded on December 13, 2021.

In this episode we interview Dr. Arden Pope, Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Economics at BYU. We discuss his research on air pollution. He also gives tips on ways to improve air pollution as a community and as an individual.

Global Burden of Disease Report
Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health
Air Quality Guidelines from the World Health Organization
Press release for the Air Quality Guidelines from WHO
Human Health and Economic Costs of Air Pollution in Utah: An Expert Assessment

This episode was recorded on September 22, 2021.

Dr. Michael Whiting is the new director at the BYU Life Science Museum. Join Dr. Whiting and the new associate director, Dr. Steve Leavitt,  as they talk about a new vision for the museum and how students at Brigham Young University have a unique opportunity to participate in designing exhibits and communicating science.

This episode was recorded on September 30, 2021.

Dr. Hal Black (hal_black@byu.edu) and Dr. Janene Auger (janene_auger@byu.edu) talk about their experiences and research with Black Bears.

This episode was recorded on July 7, 2021.

Listen to Merrill Webb and Josh Day talk about why they love to watch and chase birds. They will also give tips on how to get started and some great resources to identify birds and keep lists of what you see. Some of these resources are linked below:

This episode was recorded on June 18, 2021.

Ben Abbott (Plant & Wildlife Sciences department) and Bremen Leak (Associate Director, Sustainability & Continuity) join undergraduate student, Austen Lambert, to talk about sustainability on many different levels. They discuss the history of sustainability at BYU and the doctrinal foundations that support these principles. The following links provide resources which were mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Byron Adams and undergraduate student, Jinna Brim describe for listeners their experience in the Antarctica. The talk about their research and why this location is such a great place to collect and study Nematodes.

For more information check out these links below:
Surviving Earth's Extremes: How Antarctic Animals Freeze and Reanimate (YouTube)
"Ghost creature" of Antarctica has survived 30 ice ages (YouTube)
A Thing of Beauty: Antarctic Worm (YouTube)
BYU professor makes big impact through small Antarctic insects (Daily Universe)
Byron Adam's Lab Webpage

This episode was recorded on March 16, 2021.<...

In this episode Josh and Katy visit with Jamie Jensen and Seth Bybee about their research in teaching evolution in a religious setting. Visit their website for more resources about how to reconcile science and faith at recoevo.byu.edu and listen to Jamie's BYU devotional talk (November 3, 2020) here.

This episode was recorded on March 23, 2021.

What is a lichen?

Find out what lichens are and why two scientists from BYU have devoted their entire careers to studying these fascinating biological systems. Dr. Larry St. Clair and Dr. Steve Leavitt share why they love lichens, some fun stories about working in the field, as well as how lichens serve as bio-monitoring systems for air quality. You can also check out the following links to learn more.

This episode was recorded on January 19, 2021.

BYU Lichen Tour
Common Rocky Mountain Lichens
Follow the BYU Lichen Lab on Instagram @lichens...

Dr. Tara Bishop and Dr. Sam St. Clair are the guests for this episode of "Y Life Science."  Both Sam and Tara are desert ecologists and share amazing stories and insights about their research and why we should care and protect these specialized ecological systems. Specifically, Tara shares about her research with the Dwarf Bear Poppy and Red Brome in southern Utah.

This episode was recorded on January 6, 2021.

Marta Adair and Brittany Nuttall talk with Josh and Katy about their experiences working at the Bean Museum in the education department. They also talk about the museum's mission statement, "We inspire wonder and reverence for our living planet."

This episode was recorded on January 6, 2021.

Join Katy Knight and Josh Day as they talk with Dr. Chantel Sloan and Dr. Duke Rogers about the current pandemic. In this second part of this two-part episode, discussions focus on where we go from here. What does the future look like with this pandemic?

This episode was recorded on November 6, 2020.

In this episode the following resources were referenced:

Join Katy Knight and Josh Day as they talk with Dr. Chantel Sloan and Dr. Duke Rogers about the current pandemic. In this part of this two-part episode, discussions focus on where we are currently and how we got here. 

This episode was recorded on November 6, 2020.