#208 When Fieldwork Goes Wrong Go Public: Adventure in Venezuela | WeAreSTS

What can you do with a degree with a BSc in Sociology and Politics of Science? Joe talks with Isobel Lim (Sociology and Politics of Science BSc 2022) about life after her UCL degree with us here in STS. She wrote a unique dissertation on Pokemon Go. That influenced her to take up a post with a Indonesian tech startup. There, she gained valuable experience in the collectibles and esports sector. With a long-standing passion for computer games, Isobel transitioned into the rapidly growing esports industry. She highlights Pokemon's entry into esports in 2022 with Pokemon Go and Pokemon Unite. The industry has been growing rapidly, now with immense demand, rapid ticket sell-outs, and global events. Esports have transformed from a niche hobby into a major spectacle. Isobel finds many ways to apply her interdisciplinary interests to the eSports universe. Data analytics was an important start for her. She finds her studies in understanding human behaviour and identifying patterns to be invaluable for navigating the industry's complexities. Her science communication training has been vital for understanding how to expand engagement with fans and identify patterns for monetising this booming market. Interdisciplinary is one of the skills developed during her degree that she covets. Featuring IntervieweeIsobel Lim (Sociology and Politics BSc 2022) HostProfessor Joe Cainhttps://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits"Rollin at 5" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Podcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Talking about suicide and its myths can save lives. Easha Kapur (UCL Politics and International Relations BSc, 2025) takes on the critical issue of youth mental health, aiming to debunk prevalent myths that often hinder young people from seeking vital support. She interviews her father, Professor Navneet Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health. He’s a leading expert on the subject of self-harm and suicide. This podcast makes complex academic insights accessible, addressing the rising psychological stress among youth. It’s important listening for young people, teachers, and caregivers hoping to understand and support mental wellbeing.The episode directly challenges common misconceptions, revealing that talking about suicide generally does not increase its likelihood. It corrects the notion that suicide rates surged during the pandemic, noting they actually fell due to social cohesion. A key focus is men's mental health, dispelling the myth that men don't seek help by highlighting that 90% of men at high suicide risk had indeed sought assistance. The discussion also debunks the idea that suicidal thoughts are merely attention-seeking or exclusively linked to diagnosed mental illness, emphasizing underlying issues and broader societal factors.Finally, the podcast explores the dual impacts of social media on mental health, offering guidance on navigating online information and highlighting the roles of educators, parents, and legislators. It advocates for sensitive language like “died by suicide” to reduce stigma.Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with self- harm or suicide, help is available 24/7 via the Samaritans helpline on 116 123.FeaturingEpisode producerEasha Kapur (Politics and International Relations BSc, 2025) https://www.linkedin.com/in/easha-kapur-102087184/?originalSubdomain=ukInterviewerEasha Kapur (Politics and International Relations BSc) https://www.linkedin.com/in/easha-kapur-102087184/?originalSubdomain=ukIntervieweesProfessor Navneet Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/nav.kapurHostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic creditsInside Easha’s episode“Windows Night Celeste Loop” By Liecio, public domain, https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/windows-night-celeste-loop-132289/Episode introduction and exit"Rollin at 5" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http:// Podcast informationEpisode informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Today, an experiment: can Generative AI replace this podcast? We’re asking because there’s a new feature in the GenAI service, Google Notebook LM. It creates an audio conversation based on documents you simply upload to it. Just give it a few minutes. The output is a conversation featuring two voices and it sounds… well….that what we’re testing. The experiment today is to upload an academic paper, ask it to generate a conversation, then press play. Is it any good?For this, I’m choosing a paper I wrote that I really want to talk about on the podcast. It was published earlier this year. It’s titled, “When Fieldwork Goes Wrong, Go Public: George Gaylord Simpson and Anne Roe in Venezuela, 1938-1939”. It’s a story of fossil hunting, and a bunch of twists and turns on, during on specific expedition. The essay appears in a published by UCL Press and edited by Chris Manias. The book is called Palaeontology in Public: Popular Science, Lost Creatures