Maddie Bender
Producer, The ConversationMaddie Bender is a science, health, and technology journalist. She has contributed print, digital, and audio stories to outlets including The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Scientific American, Smithsonian and VICE.
She provided production assistance on This Is Our Hawaiʻi, HPR's first narrative podcast, and joined The Conversation as a producer in 2024.
She holds a master's degree in epidemiology from the Yale School of Public Health. When not editing out "uhs" and "ums" in interviews, you can find her baking sourdough and teaching group fitness classes.
Contact her at mbender@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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The PBS Kids show "Wild Kratts" educates elementary school keiki about biology, ecology, and the animal kingdom. It also includes interviews with scientists like Adam Pack, a University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo biology and psychology professor.
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A UH astronomy professor details her work to prepare to study the upcoming solar eclipse; the need for furniture grows as Maui fire survivors move into longer-term housing; a Big Island author talks about using his work experience on Maunakea in his new novel set on the mountain; and a UH Hilo biology professor reflects on being featured in a popular PBS children's show
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The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bipartisan bill targeting the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok. The Conversation spoke to Brian Madamba, who posts on a TikTok account called @BrevenchyM, about his thoughts on the ban and the challenges of the content creator business.
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We discuss a new effort to turn invasive grass into fertilizer; ʻĀina Momona details what was covered in a recent call with the White House; a retired Honolulu firefighter shares how he's seen his battle with gout improve; and local TikTok star Brevenchy M talks about how he would be impacted if the U.S. banned the social media app
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Women's History Month is coming to a close, so we're revisiting interviews with or about notable women in Hawaiʻi's history.
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Do you play pickleball? Chances are you've asked or been asked this question in the past couple of years. This week, The Conversation has been sharing stories about pickleball from around the islands — the good, the bad, and the noisy.
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The Conversation spoke with Ron Romano, the executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association's Hawaii Pacific Section, about the tension between tennis and pickleball players. He said their biggest concern is losing tennis courts.
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A recent crash kills an elderly couple out for a ride on their bicycles near their home in ʻEwa Beach; Turtle Bay Resort hosts a one-of-a-kind paniolo lūʻau
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University of Hawaiʻi assistant professor Miquela Ibrao recently studied the mobility rates of the state's aging population. She looked at the four largest ethnic groups, breaking them down using a method called disaggregation.
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Hawaiʻi State Energy Office funding uncertain after Senate budget move; New pathway from Guam to Hawaiʻi to meet the demand for mechanical engineers; Maui maternal health