**About Dr. Jess Steier**
I am the mother of two beautiful kiddos-- my son is turning 5 later this year and my daughter just turned 3 in April. Between my kids, my 3 dogs, 2 cats, and, let’s face it, my husband, life is pretty chaotic! I wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world. I am the co-founder and CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting, a public health data consultancy specializing in health policy evaluation and advanced analytics. I run the firm with my former professor and lifelong mentor, Dr. Bill Gallo, who is a brilliant health economist. Watching my late father struggle for years with the horrors of emphysema inspired me to enter the field of public health. To say that I'm passionate about preventative medicine and population health would be an understatement. It is my lifeblood!

Andrea

Where did you study and what are your qualifications?

I got my B.S. in Biology (Cell Biology/Biochemistry track) from Stony Brook University in 2009. I got my Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from New York Medical College in 2014. My research focused on the immunology of human infections, particularly tick borne bacterial diseases, where I investigated the inflammatory responses after infection, and how that can contribute to the pathology of illness. I now work for a biotechnology company that is heavily focused on assay technology in the fields of immunotherapy, vaccine development, cell and gene therapy, and cancer research.

What are your fields of expertise?

Immunology, specifically infectious disease immunology, cancer immunology, and autoimmunity Microbiology, including bacteriology and virology. Immunotherapy, vaccine research and development, and cell and gene therapy. My expertise is applicable for academic (basic sciences), translational, and clinical research areas.

How did you develop a passion for science?

I’ve been a science nerd since I was a little kid and have always been fascinated with the natural world. As a young child, I would collect insects in the woods and identify/catalog them. I loved the “ick factor” of science - particularly when I could use tidbits of information to gross out my classmates. I was in a school program that allowed us to do research projects, and I always chose topics such as “cat parasites”, “leeches”, or “lice”; not just because I found it fascinating, but because of the shock value. I also got my hands on a medical text “The Physician’s Guide to Arthropods of Medical Importance” as a kid and would read excerpts to whoever would sit still long enough to hear me read about some insect that spread disease. It was pretty clear at a young age where my career journey was headed, and I formalized that in high school by taking microbiology courses and an independent study where I assessed the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in college students. I knew even before college that I planned to get a PhD in infectious disease immunology, and my path hasn’t deviated too far from where I originally envisioned it!

Who inspires you?

That’s a tough question to answer. When I was younger, I was inspired by prominent scientists/physicians such as Edward Jenner, Jonas Salk, Marie Curie, John Snow; revolutionaries who really shaped the evolution of science and medicine. As I got older and progressed through school, I was inspired by my high school biology, microbiology, and chemistry teachers who encouraged me to explore my interests in the sciences. And as I progressed through my career, I am now continually inspired by my colleagues and contemporaries who I am privileged to work with day in and day out in order to continue the advancement of science and technology. As an example, I recently published a paper with an extremely well-known scientist (and his lab) in the immunotherapy field, and even being a part of that project was immeasurably inspiring.

Jess

Where did you study and what are your qualifications?

I got my BS in Health Sciences (with an emphasis in health policy) from Stony Brook University in 2008. I went on to get my Master in Public Health (MPH) degree with a specialization in evaluative science from Stony Brook University in 2010. I got my Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree with a specialization in health policy and management from CUNY Graduate Center in 2015. My dissertation investigated the impact of graphic cigarette warning labels on youth and young adult smoking behaviors in Southeast Asia.

What are your fields of expertise?

Public health, health policy evaluation, data science, health services research, and biostatistics. (In a nutshell, the use of advanced data analytics to evaluate health care services, utilization, quality, cost, and outcomes).

How did you develop a passion for science?

I was always drawn generally to healthcare; I am an extremely empathetic person, and I feel strongly that good health (physical, mental, and emotional), is central to a happy life. I thought about a career in clinical medicine but I never gravitated towards biology or chemistry (and, truth be told, am a bit squeamish when it comes to bodily functions). Instead, I was drawn to anything math-related-- statistics, calculus, demography, etc. Public health allowed me to combine my love of healthcare with my love of math and now I'm a proud health data nerd!

Who inspires you?

I know it sounds cliche but my answer to this question will always be my father. As I described earlier, watching him fight COPD with every fiber of his being inspired me to focus my efforts on prevention (particularly chronic disease prevention). Even more than that, I was inspired that my father-- a streety guy who never attended college, was self-taught, self-made, and did not have an intellectual bone in his body-- genuinely respected and listened to me when I talked to him about science. Even though he had zero training or education in the sciences, he loved asking questions and had a real desire for credible information. He sought it out and loved hearing me passionately describe healthcare data, biostatistics, and trends. There are so many people out there who seek this information but don't know where to turn. I love having a platform to take complex scientific matters and make them accessible to the general public.

The Joint Interview Questions

How did The Unbiased Science Podcast get started, and what does it look like now?

We discussed starting the podcast years ago-- long before COVID-19. We bonded over our frustration with the amount of pseudoscience on the internet, particularly around vaccines. When COVID-19 happened, people in our respective networks turned to us for information and guidance. We ended up doing some joint Instagram live Q&As and realized that we had a real natural chemistry and ability to take scientific concepts and translate them for the layperson. Even though we are both scientists, we work in very different fields. Our backgrounds allow us to present information in a very comprehensive manner. We decided that the dire need for credible information amidst the pandemic made our concept extremely timely and, frankly, necessitated the birth of Unbiased Science.

What is the goal of The Unbiased Science Podcast?

Our goal is to make science and health-related topics interesting and accessible to everyone, regardless of background education, or training. We want to be a trusted resource for scientific information and emphasize the importance of evidence-based science and medicine. We also want to teach people-- not only present them with facts, but to arm them with tools to be able to spot pseudoscience and to be able to critically appraise the quality of information being hurled at us.

What are some challenges of science communication and the role of social media?

Social media is a double-edged sword; it can be an incredible tool to spread information, but it also allows for misinformation and disinformation to travel like wildfire. It, unfortunately, also gives some people a false sense of authority and a platform to spread and publish anything they want! This makes it difficult for people to discern factual and reliable information. It can also be a very ugly place. Our DMs are riddled with hateful messages that accuse us of being shills and for having blood on our hands. Luckily, those messages are balanced out by heartfelt notes thanking us for our efforts.

Are there any upcoming projects that you're working on?

Nothing specific but, generally speaking, we want to continue translating science beyond COVID-19. There are endless topics that we want to tackle! We just launched a Patreon account and are hoping to have the Unbiased Science community (whom we lovingly call “The Herd”) weigh in on future topics for the podcast and social media posts. We also want to use our platform to address disparities in healthcare. For example, we are hoping to work with organizations to translate our materials into other languages and to create infographics on topics that impact underserved populations, specifically.□

Article Credits

Instagram: @unbiasedscipod

Twitter: @unbiasedscipod @doctor_love87

Facebook: Unbiasedscipod

Podcast: The Unbiased Science Podcast

Website: unbiasedscipod.com

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