Cross-Disciplinary Science and Super Propulsion: Inside Bamla Lab with Dr. Saad Bamla

In this conversation Flora Lichtman speaks with Dr. Saad Bamla of Bamla lab at the University of Colorado Boulder about how science can cross boundaries between biology, physics and engineering. The discussion ranges from the hydrodynamics of sharpshooter insect urine to the physics of music and the idea of time encoded in cultural artifacts. Bamla describes a lab culture built on risk taking, self permission and childlike wonder, inspired by personal experiences and a wish to uncover nature's principles across disciplines. The episode also touches on how to judge good questions and how his family views science.

• Insect xylem sap droplets show super propulsion stored in surface tension
• Time and thermodynamics are used to analyze music across cultures
• Risk taking and self permission are central to Bamla's scientific philosophy
• Personal history and parenting influence his approach to science

Overview

The episode features Flora Lichtman interviewing Dr. Saad Bamla, a bioengineer leading the Bamla lab at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The conversation traverses Bamla’s broad research interests, from fluid dynamics in insects to the thermodynamics of music, all under a unifying philosophy about how science should be conducted. Bamla emphasizes a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach where insights from one field can illuminate problems in another.

Bamla’s Interdisciplinary Ethos

Bamla describes his drive to look at systems as whole, not confined to a single discipline. He compares this meandering yet purposeful approach to Alice in Wonderland, where stopping to smell a flower can lead to unexpected discoveries. He also shares the personal motivation behind this stance, including a life history shaped by loss and a sense of gratitude for being able to explore the natural world. The lab’s work spans biology, physics and engineering and seeks to extract general principles that apply across scales and contexts.

The Sharpshooter Insect Droplet Study and Super Propulsion

The discussion highlights Bamla’s beaver-behavior of curiosity about sharpshooters that feed on xylem sap. High-speed videos revealed droplets that travel in air faster than the stylus kicking them. The key insight is that the droplet is not rigid but squishy, allowing surface tension to store energy like a spring. The droplet’s energy is released to propel it further, a phenomenon Bamla terms “super propulsion.” This mechanism offers potential design principles for engineering systems that require efficient droplet actuation and energy transfer while reducing contamination and predator risks in ecological contexts.

Time, Music, and Thermodynamics

A postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Luis Gonzalez, leads a project on whether listening to music holds a time arrow, and how thermodynamics can help quantify the encoding of time in musical pieces. The project leverages vast archives of Western and non-Western music to explore universal features of beat structure and tonalities. The aim is to identify neural and cultural bases for why humans respond to certain rhythms and intervals, and whether trained cultural backgrounds shape these responses.

Alice in Wonderland as a Scientific Method

Throughout the conversation Bamla emphasizes that ambitious, cross-disciplinary work can invite side-eye from peers. He argues permission to explore is essential, likening it to a muscle that must be exercised repeatedly rather than waiting for tenure. He recounts a mentor’s cautionary tale about focusing on classical topics for tenure, which motivated Bamla to pursue experiments beyond the traditional path. This ethos underlines the value of curiosity and courage in science.

Good Questions and Personal Why

When asked how to tell if a question is good, Bamla likens it to a piece of art that resonates with him deeply. He describes the thrill of discovery as a feeling that “nobody on the planet knows” a secret the team is about to uncover. He emphasizes that progress often comes from enduring a long journey with a small team rather than seeking instant recognition. Bamla also discusses how his personal experiences, including losing his mother at a young age, shaped his worldview and his drive to share science with others in an approachable way.

Impact on Family and Community

The discussion closes with remarks on Bamla’s children and their natural curiosity. He shares stories of his oldest son accompanying him to field locations and turning everyday environments into experiments. The conversation ends with reflections on how curiosity is nurtured in children and how it can carry into adult life and scientific work.