Christopher hosts and produces the internationally-awarded "Life as A.." podcast, helping people find professional career ideas and business pathways by exploring jobs from around the world. We discuss the interplay between career and identity and the pursuit of purpose-driven work.
Christopher's story in brief
- Christopher didn’t have a Plan A. He was a high-achiever who had the grades, but not the roadmap for his future.
- Studying sociology without a clear direction, he simultaneously worked in Canadian Customs and Immigration, where he gained an early appreciation for how our jobs can shape who we are and how we see the world.
- His quest for clarity led him to Japan to teach English, a temporary plan that turned into 20-plus-year adventure including teaching, consulting, and co-founding a marketing company in Tokyo.
- It wasn’t just a career shift; it was a life transformation. Christopher realised his professional purpose was deeply tied to entrepreneurship, creativity, and a desire for variety and novelty in his work.
- Christopher’s podcast, "Life as A..," is his way of shining a light on the myriad of career paths out there. It's about giving people a real taste of the options they have, helping them find their own spark in the professional world.
Conversation Themes
- Navigating career uncertainty
- Curiosity, exploration, and enthusiasm as career catalysts
- The interplay of career and identity
- What it means to find purpose and fulfilment
Links and Resources
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s4e2-christopher-schoenwald
Recorded 23 October 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Lawrence Yeo is a writer, illustrator, storyteller, and the creator of 'More To That', an illustrated long form blog that delves deeper into the things that make us who we are. We discuss the role of confidence, gratitude, uncertainty and many other practicalities of pursuing a creative life.
Lawrence's story in brief
- Lawrence grew up feeling abundant despite growing up poor, and always had a strong sense of curiosity and abundance.
- He pursued a career in finance but knew it wasn't his true passion, so he quit his job to pursue music but eventually became disillusioned with the industry's demands for external validation.
- He transitioned to writing blog posts on Medium, developing a unique writing style that combines philosophical and metaphorical writing with hand-drawn illustrations and graphs.
- He found that his writing reached more people than his music did, and he realised that his inner compass was about how creating art moved him forward as a person.
- Lawrence started his blog, More To That, without a specific strategy or intention to start a business, and it has since grown into a platform offering courses, consulting, and direct support.
Conversation Themes
- Money, creativity, fulfilment, and the idea of 'enough'
- Mindset, framing, and following your inner compass while embracing uncertainty
- The power of storytelling in navigating the nuances of the human condition
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s4e1-lawrence-yeo
Recorded 16 September 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
If you could gift someone a life-changing learning experience, what would it be and why? We discuss the combined wisdom of 27 of my podcast guests and what it means for how we approach the practice of education.
Where, when, and how do moments of truly life-changing learning actually happen?
What do they look like?
When have you had a learning experience that actually changed your life?
If you think back through all the classes you’ve taken, the certificates you’ve earned, the books you’ve read, the films you’ve seen, the things you’ve tried, the places you’ve been, the people you’ve looked up to… what stands out most to you as a truly life-changing learning experience?
On my podcast, Still Curious, I talk to people who have somehow managed to keep their curiosity intact well into adulthood, despite the best efforts of the world around them. One question I ask everyone who comes on the show is: "if you could gift someone a life-changing learning experience, what would it be and why?"
I’ve been doing this for a little while now, and it’s always my favourite part of the show because I never have any idea what to expect, and the things that each person comes out with are often surprising, moving and profound.
When you put them all together, the overall effect is even more striking, and revealing.
So today I’d like to share the combined wisdom of 27 of my podcast guests with you, and reflect on what it all means.
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including transcript, links and resources: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e9-27-gifts-of-life-changing-learning
Recorded 27 November 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Amanda is a liriodendress, a human embodiment of the tulip poplar tree. We discuss her journey of reconnecting with nature, listening to the wisdom of plants, and exploring alternative ways of knowing in her pursuit of heart-centred living.
Episode Summary
- Raised in a conservative Baptist church, Amanda always felt the divinity in the world but questioned the disconnect between the teachings of the church and her own experiences.
