In this week's episode, hosts Anthony Cruz and Anika Bushra interview Stephanie Brocca, a master’s graduate in Health and Rehabilitation Science. Stephanie researches how current methods of communicating health information can be a barrier to health literacy, patient activation, and health competencies in individuals with specific learning disorders, a field not well studied. Outside of research, Stephanie is passionate about mental health awareness and has written a book of poetry on trauma, stigma, and mental health, taking inspiration from true stories across the GTA. Tune in to learn more about the health literacy, patient activation, and the importance of accessible communication in the health field!

Anyone interested can reach out to Stephanie via Linkedin at www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-brocca

Recorded on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 Produced by Evelyn MacKay-Barr Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

This week, PhD candidate Mila Strelnikova gives a crash course into adapting the scientific spirit, and exploring problems in electrochemistry with a basic science focus (and pioneering steps towards making novel, state-of-the-art microscopy approaches usable across Ontario’s nuclear ecosystem!).

What is pitting corrosion? Why is it something that’s harder to catch when we’re inspecting metal equipment breaking down, and why is this important? How are these problems being tackled and broken down in the lab?

Join Chrishma Perera and Victor Lau as they hear more on Mila’s journey in learning about and building at the edge of this field. Come to hear about the electrochemistry and how she’s been supported by a great group of lab mates, and stay a bit longer to hear about her involvements as a grad student outside her research.

People can reach out to Mila via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/liudmila-strelnikova/ ; And find more about the Gateman lab at https://sites.google.com/view/gatemanresearchgroup/home .

Recorded on Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 Produced by Anika Bushra Theme tune "Feelin Good" provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)

In this week's episode, host Mark Ambrogio interviews GradCast alumna Amalie Hutchinson, a PhD candidate in Biology. Amalie was a GradCast host and producer, ultimately serving two terms as Chair and Managing Editor. She returns to GradCast as she prepares to enter the fourth year of her program (after a maternal leave – congratulations, by the way!). In her research, Amalie studies how hummingbirds use torpor, a state of inactivity characterized by a lowered body temperature and decreased metabolic rate, to preserve energy at night. While this phenomenon is not entirely unique to hummingbirds, the extreme temperature they lower their body to is. Amalie is currently looking at the energy demands of migration, using the wind tunnel at Western's Advanced Facility for Avian Research to study how hummingbirds consume energy over long-distance flights. In their conversation, Amalie and Mark also discuss their shared history with GradCast as well as ways of staying grounded as graduate students. Anyone interested in Amalie's research may contact her at: asaab4@uwo.ca

Recorded on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 Produced by Evelyn MacKay-Barr Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)