Abstract: The Future of Science

Abstract is evolving before your very eyes! In this new iteration, we're highliting guests' trajectories out of grad school , discussing everything from how they got into research to what they're up to now. Discussion Points & Buzzwords Getting into academia for the wrong reasons Brachytherapy Medical Physicists Ultrasound Imaging Training a Neural Network Software Development and...

Our guest this week, Daniel Smilovitch , completed his Master's in Occupational Therapy (OT) at McGill University and is finishing up his first year as a professional in the field. He weaves a compelling narrative, taknig us back to his humble beginnings in a barebones basement rat lab, through the intensive, hands-on program in OT, and finally to a day in the life of a working occupational therap...

This is my second solo podcast, and features the full recording from a talk I gave at the " Seeking Success " event organized by the Center for Conscious Awareness . It's packed full of great quotes, as well as some of the main themes and takeaways from my non-linear academic and creative paths! Quotes 1. If you find a path with no obstacles it probably doesn't lead anywhere. - Frank A. Clarke 2....

Éamon Callison , originally from Denver (elevation ~5280 ft), is finishing his PhD in Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University . He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Philosophy of Science at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by an MPhil in Human Evolutionary Studies at the University of Cambridge. His dissertation work has focused on understanding the form and funct...

Keroles Riad is a former Public Scholar at Concordia University where he received a Ph. D in the Individualized Program (INDI) developing new materials (ex. nanoparticles) for 3D printing . His research leverages novel techinques like Flame Spray Pyrolysis and Stereolithography , among more traditional methods in chemistry, like combustion reactions. He led the “Waste Not, Want Not” initiative on...

Ida Derish is a PhD candidate in the department of Experimental Surgery at McGill University . She is currently spearheading efforts to study patient-specific differences in heart disease under the supervision of Dr. Renzo Cecere, a cardiac surgeon. She's been passionate about science communication ever since starting graduate school and is proud to say that she's been the recipient of multiple pr...

Simon Dubé is a Public Scholar and PhD candidate in Psychology at Concordia University specializing in human sexuality, sex-tech, and Erobotics – the study of human-machine erotic interaction and co-evolution . His work also explores Space Sexology , and how we can integrate sex research into space programs. He is a student representative of the International Academy of Sex Research and a general...

From Academia to the Workforce. We discuss Austin L'Ecuyer 's transition out of 7 years of engineering schooling and into the working world. You might remember Austin from his star performance on Ep. 21 where we discussed his own Master's research on Turbulence and Fluid Dynamics in great detail -- if you're curious to learn more about that, please check it out! RESEARCH REVIEW Turbulence & Tu...

Noah Sadaka is a Master’s student at Purdue University studying Astrodynamics . He's working on how resonant orbits in the circular restricted three body problem, or CR3BP, can be used in spacecraft mission design. He says that part of what is so exciting about working in this field is that trajectories and orbits originally simulated in the CR3BP are being used to fly actual missions, including t...

Alex Markham is completing their Postdoc in the Math of Data and AI group at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. Their research focuses on developing new algorithms for learning causal models from data . Causal inference is especially appealing to more applied researchers, because it offers an intuitive framework for reasoning about why stuff happens and how we can influence it to happen...

Brandon Klaitman , like me, is pursuing an M.A. in Teaching and Learning (MATL) at McGill University . He is on the Social Science path while I am in the Math stream. We got together for a special episode this week to discuss Goal Orientation Theory and how it relates to student success. Topics & Concepts Goals Goal Orientations Mastery vs. Performance Goals Approach vs. Avoidance Behavior Int...

Rahul Chandan is a fifth-year PhD student and UC Regents' Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) . His research work uses game theory and optimization to study the coordination of multi-agent systems. His research interests are motivated by a desire to understand complex biological, social and technological systems comp...

Welcome to our 2nd ever panel discussion, this time discussing the intersection of Neuroscience and Mental Health ! Our guests this week, Liam O’Leary, Tommy Markopoulos, Claudia Belliveau and Candice Canonne , are Neuroscience researchers studying brain anatomy, mental disorders and treatments for them. They have all been trained at Neurolingo , a science outreach initiative founded and managed b...

Jonathan Charest is currently working on validating a sleep questionnaire for student-athletes as part of his postdoctoral research at the University of Calgary . Concurrently, he works with different sports teams and athletes to help them with their travel and jet lag for the upcoming Olympic Games next winter in Beijing. As an ex-track and field athlete, Jonathan is hugely interest in sport and...

Jonathan Brassard obtained his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering at Université Laval followed by a Master's in Bioengineering in Switzerland. Two years ago, he joined Prof. Corinne Hoesli at Mcgill University in Biological and Biomedical Engineering to work on combining stem cell biology and device engineering to treat type 1 diabetes . When he's not in the lab tending to his very needy st...

Tina Felfeli is a resident physician in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at University of Toronto. Currently, she's completing a PhD degree in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Toronto (UofT) as a part of the Integrated Physician-Scientist program. She is a Vanier Scholar and was recently awarded the Fighting Blindness Canada Clinician Scientist Emerging Leaders Award....

Alba Cervera-Lierta is a Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto (Matterlab group). She earned her PhD in quantum computation and quantum information at the Universitat de Barcelona and is currently working on near-term quantum algorithms and high-dimensional quantum physics. Besides fundamental physics, she has a great interest in quantum technologies, education and public outreach activ...

Tune in for a peek behind the curtain and into my personal gratitude journal (and a little solo podcasting to change things up). /// Interested in a free core workout, every weekday @ 8:30am EST? Here's the Core Collective Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83608422966?pwd=M21BNXVGdEE4cmljUUl3cktOc09qZz09 /// Does free will exist? Maybe. Regardless, please share your cherished feedback with me a...

Jesse Cook is a 5th year Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison . His primary research program focuses on advancing the classification, assessment, and treatment of unexplained excessive daytime sleepiness, which is classified as either Idiopathic Hypersomnia or Hypersomnolence Disorder. Supplementarily, he has unique expertise in the capabilities and shortcomings o...

Lauren Ortosky is a PhD candidate in Social Psychology with diverse research interests exploring the interaction of personal and social identity in critical domains. Her primary research examines the passive influence of living in a nationalist country on the beliefs and behaviors of those who are or are not already sympathetic to that ideology. She is also involved in projects to improve diversit...

THE MECHATRONICS TRILOGY =  Ep. 45 - Nuclear Physics & Cubesats ft. Mitchell Kurnell + Ep. 39 - Autonomous Mobile Robots ft. Ali Safaei + Ep. 11 - Drones & Aerospace Mechatronics ft. Eitan Bulka /// Topics & Concepts: Nuclear Safety Fission vs. Fusion LIBS: Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Plasmas Infrared & Ultraviolet Light Observation Window Deuterium & Heavy Water...

Zachariah Berry is a curious, developing, committed, and highly motivated 4th year PhD student at Cornell University studying Organizational Behavior . His research is broadly on morality and identity , and he's hoping to answer some big questions related to loyalty and passion for work. [On the loyalty side, he's studying when it is (or is not) okay to break one's loyalty-based obligations, how p...

Tanya Singh is a PhD candidate in Marketing at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University . She studies the psychological and behavioral consequences of putting off decisions. She's also interested in difficult trade-offs (ex. quality vs. quantity) and how consumers respond to resource scarcity. In addition to her current PhD, she also has a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania...

Mariel Young just graduated from Harvard University with a PhD in Human Evolutionary Biology ! She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Arkansas, followed by an MPhil in human evolutionary studies from Cambridge University. Her dissertation work focused on the evolutionary and developmental genetics of the pelvis and scapula--the hips and shoulders--and asked the question: what gen...

Casey Cohen is pursuing a PhD in Experimental Medicine at McGill University . His research focuses on peanut allergy; he's evaluating different processing methods and their effects on allergenicity. The ultimate goal of his research is to develop a ‘modified peanut’ that can be used as a safer and more efficacious substrate for peanut allergy treatments. Yummy! Tune in for answers to questions lik...