Secret Life of STEM

We're back for a final bonus episode! In 2018, Secret Life of STEM visited two events: the Spaghetti Machine competition, and the Endeavour exhibition.

Both events encompass Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, and are hosted at the University of Melbourne for different age groups.

If you're in Year 10, the Spaghetti Machine competition is for you - by participating you'll join a team of fellow students and build an overly complex machine that performs a simple task.

If you're a masters student, you might enter the Endeavor exhibition - a contest for innovations and inventions in STEM. We spoke to two groups who invented new ways to guide the blind, and new ways to keep homes cool in scorching heat.

Produced by Silvi Vann-Wall.

Executive producer was Andi Horvath.

Editing by Silvi Vann-Wall and Arch Cuthbertson.

Secret Life of STEM is a University of Melbourne podcast.

We’re back! After a brief hiatus, we’re proud to unleash our series finale: A STEM of Advice. It’s our most jam-packed episode yet, featuring tips and tricks from almost every guest we’ve interviewed so far.

Our guests will take you through their greatest STEM achievements - and their greatest failings - in order to prepare you for your own upcoming adventures. Still unsure about a career in STEM? Feeling worried about your studies? Fear not - these reactions are normal, and will soon pass. If you don’t believe us, just listen to Amy Shepherd, or Grace McKee, or Ellen Sandell...well, you get the picture.

Then, three of our reverse-engineers are back to dish out the FYIs for your future STEM-studying self.

This episode’s reverse engineering is presented by Erin Grant, who will uplift you with her high-flying facts on helium.

GUESTS:

Chloe Stuart - In@Science Mentor, University of Melbourne.

Josh Cake - Comedian, musician and recent science graduate, University of Melbourne.

Erin Grant - PhD candidate in biosensing, School of Physics, University of Melbourne.

Rebecca Vincent - an engineering student at the University of Melbourne.

Amy Shepherd - Neuroscientist and PhD graduate, University of Melbourne.

Grace McKee - Founder of Sisters in Science.

Ellen Sandell - Australian politician, State Member of Parliament, Melbourne.

Dr Georgia Aitken-Smith - a.k.a Some Blonde Scientist, science communicator.

Sarah Hanieh - Paediatrician working in global health and for Médecins Sans Frontières.

Mary Mathias - Community Manager for EngineerGirl and the Online Ethics Center, National Academy of Engineering, USA.

Dr. Leah Heiss - Designer and Academic, Wearable Health Technology & Human Centred Design, RMIT University.

LINKS:

WISE - Women in Science and Engineering - https://www.wiseunimelb.com/

The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity - https://www.doherty.edu.au/

Indigenous STEM Education Project - https://www.csiro.au/en/Education/Programs/Indigenous-STEM

Sisters in Science - https://www.sistersinscience.net/

Careers and Employability at the University of Melbourne https://students.unimelb.edu.au/careers

University of Melbourne Open Day: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/openday

study.unimelb.edu.au

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Catriona Nguyen-Robertson

Episode Host/Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr. Andi Horvath

Producer/Editor: Silvi Vann-Wall

Assistant Producer: Buffy Gorrilla

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT:

In this special bonus episode of Secret Life of STEM, our resident Science Advisor Dr Andi Horvath speaks to Australia’s Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel.

Listen in as Alan Finkel talks about his inspirations and biggest tips for aspiring scientists, and answers year 10’s burning STEM questions. That’s right, you submitted your questions, and now Alan Finkel has the answers.

What is Alan Finkel’s earliest ‘STEMmory’? What challenges has he overcome in his career? What advice would he give his year 10 self? Find out in this bonus episode of Secret Life of STEM!

GUESTS:

Alan Finkel, Chief Scientist of Australia

LINKS:

Alan Finkel’s Biography

CREDITS:

Episode Host/Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr. Andi Horvath

Producer: Buffy Gorrilla

Assistant Producer/Editor: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT:

Futurists often use popular science-fiction stories to predict future STEM trends. Many technologies previously seen only on Star Trek and similar shows have now become everyday objects, like the iPad. Can you think of something you use today that might have come out of a sci-fi movie in the past?

Also in this episode, we ask who or what inspired you to undertake STEM studies - did you have

a favourite science character growing up? Or perhaps it was your teacher! We brought in the

hosts of sci-fi radio program Zero G to help us look at the sci-fi movies that inspire people in

STEM. We also went to a student BBQ to survey today’s undergrads about who inspired them -

and their answers may surprise you!

This episode’s reverse engineering is presented by Henry Duffield, who deep dives into AI and

machine learning

GUESTS:

Rob Jan, presenter and co-producer of ‘Zero G’, fiction, fantasy and historical radio on 3RRR FM.

Megan McKeough, co-presenter of Zero G on 3RRR FM.

Dr Emma Burrows, NHMRC-ARC dementia research development fellow.

Henry Duffield, Bachelor of Science Student at the University of Melbourne.

