Shows
Life-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastDon't Panic - This Is the Hitchhiker's Guide to BioBuilderA year-end reunion with artists, educators, and students shows how curiosity becomes practice, projects, and careers across bioart, education technology, diagnostics, and materials science. We share real tools, honest challenges, and clear next steps for learning and building.• Bioart as living practice and display challenges• Automation shaping creative and scientific workflows• At-home and classroom biotech kits scaling access• Simulators and free curricula overcoming logistics• Bioplastics, biomanufacturing, and practical AI modules• Student paths into labs, diagnostics, and publishing• Double majors and interdisciplinary momentum• Moving from competitions to peer-reviewed research• AI’s risks and value in...
2025-12-301h 10Life-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastMaria Bennes: A Veteran Educator Changing Lives with Hands-On ScienceWhat happens when a pharma trainer, academic workshop lead, and high school teacher are all the same person? You get a blueprint for science education that actually prepares students for real biotech work. We sit down with Maria Bennes, a biotech instructor at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational High School, to unpack how tailored communication, hands-on practice, and community support turn nervous ninth graders into lab-ready talent.Maria traces the throughline of her career—education as audience-aware communication—from teaching doctors and patients about new therapies to running stem cell workshops for researchers, and now guid...
2025-10-2530 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastFrom Classroom to Career: Edwin Gonzalez and his Biotech JourneyEdwin Gonzalez shares his journey from a BioBuilder apprentice to becoming a lead scientific support specialist at Thermo Fisher by age 23, highlighting how hands-on experiences and mentorship shaped his career path.• Middle school science teacher sparked Edwin's interest in science through engaging projects and supportive environment• First in his family to pursue science, without STEM role models at home• Joined BioBuilder apprenticeship program in 2019 after learning about it from a classmate• Gained first hands-on lab experience learning aseptic technique, pipetting, PCR, and bacterial transformation• Worked on biodesign project to create a device detecting airborne a...
2025-08-3127 min
Grow Everything Biotech Podcast144. Art Meets Agar: Karen Ingram Reimagines BiodesignKarl Schmieder and Erum Azeez sit down with Karen Ingram, Creative Director & Designer at Karen Ingram & Associates, Inc. From her iconic Biogenetic Blooms—Petri dish paintings made with living yeast—to her innovative teaching with BioBuilder and playful experiments like Fallacy Bingo, Karen shows how science and creativity can merge to inspire broader engagement with biotechnology. She shares stories from the early Brooklyn biohacker days, reflects on teaching teenagers to think critically about designing life, and explains how art, games, and design can shape the future of the bioeconomy. This is where art truly meets agar—transforming living microbes into c...
2025-08-2956 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastCuriosity, Teamwork, and Synthetic Biology: Building Solutions for Real-World ProblemsIn this inspiring episode of the BioBuilder Podcast, Dev and Joshua, co-founders of the startup AIVON, take listeners through their personal journeys of curiosity, innovation, and social impact. The conversation weaves through their formative experiences with science and technology, their time in the BioBuilderClub, and their ambitious venture into the world of AI-powered healthcare. Origins of Scientific CuriosityDev recounts how growing up in a science-loving household, with parents and an aunt deeply engaged in the subject, laid the groundwork for his fascination. From tinkering with technology alongside his dad to wondering about d...
2025-06-3030 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastNicole Mumbi: scientific curiosity meets life-changing opportunityWhat happens when scientific curiosity meets life-changing opportunity? Nicole Mumbi shares her remarkable journey and provides a powerful answer to this question.Moving from Nairobi, Kenya to Boston in 2019, Nicole faced the challenge of cultural transition while nurturing her budding interest in science. Though initially experiencing culture shock and language barriers, her determination never wavered. A simple middle school experiment on atmospheric pressure had already planted the seed of scientific fascination that would shape her future path.When Nicole's high school guidance counselor suggested applying to the BioBuilder Apprenticeship Program, she seized the opportunity despite...
