Episode 16: Dr. Damian Sowinski on information theory

The first episode in a while and it is a great one. This conversation was recorded a while ago, but it brought about even more questions the second time. Dr. Kotlewska and I talk about how we perceive ourselves and how, or if, that changes over time or as things change, like our names. It is so interesting. If you would like to reach Ilona, you can reach out to her on Facebook here. We also talked about a really awesome personality/ self-awareness questionnaire you can take at home or give to someone else. It's called the cube test and you can find a good version of that here. I really hope you enjoy and please do take the test - it's quite thought provoking. I'd love to hear some of your answers or maybe even revelations after taking it! 

This episode was previously published, but there was an issue with the audio. This issue has been corrected! The episode is my coverage of the 6th science pub at Salt Hill Pub in Lebanon, NH. Two experts discussed soil health, organic farming, aquaponics, GMOs, and rice. There is so much to learn about what we eat and this episode only scratches the surface. I hope you enjoy!

In this episode we interview Dr. Seth Frey about his work on understanding online social communities. We even get a sneak peak at his recent study on the behaviors in online poker that lead to winning or losing! 

This episode is my coverage of the March 2018 Science Pub. Science - the work of analysis, experiment, fail, and try again – relentlessly pursues answers to some of the most complex and pressing issues of our time, but work in the lab won't change the world if it stays in the lab. How to get research findings out in the world, to fuel the zeitgeist, and inform policy to address those complex issues, is an important art. Although the work of scientists impacts almost every part of our daily lives, mis-steps in communication on the science-to-policy path can be disastrous. What does it take to be an effective advocate for science-informed policy? What is the difference between policy that impacts science and science that impacts policy? What are the roles of scientist, advocate, and policy-maker? These and other questions were discussed by Melody Brown Burkins, Celia Chen, and Anne Kapuscinski.

This week our episode features a Ph.D. candidate in Dartmouth's Molecular and Cellular Biology program. Nadia Cumbal, researches a particular protein, whose mutation is associated with cancer, in the lab of Dr. Michael Cole. She speaks about what cancer is, how it can happen, the cellular mechanisms that may be able to provide new therapies, and where the future may be in cancer research.

Dr. Damian Sowinski is a post-doctoral researcher at Dartmouth who studies information theory. He uses information theory in many different ways, from understanding why stars are stable to how people construct a narrative of the world based on experience. In our discussion, we talked about the basics of information theory to fields of application like quantum mechanics, philosophy and physics. 

This episode is our coverage of January's Science Pub at Salt Hill Pub in Lebanon, NH. We had 3 experts discussing the evolution of communities from the online space to a traditional commune. What motivates people to make decisions? How does technology change or add to traditional social communities? Tune in to find out.

This episode covers cellular changes by which neurons form altered connections within the brain that lead to phenotypes like autism spectrum disorder. We cover everything from the specific gene they research to the broader impact of this kind of research. We hope you enjoy and please post any questions or comments on our website.

This episode is our coverage of the 3rd Science Pub. We had 3 experts talking about black holes and alien life! What exactly are black holes? What is the latest research on alien life? How do we study these questions? Listen and find out! 

What is evolution? What drives changes in species? What are current day examples of adaptations? Listen to Dr. Mark McPeek from Dartmouth College explain the simple and complicated details of evolution.