New on Central Speaks: Dr. Dawn Pauling on Plague, Prairie Dogs and the Power of Curiosity

By Alex Greenwood, April 29, 2025

Central Speaks is the podcast that puts the spotlight on the dedicated individuals who propel the University of Central Missouri forward. You’ll hear directly from UCM’s changemakers as they share how they push boundaries and inspire colleagues and students—redefining what’s possible, every day.

On the latest episode of Central Speaks, we sit down with ⁠Dr. Dawn Pauling⁠, associate instructor of biology at UCM, whose career has taken her from tracking wildlife in the wilds of Alaska to researching one of the most misunderstood diseases in history—the plague.

Dr. Pauling pulls back the curtain on her journey into wildlife disease research, busts a few plague myths and explains why hands-on, curiosity-driven learning is a major part of the UCM experience. We talk about why engaging students in real-world inquiry matters, how UCM supports that mission, and what it means to prepare the next generation of scientists not just to learn science—but to do it.

• Visit the Central Speaks website and listen on your desktop ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

• Listen on Spotify here.

• Listen on Apple Podcasts here.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out our Faculty Focus video featuring Dr. Pauling:

 

Be sure to catch up on previous episodes:

• Tiffany Cochran on Alumni, Leadership and Legacy We catch up with Tiffany Cochran, UCM alumna and Senior Director of Events and Alumni Engagement. Tiffany shares how a scholarship helped launch her career in retail management, her pivot into higher education, and why community, mentorship, and strong alumni ties matter more than ever. She also busts a few myths about alumni foundations—and yes, we even find out what racehorses and fashion have in common in her world.

• Building Community Through Sports with Dr. Matt Howdeshell Matt Howdeshell, vice president of intercollegiate athletics at UCM, shares his vision for UCM athletics, the importance of community engagement and his focus on student-athlete well-being—including nutrition and mental health services. We also discuss common misconceptions about university athletics and how he’s building a team-oriented culture while following a legendary predecessor.

• Making MOVES for Military-Friendly Education with Courtney Swoboda This episode shines a spotlight on Courtney Swoboda, director of UCM’s Military and Veterans Services Office and a 2024 Higher Ed Military Spotlight Award recipient. With a decade of Air Force service and five years at UCM, Courtney has redefined what it means to be a military-friendly campus.

• Dr. Cory Wicker on Redefining HR We welcome Cory Wicker, Ph.D., associate vice president for human resources at UCM. His work centers on fostering a welcoming workplace and delivering innovative HR solutions that support UCM’s greatest asset: its people.

• Amber Goreham on Finding New Lanes On our premiere episode, we talk with Amber Goreham—two-time UCM alum and director of the Career and Life Design Center. Amber has spent nearly two decades guiding students and alumni on their career and life journeys. Once on the path to becoming a professional bowler, Amber shares how she pivoted from the lanes of sport to shaping lives through career readiness and life design.

Have an idea for a future guest? Email us with your nomination.

Thanks for listening—and for being part of the conversation.