Still Curious: Recent Episodes
Danu Poyner
On Still Curious we talk to interesting and interested people from many walks of life about what they do, the pathways they’ve taken and what they’ve learned along the way. Hosted and produced by Danu Poyner, who has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and whose life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet.
Kendra Fee-McNulty, founder of Raveloe+Co, leads an empathy-driven marketing consultancy that helps mission-driven organisations find their voice and share their stories authentically. We discuss effective storytelling and how to balance creativity and commerce without compromising your values.
Conversation Themes
- Kendra’s personal journey, including her experience as an adopted child and how it influenced her need to belong and excel, shaping her communication skills and career choices.
- Empathy as a Superpower: The ability to empathise deeply with others by understanding their thoughts, fears, and barriers.
- Misunderstanding and Connection: How misunderstandings arise from the gap between intention and perception, and how they can lead to disconnection but also offer opportunities for deeper connection and understanding.
- Building Scaffolding: The necessity for people, especially those who are curious and caring, to build personal scaffolding to thrive in environments not always conducive to authenticity and growth.
- Authentic Communication: The importance of authentic communication for mission-driven organisations to effectively share their stories and connect with their communities.
Links and Resources
- Raveloe+Co website
- The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
- Spotlight syndrome
- Pygmalion effect
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s4e4-kendra-fee-mcnulty
Recorded 7 March 2024
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Brittany is a silversmith, non-traditional educator, and the creative force behind Full Desert Weirdo. Together we rethink the edges of normalcy, illuminating how our quirkiest traits not only shape an ever-changing personal identity but also hold the potential to remake the world around us.
Conversation Themes
- The Value of Outliers
- Social Norms and Conformity
- Autism and Neurodivergence
- Personal Identity and Reclamation
- Mutability and Change
Links and Resources
- Full Desert Weirdo website
- Applied Behaviour Analysis and Ivar Lovaas
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s4e3-brittany-cole-houston
Recorded 25 January 2024
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Christopher hosts and produces the internationally-awarded "Life as A.." podcast, helping people find professional career ideas and business pathways by exploring jobs from around the world. We discuss the interplay between career and identity and the pursuit of purpose-driven work.
Christopher's story in brief
- Christopher didn’t have a Plan A. He was a high-achiever who had the grades, but not the roadmap for his future.
- Studying sociology without a clear direction, he simultaneously worked in Canadian Customs and Immigration, where he gained an early appreciation for how our jobs can shape who we are and how we see the world.
- His quest for clarity led him to Japan to teach English, a temporary plan that turned into 20-plus-year adventure including teaching, consulting, and co-founding a marketing company in Tokyo.
- It wasn’t just a career shift; it was a life transformation. Christopher realised his professional purpose was deeply tied to entrepreneurship, creativity, and a desire for variety and novelty in his work.
- Christopher’s podcast, "Life as A..," is his way of shining a light on the myriad of career paths out there. It's about giving people a real taste of the options they have, helping them find their own spark in the professional world.
Conversation Themes
- Navigating career uncertainty
- Curiosity, exploration, and enthusiasm as career catalysts
- The interplay of career and identity
- What it means to find purpose and fulfilment
Links and Resources
- Life As A.. Podcast
- Ikigai
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s4e2-christopher-schoenwald
Recorded 23 October 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Lawrence Yeo is a writer, illustrator, storyteller, and the creator of 'More To That', an illustrated long form blog that delves deeper into the things that make us who we are. We discuss the role of confidence, gratitude, uncertainty and many other practicalities of pursuing a creative life.
Lawrence's story in brief
- Lawrence grew up feeling abundant despite growing up poor, and always had a strong sense of curiosity and abundance.
- He pursued a career in finance but knew it wasn't his true passion, so he quit his job to pursue music but eventually became disillusioned with the industry's demands for external validation.
- He transitioned to writing blog posts on Medium, developing a unique writing style that combines philosophical and metaphorical writing with hand-drawn illustrations and graphs.
- He found that his writing reached more people than his music did, and he realised that his inner compass was about how creating art moved him forward as a person.
- Lawrence started his blog, More To That, without a specific strategy or intention to start a business, and it has since grown into a platform offering courses, consulting, and direct support.
Conversation Themes
- Money, creativity, fulfilment, and the idea of 'enough'
- Mindset, framing, and following your inner compass while embracing uncertainty
- The power of storytelling in navigating the nuances of the human condition
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s4e1-lawrence-yeo
Recorded 16 September 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
If you could gift someone a life-changing learning experience, what would it be and why? We discuss the combined wisdom of 27 of my podcast guests and what it means for how we approach the practice of education.
Where, when, and how do moments of truly life-changing learning actually happen?
What do they look like?
When have you had a learning experience that actually changed your life?
If you think back through all the classes you’ve taken, the certificates you’ve earned, the books you’ve read, the films you’ve seen, the things you’ve tried, the places you’ve been, the people you’ve looked up to… what stands out most to you as a truly life-changing learning experience?
On my podcast, Still Curious, I talk to people who have somehow managed to keep their curiosity intact well into adulthood, despite the best efforts of the world around them. One question I ask everyone who comes on the show is: "if you could gift someone a life-changing learning experience, what would it be and why?"
