Science Talk with Naz: Recent Episodes
Nazerke
Are you seeking for some tips and wisdom from scientists? Here we talk about science and share academic experiences and more. In general, I am keen on talking with people in any scientific fields and/or who have general interest in science because diversity provides resilience.
This podcast will:
- Deliver more detailed description about an academic life for all students who want to pursue an academic career
- Deep talks with academics about their research works
- Academic journeys and experiences
Overall, any episode contains advice and guidance for everyone who has an interest in science.
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Our special guest is Bolys Sabitbek, a post-doctoral researcher at the Ghent Analysis & PDE Center, Ghent University. We were also honoured to be joined by Mr. Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who shares his perspective on the growing academic collaboration between Kazakhstan and Ghent University, the skills today's world demands, and what these two scientific communities can learn from one another. Bolys also makes the case for why mathematics matters, tracing the history and development of the field from the Soviet era through to mathematics in Kazakhstan today, and shares details of the ongoing Mirror Lab collaboration between Ghent University and Kazakhstan.
Curious about the ecosystem behind this collaboration? 🇰🇿
🤖 Alem.ai - Kazakhstan's International Center for Artificial Intelligence in Astana. A hub for the global AI community, it brings together a Museum of Singularity, an AI research university, startup incubation programs, research labs, and the home of the Mirror Laboratory: https://alem.ai/en/
🚀 Astana Hub - Central Eurasia's largest international tech park, connecting 1,800+ local and international companies and driving the region's technology growth through programs, events, and community: https://astanahub.com/en/
Together, they form the backbone of Kazakhstan's growing innovation landscape - and the setting for our latest episode. 🎧
Ghent Analysis and PDE center website: https://analysis-pde.org/
More on Bolys's research, website: https://sites.google.com/view/bolys-sabitbek
Mirror Laboratory in Kazakhstan to our Ghent Analysis & PDE Centre: https://analysis-pde.org/blog/
A special challenge for our audience - put your math skills to the test with the problem lists compiled by Erdős: https://www.erdosproblems.com/lists
Books and research works mentioned in the episode:
"Birth of A Theorem" by Cedric Villani
"Henri Poincare: A Scientific Biography" by Jeremy Gray
Vladimir Arnold in Russian, link:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/zZEHozSnalU?feature=oembed
Movie about Misterious Japanese Chalk:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/PhNUjg9X4g8?feature=oembed
About the Central Limit Theorem (related to the law of large numbers):
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/zeJD6dqJ5lo?feature=oembed
3Blue1Brown best math youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@3blue1brown/videos
Newton’s three-body problem explained - Fabio Pacucci:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/D89ngRr4uZg?feature=oembed
Designing Math ft. Grant Sanderson (3Blue1Brown):
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/bLSLN96Gn-w?feature=oembed
More on Game Theory: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1512.06808
Mathematical methods and human thought in the age of AI: https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.26524
Mathematical methods and human thought in the age of AI by Terence Tao: https://terrytao.wordpress.com/2026/03/29/mathematical-methods-and-human-thought-in-the-age-of-ai/
Anthropic news: https://www.anthropic.com/news/fable-mythos-access
External image credits:
Milky Way photos by https://www.instagram.com/p/DR06XwcjE0C/?img_index=5
Kolsai lake: https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/almaty-region/
Arkalyk launch photos: https://www.gettyimages.be/fotos/arkalyk
00:00 Intro
00:32 Meet the New Voice of Qazaq Mathematics
01:29 Was Math Discovered or Invented?
03:41 Is Math Really Hard or Just Unfairly Feared?
05:30 The Hidden Math Behind Your Everyday Decisions
11:29 How AI Is Reshaping Mathematics
19:10 UGhent University & Kazakhstan: A New Collaboration
20:03 Kazakhstan's Minister of Science on Partnering with Ghent
23:12 Mr. Sayasat Nurbek: The Skills the World Needs Now
27:13 What UGhent and Kazakhstan Can Learn From Each Other
28:40 Why Mathematics?
31:20 Math Behind the Iron Curtain: The USSR & Kazakhstan
36:20 Lab Tour: The Legendary Chalk Story & a Favourite Equation
41:58 Kazakhstan: Cradle of the Soviet Space Dream
46:03 Favourite Mathematicians, Books & Films
49:58 The Eiffel Tower Was Always About Science
51:08 Why There's No Nobel Prize in Mathematics
52:06 The Skills That Actually Matter
54:12 Advice for Final-Year PhDs
Guest: Prof. Dmitri Krysko – an Associate Professor, Head of Cell Death Investigation and Therapy (CDIT) Laboratory at the Department of Human Structure and Repair at Ghent University. Also an elected member of The Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium since 2023. Sadly, Prof. Krysko passed away in an accident shortly after this interview. We dedicate this episode to his family to honor his legacy, his warmth, and his passion for teaching. We hope his words continue to inspire the next generation of researchers.
Special thanks to Ph.D. fellow Mariia Saviuk for her invaluable support, and to the Krysko family as we share this piece of his legacy.
More details: https://www.crig.ugent.be/en/news/mem....
Article mentioned in the episode: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4146...
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...
00:00 Intro 01:30 Why “Cell Death” and how my journey started into this research world
03:44 What were the main motivations behind the founding CDIT laboratory at Ugent?
11:51 Lab tour & Ph.D. experience with Marii Saviuk
20:40 3D cancer spheroids to mimic real tumor environments
22:19 What are anti-cancer vaccines and are they around the corner?
30:47 Advice to young researchers entering this research domain
Guest: Lotte Baert a Teaching Assistant and PhD researcher at Ghent University. Her research focuses on soil amendments and drought resilience, and explores how different materials such as compost, chitin, and other amendments influence soil water retention under changing climate conditions, combining greenhouse experiments with field studies. Alongside her research, she is actively involved in teaching, bringing together scientific investigation and academic training in her daily work.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baertlotte/
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...
🔗 Study Sources Mentioned in the Episode:
Lotte’s research: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
Women statistics mentioned at 21:16 min https://www.eppgroup.eu/what-we-do/wi...
