Planet B612

By Julie Laurin

Hosted by Julie Laurin, Planet B612 explores the lives and passions of interesting guests such as scientists, artists, historians, and more!... more

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The podcast currently has 57 episodes available.

Planet B612 episodes:

December 31, 2021Ep.56 – Art as a service with Alix Sideris
Show Notes
In this episode, Alix Sideris joins me to talk about art as a service, how spirituality plays a role in her life, and how she’s responded to change with a global approach to art-sharing.
(0:01:40) A massively hyphenated human: Acting, writing, directing, teaching, movement, intimacy direction and coordination.
(0:02:42) A person of service: A purpose to uplift and expand.
(0:04:10) What it is to be human: The ultimate exploration and investigation.
(0:05:58) The Magnetic North Theatre Festival.
(0:08:00) The newspaper interview.
(0:10:08) Growing up in a Greek household and a love of learning and research.
(0:12:10) Moving away from medical studies: The path towards becoming an artist.
(0:14:35) Working with disenfranchised and special needs youth: Teaching and acting.
(0:17:01) The National Arts Centre and dealing with fear.
(0:18:26) Success and failure: Changing the script.
(0:20:37) Imposter Syndrome: Branding yourself.
(0:23:10) Being thrust into environments: Throwing darts.
(0:26:12) Spirituality, empathy and the pandemic.
(0:28:56) Remote meditations and connections.
(0:31:17) The transformation of the arts during the pandemic: Recognizing and responding to the changes.
(0:35:54) Opening up the world: A chance for a global artistic community.
(0:37:15) The exodus from the arts during the pandemic and thinking nationally.
(0:39:50) How a health crisis affects you: Finding joy.
(0:43:04) The youth of today and the arts.
(0:44:51) Teaching in Toronto: The conversations and learning the language.
(0:49:50) Co-existing when we remove the binary: The show in New York.
(0:54:33) Putting the spotlight on harm: The importance of intersectionality.
(0:56:20) The intimacy workshop: The connection and beauty.
(1:01:23) To find out more: AlixSideris.com
Visit Alix’s website: https://www.alixsideris.com/
Alix’s meditation series: https://www.alixsideris.com/meditation
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliesworld
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1h 3min
December 31, 2021Ep.54 – University Education with Dr Elaine Beaulieu
Show Notes****
In this episode, we talk about the realities, and challenges faced by today's University students, and professors. Are professors paid enough? Are there too many students today? How can education improve? Dr. Elaine Beaulieu joins me to explore these topics, and share her experience, and opinions, on the topic!
(0:01:02) Beyond the Test Tube, research and the Faculty of Science.
(0:01:37) Switching to innovation in education: The why and the how.
(0:04:04) Working as a researcher: The PhD and PostDoc.
(0:06:55) Science lecturers vs Tenured professors in academia.
(0:08:30) Tenure: Why it is still the goal.
(0:10:48) The hierarchy of academia and adjunct professors in science.
(0:13:35) Being a professor: Is it a good choice for a career?
(0:15:45) Post-Secondary education funding in Ontario and PhDs in science.
(0:17:59) Canada: Not enough funding for science and education.
(0:19:34) Job stability and contracts.
(0:22:18) PhDs and PostDocs in other countries vs Canada.
(0:25:08) Professorship: A vocation.
(0:28:53) Studying science and the challenges for students today.
(0:31:10) We are all different: The need for flexibility and micro credentials.
(0:34:15) Preparing the students: A need for a new design.
(0:37:47) Finding the right balance: Applying what is learned.
(0:39:55) The peripheral needs: A necessity in the workplace.
(0:42:15) Universities vs Colleges.
(0:43:55) Developing new programs for a new world: Turning the machine around.
(0:46:55) Teaching online: A mixed experience for students.
(0:49:11) Being tough and knowing when to back off.
(0:50:35) Coddling and its aftereffects.
(0:51:23) Designing policy to be flexible: The muffin comparison.
(0:53:13) Being partners in education.
(0:56:28) Readiness for work: Not all on the university.
(0:58:15) Universities: The need to move away from being the gatekeeper.
(1:00:03) Security issues and new ideas.
(1:02:30) The public perception of universities and the importance of outreach.
(1:05:19) Public lectures and gatherings: How do you market it?
(1:07:51) Science communication: The importance of presentation.
(1:10:01) Debunking pseudoscience, social media and animation.
(1:11:20) Elitism in science and science communication.
(1:13:33) Building trust with the community.
(1:15:15) When logic goes out the window: Researching falsities.
(1:17:15) Analyzing what's real.
(1:18:20) Communicating to teach: Entertain me.
Follow Dr. Beaulieu on Twitter: https://twitter.com/elainebeaulieu2
Beyond the Test Tube podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-test-tube-a-science-podcast/id1544148414
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliesworld
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1h 21min
December 31, 2021Ep.57 – Service Design with Tania Levy
Show Notes
Tania is a public servant who’s also a working artist. In this episode, we talk about what it’s like to be an artist with a job. We also deep dive into design strategy, including design thinking, user research, and service design.
(0:02:28) Artists in the office: The challenges and value.
(0:03:50) Receiving flak: The art world vs the corporate world.
(0:05:42) Finding time for art: Using your leave and dispelling the myths.
(0:07:58) Modifying work hours in the public sector.
(0:10:20) The demise of the 'Working class artist': The risks of a lack of diversity.
(0:14:21) Plays about public service and how working within affects the art.
(0:18:14) Working inside a framework: How it benefits creativity.
(0:19:56) Being bilingual in Ottawa and the journey to public service.
(0:22:14) What a contact center does and the concept of service.
(0:24:07) Design Thinking: Improving service and user experience.
(0:26:45) Change Management and Design Thinking's link to theater training.
(0:29:00) Transferable skills: How they can be beneficial on both sides.
(0:30:59) MIT lectures and marketing mishaps: Why the end user is essential.
(0:33:42) Convincing people that end users matter: User research and feedback.
(0:37:30) Evidence based decision making and empathy.
(0:38:08) A captive audience: Believing people want to do better.
(0:41:17) Agile methodologies and development in the public sector.
(0:42:43) Service design: What it is and why it is important.
(0:44:57) AI, Machine Learning and Omnichannel Service Delivery.
(0:47:31) Acronyms, buzzwords and the move to Plain Language use.
(0:50:01) Plain Language: The benefits of making sure everyone understands.
(0:52:41) Gaming: Faster thinking and strengthening focus.
(0:55:08) Fortnite, MMO games and griefers.
(0:56:40) Keeping up with the kids and esports.
Follow Tania on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tanialevy
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliesworld
...more
59min
December 31, 2021Ep.55 – Predator Management with Petros Chrysafis
Show Notes
In this episode, we talk all about predators of North America! What’s the best way to manage predators in a world where humans encroach more and more into their territory? What’s the best way to deter them? Petros Chrysafis joins me to talk about this fascinating topic!
(0:00:30) Central Valley and living in California.
(0:01:38) Wildlife in California and North American animals.
(0:02:52) Marine Biology and Zoology: The journey to a career.
(0:05:50) Social vs solitary predators.
(0:07:02) Lynx and bears.
(0:08:22) Grizzlies and Elk: California's wetlands of the past.
(0:10:09) Wild pigs in California: Feral pigs and wild boar.
(0:12:35) Culling pigs in California: Pig tags and permits.
(0:13:47) The pig problem: No specialized predators in North America.
(0:15:03) Eating wild boar and pigs.
(0:17:02) Why work as an independent Predator Specialist?
(0:19:30) Working with ranches: Trust and science.
(0:21:41) Guardian dogs: Costly but effective.
(0:22:38) Emus, llamas and alpacas: A good canine deterrent.
(0:24:00) Livestock predation: Factors and methods.
(0:25:12) How the process works.
(0:28:40) Coyotes: Should homeowners be worried? And what to do.
(0:30:49) Electric deterrents: Almost foolproof.
(0:32:59) Our fear of predators and how to manage it.
(0:35:47) Wanting our woods to be wild.
(0:38:15) Our selective memory.
(0:39:56) Brown and Black bears vs Grizzly and Polar bears.
(0:42:19) DnD and role playing games.
(0:43:49) The many avenues of DnD: School programs and prisons.
(0:45:43) DnD: A wide spectrum of gaming and imagination
(0:47:20) DnD: Dealing with death and expanding the creative process.
Visit Predator Deterrence: https://www.predatordeterrence.org/
Follow Petros on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pchrysafis
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
...more
50min
October 25, 2021Ep.53 – Paleoclimatology with Nicolas Randazzo
In this episode, we talk about how we know the climate is changing, as well as how and why we study past climates.We also explore things like mass extinction events, isotopes, and science communication.
(0:01:06) So many specialities.
