Potential Difference Podcast

017 PD Podcast – Turning a passion into a business: Bike Bros

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Mon, 18 May 2015 09:00:46 +0000

Turning a passion into a business: Bike Bros

The life of a PhD student is not all work, work, work. A lot of people join student societies and sports clubs. In this episode, I talk to two of my colleagues at the Advanced Technology Institute who have started a business together in their spare time.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bikebros.mp3

You can download the audio file here.
The PD Podcast is not affiliated to Bike Bros.

Subscribe in iTunes

This is the “Potential Difference” podcast, presented and produced by me, Dr Radu Sporea. The podcast is featured on the University of Surrey’s Electronic Engineering pages.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

The Potential Difference Podcast is not affiliated to Bike Bros.

016 PD Special – SATRO Summer Research Placements 2014

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:37:39 +0000

SATRO Summer Research Placement Awards 2014

Each year, SATRO sponsors a select group of sixth form students, pairing them with scientists and engineers for four to six weeks. The students work on genuine research projects, submit their work for a Gold CREST Award and gather for the annual Awards Ceremony in November.

This year, the Awards were hosted by Esher College. Nine of the twelve recipients participated. I went to have a look, speak to the student sand catch up with my own two young collaborators from earlier this year, Will and Tom.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/satro-2014.mp3

SATRO’s Celebration Event Summary 2014
You can download the audio file here.
Subscribe in iTunes

This is a “Potential Difference” special, presented and produced by me, Dr Radu Sporea. The podcast is featured on the University of Surrey’s Electronic Engineering pages.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

015 PD Special – Surrey Impact Acceleration Account Showcase 2014

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 19:23:32 +0000

IMPACT ACCELERATION ACCOUNT

The EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) follows on from the University of Surrey’s successful Knowledge Transfer Account (KTA) and is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The Surrey IAA aims to accelerate the process of research exploitation by delivering an innovative programme of activities that will significantly enhance the reach and impact of past, current and future EPSRC funded research beyond established exploitation routes.

Information for University of Surrey academics

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/iaa-2014.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is a “Potential Difference” special, presented and produced by me, Dr Radu Sporea. The podcast is featured on the University of Surrey’s Electronic Engineering pages.

You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

014 PD Special – Postgraduate Research Conference 2014

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 07:58:50 +0000

The fourth postgraduate research conference at the University of Surrey was held at the beginning of February. I spoke to some of the young researchers, the organisers and members of staff to learn more about this event and about the exciting things going on around me.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/potential-difference-pg-conference-2014.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

More about the conference here.

This is a “Potential Difference” special, presented and produced by me, Dr Radu Sporea. The podcast is featured on PodAcademy and on the University of Surrey’s Electronic Engineering pages.

You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

013 PD S02E08 – Simon King – Electrospinning – Engineering Doctorate

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 08:27:37 +0000

Today’s guest uses this machine for aligning carbon nanotubes by electrospinning. Simon King is an engineering doctoral student at Surrey’s MinMat Industrial Doctoral Centre supported by the EPSRC and industrial partner Thomas Swan and Company.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/8-simon.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is an episode in the first series of “Potential Difference”, presented and produced by Radu Sporea. You can download the file here.

In this series I interview some of my young colleagues, PhD students and researchers from the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey. They may not be household names (yet), but they are a the forefront of international research and have great stories to tell. Listen to their impressions on their work and on life as a researcher.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

012 PD S02E07 – Thomas Pozegic – Carbon nanocomposites

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:25:25 +0000

Despite its astounding mechanical properties, carbon fibre has poor electrical characteristics. My guest today seeks to enhance them and by so doing, make the material safer to use in aircraft. In a departure from traditional ATI research, he works with carbon nanomaterials on the large scale and finds Surrey more than just a good place to do Science.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/7-thomas.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is an episode in the first series of “Potential Difference”, presented and produced by Radu Sporea. You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

011 PD S02E06 – Ross Maspero – Lasers – Material Modelling – Work Placement

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 08:21:36 +0000

In this podcast, we visit the Theory and Computation group at the ATI. I’m speaking to Ross Maspero, a PhD researchers who studies lasers and ways of making them more efficient. I met him days after he gave a talk at his first international conference in Vancouver.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/6-ross.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is an episode in the first series of “Potential Difference”, presented and produced by Radu Sporea. You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

010 PD S02E05 – Nicola Rolfe – Silicon photonics – Public engagement

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 08:19:25 +0000

So far, series has been featuring PhD students. Today I’m speaking to a postdoctoral researcher who changed her field after she became a Doctor. Her passion for the subject, she tells me, might be best used in future for public engagement in Science, outreach and generally enthusing people.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/5-nicola.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is an episode in the first series of “Potential Difference”, presented and produced by Radu Sporea. You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

009 PD S02E04 – Nathanael Roome – Molecular interactions

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 08:17:59 +0000

Today’s guest showed up in a T-shirt reading “This is what a feminist looks like” and has given up jiu-jitsu for roller derby, only to find this sport equally intense. He struggled to make the most of his studies, having been diagnosed with dyslexia only recently. Not only has he found effective ways of adapting but he is now one of the few people who can visualise aspects of quantum behaviour. His skills are of real value in his work on the understanding of materials at the nanoscale.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/4-nathanael.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is an episode in the first series of “Potential Difference”, presented and produced by Radu Sporea. You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.

008 PD S02E03 – Liam McCafferty – Magnetic carbon composites, industrial R&D

rsporea@gmail.com (Dr Radu Sporea) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 08:15:38 +0000

Today I’m talking to another of our chemists. He reveals some less well known properties of nanostructured materials based on carbon and argues that you don’t have to work around the clock to be successful in academic research.

https://drsporea.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/3-liam.mp3

Subscribe in iTunes

This is an episode in the first series of “Potential Difference”, presented and produced by Radu Sporea. You can download the file here.

Like this show? Find something controversial? Leave your comments below and subscribe on iTunes. Thank you for listening.