Welcome to the 6th episode of Sci-Tea!

Join us (Ryan & Nanci) for a conversation with Dr. Beth McGee and Dr. Ryan Couillou on Friday, September 16th for a discussion on intimate partner violence (IPV) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We first talked about a paper that our guest Andy Godfrey recently published titled “Examining the Associations Between Multi-Dimensional Facets of Emotional Abuse and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Trauma Exposed Women.” We cover the definitions of emotional abuse and different facets of emotional abuse that are closely tied to the development of PTSD. We also get the valuable perspective of our guest Dr. Debbie Easterling, who worked as a grant writer for an organization, My Sister's House that provides resources and safety with the goal of ending the cycle of domestic violence. Andy's research leads us to focus on the harmful effects of isolation in the context of intimate partner violence - a theme that Dr. Easterling also emphasizes. We wrap up by talking about how common and misunderstood both emotional and physical abuse are and how respected community members may be able to be allies if given training.

✨ Dr. Debbie Easterling discusses her work as a Grant Writer for My Sister's House, an organization she worked with for over 6 years. This organization aims to end the cycle of domestic violence through its services. We learn more about these services and Dr. Easterling dispels familiar narratives about intimate partner violence and provides insights into themes of Andy's research based on her experiences. Dr. Easterling is now an End-of-Life Doula and was previously a faculty member at both Bryant University and Salisbury Unversity.

✨ Donald (Andy) Godfrey is a Ph.D. Student at the University of Houston working with Dr. Julia Babcock to study emotions and family conflict. Andy's research includes a focus on emotion dysregulation and using psychophysiological tools to understand aggression.

Materials Referenced in this Episode:
✨ Andy's research paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10896-022-00429-y
✨ My Sister's House website: https://www.mysistershouse.org/
✨ Recognizing a domestic violence situation, how to get help, and how to help a friend: https://www.patreon.com/posts/conversation-lee-71990468?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan

Connect with Ryan on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok for more content like this: https://www.ryanlinnbrown.com/links

Welcome to the 5th episode of Sci-Tea!

Join us (Ryan & Nanci) for a conversation with Dr. Beth McGee and Dr. Ryan Couillou on Friday, February 18th for a discussion on building nature into interior design. We first talked about an article that our guest Dr. Beth McGee worked on titled “DIY Biophilia: Development of the Biophilic Interior Matrix as a Design Tool.” We cover the definitions of biophilia and biophilic design, and why they are important to consider. Our guest Dr. Ryan Couillou, who collaborated with McGee in the past, gives his input on these topics as well. They discuss their collaboration as professors and how they bring these topics into the classroom. We learn more about how the biophilic matrix is being applied in a variety of settings. To finish off the episode, Dr. McGee and Dr. Couillou address more current and future topics related to design, more specifically accessibility and inclusiveness. 

✨ Dr. Beth McGee is an Assistant Professor and the Program Coordinator of Interior Design at Georgia Southern University. Her research focuses on designing healthcare spaces and biophilic interior design methods. Her goal is to teach, create and research sustainable and biophilic design. Dr. McGee has helped students and design practitioners by creating and expanding the Biophilic Interior Design Matrix to help incorporate nature into various spaces. Through her experience, she has become passionate about human-centered design and creating healthy and beneficial spaces for everyone.  

✨ Dr. Ryan Couillou is an Assistant Professor at Georgia Southern University where he collaborates with Dr. Beth McGee in her research on biophilic design. He is one of the leaders of the REFLECT program, serving his community with consultation, outreach, and research resources. He is a licensed clinical psychologist with a doctorate in Counseling Psychology. Aside from teaching, Dr. Couillou has worked in a variety of applied settings including mental health counseling at universities and assessing juvenile offenders. Currently, his research interests include action-based research and perceptions of the police.     


Materials Referenced in this Episode:

✨ Dr. McGee's research paper, "DIY Biophilia": https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joid.12159
✨ Dr. McGee's website: https://bethmcgee.wixsite.com/biophilicdesign

Description of series: Sci-Tea brings behavioral science researchers together with multidisciplinary practitioners and policymakers for open conversations that demonstrate how the value of research can extend far beyond publication. Join Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown in the latest addition to Ryan’s Science, which is a cross-platform science communication outlet that fosters curiosity and excitement around scientific research. Grab your tea (or drink of choice!) and join the conversation! 

