Nerdin' About

When we started Nerdin' About in March 2020 it was a way to stay engaged with the science communication community and start a podcast which was something Kaylee and Michael have always wanted to do. Now we're completed three seasons, and it all feels so surreal.  For this final episode of the season, we've pulled together some extra bits from our conversations this year with ant researcher Aaron Fairweather, conservation scientist Lauren Eckert, wetland ecologist Dr. Alex Moore, registered dietician Desiree Nielsen, and Farah Qaiser Director of Research and Policy for Evidence for Democracy.  We don't have plans for another season, but there could be special episodes that make their way into your feed. Make sure to follow Kaylee and Michael with their other podcasts Nice Genes!, and Let's Innovate!, and follow us on social media @NerdNiteYVR for future plans for a Nerd Nite in-person return! A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/263rdar9 Thanks as always for your support!  Nice Genes: A New Podcast from Genome BC - "Nice Genes!" - Delivers a Fun-Sized Dose of Science and Stories Let's Innovate!: ​​https://www.sciencefairs.ca/get-inspired/let-s-innovate!-podcast/  

How is everyone doing with their existential crises these days? If you've listened to past episodes you know we've got climate change on our collective minds, and in this episode of Nerdin' About we talk to someone who is tackling this wicked problem with tangible solutions  in economics and politics! Dr. Devyani Singh (she/her) is a Post-Doctoral Economist Fellow working on Energy and Climate policy at the Environmental Defence Fund. Devyani nerds out with us on how she's integrated economics into climate change solutions and advocacy. We also explore how Devyani is closing the gap between science and policy as she pursues a position in politics.  A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3xpYJck Follow Devyani on Twitter and Instagram @Kumari_Devyani and follow her pup Zephyrus @WestCoastPandaBoi  Kaylee's new podcast Nice Genes! with Genome British Columbia can be found here: https://link.chtbl.com/C5ept7S7

From healthcare and biotechnology to forests and fisheries, the evolving study of genomics is leading to some of the most exciting and world-changing discoveries in science and medicine. But while the study of genomics holds great promise for the health of people, animals, and the environment, it also confronts us with big questions. Join Dr. Kaylee Byers – a self-described “rat detective” and science communicator as she guides you through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics.  To follow the show, visit: https://link.chtbl.com/C5ept7S7 Follow Genome British Columbia @GenomeBC on Twitter and Instagram  

This week we're sharing a bonus episode in your feed from Let's Innovate, another podcast hosted by your favourite space nerd Michael Unger. In this episode, Michael speaks with Rebecca Baron, a student at the University of British Columbia and co-host of the Women's Health Interrupted podcast. Rebecca shares her Science Fair Foundation experience, her TEDx talk in 2016 and how learning about the health benefits from plants ultimately led her to a gold medal and platinum award! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3EQmjBk Check out the Women's Health Interrupted podcast here: https://bit.ly/3LiAEsP

Grab your hip waders and waterproof phone case, because this week we're getting ‘bog'ged down in wetland ecology! Dr. Alex Moore (they/them), who is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Princeton University High Meadows Environmental Institute, takes us on a journey to coastlines and salt marshes to explore what wetlands are and how species shape these spaces. We also meander to mangroves to marvel at the benefits they provide for people and animals, as well as the threats they face in a warming world.  A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3KAFZv5 You can follow Dr. Moore on Twitter @Dr_AlexM and on their websites: www.inclusiveconservationlab.com https://amoorephd.weebly.com/ You can check out the bat mortality study mentioned in this episode here: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjz-2021-0230 And the study mentioned about cats depredating on rats and other wildlife here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320722000568  

The ants go marching one by one… but how and also why? In this episode we're joined by Aaron Fairweather (they/them) a PhD student at the University of Guelph who has been an entomologist for as long as they could hold a crayon. Join us as we learn about how ants are more than just picnic disruptors – they're farmers, architects, pollinators and so much more! Don't let their size fool you – they leave a very large footprint on our ecosystems (6 footprints to be exact). A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3LpAqQ6 Follow Aaron @InsectAaron, and their “fursona” Nasidoe on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube @Entobird Also check out Phlya and Fandom, a nerdy podcast merging the worlds of science and furry! https://entobird.carrd.co/ Interested in learning more about ant sounds? The sound clips in this episode were shared by Dr. Ronara de Souza Ferreira-Châline whose exciting research on this topic can be found here https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0015363

Our communities are wild spaces. Even in cities, humans are navigating relationships with wildlife - relationships that are critical to supporting conservation efforts. This week we're joined by Lauren Eckert (she/her), a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria who studies the intersection between social and ecological systems. From bears to orcas, we explore how conflicts shape our interactions with wildlife and each other. And, we gather some helpful tips to reduce conflict with our fellow curious and adventuring bears. Lauren is also involved with Hidden Compass, which is seeking to tell science stories in new ways, as well as the magical human behind The Witch Podcast, which looks at the legacies and power of women and femmes throughout history and today. So much to cover in such little time, thanks for listening, and bearing with us! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3w6nHxb www.LaurenEckertConservation.com Twitter-Instagram: @LaurenEEckert Hidden Compass: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNa_vexdNjpWFJ-WMtM1pDA The Witch Podcast: https://www.thewitchpodcast.com/ And the paper about bear genetics and Indigenous languages mentioned in this episode can be found here: https://bigthink.com/life/grizzlies-dna-language/

From rushing rivers to vast oceans, the planet is covered in dancing droplets of water. But even in places where water is abundant, access to clean drinking water isn't a guarantee, and many of our water-based challenges are likely to increase with climate change. In this episode, water and sustainability consultant Alan Shapiro joins us to talk about what makes water so special, how we manage water in Canada, and why we all need to talk more about water. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3MaTKC1 Follow Alan Shapiro @watercomm on Twitter!

To get you through some long nights ahead, here's a bonus episode of nerd outs with special guest drag performer Shanda Leer! We all nerd out along with some of your nerd outs you wrote in with. Shanda nerds out on, The Beatles “Get Back” documentary, our audio engineer Elise Lane on her new single Antoneon, and Michael and Kaylee have podcast recommendations for your holidays in The Longtime Academy, and Stuff the British Stole. Find a transcript of the episode here: https://bit.ly/3yRBp6A Follow Shanda Leer on Twitter and Instagram  and their podcast Where the Big Boys Game   New episodes out early 2022!

When was the last time you swore? Maybe you were sitting in traffic, or you stubbed your toe on a stray shoe stranded in the hallway of your home (was that too specific?). While you may be well versed in the classic four-letter words that make up the English swearing vocabulary, in this episode Dr. Anne-Michelle Tessier (she/her) takes us on a phonologic foray of swear words, from sh*t-whistles to a**-badgers. We explore what makes some cursing compounds more compelling and how we're constantly doing linguistic math, even without thinking about it. A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3I8uhH9 You can read Dr. Tessier's scientific paper on this topic here Visit Dr. Tessier's personal and phonology lab websites  

Have you ever wondered how politicians make decisions using science? Or about how politics shape what's dissected under the microscope? This is why we need people like Farah Qaiser (she/her) to better understand the role of policy for science, and science for policy! Farah is the new Director of Research and Policy at Evidence for Democracy, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization aimed at promoting the use of evidence in Canada's decision-making. We explore the changing landscape of science policy and how investing in Canada's scientists impacts our national capacity to ask and answer innovative and creative science questions. We'll also explore Farah's dedication to advocating for under-represented scientists in her role as a member of 500 Women Scientists' leadership team. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3Dsk2KY. Learn more about Farah Qaiser on her website, and follow her on social media @this_is_farah Also mentioned in this episode: Science Diction podcast

Open any social media app, and you're bound to be bombarded with ads and images of “wellness”. But can our health be hyped by adding or removing a single food? What's the science behind gluten and could a sprinkle of something special support your thyroid? Desiree Nielsen (she/her), Registered Dietician, is here to debunk some diet myths and explore how taking a more holistic approach rather than subscribing to the latest fad will be more beneficial to our health. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3bAQLBz Find Desiree on her website or on Instagram @desireenielsenrd Check out Desiree's podcast The Allsorts Podcast, which covers nutrition science with a roster of very cool guests. Or try some recipes from Desiree's cookbook “Eat More Plants” for nutrition-packed plant goodness. Also mentioned in this episode: Ask an Astronomer with Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn and the Maintenance Phase podcast.

Respected and reviled, raccoons are renowned for their ability to thrive in cities. They have played an important role in economies, and the symbolism around raccoons continues to evolve as societies observe and often misunderstand these masked mammals. Dr. Daniel Heath Justice (Cherokee Nation) is the author of “Raccoon”, and he shares with us the ecological and social significance of raccoons, and how this book intersects with his work as a professor of Critical Indigenous Studies and English at the University of British Columbia. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3G1SHAZ Raccoon is available through Reaktion Books or if you're in the Vancouver area through Massy Books.   Daniel is also the author of Badger and Why Indigenous Literatures Matter Also recommended in this episode is the book The Barren Grounds by David Robertson

We're back! Season 3 kicks off with bat ecologist, data scientist, and children's book author Dr. Cylita Guy (she/her). In this episode, we explore what it means to be an urban ecologist, we learn about how scientists study bats, and we debunk some common bat myths and misconceptions. We also get the inside scoop on Cylita's soon-to-be released children's book – Chasing Bats & Tracking Rats: Urban Ecology, Community Science, and How We Share Our Cities  – which takes readers on a journey into our city streets to understand the wild animals that live among us and the people who study them. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3Dt5jiP Published by Annick Press, Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats is now available for pre-order. Click on the link below, or go to your local independent bookstore, and ask them to bring it in! https://www.annickpress.com/Books/C/Chasing-Bats-and-Tracking-Rats Follow Dr. Cylita Guy on Twitter: @CylitaGuy And on her website cylitaguy.com

In May, 2021 we hosted a live event with three guests from Season 1. Dr. Samantha Yammine aka Science Sam from our very first episode on communicating about COVID-19, Pramodh Senarath Yapa from episode 8 on superfluids and helium, and Kim Senklip Harvey from episode 9, an Indigenous storyteller on decolonizing theatre. In this live episode, we hear updates about their work and what they've been nerding about lately. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3kWdzjk Music for this episode was created by Pramodh Senarath Yapa. And because we know you'll want to keep up with this week's guests on social media, you can follow: Dr. Samantha Yammine (Twitter: @heysciencesam; Instagram: @science.sam; https://www.samanthayammine.com/) Pramodh Senarath Yapa (Twitter: @PramodhYapa; Instagram: @pramodh.yapa) Kim Senklip Harvey (Twitter: @KimSenklip; Instagram: @kimsenklipharvey; https://www.kimsenklipharvey.com/) You can also purchase Kim's Governor General Award Winning piece “Kamloopa” at Talon Books: https://talonbooks.com/books/kamloopa In lieu of tickets, we asked that anyone wishing to support the show donate to the BC Cancer Foundation or their local Cancer Foundation in honour and memory of our friend and colleague Dr. Greg Bole. Donations to the BC Cancer Foundation can be made here: https://bccancerfoundation.com/ways-donate

In S2E7 we spoke with Dr. Greg Bole about evolution and how we often misunderstand what it is. In that episode, Greg also shared his recent diagnosis with a terminal form of cancer. In this episode, we talk with Greg about that diagnosis and what it has meant for him and his family. And true to Greg's passion for science and science communication, we explore the science of cancer and how we treat it. Greg continues to be an important member of our Nerd Herd family and we hope you'll join us for another episode where we learn from Greg, not only about what cancer is but also his experience dealing with this diagnosis. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3xiY4Hu

Marco Pasqua (he/him) is Creatively Using his Best Energy (CUBE) to advocate for accessibility in workplaces and community spaces. In this episode Marco shares how living with a disability has shaped his career as an entrepreneur, accessibility and inclusion consultant, and inspirational speaker. We discuss how Marco works with companies, clients, and communities to use principles of universal design to meet the needs of everyone, and how you can advocate for more accessible spaces in your community. And in this last episode of Season 2, we nerd out about a show worth watching, how a hobby led to new pen pals, and what Season 3 has in store. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Ubv5GP To learn more about Marco and his work, visit https://www.marcopasqua.com/ Follow Marco @Marco_Pasqua

This week we've got a Bonus Episode in your feed! You may have heard on a previous episode that Nerdin' About co-host Michael Unger hosts another podcast called "Let's Innovate". This week we're sharing the very first episode. In it you will meet Braxton Chan. Braxton developed an innovative treatment for osteochondral defects using fibrocartilage transplantation and the 16-year-old from Cranbrook, BC was a finalist in the 2020 Youth Innovation Showcase. We learn how he came up with his idea and what he's been up to since the competition. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3w7W6ZW To listen to other episodes of Let's Innovate, visit https://www.sciencefairs.ca/let-s-innovate!-podcast/