I’ve been doing this for a little while now, and it’s always my favourite part of the show because I never have any idea what to expect, and the things that each person comes out with are often surprising, moving and profound.
When you put them all together, the overall effect is even more striking, and revealing.
So today I’d like to share the combined wisdom of 27 of my podcast guests with you, and reflect on what it all means.
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including transcript, links and resources: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e9-27-gifts-of-life-changing-learning
Recorded 27 November 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Amanda is a liriodendress, a human embodiment of the tulip poplar tree. We discuss her journey of reconnecting with nature, listening to the wisdom of plants, and exploring alternative ways of knowing in her pursuit of heart-centred living.
Episode Summary
- Raised in a conservative Baptist church, Amanda always felt the divinity in the world but questioned the disconnect between the teachings of the church and her own experiences.
- After experiencing miscarriages and feeling unheard by medical professionals and her preacher husband, Amanda found healing and strength through acupuncture and connecting with plants, which led to a disruptive divorce and ex-communication from her church community.
- Amanda explored alternative ways of knowing and being, including herbalism, and discovered the transformative power of listening and dissolving the distinction between human and non-human.
- Through her work as an author, podcast host, and artist, Amanda shares her heart-centred offerings and messages to help others remember their connection to the divine and the interconnectedness of all living beings.
Key Themes
- Challenging the systems and structures that don't resonate with our hearts
- The transformative power of listening and the importance of being heard
- Reconnecting with nature and dissolving the distinction between human and non-human
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e8-amanda-nicole
Recorded 29 August 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Trudi is an experiential designer, facilitator, and creative who specialises in play. We discuss how purposeful play fosters connection, innovation, and psychological safety in life and the workplace.
Key Topics
- The importance of a playful mindset and its benefits in the workplace, including fostering connection, innovation, and psychological safety
- Trudi's squiggly career journey and why she has had 48 jobs, from performing on London’s West End, to working in a bikey bar, and how her diverse experiences have shaped her approach to creativity and communication
- Trudi's experience using play in high-stakes situations, such as working with incarcerated women and seriously ill children, and how play can be a tool for healing and transformation
- How it can be difficult and confusing to explain what you do when you don't fit into a predefined box, and why Trudi finds that identifying as a grokkist helps her make sense of herself.
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e7-trudi-boatwright
Recorded 13 June 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Information for guests: https://grokk.ist/information-for-podcast-guests/
Lalith Gunaratne is a parent, entrepreneur, and educator on mindful leadership. We discuss Lalith’s mindfulness journey, his experience starting a solar energy business, and how his approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion training is informed by mindfulness and personal integrity.
Key Topics
- Lalith's mindfulness journey and the benefits of being present and letting go of attachment
- Challenges faced by Lalith as an ethical entrepreneur in the renewable energy sector and his transition to training and facilitation around equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Creating a safe space for conversations through nonviolent communication and mindfulness practices
- The importance of personal and professional integrity, learning, and taking responsibility for oneself in creating a harmonious and understanding world
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e6-lalith-gunaratne
Recorded 7 February 2023
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Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
© 2023 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
Dr Colleen Kelley is a chemist and the creator and founder of Kids’ Chemical Solutions, a comic-book based chemistry curriculum that aims to transform chemistry education through imagination and play. We discuss Colleen's mission to make chemistry more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Key Topics
- How Colleen is making chemistry more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of perceived math abilities, and the importance of trust and curiosity in unlocking imagination and real learning
- Why fear is the number one barrier to learning chemistry, and the importance of understanding chemistry to preserve our world
- How Kids' Chemical Solutions connects chemical concepts to everyday life and allows students to solve mysteries using chemistry
- How being a grokkist following her joy with no plan led to Colleen’s squiggly career path and her creation of Kids' Chemical Solutions
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e5-colleen-kelly/
Recorded 2 March 2023
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Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
© 2023 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
The Ungoogleable Michaelangelo is a multidimensional artist and creator of cosmic, comedic, and contemplative content. We discuss the mysteries of creativity and the disciplined use of psychoactive substances to expand one's understanding of the world.
Key Topics
- Why "unconscious printouts" – unexpected creations that arise while doing something else – often end up being the artist's best work because the artist is not interfering with their own creativity
- Michaelangelo's trajectory as a multidimensional artist, from an early fascination with wildlife, nature, and photography, to pursuing music, film, podcasting, and poetry.
- An unconventional path that includes being a legal squatter in a haunted dentist’s practice, a stage magician, a tour guide in San Francisco, a street artist, a pawn shop worker in Florida, and an extra on an episode of Westworld.
- How Michaelangelo makes disciplined use of psychoactive substances to explore consciousness and the fringes of reality
- How the power of mirroring and finding self-portraits in other people can help us become more accurate reflections of ourselves
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e4-the-ungoogleable-michaelangelo
Recorded 2 February 2023
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Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
© 2023 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
John Fawole is an International Chess Federation master, chess in education lecturer, and founder of Bruvs Chess Media. John shares his journey to becoming a national chess champion in Nigeria, the transformative effects of chess education, and how the game impacts people's lives beyond the board.
