Alumna hosts science show

By Dhruv Godara

Tech graduates have included presidents, golfers, CEO's, artists and of course, scientists and engineers, but this winter, a Tech alumna is embarking on a new career field-public television.

Bahareh Azizi, who earned her doctorate at Tech with a major in Biochemistry and a minor in Biomedical Engineering, will be hosting the new Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) show Science Investigators.

This show promises to take its viewers on an hour-long odyssey to uncover various scientific enigmas. The program is among three debut television shows that PBS will air nationally this month in order to find its new hit science show.

A distinctive feature of Science Investigators is that it is anchored by four young, energetic and inquisitive scientists instead of actors. Azizi will be one of this elite group of nationally acclaimed scientists and researchers.

A native of Houston, Texas, Azizi graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Biotechnology. Following her undergraduate career, Bahareh served as a research assistant in the department of Biology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, before beginning her graduate studies at Tech.

The focus of her graduate thesis was the development of molecular protein switches for applications in gene therapy and drug discovery. During graduate school, Bahareh was also awarded with a Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Fellowship in the area of drug discovery.

Azizi is continuing her research on protein switches as a postdoctoral research associate at Tech while also lecturing in general chemistry.

The pilot episode of Science Investigators was broadcast last Wednesday, Jan. 10.

The viewers had the option of watching the show online at www.pbs.org/science with extra footage. Viewers are being asked to vote for one of the three contending pilots being aired this month in order to determine which show will be the new face of science shows on PBS.

Azizi said that it's the hosts' scientific backgrounds and the investigative nature of "Science Investigators" that sets the program apart from the competition.

She emphasized that the use of real scientists instead of actors to host the show makes it more interesting, dynamic and educational.

In her first segment, Azizi and co-host astrophysicist Kevin Hand scrutinized why a certain species of frogs disappeared from Long Island, N.Y. and how it may be important for people.

"[It] is a very serious issue because any changes in the environment, even small changes, [the frogs] can detect. And if we have a dying off of certain types of species, that means there's something in our environment that's affecting us, but we may not be able to feel it yet," Azizi said.

When asked how she ended up on television, Azizi said she was looking for faculty positions on a science career website when she saw a posting looking for someone to host the show. She applied for the job without expecting much but was amazed when producers asked her to send in a photograph and a tape for PBS review. Following this, Azizi was flown into Oregon where she was asked to interview a scientist for the television show. Impressed with Azizi's skills and confidence, the broadcasters offered her a position as Science Investigators host.

Azizi said that the filming of the pilot was an exhilarating experience that took six days to shoot.

"It's been so much fun. Those days went by so fast, it's incredible," Azizi said.

Azizi also spoke about the role that Tech has played in the shaping of her career.

"Tech prepares you so much for the real world. It taught me discipline and to work as hard as I can. The toughness of the program gives you endurance. When you're filming 14 hours a day-if I didn't have experience putting in 14 hours a day in the lab, I would have had a harder time at the shoots," Azizi said.