Now in its 5th year, with over 100 episodes, Swan Dive features inspiring people who had the clarity and courage to pivot in life and chase their dreams. Hosts and life-long friends, Ron Rothberg and Stu Sheldon, both made massive swan dives from successful careers in media and finance to the unknowns of content creation and fine art. Through failures and successes, both eventually found the soul satisfaction of becoming "who they wanted to be when they grew up." Their joyful wisdom graces e ...
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Stu Sheldon Podcasts
Medicine is so much more than lab coats and stethoscopes. The research community at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine is a diverse group of humans, all working with their own unique motivations — and not all of them work in a hospital setting. Get to know what gets these researchers amped about their jobs, what they’re doing, where they’re doing it, and why. Presented by the Office of Vice-Dean of Research, College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
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Kimberly & Jason Ocana - "Planting New Roots" - Firefighter & Corporate Exec start Plant Medicine Retreat Center
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56:08The devastating 2022 hurricane that destroyed their Florida home was the last straw in a chain of traumas for Jason and Kimberly Ocana. A paramedic/firefighter for nearly 15 years, Jason loved being of service, but the work's constant physical and emotional challenges and the added rigors of being a first responder during COVID were taking a seriou…
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That’s So Metal: Dr. Jessica Sheldon Targets Acinetobacter Baumannii
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18:36Jessica Sheldon (PhD) is on a mission to starve out Acinetobacter baumannii —one of the world’s most virulent hospital-borne pathogens. Notorious for its speedy evolution and multi-drug resistance, the hospital-borne bacteria lingers on dry surfaces and infects critically-ill patients, leading to sepsis, pneumonia and high mortality rates. In this …
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Fluid Endeavour: Kirk Haan's Medical Balancing Act
25:38
25:38
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25:38Kirk Haan graduated from high school, thinking he’d study pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan, and walk out five years later. After one summer at a pharmacy, Haan realized he was after a more ‘hands-on’ career in medicine. “I’ve kind of worked with my hands my whole life, just between rummaging around on a farm and always kind of building th…
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Dr. Sébastien Gauvrit: Fishing for Answers in Vascular Development
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25:49Sébastien Gauvrit (PhD) was only ten when his family let him have his first tank of guppies. Within weeks, he was hooked. “I actually had to understand genetics directly by mixing these different fish together to get the colour or fin shape I was interested in,” said the vascular biologist and genetic modelling pioneer. From his home in France, to …
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Dr. Stu Skinner & Mobile Medicine: Halting Syphilis & HIV
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31:00Stuart Skinner (MD) knew something was wrong three years ago, when patients started coming to him with vision loss, fever, rashes, and meningitis. Almost every case could be traced back to untreated syphilis — a sexually transmitted infection with caseloads exploding 1,200 per cent from 2017. Saskatchewan saw this spike just as Covid-19 entered the…
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Asha Elias - "A Novel Swan Dive" - Miami Beach Yoga Mom to Red-hot Author
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54:54“Delicious, decadent, and utterly diabolical. No one serves up a scandal like Asha Elias,” writes author Kirsten Miller about this writer, mother, and reluctant socialite. Asha's acclaimed debut novel, Pink Glass Houses, is a seductive social satire about the wealthy PTA moms of an elite elementary school in Miami Beach. We read it and loved it. He…
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Peptide Puzzle: Dr. Yi-Chun Chen on Early Markers for Diabetes and Obesity
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26:28Yi-Chun Chen (PhD) is taking a close-up look at some of the body’s hardest-working cells — the ones often processing an overabundance of modern-day food and nutrients. “From an evolutionary point of view, our cells are not designed to deal with that,” said Chen, who joined the department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology at the University of…
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In the Trenches: Dr. James Stempien on Emergency Medicine
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29:55James Stempien (MD) has navigated some of the most challenging corners of emergency medicine, from the frigid isolation of Inuvik to the bustling corridors of Saskatoon’s emergency departments. His experience in low-tech outposts has shaped his approach to modern emergency care. “When things aren’t going well you see it in the emergency department …
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Eric Gottesman - "Where Do We Go From Here?" - Photographer/Professor/Collaborator
1:02:38
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1:02:38Eric Gottesman teaches, organizes, writes, and makes artworks with other people that address nationalism, migration, structural violence, history, and intimate relations. His work is always collaborative; he has never made an artwork alone. One of Eric’s creative superpowers is his ability to take his time and gently notice the delicacy and hard ed…
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All’s Not Lost: A Roadmap to Treating Hepatitis C on the Prairies
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30:28As the world aims to eradicate hepatitis C (HCV) by 2030, Carrielynn Lund and Dr. Alexandra King’s team created a how-to guide. Journeys to Wellness: Prairie Hepatitis C Roadmap is a step-by-step guide to tackling a spike of new infections across the three Canadian prairie provinces. Hepatitis C (HCV) causes severe liver disease, and was notoriousl…
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Robert Sinclair - "Speculative World Builder" - An artist writes the future he wants to live in
1:02:15
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1:02:15Robert Earl Sinclair is a Future Architect & Speculative World-Builder striving to make sense of our rapidly changing world and co-create bold futures. Born in "the hood" of Los Angeles and challenged with dyslexia, Robert became a successful international hip-hop recording artist in his teens and went on to graduate from the Los Angeles County Hig…
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David Garfunkel - "Building Community" - From Peace Corps to re-building a forgotten neighborbhood
53:59
53:59
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53:59How does one claw their way out of the deep hole of generational poverty and income inequality if the walls are too steep and slippery to climb? David Garfunkel has tackled this problem with meaningful results in his hometown of Jacksonville, FL. As President & CEO of the non-profit LIFT JAX, David has created meaningful and measurable community re…
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Exercise Your Right to Breathe: Dr. Brianne Philipenko & Asthma
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18:45Brianne Philipenko (MD) was midway through her respirology fellowship in Calgary when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down the city. She started interval workouts at home using Nike’s fitness app — when inspiration struck. “Coming up with a creative, innovative way to allow people to access an exercise program outside of the typical organized pulmonary …
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Nate Monroe - "How do you Know?" - USA Today Columnist Speaks Truth to Power
54:01
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54:01Nate Monroe writes a column about Florida for USA Today, exploring how power works in the gilded, strange human heart of the modern Republican Party. His intrepid irony and rapier wit have made him a reader favorite but have also ruffled some significant feathers. Previously an investigative reporter for Jacksonville's Florida Times-Union, Nate foc…
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Samantha Rose Williams - American Patriot - From Opera Singer to Activist
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1:00:11The Stanford Arts Review described Samantha Rose Williams as a “Mezzo-Soprano with ‘jaw-dropping vocal power.” This opera singer and arts activist is committed to creating space for critical discussion about art, culture, and social change. Her latest project is American Patriots, an opera she created that seeks to examine patriotism from four vast…
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Dr. Sarah Forgie: Why the New Dean of Medicine Taught Herself the Ukelele
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27:00In this episode, we gain insight into Dr. Sarah Forgie, the new Dean of the College of Medicine. She discusses her innovative teaching methods, her career as a pediatric infectious disease specialist, and her vision for advancing Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine. Dr. Forgie also shares the story behind her decision to learn the ukulele. Born to f…
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Daniel K Forkkio - "Healing & Reconciliation via Storytelling & Filmmaking" - CEO, Represent Justice
1:03:13
1:03:13
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1:03:13Daniel K. Forkkio is CEO of Represent Justice, building a critical mass of “system-impacted storytellers” using film and media to mobilize audiences to take action and transform the legal system. Because, those closest to the problem are closest to the solution. About this transformational approach to filmmaking, Daniel says, “What I started to lea…
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Grey Area: Dr. John Howland on Cannabis & Budding Brains
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24:33A behavioural neuroscientist in Saskatoon is uncovering marijuana’s effects on fetal brain development. After recently winning a five-year CIHR grant of $960,076 in the spring of 2024, Dr. John Howland’s lab at the University of Saskatchewan is expanding its work examining prenatal exposure to cannabis smoke. Howland’s teams will assess the way can…
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Innovating and Bridging Gaps in IBD Care: Dr. Juan-Nicolás Peňa-Sánchez
