Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show

Send us Fan MailDr. Robert Kristovich, Ph.D. is Director of the Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO), at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency ( DTRA - https://www.dtra.mil/ ), an integral component of the United States Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP). As Director of DTRA JSTO, Dr. Kristovich leads an office of 200 professionals including eight divisions of scientists, researchers and administrative staff. He manages the execution of over US$505 million focused on transforming science and technology (S&T) to prepare for current and emerging chemical and biological (CB) threats to better protect the Joint Force, our allies, and the nation. Prior to assuming his current position, Dr. Kristovich served as Chief of the Threat Agent Sciences Division of the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC). In that role, Dr. Kristovich directed a team of CBC experts who evaluate emerging chemical threats facing the Joint Force and the nation. Among his responsibilities, he headed the Forensic Analytical Center, one of only two U.S. laboratories accredited by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Dr. Kristovich previously served as a senior adviser to the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Chem Bio Defense, in providing a strategic vision for how the CBDP can use science and technology to help the warfighter win in a CB-contested environment. In 2022, Dr. Kristovich was appointed as the U.S. representative of the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), providing science and technology guidance in overseeing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) treaty. OPCW ( https://www.opcw.org/ ) is a global body of 193 member states, including the U.S., which seeks to eliminate the production and use of chemical weapons. The SAB is a consortium of 25 preeminent experts chosen from the state parties to the CWC treaty. It provides scientific advice and support to the Director General and the state parties regarding implementation of the treaty and deterrence of chemical weapons use. Dr. Kristovich received a B.S. in Chemistry from Fairmont State University, and a PhD in Chemistry from Ohio State University. Support the show

Send us Fan MailSusan Ferensic is Assistant Director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD) at FBI Headquarters where her unit leads the FBI’s efforts to mitigate threats from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive weapons. The FBI or Federal Bureau of Investigation is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency (https://www.fbi.gov/). Ms. Ferensic most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in South Carolina. Ms. Ferensic joined the FBI in 1997 as a computer forensic examiner in the Laboratory Division and was selected for new agent training in 2000, and then as a new agent, she was assigned to investigate criminal and national security computer intrusion matters in the Washington Field Office. In 2007, Ms. Ferensic was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Cyber Division at FBI Headquarters, where she was a program manager for criminal computer intrusion investigations. She then transferred to the Albuquerque Field Office in New Mexico in 2009 to lead the cyber and technically trained agent squad, and later she served and supervised Albuquerque's Joint Terrorism Task Force which included oversight of WMD coordinators and bomb technicians. Ms. Ferensic was promoted in 2014 to special assistant to the executive assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch at FBI Headquarters, providing advice on broad program management and administrative matters. In 2016, she was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Criminal Branch of the Sacramento Field Office in California. In 2018, Ms. Ferensic became section chief of the Digital Forensics and Analytics Section in the Operational Technology Division at FBI Headquarters. The next year, she was promoted to chief of staff of the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch at FBI Headquarters. She was named special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in 2020. Ms. Ferensic earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Maryland. Prior to working at the FBI, she was a computer scientist at the Department of Defense. Important Episode Links - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - https://www.ic3.gov/ FBI Electronic Tip Form - https://tips.fbi.gov/ Support the show

Send us Fan MailAmbassador Dr. Bonnie Jenkins, PhD, ( https://www.state.gov/biographies/bonnie-denise-jenkins/ ) has served as the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security since July 22, 2021. As Under Secretary, Ambassador Jenkins leads three bureaus: the Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability Bureau; the International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau; and the Political-Military Affairs Bureau. In addition, as of May 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken named Under Secretary Jenkins as the senior official to lead the Department’s efforts on AUKUS implementation. U/S Jenkins previously served in the Obama Administration as Special Envoy and Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) from July 2009 until January 2017. Ambassador Jenkins coordinated U.S. efforts on threat reduction globally and U.S. government programs in chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological (CBRN) security. She was the State Department lead for all four of the Nuclear Security Summits held from 2010 to 2016, as well as the U.S. Representative to the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. Before serving as Coordinator, she was a Legal Adviser to the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency where she provided advice to U.S. ambassadors and delegations negotiating arms control and nonproliferation treaties. Ambassador Jenkins also provided legal advice to treaty implementation bodies including the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty, the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). She has worked with international institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Office of Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Interpol, and the BWC Implementation Support Unit. From 2014 to 2017, Ambassador Jenkins led diplomatic efforts to promote the Global Health Security Agenda, a group of 70 countries, international organizations, non-government organizations, and private sector companies that builds countries’ capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats like Ebola and Zika.  