2025-04-2727 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastCultivating Curiosity: Greg Wu's Journey in Synthetic Biology Greg Wu shares his transformative journey from high school in China to becoming an aspiring pioneer in synthetic biology. His story highlights critical educational opportunities at BioBuilder that shaped his passion for science and his future ambitions.• Greg's initial interest in natural sciences during high school • Discovering BioBuilder and its influence on his academic career • Experience in synthetic biology and engineering bacteria for unique projects • Transitioning to higher education in the US at Emory University • The value of interdisciplinary studies and collaborations with Georgia Tech • Future plans for a PhD in biomedical engineering and c...
2025-02-2617 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastTransforming High School Science Education: an interview with Daniel KempDaniel Kemp shares his transformative journey in integrating synthetic biology into high school education. Listeners will gain insights into practical applications in the classroom, the establishment of the BioBuilderClub, and the significance of bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world skills.• Introduction to Daniel Kemp and his experience with synthetic biology• Overview of the BioBuilder Professional Development Workshop and its relevance to teaching• Importance of hands-on learning experiences in biology education• Insight into launching the BioBuilderClub at Hampden Hall• Current projects and the evolving role of students in science• The necessity of updating curricula to reflect m...
2024-12-2619 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastFinding Synthetic Biology: Nicolas Rojas Taborda Transformative JourneyIn this episode of Life-Changing Science, we sit down with Nicolas Rojas Taborda, a senior at Revere High School. Nico's interests shifted dramatically thanks to his involvement in the BioBuilder Apprenticeship Challenge. Nico describes his discovery of synthetic biology and his team's project idea, the K Detective, an innovative at-home kit for cavity detection. This project not only sharpened his technical prowess with tools like PCR and gel electrophoresis but also positioned him to succeed in his Boston University STEM pathway internship building logic gates for CAR-T cells, and as a leader of his high school's iGEM team.
2024-10-2621 min
Matters MicrobialAn accidental microbiologistToday, the award winning and affable Dr. David Westenberg of the Missouri University of Science and Technology joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his efforts at microbial outreach from K-12 (and beyond), his fascinating research program, and his experiences teaching microbiology to engineers. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: David Westenberg Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A TEDX talk by Dr. Westenberg. An overview of the BioBuilder program. An overview of the iGEM program. Dr. Westenberg's page on the Howard Hughes Medical Institu...
2024-09-051h 03
Talking TechniquesSkills-based teaching and microcredentialing in STEMThis episode of Talking Technique deviates slightly from specific lab technologies to instead discuss techniques and methods we use for teaching and testing life sciences.To do this, I’m speaking to two pioneers of unconventional teaching and testing approaches to STEM education. Angela Consani is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Bioscience Core Skills Institute (KS, USA). This skills-first microcredential program provides certification for lab skills in techniques, safety and quality control, using performance-based practical testing. Natalie Kuldell is the Founder and Executive Director of Biobuilder (MA, USA), a nonprofit organization, set up to increase in...
2024-08-2054 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastUnlocking Nathan Kirokwa's Path to BioengineeringIn this episode of Life-Changing Science, we sit down with Nathan Kirokwa, a rising senior at Pioneer Charter School of Science, who guides us through his journey from a curious child captivated by the human body's healing magic to a dedicated bioengineer. Nathan recounts how his mother's insights and his own early experiments fueled his passion for science. He also shares how his interests evolved from a broad fascination with medicine to a focused pursuit of bioengineering through problem-solving, eventually leading him to the BioBuilder Summer Research Program and a transformative internship at a biotech startup, Conduit....
2024-08-1828 min
Clinical Lab ChatKids and Science: Is this THE Recipe for Solving the Laboratorian Shortage?In this wide-ranging episode of Clinical Lab Chat, CLP’s director of business intelligence, Chris Wolski, discusses the hows and whys of keeping kids engaged in science with Natalie Kuldell, executive director of BioBuilder (biobuilder.org), a 501c3 non-profit designed to inspire kids and help teachers and professionals keep students interested in science in school and beyond. Kuldell, who was named as a STEM trailblazer in 2020, is also a member of the MIT faculty. Among the topics discussed in this episode:How to foster and sustain a love of science throughout a kid’s educational journeyHow impor...