and Deep Time, pp. 221-253. Because it’s UCL Press, it’s available free as open access, just like all their books.Book: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781800085824We’re splitting today’s episode into two parts. In Part 1, you hear the conversation generated by the AI software, Google Notebook. It’s unedited and straight from the processor.In Part 2, I’ll be interviewed about the paper and about the conversation. Our guest interviewer is our producer, Capri Huffman. Capri’s an expert digesting academic work like this. She can spot main points and subtle ones. In one way, we’ll be treating treat Google Notebook as just another reader: What does it take away when processing the paper? What does it claim are the main points, the strengths, and the weaknesses? In another way, I wonder if this approach is a way to identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI for something we teachers can use in the classroom. Featuring InterviewerCapri Huffman, MSc Science, Technology and Society IntervieweeProfessor Joe Cain Also featuring Google Notebook LLM voices HostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS).https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Entry and Exit Music"Rollin at 5" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) CCBY4.0 Music in the Break"Sweeter Vermouth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) CCBY4.0

What is love? Can we program machines to be in love or to love us back? Ken Sio (UCL Human Sciences BSc) tackles one of humanity’s greatest questions but adds a modern twist: Can generative AI learn to love, or at least, can it make us believe it loves us back?As Generative AI becomes ubiquitous, the market is rising quickly for ever more sophisticated virtual companions. They promise devoted support, connection, inexhaustible empathy, and sometimes, swirling romance. Algorithms might be able to mimic love. They might be able to do it convincingly. When they do, what does it mean for us to keep asking, “is it real?”To explore questions of love in the machine, Ken teams up with Sol, a sharp-witted voice from ChatGPT4.0. Together they explore what love means for humans by trying to find it in machines. From neurotransmitters sparking our emotions to Plato’s musings in The Symposium, Ken, Sol, and their human guests unpack how biology, evolution and philosophy shape our understanding of the experience we call “love”. In this moment of rapid invention, what they discover may surprise us all.****Trigger Warning****This episode briefly mentions suicide and other sensitive topics. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. Contact Samaritans in the UK at 116 123.FeaturingEpisode producer and creatorKen Sio, BSc Human Sciences www.linkedin.com/in/kensioInterviewersKen Sio https://www.linkedin.com/in/kensio/‘Sol’ (Powered by ChatGPT-4.0, Advanced Voice Mode)IntervieweesDr Emily Emott, UCL Associate Professor in Biological Anthropology https://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology/people/emily-emmottTaylor Enoch, PhD Candidate and Postgraduate Teaching Assistant at UCL https://www.taylordenoch.com/HostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology. https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainShow Producer and MixerCapri Huffman, MSc Science, Technology and SocietyMusic and sound credits in Ken’s episodesee episode libraryIntro and Outro Music"Rollin at 5," by Kevin MacLeod available: https://incompetech.com CC By Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Break Music“Laconic Granny,” by Kevin Macleod available: https://incompetech.com CC By Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ProgrammeWeAreSTS is a production of UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). Visit: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

By 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss. Darcy Watson (UCL BSc Human Sciences) explores the subject of ‘hearing health’ with audiology expert Charlotte Rogers. How might our modern, tech-driven lifestyles be quietly eroding our hearing? From our constant usage of personal devices to the exposure to environmental factors that exacerbate hearing loss, the hidden risks of today's world are anything but silent in their long-term impact. Is our generation unknowingly heading towards a hearing crisis? Can innovation and lifestyle adjustments provide a solution before it’s too late? Listen close - but not too closely - to discover what’s truly on the line for our hearing.