- After experiencing miscarriages and feeling unheard by medical professionals and her preacher husband, Amanda found healing and strength through acupuncture and connecting with plants, which led to a disruptive divorce and ex-communication from her church community.
- Amanda explored alternative ways of knowing and being, including herbalism, and discovered the transformative power of listening and dissolving the distinction between human and non-human.
- Through her work as an author, podcast host, and artist, Amanda shares her heart-centred offerings and messages to help others remember their connection to the divine and the interconnectedness of all living beings.
Key Themes
- Challenging the systems and structures that don't resonate with our hearts
- The transformative power of listening and the importance of being heard
- Reconnecting with nature and dissolving the distinction between human and non-human
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e8-amanda-nicole
Recorded 29 August 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Trudi is an experiential designer, facilitator, and creative who specialises in play. We discuss how purposeful play fosters connection, innovation, and psychological safety in life and the workplace.
Key Topics
- The importance of a playful mindset and its benefits in the workplace, including fostering connection, innovation, and psychological safety
- Trudi's squiggly career journey and why she has had 48 jobs, from performing on London’s West End, to working in a bikey bar, and how her diverse experiences have shaped her approach to creativity and communication
- Trudi's experience using play in high-stakes situations, such as working with incarcerated women and seriously ill children, and how play can be a tool for healing and transformation
- How it can be difficult and confusing to explain what you do when you don't fit into a predefined box, and why Trudi finds that identifying as a grokkist helps her make sense of herself.
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e7-trudi-boatwright
Recorded 13 June 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Lalith Gunaratne is a parent, entrepreneur, and educator on mindful leadership. We discuss Lalith’s mindfulness journey, his experience starting a solar energy business, and how his approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion training is informed by mindfulness and personal integrity.
Key Topics
- Lalith's mindfulness journey and the benefits of being present and letting go of attachment
- Challenges faced by Lalith as an ethical entrepreneur in the renewable energy sector and his transition to training and facilitation around equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Creating a safe space for conversations through nonviolent communication and mindfulness practices
- The importance of personal and professional integrity, learning, and taking responsibility for oneself in creating a harmonious and understanding world
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e6-lalith-gunaratne
Recorded 7 February 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Dr Colleen Kelley is a chemist and the creator and founder of Kids’ Chemical Solutions, a comic-book based chemistry curriculum that aims to transform chemistry education through imagination and play. We discuss Colleen's mission to make chemistry more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Key Topics
- How Colleen is making chemistry more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of perceived math abilities, and the importance of trust and curiosity in unlocking imagination and real learning
- Why fear is the number one barrier to learning chemistry, and the importance of understanding chemistry to preserve our world
- How Kids' Chemical Solutions connects chemical concepts to everyday life and allows students to solve mysteries using chemistry
- How being a grokkist following her joy with no plan led to Colleen’s squiggly career path and her creation of Kids' Chemical Solutions
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e5-colleen-kelly/
Recorded 2 March 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
The Ungoogleable Michaelangelo is a multidimensional artist and creator of cosmic, comedic, and contemplative content. We discuss the mysteries of creativity and the disciplined use of psychoactive substances to expand one's understanding of the world.
Key Topics
- Why "unconscious printouts" – unexpected creations that arise while doing something else – often end up being the artist's best work because the artist is not interfering with their own creativity
- Michaelangelo's trajectory as a multidimensional artist, from an early fascination with wildlife, nature, and photography, to pursuing music, film, podcasting, and poetry.
- An unconventional path that includes being a legal squatter in a haunted dentist’s practice, a stage magician, a tour guide in San Francisco, a street artist, a pawn shop worker in Florida, and an extra on an episode of Westworld.
- How Michaelangelo makes disciplined use of psychoactive substances to explore consciousness and the fringes of reality
- How the power of mirroring and finding self-portraits in other people can help us become more accurate reflections of ourselves
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e4-the-ungoogleable-michaelangelo
Recorded 2 February 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
John Fawole is an International Chess Federation master, chess in education lecturer, and founder of Bruvs Chess Media. John shares his journey to becoming a national chess champion in Nigeria, the transformative effects of chess education, and how the game impacts people's lives beyond the board.