Special thanks: to Lotte Baert for the images, videos, and feedback provided for this episode, also for having us for the practical cources
⏱️ Timeline:
01:08 — Why Soil Amendments Are Essential Today
02:52 — The Amendments Behind the Research
07:46 — How Chitin-Enriched Compost Helps Soil
10:10 — Compost, Farming, and Climate Impact
12:50 — Interactive Teaching in Action (available on YouTube only)
12:50 — Life Between Research and Teaching
18:01 — What Makes Teaching Worth It
20:25 — Balancing Science, Teaching, and Motherhood
21:28 — Women’s Experiences in Academia
23:44 — Must-Have Skills for a PhD
28:13 — Tips for Incoming PhD Students
In this episode, we’re joined by Prof. Francis wyffels and Dr. Andreas Verleysen from AIRO (AI & Robotics), the robotics team within IDLab (Ghent University – imec). Visit 'AIRO IDLab Ghent University - imec' website for more information: https://airo.ugent.be/
More research works: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=r2JqQ0oAAAAJ&hl=en
https://airo.ugent.be/
Relevant links mentioned in the episode:
Dwengo - https://www.dwengo.org/
Research at AIRO - https://airo.ugent.be/research/
External video sources:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLGFKZ_2y13shMLgsFvFt91mbtBWodEZ-M
Optimus - Gen 2 | Tesla
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/cpraXaw7dyc?feature=oembed
NEO The Home Robot | X1
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/LTYMWadOW7c?feature=oembed
00:36 — Who are our guests today
01:13 — What robots can actually do today (and why they’re not here to “take over”)
03:53 — From impressive demo to real-world scale: generalisation + industrial automation
06:39 — Humans first: robots as helpers and teammates, not replacements
09:20 — AI, creativity, and job security
12:06 — Lab tour & live demos
24:33 — Curiosity Camera
26:43 — Service robots in daily life: what’s coming next
27:55 — Why STEM curiosity matters
31:04 — Origin stories: how we got into AI & robotics
34:11 — Why making science accessible matters
37:50 — Pop culture robots: how movies shape perceptions
40:46 — Movies/books with thoughtful takes on robotics
44:42 — Current projects and real-world impact
46:30 — Essential skills for students and future PhDs
49:19 — Advice for incoming PhDs in AI & robotics
Prof. Hans Verbeeck is a Research Professor at Ghent University, and also co-leader of the Q-ForestLab. His work integrates process-based ecosystem modelling, field ecology, and advanced remote-sensing to understand how forests respond to climate change. He has led major international projects working in tropical and temperate forests, He has important activities in the Congo Basin; did a lot of work on the impact of lianas on tropical forests, but today we will focus on his work the ecology and restoration of tropical mountain forest in the Andes in Ecuador (RecoAndes Project). His research connects fundamental ecological science with practical forest-management strategies aimed at improving carbon-sequestration and climate resilience.
Prof. Verbeek on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-verb...
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...
Q-Forestlab: https://q-forestlab.ugent.be/index.html
External materials:
video source for the project https://youtu.be/iF3bY-kDy38?si=eDYNx...
additional acknowledgements for the video:
[EN] The video is a product of the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Innovation of the University of Cuenca, developed by MEDIALAB–Philosophy–2025
[ESP] Un producto del Vicerrectorado de Investigación e Innovación de la Universidad de Cuenca, desarrollado por MEDIALAB–Filosofía–2025
Special thanks:
to Prof. Hans Verbeeck, Ximena Palomeque and Dalma Orellana Peralta for the images, videos and feedback provided for this episode, and also to the University of Cuenca.
00:15 Cold open: Why the Andes matter
01:24 Inside the Andean mountain forest research
03:01 Origin story: How the project began
04:37 Project partners + the importance of Indigenous knowledge
05:29 Why the Andean forest ecosystem is research-critical
06:44 PhD experience: reflection interview
10:21 Research impact: local communities and policy
12:24 Main threats to Ecuador’s mountain forests & how to investigate them
14:10 Methodology in action
17:06 Capacity building: what the project leaves behind
18:43 Which planet do you choose? Main message
20:07 Essential PhD skills to have/build
21:22 Advice for incoming PhDs
Tobias Augspurger – aerospace engineer, climate scientist, and open-source advocate. Also a founder of OpenSustain.tech, an open platform for free and open climate technology. He also pioneered the application of open source in the German automotive industry within the DHL Group as head of software development for autonomous driving, worked for over 13 years in different remote sensing applications, and loves to innovate based on open-source practices. Today, we will be talking about the MapYourGrid project.
Tobias on LinkedIn: / tobias-augspurger
MapYourGrid: https://mapyourgrid.org/
Other relevant mentioned sources:
OpenSustain.tech: https://opensustain.tech/
The Open Source Sustainability Ecosystem report: https://lfenergy.org/2023-open-source...
00:00 – Intro
00:56 – Who Is Tobias
02:09 – What Is MapYourGrid | Overlooked Quality Data from OpenStreetMap
09:31 – The Power of Open Access Data
11:37 – The Role of Local Communities
14:38 – How to Reach and Engage Local Communities
18:48 – Why Open Access Data Matters for a Traceable Sustainable Future
23:55 – On Non-Traceable Sustainability Claims and Greenwashing
31:20 – Open Access from Public and Private Sectors | Green Claims Act
34:42 – MapYourGrid 101 for Beginners
40:12 – Why We Still Need People | Limits and Cautions of AI
46:07 – Who Is Using Grid Stats Map
50:30 – Why Mapping the Electrical Grid Is Essential
52:76 – Current Challenges in MapYourGrid
58:10 – Sentinel-2 Data: Potential and Limitations
1:00:38 – Funding, Sponsors, and How to Support MapYourGrid
1:04:00 – MapYourGrid as a Teaching Tool
1:08:14 – Our Planet Is Too Complex to Argue with Black Boxes
1:08:52 – The Future Impact of MapYourGrid
1:09:59 – Prioritizing Natural Solutions in Today’s Systems
Nick Krekelbergh is a teaching assistant and PhD student at Ghent University. Nick's research focusses on the dynamics of microplastics in soils from a pedological perspective.
Nick is also an active member at the Knowledge centre Viae Caspiae of Eureast Platform
Nick on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickkrekelbergh/
Nick on X: https://x.com/nickkrekelbergh?lang=en
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...
⏱️ Timeline:
00:00 – Intro
00:32 – Microplastics 101
14:49 – Microplastics as a soil-forming factor in the 21st century
21:54 – Challenges of measuring microplastics: is there a standardized method?
24:39 – Research & policy priority highlights (OVAM report) – Why Belgium may lead
26:01 – Current research highlights: Raman vs fluorescence
35:02 – Lab tour 47:57 – What is the ‘Knowledge Centre Viae Caspiae’?
