Scat, and wolves, and worms, oh my!

Alaska is home to four subspecies of gray wolves whose diets differ depending on where in the state they are and the food resources they have access to. While the wolves themselves may be difficult to keep track of, scat (poop) won’t try to run away and contains enough information to help researchers understand the diets of these animals. The Levi Lab, here at OSU, maintains a large library of DNA material collected from Alaskan wolf scat samples. What if this DNA could tell us more about the lives of Alaskan wolves and help us more deeply understand the diseases they are exposed to? This is exactly the question that our guest this week is trying to answer.

This week on the show, we are joined by Zach Muniz, a 2rd year master’s student under the advisement of Dr. Taal Levi in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences. Using Levi Lab materials, resources from collaborators and publicly available databases, Zach is developing methods to study the helminthic parasites that pass through the digestive tracts of Alaskan wolves. Zach extracted helminthic DNA from over 930 wolf scat samples during his time here at OSU! When Zach isn’t in the lab, he enjoys giving back to the community by mentoring the next generation of scientists in science communication programs such as OSU Explore and More, and Salmon Watch.

Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7:00 pm PST on February 8th to hear Zach describe the many stepping stones of his journey to and through graduate school!

Written by Emilee Lance

Mimicking the Body to Help Mother Earth

Climate change driven by global warming is a highly debated topic in today’s world. However, what we can be sure of is that certain gases cause changes to our environment and are often referred to as “greenhouse gases”. A large scientific effort has been made to capture these gases and turn it into things with less environment impact. One particular way is by creating molecules that mimic our bodies natural mechanisms. This is called biomimetic science and is the topic of our guest’s research, Bella Mc Coll


Bella is a third-year PhD student researching under Dr. Addison Desnoyer, in the Department of Chemistry here at OSU. Bella is an Oregon native and comes to us from Beaverton. Outside of the lab Bella has many interests particularly those involving the fiber arts. These interests have allowed her to come up with research ideas that uses her scientific mind to help answer questions for her creative mind.

Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7 pm PST on February 1st to hear Bella talk about how growing up in a natural medicine house inspired her to find the harmony between science and nature.

Written by E Hernandez

Cooking Up New Machine Learning Models

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminates and their research has been featured on this show quite a bit. A little known fact is that estimates on the amount of PFAS in the environment range from 12,000 to 7 million. The number of working hours needed to analyze all those compounds would take many lifetimes. However, advancements in machine learning models have allowed for accurate estimates of crucial properties used to better understand PFAS. This cutting-edge research is the focus of our guest this week, Boris Droz.

Boris is a newly minted staff scientist in the lab of Dr. Gerrad Jones, in the Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering at OSU. Boris is originally from Switzerland and came to OSU in 2025 as a post-doc. Boris brings with him a deep knowledge and appreciation of both the rationale and in-lab work that goes into developing robust and useful machine learning models. His knowledge and expertise is a boon for OSU’s research prowess.



Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7 pm PST on January 25th to hear Boris talk about how an apprenticeship in primary school was his ticket to traveling the world.

Written by E Hernandez

Oregon’s Next Top Model: Bull Kelp!

“Mathematics compares the most diverse phenomena and discovers the secret analogies that unite them.” — Joseph Fourier

Mathematical modeling has become an essential tool across all disciplines of science. Models are built and applied in everything from astrophysics to food science. Andrés Pinos-Sánchez, a masters student in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences in the lab of Will White, uses modeling to investigate the population dynamics of bull kelp and sea urchins on the Oregon coast. The goal of his research is to determine what’s the best pathway to recover kelp forests in Oregon, which are in drastic decline due to rising sea temperatures and overpopulation of purple sea urchins. The decline of bull kelp in Oregon’s coastal ecosystems is detrimental to several species, like rockfish which make up a large part of the commercial fishery in Oregon.


Andrés has been able to model the outcome of different kelp restoration tactics, determining the best potential course of action before having to step foot in the field. Modeling these restoration tactics potentially saves Oregon taxpayers and conservation groups millions of dollars and saves our environment from unintended consequences.

Tune in to KBVR 88.7FM on January 18th at 7PM to hear all about modeling population dynamics, the intricacies of preparing a system for restoration, and the pros and cons of sea otter reintroduction in Oregon. You can also check out the show on streaming services or wherever you get podcasts.

