Best Alicia Botes Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 35: Talking to Joe Mwakiremba about upcycling flip-flops from beaches in Kenya 29:11

1M ago29:11

29:11

In this episode, we listen to Joe Mwakiremba, a hardworking and passionate sales representative for Ocean Sole in Kenya, talk about how they are upcycling trashed flip-flop while simultaneously cleaning up the environment and creating stable jobs for many people. Check out these links to YouTube and watch these flip-flops being turned into amazing …

1
Episode 34: Dr Mapula Razwinani talks about plant-based bandages with medicinal features 34:59

4M ago34:59

34:59

Today I spoke to Dr Mapula about patents, polymers in wound healing treatment, medicinal plants and empowering women in science particularly in Africa. She is a warm, kind and self driven biomedical researcher and entrepreneur with comprehensive accomplishment in clinical research and tissue engineering. Please check her page on LinkedIn: https://w…

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Episode 33: Dr. Boran ”Bo” Ma discusses computational modeling in polymers, comedy in science, and living in Hattiesburg 1:07:40

8M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Dr. Boran “Bo” Ma established the Ma Research Lab in January 2023 in the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to joining the SPSE, Dr. Bo was a postdoctoral associate at Duke University. She received her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University in 2019 and her BEng i…

1
Episode 32: Gregory Parisi tells us more about adaptable Fog water collection using switchable electrospun fibers 27:52

9M ago27:52

27:52

Today we are talking to Gregory Parisi about harvesting water in variable humidity conditions studying specifically the wetting properties of electrospun polymer materials. Gregory is a PhD student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and worked as a Fulbright fellow at the AGH-UST Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science in Pol…

1
Episode 31: Adam Hecht from Dive Design on 3D printing prosthesis for dogs and more 30:34

11M ago30:34

30:34

In this episode we talk to Adam Hecht, Co-Founder, Designer and Director of Additive Manufacturing at DiveDesign. He tells us more about what goes into running a 3D company and all the products that they are currently making. He also have some amazing collaborations and interesting projects, from turning trash from the ocean into furniture to helpi…

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Episode 30: Dr Aurelien Forget speaks about a wonderful new Free Radical Polymerization game that is for everyone 22:33

1y ago22:33

22:33

In this episode we listen to Dr Aurelien Forget talk about his work and research interests. He also shares details about a fun and educative card game that he developed called Macromolecular Games: A Free Radical Polymerization Card Game. This card game is made for anyone that wish to understand polymerization and can even be customized with you ow…

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Episode 29: Dr. Tristan Clemons discusses soft-matter therapeutics, peptide synthesis, and field hockey 48:04

1y ago48:04

48:04

Dr. Tristan Clemons is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Clemons established his lab at USM in 2021 and quickly started exciting research in Soft Matter Science. The Clemons group is multidisciplinary in nature, firmly embedded at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and engineering. His research efforts are a…

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Episode 28: Dr. Katrina Knauer discusses the restructuring of plastic recycling 38:14

1+ y ago38:14

38:14

Dr. Katrina Knauer is the Chief Technology Officer of the BOTTLE Consortium at the National Renewable Energy Laboratories near Denver, Colorado. BOTTLE (Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment) is a U.S. Department of Energy multi-organization consortium focused on developing new chemical upcycling str…

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Episode 27: Dr. Barney Grubbs discusses the significance of depolymerizable polymers in sustainable materials 37:25

1+ y ago37:25

37:25

Dr. Barney Grubbs discusses with Jacob the importance of controllably degradable polymers and their significance in improving material sustainability. Dr. Grubbs also talks about his academic journey, taking us all around the United States as he shares his exciting research! The Grubbs research group investigates questions addressing the common gro…

1
Episode 26: Talking to Ingmar Van Hengel about digital health, 3D implants and skin printing 40:28

1+ y ago40:28

40:28

Ingmar Van Hengel is a PhD candidate at Delft University in Biomedical Engineering. He also has a mind for business when he created his first startup company called SkinPrint for the treatment of burn wounds using bioprinting to develop skin using the patient's cells and biocompatible natural polymer materials. He then shifted his focus to developi…

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Episode 25: Dr. Brooks Abel, University of California Berkeley, Polymer Recycling 1:11:08

