Roman on the Radio

Sanden Totten's secret formula for turning nerdy science into radio fun

We're back with "Roman on the Radio" - Season 3! And we start with science reporter Sanden Totten - one of the ingenious and inventive brains driving the popular kids science podcast "Brains On!" Sanden reveals his radio tricks for transforming nerdy researchers into science cheerleaders for "Brains On!" - and how his start as a kid reporter for Minnesota Public Radio nearly got squashed on Day 1.

You wanna be a public radio reporter? Get ready!

The reporters, producers, editors and hosts we've met in the past year talk about how they got started in public radio. They also look back on the funny moments on air - and a few scary reporting assignments.

How January 6th led LAist's Makenna Sievertson to choose journalism

Before Makenna Sievertson joined LAist 89.3 as a reporter, she worked at the U.S. Capitol for the House of Representatives Radio and TV Correspondents Gallery. It's the office that assists broadcast reporters covering Congress. Makenna talks about the reporters who ignored personal risks to cover the January 6th Capitol riot - and how their courage convinced her to be a journalist.

Boise State Public Radio's Sáša Woodruff meets the challenge

For more than a decade, Sáša Woodruff built a sparkling reputation in LA's public radio world as a skilled editor and producer. Boise State Public Radio noticed, and brought her on board in 2019 to be its news director. Sáša talks about how she stretched her small staff of reporters to cover all of Idaho. She'll also talk about the hard choice she made to overcome her family's cancer history.

More with NPR's Rob Schmitz: A correspondent's life - thanks to a father's lesson

Rob Schmitz looks back at 10 years as an NPR international correspondent, first in China and now in Germany. He talks about Europe's relationship now with the US; how Chinese EVs have left German automakers in the dust; and a scary night in an Israeli bomb sghelter, Ron also remembers the life lesson from his father that led him to an award-winning career as a public radio reporter.