Beyond Research
30 episodes - English - Latest episode: 26 days ago -The Beyond Research Podcast brings research to you. Listen as we speak with Canada-based researchers and community leaders to discuss how important discoveries across disciplines are helping shape our lives. You'll hear from experts specializing in health care, climate change, quality of life, our sustainable bioeconomy and beyond. This podcast is brought to you by Research Nova Scotia, an independent, not-for-profit organization with the mandate to support, organize and co-ordinate the funding of research in Nova Scotia.
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Episodes
Informing Supportive Environments for a Healthier Population
April 02, 2024 18:00 - 27 minutes - 37.3 MBIn this episode, we consider how our environments can help or hinder the health of our population and discuss research aimed to understand the environmental factors influencing population health. We also explore the broader implications of creating supportive environments for chronic disease prevention, contributing to the well-being of communities and society at large. Find our transcript here: https://researchns.ca/beyondresearch-informing-supportive-environments-for-a-healthier-...
Addressing the Gaps: Focused Research Investments
March 05, 2024 19:00 - 37 minutes - 51.6 MBIn this episode, we continue our thought-provoking conversation with Stefan Leslie and Dr. Melissa Flagg. If you missed the last episode, Gaps; Opportunities in the Current Research System, you might want to listen to it first. It set the context for this discussion on a new initiative in Nova Scotia, Focused Research Investments (FRI). Listen as we discuss the challenges and opportunities inherent in reshaping the research landscape, with a particular emphasis on salient, collabo...
Gaps & Opportunities in the Current Research System
February 27, 2024 19:00 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MBThis episode is a conversation between Dr. Melissa Flagg and Stefan Leslie that explores the challenges of tackling wicked and super wicked problems at both global and local scales, and the importance of understanding problems and the environments in which they exist. They talk about gaps in the current research system, and how to experiment with different ways to support research. Melissa will talk about how important it is to understand the constraints that conditions what resea...
Teaming Up to Manage Water
February 06, 2024 19:00 - 32 minutes - 44.7 MBIn this episode, we explore a deep relationship where a utility and researchers work in partnership to identify and work on a range of water research challenges in water quality, water treatment, and stormwater management. Our guests, Dr. Graham Gagnon at Dalhousie University and Dr. Wendy Krosek at Halifax Water discuss how they work together, where future water supply and treatment may lie, and the key ingredients to a successful collaboration, with Stefan Leslie, CEO of Researc...
Prescribing Wellness: The Evolution of Chronic Disease Management
January 02, 2024 19:00 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBIn this episode we explore a critical issue - the alarming rates of chronic diseases, presenting challenges for both individuals and our broader healthcare system. Join us as we discuss how research becomes the catalyst for the evolution of healthcare practices, transforming our perspective on preventative medicine and chronic disease management. Find our transcript here: https://www.researchns.ca/beyondresearch-prescribing-wellness-the-evolution-of-chronic-disease-management In ...
Agricultural Resilience: The Blueberry Effect
December 05, 2023 19:20 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBOn the surface, this episode may seem like a story about boosting blueberry production, but it’s a tale of how local research can shape not only an industry, but an entire sector. This work is addressing challenges facing all agriculture crops, like disease, pests, and climate change. Find our transcript here: https://www.researchns.ca/beyondresearch-agricultural-resilience-the-blueberry-effect In Season 3, Episode 3 – Agricultural Resilience: The Blueberry Effect, we cover: (0...
Restorative Justice: Strengthening Communities Through Collaborative Research
November 01, 2023 08:00 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MBNova Scotians face a variety of harms and challenges at interpersonal, institutional, systemic, and societal level. Systemic racism, sexual harassment, institutional abuse, and accessibility are just some examples. Nova Scotians deserve and demand justice when they experience harm or when things go wrong in their communities. In this episode, we hear from a researcher of restorative justice and two community members who have established restorative justice practices to build safe, h...
Research Improving Diagnostic Imaging in the ER
October 03, 2023 17:43 - 23 minutes - 31.9 MBThere are many challenges impacting a healthier population in Nova Scotia. Some of these include physician recruitment; access to primary care; an aging population; infrastructure, equipment, and facilities renewal; and increased costs for health care research and delivery. In this episode, our guests discuss their research in local emergency departments to help address some of these challenges while improving patient care. Find our transcript here: https://researchns.ca/beyondr...
Sports Research: Where are the Women?
October 04, 2022 15:04 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBFemale athletes find they are at a disadvantage compared to their male counterparts as the majority of sports research focuses on male athletes. In this episode we explore this gap in sports research. We will hear from a Registered Dietician and personal trainer, a member of Canada’s women’s national under-20 soccer team, an established sports nutrition researcher, as well as a local student researcher who is striving to help level the playing field. Find our transcript here: h...
Virtual Reality and Health Care
June 01, 2022 13:07 - 32 minutes - 44.2 MBVirtual Reality continues to be embraced by researchers, health care providers, and patients alike. Although the field is still relatively new, there seem to be more and more examples of virtual reality having a positive impact on health care delivery, treatment, and training both here at home and around the globe. In this episode we will explore examples of how research in the area of virtual reality could help address current gaps and in our healthcare system and improve patient c...
Climate Change & Agriculture
May 04, 2022 11:53 - 26 minutes - 37 MBIn this episode, we explore how resilient our land-based farms and farm-related businesses are to the impacts of global climate change, as well as solutions researchers and farmers are exploring to help improve our ability to adapt long-term. We hear from industry experts on how climate change is currently impacting our agri-food industry, what solutions are being implemented successfully, and discuss how we can best prepare for future climate-related challenges. Find our transc...
Economic Growth Through Research
April 06, 2022 08:04 - 31 minutes - 42.7 MBResearch plays a vital role in creating economic growth, talent attraction, and youth retention. When properly executed, research investments also directly support provincial priorities. In this episode we explore the different ways research can create economic growth for both new and established companies. Listen as we discuss opportunities to further support research and innovation in local industries and institutions. Find our transcript here: https://researchns.ca/beyondrese...
Making Food Secure
March 02, 2022 08:00 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBCurrently 4.4 million Canadians are living in food-insecure households and 1 in 6 households in Nova Scotia are food insecure. In this episode we hear from experts leading the way in research and response to food insecurity in Nova Scotia. Listen as we explore the concept of food security, the benefits of developing a food autonomy strategy, and research underway that can help us better understand and improve food security for all. Find our transcript here: https://researchns.ca...
Predicted Sea Level Rise
February 01, 2022 16:27 - 24 minutes - 34 MBNova Scotia and its 13,300 km of coastline is home to many coastal communities. Of these communities, some are already facing the impacts of changing sea levels, storm surges and climate change firsthand. In this episode you’ll hear from leading researchers who are helping us better understand, plan, and prepare for rising sea levels in Nova Scotia. Listen as we explore how sea level rise has affected our province and propose collaborative approaches to mitigate the impacts on our c...
Real-Time Health Research
November 08, 2021 18:59 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MBIn health research, the voices of people outside of the research team – the patients, caregivers, families – may be lost. In this episode, you’ll hear from leading researchers who are expanding the traditional definition of a research team and designing research programs focused on making an immediate impact. Although COVID-19 continues to be a major health care disrupter, it has also given researchers the space and permission needed to think outside of the box, expedite research pr...
The Power Of Play
October 05, 2021 18:48 - 27 minutes - 37.5 MBAs Canada continues to deal with effects of Covid-19, concerns over the critical importance of the early years and the impacts on kids are growing. In this episode you’ll hear from researchers specializing in children’s mental health and development, each who will share unique insights on the status of children and family’s mental health throughout the pandemic. Specifically, you’ll learn about a growing area of research that is proving to be a critical support for children and yout...
Food Waste
September 13, 2021 12:33 - 27 minutes - 38.2 MBDid you know that in Canada, roughly 50% of the food produced is lost or wasted? In the latest episode of the Beyond Research Podcast, we’re exploring the ways scientific advancements in nutrition and food science are helping the agri-food industry better manage this growing problem. Listen to learn how local researchers Dr. Daren Burke of Outcast Foods and Dr. Marcia English of St.FX are working directly with the people who produce our food to create new products and generate new m...
Energy Poverty
July 06, 2021 13:35 - 29 minutes - 39.9 MBWe begin the new season by learning about the connection between world-leading technology development and an urgent - and often hidden - social crisis: energy poverty. In this episode, you'll hear from the Mayor of Bridgewater, a small, rural town that is leading the charge on energy poverty, and two Nova Scotia researchers who are at the forefront of a global revolution in energy storage. You'll learn how their works is intersecting to help meet our climate goals and help some of t...
Beyond Research Season 2 Trailer
June 30, 2021 07:00 - 2 minutes - 2.92 MBJoin us for season 2 of Beyond Research, where we will explore the ripple effect that research is having on our society at large. In each episode, we will bring you the story, beyond the research and introduce you to Canada-based researchers and community leaders whose work are intersecting in unexpected ways.
Post-Industrial Communities: Researching Our Past to Better Our Future
March 11, 2021 08:00 - 18 minutes - 25.1 MBCape Breton Island, now recognized for its natural landscapes and golf resorts, was once the industrial Heartland of Atlantic Canada. By 2000, its coal and steel industries shut down resulting in a host of social and economic difficulties for the region. Listen as Dr. Lachlan MacKinnon, Assistant Professor of History and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Post-Industrial Communities at Cape Breton University, explains why preserving the history of Cape Breton's economic decline cou...