If you’ve ever had Sri Lankan cuisine, on the surface it may seem similar to Indian cooking, but author Ruwanmali Samarakoon-Amunugama (she/her) is here to tell you otherwise! In her new book “Milk, Spice and Curry Leaves: Hill Country Recipes from the Heart of Sri Lanka” Ruwanmali takes us on a journey into the hills and lays out the foundation of Sri Lankan food, something that is still underrepresented on cookbook shelves in North America. What is Sri Lankan food? What is curry really? How does food intersect with identity? Kaylee and Michael explore these questions with Ruwanmali and we have our first call-in nerd out! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3ugGe5u Learn more about “Milk, Spice and Curry Leaves” and try Ruwanmali’s small-batch Sri Lankan spice blend at https://www.savouringserendipity.com/ Check out the Fraser Valley BatPack program: https://www.fvrl.bc.ca/batpacks.php Nerd Herd call-in jingle by Pramodh Senarath Yapa Audio editing by Elise Hall-Meyer

At Nerdin' About, we're bee-witched by pollinators, but the fate of our fluffy, flying friends is threatened by climate change. Peter Soroye (he/him), a conservation biologist and PhD student at the University of Ottawa, shares why bees are all the buzz and how climate change and land use change are placing pollinator populations in peril. Using this information, Peter points to some ways for us to protect our local pollinators and enjoy our backyard biodiversity. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3bCI3n1 Follow Peter @PeterSoroye on Twitter and @puffypete on Instagram Learn more about pollinator gardens at: https://www.pollinator.org/guides and https://beecitycanada.org/pollinator-resources/  And you can get involved with backyard bio here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/backyardbio To read Kaylee's article "Location, Location, Location: Rats, Real Estate and Public Health" visit the BioOne website here: http://www.bioonepublishing.org/BioOneAmbassadorAward/2021/Kaylee-Byers.html

What are some of the first things that come to mind when you think about evolution? What arguments have you heard to challenge it? From the famous monkey-to-human diagram, to the assertion that “evolution is just a theory”, we’ve got our evolution education superhero Dr. Greg Bole (he/him) to help us debunk some of these common misconceptions. Greg is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Departments of Zoology and Botany at the University of British Columbia. He’s heard it all, so by the end of this episode you’ll be equipped with a little more information about what evolution really is. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3gKz8mA  

What happens in a galaxy far, far away, doesn’t stay there. In this episode Corey Gray (he/him) explains how LIGO (The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) detects cosmic events unfolding across the universe. Corey is a detector operator at LIGO in Washington State. He is also Scottish and Blackfoot and a member of the Siksika Nation of Alberta, Canada. We get into gravitational-wave astronomy and the story of how Corey recruited his Mom to translate the historic press release of the first gravitational-wave detection into the Blackfoot language! Plus your nerd herd questions, and our wavey, possibly musical nerd outs! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3dfm8U4

Math needs a makeover. So often, people put themselves into a category of being “not a math person”, but Vanessa Vakharia (she/her) is working to change math culture so that everyone can embrace their inner mathematician. In this episode we learn about how failing Grade 11 math twice changed Vanessa’s life, why there’s “no such thing as a math person”, and Kaylee and Michael get a little math therapy. Vanessa is a math education expert and the founder and director of The Math Guru, a math tutoring studio in Toronto. Vanessa is also the host of the podcast Math Therapy, and author of the new book Math Hacks working to make math fun for kids and parents. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3rGDihc

With an ongoing global pandemic, many of us have had to rethink how we access health care. In this episode Dr. Alison Müller (she/her) explains how virtual health can not only help to fill the void of in-person health care, but also encourage us to seek care sooner. Alison is a postdoctoral fellow at The University of British Columbia studying how virtual health interventions can facilitate health care communications with patients during COVID-19. In addition to nerding out about virtual health, Kaylee, Michael, and Alison share a 'nerd out' theme of TV/film, but with a science twist. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3eQX6f0

From pufferfish to Arctic char, we’re diving in with Amy Liu (she/they) to learn more about these fishy friends. Amy is a pufferfish enthusiast who teaches us a thing or two about why we should admire pufferfish. Spoiler: there’s much more stuff than just the puff! Amy is also a graduate student studying Arctic char genomics, and we discuss why this tool is so important to identifying species within the Arctic char complex. A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3b4hNC2

“Science communication is hard, and scientists aren’t making it any easier” says Jay Ingram (host of CBC’s ‘Quirks and Quarks’, and Discovery Channel Canada’s ‘Daily Planet’). Whether it’s overuse of acronyms, or inaccessible communication, there are many pitfalls scientists and science communicators can fall into. Kaylee and Michael dig in with their former science communication mentor from Banff Beakerhead to find some solutions, which as it turns out is exactly what you’ll hear in this episode: a fun in-person conversation! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3jWkgBg