Key topics
- John's journey to becoming Nigerian National Chess Champion, US National Master and World Chess Federation Master
- What chess can teach us about creativity, commitment, patience, and problem solving
- The grassroots advocacy and coaching work John does to advance the state of the game and teach young people important life skills through chess
- How chess is changing thanks to software tools, AI, and representation in popular culture
Episode Digest
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e3-john-fawole/
Recorded 15 January 2023
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Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
Lara is a New Zealand-based planner with over 10 years of experience in the field, working on projects across the public and private sectors. With a background in both government processes and business realities, Lara has a unique perspective on the intersection of policy, science, and community engagement. We discuss breaking down institutional knowledge barriers and public participation in planning.
Key topics
- Understanding the challenges of managing climate risk and adaptation in New Zealand
- Lara's squiggly career and personal growth through exploring different opportunities within the planning profession
- How being a grokkist helps Lara break down the barriers between different planning agencies and institutions
- The importance of communication, empathy and public engagement in planning
Episode Digest
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e2-lara-clarke
Recorded 13 January 2023
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Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
Sam Hoffman is a multidisciplinary creative with roots in copywriting and content creation for Broadway shows and Fortune 500s. For over a decade, Sam has moonlighted as a part-time high school speech and debate coach with one of the nation's top programs, Ridge High School in New Jersey. He specializes in the competitive categories that allow students to craft a persuasive acting performance geared around subjects they are passionate about. We discuss the creative strategy and seduction of authentic storytelling and storydoing.
Key topics
- Sam’s background and journey in corporate advertising, copywriting and content creation, and why he loves chasing eyeballs
- Sam's journey as a speech and debate coach, and why speech and debate is a great way to develop one's own voice and values
- What Sam means by authentic storytelling with purpose
Detours and Tangents
- The evolving social media landscape and why it makes sense to think of social media platforms like cities
- The time Sam worked on a promotional campaign for comedian Mike Birbiglia
- What it means to have legitimate attention, and the role of competition and coaching in development and growth
Episode Digest
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e1-sam-hoffman
Recorded 14 December 2022
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Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
A conversation all about risk, play and reward. Celebrating effort as well as outcome, learning through experience and adventure, and building confidence and resilience over time to ride out the inevitable bumps along the way. Showing up in the world, building a fulfilling and integrated lifestyle that aligns with your values, and freeing yourself from the need for external validation.
Key Topics:
- Avoiding the rat race and living the mountain lifestyle in the small town of Fernie in British Columbia, Canada
- Becoming a full-time content creator, documenting Erich's kids' adventures with That Mountain Life
- The 'don't bubble-wrap your kids' philosophy – examples and reactions
- Building confidence and emotional resilience through outdoor education
- Unschooling and escaping the need for external validation
Detours and Tangents:
- Being an unplanned dad
- The business mechanics of being a full-time content creator
- Why playing poker is a form of meditation
- The one book Erich read in high school that forever changed his life
About the Guest: Erich Leidums is the content creator behind That Mountain Life [https://youtube.com/thatmountainlife] who documents his family’s outdoor adventures and parenting journey in a small mountain town in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Erich has put in thousands of hours to create content for That Mountain Life making videos on YouTube and Instagram that at first, no one was watching. After 3.5 years he is now a full time content creator and social media influencer navigating the world of digital marketing with over 850,000 followers across all platforms. His videos fall into the categories of outdoor adventure, family, conscious parenting, homeschooling, risky play and small town mountain lifestyle among others. Erich has always been interested in the entrepreneurial journey and didn’t expect or set out to be where he is today.
Recorded 3 August 2022
Links:
- That Mountain Life [https://youtube.com/thatmountainlife]
- Chris McCandless [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_McCandless]
- Into the Wild by John Krakauer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild_(book)]
- Gary Vaynerchuk: Document, Don't Create [https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/creating-content-that-builds-your-personal-brand/]
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About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. He is the Founder of Grokkist. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
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Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
A conversation all about what happens when a mingling of interests meets a sudden change in priorities. The moments where you change from being one kind of thing into another, how that happens and how you update your self-understanding along the way. Teaching moments and learning moments – the beating heart of education that enables each of us to reflect on our experiences and capitalise on those reflections in ways we can put into practice and that move us forward.
Key Topics:
- What you lose when you stop being a teacher and reconnecting with what you love about education
- Being in the hotseat as head teacher at the start of the pandemic and coming up with a plan to support students, teachers and parents
- Student wellbeing and how education systems fit and discard people
- What teachers making the transition to learning design and operations need to learn and unlearn
About the Guest: Maria Fernanda Puertas is a Latina, tea lover and cat lady who is passionate about the science of learning and community building. After being a teacher and head teacher for over a decade, she made the decision to move into tech to pursue the mission of reaching a much wider audience with amazing learning experiences, and hopefully help people find what they are looking for. [Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-fernanda-puertas/]
Recorded 21 July 2022
Links:
- Atom Learning [https://atomlearning.co.uk/]
- Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity? [https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity]
- Convivencia [https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095636384]
- Bed of Procrustes [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procrustes]
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About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. He is the Founder of Grokkist. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
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Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
A conversation all about doing things in a different way and order than you’re supposed to. Not doing what you’re told, leaning into life’s sudden twists and turns, feeling behind, and taking flight, all while figuring out adulting and navigating the exciting challenges, complexity and expectations of cultural identity.
