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Garth Casbourn

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GradCastGradCast509 | The Pursuit of Science: Implanted Materials and the Human BodyIn this week's episode, hosts Garth Casbourn and Mark Ambrogio interview Zoltan Richter-Bisson, a PhD candidate in Chemistry.  Zoltan is studying the interaction between proteins, abundant in the human body, and the breakdown of implanted medical devices.  While there are a large number of such devices, Zoltan is specifically interested in hip and knee implants.  Tune in to learn about efforts to minimize the deleterious effects of device breakdown inside the human body. Zoltan, Garth, and Mark also discuss science communication and the benefits of being involved in the graduate student community. To learn more abo...2025-06-1027 minGradCastGradCast508 | AI; or, Another Modern Prometheus.Hosts Garth Casbourn and Kirstyn Seanor are joined by Rawan El Moghrabi, a student in the master's program in computer science. How can human attitudes, behaviors, and expectations influence the internal representation and behaviors of AI? In this quite topical episode, Rawan offers some insight into the behind-the-scenes of large language models, as well as discussing her research project on AI safety and alignment.    Recorded on May 27, 2025. Produced by Bruno Mesquita. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).   2025-06-0328 minGradCastGradCast505 | Aging ActivelyIn this week's episode, Maddie Hertz, a PhD candidate in Anthropology, is interviewed by hosts Garth Casbourn and Mark Ambrogio.  Maddie's research touches upon the intersection of aging and physical activity.  More specifically, her research looks at bone loss in menopausal women, to see how physical activity may mitigate bone loss, comparing the effects of swimming and running.  Garth, Mark, and Maddie compare notes on research methods and discuss how even graduate students need to enjoy some outdoor activity! Those interested in learning more may read about the PAVE Lab (Phenotypic Adaptability, Variation, and Evolution Lab...2025-05-1328 minGradCastGradCast503 | Owning your future: Transferring skills from academia to the job marketHosts Anthony Cruz and Garth Casbourn sit down with Jenny Richmond-Bravo, an EdD candidate and coordinator of Western’s Own Your Future program, to discuss how she is helping PhD students identify, build, and market their skills for career success beyond academia. Recorded on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Produced by Riya Sidhu Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by White Hot). 2025-04-2930 minGradCastGradCast493 | #InspiringMinds 3: Easing the Load: Shoulder Injuries and FirefightersThis week, we engage in the third episode of our collaboration with Inspiring Minds, a campus-wide partnership between Western Research, the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Writing Support Centre, Western Libraries, Student Experience and Western’s 11 faculties. Inspiring Minds seeks to broaden awareness and impact of graduate student research while enhancing transferrable skills.  Our hosts Garth Casbourn and Ryan Baxter are joined by Temitope Osifeso, a PhD Candidate at the School of Physical Therapy in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Temitope’s research explored how firefighters manage shoulder injuries and what they need to rec...2025-02-1825 minGradCastGradCast#BookCast 7 | The Book of Two WaysFor our seventh episode of #BookCast, we discuss “The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult—a story that explores whether we make our choices—or our choices make us. Our story begins with a plane-crash, where our main character, Dawn Edelstein is faced with the choice to return home to her life as a death-doula, or continue on to Egypt to complete her doctoral studies researching the coffin-texts and “Book of Two Ways”, a map of routes souls can take to the afterlife. Join Riya Sidhu, Garth Casbourn, Scott Walters, resident Egyptologist: Maris Schneider, and Meghan Voll as we d...2025-02-0657 minGradCastGradCast492 | Mining and Modeling: Here and AbroadThis week, hosts Garth Casbourn and Ryan Baxter speak with GradCast's own Mohammad Zeraati, a third-year PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering about some of the real-world implications of his research into the “Instability behaviour of granular soil and tailings and particle cementation.”  Some of the topics discussed include mining regulation, computational methods, and the environmental effects of mining, through mining waste.    Recorded on January 28, 2025 Produced by Jessica Eblie, Scott Walters, Maria Khan Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot 2025-02-0426 minGradCastGradCast#BookCast 6 | Fifth Business by Robertson DaviesIn our sixth installment of our #BookCast mini-series, we discuss Fifth Business, by Robertson Davies. The novel builds upon childhood events and grows into a personal epic spanning decades of national and world history, centered through the perspective of an older academic looking back over his life. The story begins, and the main characters all originate from, Deptford, a fictional town based on the real community of Thamesville, Ontario.  Join us as your hosts Garth Casbourne, Meghan Voll, Mark Ambrogio, and Scott Walters dive into some of the book's main themes, including spirituality, ageing & changing perspectives, and socioeconomics. 2024-12-0659 minGradCastGradCast483 | Quantifying Rurality: How urban/rural divide impacts voting behaviourKatie McCoy, a PhD candidate in political science, joins Liam Clifford and Garth Casbourn. She tells us about her research on why people vote how they do, especially in rural communities. She also discusses how MPs from rural areas may differ in behaviour compared to urban MPs. Recorded on November 6, 2024 Produced by Riya Sidhu Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot). 2024-11-1229 minGradCastGradCast481 | Live from the Production Control RoomThis week, hosts Garth Casbourn and kirstyn seanor are joined by Eric Scarfone, a Master of Media in Journalism and Communication (MMJC) student in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies. Eric talks about his transition from undergraduate to graduate studies and delves deeper into what the MMJC program entails. He shares his goals in broadcasting and what is a part of good journalistic storytelling. He also talks about his involvement in student government and at Radio Western, hosting “On the Eric” and newscasts. To keep up to date, follow Eric on Instagram @escarf12 Recorded on O...2024-10-2928 minGradCastGradCast#BookCast 5 | Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa GyasiFor our fifth installment of our book club series, the #BookCast team read Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi.  Join us for a discussion led by Garth Casbourn with co-hosts Meghan Voll, Riya Sidhu, and Scott Walters.  We dive into the complex narrative of Gifty, a young scientist getting her PhD at Stanford, attempting to discover secrets behind addictive behavior. This story is one of grief, hope, childhood trauma, conflicts between faith and science, and racism and immigration in North America. We'll cover many of the books themes and writing devices, its approach at describing science an...2024-10-2446 minGradCastGradCast476 | Ashar’s Cosmic Storytelling CornerThis week, hosts Maris Schneider and Garth Casbourn are joined by writer, curator and visual culture PhD candidate at the Department of Visual Arts, Ashar Mobeen. Ashar studies ancient and indigenous civilizations and the manifestation of astronomical understanding within their art and architecture. He explores the stories of groups marginalized by Eurocentric ideologies. Ashar chats about his love for the cosmos, working to implement new pedagogical methods in the classroom, sustainable curatorial projects and managing the Ecologies in Practice podcast (launching this Fall)! Here are links to the curatorial projects: In the Heart of the Bronze: A Li...2024-09-2429 minGradCastGradCast475 | Fat in Flight: The Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Migratory Shorebird Energetics and Thermoregulation This week, hosts Garth Casbourn and Riya Sidhu are joined by Kevin Young, a PhD Candidate in Western's Department of Biology. Kevin researches how the omega-3 fats in the diets of migratory shorebirds help them regulate their body temperature and save energy during their long journeys. Listen to learn about some of the amazing avian research happening at Western!   