Gradcast

This week, Claire Bottini and Ariel Frame discussed with Olivia Siemons, a Master student in Biology, her work on genes and behaviour in female fruit flies during reproduction. In this episode, Olivia describes how a specific gene influences female receptivity to males courting and how difference in species may affect this behaviour. We continue with discussing about species evolution and techniques to study gene functions. To hear more from Olivia, check out her Instagram @oliviasiemens or email her osiemons@uwo.ca Recorded on August 9, 2022. Produced by Ariel Frame. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

For the first episode of #GraduatedLife, Charan Mandur and Ariel Frame interview Dr. Geoffrey Hayes. Dr. Hayes completed his PhD in history at UWO in 1992. He shares with GradCast how he found his way to Western, what brought him to his current faculty position at the University of Waterloo, and life and grad school advice from someone who's been there.  Recorded on August 4, 2022 Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.  

This week, hosts Amalie Hutchinson and Carly Charron interview fellow Gradcast member Claire Bottini, who is a PhD candidate in Biology. In this episode, Claire shares some fun facts about birds, and discusses a recent project she completed assessing whether exposure to methylmercury, an environmental contaminant, impacts song sparrow reproduction.  Recorded on August 4, 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

Today gradcast is joined by Hugh Samson, a first year PhD study in Library and Information Science, who shares with hosts Laura Muñoz Baena and Brittany Melton his research on balance and mindfulness. Hugh not only defines each term but situates them in his work more broadly at the crossroads of information and contemplation. To contact Hugh and learn more about the importance of balance and contemplation, find him on the FIMS page. Recorded on July 27, 2022. Produced by Laura Muñoz Baena. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

This week, hosts Amalie Hutchinson and Yousuf Hasan interview Ignacio Moya about his PhD work in philosophical pessimism. Our conversation touches on the views of Schopenhauer, anti-natalism, ancient Greek stories, and more. Life may be meaningless and full of suffering.. but "you're here, I'm here, let's make the best of it".. and listen to a podcast.    To find out more about Ignacio's work or to contact him, check out his twitter @ignaciomoyaa Recorded on July 19, 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

This week, join Amalie and Elizabeth as they talk with Alessia Servin (she/they) a master's student in the department of gender, sexuality, and women's studies. Alessia discusses her current research which looks at the experiences of first-generation students at post-secondary institutions and how they are constantly being left culturally homeless within these walls. She also shares her own personal experiences navigating the institution first-generation student herself. To know more about Alessia, find them on Instagram at @alessiaservinn. If you have any questions about her research, please feel free to email alessiaservin@hotmail.com Recorded on July 12, 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.  

This week, Claire Bottini and Ariel Frame talked with Alyssa Moore, a PhD student in anatomy and cell biology. Alyssa explains how cells transform into the different tissue in our body and how pre-birth conditions such as alcohol exposure may affect the bone's structure. Alyssa also shared her experience as graduate Master and PhD student at Western University. To find out more from Alyssa, email her at amoor66@uwo.ca Recorded on July 5, 2022. Produced by Ariel Frame. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

This week, join Laura and Brittany as they interview Jordan VanderBurgt, a first year PhD student in biology. Jordan discusses Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), growing vaccines in plants, and the effects of both this disease and its research.  To find out more about Jordan, you can find him on twitter as jvand222. Recorded on June 28, 2022. Produced by Laura Muñoz Baena. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

On this episode of the GradCast hosts Claire Bottini and Charan Mandur sit down with PhD candidate Sufyan Tahir to discuss the world of plant biology. Sufyan shares his research to improve drought tolerance in crops through plant genetics. Recorded on June 21, 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

In this episode, Elizabeth, Laura, and Rose talk with Eric Zwicker, a PhD candidate in Musicology. As part of his research project, Eric is working on creating an album of original music. Eric discusses how he uses Indigenous Research Methodologies throughout his process of music creation, and how that music can be used as a form of reconciliation.   To hear more about Eric's creations follow him on Spotify as Eric Zwicker Recorded on June 14, 2022. Produced by Laura Muñoz Baena. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