LINKS:

Zero G on RRR

Spirit and Opportunity - NASA's Mars Exploration Program

An exploratory study of the relationship of Science-Fiction and Human-computer Interaction

The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health - Florey

The Draw-A-Scientist-Test (DAST)

Science Students Society

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Danielle Goulopoulos

Episode Host/Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr. Andi Horvath

Producer/Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Assistant Producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT:

Want to use STEM to build a better, brighter future? You better listen up! The world of STEM is rapidly changing, just like you will be.

In this episode, we speak to politicians, journalists, researchers, lecturers, event planners, and students about the big picture - that is, how STEM fits into society and the world beyond. So if you’re curious about where STEM research ends up once a paper is published, or how interactive experiments can help make the world smarter, our influential guests have all the answers.

Also in this episode, student Rebecca Vincent reverse engineers sunscreen - perhaps one of the most important STEM contributions to society yet.

GUESTS:

Ellen Sandell, Australian politician, State Member of Parliament, Melbourne

Kate Ravillious, Science journalist from the UK

Dr Emma Burrows, NHMRC-ARC dementia research development fellow

Dominic Hare, Associate Professor at The Florey Institute

Ryan Kelly, Research fellow in the Interaction Design Lab

Rebecca Vincent, an engineering student at the University of Melbourne

Kristian Camilleri, Lecturer in the History and Philosophy of Science

Fiona Fidler, History and Philosophy of Science

Darrin Durrant, Historical and Philosophical Studies

Renee Beale, Victorian Science Week Lead and Engagement Manager

LINKS:

Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

Microsoft Research Centre for Social Natural User Interfaces

Biometric Mirror

The History and Philosophy of Science Program

School of BioSciences

The ‘Just Says in Mice’ Twitter account

FactBar

National Science Week

study.unimelb.edu.au

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Catriona Nguyen Robertson

Episode Host/Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr. Andi Horvath

Producer/Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Assistant Producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT:

How do you turn your STEM studies into a living wage? Or even better - how do you turn your golden STEM idea into actual gold? You might just find out in this episode of Secret Life of STEM.

We talk to select entrepreneurs from the Melbourne Accelerator Program, a start up fund that helps grow Australian businesses. These people combined their knowledge of STEM and business, and are now using it to improve the world with the companies Beyond Ag and Curvecrete. You’ll also hear from a teacher that turned her STEM skills into an automated roll-marking system. Neat!

Also in this episode, our reverse engineer Danielle Goulopolous discovers what Google knows about you - and how to reduce that secret knowledge.

GUESTS:

● Phoebe Gardner, Co-Founder - Beyond Ag

● Alex Arnold, Co-Founder - Beyond Ag

● Greg Nyilasy, Academic, Management and Marketing, University of Melbourne

● Warren Rudd, Co-Founder - Curvecrete

● Daniel Prohasky, Co-Founder - Curvecrete

● Danielle Goulopolous, Media and Communications Student

● Martin Elhay, Senior Business Development Manager, University of Melbourne

● Zoe Milne, Co-founder - Loop Learn

LINKS:

● The Melbourne Accelerator Program - https://www.themap.co/

● Beyond Ag - https://www.themap.co/portfolio/beyond-ag

● The Wade Institute of Entrepeneurship - https://www.ormond.unimelb.edu.au/about/wade-institute-entrepreneurship/

● Curvecrete - https://curvecrete.com/

● What does Google know about you? - https://medium.com/productivity-in-the-cloud/6-links-that-will-show-you-what-google-knows-about-you-f39b8af9decc

● The Lean Startup - http://theleanstartup.com/

● Study Business and Economics at UniMelb - https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/interests/business-and-economics/

● Loop Learn Automated Roll-Marking - https://www.looplearn.net/

● Walter and Eliza Hall Institute - https://www.wehi.edu.au/

● Find a course - https://study.unimelb.edu.au

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Erin Grant

Episode Host/Producer/Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr. Andi Horvath

Assistant Producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT:

“I want to have a career in STEM - but will I fit in?” - this is a question on the minds of many

young STEM students! And for good reason: for many years, the fields of STEM have been

overwhelmingly dominated by workers who are straight, male and white.

But it’s been proven that the best and most effective teams are diverse teams - whether they are

diverse in race, gender, sexuality, ability or neurodiversity. Diversity brings together many

different perspectives, which allows for more efficient problem solving and greater innovation.

In this episode you’ll hear from people like Sophia Frentz, a disabled, non-binary scientist who

currently works as an analytical consultant for DeLoitte. They’ll recount how their efforts made

working in the lab more accessible for people like them. You’ll also hear from Grace Kalinin, an

indigenous science student at the University of Sydney, who is also participating in the

Indigenous STEM Education Project at CSIRO.

Also in this episode, Catriona Nguyen-Robertson explores “inherent” racial bias in her reverse-

engineering segment on neuroracism.

