Science... sort of is a podcast about things that are science, things that are sort of science, and things that wish they were science. The Paleopals host the show; in no particular order, they are...
Patrick's wife Jamie often calls me the "fire" of the podcast. This can be great because a well-controlled fire is pretty and warm and you can make s'mores on it. Uncontrolled fires, not so great. Hopefully it's more the former than the latter.
Anyways, I'm a paleontologist and podcaster currently at the University of Wyoming. Besides science and talking about science, I really like mountain biking, craft beer, and comics. I'm married to a totally awesome person named Juliana, you should probably check out her art website and blog once you're done with my stuff.
I'm pretty active on the various social media sites, and anything else you might need to know about me you can find on my website: http://www.ryanhaupt.com/
Patrick was born a paleontologist. This strange birth defect brought him into contact with evolution, ecology, geology, and geochemistry (in that order). He spends his scientific energy on using stable isotopes to tell him about the physiology and ecology of extinct animals (mostly long dead crocodilians).
Other than science (and Science… sort of), he enjoys playing and watching soccer, listening to OPP (other people’s podcasts), traveling to places he can’t really afford, and wondering why nobody can make a good werewolf movie.
Patrick doesn’t normally refer to himself in third person. He’s not quite sure why he’s doing it now.
I am fascinated by societies' use of energy, space exploration and philosophy. I am a physicist by training and I have a PhD in planetary science from UC Santa Cruz. I’m currently working to help mitigate the energy-climate crisis by postdoc’ing at Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project. Born and raised on the Oregon coast, nature was my playground. My parents fostered my interest in science. Currently residing in San Francisco, I enjoy a false sense of urban superiority but savor opportunities to get some wilderness. I may come across as cynical and subdued on the show but that’s just me in character–life is rad.
Website: http://es.ucsc.edu/~barnhart
I'm a robot who lives in a garage. Being made of meat is gross, and I don't know how you can stand it. What do you think of my modulated "nerd voice"? I chose it especially for talking with nerds to put them at ease. If i wanted to, I could use the program that makes me sound like James Earl Jones. Listen... this is CNN... see? But no, for you people I use the nasally nerd voice. I hope you appreciate it.
My robotic employment is as a math and physics instructor at UBC Okanagan, in Kelowna, BC, Canada. I am an expert in classical General Relativity, and a little Quantum gravity. I wrote a popular paper about Superman that attracted the notice of the Paleopals; and I spend some of my free time every autumn researching zombies… I am addicted to physics, and I like to drink pop with fruit smushed into it.
If you were hoping to read his paper here’s a link to that too:
Hey! It’s not rocket science! I would know… I’m a rocket scientist. =P
OK, I’m not officially a rocket scientist, but I am an Aerospace Engineer. More importantly I’m geek who’s not afraid to get technical. And if there’s anything the ladies like, its gettin’ technical.
I am currently employed by a major US defense contractor as an Aircraft Structural Analyst, which means that I perform physical calculations on various aircraft component designs to ensure that they have sufficient strength and stability to be safe on the aircraft.
The great thing about working in the aerospace industry (aside from the job-benefits) is that I get to see with my own eyes the very things that I study on paper. It usually takes a few months to go from design to production, but seeing a product that you helped design turn into reality is pretty sweet.
Outside of work, I enjoy running and swimming, hobby microprocessors, and the occasional video game or two (or three). Unlike the other PaleoPals, I currently reside on the East-Coast and call sunny Florida my home, which means I get to rub shoulders with astronauts. Or at least I theoretically could…I haven’t met one yet, but that hasn’t stopped me from buying drinks for people who I think LOOK like astronauts.
Get in touch with Jacob using e-mails at the address jacob@sciencesortof.com
I’m a Huxley Fellow in Rice University’s BioSciences Department, where I study parasites that manipulate the behavior of their hosts. When I’m not elbow-deep in fish guts, I spend my time trying to convince the world that parasites are both awful and awesome. You can find cool parasitology updates, and my thoughts on interesting scientific papers at my blog, Weinersmith. When I’m not doing science (sciencing) or thinking about science (scientating) I’m… well… probably sad and wishing I was sciencing.