Recorded on September 10, 2024. Produced by Anthony Cruz. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot). 2024-09-1727 minGradCastGradCast474 | Ultracool Dwarf PlanetsThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Garth Casbourn are joined by Astronomy PhD student Sami Lambier. Sami researches ultracool dwarfs, some of the smallest stars in the Universe. Sami also discusses her work at the Cronyn Observatory. Listen to learn some ultra-cool facts about the night sky! Recorded on September 3, 2024. Produced by Anthony Cruz. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot). 2024-09-1028 minGradCastGradCast#BookCast 4 | The Love Hypothesis by Ali HazelwoodFor our August book of the month, the #BookCast team tackled The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, the discussion led by Meghan Voll and joined by Mark Ambrogio, Garth Casbourn and Maria Khan. The team looks at the writing style, character development, accuracy to real-life academia and problematic elements in the storyline. Will this experiment combust in our protagonist's face? Airing September 5 at 11 AM on Radio Western. Recorded on August 22, 2024 Produced by Maria Khan Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot 2024-09-051h 02GradCastGradCast#BookCast 3 | Lucky Jim by Kingsley AmisFor our July book of the month, the #BookCast crew reads Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis. Tune in a discussion of the novel led by Garth Casbourn featuring hosts Scott Walters, Meghan Voll, Mark Ambrogio, and special guest Helen Button! We discuss the literary format of the novel, its relation to our experiences as academics, and the historical context behind this witty work of fiction! Airing August 29 at 11am on Radio Western. Recorded on August 13, 2024 Produced by Scott Walters, Edited by Amalie Hutchinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced b...2024-08-221h 01GradCastGradCast#BookCast 2 | The Dreamers by Karen Thompson WalkerJoin us for our second edition of #BookCast where we discuss The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker. Your hosts for this episode are Mark Ambrogio, Amalie Hutchinson, Meghan Voll, Scott Walters and Garth Casbourn. Note for listeners, this episode contains many spoilers! Sweet dreams.... Recorded on July 16, 2024 Produced by Amalie Hutchinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot 2024-07-231h 02GradCastGradCast464 | Hold My Medal: Ethical Dilemmas in SportsThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Garth Casbourn are joined by Alan Oldham, a PhD candidate in Western's School of Kinesiology. In his work, Alan asks some challenging questions about sports. Is it fair for games to end in a tie? How do we decide who can or can't play a sport? Sports play a huge role in our lives, but these questions aren't easy to answer. Fittingly, Alan also talks about his experience in the Olympic sport of rowing. To get in contact with Alan, find him on Twitter or LinkedIn. Recorded...2024-06-1833 minGradCastGradCast#BookCast 1 | The Idiot by Elif BatumanFor our first #BookCast recording, hosts Scott Walters, Amalie Hutchinson, Mark Ambrogio, Garth Casbourn, and Meghan Voll discuss The Idiot by Elif Batuman. Join our book club for a discussion about writing style, dissociation with the world around you, and how we can all relate to being a bit of an idiot.  Note: no spoilers, so if you've read the book already or haven't yet, you'll be able to enjoy this podcast. Recorded on April 9, 2024 Produced by Amalie Hutchinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Ho...2024-04-2549 minGradCastGradCast#GraduatedLife 5 | Can I print this? with MA in Library and Information Sciences Matt SkidmoreFor this special #GraduatedLife episode, Meghan Voll and Garth Casbourn are joined by MLIS alumnus Matt Skidmore. Matt tells how his grad degree at Western helped him get his current job as a librarian in Mississauga, and how the things he learned during the degree and on-the-job experience prepared him for what he does now.  Recorded on February 8, 2024 Produced by Amalie Hutchinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot 2024-02-1530 minGradCastGradCast443 | Website Wonders: User Experience at Western LibrariesThis week, Meghan Voll and brand-new host Garth Casbourn interview one of our very own producers, Suzy Lee. Suzy shares her experiences in the master of library and information science (MLIS) degree program. The conversation delves into Suzy's co-op placement with the user experience and assessment librarians at Western Libraries. Recorded on November 28, 2023 Produced by Amalie Hutchinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot. 2023-12-0527 minGradCastGradCast376 | T-test: Sex Hormones and Sparrow MigrationGarth Casbourn speaks with Ariel Frame and Claire Bottini about his research on song sparrows he is doing for his PhD in Biology. Garth explains how his experiments will tell us how testosterone functions in male birds and what relevance this hormone might have for bird migration.  Recorded on May 31st 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot. 2022-06-0730 minGradCastGradCast309 | Another Look at Alzheimer's diseaseAsad Lone has nearly completed his PhD in biology. He tells Ariel Frame and Laura Munoz about the cell biology research he has done on the impact of p66Shc on cell metabolism and susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease brain pathology. Asad also discusses his interest in the ketogenic diet and post-PhD plans.  To read about Asad's work, you can find him on ResearchGate Recorded January 19, 2020 Produced by Laura Munoz Baena Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io Produced by White Hot  2021-01-3130 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: #GlobalGrads Episode III: Endearing IndiaIn the series' third episode, hosts Liam Clifford and Rhys Paterson speak to Earth Sciences Master's student Richa Agarwal about her time as a Western student. Originally from Pune, India, Richa endears her home by comparing its sights and sounds to those she has experienced in Canada. From Nova Scotia to Niagara Falls, her journey touches upon the highlights of her experiences and how nicely it complements the Western student body. If you would like to learn more about Richa's experience in Canada and her work, you can follow her on Instagram @doctorvworp19 ...2021-01-2728 minGradCastGradCast#Gradlife XI: How To Own Your Future#GradLife is back with our first episode of 2021! Starting off the year strong, we bring an episode covering a topic that a lot of graduate students ask ourselves and each other probably every other day, "what job can I get with my degree?". We are all taught to focus on specific projects and problems and we never stop to think, "Can I apply my skills in other fields? or Will my specific skill set be a hinderance when applying for jobs?". I am pleased to tell you that no matter how specified your degree is, you have a stronger...2021-01-1431 minGradCastGradCast307 | Why Do We Make The Choices We Do?On this episode, hosts Yousuf and Francesco discuss cognitive dissonance with Master’s of Psychology candidate, Mikayla Colthirst-Reid. With a background and industry experience in marketing, social media and communications, Mikayla is attempting to explore how our own self-perceptions affect our decision-making processes and behaviours. She discusses how this phenomenon could make our choices predictable to a certain extent and therefore exploitable by marketing campaigns. Mikayla is returning to school after 7 years of industry experience in both corporate and not-for-profit roles. She also continues to do freelance work as a social media strategist and consultant and hosts a podcast ded...2021-01-1327 minGradCastGradCast308 | Exploring Our Red PlanetDid you know Mars has seasons too? Different from ours, but they are there. In this episode, Ariel Frame and Elizabeth Mohler sat down with Vidhya Ganesh Rangarajan who shared his research which focuses on studying active surface processes on Mars. These include phenomena that may be driven by wind, water, frost, dust and/or seasonal atmospheric changes seen on Mars.  