fAQ by SandboxAQ

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Alex Belsley to discuss his role in strategic finance at SandboxAQ. Alex gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale complex technologies—like our magnetic heart imaging device and spoof-proof navigation systems—and turn incredible science into a durable, real-world business.But Alex’s path to finance has a massive plot twist: his background is actually in quantum photonics! He breaks down his fascinating PhD research at the University of Bristol, where he generated a special quantum state called "squeezed light" on semiconductor chips to push the boundaries of optical measurement. We also get to hear the inspiring personal story behind his career pivot. Driven by the legacy of his grandfather—a mechanical engineer who designed rocket thrusters for the early space program—Alex realized he wanted a front-row seat to the next massive technological inflection point: AI and quantum tech.Whether he is publishing papers in Physical Review Letters, creating popular online chess courses, or navigating complex business operations, Alex brings an amazing level of passion to his work.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/about-us Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-belsley About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In our newest episode, Tai-Danae Bradley chats with Christian Nguyen about tackling one of global healthcare's toughest challenges: diagnosing heart attacks. As a Program Manager on the AQMed team at SandboxAQ, Christian has morphed from a research scientist to a software engineer and beyond, all to help his team get their revolutionary magnetic camera ready for its first major manufacturing and FDA milestones this year.Before diving into health tech, Christian spent his academic career deep in the world of quantum information science. We discuss his time at Cornell—where he jumped into the physics lab to help manufacture electron-generating targets for the university's linear particle accelerator—and his graduate work at Harvard, exploring how the unique optical properties of diamonds make them the perfect building blocks for a future quantum internet.From pivoting through five different roles on the AQMed team to leaning on large language models as a daily thought partner in the lab, Christian exemplifies what it means to be adaptable.CAUTION— CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/about-us Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byaffe/ About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Ben Yaffe, Principal for Strategy and Operations at SandboxAQ, to explore his incredibly varied career. Ben describes his "delightfully nebulous" role as a multi-tool across the company, jumping into projects that range from securing flight testing for the AQNav team to executing manufacturing transfer plans for AQMed's cardiac diagnostic device.Ben breaks down how the AQNav team is building spoof-proof aircraft navigation using the Earth's magnetic crust, and why AQMed's washing-machine-sized magnetic sensor could revolutionize how emergency rooms diagnose heart attacks. We also dive into his work with the AI simulation team, which recently landed a $500 million CHIPS Act grant to accelerate domestic battery and silicon manufacturing.Beyond the tech, Ben shares his incredible background—from setting up California’s first drive-thru COVID test sites and leading search and rescue teams, to how growing up in New York City gave him an unstoppable bias for action. Tune in to hear about his "Snadbox" initiative that celebrates learning from failure, and why his ultimate dream is to open a coffee shop using a restored "trash espresso machine"!CAUTION— CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/about-us Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byaffe/

Next up on the fAQ Podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Kit Yee Au-Yeung, General Manager of AQMed at SandboxAQ, for a fascinating conversation about medical devices, leadership, and startup culture.Kit breaks down her team's work on an AI-powered magnetocardiography (MCG) device that captures the heart's magnetic signals right at the bedside, bypassing the need for an unwieldy metal shield. But building groundbreaking tech requires an incredibly adaptable team. Kit shares why she thrives juggling multiple projects in fast-paced startup environments and discusses her favorite mantras from her time at Google X — like tackling the "monkey and the pedestal" and adopting the mindset of a "tiger beetle".Listeners will get great advice on navigating deep tech, including why past successes with vendors don't always predict future outcomes, how she empowers quantum physicists to embrace regulatory operations, and the importance of being comfortable in your own skin.CAUTION — CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.LinksLearn more about the AQMed team at SandboxAQ here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqmedConnect with Kit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kityeeauyeung/About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Joe Howlett, a science journalist at Scientific American and former astroparticle physicist, to discuss his fascinating transition from experimental physics to science storytelling.Joe takes us inside his former life as a physicist, detailing his PhD research at Columbia University where he hunted for "WIMPs"—the elusive particles thought to make up dark matter. He breaks down the mind-boggling reality that all known matter accounts for only one-sixth of the universe, and openly shares the emotional toll of a 40-year global physics search that has yielded negative results. We discuss how these unanswered questions led him to pivot away from a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford to pursue a career in science journalism.Whether he is learning to make science "dance on the page" under the mentorship of legendary writers, uncovering historical math scandals, or preparing his latest essay on the universe's unanswerable questions, Joe's relentless curiosity is truly inspiring.LinksRead Joe’s latest articles for Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/joseph-howlett/ Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-howlett-a180471b7/