2024-07-0328 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastFrom Books to Biotech: Vanessa Murati and BioTechBuilderEver wondered how a love for reading can shape your career path? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Vanessa Murati, an ambitious junior at Pioneer Charter High School of Science. Vanessa's childhood obsession with character development led her to explore human behavior and neuroscience, seamlessly blending her passion for both STEM and the humanities. She shares the vital lab skills she picked up through the BioTechBuilder curriculum and how her Albanian parents' appreciation for the humanities has guided her academic journey.In this episode, Vanessa opens up about her college and career aspirations, including her fascination...
2024-06-3025 min
Teaching Learning Leading K-12Natalie Kuldell - Founder & Executive Director - BioBuilder: Educating a Future-Ready Workforce - 682
Natalie Kuldell - Founder & Executive Director - BioBuilder: Educating a Future-Ready Workforce. This is episode 682 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.
Dr. Natalie Kuldell, founder and executive director of BioBuilder, which is a nonprofit helping to educate a future-ready workforce that will solve some of the world’s greatest challenges by bringing tomorrow’s science into today’s classrooms.
Recognized in 2020 as a STEM Trailblazer by the Million Women Mentors and with the HA Rey Curiosity Award, Natalie is a highly regarded educator and curriculum developer who has taught for mor...
2024-05-3134 min
Women In STEM PodcastSTEM Education For Our Future WorkplaceWelcome to the Women In STEM Podcast! Today, we're diving into the dynamic world of STEM education with Natalie Kuldell, the visionary founder of BioBuilder. Join us as Natalie shares her inspiring journey and reveals how BioBuilder is revolutionizing STEM learning through experiential education. From breaking down barriers to accessibility in underserved communities to fostering industry partnerships and sparking innovation, Natalie's insights illuminate the transformative power of hands-on learning. Discover the impact of BioBuilder's approach on students and educators, and get ready to be inspired by Natalie's vision for the future of STEM education. Whether you're an educator, student...
2024-05-0321 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastHana Shinzawa: A Journey Beyond the Textbook with a Budding BiologistMeet Hana Shinzawa, a beacon of inspiration from the BioBuilderClub who joins us to recount her experience as she discovered her passion to do and communicate science. Her AP Bio class captured her imagination leading her to relaunch the BioBuilderClub at her school. In this podcast she reviews her experience embarking on a project that converts scientific curiosity to a real-world application, culminating in the design of a yeast-based sensor for Salmonella detection.Hana's voice carries the pride of presenting her research to a discerning audience, reflecting the maturity and readiness for her future academic endeavors at...
2024-04-2823 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastWhere Life Sciences Meet Tech Training in High School CurriculumAre you ready to have your mind expanded by the ingenuity of STEM education? Prepare to be inspired as Zeeshan talks with the dynamic Billy Carrier from Volunteer High School, a public school located in Church Hill, TN serving about 1000 students in grades 9-12. There Billy is trailblazing the "BioSTEM" program. This isn't your average biology class; it's a revolutionary approach that combines the intricacies of freshman biology with career exploration through hands-on technical training. His class gives students a chance to both enhance their understanding of the living world and also get equipped with the skills that can j...
2024-02-2628 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastFrom High School Fascination to Cutting-Edge Biotech: Susana Donkor's Journey in ScienceEver wondered how a high school fascination can ignite a lifelong passion for science and medicine? Zeeshan's conversation with Susana Donkor explores her early days, marked by influential encounters and pivotal experiences, to her current cutting-edge work at Aurion Biotech. Susana shares her journey with heartfelt candor, reflecting on the profound early influence of educational shows and the empowering story of Ben Carson's "Gifted Hands," which sowed the seeds for her aspirations in neuroscience. The dialogue uncovers the power of mentorship and educational programs like BioBuilder and H-Prep, illustrating how they shape the futures of students from diverse backgrounds...
2023-12-3028 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastTara Peterson: One High Schooler's Journey from BioBuilder into a Biotech CareerEver wondered how high school curiosity can evolve into a successful career in biotechnology? In this podcast, our guest Tara Peterson shares her unique story of how her high school apprenticeship program at BioBuilder shaped her career. Listen as she reveals the differences between her high school classroom and the BioBuilder program, and the program played a crucial role in kick-starting her journey into a college STEM major and now a career in science.Tara reveals how her work with BioBuilder, including a poster presentation, paved the way for an internship at LabCentral, opening up even more...
