Finding Genius Podcast

Elsa Montagnon, BepiColombo Spacecraft Operations Manager, discusses the latest mission to Mercury, its complexity, and what scientists hope to discover. Elsa Montagnon is an interplanetary spacecraft operations expert. She earned her engineering degrees from the Ecole Centrale Paris and Technical University of Munich. Montagnon joined the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1999. Before her work as the BepiColombo spacecraft operations manager, Montagnon was the flight operations system engineer on ESA's groundbreaking Rosetta mission. The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's premier, advanced agency that serves as the entrée to space. The ESA formats and oversees the development of Europe's space capability to track progress and make sure that the investment in space is properly benefitting the people of Europe as well as the world community. Montagnon discusses ESA's collaboration with a partner Japanese space agency, JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. She gives an overview of the BepiColombo's mission: to explore planet Mercury. She states that Mercury was visited twice before by man-made machines, missions that introduced many questions for researchers as would be expected. She details the importance of putting satellites into different orbits to maximize their findings. Their mission intends to launch a lower orbit survey of the chemical composition of Mercury's surface, etc., with JAXA's higher orbit survey satellite that will analyze the magnetosphere and other important issues. A magnetosphere is a region of space that surrounds an astronomical object in which various charged particles are manipulated or impacted by that object's overall magnetic field. She explains some of the difficulties with a mission to Mercury, due to its close proximity to the sun and the complex trajectory needed to make the journey there. She describes the year-by-year trajectory that must be made in order to approach Mercury, specifically discussing energy and orbit. Survival itself is a challenge in such a high-temperature environment. Near Mercury, the energy from the sun is approximately ten times that of what we experience on Earth. As such, much research and effort goes into coatings and thermal blankets that are absolutely necessary to protect any craft that is approaching Mercury due to the excessive temperature. The space-engineering expert discusses some of the extra advantages of a Mercury mission, such as the ability to study solar flares and gather new information about the sun. Montagnon explains that the latest mission has literally just begun and that the Mercury arrival will not happen until 2025. She discusses the technical aspects of some of the instruments that will be utilized during the mission, and how they track the mission and the data. Montagnon states that there is a full laboratory on board that allows for exploration and discovery, as scientists seek to take full advantage of every aspect of the mission from beginning to end, from capturing never-before seen views of Venus and other important mission activities.

Cedric Savarese, founder and CEO of FormAssembly (formassembly.com), delivers an overview of his company's platform and how it is revolutionizing the way we use data and manage forms in an ever-increasing digital world. Savarese's company, FormAssembly, is a prominent provider of data collection and management solutions. Savarese oversees the company's direction and overall growth. Savarese is a skilled business entrepreneur with a passion for technology and innovation. He earned a master's in computer science from the prestigious Université Paris Descartes. Savarese discusses the premise of FormAssembly as a platform that enables users to collect data via online forms and surveys for business improvement and efficiency; but Savarese stresses they also have a primary goal of helping users to be responsible stewards of this personal data. He gives an overview of the data that is available and collected online and how it is compiled. From surveys to online competitions to college applications, there is a wealth of data online, and as our society becomes more and more dependent on devices, more data will be coming, with a large percentage of it available for collection. FormAssembly helps customers streamline, change or improve processes across a variety of departments, groups, and organizations. And their streamlined visual editing and publishing simplifies the creation and management of complex forms. The platform features forms that utilize conditional logic, calculated fields, save functions, and much more, to help business people create successful online forms. The FormAssembly advantage enables users to create and integrate, with a full spectrum of forms for sales, payment collection, authorizations, and beyond—all available through a complete self-service platform. Savarese discusses privacy issues, confidentiality, and other standards that are regulated when sensitive data is handled. As he states, compliance and regulation are key issues in the field. Savarese details intake processes and database issues that are part of their industry. Ultimately, efficiency is paramount and Savarese is convinced that the FormAssembly platform can provide easy convenience to individuals and businesses everywhere. Additionally, he discusses the many use cases for their platform, from the small community theater that needs help with their form to collect donations and sell tickets, to Fortune 500 companies with immense funding behind them that prefer to use the FormAssembly platform to save time, and money. Finally, Savarese delivers an overview of the user experience and the type of users that come to their platform, general best practices, their platform's built-in filters, and some interesting past experiences he and others have been through in regard to data and form usage.

One of the major roadblocks to human tissue engineering has been the ability to vascularize tissue, confining the majority of tissue creation to that which doesn't have a strong blood supply in the body. The team at Aspect Biosystems, however, is working to change this by developing innovative strategies and opening their platform to collaborative efforts with academic partners around the world. For instance, they've partnered with UCLA in the development of new vascular technology as well as researchers around the globe who are working on the creation of kidney and skin tissues. Tame Mohamed is the CEO of Aspect Biosystems and joins the conversation today to discuss all of this and more, including their muscle portfolio composed of intestinal, cardiac, and smooth muscle tissue, liver drug testing platform, and pancreatic tissue program for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. He also explains the ins and out of the technology behind their work, and what to look forward to in the near future. Press play for the full conversation and learn more by visiting aspectbiosystems.com.

The FCC estimates that in 2014, over 10,000 lives could have been saved if only there had been a way for 911 telecommunicators to identify the specific location of 911 callers. It may come as a surprise to many that the technology currently used by 911 systems dates back to the 1960s, and is, therefore, unable to accommodate lifesaving data, such as the location of a caller, the severity of a car crash, or the number of individuals who may be trapped in a burning building. Considering that over 650,000 911 calls are made across the US every day—many of which are being made by callers who are experiencing the worst moments of their lives—RapidSOS, an advanced emergency technology company, has asked the following question: how do we upgrade these outdated analog voice systems to rich data networks that don't just overload the system with info that isn't ultimately lifesaving? They've spent the past four years holding various focus groups with hundreds of 911 centers across the country and partnering with major tech companies in order to provide this lifesaving data during emergencies. RapidSOS now manages 60 percent of US 911 traffic and provides data to over 2,200 different public safety agencies in major US cities, and have seen response times improve by anywhere from 30 seconds to seven minutes; when even a single second can be the difference between life and death, this technology is rightly considered lifesaving. Michael Martin, founder of RapidSOS, joins the podcast to discuss the implementation of this new technology and their plans for international expansion. Tune in for all the details and visit rapidsos.com for more.

Dr. Brandon Milholland, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Genetics, delivers a thorough overview of the aging process, why we age, and how lifespan has been viewed historically. Dr. Brandon Milholland earned his Ph.D. in genetics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, one of the nation's most respected centers for research, medical education, and clinical investigation. During his time there he collaborated with other associates from two different teams to research the specific biology of aging. Dr. Milholland has particular expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, and big data. He has published seven papers in peer-reviewed journals, and there are, upcoming, an additional six manuscripts currently under review or already in press. Dr. Milholland received his BA in natural sciences from the prestigious University of Cambridge. Dr. Milholland discusses his interest in aging, and his transition into the private sector, consulting with pharmaceutical companies. His passion for studies on aging has led him to write on the subject and continue his research. He talks about the lifespan and life expectancy of past generations and cultures, and the differences between the two in how people interpret them. He details how infant mortality rates have affected overall historical records, and discusses how famine and epidemics have impacted past generations and cultures, in terms of lifespan and aging. Dr. Milholland discusses the possibilities of age anomalies in which people outlive the typical age of expected life and historical records that list extremes. The genetics expert outlines some of the reasons why life expectancies have increased. He discusses theories as to why age plateaus. As he explains, one reason for possible decreases in life extension is that as we age many biological systems may be beginning to fail, but medical treatment often focuses on one major issue alone, not the combination of potential problems. Dr. Milholland discusses aging at the cellular level, and how that impacts the body. He talks specifically about somatic mutation, which is genetic alteration acquired by a particular cell that can then be passed to the descendants of the mutated cell through the course of cell division. Dr. Milholland specifically delves into the subject of telomeres. Telomeres become shorter each time a cell divides, and when they get too short, that cell can no longer divide thus it becomes inactive or dies. And unfortunately, this process can be associated with many health issues from aging, to cancer, and potentially poses a higher risk of death. Dr. Milholland delivers information on his research, and other studies, regarding life expectancy, and whether life span is improving or not. As he states, there are many theories and opinions on the matters of aging, and more research is needed.