“Deaf Sentence” is a project created by Darcy Watson for the UCL module, HPSC0161 Podcasting as Science Communication, offered by Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). For more information about the course, visit profjoecain.net/0161FeaturingInterviewer and Project CreatorDarcy Watson (Human Sciences BSc)linkedin.com/in/darcy-watson-7909621a9IntervieweesCharlotte Rogers, Hearing Rehabilitation Specialist. Currently, Charlotte is a Education and Engagement Growth Specialist at Cochlearhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-rogers-686615132/HostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS).https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic credits“Easy Podcast Intro Theme” by Novifi https://pixabay.com/music/beats-easy- podcast-intro-theme-255102/"Rollin at 5" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/About WeAreSTSWeAreSTS is a production of UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). Visit: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Students come into university with strong visions of activism and improvement. They know the planet needs their help. But how? What can STS (in the form of degrees like “Sociology and Politics of Science BSc” and “History and Philosophy of Science BSc”) add that isn’t already available and easy to reach?In this episode, we talk with two STS first-year students about their experiences in the degree thus far. How has it helped to sharpen their ideas of where to where to act and why. We asked them to discuss one of the first-year projects that made them approach activism better. Both chose work from our “Big Problems in Science and Technology Studies” module, which is designed for just this purpose. Our focus this year was on Oceans.Fatima philosophises an experimental geoengineering project by Russ George, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who, in 2012, sold carbon credits for dumping 100 tonnes of iron sulfate into international waters to trigger an algal bloom. She questions whether this ‘experiment’ was scientific or just pseudoscience, as well as the ethics of George's near-unilateral venture in the no-man's-land of the open ocean.JJ considers the idea of “building with blue biomass,” an idea promoted by an international network of architects, engineers, and academics (some at UCL!) who are imagining new ways to use marine micro-organisms for sustainable Net-Zero construction. The building sector produces approximately 40 percent of carbon emissions today. But how to connect the vision to action? JJ considers the challenges keeping this kind of initiative from connecting with the public, the tyranny of the techno-market, and the role of sociotechnical imaginaries in driving change. For the papers discussed, search "profjoecain WeAreSTS 205" FeaturingEpisode producerCapri Huffman, MSc Science, Technology and SocietyIntervieweesFatima Ismail, BSc Sociology and Politics of Science coursehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/fatima-ismail-164b88292 and Instagram (@fatima.activist).JJ Laws is a first-year student in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS).HostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biologyhttps://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Sweeter Vermouth” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth Podcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Standard rule over us. We’re affected every day by decisions someone has made about standards. They determine the shape of our electrical plugs, the quality of our water, the signals used by our phones, and so much more. Standards don’t just happen. They’re decided. Sometimes one company does that. Sometimes it’s done by international deliberation, argument, and eventual compromise.Talking about standards is classic work in STS. Standards create the scaffolding on which science and technology builds. They constrain and they enable. It matters who gets to decide these things. Standards setting can affect our lives for generations, and they can cost us (or profit us) to the tune of many trillions of pounds.Luckily, here in STS we have an expert on standards. Dr Saheli Datta Burton is Lecturer in Science Policy. She’s recently co-authored some research trying to build a risk assessment for the way standards are being set these days across a huge range to subjects. She’s looking for patterns, trends, and general themes. The conclusions she reaches are, I’d say, profoundly worrying from the British perspective. Simply put: we do not have our act together in this area, and this is going to come back to bite.Saheli’s article is co-authored work:Nicholas Zúñiga, Saheli Datta Burton, Filippo Blancato, Madeline Carr, The geopolitics of technology standards: historical context for US, EU and Chinese approaches, International Affairs, Volume 100, Issue 4, July 2024, Pages 1635–1652, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae124To summarise the piece, it explores how the US, China, and the EU are shaping global technology standards with different approaches. The US traditionally favoured a hands-off strategy, leaving standard setting largely to the private sector. China, historically top-down, is now blending private and government involvement to set tech standards globally. The EU seeks a balance between competition and cooperation to protect wider socio-cultural values. All three regions are increasing government involvement in standard-setting due to technology's growing geopolitical importance. The article emphasizes how control over standards can lead to economic benefits and power. The EU's