Hosts Anthony Cruz and Scott Walters chat with Anemily Machina, a PHD candidate in Computer Sciences. Anemily puts our hosts on the spot with a word association game as part of summarizing their work on explainable AI, the limits of large language models (LLMs), and the risks of the ongoing AI bubble.

For even more from Anemily on this topic, consider watching their two part series, available on Youtube: Part 1 | Part 2.

Recorded on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Produced by kirstyn seanor Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

In this week’s episode, hosts Krishna Pereira and Anthony Cruz interview Sydney Holland, a second-year PhD student in Anthropology at Western University. Sydney’s research focuses on bioarchaeology, using human remains such as teeth and bones to study life in the past.

Sydney Holland explores the lives of past communities through the lens of bioarchaeology. Her research focuses on how infant feeding practices—particularly breastfeeding and weaning—shaped survival, health, and social dynamics in early modern populations.

For her master’s work, Sydney studied skeletal remains from a 17th–18th century rural community near Montreal. By analyzing teeth and bones, she investigated how families navigated feeding decisions, such as the use of wet nurses, the timing of weaning, and responses to food scarcity. These practices left measurable traces in the skeletons, providing unique insights into daily life and challenges faced by families.

Using stable isotope analysis, Sydney revealed that variations in infant feeding strategies directly influenced health outcomes and mortality. Her findings highlight how cultural choices and environmental pressures intersected to impact some of the most vulnerable members of society. This work not only deepens our understanding of early Canadian communities but also underscores the enduring importance of infant care practices across time.

Recorded on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Produced by Mohammad Zeraati Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

In this week's episode, hosts Riya Sidhu and Ryan Baxter interview Sarah Park, a student in the combined MScOT/PhD program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Parkinson's disease can have a deleterious effect on walking, or gait. Left untreated, worsening gait (such as uneven pacing, or irregular steps) can lead to negative outcomes, such as falls. Sarah discusses her research in non-pharmacological interventions to help improve walking. Sarah, Riya, and Ryan discuss interdisciplinary research opportunities and ways in which graduate students can become involved in the local community. Sarah is co-supervised by: - Dr. Jessica Grahn, the Principal Investigator of the Music and Neuroscience Lab based out of the Centre for Brain and Mind - and Dr. Jeffrey Holmes, the Principal Investigator of the Health and Human Performance Lab based out of the School of Occupational Therapy For further information on Sarah's research, one may check out her Twitter / X account and her Linkedin. For those in the London community, the Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario focuses on education, advocacy, community building, and research.

Recorded on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 Produced by Mark Ambrogio Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)