The Aspiring STEM Geek

Volcanoes with Natália Gauer Pasqualon - #25

In this episode I am joined by Doctor Natalia Gauer Pasqualon, a volcanologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The focus of this episode is volcanology, which is the study of volcanoes and geochemical phenomena.We first discuss how Natalia decided to study geology for her undergraduate degree and how Natalia ended up finishing two PhDs in volcanology. Then we get into volcanology. Natalia defines what a Volcano is, the difference between lava and magma, hotspots, the different types of volcanoes, volcanic eruptions, underwater volcanoes, super volcanoes, the terabytes of data she has to work with and much more. I hope you enjoy!PAPERS:Natalia’s PhD Thesis: https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/101a9715-d88a-4983-a2b6-e03d505cd503Kīlauea lava fuels phytoplankton bloom in the North Pacific Ocean: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aax4767Growth and degradation of Hawaiian volcanoes: https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/pp18013ARTICLES:Oceanic Hotspots: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/plate-tectonics-oceanic-hotspots.htmVolcanic Eruptions: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/volcanoes/volcanic-eruptions.htmUpdate on the July 23 Biscuit Basin hydrothermal explosion: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/240723.htmMarine life's latest hotspot could be an underwater volcano primed to erupt off Oregon: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/15/nx-s1-5398591/underwater-volcano-eruption-oregonWhat is a supervolcano? What is a supereruption?: https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-a-supervolcano-what-a-supereruptionMan dies after rescue from restricted area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-dies-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-rcna262100BOOKS:The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick RubinMUSIC INTRO/OUTRO:Music: massobeats - warmth (https://youtu.be/slnUKMhcQUs)CONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:17 – Why Natália decided to study geology for her undergraduate4:51 – Natália earning two PhDs8:56 – Defining what a Volcano is10:38 – Defining Volcanology10:57 – The geochemistry of Volcanoes13:36 – Lava vs Magma15:05 – Hotspots17:38 – Modeling lava flow18:59 – The types of Volcanoes21:26 – The most common Volcano type in Hawaii22:19 – The types of Volcanic eruptions24:46 – Which Volcano type is most dangerous?28:21 – How well can we forecast Volcanic eruptions?33:32 – Accessing Volcanoes as a researcher34:50 – Collecting data during Volcanic activity39:09 – Super Volcanoes41:47 – Yellowstone43:19 – Submarine Volcanoes48:42 – The lifecycle of a Volcano in Hawaii54:37 – Natália’s research for her PhD thesis1:03:51 – The dangers of Volcanoes1:06:17 – Volcanic soil for growing agriculture1:07:48 – Housing near Volcano hazard zones1:08:37 – Wildlife near Volcanoes1:10:03 – How to get started in Volcanology1:11:59 – Coolest Volcanoes Natália has seen1:14:06 – Places to check out if you visit Brazil1:17:12 – Brazilian cinematography and music1:19:21 – Book recommendation

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Hydrology with Eric Larson - #24