newest strategy focuses on gaining a competitive edge while ensuring cooperation and preserving values like interoperability.FeaturingIntervieweeDr Saheli Datta Burton is a Lecturer (teaching) in Science Policy (Responsible Research and Innovation) at UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/77672-saheli-datta-burtonHostProfessor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic creditsMusic credits“Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5“Spy Glass” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4410-spy-glassPodcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Children as young as eight are targeted by influencers and advertisers towards anti-aging products, from skin creams and anti-wrinkle devices to “baby botox”. Maddy Ross (Human Sciences ’25) investigates how influencers and social media algorithms drive anti-aging anxiety to ever increasing levels while industry advertising markets solutions to ever younger people, especially girls. She identifies increasing concerns over risks that are physical, psychological, and social. Are young people being exploited without even knowing it?Influencers play a key role in these processes, especially impacting children’s consumption behaviours. Algorithms on social media platforms seek engagement by moving to increasingly extreme representations – anything to keep us connected and scrolling.Should we be worried about “baby botox” and its promotion? Yes, Ross argues. Its increase in popularity is only symptom of powerful industries who are constantly looking to sell you something. It seems such products have no serious resistance, regulation, or consumer protection and growing evidence suggests hidden costs and runaway risks.This is a report from the STSNewsRoom 2024.FeaturingInterviewer and researcherMaddy Ross (Human Sciences BSc) https://uk.linkedin.com/in/madeline-ross-4188b2287IntervieweesDr Caitlin Shaughnessy (Researcher at UCL Department of Information Studies)Professor Afshin Mosahebi (Professor at UCL Department of Surgical Biotechnology and Consultant Plastic Surgeon)HostProfessor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic credits“Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5Podcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Ian Urbina’s 2019 book, Outlaw Ocean, brilliantly investigates hidden worlds of human activity on the high seas. From modern day pirates and traffickers to gargantuan fishing fleets to “freedom-loving” recluses and entrepreneurs, his stories build on the idea of oceans as lawless spaces well beyond the awareness of most people. He documents extremes of human behaviour. He also describes the extraordinary scale of extraction and exploitation that takes place off shore. In this world, who’s “free” and what are the consequences of “lawless” spaces?Outlaw Ocean is this year’s selection for the STS1Book programme. In this episode, Dr Michel Wahome talks about why she recommended the book for our community. She points to some of the many ways it can be used to explore key concepts in STS, such as actor-network theory and social-technical imaginaries. She also considers the relationship between lawlessness and entrepreneurship as a key theme in innovation studies and science policy.For more about the STS1Book programme:https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme FeaturingIntervieweeDr Michel Wahome, UCL Lecturer in Science and Technology Studieshttps://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/86440HostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biologyhttps://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits“Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5Ecossaise in E-flat by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86- Podcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

What is dark matter? Mary Westover investigates, featuring insights from Dr. Joe McLaughlin and Dr. Marcello Messina. She visits the Gran Sasso Laboratory in Italy to understand how a research lab sunk deep into a mountain and holding a giant tank of liquid Xenon holds the promise of evidence for this most elusive substance. From the lab's mountain setting to the complex physics involved, this episode provides a deep dive into one of physics’ most perplexing questions. This episode is a practical project submitted by Mary Westover as part of her UCL degree, MSc Science Communication. She wrote, researched, produced, and starred in the production. For more about UCL’s Science Communication MSc, visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/science-communication-msc Featuring Interviewer and researcher Mary Westover https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mary-westover Interviewees Joseph McLaughlin https://www.hep.ucl.ac.uk/people/mugshot.shtml?id=joemcl Marcello Messina https://www.gssi.it/people/professors/lectures-physics/item/12461-messina-marcello Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Mary used copyright-free music from Pixabay. WeAreSTS Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast