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Hey friends, I’m Dr. Dave! I am a college professor and former math and science teacher, and I love to learn new things. This podcast is a chance for us to all keep learning things together, because there is always something new to discover. One of my deeply held beliefs is that “smart” is not something that you *are,* but rather it’s something you *become* as you learn new things. Sometimes you might not feel very smart; there have been plenty of times in my life when that has been the case for me! But here’s the thing: there are so many interesting, curious, mysterious, downright amazing things about this world! If you have your eyes and ears open, you can always learn something new–and get smarter in the process. So that’s the plan for this podcast: each episode will be a short burst of learning, a boost for finding out something amazing about the way this world works. I’m excited to share fascinating facts and super science stories with you in every episode.
Episodes
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Lise Meitner, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of nuclear fission.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about John Snow, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of how diseases spread, and how using data to track diseases can help us fight back.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Henrietta Leavitt, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of just how gigantic the universe actually is.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Wangari Maathai, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of how planting trees can help push back the desert, and how to use science as a force for social good.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Barbara McClintock, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of how genetics really works.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Joseph Priestly, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of the chemistry of air.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Edward Jenner, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of vaccines and how to prevent viral diseases.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
This episode is all about Subrhmanyan Chandrasekhar, a less-than-famous (but very important scientist!) who helped deepen our understanding of how stars develop and change over time, and what happens when stars run out of fuel.
This episode is part of a series about “less-than-famous scientists”—names you may have never heard before, but people you should know about! Each of these stories will help you understand more about the nature of science, and help you see how even small contributions can be important things that help us better understand our world.
Each season of this podcast has a different thematic focus, so if you found this episode interesting or helpful, check out the rest of the episodes in this season! Instructional resources for this episode, including the script, a thinksheet, and alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards can be accessed for free at https://goodtobesmart.com
Remember, “smart” is something we *become* as we learn new things. So, keep listening, keep learning, and keep getting smarter every day!
It’s Good to Be Smart! is created by Dr. Dave Mulder with support from the National Science Foundation through a grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (DUE-2243334). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.