{"podcast":{"title":"People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers","slug":"people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-170988","podcast_index_feed_id":170988,"rss_url":"https://peoplebehindthescience.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"http://peoplebehindthescience.com/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/7/5/1/7/75176757b4abf5df/People-Behind-the-Science-Final-2048-podcast-V2.jpg","author":"Dr. Marie McNeely","episode_count":300,"summary":"Are you searching for great stories to ignite your curiosity, teach you to perform better in life and career, inspire your mind, and make you laugh along the way? In this science podcast, Dr. Marie McNeely introduces you to the brilliant researchers behind the latest scientific discoveries. Join us as they share their greatest failures, most staggering successes, candid career advice, and what drives them forward in life and science. <![CDATA[ Our website with show notes ]] Greetings science fans! We're elated to welcome you to People Behind the Science where we explore the lives and experiences of the people behind the research and scientific discoveries of today. People Behind the Science's mission is to inspire current and future scientists, share the different paths to a successful career in science, educate the general population on what scientists do, and show the human side of science. In each episode, a different scientist will guide us through their journey by sharing their successes, failures, and passions. We are excited to introduce you to these inspiring academic and industry experts from all fields of science to give you a variety of perspectives on the life and path…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-06T14:18:03.468246+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-170988"},"episode":{"title":"857: Mathematician and Communicator with an Eye for Modeling Cataract Development in Populations Over Time - Dr. Talithia Williams","slug":"857-mathematician-and-communicator-with-an-eye-for-modeling-cataract-development-in-populations-over-time-dr-talithia-williams","published_at":"2026-03-23T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-170988/857-mathematician-and-communicator-with-an-eye-for-modeling-cataract-development-in-populations-over-time-dr-talithia-williams","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-170988","url":"https://peoplebehindthescience.libsyn.com/857-mathematician-and-communicator-with-an-eye-for-modeling-cataract-development-in-populations-over-time-dr-talithia-williams","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/peoplebehindthescience/857_Talithia_Williams_Final.mp3?dest-id=193191","summary":"Dr. Talithia Williams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean for Research and Experiential Learning at Harvey Mudd College. In addition, Talithia is Host of the PBS Series NOVA Wonders and author of the book Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics. Talithia is a mathematician who does disease modeling. She has been working with the World Health Organization to create models of the rates at which groups of people develop cataracts over time. Left untreated, cataracts can cause partial or complete blindness. In the U.S., cataract surgery is quick and accessible, but this is not the case in other countries. Knowing where there is the greatest need for treatment is important for the World Health Organization as they make decisions on where to send ophthalmologists to perform surgeries. In addition to being a mathematician and researcher, Talithia is a mother of three boys, a wife of 15 years, a TV show host, an author, and a person of faith. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, being involved in her church, volunteering, and helping people in her community. She received a B.S. in mathematics from Spelman College, and while an undergraduate student, Talithia conducted research at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. After graduating, Talithia went on to earn a master's degree in mathematics from Howard University, a master's degree in statistics from Rice University, and a PhD in statistics from Rice University. Prior to joining the faculty at Harvey Mudd College, Talithia conducted research at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the NASA Johnson Space Center, and the National Security Agency. Talithia has received numerous honors and awards throughout her career, including the Mathematical Association of America's Henry L. Alder…","meta_description":"Dr. Talithia Williams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean for Research and Experiential Learning at Harvey Mudd College. In additi…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3069,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-170988/episodes/857-mathematician-and-communicator-with-an-eye-for-modeling-cataract-development-in-populations-over-time-dr-talithia-williams/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/people-behind-the-science-podcast-stories-from-scientists-about-science-life-research-and-science-careers-170988/857-mathematician-and-communicator-with-an-eye-for-modeling-cataract-development-in-populations-over-time-dr-talithia-williams.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}