Written by Hannah Stuwe



Getting a Sense of the World Around You

The term “sensors” is broad and often conjures up different ideas in people’s heads. For example, motion sensors that turn lights off and on. However, sensors could be powerful tools to help monitor people’s health in a non-invasive way. As science develops a large amount of research is being done to make sensors smaller and more efficient. Continuous glucose monitors and smart rings are a great example of recent advancements. Development of technologies like these is the research focus of our guest this week, Pavel Sengupta.



Pavel is a 5th year PhD student in the lab of Dr. Dipankar Koley, in the division of Analytical Chemistry here at OSU. Pavel is from Kolkata, India and came to America after earning his B.S. and M.S. from the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology. Driven by his curiosity and strong sense of wonder for science, Pavel has become a pillar of his Department and OSU as a whole. It is our pleasure to share his story on Inspiration Dissemination.

Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7 pm PST on January 11th to hear Pavel talk about how he let his passions steer his path through education and research.

Written by E Hernandez

An expert on experts!

How do you identify “an expert”? The answer to this question is more complex than you might think. Most of us might think of people with multiple degrees or extensive experience in a specific field as experts. However, as our guest this week is discovering, experts can be people with passion, people with connections or people with specific job titles. Recognizing the enacted and relationally valued characteristics of an expert is essential to creating systems where experts that reflect a community’s ideas and values are the ones making the decisions. One example is the community of people around and connected to the Puget Sound watershed region and the jurisdiction of the Puget Sound Partnership: an area spanning 12 counties and 28 recognized Tribal Nations. Large restoration efforts are underway to restore Puget Sound and prime the ecosystem for climate adaptation. These efforts hinge on not just access to climate adaptation knowledge, but who is recognized to apply such knowledge and the social structures to shape its uptake.

Our guest this week is Krista Harrington, a 4th year PhD Candidate in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. Krista utilizes political ecology and science, technology, and society theory in environmental natural resource management. During her Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and time spent working in wildlife conversation, she kept asking herself “who are we going to for expertise?”. This question ultimately shaped the path of her PhD work and is how she is contributing to restoring Puget Sound.

Tune into 88.7 KBVR Corvallis this Sunday (Nov. 23rd) @ 7pm to hear Krista explain her approach to understanding how the Puget Sound community defines what an expert looks like and how they are developing effective pathways for expert integration into climate adaptation strategies.

The complex movement, behavior and ecological interactions of ravens

Ravens are majestic birds, captivating many humans and spanning in their cultural significance. Most people imagine ravens perched in a field, with many guides stating they maintain a general homebase without migration. However, the behavior of ravens is much more complex, with much still to be discovered.

Our guest this week is Richard Rich who recently completed his Masters through the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University. His research studied migratory behavior in ravens, a phenomenon that has never been observed in the species. His novel finding challenges what we know about ravens, showing that many tagged birds in eastern Oregon are migrating seasonally.

Not only are the behaviors of ravens complex, but so to are their interactions with other birds. One such bird – the Sage-grouse – is experiencing population declines, concerning in part due to their association with sagebrush and with many efforts to save them. Although many factors are at play, ravens add additional pressure due to their increasing population density and feeding on Sage-grouse eggs. Raven removal has been a topic of recent conversation, proposed to help keep Sage-grouse populations alive. However, ravens are native to many locations in the US, leading to complicated issues regarding their removal. Richard compares the methods of both lethal and non-lethal raven removal in attempts to improve management.

To hear more about ravens and their complex behavioral and ecological interactions, tune in to KBVR 88.7FM this Sunday (Nov 16) at 6:30pm. You can listen to the episode anywhere you listen to your podcasts, including on KBVR, Spotify, Apple, or anywhere else!

Written by Matthew Vaughan.

Giants of Aotearoa: Predator-prey dynamics of blue whales in South Taranaki Bight, New Zealand

Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)  are the largest animals that have ever existed on Earth. Despite this, they feed exclusively on krill (Nyctiphanes australis) which are typically no larger than 2 cm. Thus, they must consume massive amounts of these tiny organisms to support the large energy requirements of their life history processes. Researchers are interested in understanding how predator-prey dynamics between blue whales and krill may shift with changing ocean conditions. Nicole Principe is a 2nd year PhD student in the Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna (GEMM) Lab at the Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, led by Dr. Leigh Torres. Her PhD work is part of the SAPPHIRE (Synthesis of Acoustics, Physiology, Prey, and Habitat in A Rapidly Changing Environment) Project and will focus on blue whales in the South Taranaki Bight in Aotearoa (New Zealand). This interdisciplinary work involves using oceanographic data, active acoustics for prey, drone imagery (i.e., photogrammetry), and hormone analysis to investigate the availability of krill and blue whale health and population resilience to climate change. 

