Pathogems Podcast

Pathogems is an infectious disease podcast created by Aryn Wright, Caroline Clark, and Avery Kaye, first-year PhD students in the CeZAP ID-IGEP program.

We invite professors, graduate students, and others here at VT to chat about their research experiences, while also trying to make science more fun. Our goal is to make scientific communication more approachable and to build community within CeZAP and beyond!

Contact us: pathogems@vt.edu

Making Blacksburg Feel Like Home

• What is it really like moving across the world for graduate school? In this episode, Aryn and Caroline sit down with international students at Virginia Tech to share their experiences adjusting to life in Blacksburg, finding community, overcoming challenges, and creating a home away from home in the beautiful city of Blacksburg, Virginia!

Let's Talk Rotations!

The Pathogems sat down to discuss rotations, which start off your first year as a PhD student in CeZAP's ID-IGEP program. We hope this is helpful to incoming grad students and please feel free to reach out to us with any questions: pathogems@vt.edu!

Planning our Next Cruise with Dr. Luis Escobar

• In this episode of Pathogems, we sit down with Dr. Luis Escobar to discuss hantavirus, including what it is, how it spreads, and some of the most common misconceptions surrounding the virus. We also talk about recent hantavirus-related news, disease ecology, and the importance of public health communication when discussing emerging zoonotic diseases.

Skeeter Syndrom Awareness with CeZAP Director, Dr. Kylene Kehn-Hall

• This month, we interviewed Dr. Kylene Kehn-Hall, Professor and Director of the Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens. Tune in for a discussion of her role and responsibilities, new publication on VEEV neurological sequelae, and Caroline's battle with Skeeter Syndrome... Paper linked here: https://journals.plos.org/plospathoge...

What Color is Science?

• In this episode, the girls sit down with Dr. James Weger-Lucarelli to discuss what motivates professors, how to form a committee, and, of course, the color of science.

Women in Science

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating Women in Science by featuring three incredible scientists at different stages in their careers:

• Shannon Carney – ID IGEP affiliated graduate student 
• Krisangel Lopez – Postdoctoral Associate
• Nisha Duggal – Associate Professor

The Interview Weekend Rundown with Sarah Gouger

• The girls gab about all things interview weekend.