51:06 – Shrinking Caspian Sea & historical repetition (Aral Sea parallels)
57:27 – Why EU and Central Asia matter to each other
1:00:00 – Essential skills for incoming academics
1:01:54 – Advice for PhDs
Rocco Suanno - PhD student at Institut Lumière Matière (Lyon)
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rocco-suanno-71ba2a249/
Instagram: @roccosuanno
00:00 – Intro
01:08 – Spinodal decomposition
03:29 – Implementation of spinodal decomposition & factors impacting
09:40 – Why this process is important across studies
11:44 – The 'Grande Victoria!', 1st-year-PhD experience & personal motivation for research topic
14:34 – Why physicists sneak philosophical quotes into their slides
17:12 – Special prize
18:17 – Inspiration for science
20:18 – Message to new PhDs
Eduardo Garcia - a PhD specialized in Soil Science, Carbon Sequestration, Agroforestry, and Remote Sensing
Research work mentioned in this episode: Garcia-Braga, E., Peñalver-Alcalá, A., Farguell, J., Francos, M., & Úbeda, X. (2024). How long is long? A bibliographic review of what is meant by the long-term effects of fire on soil properties. Spanish Journal of Soil Science, 14, Article 12499. https://doi.org/10.3389/sjss.2024.12499
Eduardo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardo-garcia-geotec/
00:00:59 – Intro
00:01:28 – Current technologies in environmental sciences and need for scepticism
00:05:25 – Emerging directions in environmental sciences
00:09:27 – AI in environmental sciences: necessary caution
00:13:56 – Pitfalls of current educational system
00:17:16 – “When we teach, we also learn”
00:21:10 – Sustainability vs. production
00:25:50 – “We already grow food enough for 10 billion people and still can’t end hunger”
00:28:35 – Theory vs. practice in science
00:36:01 – Practical ways to incentivise farmers to adopt sustainable practices
00:40:37 – Indigenous knowledge
00:44:00 – Our lost connection with nature & system bubbles
00:50:13 – Theory vs. practice II: academia’s bubbles and how Brazilian universities promote practicality
01:01:35 – Wildfires and their effect on soil health
01:09:03 – Isolation from nature
01:14:38 – “Action is the key ...”
01:22:53 – Inaction is worse
01:26:26 – Individual action isn’t enough for collective problems
01:32:06 – Advice for incoming PhDs
Guest: Michał Bączyk a PhD Researcher at Utrecht University on consumer-related rebound effects of circular business models
Recent publication discussed in the episode: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.10.022
00:20 Meet Michal: briefly about his research background
01:13 Circular economy 101
04:04 Why “re-use” is essential today
08:12 Theory vs. reality: examples from real functioning business models
13:08 Secondhand shops and DIY tips - small changes can make a big difference?!
18:05 Growing up with sustainable mindset
22:22 Why eco-friendly isn’t always easy
29:00 What drives consumer engagement with circular business models: about sustainable habits
34:19 Suppliers & Shoppers: your playbook for circular impact
41:30 How & Where researchers can shake up the system
46:47 How to deal with eco-anxiety
50:20 Advice to my younger self and incoming PhDs
Guest: Oscar Dufour a PhD at Institute of Light and Matter in Lyon, France
00:00 – Intro: a researcher with a rich and diverse background
04:10 – What is crowd dynamics, and why does it matter: fieldwork at Lyon’s Festival of Lights revealed the science behind crowd behavior
11:47 – Tragedy in South Korea: A look at the Halloween crowd crush that claimed 158 lives
13:52 – The dangers of dense crowds: Understanding the tipping point between flow and chaos
17:38 – From reading to observing: the stories of collecting real-time crowd data
23:26 – Rethinking crowd density: impressive novel approach reveals the truth behind the statistical mis-estimations
32:00 – Flattening the human form: 3D-to-2D projections of male and female anatomy
36:47 – Simulating simple physical interactions: The hidden physics behind how we bump, sway, and move in groups
41:00 – Decision-making in crowds: introducing a new layer to simulate behavior in motion
50:54 – Modeling complex decisions: more on how people make choices in dense urban environments
56:50 – The science of everyday movement: what crowd dynamics can teach us about daily urban life
1:01:00 – The dark side of urban data: potential risks of collecting big data on human movement
1:02:41 – Real-world applications and gained insights
1:06:23 – Urban planning in sci-fi vs. reality: ‘AI won’t solve everything… but it can help…’
1:12:10 – Can crowds be controlled?
1:17:00 – Are we predictable agents?
1:19:30 – Do we have free will?
1:26:01 – Advice to aspiring PhD students diving into research
Guest: Vaibhav Shrivastava, Ph.D. - a Postdoctoral Researcher at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
For more detailed insights into Vaibhav Shrivastava, Ph.D. work, you can explore:
UgentResearch: https://research.ugent.be/web/person/vaibhav-shrivastava-0/publications/en
explore the project FERTIMANURE: https://www.fertimanure.eu/en/
00:59 – Exploring linear vs. circular systems in fertilizer production
04:32 – The importance of producing and using bio-based fertilisers
06:10 – A look into the origins of the circularity concept
08:50 – Defining bio-based fertilisers within the circular economy framework
10:03 – Challenges related to wastewater | Phosphorus limitations, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and mineral extraction from waste
13:00 – The main challanges in implementing circular fertilizer production systems
17:13 – Personal motivation behind choosing this research field
20:40 – Discussing terminology around nutrient recovery products and insights from four years of fieldwork
26:40 – Associated practical challenges of fertilizer application in field
28:00 – Future directions for developing nutrient-recovered products
29:06 – Key skills aspiring researchers should cultivate
31:02 – Reflections on maintaining a healthy work-life balance
32:49 – Advice for incoming PhD students
36:50 – Outlook on further research goals and directions
Bo Vangsø Iversen – Associate Professor in Soil Physics and Hydropedology at Aarhus University
Prof. Vangsø Iversen's Research Gate
Prof. Vangsø Iversen's at LinkedIn
01:47 Soil Science in the 21st Century
03:57 The International Master in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO) – Why this program is particularly relevant today
09:09 IMSOGLO graduates preparing for a reunion
12:05 How IMSOGLO fosters valuable professional connections
17:01 The role of international master's programs in exposing students to diverse problem-solving approaches
18:35 Denmark’s approach to sustainable agriculture as a country with extensive agricultural land use
20:50 Denmark’s policy: Setting aside 15% of agricultural land from production
24:40 Adapting to climate change: Farmers' responses and the importance of social dynamics in research
31:23 Mapping Agricultural Subsurface Drainage Systems Using Proximal and Remote Sensors – Collaboration with Prof. Ellen Van De Vijver at Ghent University
41:18 "Learn to code…"
44:10 An unpaid promotional moment for IMSOGLO 🙂
47:55 "Do what you find interesting…"
50:25 Discussing work-life balance and healthy habits
55:28 A friendly marathon competition with Prof. Bo
58:15 Addressing eco-anxiety
1:05:30 The government's role in promoting sustainable lifestyle choices
1:06:24 Advice for incoming PhD students
Dr. Qiusheng Wu is an Associate Professor and the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Geography & Sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also serves as an Amazon Visiting Academic. Dr. Wu specializes in geospatial data science and open-source software development, with a research focus on utilizing big geospatial data and cloud computing to study environmental changes, particularly in surface water and wetland inundation dynamics. He is the creator of several widely used open-source Python packages, including geemap, leafmap, and segment-geospatial, which are designed for advanced geospatial analysis and visualization.
