Episodes
Thursday Oct 01, 2020
WSS S5E4: Microplastics Are Everywhere (Including Your Food!)
Thursday Oct 01, 2020
Thursday Oct 01, 2020
When Western Earth Sciences professor Patricia Corcoran takes time off from discovering new plastic forms on the shorelines of our beaches and lakes, she chooses to educate and explain why the plastic epidemic is worse than our eyes tell us. On this episode of Western Science Speaks, we discuss how toxic plastic-nature hybrids are formed, the invisible killers on our beaches, and how we can be better plastic citizens. Hope isn't lost in winning the fight against debris and plastic and listening to Patricia is the perfect place to start.
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
WSS S5E2: Mining Our Own Stories
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
Dr. Bob Linnen, an economic geologist from the Department of Earth Sciences, joins the show to discuss the state of mining in Canada, the tech-building materials that are prompting a modern gold rush, and why are countries re-evaluating their own natural resources.
Monday Jan 20, 2020
WSS S4E9: Ground Up Perspectives: Projecting the Future of Plants
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Professor Dani Way from the Department of Biology joins the show to discuss her work predicting future climate realities on Earth - and what that means for our plants and trees.
Friday Nov 01, 2019
WSS S4E6: Earth, Wind, and Fire: New Perspectives on Mining
Friday Nov 01, 2019
Friday Nov 01, 2019
Dr. Nigel Blamey joins the podcast to discuss the challenges facing the mining industry, what a mass extinction caused by gas would look like, and how oxygen has evolved.
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
WSS S4E4: The Rise of Fish Farming in Canada
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Dr. Bryan Neff from the Department of Biology joins the podcast to discuss the rise of sustainable fish farming in Canada, why we’re hesitant to eat genetically modified food, and his research in restoring salmon to Canadian lakes.
Monday Apr 08, 2019
WSS S3E13: X Marks the Spot: Understanding Social Behavior Through the Brain
Monday Apr 08, 2019
Monday Apr 08, 2019
About 1% of the Canadian population is affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder; 100,000 Ontarians alone currently live with ASD, which presents with a number of symptoms including difficulty with social interaction. On this episode of Western Science Speaks, graduate student Wes Robinson from the Department of Biology shares his insights the how the brain deciphers social cues, what has happened when it can’t, and how his research may contribute to a better understanding of how to treat autism.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2E8: Canada's Oil Disconnect
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Western Canada is one of the world's largest oil manufacturing regions, but in the last half-decade the industry has experienced a significant downturn, and is only just starting to recover. Western Science Speaks brings in geologist and former oil exploration CEO, Professor Burns Cheadle, for an objective breakdown of Canada's oil sector woes, the head-scratching reality of half the country importing oil from abroad, and how the sector impacts our relationship with the U.S.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2E4: Explore the Revival of Atlantic Salmon in the Great Lakes
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
When you live in a fish-eat-fish world, the complexity of your environment and how you use it to survive and thrive is of critical importance. Neff Lab researcher, Chris Therrien joins us for part two in a series about the revival of Atlantic Salmon in The Great Lakes.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2E1: Bird Survival in a Changing Climate
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Western Science Speaks takes a tour of the Advanced Facility for Avian Research. This cutting-edge research facility has it's own wind tunnel and is able to simulate almost any environmental condition. We talk with Jeff Martin who's looking how climate change is affecting birds in Canada.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2 Launch: Canada's Energy Economy
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Sustainability, alternative energy, profitability and competitiveness; concepts that considered together provide a thought-provoking discussion with Western University’s Dr. Matt Davison about Canada’s energy economy from the perspective of the consumer, government and business.