Dr. Florian Neukart, principle scientist at Volkswagen, delivers a comprehensive analysis of quantum computing and simulation utilized for research. As principal scientist at Volkswagen Group, Dr. Neukart, focuses on intensive research in the fields of quantum computing, quantum machine learning, artificial intelligence, as well as materials science. He is a skilled computer scientist, mathematician, and noted scientific author. His particular study in the area of reverse-engineering the mind by systematically replacing the biological brain with manufactured components, such as quantum nanobots, electrodes, etc. has drawn a lot of interest in the scientific community. Dr. Neukart discusses quantum systems and their extensive research utilizing quantum systems for simulation. By simulating molecules and atoms, Dr. Neukart hopes to gain a better understanding of materials' properties, which could prove very useful for battery materials, regarding cathode and anode. Traditional, non-quantum, simulations leave a lot to be desired, and Dr. Neukart is excited about the accuracy in simulation that can be provided via quantum computers. He details the specifics of algorithms and artificial neural networks in relation to quantum computers with the goal of developing algorithms that are more accurate, and learn faster. The quantum computing scientist details the movement of specific atoms and electrons, and the process during simulation of working with nuclei to better understand the energy surface of the molecule, to learn more about materials' properties. Dr. Neukart explains how they use machine learning in their study, and the specifics of training models with quantum chips, to eventually be used in products. Dr. Neukart outlines the types of quantum computers they use in their research and how they work, as well as the potential difficulties each may present. Dr. Neukart discusses the third area of interest in their research, beyond materials simulation and machine learning, and that is optimization. He discusses optimization in terms of traffic mobility, citing specifics with transportation services such as taxis, subway, buses, etc. He explains how optimization models can reduce wait times for passengers and increase productivity and efficiency. And this is an area where quantum computing can truly accelerate innovation. Dr. Neukart earned his Ph.D. in quantum computing and artificial intelligence from the Transilvania University of Brasov, and a master's degree in information technology from the CAMPUS 02 University of Applied Sciences in Graz. Additionally, Neukart holds a master's degree in computer science from the Joanneum University of Applied Sciences in Kapfenbergn.