Abe grew up in Jalisco, Mexico, where from a young age he developed a strong love for the great outdoors and exploration. His interest in science and desire to understand how the Earth’s interior works stems from years of venturing and exploring the mountains and canyons carved into northern Jalisco’s volcanic terrain. He didn’t make this connection, however, until he moved to the EE.UU., learned English, and read this “About Me” section about him. Following his passion for exploration, he jumped on the opportunity to travel to Mongolia and conduct undergraduate research on an ancient magmatic-volcanic system, without knowing what he was getting himself into. Three degrees and eight years later, Dr. Abe Padilla is one of the world’s experts on the generation and geochemical evolution of magma in this one extinct volcanic system in southeast Iceland that only a handful of people have even heard about, and less know how to pronounce properly: the Austurhorn Intrusive Complex. He also knows a little bit about other volcanoes, but just a little bit. When he’s not doing science, you can find Abe chasing and kicking (or sometimes racquet smashing) a ball with other adults, on his bicycle getting lost in country roads, hiking in the wilderness, exploring our polar regions, or just kicking back at a watering hole trying new beers.
Email Abe: abe@sciencesortof.com
Twitter @VolcanAbe
See what I’m drinking: https://untappd.com/user/ajpadilla
Read about Abe’s Polar Wonderings (not to be confused with Wondering Poles): https://ajpadilla.wordpress.com/
Joe lives in Southern California and is a solar-powered-electric-car-driving hippy. He likes talking about alternative energy, developments in transportation, and climate change.
He’s also an aerospace engineer working in the defense sector. The irony is not lost on him.
Joe joined the Brachiolope Media Network when he started Technically Speaking with Science… Sort of co-host Jacob. Once TS ended, he happily joined the cast of Sso as the representative for Applied Science. Often this entails bursting science bubbles.
Joe is a private pilot, 3D printing hobbyist, and enjoys zipping around the canyon roads and racetracks of SoCal in his Mini Cooper.
Follow Joe on Twitter and Instagram if you like cars, planes, and 3D Printing.
Hey, I'm Chad Jones. I have a PhD in Physical Chemistry, which basically means I'm an incompetent physicist and an even worse chemist. I started a blog/podcast called The Collapsed Wavefunction during my graduate school years as a way of fighting boredom and getting better and communicating science topics. I've also recently started a new podcast called Chemical Dependence.
When I'm not science-ing I like to run, hike, and bike. I also enjoy wasting my time speedrunning Mario video games. Best way to reach me is Twitter.
Tim is that classic combination of chemical engineer and audio engineer. By day he develops methods to produce fuels and other useful things without the use of petroleum, by night he removes background hum and maximizes loudness (which is trickier than you'd think!).
Tim has been editing Science... sort of since 2013, and also hosts his own nerdy podcast, Encyclopedia Brunch. Come chat with him on Twitter @TimSDobbs.
Thomas is a designer who helped create Science… sort of’s new brachiolope logo, website, and merch. When you can't find the show in your podcast app because the album art changed he's the one to blame.
{Editor’s Note: Justin left the show after Episode 15 citing irreconcilable differences and demanding 50% of everything we were worth. Fortunately that was Zero dollars so we gave it to him and sent him packing but we were crying too, if you want him back e-mail him and let him know you miss him.}
I’m an ecology Ph.D. student at the University of California, Santa Cruz. I study how carnivore communities contribute to ecosystem complexity and stability,but spend the vast majority of my time being distracted by dinosaurs, wolfram alpha, and Apple’s movie trailer website. My interests include complexity theory, networks, and historical ecology- I try to mix them together when I can. I currently conduct all of my research in Africa, and frequently attempt to plug the continent on the show, much to the disdain of the other paleopals. When I’m not in the field, lab, or recording a Science… sort of show, I can be found fortifying the bunker under my house for either a) the impending black hole disaster that will surely consume the planet, thanks to the LHC (can’t wait), or b) the unavoidable zombie plague of 2012. My Richard Feynman Degree of Separation is ‘2’. I can bake 20 minute brownies in 15 minutes.