To find out more from Vidhya, follow him on Twitter @vidhyaganeshr93 Full video on YouTube Recorded on Jan 12, 2021 Produced by Ariel Frame Theme song provided by h...2021-01-1330 minGradCastGradCastREBROADCAST 93 | Taking the Blue Pill with Dan PerdicThis week we speak with Dan Perdic, a media studies scholar looking at the misogynist Red Pill online community. Hosts: Yimin Chen & Tristan Johnson Recorded on Nov 29, 2016 Produced by Susan Anthony 2021-01-0726 minGradCastGradCastREBROADCAST 231 | Unlock the Secrets to Becoming a Poker ProOn this episode, hosts Gavin and Greg discuss game theory with a PhD Candidate in Economics, Adam Rooney. From childhood, Adam has been an avid poker fanatic often hosting poker tournaments with his friends. When he came to university, he started with $50 in his bank account, which he used as a buy in for online poker tournaments. After winning many tournaments, he cashed out with an undergraduate degree education. Now he is in his PhD studying what he loves most, poker. And most importantly, he has many poker tips and tricks. Tune in to unlock the secrets of how...2021-01-0528 minGradCastGradCastREBROADCAST 122 | A Constellation of VoicesAndrew Hanna and Yimin Chen speak with Mary Blake Bonn about the role of voices in musical understanding, as well as her work as the president of SOGS. Recorded on June 20, 2017 Produced by Susan Anthony 2020-12-3127 minGradCastGradCastREBROADCAST 247 | Rock Hard for Hard RocksRussell Ashton has been a working man since he was 10; first running his own very successful neighborhood lawn services business, and now working as a Mechanical Engineer at a Junior Mineral Exploration Company. So why is Russel even in school doing his Masters? Tune in and listen to hosts Greg and Nik pick his brain about how to get your job to pay for your education.  Recorded Dec 3, 2019 Produced by Gregory Robinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io Produced by White Hot 2020-12-2929 minGradCastGradCast306 | A Hearty Dose of CannabisGregory Robinson enlightens hosts Ariel Frame and Nikol Posnov about his research on the impact of cannabis during development. As a soon to be MSc graduate from the physiology and pharmacology department's collaborative specialization program in developmental biology, Greg has discovered some novel effects that cannabinoids, THC and CBD, have on the developing fetal heart when ingested by the mother. They are not good for the baby's heart and Greg explains why.  To hear more about Greg and his research follow him on Twitter @GregIanRobinson or check out his supervisor's Twitter @QFeng3     Recorded December 15, 2020 Produced by Laura Munoz Ba...2020-12-2230 minGradCastGradCast305 | Scandalous American PresidenciesWith lame duck Trump and president elect Biden incoming, the world is sharply tuned in to American political scandals involving their presidency. Danielle McLennan is an MA student in history investigating various American political scandals including the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, whistleblowers and American news media in general. Ariel Frame and Yousuf listen closely as Danielle describes scandals of the past and explains how similar issues are tackled in this day and age.  Danielle can be found on Twitter @mynameisjonp1 and recommends you also follow Daniel Ellsberg on Twitter @DanielEllsberg     Recorded December 12, 2020 Produced by Laura Munoz Baena Them...2020-12-2228 minGradCastGradCast#GradLifeX Holiday Special: Winter Facts and Food Wars#GradLife is back with another winter holiday special episode! Graduate students get to use the holidays as a chance to put aside work and spend time with friends and family, eating mountains of homecooked food and catching up with stories. This year we face new challenges with COVID-19 restricting travel and making it harder to see extended family over the holidays. However, it is not all doom and gloom. Hosts Gavin Tolometti, Rhys Paterson and Nikol Posnov break open the winter holiday spirit with stories about holidays traditions, epic food wars, random and fun winter holiday facts, and learning...2020-12-211h 07GradCastGradCast304 | Post FascismThe Trump presidency was infamous for a myriad of reasons, one of them being his perpetuation of a post-fascist rationale that sought to deeply divide people. How does an ideology, sharing a namesake with the likes of Hitler and Mussolini, reincarnate into this modern form? Hosts Liam Clifford and Yousuf Hasan speak with Political Science Master's student Hunter Blue on how the forty-fifth US President adapted a twentieth-century dogma to the present day and manipulated it to suit his own nefarious ends. The discussion that follows makes harrowing connections to the atrocities of the past and raises the existential...2020-12-1630 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: #GlobalGrads Episode II: Missing MexicoIn the second episode of GradCast's international student segment, hosts Liam Clifford, Nikol Posnov, and Rhys Paterson speak to Earth Sciences Master's student Karina Martinez about her experiences at UWO. Hailing from Mexico, Karina speaks to how Canada has both benefited her growth as an academic and increased her yearning for home. A subsequent discussion on food, social outings, and tequila seeks to broaden our horizons and educate us on how the Western community is enriched by the international student community. Full video available on YouTube Recorded on Dec 6, 2020 Produced by...2020-12-0930 minGradCastGradCast303 | Nikky Stardust and the Microbes From MarsLast year, Nikol Posnov told us about all the things that she was planning to study as an Earth Science MSc student. This time, she's returned to tell us about what she actually ended up researching. What can rocks taken from Brazilian impact craters tell us about where we might find evidence of life on Mars? How likely is it that future missions will find anything living on the Red Planet? On this episode, hosts Yimin and Yousuf ask these hard-hitting questions and more: like, "what's your favourite movie alien"? The answer may surprise you! To find...2020-12-0830 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: Power & Global Heath Day 2020 Part 2 - Dr. Samuel WongIn this special episode, Dr. Samuel Wong joins hosts Liam Clifford and Francesco Colosimo to discuss his research in how COVID-19 is affecting mental health globally. As the keynote speaker at Power & Global Health Day 2020, he tells us about certain mental illnesses that the pandemic is exacerbating, particularly in populations whose mental health are being disproportionally affected by the pandemic, as well as potential interventions and strategies to improve mental health. Dr. Wong is a clinician with training in both Family Medicine and Public Health and has published over 160 original papers in international peer-reviewed journals. In addition, he serves...2020-12-0329 minGradCastGradCast302 | Domestic Abuse Against Men, an Unknown IssueXavier Borsato joins hosts Liam Clifford and Francesco Colosimo to chat about his research in domestic violence against males. He attempts to shine a light on how men can also be victims of abuse but often face several stigmas that act as barriers for seeking and attaining help. Xavier hopes that, through his research, he can help fill a gap in the literature regarding this topic.   Recorded November 24, 2020 Produced by Laura Munoz Baena Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io Produced by White Hot 2020-12-0129 minGradCastGradCast301 | The Golden InterviewJason Wozniak (MSc. Geology) joins hosts Yousuf Hasan and Elizabeth Mohler to chat about economic geology and gold mineralization. Jason's research helps companies know where exactly to look for gold. In particular, he studies old rocks to learn more about gold-movements. We also chat about COVID-19 and how it has deeply impacted Jason's research.  