Up Close Research Talk Show

#194: Degrees of uncertainty: Modeling the climate impact of greenhouse gases

emvb — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Senior climate impact researcher Dr. Malte Meinshausen explains how climate change is modeled, and estimates the effect of timely mitigation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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#193: Freer and fairer: Nurturing political transparency in the Middle East

emvb — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Charles W. Dunne, Director of Middle East and North Africa Programs for Freedom House, speaks about the efforts of his organisation and others like it to provide political education and training on the ground in the Middle East. With host Jacky Angus.

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#192: Diagnostics overkill: Are we screening for cancer too frequently?

emvb — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Epidemiologist Professor James Hanley scrutinizes the now standard practice of frequent screening for many types of cancer, and suggests optimal testing intervals may mean less screening overall. Presented by science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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#191: Blame it on their youth: Generational forces in an evolving Middle East

emvb — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Political economist Professor Emma Murphy examines the social conditions that confront young Arabs in the Middle East, and argues that the youth of today will ultimately remake and redefine the region. Presented by Jacky Angus.

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#190: Germline confidential: Hunting down genes linked to breast cancer

emvb — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Genetics researchers Prof Melissa Southey and Prof David Goldgar discuss the enterprise of tracking down genes that make one susceptible to breast cancer. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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#189: Easy to say, easy to like: People's names and the impressions they make

emvb — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Social psychologist Dr Simon Laham discusses his research linking the pronounceability of a person’s name with perceptions of likeability, and what this might mean for a person’s access to opportunities.

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#188: Exiting autocracy: Democratic prospects and prerequisites in the new Middle East

emvb — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Cambridge political scientist Professor George Joffé weighs the chances of representative government emerging in the Middle East, post "Arab Spring". With host Jacky Angus.

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#187: Damned if you do: How gender colors perceptions in negotiations

emvb — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Professor of Management Mara Olekalns discusses the complicated effects of gender in negotiations, how women can be disadvantaged when negotiating on their own behalf, and what they can do about it.

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#186: I'm all ears: Improving your organization through active listening

emvb — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Human resources management expert Associate Professor Avraham Kluger explains what's wrong with conventional employee appraisal methods in the corporate world, and posits that truly listening to one's workers is good for business. Presented by Jennifer Cook.

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#185: Defending the indefensible: War criminals and the right to a fair trial

emvb — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

International criminal law expert Dr Kevin Heller discusses the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and argues why even the worst of war criminals are entitled to the best defense. With host Jacky Angus.

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#184: Double the value: How researching twins benefits everyone

emvb — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Epidemiologist Prof John Hopper explains the unique advantages of medical research focusing on twins, and how findings from twins studies enormously benefit the rest of humanity. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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#183: For show only? The language of human rights in national constitutions

emvb — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Sociologist Associate Professor Gili Drori explains how the vocabulary of human rights is making its way into the constitutions of nation states, and the degree to which societies actually honour the words in their own national charters.

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#182: Greener revs: Squeezing more efficiency out of gasoline engines

emvb — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Control engineer Associate Professor Chris Manzie makes the case that there's a lot of life left in the internal combustion engine, and that petrol engine technology will continue to evolve alongside its hybrid and electric counterparts. With host Dr. Shane Huntington.

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#181: Mirages of influence: The US in the Middle East, post "Arab Spring"

emvb — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Political scientist Professor Shahram Akbarzadeh joins host Jacky Angus to talk about the changing geo-political environment confronting the United States in the Middle East, post "Arab Spring".

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#180: Diamond data mining: Quantum computing and the materials that make it possible

emvb — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Physicist Professor David Awschalom discusses the powerful potential of quantum computing, and how materials such as diamond play a crucial role in the development of this emerging technology. With host Dr. Shane Huntington.

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#179: Reaping what we sow: Agriculture's role in climate change

emvb — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Assoc Prof Richard Eckard examines how modern agriculture contributes to global warming and discusses ways of mitigating the problem. Presented by Dr Dyani Lewis.

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#178: Justifying the means: The law as accomplice in crimes against humanity

emvb — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Criminologist and lawyer Dr Jennifer Balint discusses how nation-states seek to use the law in support of genocidal practices and other crimes against humanity. She also examines how, conversely, the law is also called upon to bring about reconciliation after regime change. With host Jennifer Cook.

