Shows
GradCast516 | How are your Knees? Understanding Injury-induced OsteoarthritisHosts Ryan Baxter and Maris Schneider chat with Geneva Herold, a MSc student in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. Geneva studies patients who are at high risk of developing osteoarthritis in their knees due to a previous injury, like an ACL tear. She is studying the cells in a special tissue in the joint called the synovium, which she hopes will help us better understand why some patients develop osteoarthritis and why some don’t.
Geneva discusses graduate student life, both in and out of the lab, with Ryan and Maris.
Learn more about the...
2025-08-0529 minGradCast514 | I'm an Adult Now: Supporting Young Adults With a Rare DiseaseIn this episode, hosts Ryan Baxter and Mark Ambrogio interview Dima Kassem, a PhD student in Anthropology on her research in the field of Sociocultural Anthropology. More specifically, Dima is studying the assistance provided for People Living with a Rare Disease (PLWRD). Entering the second year of her PhD, Dima is furthering her research on this subject, continuing work she did in her Master's degree. In this conversation, Ryan and Mark learn about the support networks available for PLWRD -- and where support may be lacking; especially, as youth transition into legal adulthood.
An important part of the c...
2025-07-2228 minGradCast512 | Reaching, Grasping, and Research AbroadThis week on GradCast, hosts Maris Schneider and Mark Ambrogio sit down with Linda Rosbach, a visiting research student from the University of Regensburg. Linda studies how the brain controls everyday actions, such as reaching and grasping. Her research explores whether our brains function the same way in the real world as they do in virtual reality. Tune in to learn more about her fascinating work and what it’s like to conduct research abroad in a brand-new environment.
Recorded on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Produced by Anthony Cruz and Chrishma Perera.
Theme song provided by F...
2025-07-0128 minGradCast509 | 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 minGradCast507 | Teen Spirit: Growing Up in 1950s WindsorHosts Maris Schneider and Mark Ambrogio interview Taylor Northwood, a Master's student in Public History. Taylor is interested in exploring the experience of teens in the past, particularly teens living in Windsor, Ontario, during the 1950s. Taylor shares her insights into how teens navigated a postwar world shaped by shifting cultural values, emerging youth identities, and the growing influence of American media just across the border. She uses oral histories, a method of research that focuses on the perspective of her interviewees, which offers a uniquely personal insight into the lived experiences of people from the 50s.
To...
2025-05-2728 minGradCast506 | Environmentally-Conscious MusicIn this week's episode, hosts Riya Sidhu and Ryan Baxter interview Catherine Birt, a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) candidate in Performance and Literature. Catherine is studying collaborative piano -- this, though, is just the tip of the iceberg! In addition to her interest in piano, Catherine explores the emerging interplay between climate activism and classical music. Intriguingly, Catherine points out that there has been a growing presence of environmental themes in classical music -- one example being the interplay of whale vocalizations ("whale songs") with some classical music in the late 1970s and early 80s, coinciding with the ant...
2025-05-2029 minGradCast505 | 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 minGradCast504 | The Chicken TrialsIn this week’s episode, hosts Maris Schneider and Meghan Voll interview Carly Charron, a PhD candidate in Biology, and previous GradCast host! Carly breaks the news about the dangers of eating raw chicken and eggs (say goodbye to that cookie dough batter!) as she researches how to make food safer for consumption, starting at the source – chickens. She is designing a plant-based vaccine to administer to chickens to induce immunity against Salmonella. Carly has just finished her first round of chicken trials, administering her vaccine to a group of chickens who will be studied in various ways to test th...
2025-05-0630 minGradCastChairs Chat 2This follows up on a previous “Chairs Chat” from March 2021 Special Episode: Chairs Chat | GradCast, which commemorated 500 episodes. This “Chairs Chat” commemorates another milestone; namely, over 600 episodes, with specials, and hitting 500 regular episodes, wherein we interview individual graduate students about their research.
