Short Wave - So Long, Sofia

Episode Date: September 3, 2021

Today, we bid farewell to our founding host, Maddie Sofia! In this special episode, the Short Wave team and some of our listeners remind Maddie of the huge impact she's had on all of us. There is laughter, a lot of crying, and so, so much appreciation for our duderino.Maddie, may you come back into our orbit soon. We're so excited to cheer you on in your future adventures!See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

You're listening to Shortwave from NPR. Hey, Duterino's Maddie Safaya here. And Emily Kwong. Okay, Maddie, today's your last day on Shorewave. The little science podcast that could that we launched back in 2019. That's right. I'm moving out west with my family. So, you know, life's changing pretty quick, maybe too quick.

Yeah. How are you feeling about it all? Good. It's a good change, even though it's a hard change. I'm going to really miss this stinking show. I'll tell you that much. Yeah. I mean, I've been thinking a lot about thermodynamics, given what's going on.

Okay, go on. And, you know, in like an abstract way. How systems tend towards high entropy. Like uncertainty and randomness? Right. Those are words for it. You know, unless we put in the work, unless we apply additional energy to the system. And I think that's how change feels.

It's hard to say goodbye to someone I adore. so much. And I also know we're going to find someone amazing to fill your shoes. We're going to put in that work. You'll find co-host love again. I swear. I swear. Right now, the thing I want to do, Maddie, together with our whole team, is to celebrate you. All you've done for this community, our show, and that is what today's episode is all about. Yes. And for the record, I have no idea what y'all are about to do and what you're about to say. I just know that I just know that I'm going to cry. That's all I know. We'll buckle up, pup.

Today on the show. Thank you, Maddie. We're back with a thank you and a farewell episode for our host, Madeline Kelly Safaya. It's her last episode on Shortwave today. Wow, wow, wow. We're in full-name territory right now. We are so beyond full-name territory, Maddie. I mean, being on this podcast with you has been just a total delight.

I'm not the only one who feels that way. So here's a recorded message from producer Thomas Liu about one of the first stories he was assigned when he joined Shorewave. Howdy, howdy, Maddie? One of my favorite memories of working with you is that when I first joined the team, you had a big confession, the fact that you did not know what a rainbow was. So, naturally, you asked the new kid to get you the answer. And just that simple act and also you pushing me to be my most authentic self in doing a rainbow-related, queer-related, episode, it just allowed me to be so open and feel so welcome. So thank you so much, Maddie.

Oh, Thomas, I love you so much. He literally wrote a question, Emily, that I tracked and we kept that was, if you run through a rainbow, well, it make you more queer. We got that in the show. It's one of the greatest things we've ever sat on show. I mean, if you've been listening to our show for a while, you know that we are a small, very collaborative team, just as willing to talk about face mites and rainbows as we are about climate change and the latest COVID news with the reporters on the science desk. Like these things exist in the same universe in our show. Truth. You know, it's unique. I mean, when we were piloting shortwave back in 2019, you know, we wanted our show to capture the diversity of what it means to do science.

celebrating science while also being critical of it and its legacy. Yeah. I mean, I think the key for me with Shortwave is who we choose to book for our show. The care we put into choosing guests and building those conversations. Yes. And two people who know that process intimately are here with me right now. I want to bring in producer Britt Hanson. Hey, Maddie.

Hey, Brett. And producer Rebecca Ramirez. Hey, dude. Hey, dude. And they've not only reported for a shortwave, but along with Thomas Liu, they are the magical makers weaving this whole podcast together. Artists. Thanks, Emily. So, Maddie. Rebecca. The episode that I want to talk to you about is, can you guess? I cannot. There's been too many. It's the Kaylee Fox episode. Oh, yes. When you think of resources on Earth, What do you think of?

Maybe you think about water or oil, timber, perhaps. What about data, our data, the information stored in our DNA? I chose this episode because it's so many of the things that I love about you and the show that we built together. It's you passing the mic to a scientist of color and talking about inequities in science. But early on in his career, he noticed this research left a lot of people out. Like the one time he realized none of the participants in a study were Polynesian. And that made me extremely upset. It was like the boat had left for the future of predictive and preventative medicine

and my people weren't included on the boat. And I remember like... And no one from our audience would know this, but it's actually the second draft of an episode that we piloted way before the show even launched. And because of that, it speaks to among other things, your

grit, your passion, and honestly, your stubbornness. Okay, okay. Look who's talking. Look who's talking. It's true. It's true. And I have so much that I will say to you off air, but

I just want to really quickly say that I wouldn't be half the producer I am with even half the confidence that I have this early in my career. If it weren't for you, believing in me so wholeheartedly, so immediately. When you're good, you're good, dude. And so, I just love you so much, Duteroino. I love you too, dude. And before I get even more sobby, I'm going to let Britt take it from here. All right.

Thanks, Dutero. You are an artist. Do not forget. Do not forget. You're an artist, bud. I love you. I'm going to miss you. Hey, Maddie, Brett here. Okay, so there's... Yeah, are you ready? I'm ready. So, Maddie, there's one episode that I worked on with you that was really special to me because it felt particularly intimate. And also celebrated one of my favorite science beats. Queer love. Queer stuff, queer stuff.

