On The Brain: Recent Episodes

University of Calgary Trainees

A student-led initiative to share cutting-edge research going on at the University of Calgary.

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Join us for this interesting episode featuring Sam Storey, a PhD student and the president of NeurAlbertaTech at the University of Calgary. Sam tells us about the wide range of events they hold, how NAT could help bring your ideas to life, and recent advances in neurotechnology at the University and beyond.

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to move countries to pursue academia? Have you already moved internationally to come to the HBI? Join this conversation with post doctoral fellow Dr. Júlia Canet Pons as she describes her academic journey across three countries. Listen to hear her advice for those who are interested in international experience, or those who have traveled from abroad to join the HBI.

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Join us in this interesting episode featuring Kelsey Harkness, PhD student who will share about her research on cutting-edge data analysis that is revolutionizing our understanding of cognition, behavior, and the mysteries of consciousness. Imagine, decoding the very essence of who we are through the power of data.

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Are grad students learning how to start a company, or function in industry without even knowing it? Join us as we speak to Dr. Ty McKinney, Co-founder of 8 Bit Cortex and Chief Science Officer of PEERX.AI, about cultivating skills like project management, programming, and science communication during your degree. We learn about his journey from graduate student to entrepreneur, identifying a problem worth solving, and maintaining work-life balance.

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BranchOut Neurological Foundation has funded many trainees in the HBI over the years as they create and execute impactful science. Today, we sit down with Dr. Ty McKinney, the research director for BranchOut, to talk about how he ended up working for the foundation, BranchOut’s mission, and how their funding is supporting up-and-coming impactful neuroscience in Canada.

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We may not think about our ears as being involved in the aging process, but the organs inside them slowly deteriorate over time, and with that our balance. Today, we talk with PhD student Jordan King, who is applying neurotechnology to help prevent falls in older adults. Join us as we discuss how technology and health converge, how to integrate clinical research with industry, and interventions for aging.

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What happens when you mix technology from industry with a passionate fighter and researcher? Join us as we dive into the world of combat sports, trying to find a better way to track damage to the brain over time. Today, our guest is Chris Banman, a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Ryan Peters. We talk about the journey of merging his passion for sports with research, the importance of finding a way to measure damage in combat sports, and how to gain industry experience while in grad school.Music from #UppbeatLicense code: ZOE7PROYCUJJB36WSound effects sourced from Pixabay

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We all get asked what we’re planning on doing after our degrees, but how many of us are actually aware of the options that exist beyond academia? Join us as we talk to Taylor Low, a project manager at Centricity Research. She takes us through her journey beyond grad school and into the world of clinical trials. We talk about the process of finding a job that you love after your graduate degree, what working in clinical trials can look like, and the multitude of skills gained during grad school that are transferable to industry.

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What are your options if you are burnt out? What options are available on the Foothills campus for self care? Join the second half of our conversation with Keisha and Johanna from the Student Advocacy and Wellness Hub where we focused on topics that are common struggles among graduate students: burnout, self care, and imposter syndrome.SAWH bookings and resources: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/student-advocacy-wellness-hub/services/all-csm-learners

Mental health resources: https://hbi.ucalgary.ca/hbito/resources/mental-health

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How do you know when you need help and how do you get help? Join Keisha, the lead therapist and Johanna, the manager from the Student Advocacy and Wellness Hub for a conversation on accessing help with mental health in grad school. We discuss topics from what resources are available for grad students to what accessing counselling at the SAW Hub looks like.

SAWH bookings and resources: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/student-advocacy-wellness-hub/services/all-csm-learners

Mental health resources: https://hbi.ucalgary.ca/hbito/resources/mental-health

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How can you control a computer with your mind? Join us as we speak to Joanna Keough, who tells us how the latest technology is being used to help restore autonomy to kids with limited mobility.

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What happens to a fetus or newborn who has a stroke? How do we even recognize that this has happened? Join us as we speak to Meghan Maiani, whose previous life experiences give her unique insights into this problem.

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Multiple sclerosis is a devastating disease with an unusually high prevalence in Canada. However, it affects people to different extents. Could aging contribute to the variation in disease progression? Join us as we speak to PhD student Zachary Bailey about this puzzling disease.

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Multiple sclerosis is a devastating disease with an unusually high prevalence in Canada. What factors contribute to the disease? What do we know about treatment? Join us as we speak to PhD student Emily Wuerch about this puzzling disease.

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Have you ever locked yourself out of your car right before driving to an important meeting? Have you forgotten about a deadline and realized you only have an hour left? If so, you have experienced stress. Join us as we speak to PhD student Spencer Loewen about how stress affects our brains.

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Most of us take speaking and understanding others for granted. Today, we are fortunate to be joined by Trevor Lowe, who talks us through how stroke can impact our ability to communicate and what we can do to treat those who experienced strokes.

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We already learned about stroke's impact on language. What other deficits are present in stroke patients? How do we evaluate those deficits? Join us as Matt Chilvers tells us about how we can use robotics to better assess stroke patients.

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How is pain different in each person? How do we currently treat pain, and can we do better? Join us as we speak to Dr. Erika Harding about pain and cannabinoids.

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Meet the team of students who worked hard to bring you this series and learn about why they joined. We make a land acknowledgement to recognize the land's upon which the research is performed and this podcast was developed. We would also like to recognize funding support from Branch Out Neurological Foundation and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute.