A Heart For Space with Dr. Eiman Jahangir

Imagine a future in which medicine isn't so focused on treating disease, but rather on preventing it before it even begins. This vision has helped shape the extraordinary career of Dr. Laurence Sperling, a pioneer in preventive cardiology who founded one of the country's earliest dedicated heart disease prevention programs at Emory University. What began as a small operation with just three people has grown into an enduring legacy of clinical care, research, education, and training the next generation of cardiovascular specialists.
Today on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes Dr. Sperling for an inspiring conversation exploring innovation in medicine and the perseverance required to turn an ambitious vision into tangible reality. Dr. Sperling reflects on the unconventional path that led him to preventive cardiology, including the challenges of establishing a new program in an emerging field and the lessons learned through decades of mentoring physicians and advancing cardiovascular disease prevention.
As their conversation progresses, Eiman and Dr. Sperling explore how preventive medicine has evolved, the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence and telemedicine, and why improving access to healthcare remains essential to better health outcomes. Dr. Sperling also shares his perspective on longevity versus healthspan and the importance of genuine human connection in patient care.
00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:32 Meeting Dr. Laurence Sperling: A Pioneer in Preventive Cardiology
03:09 From Long Island to Emory: A Chance Visit That Changed Everything
06:58 Early Acceptance and Finding His Path in Medicine
12:04 The Birth of Preventive Cardiology: Building Something From Nothing
15:40 Starting the Program: Three People and a Dream
17:58 Staying the Course: 22 Years of Leadership Through Change
21:52 The Evolution of Cardiovascular Prevention: What's Changed and What Hasn't
24:55 Health Span Over Lifespan: The Dash Between Birth and Death
29:22 Heart Disease Begins Before Birth: The Life Course of Prevention
32:51 The Crisis in Rural America: Healthcare Deserts and Access Challenges
35:09 Telemedicine and the Future: Making House Calls in the Digital Age
36:42 The Family Heart Foundation: Power of People Over Science
41:59 The Art of Patient Care: Being Present and Old-Fashioned
49:19 The 20% Problem: Why Healthcare Systems Can't Do It Alone
54:56 What Am I Reaching For: Making a Difference Each Day
Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

What do writing a novel and becoming an astronaut have in common? Both demand extraordinary dedication, years of preparation, and the willingness to pursue a dream without knowing whether it will ever become reality. For author Eliana Ramage, that journey meant spending much of her adult life writing and rewriting her debut novel, To the Moon and Back, a Reese's Book Club pick that follows a young Cherokee woman's determination to become an astronaut.
This week on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes Eliana for a fascinating conversation about the intersections of storytelling and space exploration, identity and ambition. Eliana shares the inspiration behind her novel, particularly how her Cherokee heritage influenced its characters, and the extensive research that brought her fictional astronaut's journey to life.
Together, they explore the complicated relationship between ambition and personal fulfilment, examining what happens when the pursuit of an extraordinary dream begins to overshadow the people and experiences that make life meaningful. From the importance of representation in space exploration to balancing professional aspirations with family and personal relationships, Eliana offers a thoughtful perspective on redefining success. Her story offers us a reminder that while pursuing our dreams can be transformative, there is just as much value in appreciating the journey and the people who share it with us.
Learn more about Eliana and her work at https://www.elianaramage.com
00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
01:04 Meeting Eliana Ramage: Cherokee Writer and Space Storyteller
02:15 The Cherokee Experience: Identity Across Distance
04:16 Becoming a Writer: From Personal Essays to Fiction
06:44 The Iowa Writers Workshop and Learning Collaboration
08:45 Astronaut Selection and Crew Dynamics
10:59 Persisting Through Countless Drafts
12:41 The Two-Year Break: Stepping Away to Find Clarity
14:56 Reframing the Dream: From Publication to Completion
19:24 The Moon as Witness: Opening Image and Symbolism
21:35 The Artemis Missions and Crew Connection
23:28 Five Cherokee Women: Different Perspectives on Identity
24:59 Della's Story: The Indian Child Welfare Act
27:30 Writing and Parenthood: How Identity Shifts
29:30 Hannah's Journey: A Mother's Sacrifice
30:57 Processing Trauma: Every Character's Journey
31:49 Steph and Kayla: Two Sisters, Two Approaches
33:30 The Cost of Public Identity
35:48 Training Astronauts at Blue Origin
37:55 Obligation Versus Guilt: Moving Back to Nashville
43:29 The Reddit Wisdom: Build the Life You Love
47:08 Finding Your Team: The Importance of Community
48:20 Reaching for Presence: Appreciating the Moment
Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

