Best Australian Data Science Education Institute Podcasts (2025)

1
Driving Change: The Maths Behind Autonomous Vehicles - with Prof Michael Milford 59:32

5d ago59:32

59:32

A few short years ago, it was one of the most hyped technology fields around. But after all that excitement, where are we now with autonomous vehicles — or driverless cars? In this episode, we go under the hood to explore how AVs gather and use data, and the complex mathematics that helps them navigate a messy, unpredictable world. What are the cha…

1
Designing the Tools that Shape Data Science - with Dr Hadley Wickham 47:44

16d ago47:44

47:44

We’re diving into the design and development of the tools that have transformed data science and statistical programming — with none other than Dr Hadley Wickham. Hadley is the Chief Scientist at Posit (formerly RStudio), where he leads the Tidyverse team. This team is behind some of the most widely used open-source packages in the R programming la…

1
From Silo to Solution: Unlocking climate & social data that can drive change 39:04

1M ago39:04

39:04

Researchers and decision-makers face a familiar challenge: data exists, but it’s often locked away. Once research is published, the underlying data and analysis frequently vanish into private repositories—accessible only through time-consuming permissions or technical expertise. For those working on urgent issues like climate change and public heal…

1
Beyond ChatGPT: The Rapidly Evolving Landscape of AI - with Professor Simon Angus 59:48

6M ago59:48

59:48

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s here, embedded in almost every technology we use. It’s one of the most transformative forces of our time, and in this episode, we’re unpacking what that means, focusing on the powerful engines behind it: large language models, or LLM’s. A year and a half ago, The Random Sample …

1
The Many Hands of AI: Responsibility and Regulation - with Dr Henry Fraser 34:42

6M ago34:42

34:42

This is the second part of our special two-part series, where we dive into the surprising and unexpected ways artificial intelligence, or AI, and the law intersect. This episode takes a closer look at the evolving efforts to regulate AI—an urgent issue that governments and leaders across Australia and around the world are tackling right now. We del…

1
The New Reality of AI and the Law - with A/Prof Michael Guihot 37:47

7M ago37:47

37:47

This is the first of our two-part series on a topic that’s sweeping the headlines: Artificial Intelligence or A-I. But we’re taking a different angle, one that many in the data and mathematical sciences might not consider often, but absolutely should. We’re talking about the law! This series will dig into the surprising intersections between A-I an…

1
Ray Hilton on AI & Deep Tech

7M ago

—

A fantastic conversation with Ray Hilton. “on its own, like data is relatively inert and doesn’t really have much value – like the value comes from what you do with it and how you interpret it. And it can obviously be interpreted in many different ways. “ “It’s not just the fact you’ve identified these people.… Continue reading Ray Hilton on AI…

1
Mathematics, creativity & connection: Rethinking maths education in Australia 57:04

7M ago57:04

57:04

High school mathematics in Australia is often driven by one thing: those high-stakes Year 12 exams. In this episode, we take a fresh look at how high school maths is taught. We’re joined by someone who’s making waves in education: Donna Buckley, a mathematics and cybersecurity teacher from John Curtin College of the Arts in Western Australia. In 20…

1
Maths Models Shed New Light on Hidden Heart Risks – with Professors Helen Byrne & Mary Myerscough 31:43

8M ago31:43

31:43

Atherosclerosis is a silent but deadly condition. It happens when your arteries get clogged with plaque, restricting blood flow and putting you at serious risk for heart attacks and strokes. But here’s the fascinating part: maths is stepping up to help doctors and scientists understand how this condition develops and progresses. In this episode, we…

1
Shaping the Equation: The 2024 WIMSIG Conference 29:46

8M ago29:46

29:46

The 2024 WIMSIG Conference celebrates the achievements of women, trans and gender diverse people in the mathematical sciences. WIMSIG stands for the Women in Mathematics Special Interest Group. The group is a part of the Australian Mathematical Society. WIMSIG just wrapped up its third-ever conference with a big gathering in Sydney. In this episode…

1
The Publication Puzzle: Navigating the World of Academic Publishing - Pt 3 57:21

9M ago57:21

57:21

The Perils of "Publish or Perish". This episode of The Random Sample is the final instalment in our special three-part series on navigating the world of academic and scientific publishing. In it, we dive deep into the dilemma - and what many see as the pervasive mindset - known simply as publish or perish. Our guest is QUT statistician Professor Ad…

