In this episode, we sit down with Professor David Fernández Rivas from the University of Twente to talk about what engineering actually means – and why you don't need a formal qualification to think like one.

Professor Rivas then takes us through microfluidics and the science of bubbles – and how both are opening doors in medicine, from needle-free injections to medical tattoos.

We also talk about what it looks like when researchers take their work beyond the lab, and why Professor Rivas thinks there's a real responsibility to make sure discoveries actually reach the people who need them.

Key themes:

• What engineering really means, and who gets to call themselves one
• Why modern science needs people who can work across fields
• Microfluidics and its role in biomedical technology
• The science of bubbles and where it leads
• Needle-free injection systems – the challenges and the breakthroughs
• When scientists become entrepreneurs

USEFUL LINKS

David's website: https://david-fernandez-rivas.com/

University of Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/en/

David Fernández Rivas's Book: Empathic Entrepreneurial Engineering: https://empathic-engineering.com/

Bubble Gun, EU-NWO funded projects: https://bubble-gun.eu/

FlowBeams: https://flowbeams.com/

Events: https://futureunderourskin.com/

https://david-fernandez-rivas.com/initiatives-projects-fuos/

Frozen Bubbles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3Iy76DsDE

jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.

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Ever wondered why scientists keep talking about biodiversity? In this episode, Professor Ainhoa Magrach from Spain's BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change reveals why diverse ecosystems are the foundation of everything.

Think of biodiversity as nature's shock absorber. Professor Magrach uses a brilliant analogy: diversifying your ecosystem is like diversifying your investment portfolio – it protects against crashes. When heatwaves hit or droughts strike, diverse ecosystems bounce back while simplified ones collapse. That's not just good for nature; it's essential for human survival.

You'll discover surprising facts about the hidden world of pollinators (did you know hummingbirds are crucial pollinators too?), learn why monoculture farming is biodiversity's enemy, and find out what practical steps farmers and citizens can take right now to make a difference.

Key themes:

• The biodiversity-stability connection explained simply
• Why native species matter for your local ecosystem
• The fascinating world of pollinators beyond honeybees
• Agricultural practices that harm vs. help biodiversity
• What REDD+ means for forest conservation
• How citizen science empowers everyday people
• Your power to influence environmental policy

USEFUL LINKS

Basque Centre for Climate Change: https://www.bc3research.org/en/

Ainhoa's website: https://www.ainhoamagrach.com/

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/

eBird: https://ebird.org/home

jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.

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The AI research landscape may be fracturing along geopolitical lines. What does this mean for European innovation?

Professor Søren Hauberg from Danish Technical University tackles these questions in our latest episode, recorded live at EurIPS, a community-driven conference that made world-class AI research accessible to Europe by showcasing papers accepted at NeurIPS. The gap between machine learning research and deployment has collapsed to months, creating unprecedented opportunities. And that's why organising such a conference as EurIPS and having Søren on our show is very timely.

Topics covered:

• European AI research
• Research-to-deployment pipelines in machine learning
• Computer vision vs. machine learning
• Academia-industry partnerships in AI development
• AI ethics and rapid deployment risks
• Public engagement and AI researchers
• ERC Consolidator Grant

Recorded live at the inaugural EurIPS conference, this conversation connects technical AI research with policy implications.

USEFUL LINKS

EurIPS: https://eurips.cc/

NeurIPS: https://neurips.cc/

More about Søren Hauberg: https://www2.compute.dtu.dk/~sohau/

jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.

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