The Random Sample

Atherosclerosis is a silent but deadly condition. It happens when your arteries get clogged with plaque, restricting blood flow and putting you at serious risk for heart attacks and strokes. But here’s the fascinating part: maths is stepping up to help doctors and scientists understand how this condition develops and progresses.

In this episode, we’re joined by two brilliant minds who organised a recent research program at MATRIX, Australia’s residential institute for the mathematical sciences. University of Oxford Professor Helen Byrne sits down with the University of Sydney’s Professor Mary Myerscough. Together, they unpack the complexities of using maths to model biological conditions like atherosclerosis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 WIMSIG Conference celebrates the achievements of women, trans and gender diverse people in the mathematical sciences.

WIMSIG stands for the Women in Mathematics Special Interest Group. The group is a part of the Australian Mathematical Society.

WIMSIG just wrapped up its third-ever conference with a big gathering in Sydney.

In this episode, we’ll explore how WIMSIG came into being, why it’s so important, and what it means for all those who attend a WIMSIG conference.

Our guests are:

• Professor Jennifer Flegg – The University of Melbourne and Chair of the WIMSIG Executive Committee
• Professor Jessica Purcell – Monash University and President of the Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS)
•  Professor Lesley Ward – University of South Australia and Chair of the 1st WIMSIG Conference

The host is Dr Sevvandi Kandanaarachchi, a Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO.

Episode link: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/wimsig-conference/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Perils of "Publish or Perish".

This episode of The Random Sample is the final instalment in our special three-part series on navigating the world of academic and scientific publishing.

In it, we dive deep into the dilemma - and what many see as the pervasive mindset - known simply as publish or perish.

Our guest is QUT statistician Professor Adrian Barnett. As part of all the research he does, Adrian uses the power of statistics to reveal the pressures and pitfalls of the current system.

Plus, we explore questions like:

• Can things change?
• Should they?
• What can academics and journals do to make the system better?

Our host for this episode is Dr James Nichols, a mathematician and Lecturer at the Australian National University.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Challenges of Publishing Interdisciplinary Research.

This episode of The Random Sample is the second instalment in our special three-part series into the world of academic and scientific publishing.

In it, we delve into the challenges of publishing interdisciplinary research with special guest, Professor Xiao-Li Meng, founding editor-in-chief of the Harvard Data Science Review. We explore:

• How to choose a journal when the research crosses disciplinary boundaries
• The important role researchers in the mathematical and data sciences can play in this type of research
• The challenges editors and reviewers face with interdisciplinary research

Plus, Professor Meng discusses his motivation for creating the Harvard Data Science Review, and what he does to challenge researchers to communicate their research more broadly.

Our host for this episode is Cynthia Huang, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics at Monash University.

Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/the-publication-puzzle-part-2/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all heard the saying, “publish or perish”. But what does that really mean in today’s world of academic publishing?

Scientific publishing has been shaping knowledge since the 17th century. Today, it's bigger, and more complex, than ever. Yet, for many inside the world of science, it remains a maze of confusion. For those outside of it, it’s practically a black box.

In a special three-part series, The Random Sample will take you behind the scenes to explore the realities of the publication process. This episode is the first in this series.

We’ll begin by answering some fundamental questions:

• How does academic publishing really work?
• What factors influence the decision on where to publish?
• And what happens when a journal reviews a submitted paper?

Our guest is University of Melbourne mathematician Distinguished Professor Peter Taylor, who shares his perspective as both an Academic and editor-in-chief of two applied probability journals.

Our host is Dr Sevvandi Kandanaarachchi, a Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO.

Episode page:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/the-publication-puzzle-part-1/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting Wednesday, 28 August, The Random Sample will bring you a special three-part series exploring the world of academic publishing. Listen to this short trailer so you know what to expect!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s something to toast to. Australia’s wine industry is leading the way when it comes to a very important issue: sustainability.

And Data Science is helping the industry do that!

In this episode, we explore the Data Science project being carried out by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), how and why it started, and how grape growers and wine makers are coming to embrace these new data-driven efforts.

Our guests are Mardi Longbottom, General Manager for Industry Development and Support at the AWRI, and Bryce Polley, a PhD Candidate at the QUT Centre for Data Science and the University of Adelaide working with AWRI.

Our host is Tim Macuga, Senior Project Officer for the QUT Centre for Data Science and the Australian Data Science Network.

Website link: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/data-for-sustainable-winemaking/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you heard of, or are you experiencing, eco-grief or climate anxiety? For many STEM researchers, including those in the mathematical and data sciences, this is becoming a very real thing as they explore and tackle problems and questions about the environment and climate. But just how serious of a problem is this for the STEM community? A group of women, who met as part of their involvement with the Homeward Bound project, have decided to team up and find out. They just completed of survey of researchers to find out how climate change is affecting the people who study it. In this episode, we explore some of what they have already uncovered. Plus, some tools and some messages of hope they have for anyone who might be experiencing these feelings. Our guest is Dr Alexandra Knight, an Ecologist and Environmental Sociologist at Charles Sturt University. Our host for this episode is Rose Crocker, an applied mathematician with the Australian Institute of Marine Science.  NOTE: We understand this discussion may affect some of you. If so, head to our webpage for this episode. We have provided a list of contacts and resources for climate anxiety and eco-grief support: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/climate-anxiety-alexandra-knight/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People love stories. That simple fact all too often gets lost by scientists when it comes to communicating research. In this episode, we chat to someone who helps researchers tell their stories. Not with words. But visually, using graphic design. Dr Jess Hopf decided to combine her two passions, science and graphic design, into a business where she helps researchers communicate their work by incorporating visual components. Our host is Cynthia Huang, a PhD Candidate at Monash University in the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics.  Episode website:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/scientific-graphic-design/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s only been a few short years since we witnessed the power of bushfires here in Australia. The summer of 2019 and 2020 brought us Australia’s most catastrophic bushfire season ever. The 2019-20 bushfires destroyed more than 3,000 homes, killed more than 30 people, and torched tens of millions of hectares of land and forest. With the effects of climate change, it’s more important than ever that we understand how bushfires move and grow. Our guest for this episode is Jason Sharples, a Professor of Bushfire Dynamics at UNSW Canberra – and Director of the UNSW Bushfire Research Group. In this episode, we explore how Jason uses mathematics to model bushfires to better understand the complex interactions between bushfires, different terrains, and atmospheric conditions. Our host for this episode is Dr James Nichols, a mathematician and Lecturer at the Australian National University.  Episode webpage link

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.