Episode Notes

This episode features Dr. Deepa Das Acevedo, an Associate Professor at the Emory University School of Law. Tenure is often discussed but rarely understood with data. Dr. Deepa Das Acevedo discusses her groundbreaking research and her book, The War on Tenure. She provides a data-driven look at how tenured faculty actually lose their jobs and why the "elite" status of academia often masks the grueling reality of the profession.

Key Takeaways:

• Tenure as a Contract: Tenure isn't a "job for life" without accountability; it is a high-level "just cause" contract similar to those held by unionized employees.
• The Productivity Myth: Data suggests there is little to no correlation between getting job security and decreases in productivity. In fact, security often enables more ambitious, long-term research.
• The Financial Reality: The path to becoming a professor is longer and more expensive than the public assumes, often resulting in a high debt-to-income ratio for many faculty members.

Resources:

• Dr. Deepa Das Acevedo - Emory Faculty Profile
• Book: The War on Tenure

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To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform, and if you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

Why do many students lose interest in science by high school? We are joined by Dr. Sarah Fankhauser, an Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Natural Science and Mathematics Division at Oxford College of Emory University. Dr. Fankhauser explores the concept of "scientific identity." By engaging students in the peer-review and publication process through the Journal of Emerging Investigators, she is proving that you don't need a degree to be a scientist—you just need to participate in the scientific community.

Key Takeaways:

• Scientific Identity: A student’s persistence in STEM is highly correlated with whether they see themselves as a "scientist," which is built through recognition, competence, and performance.
• The "Fun" of Science: Science is often thought of as a series of facts to memorize. True science is the collaborative process of asking questions and receiving feedback from peers.
• Mentorship at Scale: The Journal of Emerging Investigators has provided over 20,000 hours of mentoring to middle and high school students, primarily through volunteer graduate students.

Resources:

Visit Dr. Sarah Fankhauser’s Emory Faculty Profile

Visit the Journal of Emerging Investigators

Follow the Show

To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform. If you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

Guest: Dr. Musa Dube, William Ragsdale Cannon Distinguished Professor of the New Testament, Candler School of Theology.

About this Episode: This episode features Dr. Musa Dube, the William Ragsdale Cannon Distinguished Professor of the New Testament at the Candler School of Theology. What happens when women are excluded from religious leadership and scriptural interpretation? Dr. Musa Dube discusses "The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians" and their work to provide gender-sensitive perspectives on theology, climate change, and gender-based violence across the African continent.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Interpretation: When theology is exclusively male-centered, scriptures are often used to justify gender inequality or violence. Reclaiming these texts is essential for social justice.
• Sankofa: Meaning "go back and get it," this concept guides the Circle’s work in reviewing the progress of African women researchers since 1989 and building on that foundation.
• Theology and Climate: Dr. Dube’s current work explores how religious communities can use scripture as a constructive tool to care for the Earth and support those devastated by global warming.

Resources:

• Dr. Musa Dube - Emory Faculty Profile: https://candler.emory.edu/faculty/profiles/dube-musa.html
• The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians: 
• https://circle.org.za/

https://www.circlekenya.org/

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Episode Notes

In this conversation, we sit down with Dr. Ronald Eldridge, an Assistant Professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. For many cancer patients, the greatest threat isn't just the tumor—it's the involuntary loss of weight and muscle known as cachexia. Epidemiologist Dr. Ronald Eldridge discusses his research into identifying metabolic "early warning signs" to help clinicians intervene before a patient loses their strength and independence.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding Cachexia: Cachexia accounts for roughly 30% of all cancer deaths. It is a metabolic disruption, not just "not eating enough," and is currently very difficult to reverse once it starts.
• Early Intervention: Identifying biomarkers (like fatty acid and bile metabolites) can help clinicians predict which patients are at risk of severe weight loss before clinical symptoms appear.
• Quality of Life: The goal of modern cancer research is shifting from simply "destroying the tumor" to ensuring the patient maintains the strength to live their life during and after treatment.

Resources:

• Dr. Ronald Eldridge - Emory Faculty Profile
• Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

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Episode Notes

Guest: Dr. Laurence Busse, Associate Professor, Emory University School of Medicine.

Joining us is Dr. Laurence Busse, an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine. Clinical trials are often restricted to large, urban academic centers, leaving community hospital patients without access to the latest treatments. Dr. Laurence Busse explains how the STAGE program (Satellite Trials Group of Emory) is mobilizing research, bringing life-saving trials for conditions like sepsis and pneumonia directly to the communities where patients live.

Key Takeaways:

1. Access is Equity: Patients shouldn't have to travel hours to a main campus to participate in research. Making trials mobile ensures a more diverse and representative patient population.
2. The "Research Halo": Hospitals that conduct research generally provide a higher level of care for all patients, as the staff is constantly engaged with the newest clinical guidelines and advancements.
3. Innovating in Sepsis: Dr. Busse’s work includes novel approaches to treating septic shock by filtering endotoxins directly from the blood, a trial now available at community sites through STAGE.

Resources:

• Learn more abotu Dr. Laurence Busse - https://med.emory.edu/directory/profile/?u=LBUSSE
• Learn more about STaGE (Satellite Trials Group of Emory) - https://med.aws.emory.edu/departments/medicine/divisions/pulmonary/research/the-satellite-trials-group-of-emory-stage.html

Follow the Show

To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform, and if you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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