The DNA of Disease
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The DNA of Disease
Every living thing leaves DNA in the environment, including organic waste. Andy Rothstein hunts down the genes to aid threatened species and stop forecasted pandemics. Andy gauges the health of ecosystems. He’s a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley who joints the podcast to talk about a range of topics, from research and education to environmental careers and the future of the planet.
Andy discusses the need to foster independence in education as well as environmental work. He compares more and less effective education models including pushing for better means to move science forward than the traditional publishing model.
Guest
Andy is a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley in Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. His current work is combating emerging wildlife diseases with an emphasis on using genetics to monitor and manage wildlife populations.
Before UC Berkeley, he completed his Master’s of Science at Western Washington University where he again used genetic tools to “forensically" track wild harbor seal populations on Vancouver Island through their poop!
Andy began his academic education at University of Vermont where he fostered his passion for biology and the environment during his time in their School for the Environment and Natural Resources.
Through his graduate work he has taught classes in variety of educational capacities from lecture and lab based courses, to discussion groups, to hands on computer coding, to his most recent venture as a fellow for Berkeley Connect which links undergraduate students with experienced mentors in departments and the full university.
Links from the pod:
Andy’s lab
Hands on data science class for which Andy was a graduate student instructor
Berkeley Connect Mentor Fellows program I will be starting for Fall and Spring semesters