I thought Neurontic readers might be interested in this profile I recently did of Radio Lab Host Jad Abumrad.
If you don't know about WNYC's cult "science" show yet, you should take the time to listen to it. Why? Because as Jad says: "The people who listen to Radio Lab like that feeling of thinking that they know something and then suddenly having their perspective just shift." And I'd be willing to bet that describes most of you.
**For the uninitiated, here are links to a couple of my favorite episodes of the show. (Note: Fellow Seed Blogger Jonah Lehrer of The Frontal Cortex is a contributor!):
Who Am I? (Featuring the one, the only: V.S. Ramachandran.)
Emergence (Featuring Stephen Johnson.)
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Wow. I really liked that. Great writing. For some reason I never clicked the "About" link and connected the blogger Neurontic with the journalist Orli Van Mourik.
You made me feel a bit like Jad Abumrad, jr. (although I think I'm quite a bit older than he is). My dad was something of a pioneer in computer programming, but I wound up sequestered in a practice room in college studying jazz and composition. I've since gone on to writing end-user documentation and courseware for engineering software (science-writing lite?).
Anyway, your profile not only painted a wonderful portrait of this broadcaster and science communicator, but you've helped me feel a bit better about my place in the world, which is no mean trick. Please feel encouraged to more of your journalism from the blog. I want more!
Thanks for your kind words HP. It's great to get some reader feedback. I had a really good time writing this piece and it's nice to know it shows.
Great profile, and intro to a program I hadn't heard of!
Some friends at Columbia, in Yaakov Stern's lab, are starting a clinical trial soon to evaluate cognitive training for people over 50. May Jad be interested in interviewing someone there at helping recruit for the study? happy to send you more details.