I was pleased as all get-out one day this summer when Dr. Erika C. Martin messaged me on a thread I'd started a few weeks prior. She mentioned she'd be coming through town the following day and -- were I available to schedule something last-minute -- she'd be happy to slightly alter her travel plans to come sit and chat with me for a few.

She is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Emporia State University. She's a biostatistician and a science correspondent for the Fish Nerds podcast, and she's the Editor of Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. She's also a daughter, a sibling, a wife, a mom, a collector of stringed instruments and vinyl records, one heck of a singer/songwriter/guitarist, and she's my guest for Episode No. 148.

Erika and I talked family, growing up, academia and e ...