#52 - Makoto Kern: Feature-centric to user-centric - UX Design to navigate global challenges and the “AI Competence Mirage”
Makoto Kern, Founder and Principal Design Consultant at iiimpact in Austin Texas USA dives deep into the world of UX (User Experience) Design and shows us how a user-centric approach to software is essential, especially in the disruptive AI landscape. We hear about how he and iiimpact have supported the environmental, resources and healthcare industries, future concerns about cybersecurity and how to navigate the highly disruptive AI landscape, live with AI technology and value the human connection above all others.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and Studio Background Design Talk4:49 How an electrical engineer got into UX12:36 The basics of UX vs. UI21:00 The steps to founding iiimpact30:21 The domains iiimpact has worked in36:47 The AI Competence Mirage and Cybersecurity43:37 Tips for Entrepreneurs - the importance of the team49:49 Talking AI59:42 Make an iiimpact Podcast1:04:33 Q&A Start1:04:58 What does innovation mean to you?1:06:17 Key moment, event, book, person1:08:46 Time management1:09:48 Favourite childhood memory1:12:09 Biggest challenge to date1:13:33 Advice for young professionals1:14:32 What would you most like to be remembered for?1:15:17 Where can people find you?1:16:22 Final message1:16:43 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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#51 - Rob Wreglesworth: A culture reboot for nature, biodiversity and conservation through incentives, conversations and T-shirts
Rob Wreglesworth, Associate Ecologist and Innovation Lead at The Environment Bank, Co-Founder of No Longer Known and Host of the Innovate Eco Podcast, based in the UK, goes deep on biodiversity and conservation from both the economic and social lenses. We discuss topics like biodiversity net gain and nature credits, eDNA, current issues with conservation and how Rob is now targeting scarcity mindset with his new startup No Longer Known, a culture reboot, in a sense. T-shirts factor into this discussion and may be a solution to engaging the general public on conservation issues. We also look into how Rob has combined the variety and diversity of skill sets he has gained over his career to create real-world impact.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and a conversation between two audiophiles5:50 Rob's Motivation for Ecology & Environmental Sciences13:03 The issue with species conservation (Newts and bats)18:29 Unpacking nature credits, biodiversity and environment banks23:38 Diving deeper into biodiversity net gain and biodiversity metrics28:30 Soil biodiversity in comparison to animal biodiversity29:55 eDNA for understanding the underground33:45 Gaining compliance in biodiversity net gain40:42 Rob's diversity of projects at The Environment Bank43:20 Arming yourself with interdisciplinary knowledge45:16 The Innovate Eco Podcast52:08 The cultural reboot for conservation with No Longer Known1:15:20 Q&A Start1:15:50 What does innovation mean to you?1:17:47 Key event, book, person1:21:57 Time Management1:25:03 Favourite childhood memory1:27:00 Biggest challenge to date1:29:29 Advice to young professionals1:32:44 What would you most like to be remembered for?1:34:22 Where can people find you?1:36:00 Final Message1:36:58 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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#50 - Tables Turned: Part 2 - Personal reflections on Switzerland vs. favourite places, academia, nature, music, my career and much more…
To celebrate 50 episodes of The Grand Challengers Podcast (main series), we return with another "Tables Turned" episode, this time featuring 26 questions from guests as early as Episode 2. Guests from across the show got to ask me a question of their choosing and I have compiled them into a special episode titled "Tables Turned". In this episode, I reflect on Switzerland, the importance of music in my life, academia and where I am heading in my recent decision to start my own company. Join me in this beautiful moment of looking back on my own journey once again and to learn more about me!Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Astral Dance by Jimit (Check out more of Jimit's tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0hc1IxPxpmUgEIZGGUGrvm?si=z_uif82xQoqAqUy8KpB7JQ)Chapters:0:00 Preamble & Intro1:33 Introducing the special episode3:36 The Old New Year’s Resolution (Jon Hathaway)5:53 The house plant saga (Daniele la Cecilia)7:42 Favourite places around the world (Bill Hunt)9:45 The Matrix of different worlds (Patri Cuervo)12:34 Hiking in Switzerland (Jon Hathaway)15:32 The Swiss Train System? (Alexa Delbosc)17:10 Zurich vs. Melbourne (Jarrod Luxton)19:51 Switzerland vs. Singapore (João P. Leitão)22:43 The next big physical challenge (Denise Mitrano)24:44 Collaboration vs. competition in academia (Katrin Pakizer)28:20 Different academic challenges (Luis Sañudo)32:59 Unlimited Research Resources (Megan Farrelly)35:14 The 5 to 10-year plan (Liah Coggins & Nadja Kunz)41:30 Bridging differences in collaboration (Scott Lloyd)43:13 What nature is to me (Lucas Gobatti)45:13 Favourite BGI (Danielle Dagenais)47:02 WSUD vs. Sponge Cities (Tobias Baur)48:44 Synergies between mining and BGI (Mohan Yellishetty)50:56 How is the industry progressing with circularity? (Don Weatherbee)53:16 Changing the world with technology (Yannick Back)55:32 Modelling and software bugs (Peter Vanrolleghem)57:27 A tribute to Anas Ghadouani1:02:21 The importance of music in my life (Françoise Bichai)1:07:52 Sounds of intimacy (Sofia Boarino)1:12:45 Keeping a positive mindset (Wei-Shan Chen)1:17:45 Wrap up1:18:20 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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#49 - Nadja Kunz: Towards water stewardship in mining, understanding critical minerals, safer and sustainable resource management
Nadja Kunz, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada shares her insights on the role of water in mining and the importance of critical minerals for the sustainable energy transition. Most notably, we gain insights into the complexity of the mining industry and its diverse and often forgotten stakeholders. What is required for us to make mining more sustainable, equitable, safe and future-proof?Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro, traditional owners, mountains and beaches6:00 Nadja, the network queen7:51 Water in the mining sector - Nadja's PhD10:04 From double degree to industry and PhD16:54 Working in Switzerland and Monglia21:51 Moving to UBC Vancouver, Canada24:08 Comparing the Australian and Canadian mining landscapes25:53 The significance of water management in mining31:41 Trying to solve water management holistically in mining35:52 From water management to water stewardship38:03 Pressing issues in Canada's mining? Critical Minerals48:24 Quantified evidence - the example of tailings dams59:09 Nadja's Future Plans1:01:59 Q&A Start1:02:24 What does innovation mean to you?1:04:03 Key person book event1:05:27 Time Management1:07:29 Favourite childhood memory1:08:09 Biggest challenge to date1:11:08 Advice for young professionals1:12:33 What would you most like to be remembered for?1:14:13 Final Message1:15:15 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
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#48 - Christoph Ort: Sewers, Drugs and Rock n' Roll - from wastewater surveillance to saving lives in the pandemic
Christoph Ort, Group Leader and Head of the Urban Water Maangement Department at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology dives into the world of wastewater surveillance or wastewater-based epidemiology, techniques, intricacies, use-cases and the broader societal implications. We trace his journey in leading a "band" of disciplines in supporting society during a crisis moment, namely the COVID pandemic, with valuable information on the spread of infections - all by just holding a "magnifying glass" into our sewer systems.Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)Chapters:0:00 Intro1:59 Guest Intro and a discussion around two props8:37 Getting into Christoph's story - culture engineering12:07 The PhD - Dynamics of sewers and micropollutants19:48 Introducing wastewater based epidemiology or surveillance21:21 Terminology around WWBE and sewer sociology23:44 Detecting illicit drugs in sewer systems26:57 Briefly - how to detect using analytical chemistry methods32:17 Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic39:30 The MS2Field - A mobile lab in a trailer41:30 His vision, the institutional context and where is Christoph heading45:25 The future of wastewater-based surveillance46:48 Syndromic surveillance - the indirect but powerful alternative51:26 Rock n' Roll?56:08 Q&A Start56:25 What does innovation mean to you?58:56 Key event, person, book1:00:42 Time Management1:03:20 Favourite Childhood Memory1:04:33 Biggest challenge in career to date1:05:55 Advice for young researchers1:07:39 What would you most like to be remembered for?1:08:30 Where can people find you?1:09:19 Final Message1:09:38 OutroDetailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from. Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on: X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach Instagram: @petermbach87 Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
In a world facing climate change, urbanization, and population growth, inspiring individuals are stepping up with innovative solutions. Each episode features passionate guests working at the cutting edge of science, engineering, technology, and design. Through their journeys, they share insights and personal growth while creating new ways of thinking for an uncertain future. Tune in for actionable advice and inspiration for young professionals aiming to make a difference. If you enjoy the show, please hit the follow or subscribe button! That's a small way you can help the show grow and reach many more ears!Show Website: https://www.petermbach.com/podcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast/
Colombia