Connect with Ryan on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok for more content like this: https://www.ryanlinnbrown.com/links

✨ Credits ✨

🔹 Sci-Tea was created by Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Music was generously made by Kyle Evans. Hear more: https://www.youtube.com/user/kyleevans81

🔹 Animated graphics were kindly made by Yoully Kang. Follow her on Instagram @dearyouily for more!

🔹 Background research by Mia Skowron

🔹 Edited by Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Captions by Mia Skowron

🔹 Sci-Tea is supported by Bryant University's Center for Health and Behavioral Sciences

Welcome to the fourth episode of Sci-Tea! 

Join us (Ryan & Nanci) for a conversation with Dr. Ann Gillard and Sterling Leija on Friday, December 17th for a discussion on summer camps and their lasting outcomes. We first talked about a paper that Ann Gillard published titled: “Similarities and differences in summer camps: A mixed methods study of lasting outcomes and program elements.” (link below!) She explains how the authors got together and were able to execute this project. We then discuss children's experiences at camp, and how camp can lead to a better sense of belonging as well as developmental changes. Dr. Gillard and Sterling both share with us the different aspects of camp that make it so important for children, and Sterling gives specific examples from her job at Roundup River Ranch Camp. To finish off the episode, Dr. Gillard and Sterling tell us about studies that could help them in the future. 

✨ Dr. Ann Gillard is the Director of Research and Evaluation at SeriousFun Children’s Network and Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. She is interested in studying programs and their effects on people. She is also interested in how programs can influence individuals socially and developmentally. Much of her research focuses on youth along with their experiences at camp. Dr. Gillard is also passionate about promoting social justice and including all people in beneficial programs. 

✨ Sterling Leija is the Executive Camp Director at Roundup River Ranch in Gypsum Colorado. Roundup River Ranch is part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network of camps for seriously ill children. Sterling Leija has a degree in psychology and has been a camp professional for over 15 years

Materials Referenced in this Episode:

✨ Check out Dr. Ann Gillard’s research paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740920322015?dgcid=coauthor
✨ Learn more about the SeriousFun Network camps: https://seriousfun.org/
✨ Learn more about Roundup River Ranch: https://roundupriverranch.org/


Description of series: Sci-Tea brings behavioral science researchers together with multidisciplinary practitioners and policymakers for open conversations that demonstrate how the value of research can extend far beyond publication. Join Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown in the latest addition to Ryan’s Science, which is a cross-platform science communication outlet that fosters curiosity and excitement around scientific research. Grab your tea (or drink of choice!) and join the conversation! 

Connect with Ryan on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok for more content like this: https://www.ryanlinnbrown.com/links

✨ Credits ✨

🔹 Sci-Tea was created by Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Music was generously made by Kyle Evans. Hear more: https://www.youtube.com/user/kyleevans81

🔹 Animated graphics were kindly made by Yoully Kang. Follow her on Instagram @dearyouily for more!

🔹 Background research by Madison Ruggieri

🔹 Edited by Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Captions by Mia Skowron

🔹 Sci-Tea is supported by Bryant University's Center for Health and Behavioral Sciences

Welcome to the third episode of Sci-Tea where we're talking all about risk perception! 

Join us (Ryan & Nanci) for a conversation with Dr. Heather Pond Lacey and Hayley Bottino on Friday, November 19th for a discussion on individual differences in risk assessment. 

We first talk about Dr. Heather Pond Lacey’s article, “Measuring individual differences in emotional sensitivity to probability and emotional reactivity to possibility.” Dr. Lacey explains how she first got interested in learning about how people make decisions on their health and gives examples from real-life situations. Then, Hayley Bottino gives us her backstory on how she became a genetic counselor. She explains how in her job there are many situations where she informs patients about risks, and that all patients perceive the risks differently and therefore make different decisions. The basis for the discussion is then set, and throughout the conversation, we all discuss how people have different levels of emotional reactivity to the possibility of something occurring, how the field of genetic counseling is quickly evolving, and how important research and communication are in the health field.   

✨ Dr. Heather Pond Lacey is an associate professor at Bryant University. She is a cognitive psychologist who specializes in judgment and decision-making. Her research focuses on health-related decisions, quality of life, judgments of aging, and health conditions. She is a member of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, the American Psychological Association, and the Association for Psychological Science. She has also received an Excellence in Teaching Award.

✨ Hayley Bottino is a Genetic Counselor at Loma Linda University Health. Hayley received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Applied Psychology from Bryant University. After graduating Bryant, she attended Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She graduated in 2020 with a Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling (MSGC). While working towards her graduate degree, she was a genetic counseling assistant at St. Vincent Health for over a year. At St. Vincent Health, Hayley was a resource for two genetic counselors, and she coordinated genetic testing for patients. She also provided support for patients and advocated to providers, insurance, and genetic testing companies on behalf of patients. Hayley loves that genetic counseling combines aspects of biology, psychology, and sociology, and she is honored to be able to empower patients through education of their genetic status.

Materials Referenced in this Episode:

✨ Check out Dr. Heather Pond Lacey’s research article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bdm.2194

Description of series: Sci-Tea brings behavioral science researchers together with multidisciplinary practitioners and policymakers for open conversations that demonstrate how the value of research can extend far beyond publication. Join Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown in the latest addition to Ryan’s Science, which is a cross-platform science communication outlet that fosters curiosity and excitement around scientific research. Grab your tea (or drink of choice!) and join the conversation! 

Connect with me (Ryan) on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok for more content like this: https://www.ryanlinnbrown.com/links

✨ Credits ✨

🔹 Sci-Tea was created by Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Music was generously made by Kyle Evans. Hear more: https://www.youtube.com/user/kyleevans81

🔹 Animated graphics were kindly made by Yoully Kang. Follow her on Instagram @dearyouily for more!

🔹 Edited by Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Captions by Mia Skowron

🔹 Sci-Tea is supported by Bryant University's Center for Health and Behavioral Sciences

Welcome to the second episode of Sci-Tea!

Join us (Nanci and Ryan) in a conversation with Steven Kasparek and Nirva LaFortune about childhood exposure to violence, risk for psychopathology⁠, and how we can support children who have been exposed to violence. We discuss Steven's research on how violence exposure in childhood relates to social information processing biases that can affect how children perceive and react to others. Nirva relates and applies Steven's research to her job as a policy maker, and discusses the demographics and school system in Providence. We all discuss how Covid-19 has had an impact on these topics, and we end the conversation with insights on how everyone can help support children who have been exposed to violence.                             

✨ Steven Kasparek (he/they) is a graduate student at Harvard University pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Science. He graduated Summa Cum Laude (with the highest honors) in Psychology from Middlebury College. Steven has participated in numerous research opportunities at various institutions, including Middlebury College, Stanford, the National Institutes of Health, University of Washington, and now Harvard. Steven's current research interests converge on better understanding factors related to risk for aggressive and self- or other-directed violent behavior in adolescence following experiences of exposure to violence in childhood. He is also interested in how aberrations in reward processing behaviors and neural circuitry may contribute to these associations. You can follow Steven on Twitter @swkasparek

✨ Nirva LaFortune moved to Rhode Island from Haiti when she was three years old. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Temple University and an M.A in Urban Education Policy at Brown University. Currently, Nirva is a Providence City Councilwoman as well as Assistant Director for Scholars Programs and Diversity Initiatives at Brown University. She has over 15 years of experience in academic advising, program management, student recruitment, and community engagement. Some of the topics Nirva advocates for are affordable housing, support for minority and women-owned businesses, community development, prudent financial planning, and increasing transparency and community engagement in municipal affairs. She is also very passionate about having great public schools available for every child as well as making Providence safe for immigrants. Nirva has officially announced her bid to run for Providence mayor in 2022! You can follow Nirva on Twitter @Nirva_LaFortune or on IG @nirvar_lafortune.

Materials Referenced in this Episode:

✨ Check out Steven's poster from the Association for Psychological Science's annual convention: https://mobile.twitter.com/swkasparek/status/1397555419938058241

✨ Check out Nirva's website: https://www.votenirva.com/en

Description of series: Sci-Tea brings behavioral science researchers together with multidisciplinary practitioners and policymakers for open conversations that demonstrate how the value of research can extend far beyond publication. Join Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown in the latest addition to Ryan’s Science, which is a cross-platform science communication outlet that fosters curiosity and excitement around scientific research. Grab your tea (or drink of choice!) and join the conversation! 

