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PODCAST

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

U.S. National Science Foundation

This is the Discovery Files Podcast from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Join us as we explore the latest breakthroughs in science, technology and engineering with the researchers making these discoveries. Learn how scientific innovation bolsters the U.S. economy, supports our Nation’s interests around the globe, and improves the lives of Americans.

science

All Episodes

25:21

BCI Exoskeleton

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/06/22

Advancements in science and technology impact the well-being of the American people. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Payam Heydari discusses a breakthrough brain-computer interface that controls a robotic exoskeleton, technology that could transform the lives of people living with spinal cord injuries.

en

24:33

Discovering Disinfectant Compounds

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/06/15

Nearly 3 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur every year in the United States. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Kevin Minbiole discusses his work using artificial intelligence systems to discover new compounds to fight drug resistant bacteria.

en

25:36

Quantum Education

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/06/08

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related fields employ 25% of the U.S. workforce. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professors Erica Carlson and Muhsin Menekse discuss how their collaboration is inspiring the next generation of STEM workforce through a quantum education program.

en

13:45

VASCilia

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/06/01

Advances in artificial intelligence-driven technologies have the potential to impact the lives of Americans living with hearing loss substantially. Yasmin Kassim, a postdoctoral fellow and member of a group supported in part by NSF, has developed a deep learning-based tool that allows unparalleled insights into the hair cells that allow us to hear.

en

23:51

Autonomous Racing (Part Two)

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/05/22

Emerging artificial intelligence technologies are transforming the American enterprise. Madhur Behl, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses software challenges in autonomous racing and how his program is helping to develop the AI workforce of the future.

en

24:51

Autonomous Racing (Part One)

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/05/18

Artificial intelligence techniques are driving the development of autonomous vehicles. Madhur Behl, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses how the high-speed world of racing helps advance safe autonomous vehicles.

en

18:30

AI Powered Surgical Robot

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/05/11

In the health care industry, artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced robotic systems could help solve many of the issues facing the field today. Axel Krieger, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses his work developing autonomous surgical robots.

en

13:55

AI4Shipwrecks

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/05/04

Artificial intelligence advancements in machine learning are allowing autonomous exploration in remote underwater environments. Katie Skinner, an NSF-supported assistant professor, discusses work advancing the field of robotics by combining computer vision with AI advancements in machine learning.

en

20:23

Electronic Photonic Quantum Chip

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/04/27

The future of quantum information science and engineering promises computers with unprecedented speed and capabilities. Miloš Popović, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses a collaboration that has built a photonic quantum system into a traditional electronic chip.

en

21:47

Recovering Critical Minerals

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/04/20

Critical minerals play an essential role in modern technologies, and a domestic supply is essential for national security. Elizabeth Holley, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses how domestic supplies might be increased by recovering critical minerals from the byproducts of existing mining sites.

en

25:45

Quantum Error Correction

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/04/13

The future of quantum information science and engineering promises computers with unprecedented speed and capabilities. Mikhail Lukin, an NSF-supported professor, discusses his work with neutral atom qubits, why error correction is important in quantum computing, and his journey through starting a company and moving into industry.

en

17:46

Accelerating Discovery with Self Driving Labs

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2026/04/06

U.S. National Science Foundation-supported engineers are developing a bold new vision for chemical and materials discovery. Milad Abolhasani, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses his work developing automated fluidic labs.

en

20:37

Introducing AI to the future workforce

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/08/11

A workforce fluent in AI techniques will be essential to ensure U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence continues. Jeremy Waisome, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, discusses the Shark AI project, which has introduced artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to thousands of middle school students.

en

18:21

Collaborative Aerial Robots

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/08/04

Advances in fundamental technologies enable robots to collaborate with humans, as well as with other robots. David Saldaña, assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering at Lehigh University, discusses his work developing resilient and adaptive collaborative aerial robots.

en

23:53

Quantum Computing in Industry

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/07/28

Researchers and industry are coming together to develop computer systems that can take advantage of quantum mechanics. Christopher Monroe, a professor at Duke University and co-founder of IonQ, discusses quantum computing, advances in the field and IonQ's journey from startup to being the first publicly traded quantum computing company.

en

21:33

Plasmas in Manufacturing

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/07/21

The fourth state of matter, plasma, is involved in several aspects of how modern microelectronic components are manufactured. Jeremiah Williams, a professor at Wittenberg University and a program director at the U.S. National Science Foundation, discusses how plasmas are used in semiconductor manufacturing and how understanding plasma physics spurs industrial innovation.

en

20:23

Metamaterials

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/07/14

Metamaterials are a special class of engineered materials, designed to have properties not found in nature. Glaucio Paulino, a professor at Princeton University, discusses his work on developing modular chiral origami metamaterials, engineering control approaches and the ways they might benefit society.

en

17:39

Training Artificial Intelligence Experts

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/07/07

U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers are accelerating artificial intelligence technologies. Mingyi Hong, a professor at the University of Minnesota, discusses AI reinforcement learning strategies and the challenges of training experts.

en

15:13

Next Generation Ferroelectric Semiconductors

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/06/30

U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers are developing a new class of semiconductors with great potential for next-generation microelectronic devices. Zetian Mi, a professor at the University of Michigan, discusses his group's work with wurtzite ferroelectric nitride semiconductors.

en

20:42

The Matter in the Universe with Vera Rubin

NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast ·

2025/06/23

As the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a joint project of the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, begins its mission to unlock new understanding of cosmic phenomena, we visit an archival lecture from its namesake, Vera C. Rubin. In the lecture, she discussed how galaxies form, how you might measure the matter in them and her observations of dark matter.

en

165 results

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