Universe Within Podcast Ep96 - Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza - Microbiology, Amazon, & Stingless Bees

Universe Within Podcast Ep96 - Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza - Microbiology, Amazon, & Stingless Bees

Hey everybody! Episode 96 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. Rosa is a Peruvian-born and USA/Peru-based chemical biologist, storyteller, conservationist, National Geographic Explorer, and artist. It was a pleasure for me to have Rosa on and talk about her ongoing work in the Peruvian Amazon mapping the microbial life of the boiling river near the jungle city of Pucalpa. I think this is really fascinating work as the microbes that can live in such extreme conditions potentially may give rise to a better understanding of life, lead to new medicines, and help to bring balance to the climate, all issues that Rosa spoke about. Rosa is doing really good work and I think you will gain a lot from her insight and wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

“Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a chemical biologist, storyteller, conservationist, National Geographic Explorer, educator, and award-winning artist. Of Peruvian-Andean and Amazonian descent, Rosa grew up learning about traditional medicine from her grandmother in their backyard’s "natural pharmacy". Inspired to dive deeper, she went onto discovering new antibiotics and green chemistry tools during her PhD. Today, Rosa travels to the most extreme environments in the planet from the Amazon Rainforest to Yellowstone’s acidic, boiling waters searching for the tiniest creatures, from microbes to stingless bees, to create big changes in the world.

With her scientific-based explorative nature, Rosa is an avid communicator that connects the micro-to-macro worlds to nourish our appreciation for biodiversity in all its magnitudes. She also advocates for scientific exploration of untapped ecosystems, living more sustainably as organizations and individuals, conservation of fragile ecosystems, diversity in STEAM, equal access to education and scientist-artist collaborations.

As a researcher, Rosa focuses on deciphering the chemical and genetic diversity of our planet to facilitate the discovery of new medicines, bioremediation tools, and biotechnological solutions in collaboration with local experts. She works closely with communities to use science to empower their economies in sustainable and ethical manners.

During her Ph.D. at University of Michigan and under the mentorship of Dr. David H. Sherman and John Montgomery, Rosa created MicroAmazon, a project that explores the micro-world of the Amazon in collaboration with local experts. Currently, she investigates the Peruvian Boiling River and its heat-loving microbes, and Amazonian stingless bees and their medicinal honey.

As a scientist and award-winning artist, Rosa is driven by curiosity and the adventure of guiding others into discovering and learning about the planet through creative thinking. She collaborates closely with educators to integrate hands-on scientific exploration and conservation into the classroom.”

To learn more about or contact Rosa, visit her website at: https://www.rosavespinoza.com/

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My colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) and I are guiding plant dietas in the Sacred Valley of Peru October 14-31, November 14-30, and the month of February 2023. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at:
https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

To book an integration call, visit: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

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Music courtesy of: Nuno Moreno (end song). Visit: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound and https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com/ And Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project (intro song). Visit: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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