The Grand Challengers Podcast

Tobias Baur, Professor in Landscape Architecture at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST), Rapperswil and former partner at Studio Ramboll-Dreiseitl, sheds some light on Singapore's Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Program, the country's journey in water management, and how sponge cities have evolved from stormwater to climate adaptation in recent years in Asia and Europe. We discuss the important role that interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral collaboration played in ensuring a successful renaturalisation of an urban stream in the flagship Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park project and the challenges going forward.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and Reflections on Singapore5:04 Early inspiration for water in landscape design9:00 Singapore's early water management leadership12:15 The ABC Waters Programme15:46 The Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park Project27:20 Tobias' other projects around Singapore31:58 Back in Europe and comparisons with the tropics36:14 Sponge Cities in Switzerland40:06 The role of the landscape architect and designer42:34 Q&A Start42:54 What inspires you?44:10 Key event, person, book44:40 If you had a magic wand?46:16 Biggest challenge in career to date48:20 Time management50:00 Advice for young researchers51:05 Where can people reach you?51:36 Final Message52:02 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Katrin Pakizer, Research Associate from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (Eawag) joins us to discuss how to create transformative change and to transition cities towards more sustainable natural resources management from the lenses of water infrastructure, biodiversity and all the many infrastructures and resources beneath our feet. We look at the challenges that we are likely to face in future in these areas due to climate change and what changes have to happen in institutions if we want to succeed in being more sustainable.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and fascination with Lichen5:58 What came first, social sciences or nature7:55 Katrin's journey to decentralized water systems14:42 Creating transformative change 1: Grassroots movements20:28 A 101 on housing cooperatives in Switzerland23:17 Creating transformative change 2: Policy instrument mixes28:41 Creating transformative change 3: Timing and sequencing40:39 Katrin's current endeavours in biodiversity45:16 Underground resources governance52:35 The road ahead for Katrin54:10 Q&A Start54:30 What inspires you56:55 If you had a magic wand59:22 Key moment, book, person1:01:24 Biggest challenge to date1:07:23 Time management1:12:10 Advice for young researchers1:14;32 Where can people find you1:15:00 Final message1:15:22 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Alexa Delbosc, Associate Professor at the Monash University Institute of Transport Studies, Australia demonstrates how social psychology concepts and thinking can be applied to transport planning. We explore a variety of topics including dehumanization of cyclists, changing lifestyles of millennials, the impact of the pandemic on transport, work from home culture, the built environment considerations, egocentric anchoring in planning and new ways of thinking about the city, especially with the uptake of micromobility.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:00:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and Ornithology4:53 From animal behaviour to human behaviour7:56 Cars vs. Cyclists10:03 The Dehumanization Scale12:00 Addressing the contested road space16:25 Millennials and changing perceptions of the city23:54 The pandemic and its impact26:53 Work from home culture and transport29:46 Impact of the built environment and the third space31:32 Egocentric anchoring and other key social psychology concepts35:07 New ways of thinking about cities36:42 Is collective design the solution?40:00 New challenges in micromobility43:39 Where is transport planning heading to?46:47 Diversification of transport50:26 Q&A Start50:43 What inspires you?52:52 Key event, person, book53:31 If you had a magic wand?55:42 Biggest challenge in career to date57:30 Time management1:00:21 Advice for young researchers1:01:50 Easter Egg: Alexa’s D&D Campaign1:03:28 Where can people find you?1:04:06 Final Message1:04:30 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Darcy Molnar, Senior Program Coordinator at the Leopold-Bachmann Foundation and the Masters in Advanced Studies (MAS) in Water Resources Program Coordinator at ETH Zurich reflects on three major initiatives she has undertaken to foster better knowledge exchange on solving global crises, bridging global north and south and providing more opportunities for women in STEM. Having grown up in West Africa herself, we learn a bit about how we can use some African culture can and "joie de vivre" to tinker with our own daily lives and personal missions.