Innovation on Main
10 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsHere on Main Street, there is one goal: to innovate tomorrow. Host Abe Danaher brings in guests at the forefront of science and technology innovation to discuss the impact their research has on listeners. Whether it’s decreasing traffic on the morning commute, clarifying the ethical dilemmas surrounding artificial intelligence, or mitigating the dangers of natural disasters, Danaher and his guests discuss how their work today will affect our lives tomorrow.
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Episodes
Michael Gower: Can We Use Fat Tissue to Promote Muscle Growth? Particulate Systems and Their Potential Benefits for All of Humanity
January 23, 2020 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBMichael Gower, an assistant professor in the UofSC College of Engineering and Computing's biomedical engineering program, joins host Abe Danaher to talk about promoting muscle growth through particulate systems. First, Michael describes his work with the Veterans Administration (2:04) and why his research is needed by elderly people (3:09). Then, he explains why the particulate system is targeting fat tissue (5:33) and how the injectable system he's creating would work (7:26). Next, Abe give...
Travis Knight: Is There a Future for Nuclear Energy in America? The Ever-Changing Field and His Journey Through It
December 10, 2019 16:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBTravis Knight, the director of the UofSC College of Engineering and Computing's nuclear engineering program, joins host Abe Danaher to talk about nuclear energy. First, Travis describes his winding journey through the field (1:39) and why he chose to stay the course despite all the obstacles (6:21). Then, he describes the sinking feeling he felt when he heard the news of the V.C. Summer project (10:33) and how it is emblematic of the larger problem facing nuclear energy in America (15:20). N...
Amit Sheth: Should We Be Worried About Artificial Intelligence? The New AI Institute and Choosing Grad Students
November 18, 2019 20:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBAmit Sheth, the founding director of the UofSC Artificial Intelligence Institute, joins host Abe Danaher to talk about artificial intelligence. First, Amit explains the meaning of the institute's tagline, "turning big data into smart data," and he lays out his vision for the future of the AI Institute (6:46). Then, he explains why people need to be careful and concerned about emerging AI technologies (15:01) before discussing ethical concerns he has faced in his own AI research (19:36). Last...
John Monnier: Working in Industry, Bimetallic Catalysts, and Researching Until He Dies
October 16, 2019 15:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBUofSC Chemical Engineering Professor John Monnier joins host Abe Danaher to tell about his journey from industry to the university and his now successful quest to create bimetallic catalysts. First, John explains the practical applications that both catalysis and engineering have (4:06) and how the industry evolved during his 32 years in it (8:33). Then, he explains his realization that everything that could be done with single metal catalysts had been done (11:46) and his ensuing decision t...
Nicole Berge: Hydrothermal Carbonization, Working with Trash, and Making Energy from Waste
September 30, 2019 20:00 - 13 minutes - 9.58 MBUofSC Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Nicole Berge joins Host Abe Danaher to tell how her research on hydrothermal carbonization is allowing for waste to be converted into energy and fertilizers. Nicole begins by sharing how she got into researching landfills as an undergraduate (2:01), before explaining what her current research on trash aims to do (4:10). Next, she explains how close we are to using her technology widely in the US (7:25) and the reactions of her stu...
Mike Sutton: Starting a Company, Digital Image Correlation, and the Power of Perseverance
September 20, 2019 14:00 - 27 minutes - 18.6 MBUofSC Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Professor Mike Sutton joins Host Abe Danaher to tell the story of how the now international company Correlated Solutions Incorporated began and about the digital image correlation technology that he helped create. Mike begins with how NASA and UofSC didn't want to patent his technology (2:45), which forced him to start Correlated Solutions in 1997 (4:03). Then, Mike explains what it was like to start the company in Columbia, South Carolina (10:47). ...
Roger Dougal: The History of Our Energy Grid, The Argument for a DC Energy Renaissance, and Sailing
September 09, 2019 15:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBHost Abe Danaher is joined by UofSC Electrical Engineering Department Chair Roger Dougal to talk about the state of America's energy grid and the benefits of switching to direct current power. First, Abe tells a story about the history of DC and AC energy, providing the framework for the rest of their discussion (1:02). Then, Roger explains why now is the time to change to DC energy (4:23) and why the change should occur (6:58). Next, Roger explains why DC energy would make renewable energy ...
Ramy Harik: Composite Manufacturing, Automated Fiber Placement, and the Pressure of Excellence
August 27, 2019 17:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBHost Abe Danaher is joined by UofSC Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Ramy Harik to talk about automated fiber placement and the transformative effect it is having on the aerospace and automative industries. First, Ramy explains what composite manufacturing is (2:15) and what AFP machines produce (8:20) before addressing the newness of the field and the potential that it has to grow (11:56). Next, Abe asks Ramy about the pressure of trying to always stay at the forefront of the ever...
Ben Schooley: Foster Care Apps, Helping Cancer Survivors Through Alexa, and Data Security
August 02, 2019 18:00 - 25 minutes - 17.2 MBHost Abe Danaher is joined by UofSC Integrated Information Technology Associate Professor Ben Schooley to talk about the transformative effects his apps will have on the health care field. First, they discuss his app that aims to improve the foster care system in the state of South Carolina (2:15) before moving onto his Alexa-powered app designed to improve the health and well-being of elderly cancer survivors (11:02). Next, Abe asks Ben how he got into the field of health care after majorin...
Bill Mustain: Batteries, Emissions, and the Solution to Your Phone Battery Troubles
July 22, 2019 19:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBHost Abe Danaher is joined by UofSC chemical engineering Professor Bill Mustain to talk about the future of batteries. First, they discuss the effect changes to the lithium ion battery will have on electric cars (2:17) and the growing problem of emissions (7:00) before moving onto alkaline batteries and their impact on soldiers (16:11). Next, Abe opens the mailbag (21:13) and asks Bill three questions about his time at the University of South Carolina and his research. Then, the episode ends...