She was the lead staff member conducting research, interviews, and preparing commission reports on counterterrorism policies in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and on U.S. military plans targeting al Qaeda before 9/11. Ambassador Jenkins served as General Counsel to the U.S. Commission to Assess the Organization of the Federal Government to Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and worked at Rand Corporation focusing on Middle East weapons of mass destruction issues. From its inception in 2017 until April 2021, Ambassador Jenkins was the Founder, Executive Director, and Board Chair of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security ( WCAPS - https://www.wcaps.org/ ), a leading advocacy organization supporting women of color in the security and peace-building sector that believes global issues are best approached from a variety of perspectives. Ambassador Jenkins has a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Virginia; an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center; an M.P.A. from the State University of New York at Albany; a J.D. from Albany Law School; and a B.A. from Amherst College. She also attended The Hague Academy for International Law. Jenkins is a retired U.S. Naval Reserve Officer and received numerous awards for her military service. She is a member of the New York State Bar. Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe Undiagnosed Diseases Network Foundation ( https://udnf.org/ ) is a patient-led nonprofit organization founded in 2023 committed to improving access to diagnosis, research, and care for all with undiagnosed and ultra-rare diseases, with a focus on fostering collaboration among patients, clinicians, and scientists to enhance the quality of life of undiagnosed and ultra-rare disease patients and their families. Michele Herndon, MSN, RN, is the Program Director of the UDNF’s Patient Navigation Program. For the past two decades, she has served as a pediatric nurse, leader, and manager in an academic hospital setting. Michele is also the mother to Mitchell who enrolled in the UDN in 2017 after five years of symptoms. After genetic sequencing and a model organism study using fruit flies, his gene mutation was identified by the UDN. Mitchell died in 2019 from the ultra-rare disease that was ultimately named after him, Mitchell Syndrome. Michele and her family started the Mitchell & Friends Foundation to support families and raise both awareness and money for research into Mitchell Syndrome. Michele lives in St. Louis, MO and is currently working to complete her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at the University of Missouri-Columbia. ​ Dr. F. Sessions Cole, MD is Board Secretary of UDNF and Professor of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Cole is a neonatologist who began studying rare diseases with genomic methods during his fellowship in the laboratory of the late Harvey R. Colten, M.D. and has participated in the discovery of new genetic causes of structural birth defects and of respiratory failure in full-term infants, expanded phenotypes of known genetic diseases, and suggested novel therapeutic strategies. His research has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a Principal Investigator for more than 25 years. Most recently, he led the NIH-funded Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) Clinical Site at Washington University from 2018-2021. He currently co-chairs the UDN’s Sustainability Working Group and is leading the UDN’s Therapeutic Matching Committee aimed at identifying therapies for rare disease patients. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Ha Hong, Ph.D. ( http://hahong.org/ ), is Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Medtronic Endoscopy ( https://www.medtronic.com/covidien/en-us/clinical-solutions/gastrointestinal-health.html ) where he oversees AI R&D and strategy, emphasizing building responsible AI solutions for patient care, and has a track record of inventing and delivering breakthrough technologies in the medical device field ( https://www.medtronic.com/covidien/en-us/products/gastrointestinal-artificial-intelligence/gi-genius-intelligent-endoscopy.html ). Before joining Medtronic, Dr. Hong was a founding team member and the Chief Architect at Caption Health, which GE HealthCare acquired, where he led the R&D, including the development of the first commercially available AI navigation system for cardiac ultrasound examination. Dr. Hong has a Ph.D. in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics from the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program and a BS in Physics from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Medtronic Edonscopy is part of Medtronic plc (https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/index.html), the world’s largest medical device company, which operates in more than 150 countries and employs over 90,000 people. Important Episode Links Medtronic GI Genius™ Intelligent Endoscopy Module - https://www.medtronic.com/covidien/en-us/products/gastrointestinal-artificial-intelligence/gi-genius-intelligent-endoscopy.html Medtronic Artificial Intelligence (AI) Compass for responsible use of AI - https://www.medtronic.com/content/dam/medtronic-wide/public/brand-corporate-assets/resources/medtronic-ai-compass.pdf Dr. Ha Hong Linkedin Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ha-hong/ Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D., ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p20322 ) is a 2023 Nobel Laureate in Medicine ( https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2023/summary/ ), Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research and Director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation ( https://rnainnovation.med.upenn.edu/ ). He is also a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of Vaccine Research in the Infectious Diseases Division at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania ( https://www.pennmedicine.org/providers/profile/drew-weissman ). Dr. Weissman is a physician-scientist and pioneer in the science of immunology, with major contributions to the field. Most notably, Dr. Weissman, and his colleagues discovered a novel nucleoside-modified mRNA platform that bypasses adverse immunologic response, which was the result of decades-long dedication and research, not just focused on modifying mRNA, but also developing a novel lipid nanoparticle delivery technique, ensuring that it could reach the proper part of the body and trigger the immune system to fight disease. This platform not only serves as the basis for the burgeoning research of targeted therapeutics for some of the world’s most devastating diseases, but paved the way for the first mRNA vaccines, being the critical backbone to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Dr. Weissman and his lab team ( https://www.med.upenn.edu/weissmanlab/ ) continue to conduct basic science research to understand and develop new nucleoside-modified mRNA platforms to advance effective and safe vaccines for different types of diseases, as well as new therapeutics. Dr. Weissman and his team are currently at work on a variety of novel projects such as a pan-coronavirus vaccine to stop the next coronavirus epidemic, a universal flu vaccine, and a vaccine to prevent herpes, as well as working with Penn colleagues to develop interventions in various non-communicable diseases, such as cancer therapeutics with mRNA technology. Dr. Weissman's lab is also developing a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine with Chulalongkorn University in Thailand to help residents of Thailand and other surrounding nations with fewer financial resources than the United States access lifesaving vaccines. Before joining Penn in 1997, Dr. Weissman was a fellow at the National Institutes of Health studying HIV in the immunoregulation lab of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Weissman received his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Brandeis University, majoring in biochemistry and enzymology, and earned his MD and PhD working in immunology and microbiology at Boston University and completed his residency at Beth Israel Hospital. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. David Grier, Ph.D. is Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Soft Matter Research, at NYU ( https://as.nyu.edu/features/meet-faculty-of-as/david-grier.html ). Dr. Grier’s research focuses on experimental soft condensed matter physics—an interdisciplinary field that includes physics, chemistry, biology, and nanotechnology, ultimately aiming to understand how objects interacting in simple ways manage to organize into sophisticated hierarchies of both structure and function. After completing a B.S. in Physics from Harvard College, a Ph.D. in Physics from University of Michigan, and two years as a postdoctoral fellow in the Condensed Matter Physics Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Dr. Grier accepted a faculty position at the University of Chicago, where he was a member of the physics department for 12 years. He moved to New York University (NYU) in 2004 and served as Department Chair for eight years. Dr. Grier has numerous laboratory achievements including developing state-of-the-art methods of digital video microscopy, introducing powerful new methods of holographic video microscopy, demonstrating the first practical tractor beams, the first knotted force fields, and the first optically organized micromachines. Dr. Grier’s group, as part of its National Science Foundation-funded basic research program, developed a holographic optical trapping technique, which provides the groundwork for a range of new categories of applications in photonics, medical diagnostics, drug discovery, and environmental monitoring. Dr. Grier has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on basic research in this area and holds more than 50 U.S. Patents on technology invented in the course of this research. His efforts have been recognized with a David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowship. More than a dozen of his former graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have gone on to faculty positions in major universities or leadership roles in industrial research and development. Dr. Grier is also Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, Founder and Member of the Board of Directors of Spheryx Inc. ( https://spheryx.solutions/ ), a revolutionary company leveraging his research in finding solutions to deliver better, safer products at reduced costs, and providing benefits to consumers and manufacturers across multiple industries. Support the show

Send us Fan MailJ. Craig Venter, PhD, ( https://www.jcvi.org/about/j-craig-venter ) is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous invaluable contributions to genomic research. Dr. Venter is founder, chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit, research organization with approximately 120 scientists and staff dedicated to human, microbial, synthetic, and environmental genomic research, and the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics. Dr. Venter began his formal education after a tour of duty as a Navy Corpsman in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. After earning both a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and a PhD in physiology and pharmacology from the University of California at San Diego, he was appointed professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In 1984, he moved to the National Institutes of Health campus where he developed expressed sequence tags or ESTs, a revolutionary new strategy for rapid gene discovery. In 1992, Dr. Venter founded The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR, now part of JCVI), a not-for-profit research institute, where in 1995 he and his team decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, using the new whole genome shotgun technique. In 1998, Dr. Venter founded Celera Genomics to sequence the human genome using new tools and techniques he and his team developed. This research culminated with the February 2001 publication of the human genome in the journal, Science. He and his team at Celera also sequenced the fruit fly, mouse, and rat genomes. Dr. Venter and his team at JCVI continue to blaze new trails in genomics. They have sequenced and analyzed hundreds of genomes, and have published numerous important papers covering such areas as environmental genomics, the first complete diploid human genome, and the groundbreaking advance in constructing the first self-replicating bacterial cell using synthetic DNA. Dr. Venter is one of the most frequently cited scientists, and the author of more than 280 research articles. He is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, public honors, and scientific awards, including the 2008 United States National Medal of Science, the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award, the 2001 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, and the King Faisal International Award for Science. Dr. Venter is a member of numerous prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology. Dr. Venter is also a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded several companies including Synthetic Genomics, Inc., now Viridos and Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI). Dr. Venter's newest book "The Voyage of Sorcerer II: The Expedition That Unlocked the Secrets of the Ocean’s Microbiome" was recently released on September 12, 2023 - https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Sorcerer-II-Expedition-Microbiome/dp/0674246470 Support the show

Send us Fan MailBrigadier General (Res.) Uri Oron is Israeli Space Agency (ISA) Director ( https://www.space.gov.il/en ). ISA is a national agency operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology ( https://www.gov.il/he/departments/ministry_of_science_and_technology/govil-landing-page ), and they are responsible for initiating, leading and coordinating all activities of the civilian space program in Israel. Director Oron earned a bachelor’s from Auburn University at Montgomery, a Master degree with distinction from Haifa University, in National Security Policy Studies, and he is a graduate of USAF Air Command and Staff College at the US Air University and the Israel's National Security College. Director Oron served as a fighter pilot with command and operational experience of over thirty-two years in the Israel Air Force, having served in various positions, including squadrons wing commander and the head of the Israel Air Force’s Intelligence Directorate. Prior to joining the Israeli Space Agency, Director Oron managed operations in an Israeli Artificial Intelligence start-up and he has accumulated extensive experience in managing complex systems and implementing state-of-the-art technologies, based on broad-scale strategies. He has led innovative projects in the space field in collaboration with the IDF, as well as the defense industries, while also interfacing with the political echelon. Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Ph.D. ( https://www.ree.usda.gov/biographies ) serves as the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE), and Chief Scientist at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The REE mission area is comprised of more than 8,500 employees with a $4 billion budget across its five component organizations including the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Economic Research Service (ERS), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS). Together these organizations advance agricultural research, innovation, data, and Extension across a full range of agricultural issues including climate-smart agriculture, nutrition security, equity, and strengthening food supply chains. As Chief Scientist, Dr. Jacobs-Young advises the Secretary of Agriculture and other senior officials on scientific matters and chairs the USDA Science Council, which convenes all parts of USDA’s scientific enterprise. Prior to being appointed by President Biden to serve as the REE Under Secretary, Dr. Jacobs-Young was Administrator for ARS from 2014 to 2022. Prior to that role, she served as ARS Associate Administrator for National Programs, leading the research objectives of the entire Agency. She also led the Office of International Research Programs, which is responsible for ARS' liaison with its international partners. From 2009 to 2012, Dr. Jacobs-Young served as the inaugural OCS Director, where she was responsible for facilitating the coordination of scientific leadership across the Department to ensure that research supported by, and scientific advice provided to, the Department and external stakeholders were held to the highest standards of intellectual rigor and scientific integrity. She has also served as the Acting Director for NIFA and as a senior policy analyst for agriculture in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Jacobs-Young is a native of Georgia. She holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Wood and Paper Science and a B.S. degree in Pulp and Paper Science and Technology from North Carolina State University. She is a graduate of American University's Key Executive Leadership in Public Policy Implementation Program, and a proud fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Public Administration. Resource Links: Link to @USDAScience on X: https://twitter.com/USDAScience Link to Research, Education, and Economics website: https://www.ree.usda.gov/ Link to USDA Science and Research Strategy: https://www.usda.gov/usda-science Link to ASCEND for Better Health: https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/ascend-better-health Link to the USDA announcement about the launch of AIM for Climate: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/11/02/launching-agriculture-innovation-mission-climate Link to the USDA's 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum, “Cultivating the Future” - https://www.usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum Support the show