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and her Egyptian Experience7:29 From Physics to Engineering and Development14:12 The Sanaga River17:15 Getting to Switzerland20:39 How to teach nature-based solutions?35:07 Network for Water and Life (NEWAL)44:42 500 Women Scientists48:30 The Kangaroo Math Competition1:00:30 Darcy’s New Adventure1:01:51 Q&A Start1:02:17 Key event, book person1:04:33 If you had a magic wand?1:05:23 Biggest challenge in career to date1:08:27 Time Management1:11:19 Advice for young scientists1:12:02 Where can people find you?1:12:20 Final Message1:13:24 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Manuel Fischer, Professor at the Institute of Political Science, University of Bern, group leader in Policy Analysis and Environmental Governance and head of the Environmental Social Sciences Institute at the Eawag, Switzerland shares some insights on the social dynamics between major actors in the political arena during times of stability and times of crisis and the importance of delving deeper into these dynamics for better social-ecological systems. We also discuss the harsh reality of whether science can impact policy.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro, Interview Skills and Social Processes7:01 Manuel for President!9:14 A 101 on Swiss Politics13:03 Manuel’s academic journey to date17:14 Actors, the social scientist and the theatre piece19:27 The good guys, the bad guys and the ‘devil shift’28:18 The ‘devil’s advocate’?31:06 Decision-making in times of crises - Fukushima36:09 Social networks40:27 Social-Ecological Networks for Biodiversity48:02 The role of scientists going forward49:39 Manuel’s approach to the future50:45 Q&A Start51:08 Key event, person, book53:20 If you had a magic wand?54:04 Biggest challenge to date55:59 Time management58:14 Advice to young social scientists1:00:44 The ivory tower of academia1:02:10 Where can people find you?1:02:49 Final message1:03:05 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Shubber Ali, CEO of Garden for Wildlife, a spin-out from the National Wildlife Federation in the US, reflects on the journey from helping companies improve their innovation to how people can contribute to improving biodiversity in their own gardens through the use of native plants. We also discuss the twin crises of climate change and artificial intelligence (in particular, Generative AI) and look at both the positives and negatives around major societal changes we are likely to experience in future.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and Gardening6:48 Innovation  a love-hate relationship13:43 Shubber's Origin Story16:16 Nature's best hope18:46 Founding Garden for Wildlife24:35 Nature and human health27:10 Native vs. Non-native30:30 Green justice the Field of Dreams Hypothesis34:10 American fascination with lawns36:36 Reducing friction for change39:08 The IKEA for Biodiversity?41:26 Deal with it at source - cost of poor quality problem43:15 Current successes of Garden for Wildlife45:18 What's next for Garden for Wildlife50:51 Coming to Europe?52:08 Climate Conference COP2755:04 We have too much information58:01 Artificial Intelligence and the dawn of Generative AI1:02:09 Potential downsides of AI1:08:55 Crisis breeds action1:10:53 What is the root cause problem?1:13:59 Q&A Start1:14:17 If you had a magic wand?1:18:25 What inspires you?1:22:55 Key book event person1:30:55 Biggest challenge to date1:34:55 Time Management1:40:50 Where can people find you?1:41:37 Final Message1:41:59 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Jon Hathaway, Associate Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville sheds light on the origins and practice of green infrastructure for stormwater management in the US, the impact climate change will have, needs for better asset management and maintenance and how we can operate these systems in a smarter way. We also compare notes and terminology in this field across the globe and discuss the challenges of academics working at the interface with practice.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro, US Travel and Mountainbiking5:33 Jon’s interest in natural systems8:18 Exposure to green stormwater infrastructure12:04 Green infrastructure terminology17:11 Early work on swine lagoon seepage treatment19:50 Bioretention - the “Swiss Army Knife”22:19 Indicator bacteria, pathogens and other pollutants27:14 Interdisciplinary collaboration30:26 Backyard GI and stormwater asset maintenance36:39 Origins of GI? and implications for other places39:37 Bioretention, rain gardens, or biofiltration42:00 Regulations in the US around stormwater48:05 Impact of climate change on GI54:53 Monitoring and control of GI1:03:28 Q&A Start1:03:43 What inspires you?1:06:18 Key event, person, book1:07:36 Biggest challenge in career to date1:10:47 If you had a magic wand?1:13:15 Time management1:14:44 Advice for young researchers1:16:58 Where can people reach you?1:17:35 Final Message1:19:01 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Markus Vogl, Professor at the University of Stuttgart, senior partner at Studio Urban Strategies and former "Walter Gropius Chair" at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina reflects on the power of social collaboration for urban transformation by retelling the story of perhaps the most impactful project in his career to date, the Biblioteca Popular La Carcova and Parque Educativo. We also discuss what the role of architecture and urbanism should look like to tackle the grand challenges that we face.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest introduction and AM radio signals3:36 Buenos Aires, stereotypes and Tango8:20 The Clubes de Barrio11:54 Early interest in Architecture and Urbanism15:27 “Städtebau” or citymaking as interdisciplinarity21:00 From TU Munich to TU Delft24:11 Getting to Buenos Aires28:07 Society, globalization and confronting reality34:13 Biblioteca La Carcova: Prologue: The Walter Gropius Chair39: 49 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 1 - The Canvas42:23 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 2 - A book means freedom45:14 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 3 - Building a place of encounter47:11 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 4 - Gauchito Gil49:00 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 5 - Enter Markus51:18 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 6 - Parque Educativo53:17 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 7 - 3000 Euros and the Pandemic56:38 Biblioteca La Carcova: Part 8 - The Obelisco1:01:30 The role of the architect1:02:41 The next steps for the Parque Educativo1:07:05 Q&A Start1:07:33 What inspires you?1:08:28 Key event, person, book1:10:24 If you had a magic wand?1:12:18 Biggest challenge in career to date1:17:30 Time management1:19:22 Advice for young architects1:20:42 Where can people reach you?1:21:50 Final Message1:22:31 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Françoise Bichai, Associate Professor from Polytechnique Montreal discusses the complexity, challenge and necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration and how we should adapt our centralised water infrastructure to support growing cities and adapt to climate change. We also delve into her current work on supporting the planning of green infrastructure.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest intro and musical talent6:14 Travels with NGOs to Costa Rica8:32 Françoise’s experience in Peru12:05 What it means to be an engineer15:10 God-like, Medieval and Paleolithic19:00 The T-Shaped Professional19:44 Interdisciplinarity as surfing and diving23:39 Interdisciplinarity as a symphony orchestra28:57 What are we facing in terms of water security?30:53 Françoise’s time in Australia33:30 Harnessing alternative water supply sources36:40 We need a paradigm shift from centralised systems40:58 Satellite treatment plants or hybrid options43:15 Fantasia - The Sorcerer’s Apprentice46:16 Green Infrastructure is multidisciplinary49:37 Terminology and GI for active mobility56:00 Green Infrastructure in Winter1:02:46 Linking GI, heat and drinking water temperature1:07:42 Bringing all the GI work together1:10:43 Q&A Start1:11:09 Key event, person, book1:13:45 What inspires you?1:15:32 If you had a magic wand?1:17:18 Time management1:20:59 Advice for young researchers1:22:40 Where can people reach you?1:23:59 Final Message1:25:23 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

Danielle Dagenais, Professor in Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Montreal discusses her interdisciplinary journey from garden design to all things plants and how she is now tackling green infrastructure solutions for stormwater management and improving urban biodiversity in snowy Canada. Our conversation also unravels the paradox of nature and many myths surrounding the use of vegetation for providing stormwater management among other benefits.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:00:00 Intro01:59 Guest Intro and Montreal3:11 The Garden of Movement7:25 The Paradox of Nature10:17 Attraction to disciplines of intervention14:06 Danielle’s early journey in the 80s and 90s19:09 Coming back to the PhD21:18 Design language, social sciences and interdisciplinary mediation24:14 Green infrastructure terminology28:42 Planning green infrastructure for stormwater management in Quebec34:22 From mapping to technologies and debunking design myths34:44 Hypothesis 1: Vegetated better than unvegetated39:16 Hypothesis 2: Plant species matter42:51 Hypothesis 3: Native species are better than exotic species46:34 Hypothesis 4: Mono-cultures are worse than multi-cultures49:21 Designing green infrastructure for snow55:28 Is guidance on track, behind or ahead of research?58:03 Encouragement to practitioners: experiment!1:00:32 Q&A Start1:01:00 What inspiration drives you forward?1:01:27 If you had a magic wand?1:02:58 Key event, person, book1:05:11 Biggest challenge in career to date1:07:37 Time management1:09:32 Advice for young researchers1:10:53 Where can people reach you?1:11:30 Final Message1:11:47 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/