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New AFRL podcast goes behind the scenes

  • Published
  • By Bryan Ripple
  • Air Force Research Laboratory

The Air Force Research Laboratory has launched a new podcast to bring you behind the scenes with the Air Force scientists, engineers and professionals who are developing tomorrow’s technology, today.

From supersonic flight to GPS and space food, big developments come out of the Air Force Research Laboratory. “Lab Life” provides listeners insight into the fascinating work and lives of the people who lead the discovery, development and delivery of warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces. 

“Our people are world experts, doing amazing research. I’m excited to help tell the story of life in the lab and the work that keeps our warfighters safe,” said Michele Miller, a senior AFRL communications specialist and one of the podcast hosts.

The first episode features a conversation with Kerianne Hobbs, a rocket scientist at AFRL and current PhD student at Georgia Tech. Hobbs shares what it means to be a rocket scientist, how she trains for space travel, and details about her work on the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, which prevents aircraft from impacting the ground before an accident can occur.

Future episodes include interviews with:

  • Air Force Capt. Michael Nayak who talks about AFRL basic research on space situational awareness at the South Pole, windsurfing in Antarctica, and his current work “back-seating” in supersonic airplanes as an experimental flight test engineer.
  • AFRL Historian Kevin Rusnak chatting about historical rumors, tweets from 1917 and the beginnings of Air Force engineering.

The podcast will include episodes with experts in human performance, aerospace systems, directed energy sensors, information, munitions, materials and manufacturing, space vehicles and more.

New episodes are scheduled for release twice a month. 

There are multiple ways to access the podcast:

  • Stream or download at the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website at https://www.dvidshub.net/search/?filter%5Bunit%5D=AFRL&filter%5Btype%5D=audio&sort=date  
  • Search for “Lab Life” on Apple podcasts or through a favorite podcast application
  • Stream through the Air Force Materiel Command mobile app on AF Connect
  • Lab Life on Apple podcasts is available here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1455263736
  • Listen on Stitcher by visiting https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/air-force-materiel-command/lab-life