In this episode, Amalie Hutchinson, Anthony Cruz, and Mark Ambrogio chat in the Radio Western studio, while Ariel Frame joins from Sheffield, England via Zoom. Together, they share fond memories of GradCast and discuss some of the history of the radio show and podcast.
Recorded on Friday, April 25, 2025
Produced by Amalie Hu...
2025-05-0129 minGradCastSpecial Episode: 39th Annual Western Research ForumGradCast heads to the Western Research Forum! Get a glimpse into Western's largest multidisciplinary graduate research conference as hosts Liam Clifford, Mohammad Zeraati, Riya Sidhu, & Mark Ambrogio conduct short interviews with attendees, presenters, and organizers. This year's conference featured over 60 different presentations from across Western's 11 faculties. See below for interview questions and timestamps.
Funding for the 39th Annual Western Research Forum was provided by Western's Society of Graduate Students (SOGS), Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, and the Academic Joint Fund, a partnership among Western Research, SOGS, and Western's School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS).
2025-04-2424 minGradCast502 | You'd Better Be Done!In his fourth time with us, Alex Mayhew joins his fellow office-mates in Western's Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS), hosts Mark Ambrogio and Meghan Voll, as he rapidly approaches the finish line. By the time this episode airs, Alex may officially have his PhD in Library and Information Science! Alex discusses what is involved in the final weeks of one's PhD, such as his forthcoming public lecture. He also shares the experience of receiving feedback from his students (in the Master of Library and Information Sciences program) to some of his ideas around Aging Justice. And how...
2025-04-2229 minGradCast499 | Third Time's a Charm: Exploring Representations of, and Attitudes Towards, SnakesAnd yes, he's back! Liam Clifford and Mark Ambrogio are joined, for the third time, by William Laur, a PhD candidate at Western in Biology, as he shares how he is making good progress on his doctoral research.
William discusses his research on snakes; more specifically, he is interested in the human reaction towards snakes, which he studies by looking at both the scientific literature and social media posts. Topics discussed include threat perception, human-animal conflict, and the importance of ecological diversity. Snakes are not as dangerous as commonly perceived; indeed, it is possible, as William discusses, for...
2025-04-0129 minGradCast497 | Am I Pronouncing This Correctly? Reading, Context, and Word RecognitionIn this week's episode, hosts Liam Clifford and Bruno Mesquita interview Niki Sinha (they/them), a PhD candidate in Neuroscience. Niki's research delves into the processes by which, when we read, we connect letters with sound and words with meanings. As an example, the word "lead" has a very different meaning (and a very different pronunciation!) in the context of "lead singer," as opposed to "lead pipe."
These cognitive processes are so quick as to almost appear automatic. In this interview, we learn, from Niki, that making connections between visual information and language isn't something that our br...
2025-03-1129 minGradCast495 | Algorithms, Hate Engagement, and the Digital DivideHosts Mark Ambrogio and Meghan Voll welcome Alanna Acchione, a PhD student in Media Studies at Western University, to discuss her research on data harms and the role of algorithms in curating hate engagement on social media. Alanna explores how platforms intentionally foster ideological clashes by amplifying content that triggers emotional responses, ultimately driving user engagement and platform profitability.
Drawing from Wendy Chun’s "Discriminating Data", Alanna explains how users are categorized into marketable groups, often pushed into ideological echo chambers that reinforce extreme narratives. She shares how these algorithmic structures fuel anti-feminist and anti-minority rhetoric, shaping on...
2025-03-0429 minGradCast494 | Advancing Ultrasound Imaging: Speed, Accuracy, and Biomedical Innovation
Hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter welcome back Kian Esmailian, a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Western University, to discuss his research on ultrafast ultrasound imaging and Doppler applications. Kian shares his journey from Iran to Western, detailing his passion for merging engineering and medicine. He explains how ultrasound imaging plays a crucial role in diagnostics due to its affordability, safety, and real-time capabilities, making it a preferred choice over MRI and CT scans.
The conversation dives into Doppler ultrasound applications, which allow for velocity estimation in blood vessels, helping doctors detect abnormalities like c...
2025-02-2526 minGradCast491 | Politics and Media Representation of Cow ViolenceHosts Mark Ambrogio and Maris Schneider are joined by Sananda Sahoo, a Postdoctoral Associate at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies. In Sananda's PhD dissertation, her research extrapolated how mainstream English-language Indian newspapers represent Muslims in the context of cow violence. She discusses the tension between the Muslims and other communities, mainly Hindus from colonial India and contemporary settings. Now, in Sananda’s post-doctoral research, she is looking into the government's usage of AI and facial recognition technology in the public sector in India and how it impacts human behaviour and surveillance. She also shares her academic joinery an...
2025-01-2828 minGradCast490 | Theoretical to Practical, and Skills Learned Along the WayThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Liam Clifford are joined by Jessica Eblie, a student in the professional master's program in Media, Journalism, and Communications. Jessica shares her fascinating journey from a music background to journalism and communications, discussing how her experience as a musician brings valuable skills and perspectives to her work as a journalist.
Recorded on January 14, 2025.
Produced by Bruno Mesquita.
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).
2025-01-2128 minGradCast489 | Journalism during Nigerian Political CrisisThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Scott Walters are joined by Aloa Alota, a PhD Candidate in Western's Faculty of Information and Media Studies. His research focuses on political journalism in Nigeria following the June 12 Crisis, the annulment of a presidential election that plunged the country into a political turmoil. Listen to learn about the guerilla journalism that ensued while Nigeria worked its way back to Democracy.
Recorded on January 7, 2025.
Produced by Scott Walters.
Edited by Anthony Cruz.
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).
2025-01-1428 minGradCast488 | #InspiringMinds 2: Joeana Cambranis, Improving Biomedical Procedures with Virtual ToolsThis week, we engage in the second 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.
Hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter converse with Joeana Cambranis, who is pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Engineering. Joeana's research focuses on developing augmented and virtual reality tools to help surgeons practice and improve procedures related to the treatment of liver cancer. She...
2024-12-1728 minGradCast487 | Snakes 2: Electric BoogalooHosts Mark Ambrogio and Liam Clifford are re-joined by William Laur, PhD Candidate in the Biology Department. His research focuses on exploring representations of and attitudes towards snakes in online media, through an ethnozoological approach. He was previously in the GradCast studio over the summer (Episode 470). This time around, William completed his written scoping review and qualitative analysis of the snake and bear-specific scientific literature. William chats about human perspectives and attitudes towards snakes and bears, the theological perspectives, how snakes are charismatic and the importance of snake conservation.
Recorded on December 3, 2024
Produced b...
2024-12-1030 minGradCast#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 minGradCast486 | Is That You? Hearing, Audio Perception, and Voice FamiliarityHosts kirstyn seanor and Maris Schneider interview our own Bruno Mesquita, a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Western and a member of the Cognitive Neuroscience of Communication and Hearing Lab. Topics discussed include how experience shapes our perception of auditory stimuli, voice familiarity, and speech intelligibility. For the discerning listener, they even discuss “selective hearing”!
Recorded on November 26, 2024.
Produced by Mark Ambrogio.
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).
2024-12-0328 minGradCast482 | Rethinking Urban Mobility with the 15-Minute CityHost Mark Ambrogio welcomes John Hutchenreuther, a PhD student in the Department of Geography and Environment, to discuss the transformative potential of the "15-minute city" in urban planning. John’s research envisions a shift towards walkable cities, where essential amenities are accessible within a short walk or bike ride, making cars a choice rather than a necessity. He delves into the challenges in cities like London, Ontario, and explains how North American urban development, particularly after World War II, heavily favored car infrastructure. This, he notes, often left residential neighborhoods without local stores and services, compelling residents to drive fo...
