Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond

How are planets formed; how do we know which theory is true? In this episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond, Jovian Cheung sits down with Dr. Guðmundur Stefánsson (prior postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Astrophysics) and Dr. Vyshnavi Vennelakanti (prior postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) to discuss new findings in planet formation research, as well as the importance of outreach and citizen science.

This episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B-cubed) was produced under the 150th board of the Prince in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

For more information about Dr. Stefánsson's research, and/or read the Insights summary by Dr. Vennelakanti, feel free to visit the pages linked below.

RESOURCES
Original article: 10.1126/science.abo0233

Insights summary: https://insights.princeton.edu/2024/09/planet-formation-models/

For more from the Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

Have you ever wondered how similar information encoding and processing of artificial intelligence (AI) is to our own human brain? How are our minds incredibly energy efficient compared to the bucketloads of energy required to power these sophisticated yet oftentimes naive AI models? These are all questions we explore, and practical advice on how students can get involved in answering these types of questions as well as pursuing interdisciplinary studies! In this episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond, Aanya Kasera sits down with Dr. Leslie and Dr. Lombrozo, professors and researchers who are part of heading the brand new interdisciplinary research initiative, Natural and Artificial Minds (NAM), to learn more about AI models and how that may enrich our understanding of the ever-enigmatic human mind. 

This episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B cubed) was produced under the 148th board of The Daily Princetonian in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

For more information about Dr. Leslie’s and Dr. Lombrozo’s research or the NAM Initiative, feel free to visit the pages linked below.
 
RESOURCES
NAM Initiative: https://ai.princeton.edu/nam
Dr. Leslie’s Research (philosophy, gender gaps in education): https://www.princeton.edu/~sjl...
Dr. Lombrozo's Research (cognitive psychology, explanation and understanding): https://cognition.princeton.ed...

CREDITS
Written and Hosted by Aanya Kasera and Lina Kim
Edited and Sound Engineered by Lina Kim
Transcript by Aanya Kasera
Produced by Lina Kim and Senna Aldoubosh

For more from the Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), roughly four miles out from campus, is a national lab run by the Department of Energy and yet remains a relatively elusive branch of Princeton’s research centers. The PPPL focuses on using plasma, often called “the fourth state of matter,” to tackle the world’s toughest science and technology challenges. In this episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond, Noelle Kim sits down with Maxwell Rosen, third year Ph.D. student in the Princeton Plasma Physics Program, who focuses on the gyrokinetics of high-field magnetic mirrors. Listen in on this exclusive interview to learn more about Maxwell’s notable work and the overarching goals of the PPPL! 

This episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B cubed) was produced under the 148th board of The Daily Princetonian in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

For more information about Maxwell’s research, feel free to visit the page linked below.

RESOURCES

https://www.maxwell-rosen.com/

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Noelle Kim

Edited and Sound Engineered by Lina Kim

Transcript by Lina Kim

Produced by Lina Kim, Aanya Kasera, and Senna Aldoubosh

For more from the Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

How do computational processes help us understand mental health disorders and precisely tailor treatments to each individual? In this episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond, Aanya Kasera sits down with Dr. Yael Niv, a professor and researcher in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute to learn more about computational neuropsychiatry and mental health on campus. Dr. Niv discusses her research in quantifying psychological disorders and her advice for the campus community on improving mental wellbeing.

This episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B cubed) was produced under the 148th board of the Prince in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

For more information about Dr. Niv’s research, feel free to visit the page linked below. The Daybreak episode featuring Dr. Niv is also linked below!