2023-10-2927 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastInside the Lab: Yesenia Collins' Adventures in Synthetic BiologyGet ready to be inspired by our extraordinary guest, Yesenia Collins. A pivotal figure in her school's BioBuilderClub, Yesenia takes us along on her captivating journey, from her initial introduction to synthetic biology to her innovative projects at Tyngsborough High School. Can you imagine the thrill of manipulating organisms to produce novel scents or even creating a world of vibrant microbial colors? Yesenia did just that in the Smell Lab and What a Colorful World Lab. Yet, it wasn't all smooth sailing - grappling with complex concepts like PCR and understanding plasmids posed significant challenges. But with unrelenting determination...
2023-08-0126 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 3 Episode 3: Igniting Passion for Biology with Amanda Blackburn and Evie LafolletteImagine transforming high school biology education by integrating synthetic biology into the curriculum, igniting students' passion for learning and preparing them for future success. How do you make this possible? This BioBuilder podcast focuses on two extraordinary biology teachers, Amanda Blackburn and Evie Lafollette, who share their inspiring journey of bringing synthetic biology to Dobbins Bennett High School in Tennessee.Amanda and Evie discuss their BioBuilder training experience in Boston where they discovered this synbio curriculum and its incredible opportunities for their students. From developing unique passions to exploring groundbreaking fields like organism engineering, this episode explores...
2023-06-1128 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 3 Episode 2: Meet BioBuilder Rachael SmyersRachael Smyers was part of the 2019 BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge that was held at LabCentral. The program’s “learning by doing” approach attracted her to it, especially since she got what she felt was a late start in the Vocational Technical Program at Medford High School. Starting there in her junior year, she spent mornings taking 3 or 4 traditional high school classes (English, History…) and the afternoons in Biotech Shop, learning lab skills like pipetting, prepping buffers, running gels, and culturing mouse cells. In this interview Rachael talks about how the BioBuilder Apprenticeship program let her connect with stud...
2023-04-2223 min
Grow Everything Biotech Podcast16. Getting Schooled with BioBuilderIn this episode of Grow Everything, Karl and Erum are joined by Natalie Kuldell to delve into the exciting world of bio companies and the importance of bridging the gap between the present and future. As the founders of BioBuilder, Natalie shares her expertise on how to inspire the next generation to love life science, and how plasmids can make working with DNA much easier. The discussion also touches on the fascinating topic of authentic research experiences that can spark interest in science and engineering. Additionally, they explore how high school graduates can be included in the bio processing...
2023-03-1050 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 3 Episode 1: Meet BioBuilder Lyle MusesengwaLyle Musesengwa is a high school sophomore at Dobyns-Bennet HS, a rural school in Kingsport, TN, near the Appalachian Mountains. His school has strong STEM offerings, including the MATE Underwater Robotics competition, as well as nationally recognized Marching Band program. Lyle was born in Cape Town, South Africa and came to the US as a 4 year old. In this podcast Lyle notes that he can’t remember a time he wasn’t asking questions. His interest in synthetic biology began in 5th grade – even though he didn’t know that’s what it was called, when he learned abo...
2023-02-2622 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 12: Meet BioBuilder Jacob LeiJacob Lei was a rising Junior in High School when he participated in one of BioBuilder's online programs in the summer of 2020, waking up at 5AM Pacific time to participate synchronously three times a week for a month. BioBuilder’s online program introduced Jacob to the idea that biology and engineering could be combined to help people, using genetic parts that could be reconnected to address global issues. His biodesign team focused on medical treatments with a design that addressed insulin regulation in Type I diabetes, incorporating a model for insulin fluctuations in R. Jacob furthered his int...
2022-12-2524 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 11: Meet BioBuilder Presley SimelusIn this interview, Presley notes how they haven’t seen a single program or organization that is similar to BioBuilder. Presley would know, given the range of programs that they have engaged in.Presley is currently an 11th grade student at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School in Cambridge, MA. The first BioBuilder experience for Presley came as an 8th grader through an exploratory program BioBuilder ran in the Learning Lab @ LabCentral. After a 9th grade “zoom only” year that included a virtual biology class, Presley joined BioBuilder’s High School Apprenticeship Challenge as a 10th grader. This was the...