2024-11-0530 minGradCast480 | A Symphony of Music Making, Education and DisabilityThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter are joined by Lauren Jarman, a Masters of Music Education Candidate in the Don Wright Faculty of Music. Her research is focused on the impact of policy, globalization and neoliberalism and how it affects students with disabilities through a windband pedagogy. Lauren explores how AI and technology enable learning for musicians and how it can improve student and teacher experience. She also talks about her involvement in student government and her own experiences with disability as a student.
Recorded on October 15, 2024
Produced by Maria Khan
2024-10-2228 minGradCast478| China's Rap Evolution: From Underground to MainstreamHosts Mark Ambrogio and Meghan Voll are joined by Shengpei (Leslie) Li, a Ph.D. student in Media Studies. Leslie discusses his research on rap music in China and the politics surrounding it.
Recorded on October 1, 2024.
Produced by Riya Sidhu
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).
2024-10-0826 minGradCast477 | Music, Memory & Media (Libby’s version)Hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter are joined by Elisabeth (Libby) Roberts, a Ph.D. candidate in the music cognition specialization at the University of Western Ontario, Don Wright Faculty of Music. Libby discusses her research in music-evoked autobiographical memory and how she combines methods from behavioural sciences, sociology, and music theory. She discusses how social media, a space of interaction, memory, and, importantly, hearing and playing music, influences the way we remember popular music.
Check out Libby’s research, composition and performances here!
Recorded on September 24, 2024.
Produced by Maria Khan
...
2024-10-0129 minGradCast474 | 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 minGradCast#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 02GradCast#GradLifeXXI | Right Place, Right Thai-mThis week, join hosts Ryan Baxter, Mark Ambrogio, and Anthony Cruz as they discuss graduate student life at Western. Topics include Summer travel, musical performance, and the hosts' various research interests.
Recorded on August 27, 2024.
Produced by Anthony Cruz.
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).
2024-09-0322 minGradCast#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 01GradCast472 | The Light at the End of the TunnelJoin GradCast Hosts Meghan Voll and Mark Ambrogio as they chat with our favourite repeat guest, Alex Mayhew. This time, Alex discusses what it's like in the final few months of a PhD, from wrapping up to writing to deciding when to defend, there IS light at the end of the tunnel.
Recorded on August 13, 2024
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-08-2030 minGradCast470 | Snakes on a plane: Uncoiling public perceptionsThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Liam Clifford are joined by William Laur, to talk about his PhD work on attitudes towards his favourite animal, the snake. To help inform conservation efforts, William studies the perception of snakes through analysis of social media posts, as well as articles written by scientific researchers. William also talks about how snakes have been important throughout his life and throughout history.
Recorded on July 20, 2024
Produced by Riya Sidhu
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-08-0630 minGradCast469 | Futuristic Verdicts: Lessons Learned from Science FictionThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Liam Clifford are joined by a gentleman who seems like he's done it all, Law PhD student Joel Welch. Student by day and bartender by night, in this episode Joel delves into his work examining the lessons we can learn from science fiction. He also delves into his past experience working with the RCMP and speaking at fan conventions.
Follow Joel on X (formerly known as Twitter) @Joel_Welch and on Instagram to @joelwelch.
Also, check out his podcast The SciFi Pubcast!
Joel at the...
2024-07-3029 minGradCast#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 02GradCast#GradLifeXX | Summer AdventuresWhat do graduate students get up to during the summer? Tune in to hear what Amalie Hutchinson, Meghan Voll, and Mark Ambrogio have planned this summer.
Recorded on July 2, 2024
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot)
2024-07-0930 minGradCast466 | It's A Bird, It's a Plane, It's a Medical Delivery Drone!This week, hosts Anthony Cruz and Mark Ambrogio are joined by Brianne O'Sullivan, a PhD Candidate in Health Information Science. Brianne's doctoral research focuses on medical delivery drones, which deliver essential healthcare supplies to people in hard-to-reach places. Could drones play a vital role in healthcare in the future? In addition to her doctoral research, Brianne is a policy analyst on Canada's World Health Organization team at the Public Health Agency of Canada. Brianne is also passionate about STEM education! Listen to learn all about her work.