May 101:21:28Tap to summarize

In this episode I am joined by Eric Larson, a hydrologist who works for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The focus of this episode is hydrology, which is a field in science that studies the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth. In the episode we discuss Eric’s love of the outdoors, studying civil engineering for his undergraduate, his current work as a hydrologist in Montana, methods for collecting hydrology data, his experience with SNOwpackTELemetryNetwork, how hydrology data is utilized by farmers and local governments and much more. I hope you enjoy!VIDEO:MontanaNRCS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MontanaNRCS/videosPAPERS:The History of Snow Survey & Water Supply forecasting: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/History-Of-Snow-Survey.pdfWater Supply Outlook Reports – Montana: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/montana/montana-snow-survey/water-supply-outlook-reports-montanaARTICLES:The Man Behind the Snowpack: https://mountainjournal.org/eric-larson-the-man-behind-the-snowpack/Understanding Snow: https://watereducationcolorado.org/publications-and-radio/headwaters-magazine/spring-2024-the-snow-issue/understanding-snow/Snow: The real water supply for the Rio Grande basin: https://jornada.nmsu.edu/files/bibliography/06-035.pdf These Four States Are in Denial Over a Looming Water Crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/opinion/water-shortage-colorado-river.html Spring Outlook: Drought forecasted to expand in U.S. West, parts of Plains: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/spring-outlook-drought-forecasted-to-expand-in-us-west-parts-of-plainsJune 2022 Floods in the Upper Yellowstone River Basin: https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/fs20243035/fullRequirements to become a Hydrologist in the US: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/hydrology-series-1315BOOKS:Never Turn Back: The Life of Whitewater Pioneer Walt Blackadar by Ron WattersThe Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon by Kevin FedarkoCONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:12 – Eric growing up in Minnesota3:34 – Studying civil engineering at University5:05 – Defining Hydrology7:13 – SNOwpack TELemetry Network (SNOTEL)8:27 – What time of the year is Hydrology data collected10:36 – How SNOTEL data is transmitted & collected12:12 – Grizzly Bears near SNOTEL sites13:46 – Maintenance on SNOTEL equipment15:54 – Process to sample Snow Course data21:26 – Elevation sickness22:35 – Defining Snowpacks23:44 – Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)25:48 – Spatial variability of snow fall28:44 – Hydrological measurements31:41 – Sublimination35:20 – Methods of trekking to the SNOTEL sites39:10 – Maintaining SNOTEL data41:32 – Snow Survey & Water Supply Forecasting Program43:55 – Avalanche risk46:44 – Hydrology equipment is expensive… 51:47 – The hardest part of collecting Hydrology data56:35 – Who utilizes Hydrology data?58:48 – Surface vs Ground water1:01:08 – Water from snow melt 1:02:02 – Droughts1:04:54 – Water conservation and water capture1:07:45 – How to get started in Hydrology1:11:04 – Outdoor activities in Montana1:12:25 – Glacier National Park & Custer Gallatin National Forest1:13:56 – Best ski spots1:14:56 – Indiana Bones1:17:25 – Book recommendation1:18:53 - Conclusion

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Capybaras with Elizabeth Congdon - #23

Apr 1501:09:39Tap to summarize

In this episode I am joined by Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, a Capybara researcher and a Professor at Bethune Cookman University. In the episode we start with Beth’s experience with collecting and analyzing data at the Cleveland Zoo and Beth’s research on primates for her Master’s thesis. Then we get into the main focus of the episode, Capybaras! Beth compares Capybaras to other rodents, reviews the regions where they live, their diets, how they communicate, why they swim in the water, why they are so seemingly chill and much more. I hope you enjoy!Ologies Podcast episode with Dr. Elizabeth Congdon: https://www.alieward.com/ologies/hydrochoerologyPAPERS:Natal dispersal and new group formation in capybaras in a seasonally flooded savanna of Venezuela (Beth’s PhD thesis): https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/561/ Self discrimination in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3887474/Status of Capybaras & Potential for Establishment in Florida: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345844506WHERE TO SEE CAPYBARAS:Pantanal, Brazil (In the wild)Capybara Cafe in St. Augustine Florida, USA (Animal sanctuary)BOOKS:Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard BachCONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:29 – Beth’s interest in animals growing up2:39 – Conducting Research at the Cleveland Zoo6:36 – Researching primates in the wild12:10 – Why are primatologists located in the anthropology department of universities?15:14 – What is a Capybara?16:29 – Capybaras compared to other rodents19:41 – What regions are Capybaras found in?21:25 – Capybara’s diet22:54 – A hypothesis on why Capybaras are so chill24:02 – The size of Capybaras25:02 – Time to adulthood and lifespans of Capybaras27:03 – How male Capybaras become dominant29:59 – Capybara communications30:54 – Capybaras are semi-aquatic34:54 – The area used by wild Capybaras36:07 – Capybaras and predators39:08 – Capybaras and birds40:30 – Beth’s current research42:46 – If Beth could do any type of Capybara research she wanted46:59 – Are Capybaras cuddly?47:34 – The feasibility of having a Capybara as a pet48:44 – Would Capybaras be able to survive on their own in Florida?51:25 – Capybara Litter sizes52:58 – Where to see Capybaras in Central and South America55:09 – Capybara Sanctuary in St. Augustine, Florida57:03 – Beth’s favorite Capybara reference in pop culture57:47 – Which dog breed is most like Capybaras?59:18 – Beth’s favorite moments with Capybaras1:02:02 – If Beth could study another species besides Capybaras it would be…1:04:12 – Book recommendations1:07:37 – Conclusion

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Chile Peppers with the Chile Pepper Institute - #22

Apr 101:04:59Tap to summarize

This episode is all about Chile Peppers! I traveled to southern New Mexico to the Chile Pepper institute at New Mexico State University. I talk with Danise Coon and Dr. Dennis Lozada who are two researchers with the institute. In the episode we discuss the origins of Chile Peppers, the factors that affect Chile pepper production, the Scoville scale to measure the heat of peppers, mechanization of agricultural functions, multi omics, methods to improve pepper yields and the best dishes that go with Chile peppers. I hope you enjoy!VIDEO:Pepper X: Sean Evans, Chili Klaus & Smokin' Ed Currie Eat the New World's Hottest Pepper | Hot Ones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUYtDA7j19cPAPERS:Diversification of chiles (Capsicum, Solanaceae) through time and space: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9622771/Chile Consumers and Their Preferences Toward Region of Production-Certified Chile Peppers: https://pubs.nmsu.edu/research/economics/RR790/Chile Pepper (Capsicum) Breeding and Improvement in the "Multi-Omics" Era: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35592583/ARTICLES:Scoville scale: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scaleNMSU investigates how peppers get their punch: https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/nmsu/2016/01/31/nmsu-investigates-how-peppers-get-their-punch/79607342/ RESTAURANTS:Chope's Bar & Cafe in La Mesa, NMLa Posta De Mesilla in Mesilla, NMAndele Restaurant Mesilla, NMSi Señor Restaurant in Las Cruces, NMEl Parasol in Española, NMEl Paragua Restaurant in Española, NMTomasita's Santa Fe New Mexican Restaurant in Santa Fe, NMOwl Cafe in Albuquerque, NMCONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:08 – What are Chile Peppers and where do they come from2:24 – Ideal climate to grow Chile Peppers6:20 – Disease affecting Chile Peppers7:22 – Why has there been a drop in Chile Pepper production8:42 – Measuring the spiciness of Chile Peppers13:37 – How to cool off from a hot Pepper15:34 – Does Pepper X have potential competition from New Mexico?18:05 – Green vs. Red20:43 – NuMex Twilight Ornamental Chile21:44 – Ristra25:01 – The best times to visit the Chile Pepper Institute27:35 – The International Pepper Conference29:54 – The Chile Pepper Institute’s global partners31:52 – Defining Capsicum32:17 – Multi-Omics36:08 – The phenotyping bottleneck38:06 – Speed Breeding38:59 – Robots in the Pepper fields42:40 – Chile vs Chili44:26 – Favorite food to add Chile too46:50 – Hottest Chile Pepper Danise has tried49:28 – Best New Mexican dishes with Chile Pepper50:38 – New Mexico restaurant recommendations54:43 – The natural beauty of New Mexico

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Data Centers with Eric Masanet - #21

Mar 901:43:14Tap to summarize

In this episode I talk to Dr. Eric Masanet. Eric is the Professor and Mellichamp Chair in Sustainability Science at the University of California Santa Barbara. The core focus of the episode is Data Centers. In the episode we start at a high level where Eric defines what a Data Center is, the stakeholders of a Data Center, GPU vs CPU compute, the lifecycle of chips, the potential energy efficiency gains of compute, Data Center water usage, the sparse data on Data Centers and the best and worst case scenarios for Data Center sustainability in the future. I hope you enjoy! VIDEO: Eric’s Testimony to Congress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE0be5uqjuwPAPERS:Eric’s PhD Thesis on E-waste (paywalled behind ProQuest): https://www.proquest.com/docview/305213050 GPU Lifetimes on Titan Supercomputer: Survival Analysis and Reliability: https://christian-engelmann.de/publications/ostrouchov20gpu.pdfWith the Right Developer, Technological Progress Doesn’t Mean Data Center Obsolescence: https://www.streamdatacenters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SDC-Brief-Data-Center-Obsolescence-20250416.pdfHow Hungry is AI? Benchmarking Energy, Water, and Carbon Footprint of LLM Inference: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.095982024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: https://eta.lbl.gov/publications/2024-lbnl-data-center-energy-usage-reportARTICLES:Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE): https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/waste-electrical-and-electronic-equipment-weee_enApple expands the use of recycled materials across its products: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/04/apple-expands-the-use-of-recycled-materials-across-its-products/The 2025 Data Center Power Report by Bloom Energy: https://resources.bloomenergy.com/data-center-power-reportNEWS: Sanders: Yes. We Need a Moratorium On Data Center Construction.: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-yes-we-need-a-moratorium-on-data-center-construction/Ratepayer Protection Pledge: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2026/03/ratepayer-protection-pledge/BOOKS:Connections by James Burke: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743299558 CONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:48 – Eric’s interesting in building things growing up3:00 – Studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin Madison4:34 – Eric’s PhD Thesis on minimizing Electronic Waste14:55 – Defining a Data Center18:06 – Stakeholders of a Data Center21:59 – Central Processing Units (CPUs) vs Graphical Processing Units (GPUs)24:30 – Lifecycles of Computer Chips30:58 – Will the energy consumption from a GPU query become as efficient as a Google Search over time?37:15 – Are Data Centers making electricity more expensive?42:34 – Data Center water usage48:39 – How Data Center builders decide where to build57:02 – Google’s Hamina Data Centers, an example of sustainable Data Center builds?1:01:34 – Data collection on Data Centers1:08:36 – The United States agency that could collect data on Data Centers in the future1:10:59 – Could an industry group collect data on Data Centers?1:14:51 – How hardware companies can provide more data on chips1:18:09 – Best and worst case scenarios for Data Center sustainability1:27:01 – What happens to Data Centers if there is an AI bubble that pops?1:31:17 – Eric’s ideal Data Center policies1:37:29 – Being outdoors in California1:38:56 – Book recommendation