If you have ever wondered what happens with insects during the winter, this episode will provide some answers. Hosts Ariel Frame and Laura Muñoz Baena chat with Alyssa Stephens, a student of the Biology department who just defended her Masters thesis on freezing tolerance in spring field crickets. More specifically,  Alyssa studied how crickets modify their metabolism to accumulate trehalose, a sugar that crickets use as source of energy in the summer and protection for cell freezing during the winter.  Follow Alyssa on Twitter @lyssastephens and for more interesting facts about crickets and other insects, follow the Entomological Society of Ontario on Twitter @EntSocOnt Recorded on June 7 2022 Produced by Ariel Frame Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

Garth Casbourn speaks with Ariel Frame and Claire Bottini about his research on song sparrows he is doing for his PhD in Biology. Garth explains how his experiments will tell us how testosterone functions in male birds and what relevance this hormone might have for bird migration.  Recorded on May 31st 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

Recorded live at Radio Western 94.9 FM studio, hosts Ariel Frame, Elizabeth Mohler, and Brittany Melton discuss their grad life experience at different stages in their PhD programs. Recorded May 18 2022 Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

This week, Carolynn Hare joins hosts Amalie Hutchinson and Ana Moyer. Carolynn is a PhD student in the department of psychology studying ADHD and multisensory integration. A person with ADHD herself, Carolynn has a unique perspective, and plans to use her position to study how kids with ADHD use sensory input to process their world, how that may differ from neurotypical kids. If you find yourself wishing podcasts had subtitles, this one is for you! To watch a cool video about ADHD and grad school made by Carolynn, follow this link  Recorded on May 24th 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

On this episode of the GradCast hosts Laura Muñoz Baena and Brittany Melton chat with Charan Mandur, a first-year PhD student in the Department of History. They discuss the Halifax Explosion, environmental history, and Charan’s aspiration to blend the two. Recorded on May 17th 2022. Produced by Laura Muñoz Baena. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

Join hosts Elizabeth Mohler and Amalie Hutchinson in their chat with Brigette Farrell, PhD student in history. Brigette shares about her interesting research into the history of science, medicine, and culture. We discuss shell shock in World War I soldiers, the impacts of eugenics on Canadian and French history, and how politics snuggles closer to science than we sometimes like to admit. Recorded on May 3 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

In this episode, Erin Isaac explains to hosts Brittany and Laura how race and climate were linked by 18th-century beliefs about the body. They also discuss how migrants who came to Nova Scotia in the 1780s (along with the colony’s existing populations!) contended with an unusually hostile climate following a volcanic eruption in 1783, and how this environmental history impacted different communities’ lived experiences.  To learn more about history, check out Erin's YouTube channel Historia Nostra Recorded on April 26 2022. Produced by Laura Muñoz Baena. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.  

This week we met with Justin Robar, a PhD student in Sport Management Graduate Program. In this episode, Justin tells Elizabeth Mohler and Claire Bottini about his research on how sport can positively impact player’s life and community. He describes his MA experience on how sport development programs impact rural African communities. Justin also elaborates about his PhD working on improving knowledge translation between published research and practitioners of Sport for Development as well as how sport clubs newcomer programs can help with immigration to Canada.   Recorded on Apr 19, 2022 Produced by Ariel Frame Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

Join hosts Amalie Hutchinson and Michelle Krasovitski as they sit down with Tedi Ramaj, PhD student in applied mathematics. How can math help with understanding invasive species proliferation, cancer cell growth, or COVID trajectories? Tedi shares with GradCast all that and more, introducing us to the power of simulations, some helpful advice for grad school and life, and his love of the simple beauty of math.  To get in contact with Tedi, you can email him at tramaj@uwo.ca Recorded on April 12th, 2022. Produced by Amalie Hutchinson. Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.

Amanda Suko, a PhD student in Anthropological archaeology, joins hosts Ariel Frame and Ana Moyer this week to discuss Indigenous Ontarian pottery and the people who made it. Working with a collection located near what is now known as Arkona, Ontario, Amanda investigates the production of pottery and how they reflect community and shared knowledge. To find out more about Amanda, check out her profile here: https://uwaterloo.ca/anthropology/people-profiles/amanda-suko-0 Recorded on Apr 5, 2022 Produced by Ariel Frame Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot.