After earning his Ph.D. in oceanography a couple years ago, Ari Daniel Shapiro turned to radio and multimedia to tell stories about all types of science. He knew the audio software from his graduate work on the vocal communication of whales. Once he started recording people (instead of marine mammals), he actually understood what his subjects were saying. These days, Shapiro produces pieces about science for public radio programs and for academic, research and nonprofit organizations.

He earned a B.S. in biology and an M.Phil. in animal behavior. And years prior in the 5th grade, Shapiro won the award for the Most Contagious Smile.