Scientista

What does it mean to defend science in Washington?

On this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Monica Medina and Dr. Sweta Chakraborty sit down with Gretchen Goldman, President and CEO of the Union of Concerned Scientists. Goldman has spent her career working at the intersection of science, policy, and public accountability—ensuring that evidence informs the decisions that shape people’s lives.

In this conversation, they discuss the r...

On this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Monica Medina sits down with Lauren Sullivan, co-founder of REVERB, to explore how climate change is already reshaping the live music industry. From extreme weather canceling tour dates to the growing footprint of fan travel, the conversation unpacks what happens when global climate risk meets life on the road. Lauren shares how REVERB works with artists, venues, and festivals to reduce en...

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina speak with ecologist Marielle Anzelone and urban forester Georgia Silvera Seamans about the overlooked biodiversity of New York City.

As leaders of the New York City Biodiversity Task Force and co-authors of Oaks, Our City and Us, they discuss how native plants, wildlife, and neighborhood green spaces support both urban ecosystems and mental health. F...

Sarah Kapnick is the Head of Global Climate Advisory at J.P. Morgan—and before that, she spent more than a decade as a climate scientist in government, including serving as Chief Scientist at NOAA.

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina talk with Sarah about what it means to translate climate science into real-world decision-making. Drawing on her experience across government and the priva...

What happens when 1.6 million moms decide clean air is non-negotiable?

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, we speak with Dominique Browning, founder of Moms Clean Air Force, about building one of the most powerful parent-led environmental movements in the country. From fighting methane pollution and plastic burning to defending the Clean Air Act, Dominique explains why protecting children’s health should be Mompartisan — beyo...

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, we’re joined by former Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and her senior advisor Karen Skelton for a wide-ranging conversation on energy, national security, and how policy actually gets made.

We spend time on a lesser-known detail shaping the Greenland conversation: a 2021 law that restricts mining of ore linked to uranium, effectively limiting access to many critical minerals. Granholm ...

Fear has dominated the way we talk about climate change for decades. But fear doesn’t motivate most people to act—it overwhelms them.

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina are joined by Anne-Therese Gennari, known as the Climate Optimist, for a conversation about why fear-based climate messaging fails—and what works instead. Drawing on behavioral science and lived experience, we talk about ho...

Scientista: Highlights from 2025 brings together moments from conversations across the year with leaders, decision-makers, and cultural figures shaping what happens next.

Hosted by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina, the Scientista Podcast explores how people navigate power, responsibility, and judgment in complex systems — from policy and climate to culture and economics.

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In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, hosts Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina reflect on their journey with Scientista, discussing their vision for empowering women in science and the importance of community support. They share personal stories, insights from their favorite guests, and outline future initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and leadership among women in STEM fields. The conversation emphasizes the need...

Do we actually need billionaires?

On this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty speaks with Abigail Disney about extreme wealth, hoarding, and the cultural narratives that allow inequality to persist. Abigail has been outspoken for years about the harm caused by concentrated wealth, and in this conversation she explains why accumulation at the highest levels stops serving human needs and starts distorting systems ...

Abby Hopper spent nearly a decade leading the solar industry’s most influential advocacy organization — and now, she’s stepping into a new chapter.

In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty sit down with Abby to reflect on her path from big-law attorney to clean-energy leader, and the turning points that reshaped her career along the way. She shares how becoming a mother of three young kids forced a major pivo...

Ann Drake and MarySue Barrett are creating the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay, a new hub where women leading in technology, infrastructure, business, and space can come together to tackle real-world challenges. They join Sweta and Monica to talk about the power of convening women, the importance of building networks early, and why evidence-driven solutions must lead the way.

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In this episode, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina sit down with Dr. M. Sanjayan—ecologist, award-winning storyteller, and former CEO of Conservation International—for a conversation about what it takes to lead in one of the toughest, most important sectors on earth.

Sanjayan reflects on a childhood spent exploring the forests of Sierra Leone, the scientific rigor that shaped his career, and the mentors who opened doors when t...

This episode is part of our Best Of the Scientista Podcast series, where we revisit some of our most impactful conversations.

Jennifer Klein, Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia SIPA and former Director of the White House Gender Policy Council, joins the Scientista Podcast to reflect on the fight for the 28th Amendment, the global backlash against gender equality, and what it meant to be the first person to say “menopause...

“AI will tell you to walk across the English Channel… it’s not intelligent. It is pattern recognition.”

NRDC Chief Science Officer Dr. Ticora Jones joins the Scientista Podcast for one of our most candid conversations yet.

Dr. Jones talks about what AI really is (and isn’t), the collapse of USAID under Trump’s second term, why global development work depends on genuine collaboration—not American saviorism—and how she helps her own or...

How do you explain science when people stop believing in facts? Amber Sullins, chief meteorologist at ABC15 Phoenix and a five-time Emmy Award winner, joins Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina to talk about the changing climate of communication itself. From confronting misinformation to covering record-breaking heat, Sullins shares how empathy, persistence, and plain language can rebuild trust in science—one forecast at a time.

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National security isn’t just about borders and threats—it’s about how we prepare, respond, and rebuild. CNN analyst and Harvard professor Juliette Kayyem joins Monica Medina and Dr. Sweta Chakraborty to talk about women in crisis leadership, why “less bad” is a winning strategy, and what every family should know about the “72 on you” rule for disaster preparedness. From political violence to parenting in the age of disinformation, ...

What do Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Mary Robinson have in common? According to Jean Oelwang, the founding CEO of Virgin Unite, it’s not charisma or power—it’s humility. In this episode, Jean shares stories from decades spent alongside the world’s most influential changemakers, from helping Mandela and Graca Machel launch The Elders to working with Mary Robinson and Paul Polman on Planetary Guardians. She explains why great le...