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24:36Growing up in Columbia had a profound impact on Dr. Juan-Nicolas Pẽna-Sànchez. In this episode, hear why the former family physician pivoted, becoming Saskatchewan's lead in finding the best ways to treat Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in rural and Indigenous patients. Even as a teenager, Juan-Nicolás Peña-Sánchez could see stark differen…
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"When I got into medical school, the last thing in the world I wanted to be was a surgeon because I couldn't stand the sight of blood," said Dr. Mike Moser. Fast-forward to the present day, where Moser is now one of Saskatchewan's top kidney transplant surgeons, winning last year's Golden Scalpel Award for Pre-clerkship Education, the 2022 Logan Bo…
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Matt Hartley - "DEI Criminal" - Incredible Educator Becomes Guiltless Victim of Culture War
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50:23Matt Hartley is an Interfaith expert and "DEI Criminal." He's an educator and ordained minister, a dad, a cellist, a high school running coach .... In other words, one of the good guys. Yet, after 5 years leading the University of North Florida Interfaith Center, Matt’s job was eliminated last year by draconian anti-DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclus…
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Walking the Talk: Dr. Daniel Fuller on Urban Health and Mobility
26:43
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26:43As an undergrad, Daniel Fuller didn’t have a car, nor was he keen on taking the bus. “I rode my bike to university every day in the fall and then just kept on going and never stopped,” said Fuller, a former national and international canoe/kayak athlete. As he pedaled, Fuller watched the way people used trails, sidewalks and roads. “I really starte…
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Suz Howard - "Designing Creative Leaders" - IDEO Industrial Design Legend Goes Solo
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54:57Trained as an anthropologist, Suz Howard spent 20 yrs as a partner at IDEO, one of the world's leading design and innovation companies, playing a critical role in growing IDEO from 200 employees to 1000 in 9 locations around the globe. Focused on building creative leadership within organizations, she founded IDEO U, a digital learning platform that…
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Anatomy of Success: Three Researchers, Three Grants, One Goal
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37:31From the laboratory to saving lives, this episode brings together three outstanding researchers from the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology (APP) as they discuss their work and its implications for cardiac care. Dr. Michelle Collins, Dr. Scott Widenmaier, and Dr. Changting Xiao are all recent recipients…
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Dr. Jacob Alhassan and the Politics of Expendability
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29:01"Pushing politicians to do what is good for the health of the people, there's no way around it," said Dr Jacob Alhassan. Born and raised in a rural Ghanaian village, Alhassan grew up without electricty and paved roads. He watched women die in childbirth. He grew resentful of health systems that left the poorest people to fend for themselves, while …
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Jeff Kollath - The Soul of a Story - Exec Dir of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music
59:34
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59:34As Executive Director of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, TN, Jeff Kollath oversees the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of Stax Records and American soul music. Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooke, Booker T & the MGs and the endless Stax roster of musical icons produced songs that stirred…
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Clark Butcher - Victory Bicycles - Bike Lover Revolutionizes the Bike Shop Game
54:48
54:48
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54:48Clark Butcher will be the first to tell you he is addicted to endurance athletics. He started running age 7, completed his first half marathon at 11 and discovered triathlons at 14, where he naturally excelled in cycling. By 16, Clark was competing in the Junior World Cup in Canada, National Championships and pro-caliber events throughout the US. T…
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Dr. Sabira Valiani: Creating Connections in Critical Care
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25:02Dr. Sabira Valiani was one of the frontline physicians working inside Saskatoon’s critical care units four years ago, during the initial lockdowns of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was really weird,” said Valiani. Valiani said ‘a lot of light bulbs went off in my head’ amid the automated stillness of the unit, as she watched ventilators breathing for h…
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Dr Scott Morris - "Fine and Blessed" - Doctor/Minister Opens Largest Faith-based Hospital in US
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57:02As a teenager, Dr. Scott Morris became deeply interested in two things: his religion and the practice of medicine. He's spent his entire life creating a way to connect the two to serve humanity. Now 70, Morris is the founder and chief executive officer of Church Health in Memphis, TN. A leading voice in the field of faith and health and a passionat…
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Dr. Daphne Yau on Blood Sugar & Brain Health