(0:01:51) Turonian Global sea levels: Was there ice?
(0:03:45) Geochemical proxies: Helping reconstruct climate.
(0:04:49) Milankovitch cycles and our wobbly Earth.
(0:05:56) Our dependence on the other planets: A synergy that keeps us alive.
(0:07:26) Mars: A butterfly effect.
(0:08:23) Predictions and the climate archives.
(0:09:05) Global warming today: Undoubtedly caused by humans.
(0:10:50) The climate archives: Ice cores, gas bubbles and pollen records.
(0:12:45) Energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence: How it helps us learn.
(0:13:43) Radioactive isotopes vs stable isotopes.
(0:14:30) Isotopes: What are they and what are we looking for?
(0:16:41) How isotopes show climate changes in the past: The ice record and corals.
(0:18:04) Field trips and the Niagara Escarpment fossils.
(0:21:11) Focusing on global warming: Studying the rock record.
(0:22:15) Carbon isotopes and what they tell us.
(0:26:03) The effects of depleted carbon: A unique signature.
(0:27:11) What does this mean for the atmosphere and the Earth itself?
(0:31:19) The wobbly Moon and tidal sea level rise.
(0:32:43) Science communication: Should it be a requirement?
(0:34:41) Communicating in science: The importance of understanding the Why.
(0:37:38) Moving to alternate fuel sources: Will it make a difference?
(0:41:11) Climate cycles and C02: How the Arctic cooled.
(0:42:38) Plankton, trapped carbon and bacteria: Cycles of oxygen levels.
(0:44:31) Mass extinction events: Why we need to care because the Earth doesn't.
(0:46:36) Educating the public about climate change: One of many passions.
(0:48:04) Working in forensics: A possible branching out.
(0:49:31) Film criticism, stories and other interests.
(0:50:46) Indiana Jones and Archeology in film: An untapped potential.
(0:51:44) The artistic mindset: How art can make you think differently.
(0:53:45) Classical art and appreciating the detail.
Follow Nic on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nic_Randazzo
Visit Nic’s website: https://www.nicolasrandazzo.com/
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
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56min
September 23, 2021Ep.52 – Reproductive Immunology with Dr. Melanie Conrad
What role might the environment play on autoimmune diseases, like asthma? What could we learn about antibiotic use in pregnant women? Reproductive immunologist, and researcher, Dr. Melanie Conrad joins me to talk about these topics, and about the work she, and her team, are doing to uncover new information about how the immune system works!
(0:00:45) Moving to Germany and accents.
(0:02:42) Research and the study of asthma.
(0:04:07) The journey to studying asthma.
(0:06:22) Environmental causes of asthma and the role of traditional farms.
(0:08:00) Generational studies and the Dutch Hunger Winter.
(0:09:35) Why growing up on a farm can help your respiratory health.
(0:11:35) The mouse model.
(0:12:38) Mechanisms, contributing factors and the immune response.
(0:14:08) The chronological study of the fetus, newborns and breast milk.
(0:16:06) Moving from mouse to human: The ethics and physiology involved.
(0:17:47) Fruit flies studies and why they are important.
(0:19:02) Farm analysis and the chosen bacteria.
(0:20:34) Urban environments and pollution: Getting back to nature.
(0:22:36) The Protection Model and the Antibiotic Model.
(0:24:30) Antibiotics: Not always the best solution.
(0:25:31) Microbiome Analysis and the Antibiotic Model.
(0:26:30) The importance of fetal development of microbiomes: Where they come from.
(0:29:05) Pre and postnatal development of microbiomes and antibiotics.
(0:30:55) Targeted antibiotics: Is it a possibility in the future?
(0:32:00) Bonnie Bassler and Quorum sensing.
(0:33:39) Antibiotics, Hives and Mites: A need for new research and advances.
(0:35:09) Five more questions.
(0:37:03) When does science become medicine? Research and medicine.
(0:39:05) Open access and publishing.
(0:40:17) Science and policy: The need for a middle person.
(0:41:43) Science communication and Twitter.
(0:43:31) What's next? Models, models models and metabolism.
(0:45:35) PhD students.
(0:46:15) Partner Acrobatics: A great hobby.
(0:47:58) The cultural differences between Canada and Germany.
(0:50:02) Being a scientist in Germany.
(0:51:39) Berlin: Still loving it after over 10 years.