Explore his open-source contributions on GitHub: https://github.com/opengeos
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vmml4_0AAAAJ&hl=en
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Qiusheng-Wu-2
Prof. Wu on social media
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UC6V9oXSB3T1XSBsbqtYvKMg
X (former Twitter): https://x.com/giswqs
01:44 Two key turning points: Career choice and starting a YouTube channel
06:38 The importance of creating free content and providing open-access resources globally
11:10 Prof. Wu’s experience in acquiring skills in geospatial sciences
15:30 How the COVID-19 lockdown highlighted the need for online knowledge sources
16:58 Key implications of remote sensing data
19:06 Why a background in remote sensing is more crucial than just data analysis skills
21:39 The importance of frequently updating teaching materials & their alignment with job market demands
26:29 The era of rapid change: ‘…you need to be irreplaceable by AI’
28:25 Google Earth Engine Explorer/Code Editor/Timelapse & their applications / The power of Cloud computing
37:56 How Big Data & AI are shaping geospatial science
42:08 ‘For students who want to pursue a career in geospatial studies…’
43:14 The role of ‘coding skills’ in geospatial sciences
46:18 Essential skills and key advice for aspiring researchers
55:39 ‘I learned most of what I know from social media…’
57:27 How to stay curious
1:00:20 Advice for incoming students
Jean-Pierre Grootaerd - dedicated voluntary member at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Ghent University and the Public Observatory Armand Pien. He’s also an active member of the Eurospace Society, the organization founded by astronaut Dirk Frimout to encourage young people’s interest in space exploration. Jean-Pierre is a passionate self-taught-and-made astronomer. His lifelong fascination with astronomy and space travel began in childhood and has stayed with him ever since.
Note to the listening audience: Jean-Pierre, a native Dutch speaker, gave the interview in English, and I think he succesfully delivered his message. Due to tight timing - I had to compromise the voice editing, but it's overall good. Also, we rather had a nice talk and hence some questions came up during the episode which is not hard to guess 😉
Stars Shine for Everyone project website: https://www.ssvi.be/
Jean-Pierre on social media:
LinkedIn: / jean-pierre-grootaerd-600a91a6
Instagram: / kijkerbouwvsrug
01:00 - Introduction to Jean-Pierre
02:31 - Staying Curious & Passionate: "difficulties can be wonderful"
05:46 - Stars Shine for Everyone: story behind how this project began
10:41 - Meeting Bruno Ernst in 2014 14:33 - "You CAN'T be whoever you want to be"
15:00 - Decision to Start: Partnering with Bresser’s CEO
17:00 - First Telescope Delivery: A memorable milestone
19:20 - The role of local supporters in project growth
21:27 - Small-World Story and the Importance of Cooperation
28:08 - Telescope Demo and Office Tour: A look inside Jean-Pierre's workspace and equipment
44:25 - Jean-Pierre’s Work at CERN: Insights into his role and projects
49:25 - Nobel Laureates' Signatures on Telescopes: The story behind these signatures and their significance
51:20 - Why SSVI Focuses on Community, Not Individuals: Discussing SSVI's educational approach and its community-centered focus
55:43 - "There Are a Lot of Good People..."
1:03:16 - Why Giving Up Isn't an Option
1:06:00 - Choose Friends Wisely
1:14:00 - Advice to My Younger Self and the Next Generation
1:15:43 - Staying Curious and Open-Minded
1:17:26 - Recent "Wow" Moments
1:19:12 - Women and Girls in Science
1:21:55 - Finding/Creating Meaning in Life
Prof. Kim Calders specializes in Earth Observation and Terrestrial Ecology at Ghent University in Belgium. His research interests include terrestrial and UAV-based LiDAR, the measurement and modeling of full 3D vegetation structure, its relation to airborne or spaceborne remote sensing signals, and radiative transfer modeling.
For more detailed insights into Prof. Calders' work, you can explore:
- ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kim-Calders
- Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.be/citations?user=D0Z7jcsAAAAJ&hl=en
- Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kimcalders
00:27 – Intro
01:10 – Terrestrial laser scanning: laser/LiDAR, active vs. passive remote sensing & point clouds
04:36 – How 3D laser measurements are revolutionizing forest studies
06:41 – Demonstration of LiDAR technology (see YouTube video)
07:35 – Ongoing research and global collaborations
10:19 – Discussion on 4D monitoring of vegetation structure (StrucNet)
14:23 – StrucNet: Possible implementations and future directions
18:17 – Is Space Twin linked to astronomy?
20:36 – Skills required in terrestrial research e.g. data mining, climbing...
24:18 – Why 'passion' is essential in research
26:30 – How greenery improves body and mind
30:01 – Dealing with eco-anxiety
32:14 – Advice for aspiring academics
Jaya Nepal is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Sustainable Cropping Systems Laboratory at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He recently graduated with PhD in Soil and Water Sciences from the University of Florida, also obtained his MSc in International Agricultural Development from the University of Tokyo. He has a broad research experience in the field of soil science and agronomy.
