Podcasts 4 Brainport, featured by Radio 4 Brainport, 747AM and DAB+

Can probability theory help explain how the mind works? In this episode of Deep Dives with Iman, host Iman Mossavat talks with Dr. Hadi Vafaii, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley’s Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, working in Jacob Yates’s lab. The conversation focuses on “perception as inference”—a century-old idea that continues to influence modern neuroscience, from predictive coding to the free energy principle.

While rooted in probability theory and Bayesian statistics, Hadi builds intuition step by step, using simple, relatable examples. He explains how the brain interprets the world by guessing the hidden causes behind what we see and hear, combining prior knowledge with new evidence. The episode also explores how personal beliefs and life experiences shape interpretation and why uncertainty is a vital part of life rather than a weakness.

Iman Mossavat brings listeners a gripping conversation with Dr. Guido Palazzo, Professor of Business Ethics at EPFL Lausanne, on the hidden forces behind corporate scandals. Palazzo discusses his latest book, The Dark Pattern, co-authored with Dr. Ulrich Hoffrage, which reveals how well-intentioned leaders can become ethically blind under powerful organizational pressures. He outlines nine recurring conditions, such as toxic leadership, unrealistic goals, and euphemistic language, that create a culture where wrongdoing becomes normalized. Palazzo also explains how technology and AI can deepen ethical failure by adding distance and abstraction. This episode offers a framework for understanding—and preventing—ethical breakdowns, grounded in real-world scandals from major global companie

Curious about Brabant’s “zwetsen” or Limburg’s sing-song “wa sisse”? Join Susan, sharing her love for meltingly delicious vlaai and youth talent, with Bart to decode dialects like “gij” and boost Brainport’s future. Uncover cultural connections and tips for thriving in Eindhoven’s global hub. Smile, discover, connect!

Episode 2 Part III: of Are We Still on the Same Page?, part of Radio 4 Brainport. Subscribe now! #Brainport #Dialects #Culture

Lost in translation or feeling alone in Brainport’s vibrant expat scene? Susan talks with Wendie from De Liefdesdokter about building lasting friendships as an expat, overcoming language barriers, and creating meaningful connections in Eindhoven’s multicultural hub. Learn tips to join local clubs, use welcoming smiles, and thrive socially. Smile, discover, connect! Episode 2, part 2 of Are We Still on the Same Page?, #Brainport #Dutch #Dialects #expats #language #expatlife #netherlands #thenetherlands #Radio4brainport #eindhoven #podcast

Struggling with Dutch and its tricky grammar like “de/het” or verb shifts like “omdat ik appels eet”? Baffled by Brabant’s “houdoe”? Join Susan, sharing her Indisch-Limburg roots and passion for Brainport’s cultural mix, with linguist Bart to unravel learning the guttural “g” and decoding local dialects. Explore expat challenges and vibrant local vibes in Eindhoven’s tech hub. Smile, discover, connect! Episode 2 of Are We Still on the Same Page?, a radio podcast for Radio 4 Brainport. Subscribe now! #Brainport #Dutch #Dialects #expats #language #expatlife #netherlands #thenetherlands #Radio4brainport #eindhoven #supportedbyASML #podcast

In Ralu on Board, Edition 17, we delved into South African philosophy, Ubuntu, with Nobantu Mpotulo, a leadership master coach, who integrate African indigenous wisdom of ubuntu into her coaching practice.

Nobantu, has a special meaning in South Africa, meaning “Mother of People, which she took to heart, by developing her special mission: help people see more, hear more, love more, illuminate more, be more and do less, which is the Ubuntu coaching mantra developed by Nobantu.

Nobantu’s favourite quote is: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom”, by Victor Frankl; and her wisdom on how leadership needs to change for the current and future world is simply inspiring.

Tune in to listen to the full story with Nobantu on Ralu on Board, Edition 17.

In this deep dive, host Iman Mossavat sits down with Dr. Shea Brown—physicist, former astrophysics professor, and founder of BABL AI—for a sharp look at AI accountability. Brown shares his journey from studying the cosmos to interrogating AI systems, spotlighting how scientific skepticism must carry over into today’s tech landscape. At BABL AI, he leads efforts to audit and govern AI to ensure it serves human interests—especially in high-stakes areas like hiring, credit scoring, and public services. With real-world examples and hands-on audit methods, Brown explains how AI systems often fail silently and how risk-based auditing can surface hidden harms. Mossavat brings the conversation to the classroom, underscoring the need to train students not just to build AI, but to test it critically. The episode challenges tech optimism with grounded insight—and highlights a future where regulation, education, and responsible innovation must work hand in hand.

101 editions of the IEEE VTC conferences, and still innovation in wireless communication is hot.

I had a chance to ask keynote speakers and panelists Erik Larsson (Linköping) and Petar Popovski (Aalborg) about the new directions that will influence 6G. The highlights in less than two minutes:

What does more intelligence mean for the network?

Will Reconfigurable but passive Intelligent Surfaces, RIS, boost performance, or would we rather go for a swarm of amplifying analog repeaters? These can collectively improve the propagation environment.

Jean-Paul Linnartz

Host Iman Mossavat explores the complex intersection of algorithms and education policy with Mayesha Tasnim and Paul Verhagen of the Civic AI Lab at the University of Amsterdam. In cities like Amsterdam and Eindhoven, school placement is increasingly driven by algorithms. But how fair and transparent are these systems?

Together, they unpack how public algorithms shape student futures, revealing the trade-offs between fairness, efficiency, and transparency. From the role of lotteries in Amsterdam’s admissions to the challenges of "gaming the system," this episode dives into what it truly means to design equitable technology in public policy.

Listeners gain rare insight into how smarter algorithms can improve outcomes, while still risking unintended consequences.

Radio 4 Brainport, 2025

#CivicAILab #DeepDivesWithIman #Radio4Brainport #AIandSociety

Colleen Farrelly uses mathematics as a versatile tool across many fields, driven by curiosity and social purpose. Calling herself a “wandering mathematician,” she connects pure math with real-world problems—from epidemic modeling and radiomics to data analysis.

Colleen shares her experience modeling to help position resources that limited an Ebola outbreak. She explains how understanding the geometry and topology of medical images helps generative algorithms produce medically plausible data. She also highlights how tools useful in one domain, like finance, can be applied to others such as ecology or marketing. She stresses the importance of critical thinking: questioning and exploring better approaches.

Colleen authored The Shape of Data: "Geometry-Based Machine Learning and Data Analysis in R" and "Modern Graph Theory Algorithms with Python."

#Mathematics #Geometry #Topology #DataScience #AI #Innovation #DeepDivesWithIman

Radio 4 Brainport, Eindhoven. AI Deep Dives with Iman