Episode 14: All I want for Christmas is a Tyrannosaurus
In October, Stan, one of the most famous T. rex fossils in the world, sold at private auction for a jaw-dropping $31.8 million dollars. We don't know who the buyer was, which would suggest that it's going into a private collection, which also means it'll most likely be lost to scientific research.
We talk with Dr. Darla Zelenitsky, a paleontologist and dinosaur researcher, about how the fossil trade is a growing problem for researchers and museums around the world, and how it's only getting worse as sales like Stan's drive prices up.
Have an idea for a future episode or questions you'd like answered? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
9 Dec 2020
Episode 13: Do no harm
"First, do no harm." Taking the Hippocratic Oath is a rite of passage for medical school graduates all over the world. The oath is a foundation of medical practice, forming the first code of ethics in Western medicine.
We talk with Dr. Abdullah Saleh, a paediatric surgeon and director of the University of Alberta's Office of Global Surgery, about how medical practitioners traveling to lower-income countries can end up doing more harm than good, even though they're trying to help.
Have an idea for a future episode or questions you'd like answered? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
2 Dec 2020
Episode 12: Are you an ally?
Allyship is the idea that people with privilege in the world, whether it's from race or socioeconomic status or simply being part of dominant or ingroups, can help promote and advance the interests of outgroups and marginalized people. But what does allyship really mean? Who is and who isn't an ally? Can calling yourself an ally end up doing more harm than good?
We speak with Dr. Adam Murry, an assistant professor of Indigenous psychology in our Faculty of Arts. We talk about his research project into quantifying the traits of allyship and how better understanding allyship can help both the groups who need it most and the people who want to be allies.
Have an idea for a future episode or questions you'd like answered? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
25 Nov 2020
Episode 11: Medic mushrooms
As jurisdictions around the world legalize or decriminalize recreational drugs, interest is growing in their therapeutic value. Magic mushrooms, for example, are gaining traction as a treatment for certain mental illnesses, like anxiety and depression.
We speak with Dr. Peter Facchini, a professor of biochemistry in our Faculty of Science and chief scientific officer of MagicMed, about studying the medicinal properties of psilocybin mushrooms and other drugs, and how synthesizing and improving them could lead to better mental health treatments.
Have an idea for a future episode or questions you'd like answered? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
18 Nov 2020
Episode 10: Can you spare some (higher ed) change?
It's Innovation Week in Calgary, and all around the city, people are talking about finding new and better ways to do things, to look at things, to create things. But what about higher education? Universities have operated more or less the same way for centuries. Is it time for drastic change?
We talk to Dr. Stephen Larter, PhD, associate vice president of research and innovation at the University of Calgary, about how post-secondaries need to adapt to a changing world and how a university can help spark an economic recovery.
Have an idea for a future episode or questions you'd like answered? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
12 Nov 2020
Episode 9: Medical assistance in dying
In 2016, the federal government legalized medical assistance in dying. However, it remains a controversial and sensitive topic, with some care providers refusing to do it.
We talk to Dr. Beverly Adams, the senior associate dean of education at the Cumming School of Medicine, about how medical assistance in dying can offer choice and dignity to grievously sick patients and how medical schools are adapting to the practice.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
4 Nov 2020
Episode 8: Going anti-viral
We can't fight a deadly virus if we don't understand how it works. But studying infectious diseases is highly dangerous.
We talk to Dr. Paul Kubes, an infectious disease expert in the Cumming School of Medicine, about what goes into studying a deadly disease, how COVID-19 has changed scientific research, and UCalgary's newly reopened Biosafety Level Three lab.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
29 Oct 2020
Episode 7: Margin of error
Polls are often used to predict how elections will turn out. But are they accurate? In 2016, most polls predicted Hillary Clinton would become president of the U.S. In 2012, polls predicted the Wildrose Party winning the Alberta provincial election. In 2017, polls had Bill Smith becoming mayor of Calgary. Do a few high-profile misses mean that polls are unreliable?
In this episode, we talk to Corey Hogan, former chief communications officer for the government of Alberta, who now leads the communications team for UCalgary's Office of Advancement, about some of the factors that can skew polls, how to make sure they're as unbiased as possible, and how to look at them with a critical eye.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
21 Oct 2020
Episode 6: Key of T
The things we love to do often become a core part of our identity, forming a foundation of who we are as people and how we see ourselves in the world. Most of us never have to choose between those things and our identity.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Ari Agha, a choral singer and researcher with the City of Calgary, about the dilemma they faced when they embarked on testosterone therapy as part of their gender transition. They knew they'd be risking their singing voice, yet there was next to no research on the subject to help make their decision. They share their experiences and what they found out over the course of taking T.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
14 Oct 2020
Episode 5: The Waiting Game
Waiting is a major part of everyone's daily lives, whether we like it or not. It can be a time of intense anticipation, or it can be excruciating and tedious. But as the world gets faster and our lives get busier, we have less patience for waiting. That's not necessarily a good thing.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Peter Toohey, a professor of classics and author of the new book Hold On: The Life, Science, and Art of Waiting, about how we can better understand waiting, get better at doing it, and lead happier lives as a result.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
7 Oct 2020
Episode 4: Mental Health in 2020
2020 has been a challenging year for everyone around the world, to say the least. A raging pandemic, political chaos, civil unrest and climate catastrophes are all contributing to major stress on mental health.
In this episode, we talk with Debbie Bruckner, senior director of student wellness at the University of Calgary's Student Wellness Centre. Ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10, Debbie discusses some of the problems and challenges we're all facing, warning signs to watch out for, and what we can do to take care of our mental wellness.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
30 Sept 2020
Episode 3: Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day is a day to acknowledge the intergenerational trauma of residential schools, as well as taking steps toward healing and reconciliation. It symbolizes the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, whose brand-new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school, when she was just six years old.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt, a Métis scholar who specializes in Indigenous education. Yvonne gives us some of the background on Orange Shirt Day and how this event can help spark broader conversations about Canada's history with Indigenous peoples and the brutal legacy of residential schools.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
23 Sept 2020
Episode 2: Unlearning racism
The fight against institutional and systemic racism is at a fever pitch, with a growing movement to expose and eradicate anti-Black, anti-Indigenous and other forms of racism in all of our public institutions.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Malinda Smith, UCalgary’s new — and first — vice-provost of equity, diversity and inclusion, about how systemic racism manifests itself, the role that higher education can play in fighting racism, and what each of us can do in our everyday lives to make the world more equitable.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
16 Sept 2020
Episode 1: The many faces of face masks
As the COVID-19 pandemic carries on, wearing a mask has become a hot-button issue, especially in areas where it's mandatory. For some people, the issue of wearing masks has become politicized to the point that it's a symbol of their identity and political leanings.
While we know that wearing a mask helps slow down the spread of the coronavirus, and some people are wearing them willingly, others are fiercely resistant.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Cara MacInnis, a social psychologist in our Department of Psychology, about peoples' attitudes towards wearing masks and why it's such a divisive issue.
Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.
15 Sept 2020
Episode 0: Trailer
The podcast where we sit down with UCalgary professors, researchers and experts to get the answers to five questions submitted by you. Have you ever wondered why face masks are such an emotional issue, or why it's important for a university to promote diversity and inclusion, or what "margin of error" in opinion polling actually means? Well, we can answer that.
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