1+ y ago1:11:08

1:11:08

Dr. Brooks Abel is an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where the Abel group conducts research at the interfaces of polymer organic chemistry, catalysis, and materials science. Dr. Brooks and his group pursue application-driven polymer chemistry, where the desired chemical identity, physical properties, and end-use of t…

1
Episode 24: Talking to Dr Megan Coates and Dr Laura Frazier about SNC and TaikiUSA nanofiber-based beauty line 27:17

2y ago27:17

27:17

Today we are talking to Dr Laura Frazier, Chief Scientist of TaikiUSA, and Dr Megan Coates, R&D manager at the Stellenbosch Nanofiber Company, about their collaboration and creation of Bōshi Beauty nanofiber-based product line. Stellenbosch Nanofiber Company has been developing nanofiber-based products, including advanced wound dressings, tissue en…

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Episode 23: Talking to Clariter’s Zininzi Mpafa about upcycling plastic waste to useful products 20:33

2y ago20:33

20:33

Hello everyone! Alicia, here! So at the time of this recording I am approximately 38 weeks pregnant and a little sick as you could probably tell from my voice. This means that I am now on maternity leave while you are listening to this episode and taking care of our newborn! Nonetheless the show goes on! And I am happy to say that our Podcast team …

1
Episode 22: Talking to Dr. Benjamin Alameda about controllably degradable polymer networks 35:18

2y ago35:18

35:18

In this episode we hear from Dr. Benjamin Alameda, a brand new PhD graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Alameda specializes in the design, fabrication, and characterization of polymer networks that degrade in the presence of different external stimuli. As we continue to mold the future of plastics toward more environmentally fr…

1
Episode 21: Talking to Dr. Christoph Herfurth about polyurethanes and sustainable plastics 34:57

2y ago34:57

34:57

In this episode we hear from Dr. Christoph Herfurth, a researcher from Fraunhofer. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft based in Germany is the world’s leading applied research organization. Prioritizing key future-relevant technologies and commercializing its findings in business and industry, it plays a major role in the innovation process. A trailblazer …

1
Episode 20: Talking to Tshepo Mangoele about an amazing natural polymer called Lignin. 37:44

2y ago37:44

37:44

In this episode we are talking to Tshepo Mangoele, CEO and Founder of LignOrganic (PTY) Ltd. This company is the first in Africa to produce Sulphur-free Lignin, a natural polymer with endless possibilities and applications! Tshepo is a Chemical Engineer with a vision to make environmentally-friendly biomaterials and sustainable products the new nor…

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Episode 19: Talking to Hyunwoo Yuk about barnicle-inspired surgical glue 1:16:57

2+ y ago1:16:57

1:16:57

Hello and welcome, everyone, to the Polymer Science Podcast's last episode for 2021! In this episode we’ll be listening to my interview with Dr. Hyunwoo Yuk, an outstanding research scientist of mechanical and biomedical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I reached out to Dr. Yuk after finding his work on the development of a…

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Episode 18: Talking to Monika Snowdon about antiviral formulations and a career path in Nanotechnology 43:27

2+ y ago43:27

43:27

My co-host Jacob Schekman and I had our very first interview as a duo! Together, we had a very enlightening conversation with Dr Monika Snowdon about her PhD work, the projects she is currently busy with, and we learned more about her very own Podcast show, called the IMNano podcast, which she hosts with her co-host, Irfani! Monika obtained her doc…

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Episode 17: Talking to Dr. John Pojman about QuickCure Clay 53:49

2+ y ago53:49

53:49

In this episode, Dr. Pojman talks with Jacob about the unique reaction properties of frontal polymerization and the serendipity within his research that led to his production and international distribution of QuickCure Clay. Pojman Polymer Products, LLC, licensed QuickCure Clay to Ranger industries, which produces and distributes the material aroun…

1
Episode 16: Talking to Jacquin October about the applications of Synthesis in Organic Chemistry 30:27

2+ y ago30:27

30:27

Today is a special episode where I catch up with an old Stellenbosch University colleague of mine, Dr Jacquin October. He is a very impressive and dedicated Postdoctoral Researcher at Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion. We talked about his move from South Africa to Germany and what that entails. We also discussed the applications a…

1
Episode 15: Talking to Prof James Pikul about Metallic Wood 28:49

2+ y ago28:49

28:49

It is a week after the Closing Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, and it is amazing to be able to reflect on the revolutionary technology that we currently have available due to the dedicated mechanical engineers and scientists that are focusing their efforts on providing sustainable and convenient tools to improve society. In Japan, we saw …

1
Episode 14: Talking to Maliha Syed about Polymers in Cosmetics 1:04:34

2+ y ago1:04:34

1:04:34

Dr Maliha Syed studied at the University of Southern Mississippi and graduated with her PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering. She is a Principle Scientist for the company called Avlon which focuses on synergizing health, beauty, and polymer science to provide skincare solutions that enhance consumer wellness. Maliha talks to us about hair, nail a…

1
Episode 13: Talking to Prof. James Rawlins about Polymer Coatings 36:15

3y ago36:15

36:15

Today's episode features Prof. James Rawlins from the University of Southern Mississippi where he focusses his research on structure properties and structure performance relationships of polymer coatings and early detection of corrosion. Coatings are predominant in our every day life and is used in corrosion control, as decorative covering or even …

1
Episode 12: Talking to Thomas Mortelmans about Nanofluidic Devices for research in Neurodegenerative Diseases 28:10

3y ago28:10

28:10

Thomas Mortelmans is a PhD student with a passion for Polymers. He talks about how he combines various scientific fields and state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques for bio-medically relevant applications. He is working on the development of a nanofluidic device, which would be capable of interpreting pathophysiological mechanisms of neurodegen…

1
Episode 11: Talking to Dr. Danielle Pretorius about Fabricating cardiac tissue patches 35:46

3y ago35:46

35:46

Dr. Danielle Pretorius has earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Together with Dr. Jay Zhang, she is helping to fabricate cardiac tissue patches that is made from human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cells. The initial structures were made with fibrin but due to the dynamic nature of the cells, …

1
Episode 10: Talking to Prof Urszula Stachewicz about Bioengineered Electrospun Fibers for Water Harvesting systems and the Treatment of Eczema 33:08

3y ago33:08

33:08

In this Episode we speak to Prof Stachewicz from the AGH University of Science and Technology about two topics that revolve around Bioengineered Electrospun fibers. We first talk about a Water Harvesting system using Polystyrene-Cellulose electrospun fibers. She describes the specific electrospinning process required for the development of "gutter"…

1
Episode 9: Talking to Dr. Upenyu L. Muza about Field flow fractionation for the characterization of Exosome-Polymer hybrids 27:52

3y ago27:52

27:52

This episode is filled with information about the engineering and characterization of Exosome-Polymer hybrids. Dr. Upenyu Muza explains to us what exosomes are and how they can be modified and improved for the use in targeted drug delivery and for other medicinal applications by using polymers. He also gives us a detailed description of a very impo…

1
Episode 8: Talking to Prof. Dr. Michael Meier about a Greener Future in Chemistry 32:17

3+ y ago32:17

32:17

And we are back, kicking off the new year with a topic close to our hearts! Today my Co-host Jacob Schekman spoke to Prof. Michael Meier from the Laboratory of Applied Chemistry at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. The topic of sustainable chemistry in the lab is a very interesting and necessary topic. Prof Meier discusses the…

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2020 Wrap Up: Get to know us 45:24

3+ y ago45:24

45:24

This year went by with a flash. Wow. It really tested our ability to work together as a society as well as forced us to re-evaluate what is essential and important to our health and well being.This is a special episode to wrap up this year and to give thanks to everyone who have supported The Polymer Science Podcast so far. We cannot thank you enou…

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Episode 7: Talking to Haydn Kriel about Nordshield in the fight against pathogens 56:01

3+ y ago56:01

56:01

This episode contains a fascinating talk with Haydn Kriel, who obtained a MSc in Polymer Science at Stellenbosch University, South Africa and he now resides in Finland and works with the Nordic Biotech Group. We talked about the life of a Polymer Scientist and how to make the best decisions for your career. We also discussed their innovative and su…

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Episode 6: Talking to Dr Nikoline Borgermann about making labs more sustainable and her consultancy Ava Sustain 59:20

