Show Archive
Fred Rascoe from the Georgia Tech Library joins the podcast to talk about the changing world of academic publishing. We discuss the existing paradigm, why it is under attack, and what we can expect going forward. Along the way, we somehow touch on vinyl records, mustaches, Mexican food, and Barbra Streisand. We round out the show with a potentially blasphemous question: can peer review (at the point of initial publication) be eliminated altogether? (Recorded on April 12, 2016)
Show Notes:
Tobias Hanrath is an Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University, and he's the first remote guest on the podcast. He successfully dodges technical difficulties to talk about nanoparticles, nanocrystals, quantum dots, or whatever you call them. We have a far ranging discussion, touching on everything from interconnecting nanoparticles to cooking doughnuts. (Recorded on April 4, 2016)
Today’s guest is Suresh Sharma, an entrepreneur-in-residence at Georgia Tech. After a successful business career, he now works alongside faculty to translate their scientific breakthroughs into commercial products. He joined the podcast to talk about the potential of the southeast United States as a hub for nanomanufacturing. As with any good podcast, the conversation leads to a discussion of the frequency with which airlines lose passengers’ luggage. (Recorded on March 25, 2016)
Dr. Saujan Sivaram, a recent graduate of the Filler Lab, joins the podcast to talk about semiconductor nanowires. We chat about how these rod-like materials are made, the idea of “functional encoding,” and the challenges that lie ahead. We finish with a discussion of the companies trying (really really hard) to translate nanowires into commercial products. Come for the nano, stay to learn how to pronounce Saujan’s name. (Recorded on March 4, 2016)
Show Notes:
Nanowire companies discussed: Amprius, Sol Voltaics, Glo, Alphabet Energy
Dr. Craig Green of InvisiCool and Carbice Nanotechnologies joins the podcast to talk low tech nanotech, nanotechnology safety, and the pesky problem of unforeseen consequences. Have you ever wondered what skin care and integrated circuits have in common? Now is your chance to find out. (Recorded on February 25, 2016)
This week's guest is Eric Vogel, a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech and the Deputy Director of the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN). We talk transistors — the original nanotechnology — and what these super tiny switches can teach us about future nanotechnologies. We discuss why we keep shrinking transistor size, the manufacturing challenges associated with this "scaling," and what looks like the end of the road for conventional integrated circuits. Don't miss the after-show where we ask: what if we move to a new integrated circuit architecture? The answer is a doozy. (Recorded on February 16, 2016)
This episode's guest is Jonathan Goldman, an Atlanta-based technologist who wears many hats. He is currently an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and a Principal at the Georgia Tech VentureLab. He joined me to discuss rising interest in perovskite materials for solar cells and the 800 lb gorilla still in the room (hint: it's silicon). We also touched on the challenge of translating scientific discovery into commercial products. (Recorded on February 8, 2016)
Show Notes:
Martin A. Green et al., The Emergence of Perovskite Solar Cells
Solar companies discussed: Alta Devices, SunPower, First Solar
Today's guest is Bara Cola, an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Once a walk-on college football player, Bara currently runs the NEST lab and is a world expert on the use of carbon nanotubes (and related materials) in thermal technologies. He joined me to talk about the history of carbon nanotubes, their uses, and the special place they hold in our hearts. (Recorded on January 15, 2016)
Today's guest is Charlie Bennett, an undergraduate programming and engagement librarian at Georgia Tech. He’s also a friend and podcasting guru. You can hear him on his podcasts Lost in the Stacks, Consilience with Pete and Charlie, and several more. He courageously joined me for the first episode of Nanovation to both keep me honest and ask "what in the world is this podcast about?" (Recorded on January 6, 2016)