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21:58Daphne Yau can trace her interest in endocrinology back to a beta-cell physiology experiment during her master’s degree, working with laboratory mice with Type 2 Diabetes. “It was the part of the pancreas that makes insulin,” she said. “It was fascinating. It also made me realize that maybe pure laboratory research wasn't quite for me." From there,…
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Dr. Sam Haddad: At the Heart of Patient Care
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22:55Haissam Haddad inadvertently horrified his family when he signed up for engineering courses in his first year of university. The teenager returned the next day to change his major to medicine -- a move he's glad he made. Dr. Haddad practiced family medicine in Syria for three years, then arrived in Canada in 1986 to visit his wife's family, who urg…
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Remote Rehabilitation: Dr. Stacey Lovo's Quest for Equitable Care
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24:45In this episode, we meet Dr. Stacey Love, Director of Virtual Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Saskatchewan's Virtual Health Hub, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan's School of Rehabilitation. She's also involved with the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient Oriented Research. You can see more of her recent publications here…
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Dr. Angelica Lang: Shaping the Future of Shoulder Health
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27:34Dr. Angelica Lang knows most of the people she sees have to keep working, even if they have shoulder pain. As an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan and director of the Musculoskeletal and Ergonomics Lab at the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health, Lang’s goal is to reduce that pain — keeping patients on the job. “A l…
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Stronger Foundations: Dr. Munier Nour on Bone Development in Diabetic Youth
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21:21Dr. Munier Nour said osteoporosis is often seen as a disease that affects older adults. But compared to their peers, kids with Type 1 diabetes grow into adults eight times as likely to suffer bone fractures. “Osteoporosis may actually have its origins during pediatric years,” he said. “Because Type 1 diabetes occurs so early in life ….. it influenc…
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Chris Jenkins - "Being There" - Documentary Filmmaker Turned Educator & How He Listened to "The Signs"
1:09:09
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1:09:09Chris Jenkins is Head of Production in University of California, Santa Barbara’s Film & Media Studies Department. He has been behind the lens of many notable and award-winning documentaries. His work has aired on Netflix, PBS, Discovery, The History Channel, Sundance Channel and on and on. Prior to receiving his Masters in Documentary Film & Video …
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Thriving Against The Odds: Dr. Amanda Hall on Short Gut Syndrome
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24:13In the heart of the Health Sciences Building, Dr. Amanda Hall studies a tray of organoids under a microscope. “They do need a lot of attention and a lot of feeding,” she said, pointing to dot-like points in a gel solution. The pediatric surgeon and assistant professor of pediatric general surgery will use those dots to identify factors that help in…
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Gary Adler - "Right Time, Right Place" - Life as a Hollywood Creative Director
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50:58Hollywood Creative Director and Graphic Artist, Gary Adler, has a blackbelt in branding on a global scale. He moved to LA in 1986 to chase his dream and, after decades designing for the film industry’s best, from Disney to Dreamworks, Warner Bros, Sony and Fox, he’s seen it all. If you watched Nightmare Before Christmas, you’ve seen Gary's work. He…
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Inhale, Exhale, Repair: Dr. Valerie Verge
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26:06Valerie Verge was in her early twenties when she landed her first job, doing neuroscience research and she loved it. But 43 years ago, her research journey began to take a twist. "I developed an allergy to rats and mice,” she said. “I was using a box of Kleenex a day.” She reluctantly had to admit that this may not be her career path, and spent her…
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Fighting Treatment-Resistant Depression with Ketamine: Dr. Evyn Peters
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28:07Dr. Evyn Peters has created pivotal changes for patients arriving at Royal University Hospital's mental health short stay unit, and its emergency department. With 33 publications and interests spanning psychiatry, psychopharmacology and mood disorders, Peters is often one of the first physicians patients see when they’re experiencing a mental healt…
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Dr. Wendie Marks: Researching Complex Connections Between Stress, Nutrition & Health
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21:26By the end of her Grade Eight year in Saskatoon, Wendie Marks was sure about one thing: she knew she wanted to study health and the way early-life development affected the human body. “I spent a lot of time in the library reading books,” Marks said. “I was always kind of the nerdy type.” Marks enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan and thrived,…