Visit the Conrad Lab: https://www.conradlab.net/
Follow Melanie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MLConradLab
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
...more
53min
July 27, 2021Ep.51 – Tardigrades with Dr. Frank Smith
How did Tardigrades evolve? Where can we find them? Are there Tardigrades in Space? All this, and more, with Biologist Dr. Frank Smith!
(0:00:55) Tardigrades in concrete.
(0:01:35) Finding tardigrades: Moss, leaf litter and lichens.
(0:02:50) Marine tardigrades: The contraption and process for collection.
(0:05:54) Cryptobiosis and marine tardigrades.
(0:06:53) The study of land tardigrades vs marine tardigrades.
(0:08:16) Studying the diversity of tardigrades: The tardigrade meeting.
(0:09:16) Tardigrades in concrete: A lack of literature and study.
(0:09:55) Reinhart Christensen: Echiniscus Bigranualatist.
(0:12:01) Solving mysteries that pre-date the fossil record.
(0:13:33) Tardigrade fossils.
(0:16:11) Evolution of tardigrades: A big discovery.
(0:20:13) Arthropods vs Tardigrades: Does the trunk make a difference?
(0:21:53) Tardigrade's hind legs: Do they serve a purpose?
(0:24:25) Tardigrades: An entire diverse phylum.
(0:25:21) Do all tardigrades have eight legs and why did they develop this way?
(0:29:39) Losing the ability to evolve: Is that why tardigrades are so tough?
(0:32:06) Tardigrades vs Rotifers: Comparative studies.
(0:32:55) Simplicity can be better: Losing body parts in evolution.
(0:34:40) Tardigrade guts and how they work and eat.
(0:37:52) The evolution of a tardigrade's guts: Comparisons to other animals.
(0:41:40) Mapping the tardigrade genome.
(0:43:24) Editing the genomes in tardigrades: Is it possible?
(0:45:09) Tardigrades in space.
(0:47:34) Tardigrades on the moon: The experiment.
(0:48:33) A new puppy, dog parks and the DNA test.
(0:50:11) NBA playoffs, basketball and music.
(0:51:20) The similarities between artists and scientists.
(0:54:45) Tardigrade society meetings.
Visit the Smith Lab: https://franksmith.domains.unf.edu/
How to find Marine Tardigrades: https://tardigradehunters.weebly.com/marine-tardigrades.html
Check out Creature Cast: http://creaturecast.org/
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
...more
57min
July 27, 2021Ep.50 – Jumping spiders with Trinity Walls
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliesworld
In this episode, we’ll learn all about spiders, specifically jumping spiders, and wolf spiders, with Arachnologist, Trinity Walls!
(0:01:09) Loving and studying spiders: The journey.
(0:02:51) Wolf spiders and their shining eyes.
(0:04:43) Spider hairs: How spiders sense prey and predators.
(0:05:41) Wolf spiders vs Jumping spiders: The key differences.
(0:07:40) The eyes of a jumping spider.
(0:08:48) Are jumping spiders venomous?
(0:10:00) The diet of a jumping spider.
(0:10:57) Spider cannibalism.
(0:11:57) Female spiders: Larger and longer lived.
(0:13:21) Mating choice in jumping spiders: An interesting field of study.
(0:17:25) Different colours in female spiders: An unsolved mystery.
(0:20:02) Jumping spider's jumps: The how and the why.
(0:21:51) The mating dance of male spiders.
(0:22:47) Peacock spiders and Paradise spiders.
(0:24:57) Do spiders dream?
(0:25:35) The cognitive abilities of spiders.
(0:27:09) Spider silk.
(0:28:14) Wolf spiders and other uses for silk.
(0:29:11) The effect of water on spider silk and webs.
(0:30:41) Behavioural ecology and spiders.
(0:31:47) Spiders and the winter season.
(0:33:42) Climate change and its effect on spiders.
(0:36:31) Arachnophobia: Why are spiders seen as the villians?
(0:40:45) How to properly relocate a spider.
(0:41:23) Spider bites: The myths vs reality.
(0:43:32) Dealing with spider webs in the home.
(0:45:30) Science communication and outreach.
(0:47:30) Girls and the study of spiders.
(0:49:20) Dance and the Bachata.
(0:52:04) Getting out of your head with dance.
(0:53:19) The PhD defense and what's coming next.
Follow Trinity on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trinitywalls9
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
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56min
July 16, 2021Ep.49 – Epilepsy and Machine Learning with Dr. Gerold Baier
Dr. Gerold Baier joins me from the UK to discuss machine learning, and his research into algorithmic approaches in disease. He’s been researching rhythms and patterns in epilepsy with the hope that one day, we can predict seizures before they happen!
