One of the leading physicists of her generation, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is a Professor of Physics and Core Faculty Member in Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of New Hampshire. She’s also one of fewer than a hundred Black American women to earn a Ph.D. from a department of physics. Born in East Los Angeles, a devout Dodgers fan, she’s a citizen of both the United States and Barbados and a descendant of Afro-Caribbean and Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. Chanda decided to become a theoretical physicist at the age of 10, after an experience, which we dive into, lit a fire of curiosity and possibility. Her vision of the cosmos is vibrant, buoyantly non-traditional, and grounded in Black feminist traditions.
A powerful voice in her field, Chanda urges us to recognize how science, like most fields, is far from an equal playing field, with racism, sexism, and other dehumanizing systems playing a role not only in who participates in the field but also in the essential nature of the work and the potential discoveries and insights it yields. She lays out a bold new approach to science and society that begins with the belief that we all have a fundamental right to know and love the night sky. In her groundbreaking new book, The Disordered Cosmos, Chanda shares her love for physics, from the Standard Model of Particle Physics and what lies beyond it, to the physics of melanin in skin, to the latest theories of dark matter — all with a new spin informed by history, politics, and the wisdom of Star Trek. We explore her personal journey and many of these ideas in today’s conversation.
You can find Chanda at: Website | Instagram
If you LOVED this episode:
You’ll also love the conversations we had with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor about the science of the brain.
My new book Sparked.
Check out our offerings & partners:
Peloton: Access high-energy workouts, instantly. Discover Peloton: streaming fitness classes to you live and on-demand. With the Peloton Bike, there’s nothing like working out from home. Learn more at onepeloton.com. New members can try Peloton classes free for 30 days at onepeloton.com/app. Terms apply.
Canva: Create beautiful designs with your team. Use Canva's drag-and-drop feature and layouts to design, share and print business cards, logos, presentations and more. Design like a pro with Canva Pro! Right now, you can get a FREE 45-day extended trial when you use my promo code! Just go to Canva.me/GOODLIFE
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Maggie Smith | Good Bones, Good Life
Rethinking Happiness, What We’re Getting Wrong | Stephanie Harrison
How Rituals and Habits Make Life Better | Michael Norton
How To Heal Injury, Illness & Disease with Regenerative Medicine | Dr. Adeel Khan
Rethinking Sex, Desire and Intimacy | Spotlight Convo
How to Get Unstuck, A Scientific Approach | Britt Frank
Find Your Team with Rex Chapman, from Ways to Win
How to Make the Mundane Feel Magical (Including Relationships) | Cass Sunstein
How to Keep the Spark Alive: Secrets from 40 Years of Love Research with Drs. Julie and John Gottman
Free Will is a Lie | Robert Sapolsky
How to Stop Overthinking & Dial Down Chatter | Emiliya Zhivotovskaya
How to Make Life-Changing Friendships | Spotlight Convo
How to Unlock Potential You Never Knew You Had | Jeff Karp
Elizabeth Gilbert | The Simple Practice That Changed Her Life (and might change yours)
How Thinking About Death Can Change Your Life | Alua Arthur
How to Be Fully You in a Relationship | Mark Groves & Kylie McBeath
How to Get Unstuck & Finish What Matters | Charlie Gilkey
How to Build a Creative Career (and make great money) | Joy Sullivan
Anne Lamott | Seeing Love in Everything
How to Breathe Through Grief | Claire Bidwell Smith
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Live Immediately with mike campbell
Curious Freedom with Kirsty Farrugia & friends
The Minimalists Podcast
Health Report - Full program podcast
Eat, Move and Live Better