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Sci-Tea with guests! 

Join us (Nanci and Ryan) in a conversation with Dr. Barbara Billington & Leah Defenbaugh about getting kids excited about STEM. We thank our guests for their work with SciGirls and review how we used their materials for our own study! We talk about how Dr. Billington got into this line of research and the ideal ages to get kids excited about STEM. We also hear from Leah about the power of role models, the importance of flexibility both when bringing STEM to kids in different settings (e.g., schools, museums), and we all talk about the general importance of flexibility and a growth mindset while learning!
⁠
✨ Dr. Barbara Billington is an instructor, researcher, and writer for SciGirls, a Twin-Cities PBS project encouraging girls to get involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She teaches at the University of Minnesota in the College of Education and Human Development supporting pre-service K-12 teachers to incorporate student-centered, culturally relevant, gender-equitable, and inquiry-based science practices in their daily teaching. Her goal is to guide teachers to provide equitable teaching practices throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area and beyond. She has also assisted in the development of a gamified app, which is designed to help students understand cellular respiration and photosynthesis.⁠

✨ Leah Defenbaugh is STEM Outreach Manager for SciGirls, a television show and outreach program out of Twin Cities PBS that aims to change how girls see the world and how the world sees girls. ⁠Leah develops and implements STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, and math) for schools, museums, and afterschool programs. Her goal is to ensure that youth from all backgrounds have access to engaging, relevant STEM learning opportunities.⁠

Materials Referenced in this Episode:

✨ Check out Ryan & Nanci's paper using SciGirls materials!: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.psichi.org/resource/resmgr/journal_2021/26_1_Brown.pdf

✨ Watch Ryan & Nanci's video description of their paper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rzbu6f4eNE

✨ Check out Sci-Girls Connect!: http://www.scigirlsconnect.org/

✨ Check out the Sci-Girls role models!: http://www.scigirlsconnect.org/resource_topic/role-model-profiles/

✨ Kate Heckaman Firefighter video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAR1sMZvPms

Description of series: Sci-Tea brings behavioral science researchers together with multidisciplinary practitioners and policymakers for open conversations that demonstrate how the value of research can extend far beyond publication. Join Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown in the latest addition to Ryan’s Science, which is a cross-platform science communication outlet that fosters curiosity and excitement around scientific research. Grab your tea (or drink of choice!) and join the conversation! 

Connect with Ryan on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok for more content like this: https://www.ryanlinnbrown.com/links

✨ Credits ✨

🔹 Sci-Tea was created by Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Music was generously made by Kyle Evans. Hear more: https://www.youtube.com/user/kyleevans81

🔹 Animated graphics were kindly made by Yoully Kang. Follow her on Instagram @dearyouily for more!

🔹 Background research by Madison Ruggieri

🔹 Edited by Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Captions by Mia Skowron

🔹 Sci-Tea is supported by Bryant University's Center for Health and Behavioral Sciences

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Sci-Tea!

Join us (Nanci and Ryan) in a conversation about what prompted Sci-Tea. You'll hear a preview of future guests and topics and find out what keeps us curious. 

Let us know you're excited about the series by leaving a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Connect with me (Ryan) on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok for more content like this: https://www.ryanlinnbrown.com/links

✨ Credits ✨

🔹 Sci-Tea was created by Dr. Nanci Weinberger and Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Music was generously made by Kyle Evans. Hear more: https://www.youtube.com/user/kyleevans81

🔹 Animated graphics were kindly made by Yoully Kang. Follow her on Instagram @dearyouily for more!

🔹 Edited by Ryan Linn Brown

🔹 Captions by Mia Skowron

🔹 Sci-Tea is supported by Bryant University's Center for Health and Behavioral Sciences

Join us (Nanci and Ryan) in this preview of Sci-Tea - the latest addition to Ryan’s Science, which is a cross-platform science communication outlet that fosters curiosity and excitement around scientific research. Our first episode launches Monday, September 13th!