2022-11-3021 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 10: Meet BioBuilder Jo-Anne PurdyJo has been a biology teacher for 26 years and a BioBuilder from the very start, having attended the very first Professional Development workshop at MIT in 2011. Since then, she has integrated BioBuilder into her classroom (Newton North and Westborough High Schools in MA), supporting a BioBuilderClub that was led by Viggy (Season 1 Episode 6), and leading teacher professional development workshops. In this conversation she digs into what it takes to run BioBuilder labs and programs, as well as how evolution of the field has made the content easier to teach and more relevant to everyone. Over the past d...
2022-10-3130 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 9: Meet BioBuilder Veni DoleVeni Dole is currently studying Chemical Engineering at Columbia University, but as a high school student she participated in BioBuilder's BioBuilderClub at Andover High School. The team project she worked on addressed plastic bottles that pollute the ocean. Their design used salt as a trigger for bacterial production of pETase, allowing microbes under the bottle's label to dissolve the plastic. The work not led her to research what has become a hot topic in biotechnology but also to speak with many leaders in the field, who offered ideas and reagents in support of the project. The BioBuilderClub idea was...
2022-09-2627 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 8: Meet BioBuilder Geneva FischerGeneva Fischer, a rising sophomore at Northeastern University in Boston, has been part of the BioBuilder community since high school. As part of her work in the biotechnology program at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, she saw her classmates participate in the BioBuilderClub, joined an intensive workshop at the BioBuilder Learning Lab @LabCentral, and participated in the online Idea Accelerator during the COVID shut-down of in person classes. Most recently she has worked as an intern in the BioBuilder Learning Lab @Ginkgo where she researched the strain instability of a biomanufacturing strain, improved the teaching protocols, and supported the...
2022-09-0517 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 7: Meet BioBuilder Dave WestenbergDave Westenberg, a Professor of Biological Sciences at Missouri University of Science & Technology, is widely known as a wonderful microbiologist, a great communicator and an exceptionally dedicated teacher. His students, be they undergraduates, high school teachers or public audiences, invariably feel empowered as scientists because Dave makes room for student curiosity, collaboration, and learning from mistakes. Dave attended one of BioBuilder's earliest professional development workshops and immediately saw how the curriculum could create the kind of educational experiences he wanted for his students. His enthusiasm led him to attended BioBuilder's advanced training program. He has gone on t...
2022-07-3134 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 6: Meet Rebekah RavgialaRebekah Ravgiala is an award-winning biotechnology teacher at Tyngsborough High School in Massachusetts. She attended the first BioBuilder teacher professional workshop at MIT in 2011 and was hooked. Her excitement about synthetic biology motivated her to lead her school's iGEM/BioBuilderClub teams year after year. In 2012, Rebekah registered and trained as an advanced BioBuilder instructor, learning how to teach other teachers the BioBuilder curriculum. Since then she has co-taught summer workshops for teachers in Cambridge, Mexico, and online. She serves on the BioBuilder Board of Directors, leading the pivot to online programs during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic shutdown and supporting...
2022-06-2934 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 5: Meet Oscar JimenezOscar is a rising junior at University of Massachusetts at Lowell, studying biology. His interest in biotechnology was sparked by a high school class and teacher at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. He applied and was accepted to BioBuilder's High School Apprenticeship Challenge in 2019, held that year at LabCentral in Cambridge. His biodesign project addressed high concentrations of lead in drinking water. At the poster session presentation of his project, Oscar met a researcher at Indigo Ag, a biotech company that uses microbiology and machine learning to improve crop yield and health. Oscar was hired at Indigo Ag as...
2022-05-3114 minLife-Changing Science: The BioBuilder PodcastSeason 2 Episode 4: Meet Nancy OtalukaNancy is currently a Clinical Research Assistant at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She was one of the first BioBuilder Apprentices, a workforce readiness program for Boston-area students in under-resourced local high schools. In 2021 she graduated from the University of Massachusetts -Dartmouth, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Biochemistry. In 2022, she has returned to the BioBuilder Apprenticeship program as a teaching assistant, helping today's high schoolers with professional and laboratory skills. Learn more about BioBuilder's programs for students, educators, and industry professionals here 👉 https://biobuilder.org/And follow BioBuilder on social media...
2022-05-0119 min