Recorded on June 25, 2024.
Produced by Anthony...
2024-07-0228 minGradCast464 | 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 minGradCast463 | "I'm in my Graduate Era": Transitioning from Undergraduate To Graduate SchoolIn this very special episode, Meghan Voll and Mark Ambrogio interview soon-to-be Master of Media Studies graduate student Janelle Allan. In this episode, Janelle asks our hosts her burning question about all things grad school, from getting a teaching assistantship, to managing new academic workloads. If you're entering a graduate program, you'll want to tune into this episode!
To follow Janelle on this new journey, follow her on Linkedin!
Recorded on June 4, 2024
Produced by Suzy Lee
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-06-1128 minGradCast462 | A Study of Nostalgia as an Act of NostalgiaThis week, GradCast welcomes Ameena Abid back to the interview table to follow up on her independent study project within her Master's of Social Work. Join hosts Mark Ambrogio and Anthony Cruz in their discussion with Ameena into her own family history - an autoethnography - and explore topics of nostalgia, the connection between grandparents and grandchildren, and how a story that seems like an outlier case may well comprise a whole story on its own.
To get in contact with Ameena, check out her Linkedin
Recorded on May 28, 2024
Produced by...
2024-06-0429 minGradCast461 | Pulling an Architect out of HistoryThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter interview Benjamin Vazquez, a student at Huron here at Western working on a master of arts in theology. They chat about the work of Gordon Lloyd, a local architect who lived and worked in the late 19th century. Benjamin follows Lloyd's career and spends, in his words, altogether too much time in old churches - but he loves it!
Recorded on May 21, 2024
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).
2024-05-2829 minGradCast459 | Look at all that Information: Examining Ontologies and Knowledge Translation across DomainsThis week hosts Mark Ambrogio and Liam Clifford are joined by John Kausch, a PhD student in Information Science studying knowledge organization systems and ways to translate knowledge. This episode delves into what an ontology is, John's work on creating a formal model for knowledge translation and wider applications of information science research in other domains.
To learn more about John, check out his Twitter page @kausch and Observable Portfolio.
Recorded on May 7, 2024
Produced by Maria Khan
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-05-1430 minGradCast458 | Musical Clarity: Music, Emotions, and MemoryThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter are joined by Caitlin Fitzpatrick, a Masters of Neuroscience student who is interested in examining the emotional effects of music on older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Tune in to this week's episode for discussions on the two sides of emotion in relation to music, as well as the grander applications of this research.
To learn more about Caitlin and her work, check out her LinkedIn page!
Recorded on April 30, 2024
Produced by Suzy Lee
Theme song provided by h...
2024-05-0729 minGradCast#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 minGradCast456 | Shelf Care: A Tale of Book Preservation, Library Accessibility, and More!This week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Liam Clifford interview MLIS student Aleesa Prendergast. Aleesa shares about some exciting projects she's done for her coursework, including investigating old tomes of fairytales and determining how libraries can be made more accessible for all.
Recorded on April 9, 2024
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-04-1627 minGradCast452 | Infinity Error 404: Density Not FoundThis week, GradCast hosts Meghan Voll and Mark Ambrogio are joined by Farshid Soltani, a PhD candidate in physics studying all about the nature of black holes. If you were ever curious about the science of black holes, the value of both classical and quantum physics, or wanted to know about the mysterious "white hole", tune in to this week's episode!
Recorded on March 12, 2024
Produced by Suzy Lee
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-03-1929 minGradCast#JarringGradLife: Cats vs Dogs, Time Travel, and Extracurricular ExtraordinaireToday's episode is a merger of two of our beloved mini-series #JarringQuestions and #GradLife. Join co-hosts Meghan Voll, Mark Ambrogio, and Suzy Lee in this mashup as they talk all about extracurriculars, places (and time periods) they'd love to travel to, and the eternal debate: cats or dogs?
Recorded on February 6, 2024
Produced by Suzy Lee
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot
2024-02-1332 minGradCast447 | Heritage of Hesed: The Hebrew Book of Ruth in Art, Plays, and PoetryThis week, join hosts Mark Ambrogio and Meghan Voll as they interview Luigi De Angelis Soriano about his recent dissertation exploring the Hebrew book of Ruth and the concept of Hesed, "a Hebrew term that is often translated as loving kindness and connotes loyalty, love, and extraordinary commitment", in the context of Spanish plays, European art, and Latin American poetry. We hear about the interesting story of Ruth, its importance to both Hebrew and Christian traditions, and how it has influenced artistic expression in various forms.
Recorded on January 23, 2024
Produced by Scott Walters
2024-01-3029 minGradCast445 | Pianos & Pedagogy: a journey into the Doctor of Musical Arts programOne of GradCast's own, host Ryan Baxter, is interviewed about his studies as a doctoral student in the Doctor of Musical Arts program at the Don Wright Faculty of Music. Ryan chats with us about his program, the balance between research and musical practice, and performing both on campus and in the community. We also discuss Ryan’s diverse passions, including education, distance learning, and truth and reconciliation with the Memegwaanh Indigenous Learning Honour program here at Western. Join hosts Mark Ambrogio and Amalie Hutchinson for this week’s special and insightful episode.
UWO Faculty of Music Even...
2023-12-1929 minGradCastThe Scoop on SOGS 4 | CouncilIn our last episode from the special miniseries "The Scoop on SOGS", GradCast host Mark Ambrogio speaks with two other SOGS councilors, Kayla Davies and Evan Sauve. They chat about how council functions for SOGS, how they found their way to their roles and what they enjoy most about them.
To learn more about SOGS council, visit their webpage https://sogs.ca/council/
To follow Kayla's academic journey, you can find her on LinkedIn, and to follow some cool economic tweets, follow Evan on Twitter/X @econ_ev
Recorded on November 29, 2023
2023-12-0728 minGradCast441 | From Books to Bits: Decoding AI’s FutureThis week GradCast hosts Meghan Voll and Mark Ambrogio are once again joined by Alex Mayhew, a Library and Information Science instructor and PhD candidate. As a man of many interests, Alex briefly describes his thesis - the creation of a new cataloguing system called Phylomemetics - before delving into the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it's going to interact with society.
Tune in this week for discussion of TV Tropes, scary phone calls, and why we should treat AI proactively like we do climate change.
Click here to listen to Alex's previous...
2023-11-2129 minGradCast440 | Sing me a Poem: Seventh Century SpartaThis is Sparta…and it’s not at all abs and Gerard Butler. In this episode, Meghan Voll and Mark Ambrogio interview Stephanie Dennie, PhD student and instructor at Western’s department of Classical Studies. Stephanie debunks common misunderstandings about Sparta, and discusses her research examining the lyrical poem Eunomia, and obstacles to finding resources depicting authentic accounts of the Greek city-state.
See Stephanie’s faculty page if you'd like to get into contact with her.
Recorded on November 7, 2023
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White...
2023-11-1430 minGradCast437 | Full House, Family, and Feeling NostalgiaThis week, hosts Meghan Voll and Mark Ambrogio interview Ameena Abid, our first guest from King’s College’s Master of Social Work program. Ameena tells us about her research on Second-Generation Immigrants and the identity conflicts these individuals feel existing “between” cultures. Framing the longing and pain of wanting to belong in the context of nostalgia, we delve into deep discussions about the nature of identity, and the core ideas about Canadian culture.
Learn more about Ameena’s research through her LinkedIn and email at aabid22@uwo.ca
Recorded on October 17, 2023
Produced...
2023-10-2429 minGradCast436 | Past in the Present: Nazi Trials in Novels, Films, and PlaysThis week, Amalie Hutchinson and Mark Ambrogio sit down with PhD candidate Pascal Michelberger. Studying comparative literature, Pascal tells us about his research into recently published fictional accounts of Nazi trials in West Germany during the 50s and 60s. We chat about transitional justice, how complex legal themes are translated into fiction, and what they teach us about the past and present.
Recorded on October 10, 2023
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.
2023-10-1727 minGradCast434 | Keep Calm and Carry On? More Like ”Oh My Gosh, Freak Out!”This week, hosts Anum Anjum and Mark Ambrogio are joined by master's student Kristen Jeanveau to discuss their work examining the stories of the London Underground Subway shelters during World War II through the eyes of shelter-specific newletters. Tune in for discussions of unreliable narrators, the power of communities, and the struggles of accessing primary sources.
Find Kristin on Twitter and Bluesky @KristinJeanveau or you can contact them at kbarry@uwo.ca
Recorded on September 19, 2023.
Produced by Suzy Lee.
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced b...
2023-09-2629 minGradCast429 | Libraries and Racial InequityIn this week's episode, Mark Ambrogio and Anum Anjum are joined by Amber Matthews too discuss her work and research working with Black youth in Canada to better understand their experiences with public libraries and how they perceive them. Amber identifies aspects of libraries that act as structural barriers and speaks on how representation and inclusion seen in community-based programs can inform the Canadian public library system.
Check out more of Amber's research at her website.
Recorded on August 22, 2023
Produced by Scott Walters
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.i...
2023-08-2928 minGradCast427 | Sports, Storytelling, and the Deaf CommunityThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Brittany Melton interview kinesiology PhD candidate Thomas Irish. Thomas works from his own experiences to examine the sociocultural impacts of sports on the Deaf community. He also describes his path to Western, the impact sports have had on him, and how he uses storytelling to get his voice out into the world.
Follow this link to learn more about Thomas, keep up with his blog, or listen to his podcast.
To read a transcription of this episode, please find a pdf at this link (thanks to Mark Ambrogio for tra...
2023-08-1529 minGradCast426 | Library LoversGradCast is joined by Arathy Sivasubramaniam, a master's student in the library and information sciences program. Hosts Mark Ambrogio and Amalie Hutchinson learn about all things library: community, programming, online resources and more.
Recorded on July 31, 2023
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.
2023-08-1029 minGradCast424 | Leaking Live, Way Back WhenThis week, hosts Mark Ambrogio and Amalie Hutchinson are joined by Sierra LeBlanc, a master's student in the FIMS department. Sierra studies the Iraq war in the context of unsensored media sharing platforms, and tells us how live footage shapes the perception of war and how the Way Back Machine can help probe the internet through time.
Recorded on July 27, 2023
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.
2023-08-0328 minGradCast#GradLifeXIX - Shelves, Catalogues, and Stacks: the role of libraries in our livesJoin the GradCast team in another episode of #GradLife were we discuss the realities, joys, and pitfalls of academic life here at Western. In this episode, hosts Scott Walters, Mark Ambrogio, and new team member, Ryan Baxter, chat about libraries. More than only a repository for books, they inspire and provide resources beyond what is often recognized and we discuss their role in academia and elsewhere. The fantastic library system here at Western is highlighted, and Ryan issues a challenge to the hosts and listeners on how to better take advantage of this asset.
Recorded o...
2023-08-0123 minGradCast423 | To Vee or Not to Vee: Phonology and PhoneticsThis week, GradCast hosts Mark Ambrogio and Anum Anjum are joined by an MA student in linguistics: Jillian Warman. Jill studies the letter "v" in Russian and uses sound to tell us all about sound: vibrations in the mouth, frictious letters, accents, learning a new language, and more.