(0:00:55) Biochemistry and decoding the rhythms of the human brain.
(0:02:13) The MEG and the study of epilepsy.
(0:03:45) Using rhythm and audio recordings.
(0:05:10) Epilepsy and the rhythms of seizures.
(0:06:07) The goals: Being able to stop a seizure.
(0:07:36) Implantation and the future.
(0:08:36) Surgery vs the needle: Lessening the destruction of brain tissue.
(0:10:04) The current solution: Cutting and burning the tissue.
(0:11:13) Machine learning and data science.
(0:11:58) What is machine learning?
(0:14:22) Isolating the rhythms.
(0:15:03) What causes a seizure?
(0:16:10) Where we are now with research: Identifying and classifying.
(0:18:03) The upcoming study in Beijing.
(0:19:20) The current scientific approach: A new approach is needed.
(0:21:09) Algorithms: The mathematical vs the physiological.
(0:21:53) Brain computer interfaces.
(0:23:10) Are there any limits to understanding the human brain?
(0:24:05) The auditory background in your brain.
(0:27:13) Psychedelics and the brain.
(0:30:31) Meditation, the brain and your inner self.
(0:31:49) Creativity and the collaboration of networks.
(0:33:38) Why use Python in machine learning?
(0:35:20) Where Python is used: Teaching and research.
(0:36:11) Python: Not the only language used.
(0:37:10) The future and artificial intelligence: A good idea?
(0:39:36) Seeing the danger and vulnerability.
(0:42:03) Decoding the diseases: How close are we?
(0:43:50) The consuming process of data points.
(0:45:06) Studying nature.
(0:46:17) Mexico and settling in the United Kingdom.
(0:47:40) Other collaborations: Working with the Children's Hospital.
(0:49:01) Teaching in China.
Dr. Baier’s bio at UCL: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/biosciences/people/gerold-baier
Follow Dr. Baier on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeroldBaier
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliesworld
...more
51min
July 06, 2021Ep.48 – Plant Pathology with Sara Stricker
In this episode, I talk with plant pathologist, and TikTok scicommer, Sara Stricker about plant fungus, science communication, and agriculture.
(0:01:19) The Plant Doctor and the PhD defense.
(0:02:20) The PhD process.
(0:03:57) Nerves, anxiety and a new job.
(0:05:42) Why TikTok?
(0:09:01) Vulnerability and coping with personal disclosures.
(0:10:45) The importance of visibility and being a role model.
(0:12:10) Who is your audience?
(0:13:20) Teaching and the journey to grad school.
(0:15:23) Advice for scientists joining TikTok.
(0:17:29) Making partnerships.
(0:18:50) Research into fungus and onion growth.
(0:20:24) Weather patterns and fungal spores.
(0:21:02) Chemical sprays and bacterial resistance.
(0:23:44) Why study this fungus? Microdochium nivale and mineral oil.
(0:25:20) The Muck Crops Research Station, The Growers Association and OMAFRA.
(0:27:42) The areas and origins of the fungus.
(0:28:21) Asparagus and Pears: Fungal spots.
(0:30:09) What can farmers do to combat this fungus?
(0:30:55) Intercropping vs Monocropping and disease.
(0:32:12) Crop rotation and beneficial bacteria.
(0:34:32) The micronetwork of fungi and how trees communicate.
(0:37:20) The grass is screaming.
(0:38:20) The Guelph Turfgrass Institute, lawns and helping the pollinators.
(0:40:48) International grasslands and the role of ecosystems.
(0:43:18) Vaccines and embracing the boring in science.
(0:46:46) Dealing with repetition: How to combat boredom.
(0:48:00) MineCraft, Animal Crossing and video games.
(0:49:16) Twitch.
(0:50:19) Killing plants and gardening.
(0:51:29) Woodworking and wood burning.
(0:53:11) Learning from Dad and small town living.
(0:54:52) What's next? Teaching, outreach and family.
Follow Sara on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sciencesara
Follow Guelph Turf on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@guelphturf
Follow Sara on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraMStricker
Visit Planet B612 on the web: http://planetb612.fm/
Follow Planet B612 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlanetB612fm
Support Planet B612 on Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliesworld
...more
58min

FAQs about Planet B612:

How many episodes does Planet B612 have?

The podcast currently has 57 episodes available.