01:31 Jay’s research background
03:43 PhD work at Florida university: sandy soils in Florida
06:15 What/How is it made/Why C nanomaterials
12:05 Difference between Biochar & C nanomaterials
14:00 Opportunities and challenges with C nanomaterials
18:26 Brief talk about NASA & Space
19:20 Limitations & challenges of using biochar in agricultural soils
23:18 Majors findings from Jay’s PhD research: C nanomaterials & biochar as soil amendmends in sandy soils
28:00 Use of C nanoparticles & Biochar at the current state of the world
32:20 About Jay’s current research at Cornell
35:25 About dream research project
39:00 Living in different countries
41:41 Farmers & academic bubble
43:45 Skills to become a successful researcher
47:20 Hobbies…
48:38 Social media & Academia: information gap
52:27 Advice for my younger self & for starting PhDs
Connect with Jay on socials:
Twitter/X: @mejayxoxo18 / https://twitter.com/mejayxoxo18
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mejayxoxo18/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mejayxoxo18/
Link to Jay's research findings relevant to the talk:
Carbon nanomaterials are a superior soil amendment for sandy soils than biochar based on impacts on lettuce growth, physiology and soil biochemical quality: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452074823000319
Water-dispersible carbon nanomaterials improve lettuce (Latuca sativa) growth and enhance soil biochemical quality at low to medium application rates: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11104-022-05852-0
Link to Jay's review on biochar application in agriculture: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1114752/full
For the list of all publications, visit Google Scholar/Research gate:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pPEAk-wAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jaya-Nepal
Link to Johannes Lehmann’s lab at Cornell who do pioneering work with biochar (Jay mentioned this during podcast):
https://lehmannlab.cals.cornell.edu/
Nano clays to convert desert into farming land (something Jay mentioned about in the podcast), BBC article:
https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/the-spray-that-turns-deserts-into-farmland.html
YouTube Videos:
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Professor Reimund P. Rötter (University of Göttingen) is a distinguished researcher with over 25 years of expertise in agronomy, agricultural systems modeling, and agroecology across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Professor Rötter's work focuses on developing and identifying solutions to the complex challenges presented to humanity such as global food security, increasing resource scarcity and the environmental effects of agricultural production under current changing climate.
He has done substantial work on his research area and namely some of his mainly impactful contributions include research on genetic yield gaps, modeling the multi-functionality of landscapes, assessing agricultural impacts and adaptations to climate change, and, last but not least, reduction of global wheat production under rising temperatures. This also makes him a perfect fit into today's episode on discussing "Crop modelling and its impact on addressing Climate Change"
00:00 - Introduction
01:29 - What is a model / Common misconception about modeling
03:19 - No modeling without experimentation, no experimentation without modeling
09:10 - Data quality and modeling (rubbish in = rubbish out)
13:15 - How to generate a reliable model
15:35 - Thoughts on why models failed to predict Covid19 cases
19:46 - GHG emission scenarios and human behavior
22:22 - "Why" and "How" (crop) modeling is essential in addressing Climate Change / Future crop production trends / Limitations of Global Climate models
30:50 - Adaptation options / Plant breeding / Response diversity
46:05 - How AI is transforming (crop) modeling and agriculture
47:49 - "ChatGPT can become our individual agent…even for modeling..." / Digitalization, AI, and the future of agriculture
55:11 - Why reform is needed in teaching programs in agricultural sciences / The power of collaboration
56:56 - Advice for young researchers
Postdoctoral researcher - Enrique Apolo Apolo. Enrique's fields of interest include AI, precision agriculture, proximal plant sensing, satellite imagery, machinery, robotics and electronics.
Enrique's Ph.D. title is “Development and Assessment of AI models based on deep learning algorithms to determine agronomic traits in fruit tree orchards and field crops.”
Link to discussed Ph.D. thesis in this episode: https://idus.us.es/handle/11441/141305
00:00 Intro
01:02 Academic background (Enrique’s)
02:52 Citrus growing farmers in Spain & Yield prediction with AI
05:14 Measuring key crop parameter with A.I. & Robots
09:14 Learning A.I. from scratch / Drone imaging at Wageningen
13:55 Crop yield or disease prediction by AI & Drones / challenges with Farmers
17:04 Use of mobile phone for RGB imaging / Yield prediction apps
20:34 Drone imaging vs. Satellite images
26:10 Can farmers afford Drone imaging / Market for up-to-date Agro services
29:45 Why Robotics & AI are very advanced in greenhouses, not fields
33:55 Is there less or more use of AI by farmers / Farmers scared of AI?
36:26 Can AI replace humans? How soon?
38:55 “ChatGPT is a good tool, … but it might be a problem for lazy people…”
41:05 “It’s compulsory to have basic knowledge in programming for incoming PhDs…”
PhDs TikTok video Enrique mentions about Brazil:
Çağrı Akyol - a Postdoctoral researcher and project manager at Ghent University, dealing with; Energy and resource recovery from waste streams, Biogas biorefineries, Nutrient recovery and recycling. Also, he shares a lot about renewables and alternative fertilizers on his LinkedIn 🙂
0:00 Intro
01:10 Biogas & biomethane in EU Gas Package / about EU's 35 bcm binding target
04:47 Can Biogas & biomethane replace fossil fuels?
05:55 Russian natural gas cutoff & EU's interest in renewable energy sources
07:44 About the Nutri2Cycle project
11:49 Linear vs. Circular economy
15:12 About bio-based fertilizers and an ongoing debate on the "bio-based fertilizer" term
18:18 Bio-based fertilizers from anaerobic digestion
22:13 "... in Flanders, you can't directly apply digestate to the soil..."
23:13 About microplastics in human blood, breast milk, soil, and tap water
28:40 Current challenges in water & wastewater treatments (chemicals, sludge, etc.)
32:50 About Gent University's research contribution to alternative fertilizers
34:01 Synthetic N fertilizers vs. bio-based N fertilizers impact on the environment
36:10 "Farmers are really keen to use bio-based fertilizers because..."
38:38 Can bio-based fertilizers alone close the current P fertilizer demand?
40:11 Agricultural practices with less nutrient loss
40:57 Future of bio-based fertilizers & renewable energy
45:28 Advice for young researchers (PhDs)
49:03 Good researcher skills
51:12 Shall one create or look for meaning?
Çağrı's research works: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cagri-Akyol-2
Çağrı on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/çağrı-akyol-08024763/
Nutri2cycle project that Çağrı mentions: https://www.nutri2cycle.eu/
BioDEN post on Gent University research:
https://www.biogas-e.be/sites/default/files/2023-01/BioDEN_Newsletter - EN.pdf
Article on P cycle:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095937800800099X?casa_token=bhwP0IV-zF0AAAAA:ZVA8ZJxP2JAPPxDOLAyCv24zAUdQwxHslOKLsToDLTcAEYTLZXYresChMntM_k_5g2gDtTFx
Special Thanks:
I want to thank Dr. Maxim Dorodnikov (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen), who introduced me to P cycle and to "peak phosphorus curve". Thanks to him, I was able to address in this episodes one of the critical issues - P limit. And special thanks to Prof. Sophie and Dr. Eugenio (BOKU) who buit in me interest and core basic understandings of GHG emissions & soil microbiology. Also, thanks to IMSOGLO project organizers & all lecturers (Prof. Finke & Prof. Wim, Prof. Sauer & Dr. Stephen, etc., and my friend ALEX who taught me almost everything). This list is just a brief one, I will try to put more names in next episodes.
Host: Nazerke Amangeldy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangeldy-9ba760206/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/annazeka_
Angela Guerrero is a robotics engineer at the Soil Steam International AS. Angela did her Ph.D. research on "Variable-rate nitrogen fertilization by using proximal and remote sensing" at Gent University (link below to Angela's Ph.D. thesis work).
00:00 Intro
00:40 What Soil Steam International AS do
03:29 Working as a "Robotics Engineer"
05:31 How robotics are improving agriculture
10:44 Robotics and the future of farming
15:25 About Angela's Ph.D. research
18:50 From mechatronics engineering to precision farming
21:45 Precision agriculture
25:30 Challenges in precision agriculture
28:16 Advice for all Ph.D. students
31:19 "There has been a lot of moving..., but it has been the best experience..."
37:20 About cultural stereotypes
39:24 Will AI make people jobless
40:24 "We have to think about climate change GLOBALLY"
43:08 Advice to my younger self
43:50 Meaning of life
Angela's Ph.D. work: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8...
Angela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-pa...
Other articles published by Angela: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...
Host: Nazerke Amangeldy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-a...
Twitter:
Science Talk with Naz: Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/sc... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalk...
Description given by Le Wagon: "More than a Bootcamp. Join a global tech network for life. By joining Le Wagon, you are joining a supportive community of alumni, teachers & tech recruiters. Benefit from life-long access to the course material, and to our network job offers." (source: https://www.lewagon.com/)
Special note for listeners: I use AI to edit the sound/video of my episodes. Sometimes AI also can't get rid of all the noise, so please don't mind it. I don't earn anything from my podcast, and it's pure pleasure to me to speak with amazing people. As a kid, I was raised to share what I have with others, and I still keep doing it, but now in a larger context - I want to share information/what I know/what I learned with others. It costs me my own money, extra effort, and time. So, if you like the podcast - please share it, like, and follow. That will make me motivated and put extra work into improving my content!
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Sophie Zechmeister-Boltenstern is a Soil Science and Soil Microbiology professor at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna. Head of Soil Research Institute at BOKU.
Expertise: Biodiversity and function of soil organisms and their interactions; Biology of the Nitrogen Cycle; Climate change and greenhouse gases; Metabolism of gases in soils.
Awards: Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher (2019): identified by Clarivate Analytics as one of the world’s most influential contemporary researchers (top 1% ranking), and more in the link below.
Description of the episode:
Besides the explanations given on specific field (soil microbiology) questions, Prof. Sophie also shares her experiences in the academic world. The episode contains very valuable messages and advice for young scientists (the link for the book recommendation is below).
0:00:00 Intro
0:01:21 what we know about the N cycle
0:05:44 "I find everything interesting about N cycle ..."
0:09:54 responses of soil microorganisms on drying & rewetting events
0:18:07 greenhouse gases under drying & rewetting events
0:22:14 how well do we understand greenhouse gas emissions from soils
0:31:15 about biochar
0:41:24 about CH4 sink & C sequestration
0:44:35 extreme events / Regenerative Agriculture / burning fields (etc.)
0:52:06 how to write a good scientific paper?
1:00:00 to all beginner scientists
1:04:44 advice to my younger self
1:09:04 if I would not become a scientist ...
1:12:40 "being sad or scared doesn't help anything... if everyone acts in their small worlds - we can make a change!"
1:19:10 the meaning of life
The book title: "Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded."
The link to the book: https://amzn.eu/d/6Y5NdSh
Guest:
Prof. Sophie Zechmeister-Boltenstern
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.at/citations?user=Xys1BdUAAAAJ&hl=de
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Sophie-Zechmeister-Boltenstern-39275272
The source of academic qualifications and achievements: https://forschung.boku.ac.at/fis/suchen.person_uebersicht?id_in=4224&menue_id_in=101&sprache_in=en
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Christoph Noller - Ecologist and Soil Scientist. He is a Ph.D. student at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna. Christoph has worked a lot on contaminated soils with heavy metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), etc.
Description of the episode:
In this episode, we discuss heavy metals, their influences on the human body, isotopes, soil microorganisms, and the ways of recovering contaminated soils, sources, etc. Christoph also mentions diseases such as Japanese diseases "itai-Itai", Minamata, cancer, etc.
0:00 Intro
0:49 What are heavy metals (HM)?
4:39 Sources of heavy metals (HM)
7:14 The biggest problem of soils being contaminated by HM
8:34 HM: Japanese "Itai-Itai", minamata, cancer and other deseases
10:27 Lead causing IQ reduction in children
12:00 "Everybody can understand what I do..."
13:51 "Children eat a lot of soil... so they also have the biggest problem..."
17:07 Ways of recovering heavy metal contaminations
19:58 Washing & separating soil / Removing clay
21:20 Using plants to remove heavy metals
22:00 Difficulties
24:10 About "Hyperaccumulator plants."
28:37 About stable isotopes, finding human origin country by their teeth, using isotopes for testing champagne quality,
37:39 Heavy metals influence soil microorganisms
39:16 "Soil quality is very subjective ..."
42:26 About building the "Urban garden"
47:00 "I can't think of only a positive future..."
48:13 Advice to my younger self: "Start programming..."
49:25 "I kind of like that life is complex..."
51:00 The meaning of life (explanation with a meme)
Guest:
Christoph Noller on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christoph-noller-959a85222/
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Episode description:
In this episode, we talk about AI & machine learning in Soil Sciences, IMSOGLO, the Past/Future of Soil Sciences & Soil Modelling, Inspirations, Books, Advice, and more topics.
In between the questions, Prof. Finke shares his experiences and always gives simple and funny examples to make his ideas rather deliberate. So, surely you can also listen to this episode to make your day feel better!
About our guest:
Prof. Peter Finke is a Full Professor at the Department of Environment, Ghent University, and IMSOGLO program director and academic coordinator at Ghent University. On Google Scholar, there are 158 articles, 6 books, and many other works of Prof. Finke that are available in the link below.
Perhaps, better to put Prof. Finke's own description from his LinkedIn account (link below) about his work: "These days I aim to develop and extend soil formation models that assist in the quantification of effects of global change on soil properties (and vice versa)."
0:00 Who is Professor Peter Finke
1:20 The "simple motivation" for organizing the IMSOGLO program
7:08 Why Aarhus, BOKU, Gottingen Universities? / "We also asked others, but... "
10:59 Why do IMSOGLO have only two majors?
13:40 Will machine learning / AI / soil modeling / bioinformatics be included in IMSOGLO?
19:35 What has changed after the 2007 interview?
27:42 The International Union of Soil Sciences
29:56 How to become a member of Soil Science unions
31:28 Soil Modelling is essential? Why?
35:00 Two futures of Soil Modelling (Prof. Finke's Ph.D. story)
39:35 Future of Soil Mapping
41:37 Can Advanced Modeling and Digital Soil Mapping replace/reduce fieldworks in the future?
47:08 "I can name two people who inspired me..., and one of them invented the Precision Agriculture..."
51:00 The lessons I learned from these two people
54:40 I read "The Lord of the Rings" in one weekend!
1:00:05 What skills are essential for students in the future?
1:04:00 "Think very clearly what is driving you... be careful! ..."
1:11:30 Don't trust the politicians!
1:19:37 Science is better than an opinion. Why?
1:22:40 Advice for all students / "Sleep minimally 6 hours, and..."
1:26:30 For "Procrastinator Students."
1:29:24 Belgium style of preparing for an exam (with beer)
1:30:48 The meaning of life is a movie...
1:33:34 My meaning of life is not fulfilled; something is missing...
1:36:00 How/Where to find me online
Prof. Peter Finke's Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.be/citations?user=ncSTvSQAAAAJ&hl=nl
Prof. Peter Finke's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterfinke?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAKM6c4BwnTWAVi61as2BRBJmxPepPj3J_8&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BCPde2ngQSPypM00jEo%2F5HQ%3D%3D
About the IMSOGLO program:
https://imsoglo.eu/
The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS):
https://www.iuss.org/
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Stefan J. Forstner, a Ph.D. at the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW). Stefan is a young scientist who has already published the research works he has been involved in since 2018. Currently, he is working on the "Digital Soil Map of Austria".
In this episode, you get to know about Stefan's past and present research works. Most importantly, he was very open and supportive of the idea of making this episode!
I can't thank enough people who are very open to sharing their knowledge and responsive to my offer! This podcast would not exist without these people. And science keeps evolving, and knowledge keeps being shared (instead of buried with one) thanks to people like Stefan and all my previous guests, including my future guests.
00:35 Soil Mapping & 70 years-long "Digital soil Mapping of Austria."
08:24 "Digital" vs. "Traditional" soil mapping
10:27 Why soil maps are essential
20:17 Sources to learn "Digital Soil Mapping"
21:36 Long-term simulation of nitrogen decomposition in the forest (the article link is below)
29:41 Why did Phosphorous limitation occur in the forest?
36:11 2040 "society collapse prediction" and Phosphorous limit in 2040
38:48 Australian bio-toilets
41:16 Does humanity have a future?
44:42 My personal story of "taking action" (more on bio-toilet)
49:04 Why Simulated Soil Drying and Rewetting experiments are cool!
56:23 China changing weather artificially
58:00 A problem with cover crops (sorry for the warning signal)
59:09 Challenges with soil microorganisms
1:06:24 Does Climate Change scare you?
01:08:10 do "Tai Chi"!
01:10:20 My favorite thing about science...
01:12:25 About the meaning of life
01:13:31 Where and how to find me online
After a few days later, Stefan also added some information (on one of my questions) in my LinkedIn comment section. So, I decided to copy and paste the comment as it is for people who will find it interesting:
"I just realized that I did not answer (at least) one of your questions: Overall there are a little less than 12k soil profiles for about 1.3 Mio hectares of agricultural area in Austria. So 1 profile for every 100-110 ha on average. Each profile was judged by the soil mapper to be representative for one "soil form" (= the mapped polygons = areas with the same soil type + similar site characteristics, as I tried to explain). Soil forms ("Bodenformen" in German) can cover from 100 to over 2500 ha each. But still on average 1 profile was dug for every 100 ha. This partly explains why mapping is still ongoing after ~70 years... (but we will finish it within a foreseeable future ;))."
The end of the comment.
Sources to learn "Soil Mapping" suggested by Stefan: ISRIC
Official website link for ISRIC: https://www.isric.org/
ISRIC spring school: https://www.isric.org/utilise/capacity-building/springschool
Agricultural Soil Map of Austria (unfortunately in German only): https://bodenkarte.at/
Articles discussed in this episode:
-
https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=b1T2h8kAAAAJ&citation_for_view=b1T2h8kAAAAJ:roLk4NBRz8UC
-
https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=b1T2h8kAAAAJ&citation_for_view=b1T2h8kAAAAJ:u-x6o8ySG0sC
How to find Stefan Online?
Stefan J. Forstner's Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=b1T2h8kAAAAJ&hl=en
Stefan J. Forstner's's LinkedIn:
-
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-j-forstner-433601a1
-
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stefan-Forstner-2
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annazeka_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
In this episode we discuss greenhouse gases and their natural sources such as forest and soil, where we cover related topics as well (forest management systems, greenhouse gas measurements, tree species etc.)
At the same time, we cover the most common topics about PhD reaserch as publishing papers, peer reviewing, sources of stress etc.
0:00 who is Anike Berane / What does she study
0:43 what are "natural greenhouse gases." The role of soil & forest
3:48 trees are dangerous?
6:32 carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) & methane (CH4) - greenhouse gases
11:45 Anike's Ph.D. research project. Different forest management systems / german forest history / relations between forest soils and greenhouse gases
16:30 the most "Climate Change" resistant tree
18:00 what are "forest management systems."
20:58 how greenhouse gases measured in forest
22:12 difficulties during fieldwork: wild pigs / weather
23:34 Ph.D. = independence (Anike's experience)
25:54 "peer review" & "publishing scientific papers" / advantageous of anonymous peer-reviewing
28:44 why you may develop "stress" or "depression" in your PhD
34:35 Ph.D.: with extension vs. without extention
37:26 is climate change real? / how to fight against "human-influenced climate change"?
main greenhouse gas emitter countries
45:28 what calms you down when you are stressed out?
46:30 advice to my younger self (Anike)
47:07 my favorite thing about science...
48:20 how does curiosity feel
49:35 where to find Anike online?
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Guest:
Anike Berane
Twitter: https://twitter.com/berane_a
University: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/640837.html
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annazeka_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
In this episode, we discuss languages, political sciences, and history. We demystify some common stereotypes about Americans, Russians, and Kazakh people. Joshua also shares his volunteer experiences with immigrants fleeing their countries.
During the conversation, many topics come up in the discussion like Ukraine, rigorous teaching methods, and some book recommendations on history.
-
The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
-
Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky by Noam Chomsky
-
Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda by Noam Chomsky
-
Sapience: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
-
Guns, Germs and Steel:The Fate of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
-
Michel Foucault a french philosopher.
Link for the suggested books by Standford University press on Foucault: https://stanfordpress.typepad.com/blog/2016/10/5-books-for-foucaults-birthday.htm
0:22 Who is Joshua Dufour
4:48 More about volunteering works in remote places / Joshua became a meme
7:49 Research background. (Languages, Political Sciences, History)
13:30 Why learn Russian? Education. Politics. Corruption
16:46 How many languages do Joshua speak / Learning Russian in Russia
21:38 What language is more difficult to understand: Kazakh vs. Russian
22:31 Cultural differences between Russia & Kaz / Personal space doesn't exist in Kaz. Asia is a big family
28:16 Stereotypes.
All Americans are rich / Russians are spies (KGB agents) / About "Borat" movie
33:30 Volunteer experiences in non-profit organizations.
About asylum seekers / Islamophobia (Surya & Uyghurs in China) / Ukraina today
40:50 Why do we always have wars in human history?
46:56 Why learn History?
49:10 Schools in Russia & Kaz
54:49 Hitting students / Jesus Professors / Criticizing Professors
58:32 Meeting monks in Russia / Austranofts in Kaz deserts / Being a teacher in Buddist Monastery / Foods
1:09:20 Books on History, Political Sciences (Hannah Arendt / Noam Chomsky / Noval Yuval Harari / Michael Fuko / Jared Diamond)
1:15:19 What I did to change the world
1:19:19 Three lessons I learned from my experiences of Eating sheep's head / Being a foreigner / Education
1:24:47 My life in a movie genre would be ...
1:25:56 How can we make the world a better place?!
1:30:23 What is the meaning of your life? What drives you in life?
1:31:27 How to balance multiple tasks & keep learning
1:33:48 What scares you the most in life?
1:36:40 The best advice for my younger self! Homophobia in Russia
1:40:33 More advice: "Not only pursue your dreams ... but also don't give up on them."
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Guest:
Joshua Dufour
Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/dufourjosh/
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annazeka_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
In this episode, we discuss the student life after being accepted for a certain PhD position. We discuss everything starting from a first experience until some of the expected multi-tasks e.g. teaching, publishing papers etc. You can get a general description of a PhD first-year experience such as becoming an independent researcher, building a healthy relationship with your supervisors and more. So, please enjoy the episode.
-
Becoming a PhD
-
Independence in PhD
-
How to handle PhD journey (from personal experience only)
00:00 Intro
00:10 Who is Ubaida Yousaf
00:47 Ubaida's master's experience in 3 words
03:28 About Ubaida's PhD research project & work aspects
06:00 Soil microorganisms & importance of identifying C pools
07:54 How PhDs start & be familiar with an imposter syndrome
09:22 "You have to do everything on your own ... you will become a completely different person ... "
10:17 New city & new position
11:26 Asking for help
12:59 Do lab skills matter for PhD?
14:43 Teaching / helping Professors / publishing papers ...
15:58 " ... management is something you learn ... since you need to manage so many things ... "
16:40 How to handle multiple tasks (for PhD)
17:37 Burnout
19:42 Comparing yourself to others
21:12 Dealing with stress
22:26 Essential skills for PhD
25:55 Building better interructions with supervisors
27:22 About introverts & social skills
29:56 Work life balance
31:45 Joining groups & finding groups
33:29 Hiddend parts of PhD (technicalities)
34:20 How demanding is PhD?
36:09 Team vs. individual work in PhD
37:42 Art is a language of emotions
39:19 About travelling
42:31 What scares you the most in life?
43:24 Advice for my younger self
43:43 "Science is heaven for thinkers!"
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Guest:
Ubaida Yousaf
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ubaida-yousaf-3b4886109/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ubaida_yousaf/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Ubaida-Yousaf/100004032330631/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXGNcUz8JJNs-1zDoAg8R6Q/
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annazeka_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
In this podcast we discuss in detail about the application processes for PhD and master’s degrees. Covering all the steps such as:
- Finding a PhD
- Interviews
- Reference Letters
00:07 Why reach out to PI
06:55 Funding is important?
11:34 PhD interviews
23:45 Interview at Columbia University
33:25 Unexpected question
38:43 Reference letters
46:30 Why PhD?
46:52 Networking, books, listening ...
51:41 After pressure, I wanted to enjoy my life
55:14 For my younger self: "Focus!"
56:27 My favourite thing about science
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Guest:
Patrick Zoé Cito Namulisa: https://linktr.ee/patrickcito
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annazeka_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
In this podcast we discuss in detail about the application processes for PhD and master’s degrees. Covering all the steps such as:
- When and how to start your application processes
- Motivation letter
- CV/Resume
00:35 Who is Patrick Zoé Cito Namulisa
01:43 What is an IMSOGLO?
02:56 IMSOGLO master experience (Patrick)
04:26 Master application processes
06:11 Columbia University & where/how to start your application
07:40 PhD in US vs Europe
08:50 Why most students fail emails
09:52 Get in touch with supervisors
13:00 CV
16:24 Do your interests (hobbies) matter?
17:32 Webpage
20:56 Mistakes to avoid
24:03 Why PhD is more demanding?
28:43 Motivation letter
33:44 Structure your ideas
48:02 Define your interest in reaserch projects
Science Talk with Naz:
Website: https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/science-talk-with-naz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencetalkwithnaz/
Guest:
Patrick Zoé Cito Namulisa: https://linktr.ee/patrickcito
Host:
Nazerke Amangeldy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annazeka_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazerke-amangedy-9ba760206/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annazeka_
Part 2 will come soon!