Podcast with Dr. Bjorn Mercer, Program Director, Communication, Philosophy, Religion, World Languages and the Arts and Dr. Danny Welsch, Associate Dean, School of STEM, American Public University

Throughout history, governments have used the scientific discoveries made by researchers as weapons of war. For instance, the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938 by physicists Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch eventually led to the creation of the World War II bombs that devastated the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In this podcast, American Public University Associate Dean Dr. Danny Welsch of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss how good scientific discoveries go evil and how evil discoveries turn good. Dr. Danny Welsch talks about inventions that started out benefiting society and ended up changing warfare, scientific discoveries that originated with warfare and ended up benefiting society, and other interesting inventions that have impacted warfare.

About the Speakers

Dr. Bjorn Mercer is a Program Director at American Public University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Missouri State University, a master’s and doctorate in music from the University of Arizona, and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. He writes about leadership, management and why the humanities and liberal arts are critical to career success. Dr. Mercer also writes children’s music.

Danny Welsch, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean of the School of STEM at American Public University. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Analysis and Planning from Frostburg State University, an M.S. in Environmental and Resource Engineering from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia.