Shows
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 221: Examining plasmonic properties in semiconductors with Milenka AndelicFree electrons are responsible for a metal's conductive properties. When light hits these free electrons, they collectively oscillate to create a 'surface plasmon'. Surface plasmons can harvest and focus light on the nanoscale, allowing for an enhancement of light-matter interactions. Milenka, a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is investigating plasmonic properties in semiconductors and how the addition of certain elements to semiconductors can optimize their plasmonic properties. Tune in to learn more about Milenka's research, her research goals, and her favourite bike trail in Hamilton!
2022-03-1026 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 2.6: Joe Muise is changing student's ideas about physics (and attending CUPC 2021)Joe Muise is a physics teacher at St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby, BC, a CAP, NSTA, Vernier & Prime Minister’s Award Winner, and Step Up Ambassador. On this week's episode, Adam talks to Joe about teaching physics, changing the way students think of a physics education (interested in finance or medicine? You might like physics), and the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference panel he was a part of. Follow Joe on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/jm_muise Check out the Step Up physics program: https://engage.aps.org/stepup/home Students on the Be...
2021-12-0930 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 214: Understanding sex differences in the adaptive response to exercise with Mai WagehHistorically, people with menstrual cycles have been excluded from scientific studies due to concerns about how hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may affect research findings. This exclusion and underrepresentation in the health literature have significant implications as research suggests that there are important sex differences in health and wellness, including response to exercise. When our muscle cells are exposed to exercise, it causes micro tears which stimulates muscle cells to repair and regenerate. One important player in the process of muscle cell regeneration are satellite cells which are muscle stem cells. While research has shown that there are...
2021-11-2530 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 213: Antibiotic resistance with Pallavi MukherjeeAntibiotics are compounds that fight bacterial infections by either slowing the growth of bacteria or killing them. Antibiotics generally work by inhibiting processes and pathways needed for bacterial growth and/or survival. Enzymes necessary for bacterial growth/virulence (which are absent in mammals) are promising antimicrobial targets. But, how do we know what this inhibitor should look like? Pallavi Mukherjee, a 3rd year PhD Candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, aims to answer this question with her research! Tune in to learn more about what the transition state of a reaction is, why isolating i...
2021-11-1830 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 2.5: Food at COP26, Virgin Vultures, NASA Attacking a Meteor, Ecology in SubnauticaThis week: Jessie D takes us deeper into the abyss of Subnautica on Gamer’s Guide to Ecology Looks like yuh brought a haggis to a clahmet fight. The biggest climate conference is underway, and they want you to know how much carbon you make by eating their food Genetic testing shows California Condor produced sons… and didn’t even need a father. A couple of virgin births, if you will. The segment is so fertile for jokes, but I promise I will abstain. And finally, Watching NASA play “Armageddon” starring Bruce Willis. You aren’t gunna want to close you...
2021-11-1130 minscientificanadaBringing the bio-revolution to Canada: Towards a pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy (CSPC2021)Organized by: Genome Canada Twenty years after the Human Genome Project, genomics is delivering on its promise: a big data science that—combined with AI, gene editing and biomanufacturing—is revolutionizing our wellbeing and economies. The U.K., U.S. and others are launching genomics strategies to maximize impact for their citizens. Canada is doing the same. Budget 2021 announced $400M for a new Pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy to build on the excellence Canada has built in genomics. This session will explore what it will take to build an effective Strategy, opportunities for Canada’s continued leadership in genomics, and the...
2021-11-1115 minscientificanadaMarshalling Science, Technology and Innovation to Solve Global Problems (CSPC2021)My main takeaway from this session was that “we all want collaborations”. Many have industry-led collaborative approaches. I will say, a lot of the session felt like name-dropping different initiatives and quoting numbers which is probably useful for some, but from my perspective, a lot of that was too in-the-weeds for me. However, there were some interesting questions from the moderator and audience that I’ll highlight, and then get into some odds and ends from the session. Like Japan’s Moonshot Program, whose Step One is focused on Cybernetic Avatars…Organized by: National Research Council Canada The cl...
2021-11-1010 min
scientificanadaDeveloping holistic food policy in Canada (CSPC2021, Pre-conference sessions)In 2019 a federal budget item was announced and $134 million was set aside for what is considered the first-ever FOOD POLICY FOR CANADA. Qualitatively, income disparity and unequal access to affordable, healthful food is a fundamental problem we face. Multiple government departments play a part in ensuring Canadians have access to good food because it’s a complicated issue. But getting a bunch of separate departments to work efficiently toward an amorphous goal like this is probably pretty difficult. So, that is the argument for creating the Food Policy for Canada.The first pre-conference session at...
2021-11-0914 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 2.4: Rock towers, Funding lotteries, Ecology in SubnauticaThis week, we: Are building towers out of rocks, because the US military wants us to! Buying lottery tickets instead of writing grant proposals - it actually might be the best way to do it! And of course, Jessie is back talking ecology on Gamer’s Guide to Ecology. This week, we’re starting in on the deep sea planet of Subnautica. https://www.bu.edu/eng/2021/10/07/it-... https://www.nature.com/articles/d4158... That’s it for this episode. If you have comments or questions, find me on Twitte...
2021-11-0430 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 2.3 - Diffusive Transport (a very special type of random walk!) with Antonia KowalewskiThis week’s random walk is … going to take up the whole episode this week. We have a very special guest this week. Antonia Kowalewski is an undergraduate student studying biophysics at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby British Columbia. This week I talked to her about a summer research project on Multivalent Diffusive Transport that recently was published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry B. She will be presenting the work at the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference, but I had a chance to talk to her first. So stay tuned, we will be back with Antonia in just a sec...
2021-10-2931 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 200: How past climate change affects our present and future with Nick RandazzoSedimentary rocks are rocks which are formed from the compaction of other rocks or organic material near the Earth's surface. They can tell us information about the Earth's past environment like how much carbon dioxide was in the atmosphere, or what the sea levels were. But, how can this information from millions of years ago help us today? Nick Randazzo is a 5th year PhD Candidate in the School of Earth, Environment, and Society under the Faculty of Science, and his research aims to examine the geochemistry of sedimentary rocks from 90 million years ago to inform present-day models and...
2021-10-2123 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 2.2 - Gamer's Guide to Ecology, Sonar-Busting Moth Wings, Cosmic Rays and ElectronicsOk! This week, we are talking about risk, reward, probability, and money: If you were a moth, how would you protect yourself from predators? Researchers from Bristol have recently discovered a built-in strategy that keeps some moths safe from echolocation-based attacks. Wait, let me try that again. RESEARCHERS FIND NEW TECHNIQUE TO SURVIVE THE NIGHT. BATS HATE IT! Video games can be hard, but maybe it’s not your fault you can’t make it past the water temple. ARE COSMIC RAYS MAKING YOU LOSE AT VIDEOGAMES? Actually, the story is about someone winning big. But it could work...
2021-10-1330 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 199: Nikoo Aghaei, genomics and lung cancer brain metastasis, Project Empower CircleThis week, Sawayra talks to Nikoo Aghaei about her work developing an in vivo functional genomics screen to identify novel drivers of lung cancer brain metastasis. They also talk about Nikoo's work with Empower Circle, a group motivated by empowering and connecting individuals from all walks of life, and amplifying the voices of womxn and minorities. Want to learn more? Want to reach out to Nikoo? Nikoo’s twitter: https://twitter.com/nikoo_aghaei Project Empower Circle’s twitter: https://twitter.com/empower_circle Project Empower Circle’s website: https://www.projectempowe...
2021-09-3030 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 2.1 - Gamer's Guide to Ecology, Ig Nobels, Montreal Protocol, The Narwhal The Ig Nobel Prizes have been awarded for 2021! It’s like the Nobel prize, but with a better selection process. Just kidding, but only sort of. The world’s most successful climate-based agreement had its 30-something’th anniversary on September 16th. Let me tell you about it, will ya? A brand new climate-focused reporting outfit right here in frikkin Ontario. And I think it’s going to be a good one. It’s about time, right? And… the second episode of the Gamer’s Guide to Ecology, where Jessie deHaan dives into the fauna in Red Dead Redemption 2Find more Jessie on...
2021-09-2330 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 30: Introducing Jessie deHaan and the Gamer's Guide to Ecology #1WATCHLast week we introduced Jessie deHaan and the Gamer's Guide to Ecology. Today, Adam and Jessie talk about grad school, ecology, gaming, and why those things go together so well. We conclude with the very first episode of the Gamer's Guide to Ecology, where Jessie introduces the world of Red Dead Redemption 2.Find more Jessie on Twitter and Twitch, and be sure to add the Gamer's Guide to your favorite podcasting app!
2021-09-0930 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 198 (Aug. 5/21): Examining the role of sleep and exercise on cardiovascular health with Josh CherubiniSleep deprivation is associated with poor heart health including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and even mortality. While exercise has been shown to have positive effects on cardiovascular health, less is known how and if it can counteract some of the negative effects of sleep deprivation. Josh Cherubini, a 1st year Master's student in the Department of Kinesiology, is aiming to better understand how irregular sleeping behaviours and exercise levels interact to impact cardiovascular function. Tune in to learn more about the techniques that Josh uses in his lab, what impact he anticipates his research having, and his favourite...
2021-08-0829 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 197 (July 22/21): Blurring the lines between art and science with Kay McCallumArt and cultural heritage materials are exposed to a number of pollutants including UV light, mold growth, temperature/humidity changes, or gas pollutants that can potentially ruin the pieces over time. Fortunately, these materials remain conserved through the expertise of art conservation scientists. Kay McCallum, a 2nd year PhD student in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, is researching how art materials (i.e., acrylic paints) interact with the environment (i.e., light) to ultimately understand how to better protect and conserve cultural heritage materials. Tune in to learn about how Kay blurs the lines between art and science th...
2021-07-2330 minscientificanadaA Very Special AlmaMAC: The Caffeine Rabbit Hole at Fringe FestSawayra talks to the cast and crew of The Caffeine Rabbit Hole which is debuting at Hamilton's Fringe Fest 2021! THE CAFFEINE RABBIT HOLE Written, Produced & Directed by JOHN BANDLER Streaming July 15-25, 2021 www.hamiltonfringe.ca Box Office: https://www.tinyurl.com/CaffeineRabbit Fringe Program: http://bit.ly/HFF2021-ProgramsWeb page: http://www.bandler.com/rabbitFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaffeiner... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaffeine... STEPH CHRISTIAENS as Dara JACLYN SCOBIE as Lenik Music by EMILY WOOD
2021-07-0830 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 181: Sydney Valentino on finding a common language for effort-based exerciseHow do you relate exercise intensity from one person to another? Heart rate, perceived effort, lactic acid build up are some of the best methods because these signals increase for everyone the harder they work... right?This week Sawayra talks to Sydney Valentino who tells us how these bodily responses don't happen the same way for everyone. Especially with people who have suffered a spinal injury. How then, can intensity-based exercise be prescribed when these standard systems don't work the way we think they do?Follow Sydney on Twitter @SydValentinoFollow Sawayra on...
2021-06-1730 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 180: Jennifer Williams talks Contraception and Cardiovascular Health ResearchThis week Sawayra talks to Jennifer Williams about her research on Contraception and Cardiovascular Health. Follow Jennifer on Twitter @JennySWilliams Follow Sawayre on Twitter @Seeingaway If you like this, subscribe to the show! You can watch the interview on scientificanada.ca Thanks for watching!
2021-06-1030 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 179: Universality of Music with Konrad SwierczekWelcome back to The AlmaMAC! This week, Sawayra talks to PhD student and musician Konrad Swierczek about his research into music universality. Why do certain things sound good to us? Do they sound good to other cultures? Let's find out. Find Konrad on Twitter @KonradSwierczek ! Find Sawayra too: @seeingaway ! We are also at scientificanada.ca with additional interviews and articles. Thanks for watching!
2021-06-0230 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 178: Sawayra passed her comprehensive exam!Adam talks to Sawayra about "comps". Thoughts and feelings, tips and tricks, and different styles of exams are the focus of discussion this week. For more, head to scientificanada.ca
2021-05-2030 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 177: Dr. Chungah Kim on socio-economic indicators connected with suicideCW: Dr. Chungah Kim is an expert on socio-economic indicators connected with suicide, so some of the discussion may not be for everyone.
2021-04-1829 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 176: Unconventional career paths with MAC Cast's Lindsay D'Souza and Ian SharpeThis week I am excited to tell you about a new podcast series about university grads who took the long way around, so to speak. I'm sure many listeners are in this boat, but what the heck do you do once you graduate? Post-grad is a big unknown and if you don't have something lined up right out of school (who does, right?) what are you supposed to do? Well, this is more common than you think, and this new podcast talks to McMaster university alumni about their unconventional paths after graduating. The show is called MacCast: Unconventional, which...