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Taylor Keen - "Living Red" - From Ivy League to Sacred Seeds ... Indigenous Leader Finds Home
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58:06Taylor Keen has an astonishing resume: Golden Gloves boxer, Dartmouth undergrad, Harvard MBA and Masters in Public Administration. Business man. Indigenous leader, Strategy consultant and full-time instructor in Corporate Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Creighton University. But at his core, Taylor is a storyteller. And the stories he tells are th…
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Lolo Reskin - "Sweat and Vinyl" - Iconic Record Store Pioneer
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51:06In 2019, Miami New Times tweeted “Does anyone know Miami music better than Lolo Reskin?” Music is in this woman’s blood. Lauren Reskin, better known as Lolo, is founder of Miami’s iconic, Sweat Records. Lolo’s father is a Julliard graduate, professional trumpet player, and composer. Her grandmother, a concert violinist. Even her great uncle, Alan F…
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Katie Hathaway - "I'll See You Tomorrow" - Mom turned gun sense activist
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51:34Katie Hathaway's swan dive moment came as her 7-yr-old son got in the car at school pickup and said, "Mom, I know it. We’re gonna be the first classroom shot up. We’re closest to the front of the school." Katie's heart sank. That any child would have such a thought, let alone when they’re supposed to be safe at school, made her sick. She knew she h…
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Mossy Cells and New Paths in Neuroscience: Dr. Justin Botterill
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22:14When Justin Botterill first arrived at the University of Saskatchewan, he took what he described as a 'shotgun approach' to choosing classes. Midway through his second year, his psychology professors introduced him to neuropsychology, and to psychiatric and neurological disorders. He was hooked. Botterill soon began working with rodent models, late…
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Andy Peay - "Pinot Pioneers" - From Wall Street to World Renowned Winemaker
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54:30In the mid-1990s, Andy Peay and his brother, Nick, set out to find land for the vineyard they dreamt of creating. Eventually, they settled on a property in California’s West Sonoma Coast, an old sheep farm and apple orchard. Here, the brothers, along with star winemaker and Nick’s wife, Vanessa Wong, built Peay Vineyards, 53 acres of vines with six…
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Be Like Bruce is Back: Chris Gordon Tackles Pancreatic Cancer
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17:01When Bruce Gordon's relatives descend on Saskatoon this month, his wife will put them to work. Bruce Gordon was a police officer and a lawyer, who competed as a triathlete and in the Crossfit Games. He was a fierce competitor until he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer at age 54. Hear his story in Episode 43. After Bruce died in 2017, …
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Turning Back the Neurotoxin Clock, with Dr. Jeff Dong
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20:42Midway through his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, a laboratory 'help wanted' poster caught Jeff Dong's eye. He applied, gaining invaluable practical experience that summer in Stephanie Borgland's lab. "She really supported me in understanding what research is about," said Dong, who went on to complete his PhD through UB…
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Antibodies and Aging Gracefully: Dr. Peter Pioli
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21:56Before we’re even born, our bodies begin to grow and train an army of spies and assassins, creating a crew of immune system fighters in the upper chest's thymus gland. While this production is dominated by T cells, other immune cells such as B cells and plasma cells can be generated within the thymus, albeit at a very low level. After adolescence, …
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Ready to Launch: Anurag Sakharkar Pinpoints Key Biomarkers in Astronaut Health
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23:00Like a lot of kids, Anurag Sakharkar used to dream about being a doctor, or an astronaut. His parents, both academics, encouraged him to follow his dream. In high school, he began spending evenings and weekends working at the University of Saskatchewan’s biomedical labs, perfecting advanced research methods, western blots and PCR analysis . He bega…
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George Clinton - "Free Your Mind & Your Ass Will Follow” - Funk Legend Discovers Painting
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43:08“Crazy is a prerequisite in this shit." -- George Clinton Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective is considered one of the foremost innovators of funk … and his music made asses shake worldwide, including ours. With over 40 hit singles and three at #1, Clinton has been sampled by everyone from Dr. Dre to Tupac and was inducted into the Rock and …
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