3+ y ago59:20

59:20

Today we talked to Dr Nikoline Borgermann, founder of Ava Sustain. This is a consultancy that is dedicated to help labs around the world to reduce their environmental footprint by reducing single use plastic, energy and water waste. She will be giving tips on how to take the first step toward a "greener" lab and how to overcome obstacles that may b…

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Educate Ep 4: Electrospinning (Part 2) 11:22

3+ y ago11:22

11:22

Today we discuss some more interesting details about the electrospinning instrument. I hope you, as a student, researcher or even as a person wondering more about this instrument, find it useful! Please email The Polymer Science team at polymersciencepodcast@gmail.com for any questions or comments!Hope you enjoy!…

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Episode 5: Talking to Dr Lisa Fortuin about Bone Glue! A degradable polymer based bone fracture adhesive that can replace metal plates and screws in t... 35:38

3+ y ago35:38

35:38

Today we are talking to Dr Lisa Fortuin, a postdoctoral researcher at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. She did her PhD at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, where she used biodegradable polymers to develop prodrugs for targeted drug delivery. She is currently developing part of the layered system that forms the degradable polymer based …

1
Educate Ep 4: Electrospinning (Part 1) 9:37

3+ y ago9:37

9:37

The electrospinning instrument has grown in popularity over the many years and have been developed in such a way that it can be used for a multitude of applications. Whether it is in the pharmaceutical or biomedical fields or in packaging or food preservation, it is an extremely interesting and useful tool in Polymer Science!Hope you enjoy the shor…

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Episode 4: Talking to Dr Joshua Tropp about specializing in conjugated polymers for applications in sensors and flexible electronics 39:10

3+ y ago39:10

39:10

I'm excited to introduce my new co-host, Jacob Schekman, a fellow scientist with a passion for Polymer Science research!Today's episode is with Dr Joshua Tropp from the University of Southern Mississippi. This talk brings us an interesting and informative conversation about conjugated polymers and the role that these materials play in the developme…

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Educate Ep 3: The Electron Microscope (Part 3) 11:16

3+ y ago11:16

11:16

This is the last episode for the Electron Microscope series discussing software and EDX. If there are more questions and comments about this instrument, I will make a seperate questions and answers episode. Stay tuned for more educational episodes about other characterization and analytical instruments still to come!This podcast is now available on…

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Episode 3: Talking to Dr Pavani Cherukupally about low cost sponges for wastewater treatments 45:51

4y ago45:51

45:51

Today we are talking to Dr Pavani Cherukupally, whom I met in Mexico during the Polymer Processing Society conference in 2017. Her energy and passion for research in wastewater treatments and nanocomposite sponges are infectious. Clean and safe drinking water is crucial to our well being and researchers, like Dr Pavani, helps to create more cost ef…

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Episode 2: Talking to Hamsa Ashraf from Egypt about Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering 42:55

4y ago42:55

42:55

I had the privilege of interviewing the talented Hamsa Ashraf from Cairo, who currently works at a Child Cancer Hospital in the field of Tissue Engineering. Her work focusses on restoring long bone defects using bioprinted scaffolds made from natural biopolymers. The long distance call had its challenges for the audio but I am certain that you will…

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Educate Ep 2: Electron Microscopes (Part 2) 27:02

4y ago27:02

27:02

This educational episode discusses the basics of sample preparation for Electron Microscopy. There are quite a number of ways to treat your sample depending on type of sample and the results you are looking for as well as the type of Electron Microscope you are using. I hope you find this episode useful, please feel free to comment and ask question…

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Educate Ep 1: The Electron Microscope (Part 1) 14:34

4y ago14:34

14:34

These episodes are for students and people that are interested in the instruments that are used to characterise and analyse samples in Material Science and Chemistry.The first episode will be an introduction to Electron Microscopes and for understanding the components and functions of these glorious instruments.Hope you find it useful!…

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Episode 1: Talking to Dr Zhugen Yang about paper-based devices for bulk Covid19 testing 26:30

4y ago26:30

26:30

This episode discusses paper-based devices for the use in waste water epidemiology and focuses on how these sensor devices can positively contribute to the current issues caused by the Covid19 pandemic. Many informal settlements in South Africa and other third world countries are exposed to waste water and this device may help to establish any cont…

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