2021-03-1030 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 175: Ben Davis Purcell on ATLAS, LHC, and Particle PhysicsThe Large Hadron Collider is made up of a bunch of different experiments run by different international collaborations, but it’s all happening on the 27-km loop. All of these experiments are attached to the loop, but at different locations around the loop. This requires a ton of oversight and collaboration between experiments, and to facilitate this, the collider basically needs a governing body to keep everything working smoothly. It’s almost like its own country or something, built within this 27-km loop (about 8.5 km diameter). Actually, it kind of reminds me of Vatican City in a lot of ways...
2021-03-0330 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 174: Rodrigo Narro Pérez on Earth and Environmental Sciences ResearchNOTE: 93.3 CFMU HAD TO CUT THIS ONE SHORT. THIS IS THE FULL INTERVIEW.Welcome back to the AlmaMAC! This week Sawayra interviews Rodrigo Narro Pérez. They talk research, diversity in academia, and all of the initiatives that keep Rodrigo busy.Rodrigo is a member of the Glacial Sedimentology Lab whose research looks at using glacial sedimentology and geomorphology to understand glacial hazards and the impacts of climate change on mountain environments. He was born in Perú and is lucky to call the Cordillera Blanca (located in the northern Peruvian Andes) his main field site fo...
2021-02-2438 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 173: Carmen Lee on ropes of bubbles, pottery, etc.This week Adam is back, and he's talking to his officemate, Carmen Lee. Carmen talks about some of her new projects, existing in a pandemic, the student she supervised virtually, and a smattering of other topics. You can connect with Carmen over Twitter @carmlingling . You can also watch the pod on Youtube! Check out www.scientificanada.ca for more.
2021-02-1730 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 172: Sawayra and Pritpal Matharu talk Navier-Stokes, turbulence, and MATHThe Navier-Stokes equation is like the e=mc2 for fluid dynamics. It's like the F=ma for flow. It's used to model fluids, airstreams, flow of money, and a wide variety of other things, and it's been around for a very long time... but we don't actually know how to solve it...This week, Sawayra talks to Pritpal Matharu, a graduate student in the Math department at McMaster University, who specializes in Navier-Stokes, and explains what it means to finally "solve" the equation.Thanks again to Sawayra for well, for everything. Follow her on twitter...
2021-02-1030 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 170: soon-to-be Dr.Dr. Sawayra talks about her PhD+MD programHello everyone, and welcome back to the AlmaMAC! I’m your host Adam and today we have the second part of my interview with Sawayra, the inventor and original host of the AlmaMAC. Last week we talked about why she started this radio show, and what direction we are going to take it from here. You can listen to that over on our website, scientificanada.ca . Today I’m bringing you the second half of that interview where we finally dig in and learn about the research Sawayra does. Spoiler, she is working through a dual PhD/MD program, but...
2021-02-0330 minscientificanada*ReBroadcast*The AlmaMAC 169: The Return of Sawayra Owais!We got a little out of sync with CFMU a few weeks ago, so let's get back on track. If you already heard this one, then you have no homework this week! Head outside and take a walk :)Hi hello, and welcome to the show. Today is a particularly special episode of the AlmaMAC. Actually, it’s probably the most Meta episode of the almaMAC that we’ve ever had. Today I’m joined by the inventor of the AlmaMAC, the once and future host of the AlmaMAC, Sawayra Owais! This is actually a 2-parter, since we have s...
2021-01-2730 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC #171: Human Rights-Based Policy with Rida and Sawayra (#170 next week)This week’s episode is a very special one. For one thing, it’s the triumphant return of Sawayra Owais as host of the AlmaMAC. For another, she speaks to a guest who studies some very important, very timely issues. I’d probably label them as crises really.Rida is a Masters student at McMaster university. This week Sawayra talks to her about her research which includes assessing science policy decisions from a human rights perspective.For example: stay at home restrictions and the homeless/unemployed, and child welfare affected by institutional racism.See ww...
2021-01-2030 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 169: The Return of Sawayra OwaisHi hello, and welcome to the show. Today is a particularly special episode of the AlmaMAC. Actually, it’s probably the most Meta episode of the AlmaMAC that we’ve ever had. Today I’m joined by the inventor of the AlmaMAC, the once and future host of the AlmaMAC, Sawayra Owais! This is actually a 2-parter, since we have so much to talk about. Today we are going to talk about the show in general - how did Sawayra come up with it? What is the goal of the show? How has it evolved, etc.See the fu...
2021-01-1330 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 29: Cats, Crows, and MeowTalk with Sabrina SchalzSabrina Schalz is a PhD student in Urban Evolutionary Ecology at Middlesex University, focusing on the speech perception of wild Carrion Crows in London. However, in this interview, you will find that she's broadened her scope to cats https://sabrinaschalz.wordpress.com/ Find the full show notes at https://scientificanada.ca/
2021-01-0630 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 28: Francesco Zangari on ComSciCon-GTA (pt 2) + 2020 needs another month!Thanks again to Francesco Zangari! Follow him on Twitter, https://twitter.com/franthewriter1And now, you may notice we still have a couple minutes left. So here we go, another installment of Journal Club.This week, I want to share something timely. The new year is upon us, which means we are almost done with this 12th month of ours, and this garbage fire of a year. But what if we could have one more month? Allow me to introduce you to the International Fixed Calendar.(read the full notes...
2020-12-3130 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 27: Francesco Zangari on ComSciCon-GTA + Havana Syndrome?Hello and welcome to Random walk episode 27. This week you will be hearing from PhD Candidate and science writer Francesco Zangari. Francesco is finishing his PhD on Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, and recently attended ComSciCon-GTA, a conference on communicating science for researchers local to the Greater Toronto Area. This is another 2-parter, and this week we will be talking a bit about Francesco’s research, competitiveness in science, lab safety with COVID, and social media for communicating science. In part two, we are going to dig more into science writing.For full show notes, he...
2020-12-1630 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 26: Zi Yan Chen on ComSciCon-GTAWelcome back to the show, I’m your host Adam, and this week I am going to be talking to ZiYan Chen about communicating science as a researcher and grad student. But before we get to the interview, I’m excited to announce that as well as being a guest on this episode, ZiYan is one of our very first guest authors on our website, scientificanada.ca . This is a big deal for us! One of my first goals I had with this project was to get to a position where I could start sourcing articles from contributing writers. But...
2020-12-0930 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 25: Talking psychology with DRAKE and KYLE from Brain Buzz, Part IIWe are back! And with two great guests, Canada's DRAKE and KYLE from the Brain Buzz Podcast!(I wanted to make a click-bait Drake-based title but deemed that too "unprofessional")Kyle and Drake a psychology grad students at the University of British Columbia. When they aren't working towards graduating, they produce a fantastic podcast where they interview other psychology researchers. Last week I talk to them about their research. This week we are talking about their show.But that is not all! You can hear the mirror image of this interview on their...
2020-12-0230 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 24: Talking psychology with DRAKE and KYLE from Brain BuzzWe are back! And with two great guests, Canada's DRAKE and KYLE from the Brain Buzz Podcast!(I wanted to make a click-bait Drake-based title but deemed that too "unprofessional")Kyle and Drake a psychology grad students at the University of British Columbia. When they aren't working towards graduating, they produce a fantastic podcast where they interview other psychology researchers. This week I talk to them about their research, and next week we are talking about their show.But that is not all! You can hear the mirror image of this interview on...
2020-11-2430 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 23: CmSciConCan #9 Kathryn Vaillancourt is Back!Kathryn is back to talk ComSciConCAN2020! We talk about our take-aways from the 2020 edition of ComSciConCAN, a grad-student focused conference on science communication! Remember, we have a big write-up about the conference available for free at https://www.patreon.com/scican Kathryn Vaillancourt is a PhD candidate at McGill University studying how addiction can change the way traits are passed down, without having to alter the person's genetic code. It's a fascinating (and relatively new) area of research called "epigenetics".
2020-10-0529 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 22: ComSciConCan #8 Dr. Roshan Achal is Back!Roshan is back to talk ComSciConCAN2020! We talk about our take-aways from the 2020 edition of ComSciConCAN, a grad-student focused conference on science communication!Remember, we have a big write-up about the conference available for free at https://www.patreon.com/posts/scienti...Dr. Roshan Achal (from University of Alberta) is a physicist who organizes, corrals, and places individual atoms for nano-devices.
2020-09-2829 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 21: ComSciConCan #7 Sarah Turner is Back!Sarah is back to talk ComSciConCAN2020! We talk about the panels, policy, and new initiatives! Remember, we have a big write-up about the conference available for free at https://www.patreon.com/posts/scientificanada-40932072 Sarah Turner studies Community Health Science at the University of Manitoba, focusing on breast milk, epidemiology, and health promotion. Her work in science communication stems from interest in science policy and advocacy.
2020-09-2130 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 20: ComSciConCan #6.5 Tareq Yousef is Back (part 2)!And we're back! Last you heard, we were going to ComSciConCAN-2020, and you met some attendees. Now that we're back, you'll hear about the conference from Adam and his previous guests. This week, we start with Tareq! You remember Tareq right? :)www.scientificanada.capatreon.com/scican
2020-09-1420 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 19: Tareq's back re: ComSciConCAN-2020And we're back! Last you heard, we were going to ComSciConCAN-2020, and you met some attendees. Now that we're back, you'll hear about the conference from Adam and his previous guests. This week, we start with Tareq! You remember Tareq right? :)
2020-09-0830 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 18: ComSciConCan #5 with Kathryn VaillancourtTHIS WEEK: Kathryn Vaillancourt is a PhD candidate at McGill University studying how addiction can change the way traits are passed down, without having to alter the person's genetic code. It's a fascinating (and relatively new) area of research called "epigenetics", and I wish I had read the wikipedia article before the interview, because it says that, "Due to epigenetics being in the early stages of development as a science and the sensationalism surrounding it in the public media, David Gorski and geneticist Adam Rutherford advised caution against proliferation of false and pseudoscientific conclusions by new age authors who...
2020-07-1338 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 17: ComSciConCan #4 with Roshan AchalTHIS WEEK: Congrats to Dr. Roshan Achal (from University of Alberta), who had just convocated at the time of recording! In this episode, he tells us about the work he does, organizing, corralling, and placing individual atoms for nano-devices. We also talk about is 90-second video series on Twitter, and Science Communication at large.CHECK OUT: Roshan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSmilentist (@TheSmilentist)where you can find his 90-second physics videosAMPLIFY: A few links for you this week. Working on the nano-scale requires a strong understanding of quantum physics; check out Dr. Charles...
2020-07-0637 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 16: ComSciConCan #3 with Gracielle HiginoTHIS WEEK: Gracielle grew up in Brazil immersed in science (communication). Her dream has always been to be a scientist by day, and writer by night. She currently studies computational ecology at Université Montréal, and we talk about her work, communicating science, and the difficulties English Second Language (ESL) researchers have. Some of her work includes organizing SciComm training with IGNITE.CHECK OUT: SciComm in Portuguese: https://github.com/graciellehigino/divulgacao-cientifica-pt/blob/master/lista.md… (ap.mcmaster.ca/mcauth/login.jsp?app_id=1505&app_name=Avenue)SciComm training: https://github.com/graciellehigino/IGNITE… https://ignites...
2020-06-2933 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 15: ComSciConCan #2 with Sarah TurnerTHIS WEEK: Sarah Turner studies Community Health Science at the University of Manitoba, focusing on breast milk, epidemiology, and health promotion. Her work in science communication stems from interest in science policy and advocacy. We talk about her research, scientific/non-scientific writing, and she gives some tips for writing your first OpEd. CHECK OUT: CHILD study: https://childstudy.ca/ Quick tips for writing your first OpEd: https://evidencenetwork.ca/resources/write-a-snappy-oped-2/ Twitter: Sarah = https://twitter.com/SarahTurner11 , and the Azad Lab: https://www.azadlab.ca/ AMPLIFY: If you want to learn more about the science of inf...
2020-06-2232 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 14: ComSciConCan #1 with Tareq YousefAMPLIFY: This week Tareq introduced me to a few brilliant neuroscientists on Twitter. Give them a follow:@jarildy @futuredrdukes @danne_phd @RackebTTHIS WEEK: Tareq is a Ph.D candidate at Dalhousie University studying Neuroscience via the retina of fish. He is attending ComSciConCan-2020 (a virtual science communication meeting run by grad students, for grad students), and I got the chance to meet him before the conference to talk research, communication, what he hopes to get from the conference, and a little bit about blue light filtering glasses (among many other things).CHECK OUT: Tareq has a nutrition podcast! No BS...
2020-06-0947 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC 168: Catching up with Adam and ShawnShawn has been writing covid-related grant proposals and Adam has been running at-home labs for first-year physics students. Adam shows off the best way to organize your spaghetti.We are are YouTube! Subscribe to never miss an episode! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3yvaNqkpRZD_yvpkxolfIkwrdmb27C5N
2020-05-3131 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 13: Dr. Shoshana Jacobs on Seabirds and the New Normal in AcademiaDr. Jacobs is an assoc. professor at the University of Guelph studying seabird ecology, with what I would call an extra special focus on mentorship, knowledge transfer, and equity in academia. We talked about academia's response to the "C" word; the opportunities but also the long-range issues it may cause. You HAVE to listen to this one.Follow Dr. Jacobs on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shoshanahjacobsWatch the interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kxwvuI6xRAsIf you haven't already, please subscribe to the podcast and our YouTube channel. It really helps!
2020-05-1443 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 167: Science Sucks podcast visits The AlmaMAC (the second half)The Science Sucks x AlmaMAC collab we've all been waiting for! Ive Velikova is a Science Communicator who did her undergrad at McMaster, started the Science Sucks radio show, and is juuuuust completing Canada's only Masters program focusing on Science Communication (at Laurentian). Adam and Ive talk all sorts of SciComm, and discuss the Masters program. It sounds cool! For part one, check out Ive's podcast: Science Sucks !Follow Ive on Twitter!
2020-05-0839 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 12: Pint of Science Canada 2020 with Alexandra Gelle!** pintofscience.ca ** Alexandra Gelle is a Ph.D candidate at McGill University studying green chemistry. But today, we are talking about Pint of Science Canada 2020! Alexandra is the Director of the Canadian arm of the international festival, and it's coming up NEXT WEEK. We talk about some of the exciting talks you can tune in for next week, including the SCIENCE OF SEXTING (did I get that right?!), MAKING CLOUDS AT HOME, BEING AN ASTRONAUT and a tonne of other topics. It's totally free, but you have to sign up at www.pintofscience.ca
2020-05-0738 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 11: Pint of Science and Particle Smashing at the LHC with Ben Davis-PurcellBen Davis-Purcell smashes particles at the Large Hadron Collider as a part of ATLAS. He is also giving a talk as part of the Pint of Science Canada Festival next week. Tune in for a sneak peak into Ben's research, a discussion about whether space or the ocean is scarier, and curdled-milk cocktails.To see Ben's talk, register here (it's free, but you have to register): https://pintofscience.ca/Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenDavisPurcellWatch the interview on YouTube:
2020-05-0647 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 166: Wine, Whiskey, Coffee, Beer, and the Maillard reaction w/ Hannah CharnockThe Maillard reaction what makes a lot of foods taste great. When sugars and proteins are heated, they created a cascade of delicious molecules that make toasted bread so nice, seared steaks so satisfying, and coffee drinkable. The Maillard reaction usually requires heat, but in some cases (sparkling wine), it doesn't. The reason is still a mystery.Whiskey is one of those drinks that seem to command a higher price the older it is. As a whiskey ages, things happen to its chemical makeup that changes, making it more desirable to whiskey-lovers. However, having to age a...
2020-04-2331 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 165: Designing at-home physics labsAdam has put his PhD on hold for a semester to help emergency-redesign some of the first-year physics labs at McMaster. Because of COVID, the summer term will have to take place all online and at home. On this episode, Adam shows off the ultra-minimist kit he's helped design (to be mailed to students), and walks Shawn through a few of the experiments. (Originally broadcast on Instagram LIVE. Visit us on Thursdays at Noon at www.instagram.com/almamac_radio )
2020-04-1846 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 7: Camp COVID #1 with Arthur MichautArthur Michaud has a Ph.D from the University of Strasbourg in France, in developmental Biology. He is now working at Institut Pasteur France. He is also an extremely active science communicator. Arthur and Adam talk about what seems to be a societal difference between science communication in the French-speaking world compared to Canada.PS: Pardon the audio. I was/am experimenting with webcast audio. We are all doing our best in these Trying Times (tm).
2020-04-1444 minscientificanadaRandom Walk 10: Camp COVID #4 with Dr. Karen KwonDr. Karen Kwon is a recent chemistry graduate from Columbia University, and freelance science writer. I talk to Karen about being named a AAAS Mass Media Science&Engineering Fellow which includes a 10-week placement at Scientific American, gaining writing experience, being a "journalist" rather than "communicator", and freelance writing from her temporary home in Vermont.
2020-04-1441 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 164: Thrown into COVID-19 research with Dr. Alliston Kennedy (Host: Shawn)Shawn talks to Dr. Allison Kennedy about taking on COVID-19 during an Instagram LIVE interview.
2020-04-1230 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 9: Camp COVID #3 with Sumeet KulkarniLIGO, writing for Scientific American, a bit of Ed Yong fanboying, and maybe.. just maybe... the birth of a new project?SciAm article: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/mind-the-mass-gap/Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/Sumeet_kulBooks mentioned: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43261015-the-best-american-science-and-nature-writing-2019https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27213168-i-contain-multitudes?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VZD34c6oXP&rank=1
2020-04-0642 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk 8: Camp COVID #2 with Karmela Padavic-CallaghanI had the chance to talk to Dr. Karmela Padavic-Callaghan about the brave new world of virtual conferencing and how it's making science more accessible. The conference she attended was SCIENCE TALK '20.
2020-04-0144 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 162: Working from home with Adam and ShawnPretty much everything has shut down, and a lot of people are trying to work from home. Adam and Shawn hosted an Instagram Live show where they talked about the difficulties they are having with staying motivated, and how importance of face-to-face time with other people. Keep it up everyone, we'll get through this.
2020-03-2729 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 161: Fitness literacy with Hilary CaldwellOn episode 161 Adam talks to Hilary Caldwell, a kinesiology PhD candidate at McMaster University. One of the things Hilary is involved with is developing the concept of "Physical Literacy". From wiki: Physical literacy is a fundamental and valuable human capability that can be described as a disposition acquired by human individuals encompassing the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding that establishes purposeful physical pursuits as an integral part of their lifestyle. For more info, Hilary recently had a paper published (open access!). Or check out wiki: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone...
2020-03-1938 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 159: Understanding hidden mysteries about Ataxia w/ Celeste (Host: Shawn)Shawn talks with Celeste Suart from the Truant lab about ataxia! Find out more about ataxia research at SCAsource and Huntington's Disease at HDBuzz which her lab also works on. Read more about how SCAsource was started here.If you want to reach out to Celeste on Twitter, you can find her here @suartce and she's open to collaborations! Feel free to email her at suartce@mcmaster.ca to get involved!
2020-03-0528 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 158 (Feb 27/20): How DNA is like an elastic band, science communication, and knowing your audience with Adam and ShawnIt's a big "Communicating Science" week at the AlmaMAC!Shawn asks Adam about an article he got published called Researchers play with elastic bands to understand DNA and protein structures. It was written for non-experts, but is laying the groundwork for a presentation Adam is giving next week in Denver. Shawn and Adam also talk about the lecture they gave on Monday about how hard it can be to know your audience and package up your research just for them. Shawn briefly talks about the SciCommTO conference held last weekend.
