The Line: Recent Episodes
the University of Alberta Alumni Association
The Line is a podcast from the University of Alberta Alumni Association developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Listen in as UAlberta community members share their first-hand experiences on the front lines of current events.
SUBSCRIBE on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
In our season finale of The Line, we talked to a man who has taken on some of humankind’s worst diseases, and won. Dr. D. Lorne Tyrrell, ’68 MD, is the founding director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology and the renowned researcher who developed an effective treatment for Hepatitis B. Now, as he and other researchers race against time to battle COVID-19, Dr. Tyrrell shares a message of hope. Hear about the unprecedented global collaboration that may soon lead to the development of an antiviral that could change the course of the disease.
This episode was recorded on June 23, 2020. At the time, Alberta had had 7,781 cases of Covid-19.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
Read more about U of A researcher Dr. John Lewis and the two vaccines headed for human trials here: https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/made-in-alberta-covid-19-vaccine-prototypes-to-be-tested-on-humans-1.5001596
Read more about U of A’s work on the drug Remdesivir here: https://www.folio.ca/u-of-a-virology-lab-finds-drug-originally-meant-for-ebola-is-effective-against-a-key-enzyme-of-coronavirus-that-causes-covid-19/
Read the New Trail article on hope: https://www.ualberta.ca/newtrail/research/seeking-hope.html
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by an equally dangerous “infodemic” — an onslaught of misinformation which threatens our ability to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance. It's something that Timothy Caulfield fights against as a UAlberta professor of law, research director of its Health Law Institute, author and documentary TV host. Listen as Tim helps us unravel the many conspiracy theories surrounding the pandemic, and separate fact from fiction once and for all.
This episode was recorded on June 11, 2020. At the time, there were 7,167 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
Learn more about Tim Caulfield’s documentary series, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death here: https://www.ualberta.ca/health-law-institute/a-users-guide-to-cheating-death
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
The human cost of the COVID-19 crisis can’t be overstated, but an important secondary story is the economic toll of the pandemic. With recent Canadian job losses in the millions, when might we see a gradual market recovery? In this episode we ask renowned economist and UAlberta School of Business professor Andrew Leach, ’20 LLM, about the future of Alberta’s economy, the efficacy of government emergency relief programs, and the feasibility of a Green New Deal.
This episode was recorded on June 5, 2020. At the time, there were 7,052 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
Shana Dion never imagined she’d be teaching Elders how to Zoom, or conducting a virtual Round Dance on Instagram. But as UAlberta’s assistant dean of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Students, she’s willing to do whatever it takes during the pandemic to maintain wâhkôhtowin — a Cree word referring to the interconnectedness of relationships, communities and natural systems. In this episode, Shana talks about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on Indigenous communities, both on and off campus. Learn about her innovative approach to connecting to ceremony online, her concerns for her students and the importance of relationships during hard times.
This episode was recorded on May 28. At the time, there were 6,955 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
The clip from the interview with Dr. James Makokis was edited for length. Watch the full interview on APTN: https://www.aptnnews.ca/facetoface/cree-doctor-hopes-for-positive-changes-post-pandemic/
Listen to Elder Elsey and Elder Francis singing: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2575460802773215
Read Shana’s article on Wâhkôhtowin: https://blog.ualberta.ca/w%C3%A2hk%C3%B4htowin-the-value-of-relationships-amid-crisis-c4f75c83cfa7
Learn more about how the pandemic intersects with race and gender in IG in Conversation, an interview series that uses intersectional expertise to explore emerging issues, created by Intersections of Gender, a University of Alberta signature area: https://soundcloud.com/user-634439622-564879468/ig-in-conversation-with-dr-catherine-clune-taylor-covid-19-racism-and-masculinity
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many of the essential support services UAlberta students rely on, from career support to mental health counselling to the sexual assault centre, are no longer physically accessible. So how has the university pivoted to help? In this episode we talk to Dean of Students, André Costopoulos, about how students are coping with change, delivering student services virtually, and what long term impact the health crisis could have on the educational experience.
This episode was recorded on April 20. At the time, there were 2,859 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
Fresh Routes mobile grocery provides healthy, affordable food to those who need it most. It becomes a community hub wherever it goes, bringing together community-based volunteers and the people they serve. While COVID-19 has parked the grocery truck temporarily, it hasn’t stopped Morgan Allen, ’19 BSc(Nutr/Food), and her team of dedicated volunteers from getting fresh food to individuals in need. Hear how Fresh Routes pivoted their operations when faced with the pandemic roadblock.
This episode was recorded on May 20. At the time, there were 6,735 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
Physician Dr. Stephanie Liu, ’13 MD, values the opportunity to provide a continuity of care to families. But what happens to the doctor-patient connection when the world shuts down and people are told to stay home? Can thorough, conscientious care be delivered effectively online? Dr. Liu shares how her Life of Dr. Mom blog has helped pivot her medical practice online, what she misses most about seeing patients in her office, and under what circumstances she recommends an in-person visit with Dr. Mom.
This episode was recorded on May 15. At the time, there were 6,390 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
On April 30, the Alberta Government announced that many healthcare practitioners could begin to treat patients again after months of office closures due to the pandemic. But are all practitioners able to open their doors, and what are their concerns? We talk to Dr. Paul Major, DDS ‘88, about how his orthodontic practice has been impacted by the pandemic and how he feels about returning to work. Brace yourself for a frank discussion about the risks and benefits of lifting pandemic restrictions as we drill down on the tough questions healthcare practitioners must ask themselves before treating patients!
This episode was recorded on May 11. At the time there were 6,300 cases of Covid-19 in Alberta.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
Dan Riskin wears many professional hats: evolutionary biologist, professor of biology, science and technology expert for the Bell Media Group, TV personality and author. So how has one of Canada’s foremost science communicators helped inform the public about the origins of COVID-19? How will this virus change the way we consume news? And are scientists the new celebrities? Riskin helps us understand the challenges facing the scientific community in delivering up-to-date information about a situation that changes on an hourly basis.
This episode was recorded on April 8, 2020. At the time there were 19,276 cases of Covid-19 in Canada.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
ICU Nurses care for some of the most vulnerable patients in a hospital. Their patients are experiencing life-threatening medical issues. Increasingly, those issues are caused by or made worse by the coronavirus. In this episode of The Line, we speak with Andrea Daye, BScN ‘91, about her work in the ICU of a hospital in a major urban centre in Canada. Ms. Daye shares her experiences in the ICU - from extubating her first COVID-19 patient to her fears about bringing the virus home - and tells us how she prepares for her shifts on the frontline of the pandemic.
This episode was recorded on April 21, 2020. At the time there were 39,803 cases of COVID-19 in Canada.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
As cable news channel NY1’s morning anchor since 1997, Pat Kiernan has reported on some of the biggest news stories to impact New York City in the last 20+ years. He was at the desk on the morning of September 11th, 2001, and covered the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. But he says nothing compares to the Coronavirus pandemic. We asked Kiernan how he and his colleagues cover an ever-evolving health crisis; how social distancing has changed his job; and how reporters cope with the emotional toll of reporting sickness and death day after day, with no end in sight. What does New York look like today, and will it ever be the same?
This episode was recorded on April 14, 2020. At the time there were 27,063 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada and 587,752 in the United States. There were 106,863 cases in the state of New York and over 7000 associated deaths.
You can watch the full video produced by Business Insider and referenced in this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5pjeN69-G0
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
How is the ER prepping for a surge of patients? What’s the stress level for the medical professionals who work there? These are some of the questions we asked the man who literally wrote the book on pandemic disaster medicine: Dr. Jeffrey Franc, Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University Hospital and Visiting Professor in Disaster Medicine at the Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale. Dr. Franc reflects on how this pandemic is different from SARS and H1N1, and shares insights from his colleagues in Italy. Dr. Franc knows that harder days are still ahead, but he reminds us that we are in good hands. From the housekeeping staff to the nurses, the respirologists to the doctors, the ER is ready.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday March 31st. At the time there were 8,591 cases in Canada.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
If you’ve been listening to health officials over the past month, you’ve heard this advice repeatedly: to stop the spread, stay home whenever possible. But for hundreds of thousands of Canadians experiencing homelessness, there is no home in which to stay. Where can they turn for shelter during an outbreak? Where can they go if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms? How can they stay informed about the ways this crisis affects them? In this episode, we spoke with Jordan Reiniger, ’06 BA, Boyle Street Community Services Director. The organization has been working in Edmonton’s inner city since 1971, serving, supporting and empowering people to take control of their lives to escape the cycle of poverty and homelessness. Employees at Boyle are used to taking on big challenges in order to help their clients, but, as Jordan explains, COVID-19 has been unlike any they’ve encountered before.
Find out more about Boyle Street here: https://www.boylestreet.org/
You can listen to Dr. Hinshaw’s address from March 13, referenced in the podcast, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGZIJCOuEpk
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines
Patients with severe or life threatening health problems often wind up in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). The doctors, nurses, therapists and other health care providers who work there are specially trained in critical care. They’re the ones who set up and operate the ventilators and other life supports. They’re sometimes tasked with delivering bad news. Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, ’00 BSc, ’05 MD, is one of them. He works as a critical and palliative care doctor with the Ottawa Hospital. In this episode I chat with Dr. Kyeremanteng about what it’s like to be in ICU on the onset of a global pandemic. What’s the feeling like for him and his colleague? What are they doing to prepare? How has this affected his life at home? Dr. Kyeremanteng is also the host of his own podcast, Solving Healthcare. You can check it out here: https://solving-healthcare-with-dr-kwadwo-kyeremanteng.simplecast.com/episodes
This episode was recorded on Wednesday March 25th, exactly 60 days since Canada’s first identified presumptive Covid-19 case. At the time of recording there were 3,385 identified cases in Canada.
The Line is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Matt Rea and Chloe Chalmers Music: “Under Cover” by Wayne Jones
SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-line/id1504960888
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I456thiwm54gpka3suw3nu7iohi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fNmgFtG5K5PkWYawSO9Cj
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wtj-podcast/the-line-stories-from-the-front-lines