Australian Highlights

Innovation or Invention


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Innovation is a loaded term, a buzzword. When this is a podcast on innovation, what do we mean? Are we using the term correctly? Where does invention sit in all of this?

Jonathan Englert and Mandy Scotney from Episode 6, Culture Shocks, are back to unravel the conundrum of language and entrepreneurship. Jonathan draws from his PhD looking into Australian innovation, where he interviewed various inventors and explored his relationship to Australian culture.

Comedian Mandy Scotney, on her own PhD journey and fresh off a successful tour of her award-nominated show, Married for Six Weeks, brings some much-needed rationality to Jonathan and Rachel's whimsy.

Links for more:

  • Highlight article by Rachel Rayner, Science Explainer from Episode 6
  • Bonus episode on Mandy's stand up comedy process, is our episode 27!
  • Exploratorium's Tinkering Studio, and an article on making bubble-blowing machines
  • Barry Marshall, who worked out that bacteria cause stomach ulcers in the 1980s
  • Lawrence Hargrave, who is credited as supplying key innovations to enable airplanes in the 1890s.
  • David Skellern, a key figure in the story of inventing fast Wifi in the 1990s.
  • Henry Hoke, who built a collection of innovations like the rope hammer and the leg pull from the first half of the 20th century. 
  • Mark Thomson, keeper of Henry Hoke’s archives and founder of the Institute for Backyard Studies.
  • Follow Mandy and find out what she’s up to next

Credits

Producer: Rachel Rayner, Science Explainer

Guests: Jonathan Englert, Mandy Scotney

Music: Michelle Cashman

Editing: HoboHut Media

Made possible through Meta Australia Journalism Fund, administered by the Walkley Foundation, with support from Comedy Victoria.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Australian HighlightsBy Rachel Rayner