Shows
Happenus with Shawn HungMapping the Invisible: How Systems Thinking Can Transform Mental Healthcare (w/ Dr. Hossein Hosseini)Dr. Hossein Hosseini is a systems modeling research fellow at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre, specializing in mental health policy analysis through system dynamics modeling. With a PhD in socio-economic systems engineering, he builds simulation models that reveal hidden connections in complex systems to guide decision-makers beyond immediate concerns and visualize the hidden connections in the complex systems we all inhabit.We begin with what it means to be a system modeler, the gap between growing mental health awareness and actual access to care, and how the Brain and Mind Centre's "Right Care, First...
2025-04-0253 min
Happenus with Shawn HungVedic Astrologer Abhigya Anand on Cosmic Revelations and Inner AwakeningsAt 13, Anand founded what became a leading center for astrological research in India, Praajina Jyotisha Institute. His prediction of the 2020 pandemic captured global attention, with his YouTube channel drawing over 90M views, reigniting global interest in Vedic wisdom. Through ancient scriptures and spiritual philosophy, his work reveals how planetary alignments mirror the rhythms of collective transformation.Our conversation begins by exploring the foundations of Vedic astrology – how celestial patterns speak through timeless scriptures, our individual Karma and capacity for doing good, and our relationship with a world that games our attention and narrows the space for doubt an...
2025-02-231h 02
Happenus with Shawn HungDr. Jane Goodall – Meaning, Love, and Hope in Life's Final MysteryThe year-end special: A distillation of lessons and reflections with Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace. At 90, one of the most recognized living scientists in the world reminds us that there's wonder waiting on the other side of our deepest anxieties – and that true hope isn't about having all the answers, but about staying curious and open to life's unfolding story.We die, in turn, so that others may live. When all the talking is talked, and the doing is done, the tragedy of a si...
2024-12-3114 min
Happenus with Shawn HungMicrosoft Research Lead Glen Weyl on Designing Technology for a Pluralistic World & Fortifying Democratic Co-CreationPolitical economist and social technologist E. Glen Weyl is the Founder and Research Lead of Microsoft Research Special Projects’ Plural Technology Collaboratory, where he focuses on using ideas from political economy to develop social technology – algorithmic designs for social institutions. He is also the Founder of RadicalxChange Foundation, Founder and Chair of the Plurality Institute, and the co-author of “Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society.." WIRED profiled him as one of 25 leaders shaping the next 25 years of technology and Bloomberg Businessweek as one of the 50 most influential people of 2018. His latest...
2024-12-0651 min
Happenus with Shawn HungNeuropolitical Scientist Dr. Liya Yu on Why We Dehumanize, the Battle Over Cognitive Reality, Nietzsche, and a New Social Contract for the 21st CenturyNeuropolitical scientist, writer, and artist Dr. Liya Yu is as unique as her expertise. Born in Hunan, China, and raised in Germany, her story is one of bridging cultures from an early age. She was trained in political science, specializing in political philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and completed an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in political neuroscience at Columbia University, focusing on racial exclusion and dehumanization. Currently, she's a visiting researcher at the Institute of Medical Psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich and the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University.
Dr. Yu's expertise ex...
2024-10-031h 16
Happenus with Shawn HungDirector Pat Boonnitipat Shares the Bittersweet Symphony in ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’Thai television and film director Pat Boonnitipat’s directorial debut feature film, "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies," is Thailand's biggest movie of 2024 and has been making waves during its theatrical run in Southeast Asia. A New York Times article titled “Why Southeast Asia is Crying Over This Movie” even reported on the trend that united audiences to document their reaction before and after seeing the movie due to its strong emotional impact.
The Thai drama is a soul-stirring tale of family dynamics and the unspoken secrets they keep. M, an aspiring game caster...
2024-09-1542 min
Happenus with Shawn HungNational Geographic Explorer Gab Mejia: Indigenous Sacredness and The Burden of Truly Loving Our FragmentationBorn and raised in the Philippine archipelago, Filipino photographer Gab Mejia is a National Geographic Explorer and a Board of Trustee for the World Wide Fund For Nature Philippines.
Mejia's work in visual storytelling and ecology through multidisciplinary art forms bridges ancient mystical wisdom to modern confusions and longings. His art unveils the intricate threads of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and cultural interconnections, prompting us to confront our socio-political and ecological challenges.
The first half of this conversation covers Mejia's latest short film, BARADIYA, which examines the declining ecological...
2024-08-2942 min
Happenus with Shawn HungKelly Kok: Dr. Jane Goodall’s Wisdom, Reimagining the Future of Environmentalism, and Finding a Sense of Awe in Times of Wonder DeficiencyThis week, I sat down with Kelly Kok, Executive Director of the Jane Goodall Institute Taiwan and the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy.
Kelly has worked at the Jane Goodall Institute Taiwan since 1998, and her primary focus has been growing Dr. Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Program in Taiwan, empowering individuals with action in environmental education and conservation.
At the top, we discussed why learning with children to understand how nature works is more important than ever and how the Sustainability Academy, as Asia’s first experimental school focusing on sustainability and...
2024-08-1446 min
Happenus with Shawn HungMelati Wijsen: Cultivating High Agency Traits, Youth-washing at Climate Conferences, and Why Welcoming Change is Always PossibleWorld-renowned change-maker from Bali, Indonesia, Melati Wijsen has dedicated half of her life to creating a positive impact in her community. Since founding Bye Bye Plastic Bags at the age of twelve with her sister Isabel, Melati has developed a passion for environmental education and policy change. She has been honored by TIME as part of the annual list of most influential teens in the world, by CNN Heroes, and by Forbes 30 under 30.
Discover why inner growth precedes outward impact, how embracing the multifaceted nature of change fuels collective action, and a raw look at the hope a...
2024-07-0839 min
Happenus with Shawn HungWelcome to HappenusHappenus is a series of intimate and in-depth conversations with people from all walks of life, bridging personal narratives with the emerging societal and environmental happenings we collectively share.
Created & Hosted by Shawn Hung.
Follow and subscribe: linktr.ee/happenuspod
For questions, comments, or to join the mailing list, reach me at shawn@happenuspod.com.
2024-07-0101 min