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#177: Delusions of certainty: Regulation through an ethical lens

emvb — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Social scientists Assoc Prof Fiona Haines and Prof Nancy Reichman discuss the myths and implications behind authorities’ implementation of regulations, particularly in the wake of a disaster. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 176: Conditions of affluence and aging: fatty liver disease, macular degeneration

emvb — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Physicians and doctoral students Dr Chris Leung and Dr Madeleine Adams discuss their research into unravelling the causative factors behind fatty liver disease and macular degeneration, respectively. Presented by Dr Dyani Lewis.

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Episode 175: Healthy moves: Exercise for cancer patients, and insights into arthritis

emvb — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Physiotherapist Catherine Granger talks about whether exercise is beneficial to lung cancer sufferers, and Tommy Liu explains how mice are generating insights into arthritis in humans. With science host Dr Dyani Lewis.

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Episode 174: Peak fish: Rising human consumption of seafood, and its implications

emvb — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Fisheries scientists Dr Tim Dempster and Dr Reg Watson discuss the pressures on wild fish stocks and debate the role of aquaculture in feeding an increasingly populous world. With science host Dr Dyani Lewis.

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Episode 173: The Sea, the Selves: Poets on Poetry 2

emvb — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Australian poets Jennifer Harrison and Philip Salom read from their works, discuss how their perceptions of the world shape their poetry, and how poetry shapes their worlds. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 172: Natural and synthetic: What we're still discovering about polymers

emvb — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Polymer scientist Professor Dame Julia Higgins discusses neutron scattering and other techniques used in researching polymers, the large molecules found in nature and synthesised in the manufacture of materials such as nylon and silicon. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 171: In the name of the planet: Armed intervention to protect the environment

emvb — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Political scientist Professor Robyn Eckersley proposes a framework for protecting the environment that allows for armed intervention. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 170: Something in the air: Chemical communication via pheromones

emvb — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Evolutionary biologist Professor Mark Elgar talks about the hidden smells that surround us – what they communicate to the animals who produce and detect them, and how this sophisticated natural messaging system evolved. With science guest host Dr Dyani Lewis.

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Episode 169: Waves of influence: Television drama as an instrument of soft power in Asia

emvb — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Sociologist Professor Chua Beng Huat explains how serial TV dramas have become a soft power currency traded among China, Korea, Japan and other countries in Asia. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 168: Lost generation: Governance gone missing in global energy security

emvb — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Energy security and global governance analyst Professor Ann Florini explains the urgent need for global coordination of energy resources, and why existing institutions such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) are not up to the task. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 167: Radically new: Team values, market intelligence and creating innovative products

emvb — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Technology management analyst Professor Chris L. Tucci unpacks the interaction between market intelligence and team ideology in companies that create innovative products. Presented by Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 166: Good dog, bad dog: Dispelling myths about pet behavior

emvb — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Animal behaviourist Dr Gabrielle Carter explains how dogs and other pets can be made to acquire desirable behaviors and extinguish undesirable ones. With Science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 165: Early dating techniques: Determining the age of Australopithecus sediba

emvb — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Australopithecus sediba, discovered in 2008 in southern Africa, is the most significant paleo-archeological find in recent years. These fossilized specimens have anatomical features lying somewhere between those found in Australopithecus africanus and Homo erectus. Geochemist Dr Robyn Pickering discusses the significance of the find, and how the age of A. sediba was determined. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 164: Secularism, applied religiously: Harmonizing a hyper-diverse India

emvb — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Senior journalist and political commentator Dr Swapan Dasgupta explains how secularism is defined and applied in ethnically, linguistically and religiously diverse India. And how a sense of harmony -- and occasional lack thereof -- is wrapped up in India's unique take on being secular. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 163: It's our turn now: India's changing take on the English language

emvb — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Professor of Literature Alok Rai discusses the many roles played by the English language in contemporary India - as an instrument of mobility, as a marker of privilege, as a badge of identity, and as a forge of a new caste system. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 162: Worming their way: Parasites, their larvae, and your brain

emvb — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Parasitologist Professor Marshall Lightowlers explains the risk to animal and human health posed by parasitic flatworms, and how even neurological disorders like epilepsy can result from exposure to tapeworm larvae. With host Dr Dyani Lewis.

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Episode 161: Stretch and squeeze: Sustainability vs. sprawl in crowded Asian cities

emvb — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Dr Sidh Sintusingha discusses the phenomenon of urban sprawl and approaches to enabling sustainability in increasingly crowded Southeast Asian urban corridors. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 160: Delusions of development: Pro-market forces at work in the do-good industry

emvb — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Dr Toby Carroll discusses the evolution of development programs by institutions such as the World Bank and its subsidiary the International Finance Corporation, and scrutinizes the outcomes of recent strategies involving public-private partnerships and explicitly pro-market approaches. With host Elizabeth Lopez.