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Janet Faakye, a neuroscientist and project manager at SandboxAQ, to explore the critical intersection of deep tech, project management, and science communication.Janet’s path is a masterclass in following your curiosity. She discusses her transition from studying psychology in Ghana to earning a PhD in neuroscience in the US. Listeners will get a crash course in her graduate research on vascular aging and how senescent cells behave like infectious "zombies" in the brain. Janet also discusses her experience of making the transition from academia to industry, the art of context-switching when talking to different stakeholders, and the valuable lesson of learning to boldly speak up for your own accomplishments. Whether she is translating complex concepts for the public, running global tech initiatives, or dreaming of a worldwide food tour, Janet's authentic approach to life and science is truly contagious.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ’s Scholarship Program here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/company/scholarships Connect with Janet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-faakye-ph-d-pmp About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

Ethan Pratt, Head of Engineering at SandboxAQ’s AQMed division, joins Tai-Danae Bradley for a conversation about building heart-health technology that can meet clinicians where they are: in the fast, messy reality of the emergency room.In this episode, Ethan explains AQMed’s work on magnetocardiography, a technique designed to capture the heart’s magnetic signals and help address one of medicine’s toughest everyday challenges: evaluating chest-pain patients in the ER’s diagnostic “gray zone.” He shares why the team has focused so intensely on real hospital workflows, how an “algorithmic shield” helps separate the heart’s signal from ambient magnetic noise, and why getting prototypes into real clinical settings matters more than waiting for perfection in the lab.The conversation also traces Ethan’s unconventional path into medtech, from rebuilding a 1967 Camaro and studying physics at Cal Poly to earning a PhD at Cornell and eventually discovering that his strengths lay not in abstract theory alone, but in building experiments, devices, and teams that work in the real world. Along the way, he reflects on math anxiety, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the guiding principle that has shaped both his career and his leadership style: start with what you know.CAUTION— CardiAQ is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ’s AQMed team here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqmed Connect with Ethan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanpratt/ About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ Podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Luca Ferrara, the General Manager for the AQNav team at SandboxAQ, to discuss his inspiring career trajectory, which began with a childhood in Orlando, Florida, and an early interest for the sciences. After experiencing some academic burnout in high school, he pivoted to speech and debate, eventually studying international relations and economics at Boston College. We discuss his journey from the trading floor at UBS to earning his MBA at the University of Chicago, and how a 20% project at Google led him to the cutting edge of quantum technology.We also discuss the world of magnetic navigation, where Luca explains how GPS systems are increasingly vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, and how his team is building resilient infrastructure by using highly sensitive quantum sensors to navigate using the Earth's magnetic field. Tune in to hear Luca's insights on filtering out extreme electromagnetic noise on an aircraft, his advice on seizing high-leverage career opportunities, and why he dreams of touring the world's remote islands on a mega yacht.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ’s AQNav team here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqnav Connect with Luca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luca-andrea-ferrara-83a03b38/ About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

Next up on the fAQ Podcast, Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Samantha Davis, a postdoc resident on the AI Simulation team at SandboxAQ. Samantha shares her remarkable scientific journey, which spans from earning a PhD in physics at Caltech, where she built quantum teleportation networks, to her current work building virtual cell simulation engines for computational biology.But her path to these incredible achievements was wonderfully unconventional. Tune in to hear how Samantha transitioned her mindset from open-ended academic curiosity to product-driven industry deliverables, how she balances it all with adventurous travels like hiking the pristine lakes of the Andes, and why she believes the deepest scientific discoveries happen at the intersection of fields.LinksLearn more about SandboxAQ’s AI Simulation team here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/drug-discoveryFind Samantha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-isabel-davis-965a23144/About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq

In this episode of the fAQ Podcast, host Tai-Danae Bradley sits down with Daniel Litt, an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto, to discuss the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and mathematics. Bypassing the public speculation and social media hype, this conversation provides a practical look at some ways large language models are actively being used in high-level mathematical research. Daniel shares his daily workflow, detailing his transition from testing early AI models in a Dungeons and Dragons game to currently utilizing advanced tools for literature search, "vibe coding," and finding counterexamples. The discussion also covers the new challenge of "proof abundance," practical tips for prompting AI effectively, and how these powerful tools might force a necessary restructuring of mathematical education and the academic publishing system. LinksLearn more about Daniel here: https://www.daniellitt.com Follow Daniel on X: https://x.com/littmath About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at [email protected] previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq