As Science Friday’s video producer, Luke is tasked with writing, filming, directing, editing, animating, narrating, and promoting many of the short films you’ll find on this here website. Every other week, he becomes obsessed with the research he films until his video is complete or his colleagues show him a shiny new study to play with. Luke also wrangles a stable of equally enthusiastic freelance filmmakers, helping them to produce and promote their own stories.
Prior to being domesticated by Science Friday, Luke worked at the Wildlife Conservation Society, where he profiled a wide cast of characters, both two- and four-legged. The experience provided hands-on training in storytelling, as well as some invaluable lessons in wildlife filmmaking, such as “Lemurs enjoy scent marking. Everything.” And, “Never let a baby walrus sit on you.”
Despite his snobby film school education at SUNY Purchase and his devotion to Werner Herzog, his favorite film remains The Bear. He doesn’t care that it is a “kiddie film” that anthropomorphizes animals—he cries every time and isn’t ashamed of it.
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Life Of A Coronavirus Scientist During A Pandemic
These scientists have studied coronaviruses for years. Here’s how the pandemic has impacted their lives and research.
Surveying The Northern Lights
For nearly two decades, Don Hampton has been monitoring the Northern Lights in Alaska to understand the energy pouring down from auroras.
Breakthrough: The Slime Minder
Discover how Audrey Dussutour is breaking new ground in our understanding of animal cognition from an unexpected source: slime molds.
Breakthrough: The Lake Sentinel
Discover how earth scientist Africa Flores-Anderson uses satellite data to help underserved communities.
Breakthrough: The Galaxy Hunter
Learn about how astrophysicist Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil has defied odds—breaking cultural conventions and discovering a completely new kind of galaxy.
Breakthrough: The Trauma Tracer
Follow Bianca Jones Marlin as she uses cutting-edge neuroscience to uncover how the effects of trauma can be passed down from generation to generation.
Breakthrough: The Avian Authority
Follow Jingmai O’Connor as she catalogues ancient avian dinosaurs and learn how her Chinese-American roots helped lead her to incredible paleontological discoveries.
Breakthrough: The Volcano Trekker
Follow Kayla Iacovino as she collects volcanic rock samples from across the world in order to better understand the powerful forces that created them.
Making Music With Brain Waves And Heartbeats
This computer engineer is developing new technologies that turn her brain and body into musical instruments.
The Bots And Bees
Two Harvard engineers master the RoboBee to create a future fleet of flying, mini machines.