Key topics
- John's journey to becoming Nigerian National Chess Champion, US National Master and World Chess Federation Master
- What chess can teach us about creativity, commitment, patience, and problem solving
- The grassroots advocacy and coaching work John does to advance the state of the game and teach young people important life skills through chess
- How chess is changing thanks to software tools, AI, and representation in popular culture
Episode Digest
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e3-john-fawole/
Recorded 15 January 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Lara is a New Zealand-based planner with over 10 years of experience in the field, working on projects across the public and private sectors. With a background in both government processes and business realities, Lara has a unique perspective on the intersection of policy, science, and community engagement. We discuss breaking down institutional knowledge barriers and public participation in planning.
Key topics
- Understanding the challenges of managing climate risk and adaptation in New Zealand
- Lara's squiggly career and personal growth through exploring different opportunities within the planning profession
- How being a grokkist helps Lara break down the barriers between different planning agencies and institutions
- The importance of communication, empathy and public engagement in planning
Episode Digest
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e2-lara-clarke
Recorded 13 January 2023
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Sam Hoffman is a multidisciplinary creative with roots in copywriting and content creation for Broadway shows and Fortune 500s. For over a decade, Sam has moonlighted as a part-time high school speech and debate coach with one of the nation's top programs, Ridge High School in New Jersey. He specializes in the competitive categories that allow students to craft a persuasive acting performance geared around subjects they are passionate about. We discuss the creative strategy and seduction of authentic storytelling and storydoing.
Key topics
- Sam’s background and journey in corporate advertising, copywriting and content creation, and why he loves chasing eyeballs
- Sam's journey as a speech and debate coach, and why speech and debate is a great way to develop one's own voice and values
- What Sam means by authentic storytelling with purpose
Detours and Tangents
- The evolving social media landscape and why it makes sense to think of social media platforms like cities
- The time Sam worked on a promotional campaign for comedian Mike Birbiglia
- What it means to have legitimate attention, and the role of competition and coaching in development and growth
Episode Digest
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s3e1-sam-hoffman
Recorded 14 December 2022
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Erich Leidums is the content creator behind That Mountain Life, where he documents his family's outdoor adventures and parenting journey in a small mountain town in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. We discuss the importance of building a fulfilling lifestyle that aligns with your values.
Key Topics:
- The importance of building a fulfilling lifestyle that aligns with your values, freeing yourself from the need for external validation
- Erich’s experiences growing up in Canada and his squiggly career journey through outdoor education, adventure tourism, paramedicine, and becoming a full-time content creator.
- Being an unplanned dad and the challenges and rewards of combining parenting and adventure
- Embracing risk and the power of giving someone a supportive nudge when they are at their edge of their comfort zone
- Why playing poker is a form of meditation, and the one book Erich read in high school that forever changed his life
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e13-erich-leidums/
Recorded 3 August 2022
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
A conversation all about what happens when a mingling of interests meets a sudden change in priorities. The moments where you change from being one kind of thing into another, how that happens and how you update your self-understanding along the way. Teaching moments and learning moments – the beating heart of education that enables each of us to reflect on our experiences and capitalise on those reflections in ways we can put into practice and that move us forward.
Key Topics:
- What you lose when you stop being a teacher and reconnecting with what you love about education
- Being in the hotseat as head teacher at the start of the pandemic and coming up with a plan to support students, teachers and parents
- Student wellbeing and how education systems fit and discard people
- What teachers making the transition to learning design and operations need to learn and unlearn
About the Guest: Maria Fernanda Puertas is a Latina, tea lover and cat lady who is passionate about the science of learning and community building. After being a teacher and head teacher for over a decade, she made the decision to move into tech to pursue the mission of reaching a much wider audience with amazing learning experiences, and hopefully help people find what they are looking for. [Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-fernanda-puertas/]
Recorded 21 July 2022
Links:
- Atom Learning [https://atomlearning.co.uk/]
- Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity? [https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity]
- Convivencia [https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095636384]
- Bed of Procrustes [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procrustes]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. He is the Founder of Grokkist. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
A conversation all about doing things in a different way and order than you’re supposed to. Not doing what you’re told, leaning into life’s sudden twists and turns, feeling behind, and taking flight, all while figuring out adulting and navigating the exciting challenges, complexity and expectations of cultural identity.