We’re back for Nerdin’ About Season 2! Grab your lab coat and your rhinestones because this week we’re mixing Science and Drag. In this episode we chat with Shawn Hercules, a PhD candidate who studies breast cancer at McMaster University. Shawn is investigating why an aggressive form of breast cancer disproportionately affects people of African ancestry, and he shares some potential explanations. When he’s not sifting through genetic data, Shawn transforms to Miss Rawbyn Diamonds in drag. Rawbyn is a fierce artist, challenging cis/heteronormative sterotypes in science to bring her true self to the table as a queer person and scientist. We’re excited for you to meet Shawn and Rawbyn! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/39FWlSV

For the final episode of Season One of Nerdin’ About, Kaylee and Michael wrap up this weird and wild year by nerding out together. They talk about some of the things they’ve learned pivoting from doing a live event to producing a podcast. They answer the Nerd Herd’s questions about rats in space, and even get their first audience-audio nerd out as they put a cap on 2020. Season 2 will be released in early 2021! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3oTHERa

Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? 2020 has been a tough year, testing our collective positivity, but what are optimism and pessimism? Neuroscientist Dr. Travis Hodges has some answers as he studies these patterns of thinking IN RATS. Travis is a postdoctoral fellow at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at UBC. We talk to Travis about his research, how he studies pessimism and optimism in adolescent rats, and ultimately what that can teach us about ourselves especially as we get older. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3kGHpGG

Over the past few months we have witnessed a huge transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But is it as easy as just transitioning what we use to do in-person to an online platform? In this episode of Nerdin’ About, we’re joined by Sultan Rana, a teacher of soon-to-be educators at York University’s Faculty of Education. We discuss how to integrate technology wisely into teaching and the need for accessible tech education. Sultan also shares his experience delivering equity, diversity, and inclusion training for teachers and why that training alone isn’t enough. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3eq6TXq  

We're back in your feed this week for a special Bonus episode! In last week’s episode we spoke with Neuroscientist Rackeb Tesfaye about sleep science. As a part of that conversation we also discussed ‘Broad Science’ an initiative founded by Rackeb aimed at making science more inclusive, engaging, and intersectional through podcasting. In this Bonus episode, you’ll learn about ‘Broad Science’, how it came to be, and why its mission is so important. You’ll also hear a clip from the ‘Broad Science’ episode ‘The Social Life of DNA’ which dives into some of the science of genetic testing. You can find 'Broad Science' at broadscience.org and on Twitter @science_broads. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3dUsVRx

Why do we sleep? It may surprise you that, although we spend about ⅓ of our lives sleeping, we still have much more to discover about sleep. In this episode of Nerdin’ About we chat with Neuroscientist Rackeb Tesfaye about sleep science, the link between sleep and genetics and how the environment impacts sleep patterns. We also explore Rackeb’s PhD work to better understand the underlying factors that contribute to sleep disturbance among youth with autism. Don’t sleep on this episode! A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2TcsRTQ

Take a ride with us back to New Jersey in the 1980’s. To Action Park, an amusement park that was equal parts tantalizing and terrifying. In this episode of Nerdin’ About we chat with Seth Porges, the Co-Director of the documentary 'Class Action Park' now on HBO Max. In it, we’re transported to a time and place where the rules didn’t apply, where dreams became reality (even if they maybe shouldn’t have) and where the rides seemed to defy the laws of physics. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2S7TWaa

Reproductive health is often framed within categories of “women’s” and “men’s” health, but an approach based on binaries falls short of addressing the needs of all people. In this episode of Nerdin’ About we talk with A.J. Lowik, a non-binary person who is a PhD Candidate and researcher studying trans-inclusive reproductive health as well as a trans-inclusion consultant. We discuss current barriers to trans and non-binary folks in accessing health care, the trouble with cisnormative and repronormative frameworks (and what the heck these are!), and ways for making health care spaces more inclusive. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2FBKMjg

Are we alone in the universe? Having discovered over 21 exoplanets already, Dr. Michelle Kunimoto is on the hunt for new planets and part of this work involves determining whether they could support life. In this episode of Nerdin' About, Dr. Kunimoto shares the science behind the search for exoplanets, the characteristics we consider when determining whether a planet may be able to support life, and which of these planets deserve a spot on your exoplanet tourist bucket list. And of course, no episode about the search for new worlds would be complete without a little tangent about Star Trek and how it inspires exploration. A transcript of this week’s episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2QNJR1E