Chris J. Davis, a founder of Filmio (film.io), discusses his company's innovative platform that allows content creators to come together with fans and investors to build creative projects that are truly outstanding. Davis's company, Filmio, brings creators and fans together in a new and innovative manner to build a space where everyone participates, anyone can create—and all share in the benefits. Filmio seeks to end the monopoly and release the grip that Hollywood has long held on the industry, a grip that keeps most people out and only granting access to the few. As studios have become more and more beholden to their big corporate owners they have distanced themselves from their real audience, the fans, and consumers who view and buy the content. Hollywood continues to make sequel after sequel, refusing to bring new fresh ideas in, but instead simply choosing to remake the same concepts with bigger visual effects that just drive up the costs. Davis believes the time has come to make a paradigm shift, to find a new direction toward better creative built on fresh ideas. Davis talks about Filmio as a decentralized ecosystem that facilitates the funding, creation, and distribution of film, TV, and VR projects. He gives us an overview of his background as a classically trained artist and how he organically took steps toward his company's birth. With a keen interest in the blockchain, Davis wanted to find a way to use technology to assist other artists to create and launch projects of their own, in their own way. Davis outlines the early days of Filmio and how it came to be the company that it is today. He talks about the many stories they heard of creators being frustrated with the Hollywood system, and their desire to find a way to circumvent the road blocks. With Filmio, fans, creators, and investors can come together to build success and launch great new ideas. He talks about the advantage of having ideas vetted by the crowd before money is spent. And the beauty of this is that ideas get support early on and those supporters stay with the project all the way through funding and into the launch. Davis discusses the need for content, with new companies popping up all the time to grab a piece of the lucrative streaming content space. Filmio can provide the technology and support to get content creators up and running. Davis explains the vetting process that allows users on their platform to evaluate and vote a project forward to the next level for development or consideration, etc. When a project hits a certain threshold, tokens are used to vote projects forward. And even when projects move into production, creators can come back to the platform and continually update the supporters with director interviews, location photos, or more, which further engages their original supporters. Davis talks in-depth about the tokens and their platform's ecosystem, how it works, and what are the benefits to fans and creators. Additionally, he discusses his upcoming event at Sundance and his excitement about talking to filmmakers there, to create a larger community on their platform where everyone can thrive.

Have you been interested in trying a keto diet, but had trouble getting going and sticking with the strict rules? Or maybe you're just worried about the infamous "keto flu." Gary Millet, founder of Kegenix, joins the podcast to discuss a way around these challenges: by consuming exogenous ketones in liquid form and simply reducing your carb intake, you can enter a state of ketosis within a matter of an hour, making the path forward much easier. The team at Kegenix has combined MCT oil and ketone salts into a substance that not only delivers exogenous ketones but also stimulates your body's own ability to produce ketones—extending the state of ketosis far beyond what you'd get by just taking ketone salts. They've also created the first ketone meal replacement that not only contains all of the macro-nutrients and vitamins that a keto meal would have, but can be made into pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and more. In the works are products designed to specifically address different goals, such as weight loss or increased and sustained energy. Millet touches on a range of interesting topics, including the important difference between ketone esters and ketone salts, what's really happening in the body when people experience the "keto flu" and why exogenous ketones can help you avoid it, and what happens when the body uses ketones as fuel versus glucose as fuel. Tune in for all the details and check out realketones.com for more info.

As a pediatrician, spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, and author of The Toddler Brain: Nurture the Skills Today that Will Shape Your Child's Tomorrow, Dr. Laura Jana is dedicated to one thing in particular: helping anyone who takes care of children figure out how best to do exactly that. Much like her book, the conversation on today's podcast touches on a range of topics, including how to help children who have difficulty falling asleep, the importance of establishing nighttime routines that incorporate habits of hygiene, how and why the use of technology affects the sleep cycle, when breastfeeding becomes more of a comfort for a child than a nutritional necessity, and the most common mistakes she sees parents make that could be having a harmful effect on their children. Tune in for the full discussion and check out the following resources for more information: Healthychildren.org Kidshealth.org Drlaurajana.com

Eric Steckelman is the Chief Growth Officer at Evoke Giant, a healthcare-oriented marketing organization that provides a range of services for enterprise-wide and emerging or startup clients in the health and wellness sector. Whether they're helping their clients establish commercial objectives, refining their strategies, helping them connect with customers, educating consumers, customers, and providers, or building brand equity and loyalty, the team at Evoke Giant has one ultimate goal in mind: improving patient care. Just a couple of years ago, they partnered with the Cancer Education and Research Institute in New York to increase engagement and educate people on cancer immunotherapy. Featuring 30 stories in 30 days, the campaign shed light on the day-to-day experience of cancer immunotherapy from the perspective of providers, patients, and nurses, garnering a huge social media presence. Evoke Giant is always looking for new opportunities to engage with the healthcare space, so tune in and visit www.giantagenecy.com to reach out with questions or ideas and learn more.