To find out more from Jason, check out his personal Instagram @j_woz or the the Society of Economic Geologists London Student Chapter Instagram @seg.lsc  Full video available on YouTube Recorded on Nov 19, 2020 Produced by...2020-11-2628 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: Power & Global Health Day 2020 Part 1 - Julia AlbertIn this special episode, Julia Albert sits down with Elizabeth Mohler and Ariel Frame to tell us about the capsules she produced as a part of Power & Global Health Day 2020. These capsules focus on the work faculty are doing around how inequity has been amplified for marginalized community’s during COVID-19. Julia is an undergraduate student in the School for Advanced Studies in the Arts and Humanities doing the module in scholars electives with research on how COVID-19 has affected young people. To hear more from Julia, check out the ICONOCLAST podcast she hosts. http://iconoclastuwo.com/pod...2020-11-2630 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: #GlobalGrads The Inaugural EpisodeBeing an international grad student is an incredibly rewarding adventure but one consisting of a unique set of challenges. In a brand-new series debuting on GradCast during UWO International Week, hosts Liam Clifford, Nikol Posnov, and Rhys Paterson speak with Brazilian Political Science MA Ricardo Moll about the international student experience and what we can all learn from it. As the subsequent conversation highlights the obstacles surrounding travel in a global pandemic, the sights and sound of Canada, and subpar Tim Hortons coffee, Ricardo provides insightful context on how international students provide Western's community and the country with greater vib...2020-11-1630 minGradCastGradCast300 | Health Information Exchange among CaregiversKendra Cotton (MSc. Nursing) joins hosts Yousuf Hasan and Elizabeth Mohler to chat about her research on technology and information flow among health care professions. Kendra tells us why health information exchange among professionals is important for effective patient care. She also chats about how social media is a great tool for caregivers to facilitate communication especially amid the pandemic..To learn more about Kendra and her clinical work as a registered nurse, visit here.   Recorded on November 10th, 2020 Produced by Laura Munoz Baena Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io Produced by White Hot2020-11-1527 minGradCastGradCast299 | Best Friend ElementsDo you want to know what it takes to work in the field of gold exploration in the Canadian Yukon Territory? An Arts degree, a failed calculus course, four exploration field seasons and a Masters in Geology. JUST KIDDING! It takes believing in yourself and a properly guided passion. Tune in to this week's GradCast episode with James Alexander to learn more about "best-friend" elements and minerals, instrumentation used to define gold mineralization, and if that's not for you, skip to the second half of the episode for reasons to visit the Yukon and some cheesy inspirational advice. The...2020-11-1030 minGradCastGradCast298 | Talking the Talk about Walking the WalkAs humans, we often underestimate how important bipedal movement is to our lives. And according to recent Pedorthics program graduate and Kinesiology alumnus Ashley Njeru, there is much we can do to prioritize its wellbeing. And as hosts Liam Clifford and Viki Tellios learn more about lower limb health, orthotics, and orthopaedics, it becomes clear that this is something we should be taking more seriously. The conversation that follows is one that emphasizes the challenges of treating patients in a pandemic, how a graduate degree prepares one for the workforce, and why it is important to move forward figuratively...2020-11-0429 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: How COVID-19 Has Impacted Western Research Part 3Hanna Grover and Amara Miles are both MA candidates in Occupational Therapy. They chat with hosts Yousuf Hasan, Elizabeth Mohler, and Gavin Tolometti about how COVID-19 has impacted their fieldwork over the summer. They also share with us how they have coped with these unprecedented times and found new ways to connect with people using online platforms. We talk about friendships, family, research, health activities, and much more. If you would like to learn more about Hanna and Amara's research and the Occupational Therapy program at Western, follow @western_ot and @grassro_ots on Instagram. 2020-11-0429 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: How COVID-19 Has Impacted Western Research Part 2Anna Sui (PhD Candidate in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences) chats with us about a research project that has led to the increase of smartphone use during the pandemic. She joined hosts Elizabeth Mohler and Gavin Tolometti to discuss smartphone addiction and nomophobia (fear of not having your smartphone or not being able to use it). Yoah Sui (PhD graduate in Kinesiology, soon to be a post-doctorate fellow in Behavioural Medicine Lab at the University of Victoria) also joins the hosts to talk about his post-grad journey after the pandemic. He chats about how COVID-19 impacted his post-doc scholarship and...2020-11-0428 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: How COVID-19 Has Impacted Western Research Part 1In this episode of GradCast, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Francesco Colosimo chat with Kristin Prentice (a PhD Candidate in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences researching leisure activity in older adults) and Adam Debosscher (a PhD Candidate in English Literature studying popular fantasy literature), about the various struggles they have faced as students in the COVID-19 era. Together, they enlighten us about how the pandemic has affected their research, measures they undertaken to keep their projects moving forward and personal strategies they have to stay productive. If you want to learn more about Kristin Prentice's work you can email...2020-11-0432 minGradCastGradCast297 | How to Teach a Digital Brain to Pay AttentionWhen we listen to the world around us, we can tune the brain to focus on sounds or voices. Do you remember when you were last on the train or bus and there was a certain sound that stood out to you? You could figure out what that sound was right? That is you perceiving the surrounding environment. For the human brain, this is a complex yet routine ability and is something we do not think about on how it works. Now try teaching a machine the same ability. Sounds hard right? Well, in this episode, hosts Liam Clifford...2020-10-2827 minGradCastGradCast296 | Untying the Myths Surrounding Tubal LigationIn this episode of GradCast, hosts (Elizabeth Mohler and Nikol Posnov) talk with Anna Sui (PhD Candidate in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences) about her research which looks at how women story their experiences of requesting and receiving tubal ligation (getting their tubes tied). Specifically, her research explores how various intersecting social identities (race, disability, gender, etc.) shape these experiences. We learn from Anna that this process is more difficult and complicated by myriad barriers than one might believe, especially in how medical professionals regard female patients. To learn more about Anna's research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile...2020-10-2029 minGradCastGradCast295 | A Philosopher Walks into a Science LabErlantz Etxeberria (PhD Candidate in Philosophy) chats about his research on scientific method and explanations in science with hosts (Yousuf Hasan and Liam Clifford). What is the scientific method? Should we trust science? Can philosophy inform science? Is there a clash between scientific evidence and politics? We talk about these issues with Erlantz. He also shares with us what he thinks about Richard Feynman’s quote on philosophy of science: “[it is] as useful to scientists as ornithology [the study of birds] is to birds.” To learn more about Erlantz' research, visit his Rotman profile at Western.  2020-10-1330 minGradCastGradCast294 | Managing Misinformation on COVID-19In this episode Elizabeth Mohler and Ariel Frame become informed by Francesco Colosimo on his research investigating the health information being distributed to the public on COVID-19. In his Masters of Health Information Science, Farncesco seeks to assess which information is trusted, which is correct and which channels are disseminating correct information opposed to misinformation. During a global pandemic, this information is important to get right and Francesco's research seeks to find the best way of getting there.  To hear more from Francesco, find him on Instagram @francesco.colosimo or Facebook Recorded on September 29n...2020-10-0528 minGradCastGradCast293 | Human Rights Tribunal Ontario (Special Episode)Jaclyn Siegel (PhD Candidate in Social Psychology) joins us (Yousuf Hasan and Yimin Chen) to discuss three fascinating HRTO cases involving Western University. Jaclyn has lately been fascinated by how HRTO handles applications and appeals of harassment and discrimination. As a feminist, Jaclyn provides valuable insights on related issues as well. She also discusses some of the more pernicious forms of harassment, for instance, harassment by vexatious litigation. Disclaimer: No one in this video is a lawyer and nothing described is a legal advice; the three HRTO cases narrated are from the publicly available documents below: 2020-10-0156 minGradCastGradCast292 | Destructive or Life Harbouring? Hydrothermal Systems in Impact CratersThe aftermath of a meteorite striking the surface of a planetary body leaves behind a circular depression in the ground and plumes of dust and rock. The energy left over in the crater can heat up the water that passes through the rocks, creating an environment that could have been responsible for the emergence of microbial life on Earth over 3 billion years ago. In this episode, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Rhys Paterson talk with Earth and Planetary Science M.Sc student Tabetha Shepphard about how she studies the composition of fluids trapped within minerals from the West Clearwater impact structure...2020-09-2829 minGradCastGradCast#GradLife IX: Rejection DiariesAs a graduate student, we face academic rejection in various forms. From a journal declining your manuscript, being told you were not good enough to join a research lab or postgraduate institution, to rejection from peers because of your choices in course work. In this #GradLife episode, hosts Viki Tellios, Gavin Tolometti, and Monica Molinaro open the floor to GradCast committee members Ariel Frame, Rhys Patterson, Laura Beana, Elizabeth Mohler, Danica Martina, and Liam Clifford to share their academic rejection experiences and how graduate students can learn from them and cope with rejection in their lives. To...2020-09-251h 12GradCastGradCast291 | Planting the Seed to SuccessFor university students, the question “what are you going to do after you graduate?” often proves to be the bane of their existence. This stems from not only its repetitiveness from friends and family members alike, but more so from the existential dread that it causes. They may have an idea of what they want to do, but nobody truly knows for certain what will transpire, especially in the era of COVID-19. However, fear not as PhD student Shannon McKechnie from the Faculty of Education reassures hosts Yousuf Hasan and Liam Clifford that there is in fact hope. Her focu...2020-09-2330 minGradCastGradCast290 | Use It or Lose It: Exercise for Osteoarthritis ReliefThe amazing varsity cross-country runner, Jenna Schulz, discusses medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) and the effect of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) surgical intervention on changes in loading and inflammation. "Exercise is medicine" is a common phrase used by our guest which quickly became a hot topic discussed between Jenna and hosts Viki and Nikol. This episode is packed with lots of tips and tricks that Jenna encountered during graduate school, in particular related to the MPT/PhD program, time management and how to protect your knees, all of which have overall made her experience as rewarding as possible. To...2020-09-1129 minGradCastGradCast289 | Facing FascismWhen Italian leader Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler became cozier and more acquainted with one another, Europe found itself embroiled in a new wave of fascism that would spark a second World War. But in order to understand how a country revered for its art, culture, and gastronomy would be attracted to such a reprehensible ideology, the focus needs to shift to Italy’s position vis-à-vis the British Empire within the imperial system and interwar global order. As hosts Yousuf Hasan and Liam Clifford learn from recent History MA graduate Jessi Gilchrist, Anglo-Italian relations in the 1920s and 1930s m...2020-09-0927 minGradCastGradCast288 | Fighting the Monsters Inside Us: The Search for New AntibioticsDenny Chin (PhD Student in Microbiology and Immunology) joins us (Elizabeth Mohler and Yousuf Hasan) to chat about his research on combating bacterial infections. Denny is especially interested in a particular kind of pathogen known as Staphlococcus aureus (S. aureus) since it can cause many well-known infections including skin infections, pneumonia, and sepsis. Some strains of S. aureus have become resistant to the available antibiotics. For his research, Denny is finding ways to come up with new antibiotics that can fight against the more resilient strains of the bacteria. Full video on YouTube ...2020-09-0927 minGradCastGradCast287 | Being a Qualitative Researcher: A NarrativeHosts Elizabeth Mohler and Viki Tellios welcome back fellow Gradcast host Monica Molinaro, PhD candidate in the Health Promotion stream of the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Program. Monica brings us up to date on the progress of her research regarding the caregiving stories of nurses in pediatric oncology, as well as her motivations in studying this field and how this passion developed. Also, Monica describes the importance of using narrative methodologies, and how narratives and storytelling unite all of us. If you would like to learn more about Monica's research, you can visit her website https://m...2020-09-0129 minGradCastGradCast286 | Chemotherapy and Anticipatory NauseaIndra Bishnoi (PhD Student in Neuroscience) chats about her research on Anticipatory Nausea in the context of chemotherapy. Despite chemotherapy saving millions of lives every year, Indra explains to hosts Yousuf Hasan and Liam Clifford why people sometimes discontinue the treatment and stay away from hospitals. This has to do with the nausea that is induced by chemotherapy. Patients sometimes avoid treatments since they are conditioned to feel nauseous by hospital environment due to their co-pairing of hospitals and side-effects of chemotherapy. Besides her research, Indra also talks about her role as the SOGS Sustainability Chair and what she...2020-08-2528 minGradCastGradCast285 | Heads, Shoulders, Knees and…Actually, Just ShouldersAfter having shoulder surgery, is seeing your surgeon an absolute necessity? And if it is, how can we make this process easier? Hosts Monica Molinaro and Ariel Frame are joined by Rochelle Furtado, an MPT/PhD student seeking to develop an app that makes the shoulder surgery process so much easier. Rochelle tells us what inspired the app, how the app can reduce travelling, waiting times and access to your surgeon, and how in a post-COVID world, an app like this will still be needed. Rochelle also explains how her previous expertise informed her decision to do a combined...2020-08-2229 minGradCastGradCast284 | Light Bright MiceIn this episode Tyler Dexter, PhD student in Neuroscience, speaks with Ariel Frame and Laura Baena about his research on goal directed cognition in mice. Tyler discusses how he uses touch screens and optogenetics to investigate the role of particular neurons in the brain. To find out more from Tyler follow him on Twitter @TylerDexter13 or learn about rodent touch screens at touchscreencognition.org Full Video Available on YouTube Recorded on Aug 11, 2020 Produced by Laura Baena and edited by Gavin Tolometti Theme song provided by https://freebeats...2020-08-1932 minGradCastGradCast283 | Lava-ing What I DoBesides its obvious destructive properties, lava can tell us a lot about Earth and other planetary bodies in our solar system. Changing our relationship with molten rock could have implications far beyond the confines of our solitary planet. As hosts Yousuf Hassan and Liam Clifford learn from Earth Sciences PhD Gavin Tolometti, analyzing volcanic and impact melt flows increases our understanding of surface processes on the Moon and Mars by studying lava flows in Idaho and Iceland. In addition, as Gavin concludes his PhD, he speaks to his future aspirations and why this research is important for the wider...2020-08-1129 minGradCastGradCast282 | The Rwandan GenocideIn April 1994, the small Central African country of Rwanda would begin to spiral uncontrollably into the darkest period of its short history. What ensued over the course of the next three months was a genocide supported by the incumbent regime that slaughtered an estimated 500,000-1,000,000 people. With so many murdered, how could this have happened? In a fascinating conversation with PhD candidate John Trafford from UWO’s Political Science department, it is revealed how artificial constructions of identity left to ferment can have dire consequences. Hosts Ariel Frame and Liam Clifford engage with John's discussion of the historical differences bet...2020-08-0530 minGradCastGradCast281 | Automation and CapitalismDr. James Steinhoff is a recent graduate from the Media Studies PhD program in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western University, currently a Post-Doctoral researcher at University of Washington. James enlightens Yimin Chen and Ariel Frame about his work investigating how artificial intelligence, or simply automation in general, impacts work and workers. For a deeper dive into James' insights check out his co-authored book published last year, Inhuman Power, his Academia.edu page and his recent DigiLabour talk about his upcoming book Automation and Autonomy Recorded on July 23, 2020 Produced by...2020-07-3030 minGradCastGradCast280 | Caring With a Little Help From Our FriendsIn tough times, we all need a little help from our friends. Sometimes, those tough times are when we are caring for someone with dementia, or had a stroke. Jovana Sibalija joins hosts Monica Molinaro and Sarah Klapman to discuss the necessity of social networks (not the Facebook kind) for caregiver wellness. They discuss who may be in a social network, what social support may look like, and why caregivers may not necessarily want social support. They also discuss why caregivers are an integral backbone to the health care system in Canada, and how caregivers can be better supported...2020-07-2828 minGradCastGradCast279 | Eating, Exercising and Extending Brain PlasticityOlivia Ghosh-Swaby is a PhD student in the neuroscience program conducting research with mice elucidating how poor diet reduces and exercising benefits the brain. Olivia excitedly informs hosts Nick Handfield-Jones and Ariel Frame about her growing expertise in the field of brain plasticity and her newest research findings including treatment of mice with the drug metformin. To find out more from Olivia, follow her on Twitter @ogoshhsw Full video on YouTube This episode was recorded on Tuesday, July 14th and was edited by Laura Muñoz Baena 2020-07-2028 minGradCastGradCast277 | Seeing Green: Economics and the EnvironmentHow do you turn capitalism into a force for environmental protection? Join hosts Yousuf Hasan and Sarah Klapman as they talk to Economics Ph.D. candidate Emmanuel Murray Leclair about economics, international relations, pollution havens, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and everything in between.    If you would like to contact Emmanuel and learn more about his research you can find him on Facebook and Twitter @EmmanuelMurrayL       Full video available on YouTube   Recorded on July 7th, 2020.   This episode was produced by Gavin Tolometti 2020-07-1529 minGradCastGradCast278 | Problems After Knee Surgery? There's an App for ThatHosts Monica and Greg interview P.T./Ph.D. student Morgan Jennings about her work on virtual visits for individuals post-knee surgery. Started before the COVID-19 pandemic (and before virtual visits became more popular), Morgan’s research has been focused on developing an app to identify knee wounds post-surgery and identify if someone would need to visit a physician for a follow-up appointment in order to reduce unnecessary appointments for patients. Morgan also talks about her work at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, how that work inspired her Master’s and current Ph.D. research, and what she hope...2020-07-0628 minGradCastGradCastSpecial | Racial Equity and Inclusivity at WesternMohammad Sharifi (SOGS Racial Equity and Inclusivity Commissioner) spoke about issues concerning marginalized graduate students at Western with hosts Sarah Klapman and Yousuf Hasan. Mo explained his involvement in Western’s Anti-racism Working Group. The main purpose was to gather feedback regarding racism and to develop an action plan for a more equitable environment for our community. Mo also chatted with us about the experiences that led him to become SOGS Racial Equity and Inclusivity Commissioner and why it was especially important to fight for racialized students. For more information, check out SOGS on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Disc...2020-07-0629 minGradCastGradCast276 | Disability Advocacy amid Covid-19Elizabeth Mohler is an incoming PhD student in Occupational Science and a disability advocate. She is joined by co-hosts Rhys Paterson and Yousuf Hasan. Elizabeth chatted about the unique difficulties that people with disabilities have been experiencing amid the pandemic. As someone who has vision loss, she shared with us how challenging it can be to follow basic safety protocols. We also chatted about her co-authored book on Creating a Culture of Accessibility in the Sciences (2016) and her research on making STEM more accessible. To find out more from Elizabeth check out her Twitter @mohlerc F...2020-07-0230 minGradCastGradCast275 | Microaggressions, Slurs, and Hate SpeechHeather Stewart is currently doing her PhD in Philosophy. She chats about her research on harmful speech phenomena with cohosts Yousuf Hasan and Gregory Robinson. Heather argues that the more microaggressions are inhibited and discouraged, the more equitable and free our speech becomes. To find out more about Heather, visit her website.  Full video on YouTube.  Produced by Yousuf Hasan. Recorded on June 23, 2020. 2020-06-3031 minGradCastGradCastSpecial | Western Research Forum 2020 part 2In this episode Rhys Paterson and Ariel Frame interview four students who had been selected to present at the Society of Graduate Students annual Western Research Forum for 2020 had it not been cancelled due to COVID-19: Brendon Samuels, a PhD student in biology, discusses his research and advocacy for methods of preventing birds being killed by glass buildings. For more info about saving birds check out https://birdsafe.ca/ or follow Brendon on Twitter @eyeonthefly Abby Al-Takriti, a Masters student in professional education and continuous improvement coordinator with Western Engineering, speaks about her plans to co...2020-06-251h 01GradCastGradCastSpecial | Western Research Forum 2020 part 3In this episode Sarah Klapman and Gregory Robinson interview four students who had been selected to present at the Society of Graduate Students annual Western Research Forum for 2020 had it not been cancelled due to COVID-19: Dwaipayan "DP" Sarkar (PhD Mechanical and Materials Engineering) explains the intricacies and utility of heat pipes. They're not just a metal pipe. Connect with DP on LinkedIn to learn more. Alternatively, connect with DP's research group on LinkedIn as well. John Palmer (MSc Pathology) shares with us how HIV is extremely effective in evading the human immune system by co...2020-06-2558 minGradCastGradCastSpecial | Western Research Forum 2020 part 1In this episode Yimin Chen and Yousuf Hasan interview four students who had been selected to present at the Society of Graduate Students annual Western Research Forum for 2020 had it not been cancelled due to COVID-19: Navjot Gill (MSc Physical Therapy) tells us about her investigation into how wellness of older-adults relates with health-seeking behaviours. Her findings may help better guide them to age-in-place. To find out more about Navjot find her on LinkedIn Jaclyn Siegel (PhD Social Psychology) explains the detrimental effects of body shaming and the need for having a reliable self-report instrument...2020-06-251h 02GradCastGradCast274 | Environmental Conservation, Kant, and Legal PhilosophyAttila Ataner, who is doing his PhD in Philosophy, chats about his research on the philosophical movement known as German Idealism. He discusses his ideas with hosts Ariel Frame and Yousuf Hasan and explains in what ways the 18th and 19thcentury philosophical works are relevant and helpful in legal matters today. Attila suggests that Kant’s works on duties, for example, can help provide a basis for having legally enforceable protectionist duties when it comes to the environment. It is fascinating to see how he extrapolates environmental conservation from German Idealism. More information about Attila's work can be...2020-06-2234 minGradCastGradCast273 | Birdie and the BrainIn this episode, hosts Monica and Nikol talk with PhD/PT candidate Nicole Guitar about her experience in a combined program. They discuss the reason Nicole pursued PT based on her research, how her work can inform her practice, and what a future as a PhD/PT can look like. We also discuss her previous work with Chickadees, how exercise affects executive function, and how we should all be parking at the end of the parking lot to get groceries. What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's Let's make our day harder YouTube video 2020-06-1827 minGradCastGradCast272 | Simulating Moon MaterialXiaochen Zhang is a Masters student in geology and planetary science. Xiaochen tells Nick Handfield-Jones and Ariel Frame about her research on artificial lunar regolith and why it is important to ensure it is as similar to true material from the Moon if we want to conduct experiments on Earth, which will facilitate humans inhabiting the Moon in the future. For more about Xiaochen, check out her personal YouTube channel Xiaochen to the Moon or follow her on Twitter @xchanggg and Instagram @xiaochentothemoon.  Full video available on YouTube Recorded on June 9, 2020. This ep...2020-06-1728 minGradCastGradCast271 | Do rovers make good Geologists?What's new in space this month?  What's the deal with SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft I've been hearing so much about? Is there a way for rover spacecraft on Mars to detect rocks of interest without the help of a human? Should I be worried about artificial intelligence taking over the Earth? If any of these questions have crossed your mind lately (or not), join hosts Gavin Tolometti and Nikol Posnov as they interview Alexis Pascual about his novel Space-Engineering PhD research and his opinions on popular space news.  If you want to learn more about Alexis's research and the pr...2020-06-1028 minGradCastGradCast270 | The Electrical TreesJoin hosts Nikol & Laura to hear about a topic which has rarely been explored in the context of urban environmental history, something which has gone unremarked and is often invisible in our everyday lives: telephone poles and wires. The interviewee, Michael Feagan, explains the use and status of telephone poles within cities, and how they reflected social, economic, and political value of technology in the late nineteenth-century. Michael also highlights the importance of how the poles and wires were physically constructed, and how they interacted with natural elements such as plants and the weather. Give this a listen and...2020-06-0230 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: First-Person Science with Roger HudsonIn this episode, Roger Hudson chats about his ‘First-Person Science Communication’ project with hosts Yousuf Hasan and Nick Handfield-Jones. FPS Communications is a fast-growing podcast and YouTube channel whose aim is to improve science communication in a publicly accessible way. FPS does so by encouraging collaboration and conversations between scientists and the public. Authors of recently-published manuscripts join in and discuss their research. What makes FPS Communication effective in its outreach goal is the entertaining and detailed format: visual aids, animations, selected texts are shown in-sync with the discussion. This makes FPS helpful for communicating to the public complex idea...2020-06-0200 minGradCastGradCast269 | Mars Exploration, with Ice!Colonizing Mars has been a dream for planetary scientists for decades, expanding the presence of human kind in our solar system. However, for us to colonize Mars, we need to use resources available on the red planet. In this episode, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Yousuf Hasan chat with PhD candidate Shannon Hibbard from the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration about how we can search for buried ice on Mars and use it for drinking water, breathable air, and rocket fuel!  To learn more about Shannon and her research, check out her website https://www.shannonmars.com/ or...2020-05-2828 minGradCastGradCast268 | Internal colonialism: The world turned outside-inHave you ever wondered what it takes to destabilize a culture from the inside? Liam Clifford, current M.A. student in History, discusses his research on cultural genocide and internal colonialism with co-hosts Sarah Klapman and Yousuf Hasan, including the importance of language, the role of the institution, and why Russia and Ireland have a lot in common. Liam shares his knowledge of geopolitics, and draws fascinating connections between cultural marginalization and the destructive colonial structures whose echoes reverberate in the present.  To find out more about Liam, follow him on Twitter @LNJClifford F...2020-05-1928 minGradCastGradCast267 | What can't we map?Maps have helped us find our way home and discover new places around the world. When we think of maps, we picture large sheets of paper with an image of all of the continents. Nowadays, with technology advancing and the digital era approaching, maps and mapping have started to become available online, without the need for large tables to set your maps on. Ask yourself, is there a way for you to access maps digitally? Well this is the episode for you! In this episode, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Sarah Klapman talk with part-time MSc student Liz Sutherland, who w...2020-05-1227 minGradCastGradCast#GradLife VIII: I've Got Another Meeting To Go ToAfter another month in isolation, Monica, Viki, and Gavin are back with Co-Hosts Greg and Nikol to talk about their experiences with COVID-19. The hosts discuss their new habits and routines (there's a lot of running involved), their feelings on Instagram challenges, and how their grad studies (and graduations) have been affected by COVID-19 isolation measures. Plus, we discuss "Zoom Gloom", how we feel about being constantly connected, and whether Dalgona coffee is worth the hype.   Watch the episode on YouTube by clicking here    Produced by Gregory Robinson 2020-05-071h 04GradCastGradCast266 | Under Pressure: Sneaking a Peak Inside RocksThe quest for understanding the Earth’s geologic past has puzzled scientists for decades, slowly advancing based on the shreds of evidence left behind. There are clues everywhere – from fossils and remnant minerals to pollen spores of extinct plants, our planet's history can be preserved the most unlikely of places. In this episode hosts Rhys Paterson and Yousuf Hasan talk to Stephen Pilar, a grad student in the Earth Science department discussing a fairly new area of research. By studying microscopic bubbles within rocks and minerals using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), he is working on developing new ways to uncov...2020-05-0528 minGradCastGradCast265 | 50 Shades of TourismHistorical sites such as Chernobyl and Auschwitz hold a dark past, and require respect and remembrance from visiting tourists. In this decade, social media has brought upon a new type of tourism known as dark tourism, where reeducation is needed to explain to tourists why these sites must be respected and not used as social media photo spots. In this episode, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Rhys Paterson talk with MA Public History student Kaitlyn MacDonald about how she is working with the public to provide education about dark tourism in Canada and around the world. To find out more from K...2020-04-2828 minGradCastGradCast264 | Industry, Morals, and PaganismEngland - late Victorian era (1870-1910): The industrial revolution is booming (and a little dystopian). Many writers are focused on prescribing moral guidance and christian ideals, but some authors lash back against this, inspired by nature, paganism and art for the sake of art! It is a wild time in the world of literature. In this episode Hosts Nick and Connor interview English lit PhD candidate Jeff Swim, discussing writers like Robert Louis Stevenson, Samuel Butler, Richard Jefferies, and Kenneth Grahame. Together, they delve into some of the literary ideas that defined the time and how those still stay relevant t...2020-04-2229 minGradCastGradCast263 | A Journey Through Spacetime: Interstellar and Star FormationMohammad Chamma is a PhD candidate at Western’s Physics and Astronomy Department. He was interviewed by cohosts Yousuf Hasan and Gavin Tolometti about his research on early star formation. Mohammed explains how studying these early processes help us gain insight about how the stars will develop. His research can also help us know more about the galaxies that are constituted by certain types of stars. And finally, Mohammed tells us what he thinks about Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar movie and how accurate it is. To find out more about Mohammed, follow him on Twitter @hmsmohammed Pr...2020-04-1326 minGradCastGradCast262 | Web 2.0 for Tykes: Health Apps for Digital YouthDanica Facca always thought that she would go to law school after finishing her undergraduate and master's degrees in English, so how did she end up doing her PhD studies in Health and Information Sciences? It just goes to show that you never know where grad school will take you! Your hosts Yimin Chen and Ariel Frame get a lesson in digital literacy and learn about how kids and preteens are searching for and interacting with health information online.   For more information about Danica's work, go to: https://www.fims.uwo.ca/people/profiles/danica_facca.html To participate in the...2020-04-0928 minGradCastGradCast#GradLife at Home VII: Social Distancing and Productivity During COVID-19In this episode, Monica, Viki, and Gavin digitally discuss what it’s like being a grad student during the COVID19 pandemic. They discuss how their research has been affected, how they’re feeling personally, and how other graduate students are feeling during this time. Remember, if you have a conference or other presentation cancelled because of COVID19, write it on your CV. And PLEASE, stay home (if you can) and wash your hands! To learn how to cite a cancelled conference on your CV, click here Fully YouTube video available here Prod...2020-04-0954 minGradCastGradCast261 | Creating Geo-Maps: Reducing Damages from EarthquakesChristopher Boucher, who is doing an MSc. in Geophysics at Western, elaborated on his research on building maps meant to help reduce damages from earthquakes. He was co-interviewed by Nicholas Hadfield-Jones and Yousuf Hasan. Chris is especially focusing on mapping specific areas of Vancouver that are need of geological clarity in terms of us understanding what areas are more hazardous in case of an earthquake. His focus uses non-invasive tools to study and model these grounds. His research has other broader benefits as well.  Produced by Gavin Tolometti 2020-03-3028 minGradCastGradCast260 | Quest for Truth: God, Time, and the Problem of EvilTyler Journeaux, an MA candidate at Western's Philosophy Department, shares his journey for truth and how his search for God led him to pursue research in the philosophy of time, science, and mathematics. Cohosts Connor Chato and Yousuf Hasan asked him questions about philosophy and theology. Tyler expressed his preferred argument for theism: an argument from contingency especially as discussed by Copleston and Bertrand Russell in their BBC Broadcast in 1948. He also explained why he was interested in the philosophy of time in particular. And finally, Tyler provided a response to a challenging problem for theism: the problem of...2020-03-2432 minGradCastGradCast259 | Yeah Mr. White! Yeah Science!In this episode, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Gregory Robinson interview MSc student, Trent Gordon, in biomedical engineer about his research using slow dissolving polymer gels to treat osteoarthritis in the knee. Tune in to hear from Mr. Walter White himself. To learn more about Trent Gordon check out his Twitter @Flash_Gordon96 his Linkedin or the Gillies Research Group Produced by Greg Robinson, Edited by Ariel Frame 2020-03-1829 minGradCastGradCast258 | Spaghetti-Noodles and Nanopores: Motion of Long-Chained MoleculesNavid Afrasibian, an MSc. candidate at the Department of Applied Mathematics, shares his research on the motion of long-chained molecules with hosts Nick Handfield-Jones and Yousuf Hasan. Navid compares the movement of the long-chained molecules that need to go through super-tiny pores called nanopores with a spaghetti-noodle on plate that needs to somehow move through a small hole at the center of the pate. In his studies and mathematical exploration, he has made observations that would benefit DNA sequencing scientists as well. Hosts: Yousuf Hasan, Nicholas Handfield-Jones Producer: Connor Chato 2020-03-1028 minGradCastGradCastSpecial Episode: Neuroscience Research Day 2020This special episode covers 4 researchers picked fresh from the Neuroscience research day here at Western University. Join hosts Ariel Frame and Greg Robinson as they dive into the topics of what makes humans humans so good at using their hands? How does music trigger moments of lucidity in alzheimers patients? How do we fight brain cancer? and what are some of the rot causes which lead to Autism spectrum disorders? If you're interested in brains and all the wonderful things they do - tune in. Sarah Klapman   Rajkamal Mann   Sp...2020-03-0855 minGradCastGradCast257 | Peering Through the Clouds of TitanTitan is not only the largest of Saturn's moons, but conditions on its surface are also remarkably similar to those on early Earth. Unfortunately, Titan is covered in thick clouds, which limits our ability to observe this peculiar satellite. So what's an astronomer to do? Jahnavi Shah, a master's student in geophysics and planetary science, is taking advantage of the similarities between our planet and Saturn's moon by using radar data from impact caters on Earth as an analogue for those on Titan. This week, hosts Nick Handfield-Jones and Yimin Chen probe some of the mysteries of Titan and learn...2020-03-0328 minGradCastGradCast256 | Environmental sustainability: The Elephant in the RoomAlex Leonard has worked in the music industry in Montreal, flown drones around London, and followed elephants through Sri Lanka. What's next for someone who's done almost everything? Why, a Masters in Environment and Sustainability, of course! Today, hosts Connor Chato and Yimin Chen learn how to keep pesky elephants out of your crops and about the push for corporations to be more environmentally friendly. You can contact Alex through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexleonardmedia/ or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexleonardmedia/   WAGS Conference: https://anthropology.uwo.ca/graduate/WAGS/events_and_conferences.html Alex's RadioWestern Broad...2020-02-2528 minGradCastGradCast255 | Mapping Rocks Underground, But Not MagmaWhen we hear the word "map" or "mapping", we instantly think of a map of the surface. However, not all maps in geography and geology mean looking for surface features or geologic formations on the surface. Sometimes they map features or formations underground. In this episode, hosts Gavin Tolometti and Ariel Frame talk with Earth Science MSc student Rhys Paterson about her work on using boreholes to locate a type of rock formation (known as the Clinton-Medina Group). Rhys explains how she uses borehole computer analysis and core logging to study the past environment of the rock formation, and...2020-02-1730 min