WPSU Digital

Reach Podcast

Penn State is a national leader in university research and receives over $900 million in funding annually. Producers Beth Bamford and Cole Cullen sit down with researchers to discuss what they are studying, and why it matters to the people listening and the impact in their communities. We will share insights about the collaboration between disciplines, other universities and government agencies. Give a listen as we understand successes, challenges, and the impact of university research.

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Episodes

Season 2 Episode 6

Habitable Planets

Dr. Eric Ford, director of Penn State’s Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, explains the search for planets beyond our solar system, focusing on those in the “habitable zone” where liquid water can exist.

10/13/25 | 27m 29s

Close of a small bits of plastic in many colors.

Season 2 Episode 5

Microplastics

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles under five millimeters found throughout the environment—in oceans, rivers, and sediments. Dr. Nathaniel Warner of Penn State explains they come from everyday sources like water bottles, clothing fibers, and tires.

10/6/25 | 28m 24s

Season 2 Episode 4

Mine Water Runoff

Pennsylvania’s abandoned coal mines cause acidic, metal-contaminated water harming streams and aquatic life. Dr. Bill Burgos studies cleanup methods using active and passive treatment plants.

9/29/25 | 34m 28s

Close up of a white bone-like structure.

Season 2 Episode 3

3D Bioprinting

Dr. Deepak Gupta, a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State, works on 3D bioprinting—using modified 3D printers to create tissues like bone and skin from biocompatible materials and living cells.

9/22/25 | 25m 18s

Close up of person's hand on another's shoulder.

Season 2 Episode 2

Empathy

Dr. Daryl Cameron is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Penn State. He explains empathy as sharing feelings, perspective-taking, and compassion.

9/15/25 | 47m 19s

Set of hands in medical gloves holding transfer bag of blood.

Season 2 Episode 1

Synthetic Blood

A team of Researchers, led by Dr. Dipanjan Pan of Penn State, have been developing synthetic blood for over a decade to address critical needs in emergency and battlefield medicine.

9/8/25 | 23m 36s

Season 1 Episode 8

Helping Developing Countries

In this, the final episode of season 1 of the Reach podcast, Beth and Cole sit down with 3 researchers to talk about the work being done at Penn State to help developing countries.

11/18/19 | 32m 24s

Season 1 Episode 7

Human and Environmental Health

In the seventh episode of the Reach podcast, we sit down with 3 researchers to talk about human and environmental health.

7/31/19 | 28m 47s

Season 1 Episode 6

Diseases and Wildlife

In the 6th episode of the Reach podcast, we discuss diseases in wildlife.

7/31/19 | 17m 26s

Season 1 Episode 5

Spotted Lanternfly

In the 5th episode of the Reach podcast, Dr. Julie Urban joins us in-studio to discuss the Spotted Lanternfly and the severity of the impact to agriculture.

7/31/19 | 29m 3s

Season 1 Episode 4

Technology

This episode, the 4th of the Reach podcast, includes interviews with 2 researchers that talk about not only how technology affects us as humans, but how tech can help us as well.

7/31/19 | 33m 9s