2020-02-2728 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 157 (Feb 20/20): Drug Delivery in Cancer Using Creatively Complicated Nanoparticles w/ Matt (Host: Shawn)Matt is in the Hoare Lab studying drug delivery with nanoscaled particles for cancer treatment. He's also the winner of McMaster's 3MT in 2019! Watch his winning talk here.That really long word he used is poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) and you can read more about its applications in the Hoare lab here.Tweet him @CampeaMatt and his supervisor @HoareLab!
2020-02-2128 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 156: Food for Thought. Adam moderated McMaster's Researchers' Night (Host: Adam)On Monday, Adam co-moderated the 2020 McMaster Researchers' Night. The topic was FOOD, and included four panelists from diverse research backgrounds. Adam had a chance to sneak a question or two in during the evening and got some audio from the event. Have a listen!The panelists included:- biophysicist and expert in molecular gastronomy: Dr. Christophe Lavelle from the National Research Centre in Paris, France- Dr. Geneviève Sicotte from Concordia University, Montréal, professor in literature and expert on the representation of food, - Dr. Parmjit Singh, PhD Psychology and expe...
2020-02-1328 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC Episode 155 (Feb 6/20): 3 Minute Thesis is Back, and Dr. Bandler walks us through some award-winning examples (Host: Adam)Dr. John Bandler is back this week to talk about the Three Minute Thesis Competition. He is hosting a workshop to help get you started on THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13th, and in anticipation of that, is here with Adam to dissect some award-winning examples, like Canxiu Zhang’s (Brainwave Analysis for Stroke Detection) and Daniel Tajik’s Microwave Holography for Medical Imaging.For the full experience, make sure to follow us on YouTube where we will be posting the full interview including video of the presentations.Check out the School of Graduate Studies’ YouTube channel for more v...
2020-02-0629 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 154 (Jan 30/20): Billy Bostad on heart health, interval training, returning to academia, smart watches... (Host: Adam)Here's the deal. You can get a 45 minute workout done in 10 minutes... but it's going to be tough.Billy Bostad is working towards a PhD in McMaster's Human Performance Lab. His work focuses on the physical responses everyday people have to extremely short, intense bouts of exercise, and how to encorporate this type of exercise into a healthy lifestyle that anyone can benefit from.We also learn about how Billy found physiology at Guelph, earned a MSc in it at Queen's, got a job, then left to pursue his PhD at McMaster.You c...
2020-01-3029 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC episode 153 (Jan 23/20): Shawn had a paper accepted! Also, 23andMe sold you out, and why that might be a good thing, and coronavirus (with Adam+Shawn)Shawn had a chapter from his thesis accepted, to be published in Cancer! Hear about going from side project to accepted, with all the iteration and uncertainty in between.But first, we talk about commercial gene sequencing company 23andMe developing and selling drugs based on their customers' data. Also - the coronavirus has been found in the US. No confirmed cases in Canada though several travelers are being held for observation.
2020-01-2329 minscientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Matthew Jordan is back from Oxford to talk Artificial Intelligence, Science History, Funk, and Improv (Host: Adam)Matthew Jordan graduated from McMaster's Arts & Science Department, earned two Masters' degrees at Oxford, and came back to teach McMaster undergrads about the history of science, and history, policy, philosophy, and ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Adam and Matthew talk about those things, plus music, and performing improv!Follow Matthew Jordan on Twitter.Follow The AlmaMAC on Twitter and Instagram.Follow Adam on Twitter.Watch the interview on YouTube this Friday.
2020-01-1630 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: He Jiankiu Sentenced for 3 Years: CRISPR Fiasco (Host: Adam)"Scientist He Jiankui showed the world how human embryo editing is relatively easy to do but incredibly difficult to do well." (read more here).Adam and Shawn discussed this case, what CRISPR can be used for, the use of CRISPR in somatic vs germline mutations and overall the ethics of this case.
2020-01-0929 min
scientificanadaComing up in 2020: Spiders, storms and evolution (teaser)What happens when a cyclone tears through a spider's habitat? It gets mad. Like, generational anger. A grudge that gets passed down through their DNA? This year I am transitioning from graduate student to science writer, and I have successfully pitched my first paid article! It's based on an interview I've been sitting on for a few months. The full thing will be released closer to the article, but here is a taste of what to expect!Be sure to follow scientificanada on your favorite podcasting app, and leave a rating if applicable!
2020-01-0207 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Holiday wrap-up with Matt, Shawn, and Adam (Host: Shawn)The whole team is here today! Hear what Matt, Shawn, and Adam have been up to this semester (getting awards, giving away thigh muscles. "Matt-leave", etc.), an interesting fact about Rhianna, and what your hosts are planning for next semester (a field trip to SciCommTO?)Did you know we have a podcast channel with nearly 30 episodes from 3 different shows, including old episodes of The AlmaMAC? Listen here!
2019-12-1929 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Evidence-based medical protocols with Emily Sirotich (Host: Adam)Emily Sirotich has got to have the hardest job. She is trying to create evidence-based protocols for when patients with a rare bleeding disorder come into the emergency ward. These are usually life-or-death situations, but because of the rarity of the disease, there is very little evidence in the literature for which to base a protocol off of. Emily tells us the techniques she uses, including retroactive studies, that let her make strong, science-based recommendations for treating these patients.
2019-12-1230 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: How do sleep and exercise work together to help with memory with Tara Kuhn (Host: Shawn)Tara is a 2nd year MSc. student in Dr. Heisz' Neurofit Lab in the Department of Kinesiology. She studies how physical activity and sleep interact as a protective measure for cognitive functionFind out more about her lab's previous work on exercise intensity for improving memory here as well as the paper she mentioned throughout the interview about how physical activity impacts sleep and cognition here.If you are interested in helping her recruit participants, please contact her with her contact information below:Email: kuhnt1@mcmaster.ca or sustainthebrain@gmail.com
2019-12-0929 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk E.4: Hamilton, sewergate, and keeping city council accountable with Thea KozakisHamilton Ontario has been dumping sewage into our protected wetland consistently for 4 years via a leaking sewer. When city council found out, they chose to cover it up rather than address the issue. The Hamilton Spectator broke the story on November 20th, and I go through some of the information they dug up, including a Timeline of Events written by Matthew Van Dongen. Then I talk to Thea Kozakis, a climate scientist who took the city of Ithaca to task on their climate policies. Hey Hamilton, let’s do the same.https://www.change.or...