Key Topics:
- Having a family at a young age and living life out of sequence with your career-focussed peers
- Starting undergraduate studies at age 28 and catching up
- Becoming a public school teacher and chafing against the system
- Living and working in Shanghai, China as a Chinese-American
- From educator to entrepreneur to engagement leader
About the Guest: Grace Liaw is a connector, an educator, and a global citizen-in-progress.
Unlike most of her peers, Grace did not start her undergraduate studies until turning 28, when she began to pursue a degree in Human Ecology and Family Studies at Montclair State University. Finally fulfilling her dreams of being a teacher, Grace taught in New Jersey public schools for a couple of years and realized that public education was not for her. Later, she found herself living and working in Shanghai, China, for 6 years in various private schools. The experience of doing work, life, and family in a foreign land was absolutely transformative. Grace then pursued a Master of Education at Penn State for Curriculum and Instruction.
Now living in New York, Grace is designing and hosting events, creating experiences, and building relationships with global students at Quantic School of Business & Technology, a virtual business school. She is now able to tick all of the important boxes of connecting, educating, and becoming more culturally intelligent.
Grace hates and loves running, is a novice birder, and is obsessed with Canva. She is also excited to see what the second half of life has in store! [Grace's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceliaw1/]
Recorded 8 July 2022
Links:
- Quantic School of Business and Technology [https://quantic.edu/]
- Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9963483-falling-upward]
- The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23878688-the-5-love-languages]
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About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. He is the Founder of Grokkist. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
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Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
In this episode: Preparing learners with future-ready skills in digital citizenship, world culture and social and emotional learning. What Seth's daughter's experience of homeschooling during the pandemic reveals about education. Becoming an educator entrepreneur, via teaching in progressive education and a high-needs public school. Virtual field trips and designing creating and caring online education spaces. Reform vs revolution in the future of education. Navigating privilege. Being a real-life meme (Sad Mets Fan).
About the Guest: Seth's work is at the intersection of technology, language, culture and social and emotional learning. By connecting students to people & places to whom they would never otherwise have access, Seth believes that live video conferencing is an underutilized force of positive, revolutionary change in education. Creating positive change in education is Seth's ikigai, his reason for being.
President & founder at Banyan Global Learning; expert in video conferencing, international teaching, SEL & K-12 online education. Seth will forever lean on his experience as a public elementary school teacher to create authentic and meaningful educational experiences.
Recorded 10 May 2022
Links:
- Banyan Global Learning [https://banyangloballearning.com/]
- The Body Keeps The Score [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score]
- The Earth School (Manhattan) [https://sites.google.com/a/theearthschool.org/theearthschool/]
- Dr Trevor Saponis [https://twitter.com/TrevorSoponis] and Sustainable Learning Projects [https://www.thesustainablelearningprojects.com/]
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About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. He is the Founder of Grokkist. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Go behind-the-scenes with Danu for a live podcasting workshop: stillcuriouspodcast.com/workshop
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
In this episode: Navigating the dynamics of death, grief and loss, from brain fog to finding a sense of control. Arguing over estates and why 70% of people don't make plans for what happens after they die. Explaining the mechanics of probate with a story about picking berries. Being a stage magician and how magic helps with storytelling. What we can learn from near-death experiences. Why patience matters in law as well as in marriage. Swimming and mindfulness.
About the Guest: Robert Kabacy has been a lawyer in the estate planning and wealth transfer industries for more than twenty-five years. He grew up in the small town of Canby, Oregon, where he was a competitive swimmer. He attended law school to pursue his passion of helping others navigate a complicated legal and tax world and has an uncanny ability to explain complicated concepts in an easy-to-understand format. About Me is a result of the passing of his mother and experiencing firsthand the difficulty of losing a loved one while navigating the mechanics that go with it. He enjoys reading, stage/parlor magic, and outdoor activities. He still swims almost daily (though no longer competitively). Learn more at robertkabacy.com.
Recorded 6 May 2022
Links:
- About Me: Information You Will Need When I've Passed on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Kabacy/e/B09VS4QP3P?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000]
- Robert's website [http://robertkabacy.com/]
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About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Go behind-the-scenes with Danu for a live podcasting workshop: stillcuriouspodcast.com/workshop
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com | Socials: @stillcuriouspod
Rate and review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
© 2022 Grokkist Ltd. http://grokk.ist
In this episode: Losing your job in the pandemic and reverse culture shock when moving from the US back to Colombia. From English language teaching to instructional design for product managers. Never leaving school and how teachers are more than teachers. Universal design for learning. How teaching expertise is valued in traditional education vs instructional design and edtech and what that means for teachers' freedom and creativity. Filling your cup and finding structure in uncertainty.
