Lauren Silverman
Lauren Silverman is the Health, Science & Technology reporter/blogger at KERA News. She is also the primary backup host for KERA’s Think and the statewide newsmagazine Texas Standard. In 2016, Lauren was recognized as Texas Health Journalist of the Year by the Texas Medical Association. She was part of the Peabody Award-winning team that covered Ebola for NPR in 2014. She also hosted "Surviving Ebola," a special that won Best Long Documentary honors from the Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). And she's won a number of regional awards, including an honorable mention for Edward R. Murrow award (for her project “The Broken Hip”), as well as the Texas Veterans Commission’s Excellence in Media Awards in the radio category.
Before joining KERA, Lauren worked at NPR’s weekend All Things Considered in Washington, D.C. There, she produced national stories on everything from the politics of climate change to the future of online education. While at All Things Considered, Lauren also produced a piece on neighborhood farms in Compton, Calif., that won a National Association of Black Journalism’s Salute to Excellence Award.
As a freelance reporter, Lauren has written and recorded stories in English and Spanish for a variety of news outlets, including NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Here & Now; American Public Media’s Marketplace; Sound Medicine and Latino USA.
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Scientists are learning that some astronauts' eyes change shape after time in space, leading to vision problems. But a sleep sack being developed might offer relief. -
A quarter of doctors practicing in the U.S. went to medical school elsewhere. Many of these physicians practice in parts of this country that the government says need more primary care providers. -
The agency has decided to leave kratom off its list of highly restricted drugs for now. The DEA is asking for public comment and help from the Food and Drug Administration in evaluating kratom. -
The Drug Enforcement Administration is cracking down on a plant that it says is involved in a number of deaths. Advocates say kratom can help treat opioid addiction, which is a far bigger hazard. -
Not everyone outside staring into their phones is searching for Pokémon — some people are looking for actual wildlife. The app iNaturalist is bringing together urban biologists and curious citizens. -
Trying to prevent gun violence by tying it to mental health legislation began in 1966 when a young gunman killed 16 people in Austin, Texas. But some believe the approach is misguided. -
Ben Lecomte wants to be the first person to swim across the Pacific Ocean — a 5,500-mile journey. Doctors will monitor his heart remotely to see how intensive exercise affects this vital muscle. -
Jiya Bavishi is one of a handful of children in the United States testing an experimental hearing device, a tiny implant in her brainstem. Jiya is now able to hear and repeat some sounds. -
Manufacturers claim compression clothes improve athletic performance, but there is little scientific evidence to back that up. This story first aired March 30 on Morning Edition.
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A Texas training site prepares first responders to deal with emergencies like earthquakes and bombings. The facility is now turning to outbreaks like Ebola, and smart machines may play a key role.
