Time to Teach Biology and Other Sciences with a More Mindful Approach: Life is Science and Science is Life
Finding Genius Podcast
Richard Jacobs
4.4 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 1 February 2021
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What makes science so difficult for people of all ages to grasp? Why do so many of us feel so intimidated by the subject? Melanie Peffer, Ph.d, has cracked the code behind enabling men, women, and children to actively engage with science without fear or anxiety.
Tune into discover:
- How to change your perspective on your own ability to learn science
- The role of cognitive psychology in scientific education
- The best way to confidently read and evaluate scientific papers
Melanie holds a B.S. in biology and a doctoral degree in molecular biology from the University of Pittsburgh, after graduating cum laude. Now an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado, she is turning everything we once knew about both teaching and learning science on its head. From her free Coursera course to her educational book, Melanie has dedicated herself to making biology and other sciences more approachable, interesting, and accessible to as many people as possible.
The scientific process is more than performing simple biology experiments in a laboratory or a classroom. We can observe biological principles everywhere we go, if we choose to look for them. This is the sentiment of Melanie's book, Biology is Everywhere: How the Science of Life Matters to Life. The importance of biology to human society cannot be overstated, so how did so many of us end up dreading science class? Why do intelligent adults shy away from reading and analyzing scientific research?
Observing biology in daily life and understanding science simply, without any pretense, may just be the key to changing the minds of the masses. First-hand and cognitive biases can wreak a surprising amount of havoc on a person's ability to learn and retain scientific information. By viewing biology through the lenses of psychology, business, and even art, science can be appreciated in new ways, and we can begin to eliminate the stereotype of the cold lab and the droning professor. Biology is, truly, everywhere.
For more information on the science of everyday life, visit https://www.biologyeverywhere.com/
Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Forget frequently asked questions common sense common knowledge or Google how about advice from a real genius |
| 0:07.2 | 95% of people in any profession are good enough to be qualified and licensed 5% go above and beyond they become very good at what they good and |
| 0:15.0 | become very good at what they do. But only 0.1% are real Jesus. |
| 0:19.0 | Richard Jacobs has made it his life's mission to find them for you. He hunts down and |
| 0:23.7 | interviews geniuses in every field sleep science, cancer, stem cells, |
| 0:27.6 | ketogenic diets and more. Here come the geniuses. This is the |
| 0:31.8 | finding genius podcast that Richard Jacobs. the Geniuses. This is the Finding Genius Podcast. |
| 0:34.4 | That is Richard Jacobs. |
| 0:37.0 | Hello, this is Richard Jacobs with the Finding Genius Podcast, part of the Finding Genius Foundation. |
| 0:44.0 | My guest is Melanie PEPFER, PhD, she's the author of a new book called Biology Everywhere. |
| 0:49.1 | I recently got the book, an advanced copy and I started going through it, so I'm interested to talk to her about it. |
| 0:53.7 | Noni has a bachelor's at a PhD in molecular biology from University of Pittsburgh, |
| 0:58.8 | and she completed postdoctoral training and learning sciences at Georgia State University. |
| 1:03.0 | She's affiliated with University of Colorado Boulder |
| 1:06.0 | as a researcher in the Institute of Cognitive Science |
| 1:09.0 | and teaches as part of the first year academic experience. |
| 1:12.0 | And her research is focused on how people learn biology |
| 1:14.8 | with an emphasis on teaching about the nature of scientific knowledge and how we could use education |
| 1:19.6 | to better help students understand and get to love biology. |
| 1:23.0 | Melanie, thanks for coming. |
| 1:24.8 | Thank you for having me. |
| 1:25.8 | Yeah. |
... |
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