GradCast

About GradCast

The official podcast of the Society of Graduate Students at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. We aim to showcase the innovative research that graduate students are conducting at Western University and appeal to various audiences including those within and beyond the academic community.

Publisher

Maris Schneider, Anthony Cruz, Mark Ambrogio, Scott Walters, Ryan Baxter, Maria Khan, Garth Casbourn, Riya Sidhu, Sarah Bidinosti, Chrishma Perera, Bruno Mesquita, Kirstyn Seanor, Mohammed Zeratti

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jan 2015

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

709 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   574 | Don't Look Up: Philosophy and the Study of Climate Change

   This week, hosts Anthony Cruz and Bruno Mesquita are joined by Sara Varon Echeverri, a PhD student in Western University's Department of Philosophy studying social and scientific problems related to climate change. Enrolled in Western's collaborative specialization in environment and sustainability, Sara is trying to determine the best ways to study climate change that can lead to effective responses from the public. Sara believes in the importance of bringing people together and was involved in planning the 2026 Rotman Graduate Student Conference, bringing international students to Western to discuss the philosophy of science. In this episode, Sara discusses her research in philosophy and provides tips on how to plan a conference! Recorded on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Produced by Ella Siciliano and Anthony Cruz Theme tune “Feelin Good” provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

2. 

   6 Oct 2026

   573 | Building Towards Next-Generation Vaccines for HIV

   This week, MSc (PhD-intended!) candidate Alexander Gain talks about his research on modelling and testing immune responses to different HIV vaccines. Although current treatments help keep the virus at bay, this requires people living with HIV to take anti-viral medication for the rest of their lives. Building a preventative vaccine could allow for people to experience a better quality of life, but requires a lot of tricky planning and overcoming experimental constraints. How does one even start to design HIV vaccines that can hopefully work across different HIV variants? What sort of models can be used to examine the immune response following vaccination? What technical challenges exist before such questions can be properly tested, and how does one pace themselves better over such a marathon of a research endeavour? Join Bruno Mesquita and Victor Lau as they hear more about Alex tackling a career path that aligns with his values, and for an episode that has both fun details and takes into account a larger picture. To find out more about Alex and his group's research, please check the Arts Lab website: https://artslab.ca/enter/ Recorded on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Produced by Evelyn MacKay-Barr Theme tune “Feelin Good” provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

3. 

   29 Sept 2026

   572 | Aging, HIV Stigma, and Mental Health among Older Adult Across Communities

   This week, PhD student Bright Ofori talks about his research on HIV stigma and mental health among older adults living with HIV. With advances in treatment, people living with HIV are living longer. However, this raises new questions about what aging with HIV looks like; what happens when the social impacts of HIV (including stigma, shame, and fear of disclosure) last after diagnosis? Bright’s research compares the experiences of older adults living with HIV across two different settings: the Ashanti Region of Ghana and African, Caribbean, and Black communities in Ontario. How do culture, community, and social support shape experiences of HIV stigma? How can stigma affect mental health, including experiences of depression and anxiety? And how can researchers capture these experiences while ensuring that the people and communities affected have a meaningful role in building a stronger voice for affected individuals? Join Kuljeet Chohan and Victor Lau as they hear more about Bright’s methodologies and tackling how stigma exists, to understand a little more about the prevalence of HIV stigma and persisting through with mental health challenges. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bright-ofori-phdInstagram: @i.am.bryt ---------------------------------------- Recorded on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Produced by Kuljeet Chohan Theme tune “Feelin Good” provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

Who has been a guest on GradCast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Linda Rosbach
• Ince Husain
• Rebekka Lagacé-Cusiac
• Zoltan Richter-Bisson
• Rawan El Moghrabi

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

6,673

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

56

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

81

Contact GradCast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about GradCast