Minds Matter

Beth Fisher and Ava Ma de Sousa

5.0 (7)
SOCIAL SCIENCES

Minds Matter Podcast

Learn from cutting edge researchers in neuroscience and psychology with PhD students Beth Fisher and Ava Ma de Sousa. On Minds Matter, we explore a range of subjects, from conspiracy theories to falling in love, to nostalgia. We discuss the neuroscientific and psychological research behind these issues while talking through our own personal experiences.

3 DAYS AGO

S4 Ep 1: A conversation about Civic Science with Andrew Gray

Welcome back to season 4 of Minds Matter! We begin our season with a conversation about civic science with Andrew Grey, co-founder of BioQuisitive a civic science hub in Brunswick, Australia. Can there be ways to create research outside a university? And what does it look like to democratise science? Andrew talks about his inspiring journey to get to where he is today and we reflect non-traditional ways we can study, research, and learn.

53 min
JUL 9

S3 E21: Your Mind on Political Humor & Satire with Prateekshit "Kanu" Pandey

In an age where politicians are both subjects and creators of memes, and outlets like The Daily Show shape public discourse, how is humor influencing our political engagement? Dr. Prateekshit "Kanu" Pandey shares research on humor's effects on the brain, and its differing roles across cultures, from the U.S. to India. Dr. Pandey, Ava & Beth reflect on whether humor good is for politics and civic engagement, or whether politics should remain strictly serious business.

53 min
JUN 23

S3 E20: Your Mind on AI with Dr. Abhilasha Ravichander

New developments in AI are making headline news with many perspectives on what the future of AI holds. From Chat GPT to robots, there is lots of new information to take in! This week Dr. Abhilasha Ravichander answers our questions from the basics of AI to questions of AI and consciousness. She speaks to us about where the field is at now and discusses her research on hallucinations in Large Language Models and how they can help us understand how our data is being used. Ava and Beth talk about where they think the future is going.

57 min
JUN 2

S3 EP19: Your Mind on Addiction with Dr. Andrew Kim

How do behavioural and substance addictions relate to mental health? What are the risk factors for these disorders? This week Dr. Andrew Kim helps us answer these questions and discusses how we can best treat addictions and their mental heath co-morbidities. Dr Kim explains how we can use to research to train clinicians so patients can receive the best possible outcomes. Ava and Beth discuss their countries own medical systems .

47 min
MAY 19

S3 E18: Your Mind on Adolescent Risky Decision-Making with Dr. Nina Lauharatanahirun

What makes teenagers so keen to embrace risk? Are they chasing potential rewards, or are they just blind to potential consequences? Dr. Nina Lauharatanahirun joins us to discuss the computational and neurobiological underpinnings of risky decision-making in teens. Beth and Ava reminisce about their own adolescence. NOTE: Dr. Lauharatanahirun is recruiting PhD students for the 2024-2025 cycle with a background in neuroscience, psychology, computer science or engineering!

1h 0m
MAY 5

S3 E17: Your Mind on Neurobiology with Dr. Claire O'Callaghan

We hear about neuromodulators like serotonin all the time, but how do they actually work? This week Dr. Claire O’Callaghan gives us an introduction to the science of neurobiology! She discusses the roles of serotonin and noradrenaline and we learn that the systems are more complex than we may hear in popular science. Ava and Beth discuss their misconceptions around neuromodulators and Beth shares a personal noradrenaline story!

46 min
APR 14

S3 E16: Your Mind on Inequality & Social Change with Dr. Riana Brown

Are all inequalities perceived the same? Dr. Riana Brown joins us to discuss how different inequalities — health, economic, and belonging — differentially motivate support for collective action and social change. Dr. Brown also shares research on when and why some people might opt to tackle the root causes of inequality, such as advocating for policy changes, versus addressing its immediate consequences, like volunteering at a soup kitchen. Beth and Ava reflect on their personal experiences of participating in social change efforts.

1h 8m
APR 4

S3: E15 Your Mind on Great Ape Social Cognition with Dr. Laura Lewis

What do the social lives of chimps and bonobos reveal about human cognition? Join us as biological anthropologist & comparative psychologist Dr. Laura Lewis tells us about the social structures of our closest living relatives & shares her research on how chimps and bonobos remember friends and foes and manage their social attention. Beth and Ava discuss how to think about the similarities and differences between humans and other great apes.

1h 4m

5

out of 5

7 Ratings

Learn from cutting edge researchers in neuroscience and psychology with PhD students Beth Fisher and Ava Ma de Sousa. On Minds Matter, we explore a range of subjects, from conspiracy theories to falling in love, to nostalgia. We discuss the neuroscientific and psychological research behind these issues while talking through our own personal experiences.

Creator

Beth Fisher and Ava Ma de Sousa
Years Active

2022 - 2024
Episodes

51
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Beth Fisher and Ava Ma de Sousa 2022
Show Website

Minds Matter