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Episode 159: Lawrence M. Krauss: Before and after the Universe

emvb — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Theoretical physicist Professor Lawrence M. Krauss discusses how investigating dark matter can shed light on the geometry of our universe, and what this means for our understanding of its origins and demise. With Science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 158: X-ray renaissance: The potential and promise of coherent X-ray optics

emvb — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Professor Keith Nugent explains the physics behind X-rays and crystallography, and how new research into the development of X-ray lasers could provide medical scientists with radically new insights into the structure of proteins. With Science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 157: Putting employees first: The new war for talent in knowledge industries

emvb — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Human resources expert Prof Ian Williamson explains how the increasing mobility of workers in knowledge industries is creating challenges for employers desperate to maintain their skilled workforce. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 156: Guanxi: Telling apart gifts from bribes when doing business in Asia

emvb — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Associate Professor Peter Verhezen explains how cultural understandings of gift giving practices differs across regions, and that Western companies and people doing business in Asian countries need to be aware of the grey area that lies between the offering of gifts and the offering of bribes.

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Episode 155: Endangered animal species: Captive breeding and genetic rescue

emvb — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Geneticist Dr Andrew Weeks and animal behaviourist Dr Michael Magrath discuss diverse ways of dealing with threatened animal populations. Australia's Mountain Pygmy Possum is one such endangered species for which a combination of genetic and breeding solutions are being tried. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 154: Keeping it creative: What happens to productivity when innovative firms are acquired?

emvb — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Can we predict how a firm's creators and innovators will fare when their firm is swallowed up by another company? Through the lenses of knowledge-based and incentive-based theories of business corporations, strategic management guru Assoc. Prof. Kwanghui Lim discusses what happens to inventors' productivity when there's a change of paymaster. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 153: Mosquito bytes: Fighting malaria with computational science

emvb — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Parasitologist Dr Stuart Ralph explains malaria and how computational modelling developed to better understand the disease will aid the global effort to eradicate it. With host Dr Dyani Lewis.

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Episode 152: Be not afraid of greatness: Shakespeare's vital role in the 21C classroom

emvb — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 03:51:41 +0000

Professor of education Jonothan Neelands explains why the plays of the Bard are as relevant and stimulating as e'er they were to students of all ages today. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 151: Fortune and fortitude: Stories of the Chinese diaspora

emvb — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Social scientist Prof. Pookong Kee looks at the successive waves of migration from China and how Chinese identity has evolved among ethnic Chinese in their adopted homelands. With host Jennfier Cook.

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Episode 150: Upwardly mobile: How the cell phone is changing life in India

emvb — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Media historian Professor Robin Jeffrey explains how the cell or mobile phone has hugely advanced India‘s economic development and is changing the very fabric of its society. With host Elizabeth Lopez.

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Episode 149: Out of Africa: What human genomics is revealing about us

emvb — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Professor of genomic medicine Vanessa M. Hayes discusses our African genomic origins and how exploring global genetic diversity can help us understand and address human disease. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 148: Targeted delivery: The promise of nanotherapies in treating cancer

emvb — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Chemistry Associate Professor Eva Harth and Chemical Engineer Dr Angus Johnston discuss how cancer treatments may be vastly improved through drug delivery at the nanoscale. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 147: Out on the cutting edge: Innovation as a driver of corporate success

emvb — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 04:36:19 +0000

Professor of Management Danny Samson explains the importance of innovation for business firms, and how to build a corporate culture that encourages it.

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Episode 146: Kashmir revisited: Untold stories and hard realities

emvb — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 02:55:04 +0000

Politico-strategy analyst Dr Christopher Snedden examines the decades-long Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan in light of new understanding of the conflict's origins. With host Elisabeth Lopez.