RESOURCES

https://nivlab.princeton.edu/
https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/12/princeton-podcast-tunnel-secret-stem-pni-guyot

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Aanya Kasera and Lina Kim

Edited and Sound Engineered by Aanya Kasera and Senna Aldoubosh

Transcript by Aanya Kasera

Produced by Senna Aldoubosh

For more from the Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

In this episode, Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond sits down with Dr. Alexander Glaser (MAE) and Dr. Ryo Morimoto (ANT) on their inaugural course, "Robots in Human Ecology (ANT 325/MAE 347/SPI 384)," which not only combines engineering and anthropological disciplines to shed light on technology's increasingly prevalent role in the everyday lives of humans but also allows students to work with the viral social media robot dog SPOT! Listen in to learn about the the origin of SPOT, merging STEM and non-STEM dialogues, and the future of integrating robots in our society!

To learn more about their research, please visit the following links!

• Dr. Alexander Glaser
• Dr. Ryo Morimoto

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Credits:
Writers - Noelle Kim, Lina Kim
Audio engineer - Noelle Kim, Senna Aldoubosh

Welcome back, Princeton! Today we sit down with Lina and Jovian as they talk about why they're working on Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B Cubed), what drew them to science communication, and what to expect for future episodes!

This episode of B Cubed was produced under the 148th board of The Daily Princetonian in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Senna Aldoubosh, Lina Kim, and Jovian Cheung 

Edited and Sound Engineered by Senna Aldoubosh

Produced by Senna Aldoubosh and Lina Kim

For more from The Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

In this episode, Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond sits down with Dr. Thalia Gigerenzer on the impact of technology and dating apps on modern interpretations of love. Dr. Gigerenzer's research as an anthropologist has focused on Muslim communities in India, including deep dives into the impacts of technology on relationships and courtship. 

Dr. Gigerenzer's Page (publications, projects, and more!): https://www.thaliagig.com/about-me

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Credits:
Writers - Noelle Kim, Lina Kim
Audio engineer - Laura Sabrosa

In this episode, Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond sits down with Avery Barnett, a PhD student from Jamaica. She works closely with her advisors SPIA Professor Michael Oppenheimer and MAE Professor Jesse Jenkins focusing on renewable energy policies in the Caribbean. Barnett spoke about her work with the N.J. Wind Institute Fellowship Program through Princeton, and how she hopes she can apply her findings to her work in renewable energy in the Caribbean.

This episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B cubed) was produced under the 147th board of the Prince in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

For more information about Avery's work and N.J. Wind Institute Fellowship Program, feel free to visit the page linked below.

RESOURCES

https://cpree.princeton.edu/news/2023/avery-barnett-selected-investigate-future-offshore-wind-nj

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Noelle Kim

Edited and Sound Engineered by Noelle Kim

Transcript by Ria Tomar

Produced by Senna Aldoubosh

For more from the Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

In this episode of B-Cubed, Senna Aldoubosh and Ria Tomar sat down with ECE graduate student Atsutse Kludze to discuss recent findings of how producers can use 6G wireless signaling as a non-invasive way to quantify and assess produce quality. The project was done at the SWAN lab, in collaboration with Microsoft, with the goal of finding ways to reduce food waste. 

This episode of Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond (B cubed) was produced under the 147th board of the Prince in partnership with the Insights newsletter.

For more information about the SWAN Lab, feel free to visit the page linked below.

RESOURCES

https://ghasempour.princeton.edu/

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Senna Aldoubosh and Ria Tomar

Edited and Sound Engineered by Senna Aldoubosh

Transcript by Laura Sabrosa and Ria Tomar

Produced by Senna Aldoubosh

For more from the Daily Princetonian, visit dailyprincetonian.com. For more from Princeton Insights, visit insights.princeton.edu. Please direct all corrections to [email protected].

Sleep is an integral, yet often overlooked, part of a Princeton students daily schedule. But, what does our brain actually do when it’s asleep?

This is a focus of Princeton Computational Memory Lab. Dr. Elizabeth McDevitt, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab, likes to picture sleep as the replaying of a playlist of memories and experiences that your brain builds throughout the day when you’re awake. 

Brains, Black Holes, and Beyond sat down with McDevitt and Dr. Ken Norman, chair of the psychology department. Listen in to hear more about their insights on the role of sleep and how it relates to how we learn, remember, and apply the things we experience and see everyday.