About the Guest: Diego Boada is an educator, researcher, and instructional designer from Colombia with over 15 years of experience. As a Fulbright scholar, Diego earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Georgia in the US. Before recently becoming an e-learning consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank, Diego worked at Product School where he collaborated with product leaders from top Silicon Valley companies to develop training materials and certificates for product managers. Also, Diego is working on his Executive MBA at Quantic School of Business and Technology. [Diego's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-boada/]
Recorded 12 April 2022
Links:
- Ellii (formerly ESL Library) [https://ellii.com/]
- Product School [https://www.productschool.com/]
- Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction [https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/gagne.htm]
- Minerva University [https://www.minerva.edu/]
- Mentimeter - interactive presentations [https://www.mentimeter.com/]
- The Culture Map - breaking through the invisible boundaries of global business [https://erinmeyer.com/books/the-culture-map/]
- Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede%27s_cultural_dimensions_theory]
- Inter-American Development Bank [https://www.iadb.org/en]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: What's involved in being an artist, academic and activist on YouTube and TikTok. Musical influences from Bob Dylan to Public Enemy. Why make songs and videos about the history of words and ideas? Getting naughty for nature. Performing rap on tap. Teaching as performance. Meditations on the self and social media. BONUS: Nathan and Danu collaborate on a song about the history of school.
About the Guest: Nathan Dufour Oglesby (aka 'Nathanology') is a poet, producer and professor based in Brooklyn, NY who has built a distinctively didactic approach to hip-hop, using the form to explore concepts drawn from philosophy, history and the physical sciences. He is also one half of 'Nate and Hila' - eco-rappers who take a musical approach to environmental activism.
Nathan's socials:
- Nathanology YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NATHANOLOGY
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanology_
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CMSPILf0X39kpdhdxVue2?si=ZrSLshY8SNi74OFd7YdedQ
- LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/nathandufour
Recorded 25 March 2022
Links:
- Event Rap [https://www.eventrap.com/]
- Billboard interview on the album Naughty for Nature [https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/nate-and-hila-new-album-naughty-for-nature-interview-9335689/]
- Die for that pussy (Honeybee Sex) music video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1blN7GURdk]
- BBC article on the history of 'meta' [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20211112-facebook-and-the-true-meaning-of-meta]
- Meditation Mag article on social media and the self [https://www.meditationmag.com/buddhism/social-media-and-the-self]
- Sneak preview video of the video for Old School School [https://youtu.be/O79ch1CbtEA]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Journey from a humanities background in libraries to technical integrations specialist for a global corporate. Building a chatbot and losing everything in a server crash. Importance of communication and soft-skills when working on technical projects. A love of problem solving and an avoidance of boredom.
About the Guest: Being forever curious about how things work has taken Cristina Huidiu from various roles within the library to technical roles in the corporate environment, where she now works as an Integrations Consultant at Elsevier. Cristina has discovered her biggest passion is to humanise data, metrics and tech so it works for us rather than people having to adjust their lives around them.
Cristina's socials:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinahuidiu/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CristinaHuidiu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristina_huidiu
Recorded 29 March 2022
Links:
- 'Velocity' - Agile terminology [https://www.planview.com/resources/articles/lkdc-velocity-agile]
- BRAT - a Web-based Tool for NLP-Assisted Text Annotation [https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/brat%3A-a-Web-based-Tool-for-NLP-Assisted-Text-Stenetorp-Pyysalo/a97c7876ebf9ae6c468db92c3c6dc1c0be832192]
- Cris' favourite resource on visualising data [https://www.bigbookofdashboards.com/]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Using virtual reality in the classroom. How games taught James important life skills. Innovation and entrepreneurship in education and tensions between formal and informal modes of learning. The pedagogical value of game jams and hackathons. Parallels between e-sports and regular sports. How games helped James when he broke his back. The importance of standards and governance and an argument for formalised education.
About the Guest: James Birt is an Associate Professor of Computer Games in the Faculty of Society and Design at Bond University, Australia, where he runs the Mixed Reality Research Lab (www.mixedrealityresearch.com). His research spans computer science and visual arts, with an emphasis on applied design and development of extended reality (XR) and games-based experiences for assisting learning and knowledge discovery. James is recognised as an international leader in educational technology, XR and games with an editorial role with Springer Educational Technology Research and Development (ETR&D), a position on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) working group for AR/VR, an assessor’s role for the International Serious Games Showcase and Challenge (SGSC) and an expert role on the 2022 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report.
[James' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-james-birt/]
Recorded 8 March 2022
Links:
- James' staff profile at Bond University [https://bond.edu.au/nz/profile/james-birt]
- EDUCAUSE Horizon reports [https://library.educause.edu/search#?publicationandcollection_search=Horizon%20Report]
- Video of James' use of mixed reality in the classroom [https://vimeo.com/bondolt/review/429113737/1527673308]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: What Danu has learned about curiosity since the podcast started. What traits do 'still curious' people have? Curiosity vs institutionalised education. 'Front row' thinking. Danu's personal journey. Introducing a social enterprise idea for connecting 'still curious' people.
Recorded 29 March 2022
Links:
- Danu's fledgling social enterprise startup, Grokkist [https://grokk.ist/]
- Chris Arnade's book 'Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America' [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38796298-dignity?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=3rvvJ0D4Hs&rank=1]
- The book Danu wrote after going bankrupt [https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Migrant-Danu-Poyner/dp/1409288617]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: What happens when executives and senior leaders start receiving coaching. Moving from 'to-do list' goals to transformational goals. Volunteering adventures from providing care in a rest home to advising on education policy in Nepal. Moving to France and starting an English language school. Starting and abandoning a PhD in girls' education. Learning to build rapport.