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Episode 145: Neighbours with a difference: The India-China relationship in context

emvb — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 04:36:19 +0000

Political scientist Dr Pradeep Taneja discusses how India and China view each other’s geo-political ambitions. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 144: Waiter, there's cesium in my soup: The health implications of radioactivity

emvb — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:31:40 +0000

Associate Professor Tilman Ruff explains how radiation from nuclear energy sources can affect the human body and our health. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 143: Radiation for the rest of us: The alpha, beta and gamma of atomic interaction

emvb — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:03:02 +0000

Physicist Dr Roger Rassool discusses the basic physics behind the radioactivity produced -- and sometimes leaked -- in the production of nuclear power. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 142: The global mean and the human scale: Climate change adaptation agenda under scrutiny

emvb — Thu, 12 May 2011 00:09:44 +0000

Science historian Professor Naomi Oreskes explains why limits in the predictive capacity of climate models present a challenge to those favoring adaptation above emissions mitigation as a strategy in dealing with climate change. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 141: Cash crop crusaders: Genomic approaches to fighting fungus in canola

emvb — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:20:44 +0000

Plant geneticist Professor Barbara Howlett explains how genetics research is helping to fight fungal pests that confront canola farmers. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 140: A bullet for your thoughts: Recollections of persecution in Indonesia in the mid-1960s

emvb — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:14:26 +0000

Historian Dr Kate McGregor revisits Indonesia's 30 September Movement, which resulted in the killings and persecution of 100,000s of Indonesians in the mid-1960s. Only in recent times have newly guaranteed freedoms of expression allowed survivors to openly recall their experiences of this defining moment in the country's not-too-distant past. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 139: Muslim publics divided: Encounters with anti-pluralism in a democratic Indonesia

emvb — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:37:26 +0000

Indonesian law expert Professor Tim Lindsey discusses the apparent decline in religious pluralism in contemporary Indonesia against a backdrop of anything-goes press freedoms and laissez-faire officaldom. Also, liberal Muslim activist Dr M. Syafi’i Anwar recounts his experience at the hands of hardline Islamist groups,and the battle for the minds of ordinary Indonesians. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 138: Grey matter, virtually: Computational neurobiology's insights into the brain

emvb — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:36:15 +0000

Professor Terry Sejnowski discusses recent developments at the nexus of brain science and computer modeling, enabling new understandings of psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia. With Science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 137: Smart water: Irrigation systems in an age of high tech

emvb — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:20:45 +0000

Systems engineer Professor Iven Mareels explains how applying contemporary control-systems approaches to irrigation is reinvigorating this ancient water-transport method, bringing huge savings in the agricultural use of H2O. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 136: India's ambitions: Pathways and pitfalls to greatness

emvb — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:22:49 +0000

Veteran Indian journalist and commentator Pramit Pal Chaudhuri discusses what India needs to do -- and to overcome -- if it's to rise to the status of a great global power. Presented by Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 135: PTSD II: Researching and treating post-traumatic stress disorder

kp — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:17:57 +0000

In the second of a two-part programme, psychologists Professor Mark Creamer and Associate Professor Meaghan O'Donnell discuss research and treatment considerations for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, as manifested in military veterans and people who have suffered severe physical injuries. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 134: PTSD I: Describing and diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder

kp — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:26:10 +0000

In the first of a two-part programme, psychologists Professor Mark Creamer and Assoc Professor Meghan O'Donnell explain post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, its diagnosis, and how it's been viewed historically. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 133: Coding cultural riches: Investigating indigenous languages in Australia

Site Admin — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:58:30 +0000

Linguist Dr Rachel Nordlinger discusses how Australian Aboriginal languages are researched and how particular indigenous tongues grow at the expense of others as communities migrate. Presented by Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 132: Adult stem cells and their potential in treating heritable diseases

Site Admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:18:46 +0000

Cell biologist Dr Mirella Dottori and neuroscientist Dr Alice Pébay discuss how their work with induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells, aka adult stem cells, may hold the key to a cure for Friedreich's ataxia and other genetically transmitted diseases. They also explain how adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 131: What seems to be the antimatter?: Where experimental particle physics meets cloud computing

Site Admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:00:31 +0000

Physicist Associate Professor Martin Sevior and software engineer Tom Highfield explain how commercial cloud computing can be enlisted in the service of answering questions about the origins of the universe. With science host Shane Huntington.

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Episode 130: Accused abroad: Foreign nationals and identity in criminal trials

Site Admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:20:40 +0000

Historian Associate Professor Richard Pennell discusses the confluence and confusion of nationality, identity, and jurisdiction in criminal cases crossing cultural and national borders. Presented by Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 129: Female-friendly cities: Planning for inclusivity in our urban spaces

Site Admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 01:34:38 +0000

Associate Professor of urban design Carolyn Whitzman and sociologist Dr Kalpana Viswanath discuss how urban environments can be designed and modified to make them safer for women. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 128: Light before the Dark: Life, Death and Art in Early Modern Nuremberg

