AigoraCast

John Ennis
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SCIENCE

Conversations with industry experts on how new technologies are impacting sensory and consumer science.

  1. Wei Qin, PhD - Stretch your Limits

    MAR 25

    Wei Qin, PhD - Stretch your Limits

    Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I caught up with my longtime friend, Dr. Wei Qin, Global Director of the Insights Center of Excellence at Ingredion. I particularly enjoyed her story about a flavorist using AI to find a molecule they hadn't considered. It is a great example of her view of AI as a "stretcher" for human limits. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Social Links & Resources LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wei-qin-50078211/ Company: https://www.ingredion.com/ Latest Book: Gen X Asian Americans: From Learning to Thriving Expertise Areas: Flavor Modulation & Sensory Measurement Market Research & Consumer Behavior Center of Excellence (CoE) Strategy Social Media Insights for R&D Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by Wei Qin in this episode are her own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Ingredion or Wei's former employers.

    37 min
  2. The Human Dimension

    MAR 16

    The Human Dimension

    Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Aigoracast. Our guest today is Dr. Riccardo Accolla. Dr. Riccardo Accolla is a neuroscientist and food innovation leader dedicated to creating more resilient food systems through technology and human-centric insights. As the Director of Innovation at Thimus, he applies his expertise in multisensory perception, reward, and emotion to develop product strategies that resonate with consumers on a cognitive level. With over 20 years of experience, Riccardo's career spans leadership roles at global flavor houses and food-tech startups. He previously led the design of sustainability-tracking software at ripe.io and founded A-T4H Consulting to support "better-for-planet" food solutions. Riccardo holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the Swiss Polytechnic Federal Institute (EPFL) and a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic School of Milan.   Social Links & Resources LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardoaccolla/ Company: https://www.thimus.com/ Expertise Areas: * Multisensory Food Perception Neuro-Innovation Sustainable Food Systems Consumer Emotions and Reward Mechanisms

    36 min
  3. Todd Renn - Don't Check Your Brain at the Door

    2025-12-16

    Todd Renn - Don't Check Your Brain at the Door

    Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Aigoracast. Our guest today is Todd Renn, a distinguished leader in consumer insights and sensory science with over 25 years of experience driving innovation at industry giants like PepsiCo, Pfizer, Clorox, and Land O'Lakes. Holding a PhD in food science and advanced credentials in business analytics from UT Austin and Wharton, Todd excels at bridging the gap between R&D and marketing, turning complex data into clear, actionable business stories. Now the founder of Todd Renn and Associates, he is dedicated to helping organizations sharpen their commercial impact and training sensory scientists to evolve into strategic business partners.

    35 min
  4. Thomas Wiecki - The Future of Work

    2025-12-02

    Thomas Wiecki - The Future of Work

    Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, President at Aigora. In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Thomas Wiecki, co-author of PyMC. Thomas and I turned out to have a lot in common, and it was a great pleasure to talk with an enthusiastic and like-minded traveler working to figure out this brave new world we all find ourselves in. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. And remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future.

    36 min
  5. Off to See the Wizard

    2025-10-13

    Off to See the Wizard

    Dr. Michelle Murphy Niedziela is a behavioral neuroscientist and founder of Nerdoscientist, specializing in integrating consumer neuroscience, behavioral science, and traditional research methods to decode consumer response. With a multidisciplinary approach, she helps organizations apply cognitive science tools to drive product innovation and strategy, bridging the gap between consumer perception, decision-making, and product experience.

    35 min
  6. Maria Keckler - Human Skills

    2025-07-01

    Maria Keckler - Human Skills

    Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, co-founder of Aigora and host of AigoraCast.  This episode I enjoyed speaking with Dr. Maria Keckler, co-founder of the EmpathyRx Lab at San Diego State University.  Maria is very easy to talk to, and I really enjoyed her ideas on the importance of human skills in the age of AI.  I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Guest: Dr. Maria Keckler, EmpathyRx Lab, SDSU Dr. Maria Keckler is a keynote speaker, executive advisor, and strategist, known for her expertise in leadership development amidst the rise of AI. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from Claremont Graduate University, where she focused on the interplay of neuroscience, education, and behavior change. Dr. Keckler excels at bridging academic research with practical applications, empowering leaders to leverage human strengths. Her commitment to empathetic leadership is evident in her roles as co-founder of the Healthcare EmpathyRX Lab at SDSU and editor of The Structural Skills Project. Dr. Keckler is also the author of "Bridge Builders: How Superb Communicators Get What They Want" and has been honored as one of San Diego's 50 Most Influential Latino Leaders. Links Research: Empathyrx.sdsu.edu Website: DrMariaKeckler.com Newsletter: JustOnePivot.com Publication: The Structural Skills Project

    33 min
  7. Dave Lundahl - Take Off

    2025-06-09

    Dave Lundahl - Take Off

    Dave Lundahl is passionate about applying consumer insights to create a cleaner, healthier, and happier world through innovation. In 2003, he founded InsightsNow with a vision to apply behavioral science to advance product innovation. This led to the publication of Breakthrough Food Product Innovation Through Emotions Research (2011), receiving the Disruptive Innovation Award from NextGen Marketing Research (2017), securing a U.S. patent for measuring implicit reactions (2024), and now being honored with the 2025 IFT Lifetime Achievement Award for Sensory and Consumer Science. He gives back as a member of the Advisory Boards for the Department of Food Science & Technology and the Marketing Programs in the College of Business at Oregon State University.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lundahl-a6bb45/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/insightsnow/about/ https://insightsnow.com/

    44 min
  8. Dr. Andreea Botezatu - Enjoy The Ride

    2025-05-08

    Dr. Andreea Botezatu - Enjoy The Ride

    Dr. Andreea Botezatu earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Oenology and Agricultural Management in Romania before working as a commercial winemaker in Europe and Canada. She later obtained her PhD in Oenology from Brock University in Canada, where she also completed a postdoctoral position. Currently an Associate Professor and Extension Enology Specialist at Texas A&M University, Dr. Botezatu's research focuses on wine aroma, fault remediation, and overall quality, utilizing both chemical and sensory analysis. She also investigates Texas wine consumer attitudes and is exploring the application of emerging technologies like blockchain and LLMs in the wine and sensory fields. Dr. Andreea Botezatu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreeabotezatu/ Visit the Texas Viticulture & Enology Facebook Page Enology Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Oo5L0jMLR57IuUb0XmBxQ To learn more about Aigora, please visit www.aigora.com

    38 min
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Conversations with industry experts on how new technologies are impacting sensory and consumer science.

Information

  • Creator
    John Ennis
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Aigora, LLC
  • Show Website
    AigoraCast