Are you missing the theatre? Are you itching for a comedy about quantum mechanics, prison reform, and Indigenous liberation? In this episode of Nerdin’ About we talk with storyteller and creator Kim Senklip Harvey about how she uses comedy to discuss issues of injustice faced by Indigenous peoples, and to build connections among people across space and time. We also dive into why Kim writes stories that highlight Indigenous matriarchs, and how she brings this focus into her blog and podcast “The Indigenous Cultural Evolutionist”. A transcript of this week’s episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3garLB4

Have you ever attended a party surrounded by variously shaped novelty balloons, looked around and thought: What’s up with Helium? It turns out there’s more to this noble gas than its ultra-light, voice-altering characteristics and these other traits will make you think about balloons a whole lot differently. In this episode of Nerdin’ About, Pramodh Senarath Yapa chats with us about condensed matter physics, how Helium was discovered, its uses, and the super cool (-270 degrees cool) Helium 3! Beyond nerding out about Helium, Pramodh describes the similarities between electrons and dancing, and how (He) continues to explore the melding of physics and music. A transcript of this week’s episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/31iZAdU

On this episode of Nerdin’ About, the forecast calls for meteorology. We’re joined by Johanna Wagstaffe, the on-air meteorologist, seismologist, and science reporter for CBC News. We discuss why weather forecasting can be unpredictable, how weather data is (and has been) collected, and how advances in technology are improving our ability to predict the weather. And even though there is still some uncertainty in weather forecasting, we also talk about the certainty of climate change and why communicating the science behind the changing climate is so important. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2CK3T9o

Diabetes affects over 2 million people in Canada, but what is diabetes and how can we treat it? In this episode of Nerdin’ About we speak with Dr. Krishana Sankar about her PhD research where she combined biology and engineering to explore improving treatments for diabetes. We give some love to the often forgotten and under-appreciated islets of Langerhans, learning about their role in diabetes, and how "going with flow” can help in our efforts to improve islet transplantation. In addition to studying diabetes, Dr. Sankar founded the #150minutes campaign to increase awareness of diabetes and encourage 150 minutes of exercise each week. Dr. Sankar is also the founder of GradWriteSlack, an online community supporting graduate students in their writing. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3ggaOFW

When you think of sharks, what comes to mind? Blood-thirsty monsters? Cuddly puppy...fish? In this episode of Nerdin’ About we discover why neither fits the fin, and why if you’ve seen one shark, you haven’t seen them all. We’re joined by marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman, who answers all of our questions about shark diversity, shark sex, shark conservation, and of course, how the movie Jaws influenced how society thinks about sharks. We also dive into how the loss of some species (whether they be predators or… super-urinators) can have serious consequences for marine ecosystems. For more from Dr. Shiffman, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @WhySharksMatter. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/30Rp975

Love them or hate them, pigeons are a part of city living - but how did pigeons end up in cities and what can pigeons tell us about the cities that we live in? In this episode we speak with pigeon expert Elizabeth Carlen about her research, which involves using pigeon genetics to uncover some of what we still don’t understand about our feathered neighbours. A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3eSUbzg

On this should-be holiday of May the 4th, we’re off to a galaxy far, far away with JAG attorney and Star Wars aficionado Thomas Harper to talk about legal matters in the Star Wars universe. If you’ve ever wondered about the legality of some of the actions of The Empire, or why the Rebels wear uniforms, you’re in good company. Grab your lightsaber and join the Nerd Herd as we get an education in Law with a Star Wars twist. A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2XD7VZi

Nearsightedness is increasing globally, but why? What causes nearsightedness and is there anything we can do to keep our vision in tip-top shape as we age? Push up your spectacles and join us this week as we speak with vision scientist Dr. Brittany Carr about nearsightedness, potential ways to stop it from progressing, and lessons learned from chickens. A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Y4ZftI

Dr. Samantha Yammine (also known as Science Sam on social media) is a neuroscientist and science communicator, who over the past few months has been dedicating much of her time to communicating about COVID-19. In this episode, we chat with Sam about how to communicate science via Instagram, how she stays on top of  the most recent research on COVID-19, why tone is so important, and what she’s been nerding about during quarantine. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/2XtOh1Z

"Nerdin’ About" is a spin-off of Nerd Nite Vancouver, a bar lecture series which believes in giving people a space to share their expertise and interests. Each episode of Nerdin’ About will feature one guest and take a short dive into their work and what they’ve been nerdin’ about. Hosted by rat researcher Kaylee Byers and astronomy educator Michael Unger. A transcript of the episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3760Nrc