Site Admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:37:43 +0000

Historians Prof Charles Zika and Prof Joel Harrington discuss the highs and lows of the culturally rich German city of Nuremberg in the 16th century. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 127: An ocean away: An African nation's roots in Southeast Asia

Site Admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:16:39 +0000

Linguistics Assoc Professor Sander Adelaar discusses the curious linguistic and genetic origins of the people of Madagascar. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 126: Lingua mundi and the perils of monolingualism

Site Admin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:10:33 +0000

Professor Joe Lo Bianco examines the implications of English as "the world's language", and why it behooves native speakers of English to learn other languages. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 125: Approaches to snakebite in Papua New Guinea, and development in Sikkim

Site Admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 01:01:48 +0000

Herpetologist David Williams discusses his doctoral research into improving the plight of snakebite sufferers in Papua New Guinea, where snakes constitute a major public health problem. Also, PhD student Thomas Chandy probes community perceptions of the impact of economic development in the remote Himalayan region of Sikkim. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 124: Of dogs and hens: Researching animal welfare in shelters and egg production facilities

Site Admin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:20:53 +0000

PhD student Sally Haynes examines the relationship between dogs and their handlers in animal shelters, and the implications for canine welfare. Fellow doctoral student Joanna Engel is looking into how cage size and nest box availability affect the behaviour and stress response of laying hens. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 123: Masterclass in improvisation: Flute legend Dave Valentin in Australia

Site Admin — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:11:00 +0000

New York-based latin and jazz artist Dave Valentin discusses how he came to his intstrument, the flute, its place in latin music, and what it takes to be a musical improvisor. With host Eric van Bemmel.

Note: For legal reasons, this episode will not be available as an on-demand stream. It continues to be available as a podcast and as a download. We regret the inconvenience caused.

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Episode 122: The ones and zeroes of life: Computational biology and the trajectory of scale

Site Admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:23:00 +0000

IBM computational biologist Dr Ajay Royyuru and computer scientist Professor Justin Zobel discuss the intersection of life sciences with high-end computing, and how computational scale may dramatically enhance biological and genetic research. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 121: Intellectual property: A guide for the rest of us

Site Admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:23:00 +0000

Law Professor Andrew Christie gives a primer on the complex world of laws pertaining to creations of the mind -- why they are there and how theyíre sometimes misunderstood. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 120: Mental health strategies in post-crisis Sri Lanka

Site Admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:34:00 +0000

Psychiatrist Prof Harry Minas, A/Prof Daya Somasundaram, and Dr Palitha Mahipala discuss the mental health landscape in Sri Lanka after decades of armed civil conflict and recent tsunami devastation. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 119: Part of the pattern: How networks explain social behavior

Site Admin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:46:00 +0000

Psychologist Professor Pip Pattison explains how network theory can be used to explain and predict social behavior, and how it can be applied in areas such as defence and the management of epidemics. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 118: Controlling our impulses: Communication pathways and signal transmission in the nervous system

Site Admin — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 02:00:00 +0000

Neuroscientists Prof Bruce Carter and Dr Simon Murray explain how nerve cells conduct information efficiently and the processes that underlie the orderly creation and destruction of nerve and supporting cells. With Science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 117: Flavors of democracy: United States' ambitions in the Middle East

Site Admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:11:00 +0000

Political analyst Prof James Piscatori explains why the efforts by the United States to promote democracy in the Middle East may not result in the type of democracy Washington wants. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 116: Destined to fail: US policy in the Middle East and where it has gone wrong

Site Admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Professor Marina Ottaway argues that past and current United States policy toward the Middle East is failing America, and needs to be recreated from a new perspective. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 115: The secret life of shampoo: Bubbles and droplets through the eyes of engineers

Site Admin — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:21:00 +0000

Chemical engineers Associate Professor Raymond Dagastine and Dr Rico Tabor shed light on the phenomena of bubbles and droplets, and explain why their underlying physics and chemistry are important to a wide range of industrial processes. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 114: Growing bodily tissues: An engineering perspective

Site Admin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:42:00 +0000

Biomolecular engineer Associate Professor Andrea O'Connor discusses the engineering behind growing tissues and organs. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 113: Catching insects in Africa: A window on 18th century English society

Site Admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:41:00 +0000

Historian, literary critic and author Professor Deirdre Coleman connects naturalist Henry Smeathman's years in West Africa to the social norms and intellectual life 18th century England. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 112: Counting us in: Assessing indigenous child health