I know exactly which episode you're talking about, I think. The episode was a conversation with Tam O'Shaughnessy about her decades-long partnership with Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Yeah, here's a little clip. You know, I almost have a picture of Sally in my mind standing in our living room in La Jolla. And she's got on, you know, like an old TV. shirt that's kind of pulled over to one side. Her hair is kind of combed, but kind of wild. You know, a pair of shorts and barefoot. She loved going barefoot. And, you know, she just, you know, I just loved, I loved looking at her when she was, you know, like that, when she wasn't intense

and working hard or, you know, but she was like that a lot. And I just, I loved that, you know, that she could be there with me in each moment. It's just so sweet. It's just so sweet. I also love knowing that Sally Ride hate shoes, you know? And she doesn't want to wear them. That's right. Yeah, you know, Maddie, I've actually re-listened to this episode a lot since we aired it.

And I think it's because it's kind of comforting. You know, this reminder that behind all of the science we cover are actual people. Yes. People with whole lives full of rich human experiences, stuff like falling in love, coming out, grieving, feeling joy. Just like us. They're just like us. Scientists are just like us, Maddie. You're even one of them. And I got to tell you, Maddie, I'm so glad that this show brought us together. You know, to tell some of the more intimate stories, which we've gotten to do a lot of together.

But it's also because it's how we discovered our friendship. And that is the most special part of things, honestly. I'm tearing up. I'm crying queer tears over here, Britt. Listen, tears are welcome here. I love you, bud. I love you, too, Maddie. You know, Maddie, this is Emily.

I think anyone who has spent time with this show as a listener, as someone who makes it, has a story like this about you. And I want to bring some of their voices into the house. We made this for you. This is Jud Greenwood from Texas. Maddie, I appreciate you. Hi, Maddie. Thank you for being the reason that I not only realized science communication existed,

but that it could make such a huge difference in the world. You've taught me how to be a better scientist, communicator, and person, and I wish you all the best. Hey, Maddie, Giselle here. As you know, I joined Shortwave about a year after it launched, and you immediately made me feel genuinely welcome to this small and mighty team. And since then, I've now heard you interview scores of people record dozens of episodes, and you make everybody feel at home, which is such a gift.

The energy and time you put in to really understanding how to bring out somebody's best side and enthusiasm for science is truly wonderful to both watch and be a part of. Oh, Jezell. We are really going to miss you. From the Midwest to Montana to Washington to Colorado to New Mexico and currently residing in Cali, my partner and I traveled safely in a tent listening to you throughout the entire pandemic. I owe you some of my happiness as learning from you,

provoked thoughts, inspiration, and creativity along the way. Hey, it's Viet, one of the editors here on Shortwave. So, fun fact, before this podcast was launched, we were playing around a bunch of other different names, like, Get to the Science, which was very punchy. But the one that stuck with me the most is Catalyst. It's a neat word. I like that it has a sciencey meaning and a person that creates change meaning. And I'm bringing this up now because it's the perfect word to describe Maddie. Not only does you have this playful and smart science brain and an excellent host, of course, she's also truly a change.

agent, a catalyst, for getting this podcast off the ground for expanding the work of the science desk, for helping to keep NPR true to its mission. In lots of ways, big and small, she's challenged and made us better. So thank you, Maddie, for everything. I see you, Maddie. This dad of LGBTQ daughters hurt your heart today. I can't express how much it meant. Thank you for your vulnerability. Take care of yourself. I'm rooting for you. Eric, Vancouver, Washington. Oh, my gosh. Hi, Maddie. This is listener, Aaron, from Milwaukee.

You mentioned you needed a break, and you truly deserve it. To say that you helped us through the past year is an understatement. You brought joy and excitement to otherwise mundane topics. I appreciate you and wish you the best of luck in future endeavors. Oh. Wow. Thank you guys. That was incredible. I am worked up. I'm choked up. Yeah. I don't, yeah. I don't even really know what to say right now, y'all. Yeah, our listeners are amazing. And thank you all so much for supporting our show through this transition.

So, Maddie, for my part, I didn't know how to say goodbye to you. So I did what hosts do. And I threw a little party. In this case, an audio party of an episode. Right. Yes, you heard. To gather some of the people whose lives you've changed through your dedication and your courage and your big, big heart, we will really miss you and will always be here for you. Come back any time. You got it, bud. You got it. Well, I don't know what to say right now. Thank you for putting this together and bringing all those voices. You know, before I go, I just want to thank this team, my family for supporting me, particularly my partner Natalie, who carried me through the many ups and downs of this show so graciously. And, of course, our listeners, our sources for trusting in me and in us, I will never forget making this show for you alongside some of my best friends. So I appreciate you.

Stay weird, Duterinos. We want to thank listeners Eric Wex, Judd Greenwood, Tess Collins, and Aaron Westerby, as well as intern Indie Kara for lending their voices to this episode. Thanks too to Natasha Branch for engineering the mix. Shortwave is off for Labor Day, but we're back with a new episode on Tuesday. Well, okay, we're at the sign off. We are at the sign off. Let's do it. Let's do it.

All right. All right. Woo, I can't do it. Yeah, you can. You're gonna. Stop me. All right. One last time.

Thank you for listening to Shortwave, the Daily Science Podcast from NPR. Of lovable monsters. Oh, my God. That was so sweet. Oh, my God.