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Statistics & Public Health with Leigh Cash - #20

Feb 1800:50:53Tap to summarize

In this episode I talk with Dr. Leigh Cash. Leigh received her doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins University and is currently a Research Engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Within the episode we discuss how Leigh became interested in science growing up, studying environmental health for her undergraduate at University of Georgia, a life changing incident at the University that solidified her interest in public health, uncertainty quantification, nanoparticles and statistics.Please note this episode is audio only. I hope you enjoy! PAPERS:Leigh's PhD Thesis: https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/items/09fc6bae-3c48-43bd-8f86-a094b0c0e1ebCompetency Framework: Understanding and Applying ARECC to Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety: https://www.aiha.org/education/frameworks/competency-framework-understanding-how-arecc-works-within-occupational-exposure-assessmentBOOKS:Our Children's Toxic Legacy: How Science and Law Fail to Protect Us from Pesticides by John Wargo: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0300074468The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom by Graham Farmelo: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465022103A Cultural History of Mathematics: Volumes 1-6 (The Cultural Histories Series): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1350063126Theory of Games and Economic Behavior by John von Neumann, Oskar Morgenstern, Harold W. Kuhn and Ariel Rubinstein: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0691130612CONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SN?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV?si=26e034e416f446d8|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:27 – Growing up in Kingsport, Tennessee 4:21 – Studying Environmental Health at the University of Georgia5:34 – Balancing academics and athletics at University7:22 – Pesticides12:58 – Attending graduate school at Yale18:32 – Starting a PhD and working with Los Alamos National Laboratory21:07 – Uncertainty Quantification23:44 – Nanoparticles31:24 – HEPA filters and nanoparticles33:16 – ARECC Framework35:55 – Handling sparse data sets38:09 – Probability vs Likelihood40:00 – Advice for people looking to get into Public Health and Statistics42:45 – Book recommendations46:02 – The three Chihuahuas47:28 – Conclusion

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Causal Inference with Srikar Katta - #19

Jan 1901:32:27Tap to summarize

In this episode I talk with Srikar Katta. Srikar is a PhD researcher focused on Computer Science at Duke University. During the discussion we review methods from Causal Inference, a field closely related to statistics, Srikar goes over his papers where he studies data from wearable devices and political polarization using methods from Causal Inference, we discuss how social media affects our perceptions and we talk about board games and books Srikar has been getting into. I hope you enjoy! PAPERS DISCUSSED:Interpretable Causal Inference for Analyzing Wearable,Sensor, and Distributional Data: https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.10569A Design-based Solution for Causal Inference with Text: Cana Language Model Be Too Large?: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.08758Political Polarization Dataset on GitHub: https://github.com/kattasa/text_as_treatment_repositoryARTICLES:Neuroeconomics Laboratory: https://sites.temple.edu/neuroeconlab/Automated Recognition of Robotic Manipulation Failures inHigh-throughput Biodosimetry Tool (blood centrifuge): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3339769/The principled control of false positives in neuroimaging(dead salmon paper): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2799957/What is Causal Inference? Why Do We Care? Can We Do It? fromPurdue University: https://www.stat.purdue.edu/~sabbaghi/teaching/DTSS/Causal%20Epiphanies.html“A calculated risk”: the Salk polio vaccine field trials of1954: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1114166/Bag-of-words models: https://www.cs.cornell.edu/courses/cs6670/2009fa/lectures/lec16_bag_of_words.pdfFacebook says it dismantles disinformation network tied toIran's state media: https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN22H2DJBOOKS:The Most Human Human by Brian Christian: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385533063Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson: https://www.amazon.com/dp/076531178X CONNECT: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X:https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinay PODCAST: Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible:https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SN?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV?si=26e034e416f446d8 |-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:52 – Getting into STEM3:37 – Srikar dual majoring in math and computer science6:52 – Attending graduate level courses as an undergrad13:12 – Srikar starting his PhD in Comp Sci at Duke University15:07 – Having two PhD advisors17:42 – Defining Causal Inference28:19 – Srikar’s paper on Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices for Type Idiabetics47:27 – Srikar’s paper on political polarization1:01:48 – Sometimes the simpler model is better1:06:14 – Are we more politically polarized relative to different periods intime?1:17:08 – Preferred programming languages1:19:56 – Board games1:21:20 – Book recommendations 1:31:00 – Conclusion

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Physics and Finance with Damian Handzy - #18

Dec 1101:42:25Tap to summarize

In this episode I talk with Dr. Damian Handzy. In theepisode we talk about physics, finance and how the two disciplines are intertwined. We talk about how Damian became interested in science and math as a child, how he became interested in physics as an undergraduate in University of Pennsylvania, Damian’s PhD thesis in experimental nuclear physics, pivoting from nuclear physics to finance, financial risk and how behavioral economicsaffects the markets and the economy. Towards the end we discuss complex systems and the difficulty in generalizing complex systems such as the financial markets. I hope you enjoy! Damian’s PhD Thesis: https://d.lib.msu.edu/etd/29876 ARTICLES:Young’s Double Split Experiment Explanation from KhanAcademy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk6s2OlKzKQDOE Explains...The Strong Force: https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsthe-strong-forceDiscovery of the electron and nucleus from Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/class-9-chemistry/a/discovery-of-the-electron-and-nucleusWhat is a Credit Rating? from S&P Global: https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/credit-ratings/about/understanding-credit-ratingsAn Econometric Model of Serial Correlation and Illiquidityin Hedge Fund Returns by Andrew Lo, Mila Getmansky and Igor Makarov: https://ideas.repec.org/p/mit/sloanp/1838.htmlCredit Spread: What It Means for Bonds and Options Strategyfrom Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditspread.aspUnderstanding Value at Risk (VaR): Explanation andCalculation Methods from Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/092904.aspBlack-Scholes Model: What It Is, How It Works, and OptionsFormula from Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blackscholes.aspIs the Flurry of Circular AI Deals a Win-Win—or Sign of aBubble? from the Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/is-the-flurry-of-circular-ai-deals-a-win-winor-sign-of-a-bubble-8a2d70c5BOOKS:Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas TalebFlash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael LewisScale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation,Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, andCompanies by Geoffrey WestThe Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, CompetitiveHumans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics by Michael ShermerAgainst the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk by Peter L.BernsteinThe Origin of Wealth by Eric BeinhockerThe Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas TalebThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanHow to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices byAnnie DukeCONNECT: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X:https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinay PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1765996824Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV |-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:41 – The beginning of Damian’s interest in STEM5:14 – Damian shifting from pre-med to physics and math9:31 – Studying nuclear physics11:09 – Summer research internship at Indiana University Bloomington14:18 – Choosing Michigan State over MIT for a PhD16:29 – How nuclear was perceived in the late 20th century19:37 – Damian’s Experimental Nuclear Physics PhD thesis34:19 – The importance of fundamental STEM research38:56 – Damian’s pivot from nuclear physics to finance41:36 – Defining risk in finance56:21 – Working in the finance industry during the Great Financial Crisis of2008-091:02:36 – The origins of the Black Scholes Merton Model1:08:06 – Potential financial risks in 2025 and beyond1:26:35 – Damian’s advice to aspiring financiers and physicists1:32:53 – Book Recommendations1:37:00 – Conclusion

