Resurfacing: Stories about coming back to oneself
b'Whether you\\u2019re in the lab or the field, not feeling like yourself sucks. In this week\\u2019s episode, both of our storytellers find a way to feel like themselves again.\\nPart 1: Some harsh words from Sarah Kucenas\\u2019 high school swim coach shake her confidence and she gives up her dream of being a pediatric neurosurgeon.\\nPart 2: When Michael Herrera\\u2019s COVID turns into long COVID, he struggles to feel like himself until he starts birding.\\nSarah Kucenas is fascinated by the developing brain. Specifically, she and her research group study how glia act as engineers of neural development. Her long-term goal is to understand the mechanisms that mediate cellular interactions between neurons and glia and use this information to better understand how the human nervous system is initially sculpted, maintained, and behaves during disease. Sarah earned a B.Sc. in Biology from Valparaiso University in 2000 and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Pharmacological & Physiological Science from Saint Louis University with Dr. Mark Voigt in 2005. After Dr. Kucenas\\u2019 postdoctoral work with Dr. Bruce Appel at Vanderbilt University, she joined the faculty at the University of Virginia in 2009. Sarah has a 11-year-old daughter, Madelyn, 3 (VERY big) dogs, and is a life-long swimmer.\\nMichael Herrera, PhD, is an atmospheric scientist, avid birder, and photographer. His work involves developing and implementing new methods for weather forecasting models, extending forecasts from the surface of earth all the way up to the international space station. He loves spending time outdoors, through birding, kayaking, or helping clean up the local marshes. After a prolonged battle with long COVID, he is rediscovering his curiosity and passion for everything the world has to offer.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'