2019-12-0433 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Volunteering for a carpal tunnel syndrome study with Amanda Farias Zuniga (Host: Adam)Amanda Farias Zuniga is a soon-to-graduate PhD candidate in the kinesiology department focusing on biomechanics. Recently, Adam volunteered for one of her studies which involved simulating carpal tunnel in his right arm. In this episode, Adam and Amanda talk about carpal tunnel, the details of that study, and graduation!Follow Amanda on Twitter or check out her publications!Also consider following Adam on Twitter. To listen to more sciencey stuff, check out scientificanada wherever podcasts are found.
2019-11-2828 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC // CUPEcast: Teaching assistants on strike? (Host: Adam)This episode is a bit of a deviation from the norm. Graduate students who work as Teaching Assistants are part of a union (CUPE 3906). The union was set to go on strike starting next Monday, but in light of a new tentative agreement, the strike may be avoided. Host Adam is a member of the strike committee, and talks to undergraduate Andrea Klaver about how things have progressed since the summer. Adam also talks about a magazine article he has been working on.You can listen to CUPEcast, Adam's other show for union updates here....
2019-11-2229 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Omega-3 and Muscle Repair in the Elderly (Host: Shawn)Michael is a 2nd year MSc. student in the Parise Lab in the Department of Kinesiology. He studies how Omega-3 supplements can help in muslce repair in elderly. Find out more about his lab's previous work here. If you are interested in helping him recruit participants, please contact him with his contact information below:Email: kamalm2@mcmaster.caMobile: (647) 808-5893
2019-11-1529 min
scientificanadaCUPEcast Ep. 4: No concessions! No agreement? No board... :(Spoiler: Conciliation didn't go anywhere. We will be in legal strike position by the end of the month. Here's what you need to know this week.You can follow Adam on Twitter @adamfortaishttps://bettermac.ca/files/2019/11/Conciliation-Response-signed-by-NT.pdfhttps://bettermac.ca/2019/11/06/unit-1-conciliation-update-no-board-report-filed-strike-lockout-position-to-be-triggered-prior-to-the-end-of-november/https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/worthmentioning/university-cupe-seek-no-board-report/
2019-11-1212 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: A new lease on (the origins of) life with Ben Pearce (Host: Adam)This week Adam talks to Ben Pearce about his PhD work studying the origins of life. But he wasn't always a physicist...Ben first graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. Like many, he was enticed by the nice pay and began working in the oil industry, but was never really passionate about engineering. This lead him to Berlin, where he realized, through long conversations with some interesting a brilliant young people like himself, the Big Questions like, "where did life come from" were questions he could totally pursue. So he came back to Canada, earned a...
2019-11-0728 min
scientificanadaCUPEcast Ep. 3: Tuesday is the big day...Tuesday is the big day. Conciliation is happening this Wednesday, and as such, there is very little to report in terms of bargaining, so this one is pretty short. Adam briefly talks about one of the important bargaining points, paid pedagogical training, and why the University should be pushing for this harder than we are. Adam also talks about the Six Nations Polytechnic school that CUPE 3906 has agreed to help support (it's really cool!)For more bargaining news, head to https://bettermac.ca/*** Note: I may have said conciliation is Wednesday. It...
2019-11-0407 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Chilling tales of blood splatter and a blob that eats to learn (Host: Adam and Matt)It's the AlmaMAC Halloween Spooktacular, and this week Adam and Matt tell two terrifying tales.Adam tells a story of a man found guilty of murdering his wife and that blood splatter that got him, 35 years ago... and why, perhaps, the investigators were wrong after all.Then, Matt talks about a slime that learns and teaches by fusing with and incorporating other slimes within itself. Matt terrifies Adam with the idea that the students he TAs might try to eat him for his knowledge.For more on blood and the real homicide case...
2019-10-3127 min
scientificanadaCUPEcast Ep. 2: Diving into the BOG (board of governors)This week we bring you up to speed on McMaster's Board of Governor's meeting, and hear from CUPE 3906 President, Nathan Todd. A few important dates: General Member's Meeting: October 30th at 12:00 pm in BSB 108Conciliation begins: November 5thCUPE strike training: Nov. 15 from 9 am to 5 pm
2019-10-2819 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC : Understanding Genetics of Rheumatic Heart Disease with Tafadzwa Machipisa (Host: Shawn)Tafadzwa Machipisa is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in the Population Health Research Institute (McMaster) and Hatter Institute of Cardiovascular Research in Africa (University of Cape Town, South Africa).She currently investigates genes that are involved in predisposing people to rhematic heart disease with populations on the African continent.Find out more by listening to this podcast and read up about her labs here:Tafadzwa's Master's ResearchDr. Pare's researchThe Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory (GMEL)Prof. Mayosi's researchProf. Mark Engel's research
2019-10-2729 min
scientificanadaCUPEcast Ep. 1 : What is CUPEcast? Bargaining updates (Oct 21, 2019)Welcome to CUPEcast, a show about CUPE 3906 , the union for McMaster TAs, RAs, sessionals, postdocs, etc. In this first episode introduces the reason behind this podcast, introduces your host Adam, and will bring you up to date on the bargaining between McMaster and Unit 1. Looking to help?Let’s keep this momentum going! Reach out to your Department Chair or Executive Committee for letters of support like those linked above. Similarly, if you are involved in an organization on campus that supports our bargaining priorities, ask your fellow members for a public statement of support! Use social media to increase...
2019-10-2213 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk Ep.3 Ethics of Science Communication with Dr. John Bandler and Rachelle Ho (Host: Adam)WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) and the SciGSA are hosting a very exciting talk on Tuesday, October 22nd. They are hosting Dr. John Bandler, decorated engineer and passionate science communicator, who will talk about the Ethics of Science Communication.This week I talk to Rachelle Ho (ex-WISE president) and Dr. Bandler about the event coming up, and how to ethically speak about science and research. We all want to tell a riveting story, but what you say and what people hear aren't always the same...Sign up to attend in advance here (but if yo...
2019-10-1829 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk E.2 (Oct 10/19): Media Numeracy with Dr. David Venus (Host: Adam)The Canadian (American) Federal (Presidential) elections are looming. This time around it seems like there is just as much discussion about the integrity of the candidates as there is about the media reporting on the candidates [cite]. #fakenews has become a globally recognized hashtag, one-line-comeback, and an agonizingly slippery threat to democracy [cite]. By exploiting human psychology, the news industry is constantly presented with a shape-shifting slew of threats to its integrity.Today I talk to Dr. David Venus of the Physics and Astronomy department at McMaster about the need for media numeracy, and what he's doing t...
2019-10-1029 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: What's up with White Nose Fungus with Adrian Forsythe (Host: Shawn)This week we heard from Biology Ph.D. candidate, Adrian Forsythe and he told us all about his research with white nose syndrome in bats!You can follow him on Twitter at @adrian_forsythe.Read his latest findings on how adaptation occurs within White Nose Syndrom pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans among strains in eastern North America here https://aem.asm.org/content/aem/84/16/e00863-18.full.pdfIf you like what you heard, want to chat, or maybe want to be a guest, let us know on Twitter @almamac_radio or by email at...
2019-10-0328 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: MiNDS vs Psych and Developmental Neurobiology with Shane Simon (Host: Matt)Today's guest was Shane Simon, a PhD student from the MiNDS Program in Psychology. We discussed the differences between the graduate neuroscience program and psychology program at McMaster (vote PNB!) as well as his research on the development of inhibitory neural circuitry!Find out more about Shane Simon on his podcast: GET LEARNT at https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/get-learnt
2019-10-0227 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Origins of life, grad life, and birding4lyfe with Sian Ford (Host: Adam)This week I went for a walk and stood in a line with Sian Ford from the Earth Science department. We talked about her research on the origins of life. Specifically, how “lipid membranes” (the things that surround all the important junk in your cells) could have formed. We also talked about all the birding she does in her spare time!You can follow her on Twitter at @sianfordI opened the show with a quick announcement of the winners of the 2019 Ig Nobel Prizes.If you like what you heard, want to chat...
2019-09-2029 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Soapbox Science, Nobel Prizes and catching up with Carmen Lee from Ark&Anchor (Host: Adam)I hung out with Carmen Lee (a fellow soft matter physicist) at one of our favorite places to study and she told me all about Soapbox Science (an outreach event in Toronto that she will be presenting at), and a really cool Nobel Prize conference she got to attend in Germany.https://www.ryerson.ca/scixchange/http://soapboxscience.org/https://thewordonthestreet.ca/toronto/https://globalyoungacademy.net/events/69th-lindaunobel-physics/https://biobeat.nigms.nih.gov/2015/03/5-reasons-biologists-love-math/https://www.technologyreview.com/s/540621/physicists-solve-the-mystery-of-interleaved-phone-books/http://www.boonie.rocks/
2019-09-1428 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Grape plasma, and research for fun with Hamza Khattak (Host: Adam, Sept 5/19)Note: We had some microphone difficulties about halfway through the episode this week. Sorry!Hamza joined my lab a year ago. In his undergrad, he did some horrible things to microwaves, and wonderful things to grapes. Here, watch this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGX289yjew8His work on grape plasma went viral. https://www.altmetric.com/details/55788275/newsWe then talked a little about the Ig Nobel prizes, and why researching fun questions can be useful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ig_Nobel_PrizeCompletely unrelated, ever wonder what E...
2019-09-0627 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Forecasting childhood health by studying placenta with Christian Bellissimo (Host: Adam)Placenta is an incredible organ, and Christian Bellissimo tells us why.I guess I kind of always though the placenta was like the white of an egg. Oh boy was I wrong!Of course we know that early life stressors, including those during pregnancy, impactlong term health of the baby. Usually we think smoking or drinking, but maternal obesity is also something than can affect the child. Christian and I talk about his work trying to understand how changes in development of the placenta may increase the risk of offspring disease later life.
2019-08-3027 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Microbes and arsenic in the groundwater (in Bangladesh) with Reisa San Pedro (Host: Adam)Arsenic is bad for you. It can be found in large quantities in rat poison, and it can be found in smaller (but still dangerous) quantities in groundwater. This is of particular concern in South-East Asia, and more specifically Bangladesh, where citizens have been developing cancers, skin lesions, and other horrible effects due to long-term arsenic exposure. But unlike many water contamination issues, human's aren't totally to blame!This week we welcome Reisa San Pedro, a 2nd year MSc student in the Geography and Earth Sciences department at McMaster University. We discuss the origin of the arsenic, w...
2019-08-1528 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Hard Condensed Matter and the Role of Fundamental Research with Connor Buhariwalla (Host: Adam)Connor studies hard condensed matter. This is a branch of physics that might not take centre stage in the media, but is at the heart of nearly every technology you interact with daily. Despite all of the useful things that have come from this area of physics, Connor studies "fundamental" questions. That is, he tries to solve problems that don't necessarily have no applications, but are at least not application-driven. And that is not just "Ok", that's absolutely necessary for science to work . Connor tells us why he does what he does.Here is...
2019-08-0427 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Psychology of Acting and Burnout in Grad School with Matt Berry (Host: Shawn) Matt's website:http://www.mbphd.caB U R N O U TDefinition: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279286/https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642How to tell: https://www.verywellmind.com/stress-and-burnout-symptoms-and-causes-3144516Matt Berry: To treat burnout you will need to stop working. Rest. Seek counseling and/or medical help. You need to lower your expectations of yourself and virtually eliminate what others expect from you. Find activities that relax you and being you joy...
2019-07-3029 min
scientificanadaRandom Walk E.1 Education and psychology, and why you probably aren't a "visual" learner... with Dr. Joe Kim (Host: Adam)Adam put together a podcast! Random Walk is a podcast about interesting stuff Adam finds that doesn't quite fit into the format of The AlmaMAC. In this episode, Adam had a chance to interview Dr. Joe Kim, wherein they discuss the theory of "multiple intelligences", the myth of "learning styles", and how Dr. Kim applies research-based techniques to his first year course.Follow Dr. Kim on Twitter hereand Adam here.
2019-07-1925 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Using elastic fibers to understand DNA, undersea cables, spider silk... with Adam Fortais (Host: Matt) Matt talks to co-host and PhD candidate Adam Fortais about the experimental physics research he does. Adam studies "soft condensed matter", or, squishy things. Specifically, he is working with thin elastic fibers (10x thinner than a human hair) to understand how everything from undersea cables, to DNA, to your headphone cables respond to different stresses. This is a video of Adam's supervisor describing the exploratory work they do in the lab.Adam talks about DNA supercoiling, one of the major inspirations for his current work. This is a short (bio-heavy) description.
2019-07-1626 min
scientificanadaThe AlmaMAC: Titan Arum with Shay Freger (Host: Adam and Matt)Adam and Matt talk to recent graduate Shay Freger about Arthur, the Amorphophallus Titanum, aka, the Titan Arum, aka, the Corpse Plant. This plant, a roughly 6-foot behemoth, typically blooms only once every 7 or so years... and guess what! It's blooming right now!You can watch a nice, succinct description of the Titan Arum by NPR here.If you want to dig deeper, Wikipedia has a very good intro to to Titan.There is an extremely long video of a plant blooming "live" from a while ago here. Fast forward to ho...
2019-07-0925 min