Site Admin — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:38:00 +0000

Epidemiologist Assoc Prof Jane Freemantle unpacks the delicate, complex task of empirically assessing child health in indigenous communities. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 111: A career in modelling: Assessing risk in natural resource management

Site Admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:06:00 +0000

Agricultural scientist Dr Andrew Hamilton explains how risk and uncertainty can be better modelled in both managing waster water and estimating species richness. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 110: Empowering Communities to Preserve Character of Place

Site Admin — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:08:00 +0000

Landscape Architect Assoc Prof Ray Green discusses his ground-breaking approach in which a community is able to define the character of its neighbourhood. This methodology seeks to restore the balance of power between communities and external bodies such as planners and developers. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 109: The Witch Depicted: Images and iconography in early modern times

Site Admin — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Historian Prof Charles Zika explains the social and religious manipulations behind 15th and 16th century European images of witches and witchcraft, and how this contrasts with our contemporary visual representation of witches. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 108: Intellectualizing infidelity: A feminist remix

Site Admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:35:00 +0000

Political scientist Dr Lauren Rosewarne combines the academic and personal in a critical, feminist examination of being the ìother womanî in a affair with a married man. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 107: Getting it on the grid: Integrating renewable energy into our power supplies

Site Admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:11:00 +0000

Energy and climate change analyst Dr Roger Dargaville weaves together diverse technical, economic and environmental factors to produce a model for better, smarter use of our energy supplies. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 106: Nothing To Eat: Famine and Its Consequences

Site Admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:45:00 +0000

Economic Historian Prof Cormac O Grada joins host Jennifer Cook to discuss famine, its causes and repercussions, and the human condition in times of mass food scarcity.

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Episode 105: Multiple Sclerosis: an Updated Look

Site Admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:35:00 +0000

Neurologist Prof Trevor Kilpatrick unpacks the complexity of Multiple Sclerosis and outlines the latest research findings on its causes and treatment. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 104: Evidence-based early childhood education: the Abecedarian approach

Site Admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Early childhood educator Dr Joe Sparling discusses the Abecederian method, an evidence-based approach to improving learning environments for the very young. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 103: The Irish Diaspora and Its Legacy

Site Admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:39:00 +0000

Historian Professor Elizabeth Malcolm tells the story of Irish migration, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries, and what it means for Ireland and the world today. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 102: Greening the Internet

Site Admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:12:00 +0000

Prof Rod Tucker spells out the environmental impact of an increasingly networked world, and how energy savings can be found with smarter technology. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 101: Making a Difference: Kiran Martin and Asha in the slums of Delhi

Site Admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:16:00 +0000

Paediatrician Dr Kiran Martin recounts the story behind the founding of ASHA, which now helps over 350,000 Delhi slum dwellers to improve their lives. Global health specialist Dr Peter Deutchmann weighs in on how research institutions in rich countries can work to empower and embolden work done by organisations in developing nations. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 100: Indonesia: Pathways to a Future

Site Admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:51:00 +0000

Historian Max Lane spies Indonesia's possible futures through the lens of its recent history and current political and economic climate. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 99: Click on the Kidneys: Virtual organs in your medical future

Site Admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:53:00 +0000

Prof Peter Harris discusses the process of virtual modelling of human organs, and how it will lead to enhanced understanding of disease and its treatment. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 98: Wordlings, weasels and word bytes: Our language on a precipice?

Site Admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:17:00 +0000

Media researcher Dr Carolyne Lee scrutinizes changes to the English language accompanying the rise of social and digital media. With host Jennifer Cook.

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Episode 97: Asperger's Syndrome and PDD-NOS Explained

Site Admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:32:00 +0000

Developmental psychologist Prof Margot Prior describes what it means to be an individual with Asperger's Syndrome, and how Asperger's and the similar Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified fit into the broader Austism Spectrum Disorder. With host Eric van Bemmel.

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Episode 96: The Wrath of Grapes: Wine Making and Climate Change

Site Admin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Viticulturist Prof Snow Barlow and Wedgetail Estate vigneron Guy LaMothe discuss the threats -- and opportunities -- that global warming poses for the wine industry in Australia and elsewhere. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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Episode 95: Personalized Medicine: Treatments Tailored to Your Unique Genetic Profile

Site Admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:53:00 +0000

Assoc Prof Melissa Southey and Prof Dan Roden discuss how advances in genetics research are making it possible to develop customized medications and treatments -- in particular for cancer and cardiac arrhythmia -- based on one's own genetic profile. With science host Dr Shane Huntington.

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