In this episode, we embrace a different meaning of our title "I Came For Science" by standing up for science funding. One of our production team members, Lain Patton, interviews our host, Laura Sirot, about how science funding works in the U.S. and what the recent changes mean for the current and future states of science...

Were you that kid who always kept asking "But, why?" after adults in your life answered questions. Or, do you know a kid like that? Our guest for this episode, Dr. Nathan Burke, was that kid. His parents and teachers would get annoyed by all his questions until he found "his people" among evolutionary...

In this episode, we continue exploring the science of female arousal. Laura interviews Maureen Pollack, a mompreneur. She is the inventor of the WaterSlyde, a water-based device designed for female pleasure. Maureen explains how she developed the idea and the prototype for the WaterSlyde and what...

We are now embarking on an exploration of the science of female arousal. In the first episode of this series, Laura interviews her former student and current colleague, Harper Jones. Harper is pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology in the Women's Integrative Sexual Health (WISH) Lab. In this episode, she explains...

In this episode, we hear from Sarah Dahlston, senior director of education at Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. Sarah explains to us what scientific studies of sex education tell us about the relative effectiveness of abstinence only education and comprehensive sex education. She also debunks...

This episode follows up on Episode 12 which explored reproductive losses in humans. In this episode, Laura interviews primatologist and endocrinologist Dr. Jacinta Beehner about reproductive losses in non-human animals. Jacinta explores this topic through the lens of female reproductive strategies, using non-invasive techniques to...

This episode follows up on our last episode about family building. In this episode, Laura talks with Dr. Christa Craven about reproductive losses, especially as they are experienced by people who are LGBTQ+. These losses come in a variety of forms and times during the family building process and can be impacted by environmental and social stresses. Laura and Christa also discuss how the causes of reproductive losses in humans relate to...

Laura interviews Liam Kali a licensed midwife who is a pioneer in extending the practice of midwifery to queer families. Liam literally wrote the book about queer family building through conception. Liam describes their professional and personal journey becoming a parent, a doula, and a midwife, as well as the successes and challenges they faced along the way. Liam describes methods that queer people use to conceive. They also explain the problems...

Are you curious about polyamory? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this episode, Laura discusses scientific and personal aspects of polyamory with Amanda Anastasia Paniagua. Amanda is a graduate student in higher education administration, with an interest in the science of polyamory. Amanda shares definitions...

There has been a lot of talk this year about sex and gender. In this episode, Laura interviews Dr. Gita Kolluru who studies variation in sexual morphology and behavior across non-human animals. Dr. Kolluru explains the difference between sex and gender. Then, she explains the tremendous variation that occurs in sexual traits in humans and how this variation comes about.

Laura Sirot is interviewed by her former student and current co-host, Natalia, about her winding journey of studying the science of sex and reproduction. They discuss Laura's lows as she struggled with not feeling like she belonged as well as her highs as she realized her "outsider" status often made her ask questions that no one...

Imagine if you were sexually assaulted, decided to get evidence collected from your body, and then that evidence sat uninvestigated for decades. In 2010, this was the reality for about 14,000 victims of sexual assault in Ohio alone. In this episode, Laura interviews criminologist Dr. Rachel Lovell of...

Laura talks with her colleague, Dr. Diana Pérez Staples, a research professor at the Universidad Veracruzana in Xalapa, Mexico, who has conducted research in six different countries on four different continents. Dr. Pérez Staples provides a cross-cultural perspective on the challenges and benefits of being a researcher...

This is a powerful one. It is a discussion with your host, Laura Sirot, and her colleague, Eileen Hebets, who studies the reproductive behavior of arachnids. We talk about how our early life experiences influence our research questions, and the work Eileen is doing to support survivors of sexual assault....

If you are a mentor or a mentee, this episode is for you! Laura talks with her mentor, Mariana Wolfner, who studies molecular and genetic mechanisms of reproduction in fruit flies. Mariana is a distinguished professor at Cornell University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. We discuss Mariana's...

Prepping For PrEP: This is a story about one man's decision to take the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP. But it is so much more. It is a story of love between a mother and son. It's a coming out story. It's a story about how trans-generational trauma can be turned into gratitude, resilience, and hope. It's a story about...

Lets Talk About Pubic Hair: In this episode, we're exploring pubic hair! Why we have it, common pubic hair removal practices, and potential risks (or not) of pubic hair removal. Laura is joined by her 30-something former student, her aesthetician and a fellow scientist to discuss all things pubic hair.