That's What I Call Science!

Join Sarah and Niamh in this episode as they talk to Assoc. Prof. Damien Holloway from the School of Engineering at UTAS about architectural acoustics.  Damien’s diverse engineering career has spanned from ship hydrodynamics to structural health monitoring to architectural acoustics.  In this episode we focus on research work into the acoustics of concert halls and the experience of musicians in t...

Tune in to hear science and poetry combined and meet the authors behind the poems! This is the second of two episodes where Kate talks to Tasmanian-based poets reading the poems that they entered in ‘The Poetry of Science’: a science-themed poetry competition for National Science Week 2021.  Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Kate Johnson (@KatePlantPhys) Production: Olly Dove (@littledove440)...

Tune in to hear science and poetry combined and meet the authors behind the poems! This is the first of two episodes where Kate talks to Tasmanian-based poets reading the poems that they entered in ‘The Poetry of Science’: a science-themed poetry competition for National Science Week 2021.  Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Kate Johnson (@KatePlantPhys) Production: Olly Dove (@littledove440) M...

What do you do when you know what the plethora of diversity problems facing Women in ICT are and how to fix them, but it seems like an insurmountable task? You bring together a team of stellar women tech entrepreneurs and diversity champions to get the job done!  This week, Niamh and Meredith speak to innovation champion and ICT workforce developer Dr Tristan Richards about the first cultural chan...

Join Sarah and Niamh while they talk to environmental engineer Robyn Bussey.  Robyn’s diverse experiences shows the range and scope of work in the environmental engineering, from runways and infrastructure projects to wastewater and wetlands. Discover what you can do to ensure environmental concerns are at the forefront of engineering projects.   Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Niamh Chapman...

How can we use data to assess cardiovascular risk in Australia? This week, Niamh and Sophie talk to biostatistician and public health researcher Dr Karen Lamb about the design, analysis, and reporting of medical research in Australia. Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Niamh Chapman (@nchapmanTAS) Co-Host: Sophie Calabretto (@sophluidynamics) Production: Meredith Castles (@meredithcastles) Medi...

Convict ancestry, adoption and skeletons in the closet, find out about the tensions and joys of delving into your family’s past, along with the resources that State Libraries Tasmania have to offer, in preparation for family history month in August! Kate Johnson and Niamh Chapman interview Archivist, Dr Alicia Marchant and family history researcher Beverley Morritt from Libraries Tasmania about Ge...

By the by-catch, it’s more possible to reduce the harmful side effects of commercial fishing than you might have previously thought! This week, Dr Sheryl Hamilton talks to Niamh and Olly about her work researching mitigation techniques for reducing marine mammal bycatch in commercial fishing gear. She also regales us with tales of her vast experience in monitoring wild marine animal populations, i...

Do you understand how commercial fisheries are monitored? Mibu Fischer and Niamh Chapman chat with Dr Madi Green about her efforts in assisting the commercial fishing sector to monitor fisheries catch to better understand world fish stocks.  Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Niamh Chapman (@nchapmanTAS) Co-Host: Mibu Fischer (@miburose) Production: Meredith Castles (@meredithcastles) Media &am...

Native hens, turbo chooks, whatever you know them as they are a distinctive character in the Tasmanian landscape, but despite their abundance, their populations on Maria Island are shrinking.   Kate Johnson and Niamh Chapman interview PhD student Lucile Leveque from the University of Tasmania to learn about her research into the factors that are contributing to their decline. Host: Niamh Chapman a...

The importance of good bacteria in our gut may be more important than ever. Dr Niamh Chapman talks to Associate Professor Francine Marques from Monash University about how gut health impacts heart health and what we could do to harness the important role of the gut to prevent heart attack and stroke.  Host: Niamh Chapman Production: Meredith Castles Promotion: Kate Johnson, Mibu Fischer, Kelsey Pi...

One third of the world's food production relies on bee pollination. There is global concern that agricultural sprays may be negatively affecting bee health and foraging behavior.  Kelsey Picard and Niamh Chapman interview PhD student Meng Yong Lim from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, and learn about how the bees gut microbiome may be affecting their foraging behaviour and overall heal...

Ever wondered how fitness and exercise actually benefit health? This episode, Dr Niamh Chapman talks fitness, heart health and more with guests Dr Rachel Climie and Dr Martin Shultz, exercise physiologists and researchers. Listen to find out all about fitness, heart health, blood pressure and the benefits of becoming physically active today! Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Niamh Chapman (@nc...

When, where and what action should we take in order to maximise the impact of our biodiversity conservation efforts? This week, Niamh and Sophie speak to mathematician Dr Kate Helmstedt about using decision science for biodiversity conservation, and how mathematics is being used to understand ecosystems, how we interact with them, and how they should be managed. Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Hos...

We’ve all seen headlines of athletes disgraced by a doping scandal, but what exactly is it the athletes are taking, and why?  This week, Kate McMaster from the University of Tasmania talks to Niamh and Olly about her work researching the effects of insulin on an athlete’s performance, and the not-so-dope world of doping in sport. Kate is also the President of the newly formed UTAS Women’s Society...

For Pint of Science 2021, Dr Niamh Chapman interviewed Dr Jordi Nelis about his innovative approach to food safety. Smartphone-based devices for allergen detection have the potential to empower people with food allergies to check if food is safe themselves. For technology like this, accuracy is so important particularly as sensing allergens can be extremely difficult in processed foods as the shap...

Niamh Chapman and Kate Johnson talk to award winning illustrator and author Coral Tulloch. We learn how creating a picture book is remarkably similar to working on a scientific project, involving observation, collaboration and extensive research. We hear about Coral’s experience of Antarctica and Macquarie Island, the subject of some of her books, along with her collaborations with both Australian...

From Antarctica to volcanoes, microbes are everywhere in our environment! Dr Shane Powell from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture studies how these microbes can benefit us - from cleaning up oil spills, to improving soil health on farms. Hosted by Dr Niamh Chapman and Kelsey Picard. Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Niamh Chapman (@nchapmanTAS) & Kelsey Picard (@KelseyOnScience) Produc...

In this episode Sarah and Niamh interview expert guest Klaus Stroehl from Gandy and Roberts, and Dr Assaad Taoum from School of Engineering at UTAS, on Building Information Modelling (also known as Building Information Management).  See how this approach is transforming the construction industry and new technological developments including using Virtual and Augmented Reality in the construction in...

Tun-a in to hear Olly and Niamh chat with Craig Proctor about the bubbly underwater world of fisheries science!  Across multiple decades, Craig’s career has led him from learning Indonesian in the classroom, to working as an international fisheries scientist in Indonesia, to being back in the classroom inspiring future scientists while encouraging them to keep up their language skills. His pathway...

Join Niamh and Sarah in this episode to learn all about 5G with our expert guest PhD candidate Zac Harrold from the School of Engineering at the University of Tasmania.  We’ll discuss the differences between 3G, 4G and 5G, what we can expect with the introduction of 5G and the future of cellular communications. Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Niamh Chapman (@nchapmanTAS) & Sarah Lyden Pr...

Ice shelves can be as large as a small country, so how can ocean waves and sea ice contribute to their catastrophic destruction? This week, Dr Niamh Chapman and Dr Sophie Calabretto speak to multi-award-winning applied mathematician Associate Professor Luke Bennetts about wave science, sea ice modelling, and their link to catastrophic destruction of ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula. Show the...

The Science and Engineering Challenge is an outreach program to change students' perceptions of science and engineering. The day involves fun and competitive hands-on activities. It lets students see that science and engineering are more than just equations and theory but requires creativity, innovation, problem solving and teamwork! We chat with students from Clarence High school, Montrose B...

 Plants are made up of 80-90% water, so it is no surprise that they are vulnerable to drought conditions. Dr Madeline Cairns-Murphy from the University of Tasmania researches how plants are affected by drought, to better inform farmers of when to grow their crops. Listen to our latest episode to hear about the challenges drought pose to Australian farmers in the face of a changing climate.  Show t...

This week Dr Niamh and Mibu had a deep yarn with Dr Emma Lee from Swinburne University. They touched on topics that related to the importance of cultural fisheries and for Traditional Knowledge to be accepted into western systems to create better futures for all Australians. They also touched on the systemic barriers as women in STEMM, but also as Aboriginal women in STEMM and how we can all chall...