Key Topics:
- Having a family at a young age and living life out of sequence with your career-focussed peers
- Starting undergraduate studies at age 28 and catching up
- Becoming a public school teacher and chafing against the system
- Living and working in Shanghai, China as a Chinese-American
- From educator to entrepreneur to engagement leader
About the Guest: Grace Liaw is a connector, an educator, and a global citizen-in-progress.
Unlike most of her peers, Grace did not start her undergraduate studies until turning 28, when she began to pursue a degree in Human Ecology and Family Studies at Montclair State University. Finally fulfilling her dreams of being a teacher, Grace taught in New Jersey public schools for a couple of years and realized that public education was not for her. Later, she found herself living and working in Shanghai, China, for 6 years in various private schools. The experience of doing work, life, and family in a foreign land was absolutely transformative. Grace then pursued a Master of Education at Penn State for Curriculum and Instruction.
Now living in New York, Grace is designing and hosting events, creating experiences, and building relationships with global students at Quantic School of Business & Technology, a virtual business school. She is now able to tick all of the important boxes of connecting, educating, and becoming more culturally intelligent.
Grace hates and loves running, is a novice birder, and is obsessed with Canva. She is also excited to see what the second half of life has in store! [Grace's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceliaw1/]
Recorded 8 July 2022
Links:
- Quantic School of Business and Technology [https://quantic.edu/]
- Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9963483-falling-upward]
- The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23878688-the-5-love-languages]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. He is the Founder of Grokkist. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Seth is the President & Founder at Banyan Global Learning, a group of educators who deliver live virtual programs in social and emotional learning (SEL), Digital Citizenship, and Global Citizenship. We talk about what it means to design education that helps us find our place in the world.
Key Topics
- How Banyan Global Learning works with schools to help kids find their place in the world by exploring the intersection of language, culture, technology, and social and emotional learning
- Seth's squiggly career, from wanting to be a vet, to studying psychology, to teaching in high-needs public schools, to starting a company that delivers distance education globally
- What happens on a virtual field trip, why live video matters, and what it means to be a camera-ready teacher
- How Seth's experience of homeschooling his daughter during the pandemic connects to broader issues of reform, revolution and student choice in education
Detours and Tangents
- How being a real-life meme (Sad Mets Fan) is a weird kind of fame because you have to tell people about it first
- How Seth's self-understanding of being a person of privilege has evolved over time
Episode Summary
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e10-seth-fleischauer
Recorded 10 May 2022
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
In this episode: Navigating the dynamics of death, grief and loss, from brain fog to finding a sense of control. Arguing over estates and why 70% of people don't make plans for what happens after they die. Explaining the mechanics of probate with a story about picking berries. Being a stage magician and how magic helps with storytelling. What we can learn from near-death experiences. Why patience matters in law as well as in marriage. Swimming and mindfulness.
About the Guest: Robert Kabacy has been a lawyer in the estate planning and wealth transfer industries for more than twenty-five years. He grew up in the small town of Canby, Oregon, where he was a competitive swimmer. He attended law school to pursue his passion of helping others navigate a complicated legal and tax world and has an uncanny ability to explain complicated concepts in an easy-to-understand format. About Me is a result of the passing of his mother and experiencing firsthand the difficulty of losing a loved one while navigating the mechanics that go with it. He enjoys reading, stage/parlor magic, and outdoor activities. He still swims almost daily (though no longer competitively). Learn more at robertkabacy.com.
Recorded 6 May 2022
Links:
- About Me: Information You Will Need When I've Passed on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Kabacy/e/B09VS4QP3P?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000]
- Robert's website [http://robertkabacy.com/]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
In this episode: Losing your job in the pandemic and reverse culture shock when moving from the US back to Colombia. From English language teaching to instructional design for product managers. Never leaving school and how teachers are more than teachers. Universal design for learning. How teaching expertise is valued in traditional education vs instructional design and edtech and what that means for teachers' freedom and creativity. Filling your cup and finding structure in uncertainty.
About the Guest: Diego Boada is an educator, researcher, and instructional designer from Colombia with over 15 years of experience. As a Fulbright scholar, Diego earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Georgia in the US. Before recently becoming an e-learning consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank, Diego worked at Product School where he collaborated with product leaders from top Silicon Valley companies to develop training materials and certificates for product managers. Also, Diego is working on his Executive MBA at Quantic School of Business and Technology. [Diego's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-boada/]
Recorded 12 April 2022
Links:
- Ellii (formerly ESL Library) [https://ellii.com/]
- Product School [https://www.productschool.com/]
- Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction [https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/gagne.htm]
- Minerva University [https://www.minerva.edu/]
- Mentimeter - interactive presentations [https://www.mentimeter.com/]
- The Culture Map - breaking through the invisible boundaries of global business [https://erinmeyer.com/books/the-culture-map/]
- Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede%27s_cultural_dimensions_theory]
- Inter-American Development Bank [https://www.iadb.org/en]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
In this episode: What's involved in being an artist, academic and activist on YouTube and TikTok. Musical influences from Bob Dylan to Public Enemy. Why make songs and videos about the history of words and ideas? Getting naughty for nature. Performing rap on tap. Teaching as performance. Meditations on the self and social media. BONUS: Nathan and Danu collaborate on a song about the history of school.
About the Guest: Nathan Dufour Oglesby (aka 'Nathanology') is a poet, producer and professor based in Brooklyn, NY who has built a distinctively didactic approach to hip-hop, using the form to explore concepts drawn from philosophy, history and the physical sciences. He is also one half of 'Nate and Hila' - eco-rappers who take a musical approach to environmental activism.
Nathan's socials:
- Nathanology YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NATHANOLOGY
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanology_
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CMSPILf0X39kpdhdxVue2?si=ZrSLshY8SNi74OFd7YdedQ
- LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/nathandufour
Recorded 25 March 2022
Links:
- Event Rap [https://www.eventrap.com/]
- Billboard interview on the album Naughty for Nature [https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/nate-and-hila-new-album-naughty-for-nature-interview-9335689/]
- Die for that pussy (Honeybee Sex) music video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1blN7GURdk]
- BBC article on the history of 'meta' [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20211112-facebook-and-the-true-meaning-of-meta]
- Meditation Mag article on social media and the self [https://www.meditationmag.com/buddhism/social-media-and-the-self]
- Sneak preview video of the video for Old School School [https://youtu.be/O79ch1CbtEA]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
In this episode: Journey from a humanities background in libraries to technical integrations specialist for a global corporate. Building a chatbot and losing everything in a server crash. Importance of communication and soft-skills when working on technical projects. A love of problem solving and an avoidance of boredom.
About the Guest: Being forever curious about how things work has taken Cristina Huidiu from various roles within the library to technical roles in the corporate environment, where she now works as an Integrations Consultant at Elsevier. Cristina has discovered her biggest passion is to humanise data, metrics and tech so it works for us rather than people having to adjust their lives around them.
Cristina's socials:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinahuidiu/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CristinaHuidiu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristina_huidiu
Recorded 29 March 2022
Links:
- 'Velocity' - Agile terminology [https://www.planview.com/resources/articles/lkdc-velocity-agile]
- BRAT - a Web-based Tool for NLP-Assisted Text Annotation [https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/brat%3A-a-Web-based-Tool-for-NLP-Assisted-Text-Stenetorp-Pyysalo/a97c7876ebf9ae6c468db92c3c6dc1c0be832192]
- Cris' favourite resource on visualising data [https://www.bigbookofdashboards.com/]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
James Birt is an Associate Professor of Computer Games in the Faculty of Society and Design at Bond University, Australia. We discuss how gaming shaped James’ career in education, and the value of games in learning and fostering innovation.
Episode Summary
- James' passion for computer games and technology began at a young age, leading him to pursue a career in the field. He was captivated by the immersive and interactive nature of games, which sparked his curiosity and set him on a path to explore the potential of games as a medium for education and innovation.
- He initially aimed to become a medical doctor but shifted his focus to computer science and IT during his university years. This decision was influenced by his fascination with the power of technology and its ability to shape and transform various industries, including healthcare.
- James embarked on his academic journey, completing his honours and PhD degrees, specialising in quality assurance and optimisation using machine learning techniques. His research focused on leveraging emerging technologies to improve the performance and user experience of computer games, laying the foundation for his future work in the field.
- After experiencing the challenges of the IT job market, he found his passion for teaching and joined Bond University in Queensland, Australia, specialising in computer games and film, screen, and creative media. This transition allowed him to combine his expertise in technology with his love for education, empowering students to explore the creative and educational potential of games.
- James is dedicated to exploring the intersection of games and education, utilising his expertise to promote the value of games in learning and fostering innovation in the field of education. He believes that games have the power to engage and motivate learners, providing immersive and interactive experiences that enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.
Key Themes
- The tensions and interplay between formal and informal modes of learning, the value of games in education, and the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of education.
- James' personal experiences with gaming and how it helped him acquire important life skills.
- The benefits of game jams and hackathons in fostering creativity, collaboration, and real-world application of knowledge.
- The use of virtual reality in education, the parallels between e-sports and traditional sports, and the importance of standards and governance in the field of education.
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e5-james-birt/
Recorded 8 March 2022
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
In this solo episode, Danu discusses how his own squiggly career is animated by his troubled personal relationship with education, and reflects on the traits that people who are 'still curious' have in common.
- Curiosity, love of learning, and privilege
- Why Front Row and Back Row are useful categories
- How we can recognise people who are 'still curious'
- Learning as a superpower
- Danu's squiggly career and troubled relationship with education
Recorded 29 March 2022
Episode Summary
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e4-danu-poyner/
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
In this episode: What happens when executives and senior leaders start receiving coaching. Moving from 'to-do list' goals to transformational goals. Volunteering adventures from providing care in a rest home to advising on education policy in Nepal. Moving to France and starting an English language school. Starting and abandoning a PhD in girls' education. Learning to build rapport.
About the Guest: Ann Collins is an Executive and Leadership Coach who helps successful senior leaders to get clarity on their next career steps, uplevel their thinking and transition into new roles with confidence and ease. She taught at Bedford Prep School for a number of years and has since worked across the world in education, teaching and consulting. She has a language school for adults in France and trained as a coach a few years ago. She now works with clients internationally, in Switzerland, the US, the UK and France, specializing in one to one executive coaching, team coaching and leadership development.
She lives on the Swiss/French border in France with her family where she enjoys the mountains, local music making and French food!
[Ann's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annridleycollins]
Recorded 9 February 2022
Links:
- Ann's coaching practice [https://www.bluebottlecoaching.com/]
- Ann's podcast 'Leaders Who Love What They Do' [https://www.anncollinscoaching.com/podcast-playlist]
- 'Inner Voice' podcast series [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1358308/8892182-inner-voice-special-series-no-1-how-to-harness-the-gift-of-your-inner-voice]
- Ann's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anncollinscoaching/ ]
- Ann's language school in Belfort, France [https://belfortschoolofenglish.com/]
- Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) [https://www.vsointernational.org/]
--
About the Host: Despite never letting school interfere with his education, Danu has nevertheless acquired two social science degrees and an executive MBA. He toils at the intersection of education, technology and society and has worked at various times in teaching, research, project management, business development and customer service. He has so many interests that he has started to outsource them, and his life plan is rapidly running out of alphabet. [Danu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danupoyner/]
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Amanda Young is a former linguist now working on risk mitigation and problem solving. We discuss the importance of trying new things, embracing mistakes, and finding joy both inside and outside of work.
Key Topics
- Amanda's focus on finding joy both inside and outside of work
- The importance of trying new things and embracing mistakes
- Amanda's mix-and-match approach to learning new skills
- The values of openness, adaptability, and continuous learning that Amanda embodies
Detours and Tangents
- Our mutual dislike of book editions with 'Now a Major Motion Picture' covers
- Amanda's mixed-race Australian identity and her first trip to Vietnam to visit family
Full Show Notes
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e2-amanda-young/
Recorded 25 January 2022
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
1-minute trailer showcasing what the Still Curious Podcast is all about. [Updated 25 May 2022]
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Maxine Bryant is an experienced team leader, project manager, and research management professional with fifteen years experience in the tertiary sector, specialising in operations management, system development, and policies and process. We talk about having an unplanned career and what's involved in leading science teams.
Key topics
- The business of science, why research management isn't anybody's Plan A, and what happened when Maxine decided to step off the treadmill of life as a scientist.
- How Maxine follows what interests her while going with the flow, and how opportunities arise from others recognising her abilities before she did
- What's involved in leading science teams and how Maxine's relationship-based leadership approach is influenced by her cultural heritage
Detours and Tangents
- The complexities of Māori engagement in science and why Māori scientists work a cultural double-shift
- Maxine's interest in molecular genetics and why she chose to study the genetics of pāua (a Haliotis mollusk)
- The joys and discoveries of changing jobs after a long period in one place
Episode Summary
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e1-maxine-bryant/
Recorded 8 December 2021
Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
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“I was so undecided”: navigating personal fulfilment and professional purpose - Christopher Schoenwald | S4E2
50:26
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Calibrate your inner compass with a sense of gratitude for the peculiar - Lawrence Yeo | S4E1
1:16:47
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27 gifts of life-changing learning and one radical conclusion - an audio essay | S3E9
41:36
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Listening with the heart: how the wisdom of plants helps us remember our connection to the divine - Amanda Nicole | S3E8
1:27:26
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Unlocking the power of purposeful play - Trudi Boatwright | S3E7
1:19:36
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“One breath at a time”: daring life, mindfulness, and non-self - Lalith Gunaratne | S3E6
1:20:37
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“You don’t need a lab coat”: transforming chemistry education through imagination and play - Colleen Kelley | S3E5
1:16:16
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Unconscious Printouts, Threshold Guardians and Dead Man’s Dreams - The Ungoogleable Michaelangelo | S3E4
1:30:06
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Sitting Power: why the won game is the easiest to lose - John Fawole | S3E3
1:07:10
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Planning for a Positive Future: Natural Hazards, Risk, and Climate Change Adaptation - Lara Clarke | S3E2
1:16:08
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“I’m crafting a story to get something done” - Sam Hoffman | S3E1
1:12:48
Free yourself from external validation: unschooling, outdoor adventure and That Mountain Life - Erich Leidums | S2E13
55:31
From guilt at leaving teaching to designing student wellbeing at scale, with Maria Fernanda Puertas | S2E12
1:08:15
Living life out of sequence, with engagement and experience leader Grace Liaw | S2E11
1:11:27
How we design conscious, creative and caring virtual learning - Seth Fleischauer | S2E10
1:06:00
Navigating the passing of a loved one with estate planning lawyer and author Robert Kabacy | S2E9
1:03:30
From classroom to corporate with TESOL teacher and instructional designer Diego Boada | S2E8
1:03:14
TikTok teaching and activism with philoso-rapper Nathan Dufour Oglesby aka 'Nathanology' | S2E7
1:13:56
From hating math to being a data analyst - Cristina Huidiu | S2E6
50:30
From Player to Educator: Embracing Games in Education - James Birt | S2E5
1:12:18
Why I refuse to sacrifice my curiosity for the sake of passing a test - Danu Poyner | S2E4
24:18
Ann Collins - executive coach and language school owner | S2E3
1:03:20
My job title doesn't define me: finding joy in diverse interests - Amanda Young | S2E2
1:02:58
Still Curious – Trailer
0:59
"I'll give that a crack": a squiggly story of science leadership - Maxine Bryant | S2E1
1:01:59