1
The Publication Puzzle: Navigating the World of Academic Publishing - Pt 2 58:05

9M ago58:05

58:05

The Challenges of Publishing Interdisciplinary Research. This episode of The Random Sample is the second instalment in our special three-part series into the world of academic and scientific publishing. In it, we delve into the challenges of publishing interdisciplinary research with special guest, Professor Xiao-Li Meng, founding editor-in-chief o…

1
The Publication Puzzle: Navigating the World of Academic Publishing - Pt 1 58:09

10M ago58:09

58:09

We’ve all heard the saying, “publish or perish”. But what does that really mean in today’s world of academic publishing? Scientific publishing has been shaping knowledge since the 17th century. Today, it's bigger, and more complex, than ever. Yet, for many inside the world of science, it remains a maze of confusion. For those outside of it, it’s pr…

1
Trailer: The Publication Puzzle - Navigating the World of Academic Publishing 3:13

10M ago3:13

3:13

Starting Wednesday, 28 August, The Random Sample will bring you a special three-part series exploring the world of academic publishing. Listen to this short trailer so you know what to expect! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By ACEMS

1
Grapes & Algorithms: the Data Science of Sustainable Winemaking 45:44

10M ago45:44

45:44

Here’s something to toast to. Australia’s wine industry is leading the way when it comes to a very important issue: sustainability. And Data Science is helping the industry do that! In this episode, we explore the Data Science project being carried out by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), how and why it started, and how grape growers a…

1
Coping with Climate Anxiety - with Dr Alexandra Knight 39:56

12M ago39:56

39:56

Have you heard of, or are you experiencing, eco-grief or climate anxiety? For many STEM researchers, including those in the mathematical and data sciences, this is becoming a very real thing as they explore and tackle problems and questions about the environment and climate. But just how serious of a problem is this for the STEM community? A group …

1
Dr Melissa Humphries on statistics, social media, and many many things!

12M ago

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"Every decision that we make, whether we're thinking about climate change, poverty, you know happiness, agriculture... how do we feed everyone, how do we clothe them, all of that is underpinned by data and mathematics.By Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

1
Scientific Graphic Design for Communicating Research - with Dr Jess Jopf 49:00

12M ago49:00

49:00

People love stories. That simple fact all too often gets lost by scientists when it comes to communicating research. In this episode, we chat to someone who helps researchers tell their stories. Not with words. But visually, using graphic design. Dr Jess Hopf decided to combine her two passions, science and graphic design, into a business where she…

1
The Mathematics of Bushfires - with Professor Jason Sharples 43:01

1y ago43:01

43:01

It’s only been a few short years since we witnessed the power of bushfires here in Australia. The summer of 2019 and 2020 brought us Australia’s most catastrophic bushfire season ever. The 2019-20 bushfires destroyed more than 3,000 homes, killed more than 30 people, and torched tens of millions of hectares of land and forest. With the effects of c…

1
Understanding Maths Struggles - with Dr Jacob Paul 55:03

1y ago55:03

55:03

Why do some people struggle with maths? In this episode, we chat with Dr Jacob Paul from The University of Melbourne’s School of Psychological Sciences, where he leads the Maths at Human Scale Lab. The focus of his research is to understand maths learning disorders, including something called dyscalculia. Jacob tells us what it means for children a…

1
Building Blocks of the Universe - with Professor Alessandro Sfondrini 39:07

1y ago39:07

39:07

This episode of The Random Sample gives you a glimpse into some of the mathematics and physics that is used to understand the building blocks of the universe. A research program at the MATRIX mathematical research institute earlier this year explored the deep connections between mathematics, quantum field theory, and string theory. One of the organ…

1
Using maths to explore the music of Taylor Swift - with Dr Nathan Garland 37:54

1y ago37:54

37:54

We admit it - even The Random Sample can't resist the hype around the world's biggest music star - Taylor Swift. Almost on a dare from his wife - and to make a point with his students - Griffith University's Dr Nathan Garland decided to open up his mathematical toolkit and explore the music of Taylor Swift. In this episode, Nathan tells us what he …

