Nerdin’ About

Science Policy of Truth

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

Güt for your Health

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.

Raccoons Revealed

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

Bat Science Stories More Than Dark Nights

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

Bonus: Nerdin‘ About Live

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

Bonus: The Life Changing Effects of a Cancer Diagnosis

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

Creating Accessible Places and Spaces

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

Bonus: Let's Innovate

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/

Spice Up Your Life with Sri Lankan Cooking

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

Conservation is the Bees Knees

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