Building a successful business is never easy. For Aylar Macky, resilience became a way of life as she transformed her personal health journey into a thriving nutrition company, grown from her home kitchen into an operation producing thousands of meals daily across the Middle East.
I today’s episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes entrepreneur and Joule founder Aylar Macky for a conversation about building businesses against the odds, embracing your cultural identity, and finding purpose through adversity. Born in Iran and raised in Canada, Aylar reflects on how her family's immigrant experience shaped her determination and ultimately her business journey, as well as the difficult decision to leave behind what she had built to pursue new opportunities in the United States.
Eiman and Aylar dive into the lessons entrepreneurship teaches about resilience and personal growth, before discussing her mission to bring Persian-inspired health products to a wider audience. Aylar shares why meaningful relationships and a sense of purpose matter more to her than financial success alone, and her ongoing journey towards recognising her own worth beyond her achievements.
00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:24 Meeting Aylar Macky: From Tehran to Canada to Building Juul
01:41 The Weight Gain That Changed Everything
02:56 Starting Juul: From Home Kitchen to 15,000 Meals a Day
07:25 The Immigrant Identity: Shaped by Leaving Everything Behind
09:45 Becoming the Adult in the Room at Nine Years Old
11:52 The Decision to Return to Iran: Going Back to the Motherland
13:21 Seeing What's Missing: Vending Machines and Business Ideas
16:47 The Common Thread: Connecting People and Building Community
24:05 Learning Resilience: The Business as Therapist
29:07 Building in Iran vs. America: Solving Problems That Aren't Yours
32:00 The Backpack Decision: Leaving Everything Behind Again
32:57 The Waymo Moment: Culture Shock and Catching Up to Technology
33:59 Bringing Persian Flavors to America: Functional Foods with Heritage
34:46 Living Between Two Cultures: The Ugly Duckling with Something to Offer
38:32 The Power of Cause: What Gets You Out of Bed
40:22 Mom: The One Who Hallucinates With Me
42:02 Building Again: Stuffed Dates, Functional Beverages, and Secret Podcasts
45:49 Finding Enough: The Space She's Still Reaching For
Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

What happens when you've spent your life chasing a dream that still feels just out of reach? For Andrew Parris, the answer is simple: you keep going. From supporting NASA's Space Shuttle and International Space Station programmes to experiencing weightlessness aboard zero-gravity flights, Andrew has built an extraordinary career around his passion for space exploration. His ultimate dream of becoming an astronaut remains alive, and he's determined to keep pursuing it, no matter how long the journey takes.
This week on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes three-time Emmy Award-winning broadcast engineer and co-founder of The Inspired 24, Andrew Parris, for a conversation about the wonders of space exploration and the perseverance required to achieve your greatest aspirations.
Andrew reflects on his years at NASA and the unforgettable moments that shaped his lifelong commitment to space exploration. Together, they go on to explore how The Inspired 24 grew from a chance gathering of space enthusiasts into what is now an international community helping people pursue opportunities in the space industry. Andrew shares how he navigates setbacks and stays ready for new opportunities in his own astronaut journey, as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people. His story is a reminder that even when the path to your dream takes longer than expected, the courage to keep trying can inspire others to pursue their own.
Explore more about The Inspired 24 at https://theinspired24.com/
00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:29 Meeting Andrew Parris: The Broadcast Engineer with an Astronaut Dream
02:02 The Family Business: Growing Up in Television
03:29 Inside the Truck: What a Remote Television Engineer Does
04:55 Three Emmy Awards and the Return to Flight
09:36 The Path to NASA: Making Connections in Houston
11:18 Memorable Moments: Shuttle Launch and the Columbia Tragedy
15:56 Flying Zero G: The Most Welcoming Feeling You Can Experience
18:47 Journey to Russia: Behind the Iron Curtain at Baikonur
26:30 The Birth of the Inspired 24: A Dinner That Changed Everything
29:04 Building a Community: Over 300 Members Pursuing Space Dreams
30:52 Success Stories: From Inventory Specialist to SpaceX Technician
35:46 Black Friday: When Dreams Hit Pause
38:50 Never Give Up: Why We Explore and Why It Matters
48:26 The Cyan Proctor Moment: Realizing Others Share Your Dream
49:26 Looking Back at Earth: What It Will All Mean
Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

For more than twenty years, Andrew Gordon helped bring some of Pixar's most beloved characters to life, contributing to films including A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. Behind those iconic stories is a career shaped by rejection and imposter syndrome, as well as experimentation and a determination to keep getting better.
In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by filmmaker, animator, and creative leader Andrew Gordon to talk about the power of storytelling, and what is required when building a career around creativity. Andrew reflects on his initial rejection from Pixar before eventually joining the studio, and the culture that helped produce its groundbreaking films, before exploring why failure and iteration are essential parts of creating something great.
As the conversation continues, the pair discuss Andrew's decision to leave Pixar in search of new challenges, and how emerging AI tools are changing what's possible for filmmakers. Andrew also shares why technology can never replace a compelling story and why, even after decades of success, he is still pushing beyond his comfort zone in search of the next great thing he can create.
00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:32 Meeting Andrew Gordon: From New York to Pixar
02:04 Early Inspiration: A Cousin's Sketchbook and Computer Graphics
03:31 The Commodore Amiga and Finding His Craft
05:22 Heading West: From New Jersey to Animation School
07:18 First Break: Landing at Warner Brothers Looney Tunes
08:20 Rejection and Redemption: The Path to Pixar
10:12 Driving to the Mecca: First Day at Pixar
11:31 The Pixar Culture: Weirdos, Excellence, and John Lasseter
13:01 Imposter Syndrome and Daily Scrutiny
15:30 Animating Characters: From Gil to Mike Wazowski
17:34 The Art of Caricature: Bringing Edna Mode to Life
19:51 Why Pixar Makes Adults Cry Over Toys and Fish
25:09 The Lucky 7 Lounge: Building a Secret Casino at Pixar
27:10 Teaching and Giving Back: Breaking Down the Secrets
28:30 The Internship Program: Molding Through Play
32:40 Storytelling for Business: The Salesforce Success Story
36:31 Leaving Pixar: Twenty Years and a New Chapter
38:21 AI and Animation: The New Frontier at ITEL
41:01 Advice for Aspiring Creatives: Persistence and Fundamentals
43:11 The Space Still Worth Reaching For: Crafting Diamonds
Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/