Nicole Principe, 2nd year PhD student at Oregon State University.

Most blue whales, like other baleen whales, are migratory, meaning they move from cold-water feeding grounds to warmer waters for breeding. However, past research from the GEMM lab suggests that blue whales in the South Taranaki Bight do not migrate. Instead, blue whale song and acoustic calls can be heard year-round in this area, making it an important foraging and breeding ground for this population. Intermittent upwelling makes this a highly productive feeding area for blue whales, where high levels of primary productivity support large aggregations of krill. Therefore, these animals seem to stay for long periods of time, potentially year-round, to exploit these prey resources.

Nicole Principe at-sea, on the lookout for whales!

Part of Nicole’s work will build on previous work conducted by the GEMM lab by investigating the co-response of marine prey and predator to marine heatwaves. Marine heatwaves are a period of unusually high water temperatures and can have significant effects on ecosystems. As climate change continues, marine heatwaves may become more severe and prolonged. By understanding how krill and subsequently, blue whales respond to these events, researchers can then predict how populations may be impacted in the future, ultimately informing conservation measures. 

Nicole on the R/V Pacific Storm, a research vessel operated under OSU’s Marine Operations.

Nicole also completed a master’s degree studying bottlenose dolphin distribution in freshwater rivers in South Carolina, and spent a year and a half working for a marine mammal stranding network. Tune into the podcast this Sunday, November 9th to learn more about all of these incredible experiences!

Written by: Taylor Azizeh

Under the Bodhi Tree: Stories and Science

Have you ever heard of a Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa)? According to Buddhist history, the Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. A branch of the original tree was planted in Sri Lanka over 2000 years ago, making it the oldest historical tree in the world today. Clones of this original tree have been planted all over the world in Buddhist Temples and personal gardens. The Hawaiian islands contain an especially high concentration of clones from the apparent sacred lineage. Genomic analysis in the Denver lab can theoretically reveal what trees are descended directly from the original Bodhi tree. But the spread of these trees into an ecosystem from which they did not originate has raised the question as to whether they pose the risk of becoming a harmful invasive species.

This week on the show, we are joined by Jazlee Crowly, a 4th year PhD student in Integrative Biology whose work is as expansive as the Bodhi tree’s canopy. Using a transdisciplinary approach, a “purposely border-breaking” method, Jazlee weaves together botanical history, community memory, and genomic methods to explore the roles these trees play in Hawaiian ethnic and botanical landscapes. Jazlee’s work is conducted by invitation from local groups, particularly the Japanese-Buddhist community of the Kaua’i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji. Jazlee conducts her field work during the annual Obon period, the Japanese celebration of ancestral spirits, and gives her time to helping with the celebration as a way of giving back to the people and places that steward these living lineages.

Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 6:30 pm PST on November 2nd to hear Jazlee explain the spiritual and ecological role that the Bodhi tree plays on the Hawaiian islands.

The Eelgrass is Greener on the Other Side

Oregon’s many winding rivers meet the Pacific Ocean in gorgeous estuaries scattered along the coastline. These estuaries are critical habitat for salmon, water birds, Dungeness crab, and oysters, and are deeply connected to the local economies of coastal communities. These estuaries are also the primary habitat of eelgrass — a fully aquatic flowering plant. We may overlook eelgrass as the creepy thing under the waves that brushes against your foot while wading through the water, but it is actually incredibly important to coastal ecosystems. It protects against erosion, absorbs pollutants, provides breeding grounds for many fish and invertebrate species, and can act as carbon sinks. Unfortunately, eelgrass is disappearing because of dredging, development, and sea level rise. The good news is that researchers are actively investigating how to best restore eelgrass habitat. Olivia Boisen, a fifth year PhD student in the department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, is one of these researchers.


As part of her research in the lab of Scott Heppell, Olivia is investigating several estuary sites along the Oregon coast where restoration practices are being implemented. Through this work she is able to determine the effectiveness of certain restoration practices on eelgrass recovery, and subsequently how various fisheries species respond.
Tune in to 88.7FM KBVR on October, 26th at 7PM PST (or anywhere you get podcasts) to hear a deep dive into the world of eelgrass, conservation, non-profit conservation work, and the interplay between coastal societies and habitat restoration!

Written by Hannah Stuwe