Amanda Lozano
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Updated: 10:22 a.m. Feb. 12
An A&M-San Antonio biology professor discussed the recent Zika virus pandemic Feb. 10 on NPR’s “On Point with Tom Ashbrook,” carried by more than 300 stations nationwide.
Assistant Biology Professor Megan Wise de Valdez shared her mosquito research with other subject experts on Boston’s NPR program. During the call-in program, she explained how the Zika disease travels, and referenced studies that show how socio-economic factors can impact whether people acquire the virus.
Prior to her employment at A&M-San Antonio, Wise de Valdez conducted her postdoctoral research at Colorado State University. There she carried out trials investigating the power of transgenic mosquitoes in reducing populations of those that carried the Dengue viruses, according to her faculty bio. She earned her Ph.D at Colorado State in 2005.
Other guests included Wyre Davies, A South America Correspondent for BBC News, Andrew Pekosz, a virologist biologist, And Karl Kendall, a professor of public health.
During a presentation on Feb. 11 at the University, Dr. Wise de Valdez described her experience speaking on the program.
“I grew up listening to NPR, my parents listened to NPR. And so for me, being on NPR was like winning an Oscar, ” Wise de Valdez said, regarding her contribution on the show.
“It means so much to me. I listen to [TPR] it every morning. I was a member of TPR. I’m one of those people that has the TPR sticker on the car. Being on it was the most awesome moment of my life,” she said.
Yahoo en Espanol interviewed Wise de Valdez last week.
To hear the full program, listen below.