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Open Educational Resources with Anthony Palmiotto of OpenStax - #17

Nov 2401:23:39Tap to summarize

In this episode I talk with Anthony Palmiotto of OpenStax. The episode focuses on Open Educational Resources (OER). Open Educational Resources include open-source textbooks that are free to students and instructors. In the episode we talk about how OpenStax develops open-source textbooks, how different universities are utilizing open educational resources, the experts who contribute to open-source textbooks and comparing open educational resources to proprietary textbook publishers.I want to thank the OpenStax organization for all their work. It is impactful to provide textbooks to students, instructors and schools that are struggling financially. I also want to thank all the experts that have contributed to open-source textbooks. If you are a student or instructor, please share this with your administration and hopefully we can get more free educational resources into the hands of people who need it. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the conversation!For any instructors that want to contribute to OER here is the form to contact OpenStax admin: https://openstax.org/contact/Open-Source Textbooks available from OpenStax: https://openstax.org/subjectsOpenStax Assignable: https://openstax.org/assignableOpenStax for K-12 Teachers: https://openstax.org/k12ARTICLES:What are open educational resources (OER)? from OpenStax: https://openstax.org/blog/what-are-oerUConn Leading State’s Open Textbook Initiative from UConn Today: https://today.uconn.edu/2016/02/uconn-leading-states-open-textbook-initiative/About CC Licenses from creativecommons.org: https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/cclicenses/Rubin Observatory basks in galactic glow from Space.com: https://www.space.com/astronomy/rubin-observatory-basks-in-galactic-glow-space-photo-of-the-day-for-nov-3-2025OpenStax and Microsoft partner for AI-enhanced learning in the classroom: https://openstax.org/blog/press-release-openstax-and-microsoft-partner-for-ai-enhanced-learning-in-the-classroomNational survey shows higher education faculty embracing digital and open educational resources (OER) from Bay View Analytics: https://www.bayviewanalytics.com/oer.htmlCONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SN?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV?si=26e034e416f446d8|-Video Chapters-| 0:00 – Intro 2:11 – Defining Open Educational Resources (OER) 6:45 – The mission of OpenStax 12:32 – The process of creating a OER textbook 15:38 – Remixing OER Textbooks 20:17 – Creating Common Licenses used for the textbooks 21:49 – Adoption rates by colleges and universities 27:07 – Creating textbooks in different languages 32:12 – How OpenStax finds contributors for its textbooks 37:41 – The OER Landscape 40:43 – Cross promotion between OER providers 44:46 – Prestigious Contributors in OER 48:30 – Private sector contributions to OER 53:01 – Critiques of OER 58:48 – Open Source vs Proprietary 1:05:14 – What makes a student’s journey a success 1:06:28 – Why some instructors hesitate to adopt OER 1:09:50 – The tradeoff to adopting new material 1:13:00 – OpenStax and developing OER for new fields 1:16:00 – Anthony’s Journey into OER 1:19:43 – If you want to contribute to OER reach out! 1:21:55 – Conclusion

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Tech News with Shawn Dutill - #16

Oct 1302:16:23Tap to summarize

In this episode we have a repeat guest, Shawn Dutill. Shawn is a Systems Engineer and programmer. In the episode we talk about the latest trends and news in tech including the newly released iPhone Air, digital content consumption, Microsoft ending support for Windows 10, open source versus proprietary technology, data centers, music we are listening to and more. I hope you enjoy!The articles cited are listed in the PDF posted on GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717/YouTube-Tutorials/tree/main/Tech%20TalksCONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824 Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SN?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV?si=26e034e416f446d8|-Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:06 – Adrian’s favorite podcast ep so far3:16 – Apple’s iPhone Air6:11 – Digital content consumption19:00 – Downsides of the iPhone Air20:36 – AI in camera photo processing22:34 – Windows 10 End of Support27:57 – Microsoft Recall and privacy37:09 – Open Source vs Proprietary software46:38 – Technology Certifications1:00:11 – Large Language Models (LLMs)1:23:48 – Data Centers1:50:51 – Science Fiction Books1:56:16 – Podcast and YouTube Tech Recommendations1:58:49 – Music2:09:30 – Conclusion

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Physics and Finance with Damian Handzy - #18

Open Educational Resources with Anthony Palmiotto of OpenStax - #17

Tech News with Shawn Dutill - #16