The OIST Podcast

DJ Nick Luscombe, OIST Podcaster in Residence, checks out OIST's Theoretical Sciences Visiting Program (TSVP). In this episode, he talks to Dr. Jonas Fischer, TSVP Academic Coordinator, and Prof. Simone Pigolotti to learn more about the program. He also interviews the guest researchers visiting OIST as part of the program and asks them about their experiences at OIST.

Check out the TSVP's website: https://groups.oist.jp/ja/tsvp

In episode #9 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark sits down with neuroscientist and philosopher Andrea Hiott.

In this episode they talk about Andrea's work in providing a new metaphor for understanding cognition: cognition as navigation or way-making.

As well as exploring what exactly is meant by the claim that cognition is way-making, they explore how this intersects with contemporary views within philosophy and science, what some of its practical implications are, and indeed, how Andrea made her way to these ideas in the first place. As you will hear, the path was long and winding, and no doubt played a substantial role in making Andrea the fascinating and lively conversation partner she is today.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

Cover art is provided by Cian Brennan.

In episode #8 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark sits down with cognitive scientist and ethical AI researcher, Dr. Abeba Birhane.

In this episode, they talk about Abeba's work auditing large image datasets, how they have discovered racial biases in these data sets, and what the implications of that are.

They also talk about Abeba's work in embodied cognitive science, and how the understanding of the person that emerges from that work challenges some of the assumptions underlying the value of the 'predictive' algorithms that are being used more and more in, for instance, crime prevention.

Abeba provides a great overview of the state of AI research at the moment, some of the challenges it faces, and some of the things we can do to ensure we are developing technologies that serve everyone and not just certain privileged groups.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

Cover art is provided by Cian Brennan.

Prof. Paola Laurino leads the Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST). Fascinated by proteins, she has spent much of her career looking at the structure, function, and evolution of enzymes, a group of proteins that facilitates vital chemical reactions for living organisms. At the end of 2021, Prof. Laurino's group published three scientific articles on different aspects of enzyme research. In this episode of the OIST podcast, science communicator Lucy Dickie caught up with Prof. Laurino to hear about this work.

In episode #6 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with philosopher of embodied cognitive science, Dr. Mog Stapleton.

Mog is presently a visiting researcher at OIST, and is working on understanding the relationship between cognition and the gut-brain axis.

In this episode, they talked about the role of aesthetics in the production of knowledge, the relationship between enaction and the empirical mind sciences, affectivity in cognition, enacting eduction and the value of ritual for transformation.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

Cover art is provided by Cian Brennan.

In episode #5 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with sustainability researcher Roope Kaaronen.

Roope is a postdoc at the University of Helsinki, Finland.

In this episode, they talked about Roope's fortuitous introduction to ecological psychology and its value to his present work, his present work on strategic design interventions for large scale behaviour change/cultural evolution, the challenges and opportunities at the intersection between individual and collective change, nudging, and more.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

In episode #4 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with theoretical cognitive scientist Marek McGann.

Marek is a lecturer in the psychology department in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland.

In this episode they talked about Marek existing at the intersection of enaction and ecological psychology, the concept of behaviour settings and his understanding of agency as a multiscale affair, emergentism as a framing for embodied cognitive science, and the craft of research and education.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

In episode #3 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with philosopher Laura Mojica.

At the time of recording Laura was also working in the Embodied Cognitive Science Unit at OIST. Laura works on the notion of normativity from an enactive standpoint, though she brings her experience working in analytic philosophy to bear on the topic. Laura is also very concerned with how enaction intersects with more cultural concerns and is interested in thinking about how enactive cognitive science can illuminate discussions about race, gender, intersectionality and so on.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

In episode #2 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with Dr. Fred Cummin, head of the Cognitive Science program at University College Dublin.

Fred is a linguist and the originator of the field of study that is joint speech: where two or more people say the same thing at the same time, such as within religious rituals, at sporting events, or at political protests. Fred is also an incredibly well studied individual in a range of disciplines and has a profoundly philosophical, idiosyncratic and insightful take on embodiment as a frame within the sciences.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

In episode #1 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with Dr. Tom Froese, head of the Embodied Cognitive Science Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST).

The conversation touches on the central themes of embodied cognitive science and the enactive framework in particular, the methods of this approach, the mission of the unit at OIST, and some of the implications of developing or adopting such an understanding.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.