GUESTS:

● Bryce Hughes, assistant professor at Montana State University

● Sophia Frentz, analytical consultant at DeLoitte

● Chloe Stewart, a student of environmental science at RMIT

● David Cameron-Staples, Senior Engineer at Unix Systems and Technology Management

at Infrastructure Services

● Catriona-Nguyen Robertson, PhD candidate, the Peter Doherty Institute

● Grace Kalinin, participant in the Indigenous STEM Education Project, CSIRO

● Grace McKee, Founder of Sisters in Science

LINKS:

● WISE - Women in Science and Engineering - https://www.wiseunimelb.com/

● DeLoitte - https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en.html

● Bachelor of Environmental Science - https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/major/environmental-science/

● The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity - https://www.doherty.edu.au/

● Indigenous STEM Education Project - https://www.csiro.au/en/Education/Programs/Indigenous-STEM

● Sisters in Science - https://www.sistersinscience.net/

● To explore the range of STEM courses UniMelb has on offer, see: study.unimelb.edu.au

CREDITS

Guest Host: Amy Shepherd

Episode Host/Producer/Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr. Andi Horvath

Assistant Producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT

So, you’re near the end of high school and you’ve started to look at options for tertiary STEM study. A natural step is to attend a university open day. But how are you going to make the most of your time? And what if your parents are pushing you in a different direction?

In this episode, you will hear from students and parents who are getting ready to navigate the next university open day, or have already been there, done it, and bought the postcard. You’ll also get some insider tips on navigating your open day.

So no matter which university you’re choosing, this episode is not one to miss - especially if you’re the parents of children interested in STEM!

Also in this episode: University of Melbourne Engineering student Rebecca Vincent explains noise-cancelling headphones.

GUESTS:

Rebecca Vincent, an Engineering student at the University of Melbourne.

Grace McKee, a student of the Bachelor of Science Advanced Global Challenges at Monash University, and founder of Sisters in Science.

Jennifer, April, and Rose Henry, a STEM-oriented family from Melbourne.

Barney Wray, University of Melbourne student recruitment officer.

LINKS:

University of Melbourne Open Day: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/openday

Study Engineering at the University of Melbourne: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/interests/engineering/

Sisters in Science: https://www.sistersinscience.net/

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Amy Shepherd

Episode Host/Producer/Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Supervising Producer/Science Advisor: Dr Andi Horvath

Assistant Producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional Editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT

STEM is a multidisciplinary pursuit. The truth is you can’t separate the Arts and Humanities from the Sciences, nor the Sciences from the Arts. It’s particularly exciting to see the Arts and Sciences collide.

In this episode, you will meet women using both the science and the arts to weave together fascinating careers. You’ll discover that when multidisciplinary teams work together, they come up with extraordinary things.

It's very likely if you work as a scientist you will work with artsy types and vice versa.

We almost called this podcast episode The Secret life of STEAM because STEM is really STEAM and that would have been a SmART title.

Also, in this episode: Danielle Goulopoulos, a University of Melbourne Arts student explores home assistants in the Reverse Engineering segment.

GUESTS:

Dr Leah Heiss, Designer and Academic, Wearable Health Technology & Human Centred Design, RMIT University

Dr Mary Mathias, Community Manager for EngineerGirl and the Online Ethics Center, National Academy of Engineering, USA.

Dr Nicki Cranna, Scientific Education Coordinator, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

LINKS:

Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-science/

Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-biomedicine/

Careers and Employability at the University of Melbourne https://students.unimelb.edu.au/careers

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Danielle Goulopoulos

Episode host, Supervising Producer, Science advisor: Dr Andi Horvath

Producer, Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Assistant producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT

What if you like science subjects but are not too sure you are the lab science type?

The ‘future you’ may take a path like one of the guests in this episode. They have one thing in common, they started in science but changed gear and completely reinvented their careers.

One thing is for sure a STEM background was key to their new adventures in law, business, politics and journalism.

Studying STEM allows you to combine it with your other interests for jobs that probably haven't been invented yet.

Career reinvention is the norm whether it's by chance or design. Listen to how these career reinventors rediscovered a new career. So hang in there and follow your instinct.

Also in this episode: Erin Grant, a PhD student in Physics, explores Wireless Charging in Reverse Engineering.

GUESTS:

Kate Ravilious, Science journalist in the UK.

Dr Martin Elhay, Senior Business Development officer, University of Melbourne

Dr Leon Wong, Patent and Trade Marks Attorney

Ellen Sandell, Australian Politician, State Member of Parliament, Melbourne

LINKS:

Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-science/

Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-biomedicine/

Careers and Employability at the University of Melbourne https://students.unimelb.edu.au/careers

CREDITS:

Guest Host: Erin Grant

Episode host, Co-Producer, Science advisor: Dr Andi Horvath

Producer, Editor: Buffy Gorrilla

Assistant producer: Silvi Vann-Wall

Additional editing: Arch Cuthbertson

CONTACT