The Discovery Pod
Hemp houses, disease-detecting dogs, and robot swarms inspired by wasps; In 2022, The Discovery Pod is exploring bold new ideas.
Join host Andy Lowe as he chats with researchers at the forefront of innovation—and uncovers history in the making.
How can we make tomorrow better today? Let’s find out.
Welcome to The Discovery Pod
Episodes are released fortnightly - subscribe via your favourite podcast app, and rate or review the show to help listeners like yourself discover it.
Meet our host
Professor Andy Lowe is a British-Australian scientist and interim director of the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide.
Latest episodes
How can we build better care for men’s mental health? The conversation Australia needs to have. With Professor Deborah Turnbull
EP10, with Professor Deborah Turnbull.
Read more about How can we build better care for men’s mental health? The conversation Australia needs to have. With Professor Deborah Turnbull
How can we rethink reoffence? With Dr Julie-Anne Toohey
EP08, with Dr Julie-Anne Toohey.
Read more about How can we rethink reoffence? With Dr Julie-Anne Toohey
The algorithm will see you now. Can AI fill the gaps in our mental health care system?
EP06, with Associate Professor Carolyn Semmler.
Read more about The algorithm will see you now. Can AI fill the gaps in our mental health care system?
Biomimicry: Engineering innovations inspired by nature
EP02, with Doctor Noune Melkoumian.
Read more about Engineering innovations inspired by nature
Growing our way out of the climate crisis
EP01, with Professor Rachel Burton.
Read more about Growing our way out of the climate crisisOur guests
Professor Rachel Burton
EP01. Growing our way out of the climate crisis.
Professor Rachel Burton is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide. She has been Chief Investigator on two Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence—Plant Cell Walls and Plant Energy Biology—and was named a Superstar of STEM by Science and Technology Australia in 2017.
Dr Noune Melkounian
EP02. Biomimicry: engineering innovations inspired by nature.
Dr Noune Melkoumian is a senior lecturer in the University of Adelaide’s School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering. She specialises in swarm robotics, an advanced area within the biomimetics field.
Dr Anne-Lise Chaber
EP03. Dogs saving lives with a sniff. How can we decode disease with scent?
Dr Anne-Lise Chaber is a senior lecturer in the University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Science. She is steering Australia’s groundbreaking participation in a huge international research effort: training dogs to identify COVID-19 and prevent the spread of the virus.
Dr Alice Jones
EP04: Is blue carbon the answer to lowering emissions? The science of sinking carbon.
Dr Alice Jones is a lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Adelaide.
Dr Stephen Rodda
EP05: The Business of Innovation. What does it take to bring big ideas to market?
Stephen Rodda is Chief Innovation and Commercialisation Officer at the University of Adelaide.
Professor Carolyn Semmler
EP06: The algorithm will see you now. Can AI fill the gaps in our mental health care system?
Carolyn leads the Applied Cognition and Experimental Psychology (ACEP) research group, focusing on the application of theories and models of cognition, judgement and decision-making to legal and medical contexts.
Dr Julie-Anne Toohey
EP08: How can we rethink reoffence? With Dr Julie-Anne Toohey
Dr. Julie-Anne Toohey completed her PhD in Criminology through the University of Adelaide and is a teacher and researcher at the University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Professor Melissa Nursey-Bray
EP09: Dedication or deception? How greenwashing impacts us all. With Professor Melissa Nursey-Bray
My research investigates the connection between people and the environment. I focus on how to engage communities to be part of environmental decision making, particularly in the context of climate change and biodiversity protection.
Professor Deborah Turnbull
EP10: How can we build better care for men’s mental health? The conversation Australia needs to have
Deborah Turnbull was awarded the Chair in Psychology at the University of Adelaide in 2005 and has been researching in the area of health and clinical psychology for over 20 years.
Catch up on episodes
Take a listen to seasons 1-3 of The Discovery Pod and expand your knowledge in the areas of health, biotech, societal wellbeing, defence, environmental sustainability, space and digital technology.
Select a season
Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 (current)
Select an area of interest
Agriculture, food and wine | Defence, cyber and space | Energy mining and resources | Environmental sustainability | Health | Music STEM
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