1
Andrew Leigh on Data & Politics

1y ago

—

"The rise of populism has been substantial across the advanced world, indeed across developing countries as well. So those of us who believe in data need to be strong proponents of the publication of those data even when it produces results that make us uncomfortable.By Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

1
Michael Brand, on the Science of Data Science

1+ y ago

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"We do not teach people that making mistakes is not just right, but it's the only way of learning. It's the only way of becoming better."Honestly, I want to turn this whole episode into pull quotes! Go listen!By Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

1
Grant Ennis

1+ y ago

—

"So like while we would never believe that if we saw a stone rolling down a mountain, that if we all just stared at it and willed it back up the hill, it would do that, we do tend to believe that if we all individually do our part for the environment or ask people to just individually act that because people want that to be so and want that to work…

1
Fiona Tweedie on Data Governance

1+ y ago

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Fiona Tweedie: data governance is not a topic that gets a lot of love. people yeah switch off when they hear it, but it really is the makes a huge amount of difference to what you're able to do with data (and not just avoiding big regulator fines)By Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

1
Why Host a Podcast?! 51:25

1+ y ago51:25

51:25

In this episode, The Random Sample switches things up a bit. The people who usually ask the questions on this podcast, our hosts, are actually our guests.We explore why these researchers wanted to also become podcasters and what they’ve learnt along the way by hosting this podcast. Our hosts turned guests for this episode are: Rose Crocker is an ap…

1
The Maths of Wi-Fi with Professor David Skellern 50:49

1+ y ago50:49

50:49

It’s hard to imagine a time before Wi-Fi – or what we’d do without it. Especially, if you’re under the age of 25. But thanks to the work of some brilliant Australian scientists, wireless internet is a part of our everyday lives. Our guest for this episode is Professor David Skellern, one of the Australian scientists who won the race in the late 199…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Australian Data Science Education Institute Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The Random Sample

ACEMS

1
Make Me Data Literate

Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

1
How Science Matters

Burnet Institute

1
Driving Change: The Maths Behind Autonomous Vehicles - with Prof Michael Milford 59:32

1
Designing the Tools that Shape Data Science - with Dr Hadley Wickham 47:44

1
From Silo to Solution: Unlocking climate & social data that can drive change 39:04

1
Beyond ChatGPT: The Rapidly Evolving Landscape of AI - with Professor Simon Angus 59:48

1
The Many Hands of AI: Responsibility and Regulation - with Dr Henry Fraser 34:42

1
The New Reality of AI and the Law - with A/Prof Michael Guihot 37:47

1
Ray Hilton on AI & Deep Tech

1
Mathematics, creativity & connection: Rethinking maths education in Australia 57:04

1
Maths Models Shed New Light on Hidden Heart Risks – with Professors Helen Byrne & Mary Myerscough 31:43

1
Shaping the Equation: The 2024 WIMSIG Conference 29:46

1
The Publication Puzzle: Navigating the World of Academic Publishing - Pt 3 57:21

1
The Publication Puzzle: Navigating the World of Academic Publishing - Pt 2 58:05

1
The Publication Puzzle: Navigating the World of Academic Publishing - Pt 1 58:09

1
Trailer: The Publication Puzzle - Navigating the World of Academic Publishing 3:13

1
Grapes & Algorithms: the Data Science of Sustainable Winemaking 45:44

1
Coping with Climate Anxiety - with Dr Alexandra Knight 39:56

1
Dr Melissa Humphries on statistics, social media, and many many things!

1
Scientific Graphic Design for Communicating Research - with Dr Jess Jopf 49:00

1
The Mathematics of Bushfires - with Professor Jason Sharples 43:01

1
Understanding Maths Struggles - with Dr Jacob Paul 55:03

1
Building Blocks of the Universe - with Professor Alessandro Sfondrini 39:07

1
Using maths to explore the music of Taylor Swift - with Dr Nathan Garland 37:54

1
Andrew Leigh on Data & Politics

1
Michael Brand, on the Science of Data Science

1
Grant Ennis

1
Fiona Tweedie on Data Governance

1
Why Host a Podcast?! 51:25

1
The Maths of Wi-Fi with Professor David Skellern 50:49