Aquatic Animal Tracking: The North Atlantic Right Whale
February 09, 2021 08:00 - 20 minutes - 28.6 MBCoastal communities are increasingly having to better understand the marine environment, including balancing prosperous fisheries and endangered aquatic species. It's estimated that more than 90% of large oceanic fish have disappeared since the 1950s due to over exploitation, habitat destruction, and a changing climate. Listen as Dr. Sara Iverson, Scientific Director of the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) headquartered at Dalhousie University, explains how the Nova Scotia based networ...
Retraining the Brain: Neuroscience & Stroke Rehabilitation
January 13, 2021 08:00 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBMore than 50,000 Canadians suffer a stroke each year. Of those who survive, more than half will require ongoing assistance with daily activities due to cognitive deficits. Listen as Dr. Anne Sophie Champod, an assistant professor of psychology at Acadia University, explains how her research team is working to develop more effective cognitive rehabilitation interventions, including a game called Peg-the-Mole, to improve recovery, independence, and quality of life for stroke patie...
Coding COVID-19: Computer Scientists Create Vaccination Strategies Using A.I.
December 15, 2020 08:00 - 23 minutes - 31.9 MBThroughout the pandemic, front-line healthcare workers and public health officials have been taxed with making difficult decisions about where to expend their finite resources, like beds, test-kits, and eventually, vaccines. Dr. James Hughes is an assistant professor in St. Francis Xavier University’s department of computer science. Listen as he explains how his research team is using artificial intelligence help public health officials answer the question “Who should we vaccinate f...
Testing the Wastewaters: Researchers Develop a Fast and Effective Method for Detecting SARS-CoV-2
November 30, 2020 14:13 - 17 minutes - 24 MBSince the on-set of the pandemic, researchers around the world in diverse fields of study have pivoted their work to support the fight against COVID19. Dr. Amina Stoddart, an assistant professor in Dalhousie University’s department of civil and resource engineering and researcher at the Centre for Water Resources Studies, is no different. Listen as she explains how her research team is using their expertise in water treatment to design an ingenious method to detect the COVID-19 viru...
Fighting COVID-19: How Public Health Measures Support Vaccine Research
November 05, 2020 08:00 - 19 minutes - 26.5 MBAs the Director of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology and Primary Investigator of the Canadian Immunization Research Network, Dr. Scott Halperin is at the forefront of efforts to provide Canada with the national capacity to undertake vaccine and infectious disease research. In this episode of the Research Nova Scotia podcast, you'll hear how Scott and his team of over 130 investigators at 50 institutions are working on important COVID-19 research urgently needed by Canadians.
The Future of Aquaculture: Creating a Resilient Industry through Nutrition
October 30, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 21.9 MBAquaculture is growing rapidly and within the next decade, over half of the world’s seafood will be farmed. A major challenge in the industry is making sure that fish are provided with adequate nutrition to yield a healthy nutritional source for humans while ensuring minimal negative impacts on the environment. Dr. Stefanie Colombo is an assistant professor at Dalhousie University’s Agricultural Campus and the Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture Nutrition. Listen as she explains h...
Homegrown PPE: Chemists Team Up with Nova Scotia Forestry Industry
September 07, 2020 07:00 - 14 minutes - 20.5 MBN95 respirator masks are critical in the fight against COVID-19. Amid the pandemic, as borders began to close and global exports began to drop, Canadian healthcare workers were scrambling to secure an adequate supply of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) to help keep them safe. In response, a team of Nova Scotian chemists got to work on a homegrown solution. Dr. Christa Brosseau, a professor of chemistry at Saint Mary’s University and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Sus...
Beyond Breast is Best: Infant Feeding in Nova Scotia & Cambodia
August 03, 2020 07:00 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBWorld Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August, not just to encourage breastfeeding, but to raise awareness of the different cultural and socio-economic challenges to breastfeeding that caregivers face world-wide. Nova Scotia has its own challenges. Our province has among the lowest breastfeeding rates in Canada, with less than one quarter of infants receiving Health Canada’s recommended 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. We wanted to explore what local resea...
Growing Up: Early Childhood Education in Nova Scotia
May 21, 2020 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39.1 MBMore than a quarter of Nova Scotian children are starting school with a developmental vulnerability. Due to a growing understanding that the early years of a child’s life set the foundation for lifelong learning, health and wellbeing, Nova Scotia has seen an increase in supports for early childhood education and research. On May 21, 2020, Stephanie Reid, Director of Marketing and Communications at Research Nova Scotia, had a virtual conversation with Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac. Dr. McI...
Fighting COVID-19: Researchers Racing to Save Lives
March 17, 2020 07:00 - 20 minutes - 28.6 MBDue to the extraordinary nature of this pandemic, the significant health risks, and the considerable economic consequences already being felt around the world, we need to be nimble and act decisively to support urgent frontline research. Now more than ever, it’s important we unite around a common mission. On March 17, 2020, Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia, visited Dr. David Kelvin at his Dalhousie University lab in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Kelvin is an infectious diseas...