In this week's episode, hosts Liam Clifford and Bruno Mesquita interview Niki Sinha (they/them), a PhD candidate in Neuroscience. Niki's research delves into the processes by which, when we read, we connect letters with sound and words with meanings. As an example, the word "lead" has a very different meaning (and a very different pronunciation!) in the context of "lead singer," as opposed to "lead pipe." These cognitive processes are so quick as to almost appear automatic. In this interview, we learn, from Niki, that making connections between visual information and language isn't something that our brain is programmed to do by itself (unlike recognizing faces for instance), but it is something almost all of us learn to do anyways. Do tune in for a very erudite and engaging conversation!

Recorded on Mark 4, 2025 Produced by Mark Ambrogio

Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by White Hot).

Hosts Maris Schneider and Meghan Voll welcome Sarah Bidinosti to discuss her research on adapting traditional bone analysis methods for the digital age using CT scans. Sarah explains how techniques for estimating age, biological sex, and stature—commonly used in forensic and archaeological studies—must be refined when applied to digital scans. By creating a standardized methodology, she aims to improve accuracy and repeatability in osteobiography, the process of identifying unknown individuals based on skeletal characteristics.

Our conversation explores the advantages of CT scans, which allow researchers to study bones non-invasively, preserving remains in forensic cases and with cultural artifacts like mummies. Sarah highlights challenges in translating physical bone analysis to the digital realm, as scan parameters and software algorithms can alter bone appearances. Sarah’s work bridges archaeology, forensic science, and medical imaging, offering applications across cultures and time periods.

Recorded on February 25, 2025 Produced by Scott Walters

Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by White Hot).

Hosts Mark Ambrogio and Meghan Voll welcome Alanna Acchione, a PhD student in Media Studies at Western University, to discuss her research on data harms and the role of algorithms in curating hate engagement on social media. Alanna explores how platforms intentionally foster ideological clashes by amplifying content that triggers emotional responses, ultimately driving user engagement and platform profitability.

Drawing from Wendy Chun’s "Discriminating Data", Alanna explains how users are categorized into marketable groups, often pushed into ideological echo chambers that reinforce extreme narratives. She shares how these algorithmic structures fuel anti-feminist and anti-minority rhetoric, shaping online discourse in ways that can have real-world consequences.

The conversation also delves into rhetorical silence—the act of disengaging from online debates—as a potential resistance strategy. Alanna discusses the effectiveness of "feed cleansing" to disrupt harmful engagement patterns and considers whether quitting social media entirely is the only true form of protest against these platforms’ exploitative models.

Recorded on February 25, 2025 Produced by Mohammad Zeraati Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by White Hot).

Hosts Mark Ambrogio and Ryan Baxter welcome back Kian Esmailian, a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Western University, to discuss his research on ultrafast ultrasound imaging and Doppler applications. Kian shares his journey from Iran to Western, detailing his passion for merging engineering and medicine. He explains how ultrasound imaging plays a crucial role in diagnostics due to its affordability, safety, and real-time capabilities, making it a preferred choice over MRI and CT scans.

The conversation dives into Doppler ultrasound applications, which allow for velocity estimation in blood vessels, helping doctors detect abnormalities like clogged arteries and aneurysms. Kian breaks down the trade-offs between frame rate and accuracy, highlighting how ultrafast ultrasound improves speed but requires balancing image quality. He discusses how his research focuses on optimizing transmission techniques to achieve both high-speed imaging and precise velocity estimation, ultimately improving diagnostic accuracy.

Recorded on February 19, 2025 Produced by Mohammad Zeraati

Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by White Hot).

This week, we engage in the third episode of our collaboration with Inspiring Minds, a campus-wide partnership between Western Research, the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Writing Support Centre, Western Libraries, Student Experience and Western’s 11 faculties. Inspiring Minds seeks to broaden awareness and impact of graduate student research while enhancing transferrable skills.

Our hosts Garth Casbourn and Ryan Baxter are joined by Temitope Osifeso, a PhD Candidate at the School of Physical Therapy in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Temitope’s research explored how firefighters manage shoulder injuries and what they need to recover effectively by interviewing firefighters in North America. We chat about potential gender differences, what made Temitope engage with this research area and what can be done to minimize and treat these shoulder injuries in a high-risk occupation.

Recorded on February 11, 2025

Produced by Maria Khan

Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot

Just in time for Valentine's Day, GradCast hosts Anthony Cruz, Riya Sidhu, and Liam Clifford discuss all things love in graduate school. The hosts review a series of would-you-rather questions centered around dating within academia, planning a wedding during graduate school, and balancing research-related and romantic demands.

Recorded on February 4, 2025.

Produced by Anthony Cruz

Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ (Produced by White Hot).

For our seventh episode of #BookCast, we discuss “The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult—a story that explores whether we make our choices—or our choices make us. Our story begins with a plane-crash, where our main character, Dawn Edelstein is faced with the choice to return home to her life as a death-doula, or continue on to Egypt to complete her doctoral studies researching the coffin-texts and “Book of Two Ways”, a map of routes souls can take to the afterlife.

Join Riya Sidhu, Garth Casbourn, Scott Walters, resident Egyptologist: Maris Schneider, and Meghan Voll as we dive into the book’s main themes and quirks, such as it’s non-linear writing style, the duality of life and death, the nature of choices, and selfless versus selfish action. This podcast edit features a reveal of the next title in our ongoing series.

Aired February 6th, 2025 at 11 AM on Radio Western, 94.9 FM in London, Ontario.

Recorded on January 28, 2025

Produced by Scott Walters

Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot

Recorded on January 28, 2025

Produced by Jessica Eblie, Scott Walters, Maria Khan

Theme song provided by https://freebeats.io/ Produced by White Hot