About the Guest: Ann Collins is an Executive and Leadership Coach who helps successful senior leaders to get clarity on their next career steps, uplevel their thinking and transition into new roles with confidence and ease. She taught at Bedford Prep School for a number of years and has since worked across the world in education, teaching and consulting. She has a language school for adults in France and trained as a coach a few years ago. She now works with clients internationally, in Switzerland, the US, the UK and France, specializing in one to one executive coaching, team coaching and leadership development.
She lives on the Swiss/French border in France with her family where she enjoys the mountains, local music making and French food!
[Ann's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annridleycollins]
Recorded 9 February 2022
Links:
- Ann's coaching practice [https://www.bluebottlecoaching.com/]
- Ann's podcast 'Leaders Who Love What They Do' [https://www.anncollinscoaching.com/podcast-playlist]
- 'Inner Voice' podcast series [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1358308/8892182-inner-voice-special-series-no-1-how-to-harness-the-gift-of-your-inner-voice]
- Ann's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anncollinscoaching/ ]
- Ann's language school in Belfort, France [https://belfortschoolofenglish.com/]
- Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) [https://www.vsointernational.org/]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Not letting your job description define who you are as a person. Fitting in an impressive array of hobbies and interests. The joys of reading and irrational dislike of book editions with 'Now a Major Motion Picture' covers. Learning to have fun while making mistakes. Being a mixed-race Australian, multiculturalism and Amanda's first trip to Vietnam to see family. Empathy, boundaries and soft/enduring skills in the workplace.
About the Guest: Amanda Young is a Service Delivery Relationship Lead in Melbourne, Australia working on risk mitigation and problem solving. Prior to this she was a linguist, focusing on how changes to the English language in Australia reflect the context of the wider society. She likes coffee, reading, running, and finding new things to delight in.
[Amanda's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandayoung7/]
Recorded 25 January 2022
Links:
- Yoga with Adriene [https://youtube.com/c/yogawithadriene]
- Kate Burridge's work on linguistics [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Burridge]
- 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear [https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits]
- Disney running events [https://www.rundisney.com/]
- 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini [https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Splendid-Suns-Khaled-Hosseini/dp/159448385X]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Leading research investments at a Crown Research Institute for agriculture and biotechnology. The business of science, balancing stakeholders and priorities while staying on mission. Not having a planned career, taking a conscientious approach to going with the flow. Complexities of Māori engagement in science. Relationship-based leadership. Changing jobs after a long period in one place.
About the Guest: Maxine Bryant is an experienced team leader, project manager, and research management professional with fifteen years experience in the tertiary sector, specialising in operations management, system development, and policies and process.
Prior to joining AgResearch as Associate Research Director Investments, she worked at the University of Canterbury for fifteen years in a range of roles including project managing the development and implementation of various research management tools, Performance Based Research Fund Manager, and Director of Research Services (managing pre-award and post-award research office functions). In these roles she worked closely with colleagues from the academy, Human Resources, Library and Information Technology Services.
Trained in biological science, Maxine holds a PhD in molecular genetics from the University of Canterbury. She serves on the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) Board, is an ARMS accredited training fellow, member of the ARMS New Zealand and Pacific Islands Chapter Committee. She is also a Certified Project Management Professional.
Maxine whakapapas to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa.
[Maxine's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxine-bryant-5704501b1/]
Recorded 8 December 2021
Links:
- AgResearch [https://www.agresearch.co.nz/]
- NZ Govt green paper on future pathways for the research system [https://www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/future-pathways/]
- Research paper 'He aronga takirua: Cultural double-shift of Māori scientists' [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00187267211003955]
- Maxine's PhD thesis [https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/5974]
- Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa [https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/566/ngati-kahungunu-tribal-area]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
2-minute trailer showcasing what the Still Curious Podcast is all about.
--
I'm Danu Poyner and on the Still Curious Podcast I talk to interesting and interested people from many walks of life. About what they do, the pathways they've taken and what they learned along the way.
In this episode: What happens in a special school classroom. Joys and challenges of working with special needs kids. Holistic education, personalised learning and free play approaches. Similarities and differences between special education and early childhood education. Migrating from Taiwan to New Zealand. A 50-hour birthday celebration across timezones and continents. Following your own path.
About the Guest: Travis Yuan is a special education teacher based in Auckland, New Zealand. Travis migrated from Taiwan and trained as an early childhood educator before later moving into special education. [Travis' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-yuan-2ab7b79a/]
Recorded 16 November 2021
Links:
- The school where Travis teaches [https://www.sommerville.school.nz/]
--
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Deep dive into the realities of chronic disadvantage, inherited poverty and life on the margins. Making choices in tragic circumstances. What's involved in running the largest youth work degree program in Australia. Bringing lived experience to tackling systemic injustice. Curiosity, security and social class.
About the Guest: Kat Daley is the Program Manager for the Bachelor of Youth Work and Youth Studies at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Her work examines issues of poverty, child abuse, homelessness, self-injury and mental health and she is author of the book, Youth and Substance Abuse (2017). Prior to academia Kat worked in the youth alcohol and other drug sector, initially in outreach and later in research. She has developed resources for the Youth AOD Toolbox and the Youth Drugs and Alcohol Advisory service (YoDAA) and co-led Victoria's first Statewide Youth Needs Census. Her current work is focused on how young people and women are impacted by policy changes in the corrections system. [Kat's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-daley-69230362/]
Recorded 5 November 2021
Links:
- Kat's staff profile at RMIT University [https://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/d/daley-dr-kathryn]
- RMIT Youth Work and Youth Studies program [https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/levels-of-study/undergraduate-study/bachelor-degrees/bachelor-of-youth-work-and-youth-studies-bp322]
--
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Deep dive into the journey of growing an enterprise software company from how it got started, through growth phase, internationalisation and eventual acquisition. How most people think about sales, why that’s a problem, where many salespeople go wrong and what good sales is really all about. Complex client dynamics of large software implementations. Training a global sales team. What clients can from learn from salespeople.
About the Guest: Bo Alroe is an expert in sales management, strategy and execution in the enterprise software industry, based in Denmark. Before working as Director of Strategy at Digital Science, Bo was a co-owner of Atira, a Danish software company most well-known for creating a system called Pure that helps universities manage their publications and information about their research. [Bo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boalroe/]
Recorded 30 October 2021
[Note: There is a minor issue affecting the audio quality on the guest's track which we are aware of and that regrettably could not be resolved before publication.]
Links:
- Website for Pure (now owned by Elsevier) [https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/pure]
- Elsevier press release on Pure acquisition [https://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/archive/science-and-technology/elsevier-acquires-atira,-a-provider-of-research-management-solutions]
- The Founder movie Bo mentions [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_founder]
--
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Solo episode in 'audio-essay' style on the connection between curiosity, learning and care, intercut with highlights on this theme from episodes so far.
Excerpts From:
- S1E2 Myles Tankle (55:07)
- S1E3 Eleanor Colla (1:05:00)
- S1E5 Gail Reichert (36:42)
- S1E6 Peter Gilderdale (24:59 and 1:00:00)
- S1E7 Kathryn Harris (9:23 and 22:42)
Recorded 7 November 2021
--
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Finding a love of geology and the environment. A path that through dropping out of music school and waitressing in outback Australia to managing multi-million dollar groundwater projects. Finding a search party waiting after getting lost in the wilderness. What it’s like to be an environmentalist working for an energy company on coal seam gas projects. How low points in life can open up surprising new pathways, filling your own cup and the dangers of putting too much of yourself into work, the importance of a nurturing environment for learning, and what it’s like to be a mum to a curious little boy. Diversity and inclusion in the energy sector and the challenges of moving from being a specialist out in the field to being a manager behind the desk.
About the Guest: Kathryn Harris is a hydrogeologist at Origin Energy in Queensland, Australia. Kathryn has a wealth of experience in the private energy sector around Water Quality, Earth Science, Geophysics, and Water Resource Management, and she has recently been involved in setting up one of the largest and most complex aquifer injection schemes in the country. [Kathryn's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-harris-a1065766/]
Recorded 2 October 2021
Links:
- The town of Yulara [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yulara,_Northern_Territory]
- Australia Pacific LNG aquifer injection project [https://aplng.com.au/water-and-csg/]
--
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: What’s involved in being a professional calligrapher, what’s driving a recent resurgence of interest in calligraphy among young people, and why it is that so many good calligraphers also turn out to be good at playing golf. What good education looks like in design. What universities do well but also how they can shut down free thinking and innovation and why they may be writing themselves out of being relevant. How assessment gets in the way of learning. The difference between pursuing excellence for yourself versus being part of a place that exudes excellence. How to keep the university system happy without losing your soul. Engaging with the past as a way of finding other people. How doing a PhD about Edwardian postcards helped Peter connect with his family’s history as immigrants. How a timetabling clash led Peter to discover one of the world’s oldest signed works of art while working on an archeological dig in Egypt. What it’s like to be an insider-outsider in the art community.
About the Guest: Peter Gilderdale is a freelance writer and calligrapher and recently retired lecturer in Design History at Auckland University of Technology. He is the author of recent instalments in The Little Yellow Digger series of popular children's stories, originally created by his parents Betty and Alan Gilderdale. [Peter's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-gilderdale-b4a8ab15/]
Recorded 7 October 2021
Links:
- Peter's calligraphy on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/freerangecalligrapher/]
- The Little Yellow Digger and The Big Ship [https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018816037/how-the-ever-given-sparked-another-little-yellow-digger-adventure]
- Peter's polarising article in The Spinoff [https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/22-04-2018/the-university-library-row-reveals-a-seismic-shift-in-nzs-middle-class/]
- 26 Habitats project [https://26project.org.uk/26habitats/]
- Alessi Lemon Squeezer [https://blog.nms.ac.uk/2019/08/14/lemon-squeezer/]
--
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Creating a safe and engaging learning space to participate freely, especially when some people may start out thinking ‘well this is going to be bullshit’. Examining the rules we carry around inside our heads, the importance of unlearning and what it means to have an ‘undeniable experience’. Why Gail gave the two-finger salute to professional teaching. A life journey that connects teaching to accounting, heavy industry and improv comedy. What it’s like to live without impostor syndrome. The difference between working with children and adults, the most satisfying lightbulb moments Gail has witnessed in her clients, what new leaders struggle with most, and what it means to be programmed with possibility.
About the Guest: Gail Reichert is Principal Consultant at Leader's Edge, a leadership and organisational development practice, based in Auckland, New Zealand. Leader's Edge specialises in designing and facilitating simply effective personal and organisational leadership development that raises the consciousness and develops emotional intelligence. [Leader's Edge website: https://leadersedge.co.nz/]
[Gail's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailreichert/ Email: leader@leadersedge.co.nz]
Recorded 1 October 2021
Links:
- Gail's consultancy - Leader's Edge [https://leadersedge.co.nz/]
- Judy B Rosener - Ways Women Lead [https://hbr.org/1990/11/ways-women-lead]
- Benjamin Zander - The Art of Possibility [https://www.benjaminzander.org/about/the-art-of-possibility/]
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About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: Why following your curiosity can give you a competitive edge. The concept of ‘action buddies’ and the importance of putting yourself out there and getting something done. Overcoming doubts. Different ways of getting into the games industry. Going from writing the monthly newsletter for the NZ Game Developers Association to being on its board. Different approaches to games for education. Finding your community or creating it.
About the Guest: Carl Leducq is a production co-ordinator at games studio RocketWerkz in Auckland, New Zealand. Carl is a board member of the New Zealand Game Developers Association and also has his own podcast - Zero to Play - where he interviews various people in the Game Development Industry to deconstruct what a game is, why we play games and what the future of gaming is going to look like. [Carl's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlleducq/ Twitter: [at]carlscontent]
Recorded 28 September 2021
Links:
- Carl's 'Zero to Play' podcast [https://zerotoplay.com/]
- 'The Gap' by Ira Glass [https://vimeo.com/85040589]
- Anna Fabrega and Ad Astra [https://afabrega.com/]
- Gary Vaynerchuk - Do what you love, no excuses! [https://www.ted.com/talks/gary_vaynerchuk_do_what_you_love_no_excuses]
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About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: the idea of research ‘impact’, how academics get lost in the system and what role curiosity has in the world of professional academic research. Care, cardigans and what it’s like to have a love-hate relationship with your profession. Critical cataloguing and what’s involved in being an artistic director for a film festival.
About the Guest: Eleanor is a tertiary Librarian living, working, and learning in Melbourne/ Naarm. They are interested in researcher development, integrating library services in the research lifecycle, the role of cross-boundary professionals in tertiary institutions, and library advocacy. Eleanor likes doing jigsaw puzzles and drinks a lot of tea. [Eleanor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-colla/ Twitter: [at]eleanorcolla]
Recorded 27 September 2021
Links:
- Czech and Slovak Film Festival Australia (CASFFA): https://casffa.com.au/
- Frem: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11664612/
- The Werner Herzog Antartica movie (Encounters at the End of the World): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1093824/
- Celia Whitchurch on higher educational professionals and the 'third space': https://www.researchcghe.org/about/profile/celia-whitchurch/
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About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
In this episode: What Myles and Danu both learned working at Apple that they still use today. What being a medical role play actor entails. What’s involved in transitioning a large network of cemeteries back to the office after remote working during the pandemic. What theatre, motion capture and change management have in common. How we learn to deal with emotion in the workplace and in the way we design learning experiences.
About the Guest: Myles Tankle is a theatre maker, performance capture actor, facilitator and change management professional based in Melbourne, Australia. He is Vice-President of TBC Theatre, a collective of arts professionals producing bold theatre productions and audience immersions with a focus on audience experience. [Myles' LinkedIn]
Recorded 14 September 2021
Oops!: The audio levels are a bit skewy here and there (Danu is still learning how to record properly!) Myles misremembers his website address - it's tbctheatre.com. Danu misremembers a quote from Kierkegaard, who says “life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards”. (Heidegger talks instead about a sense of being thrown into the world)
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About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon (Used under CC-BY-NC license)
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious
It's the very first episode! Usually there will be guests but for the first one it's just Danu explaining what the podcast is about, what he's doing it and what he hopes to achieve with it.
About the Host: Danu has been thinking hard about education, technology and society for 30 years. His ambition is to start a company that offers holistic learner-first experiences that set the soul on fire. He is based in Auckland, NZ and is currently working as a consultant on research information systems, academic performance and games for education. [Danu's LinkedIn]
In this episode: Why curiosity matters. The connection between curiosity and learning. Why self-taught learners are awesome but also have a difficult time. Teaching copy/paste to someone who has never used a computer. Why Danu cringes when he hears the phrase 'learning outcomes'.
Recorded 4 September 2021
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon (Used under CC-BY-NC license)
Website: stillcuriouspodcast.com | Email: stillcuriouspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @stillcuriouspod | Twitter: @stillcuriouspod
Love the podcast? Leave a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/stillcurious