To learn more about Jill's research, you can find her linkedin page, or send her an email at jwarman2@uwo.ca
Recorded on July 4, 2023
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.
2023-07-1127 minGradCastSpecial Episode: 5 Second Interviews at Science RendezvousIn this special episode, GradCast heads out into the field - literally! Hosts Amalie Hutchinson, Scott Walters, Jordan Vanderburgt, Carly Charron, Brittany Melton, and Mark Ambrogio do 5-second interviews with kids attending Science Rendezvous. They share what they want to be when they grow up, what the like most about science, and their favourite class at school.
Recorded on May 13, 2023
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
2023-05-2625 minGradCast417 | Noncoding DNA: Unraveling Hidden Biological FunctionsThis week, hosts Facundo Lodol and Mark Ambrogio interview Biology PhD candidate Matheus Sanita Lima. Matheus talks about how noncoding DNA might have important biological functions. He studies noncoding DNA segments in the genomes of mitocondria and chloroplasts.
To find out more about Matheus' research, check out his lab's website here.
Recorded on May 16, 2023
Produced by Jordan VanderBurgt
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.
2023-05-2328 minGradCast415 | Next Stop: Station Science FictionThis week, hosts Meghan Voll and Amalie Hutchinson interview Library and Information Sciences Ph.D. Candidate Mark Ambrogio. Analyzing Station Eleven, Mark discusses his research in readership typologies, who defines genre, and how science fiction can be thought of as an event, rather than static writing tradition. Listen to the end for some bonus SF book recommendations from Mark.
To find out more about Mark’s research visit his student profile at this link
Recorded on May 2, 2023
Produced by Amalie Hutchinson
Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by...
2023-05-0929 minGradCast#Gradlife XII: Finding and Preparing for Careers in a Pandemic WorldSearching for jobs and networking with potential employers has always been a scary and intimidating process, and the COVID-19 pandemic has not made it any easier. As graduate students mark down the days towards the end of their degree, they begin to ask themselves, "How do I know I can stand-out in an interview over Zoom?", "How can I network with people if I cannot attend conferences in person?", and "Are their services on campus that can help me improve my résumé and CV?". These are questions that #GradLife what answered as well, and host Gavin Tolometti has re...
2021-03-2929 minGradCast289 | 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 minGradCast288 | 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 minGradCast287 | 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 minGradCast286 | 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 minGradCast285 | 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 minGradCast284 | 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 minGradCast283 | 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 minGradCast282 | 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 minGradCast281 | 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 minGradCast280 | 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 minGradCast279 | 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 minGradCast277 | 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 minGradCast278 | 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 minGradCastSpecial | 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 minGradCast276 | 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 minGradCast275 | 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 minGradCastSpecial | 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 01GradCastSpecial | 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 02GradCastSpecial | 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 minGradCast274 | 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 minGradCast273 | 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 minGradCast272 | 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 minGradCast271 | 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 minGradCast270 | 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 minGradCastSpecial 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 minGradCast269 | 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 minGradCast268 | 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 minGradCast267 | 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 minGradCast#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 04GradCast266 | 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 minGradCast265 | 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 minGradCast264 | 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 minGradCast263 | 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 minGradCast262 | 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 minGradCast114 | Class and Teeth with Mark GeraThis week we meet with Mark Gera. From the public health program, he discusses with us the relationship between distance from a dentist office, and oral health.
Hosts: Tristan Johnson & Alex Moszczynski
Producer: Susan Anthony
2017-05-0327 minGradCast48 | Interviewpunk with Mark FilipowichThis week we talk to Mark Filipowich and his research into cyberpunk and steampunk literature. He looks into how these sub-genres of science fiction reflect ideas about our relationship with machines.
Mark's blog: bigtallwords
Mark's twitter: @thecybersteam
and Critical Distance, a thing he does some curating, editing, etc. for.
Host: Yimin Chen and Taniya Nagpal
2016-02-1022 min