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In this episode of the OIST Podcast, we introduce listeners to the latest episode of New Ratio, a podcast by OIST Podcaster in Residence DJ Nick Luscombe. In this interview and performance recorded at OIST in August of 2023, Okinawan musician ARAGAKI Mutsumi demonstrates how she combines Okinawan sanshin and traditional singing with environmental recordings and electronica to produce soundscapes that are based in tradition but also firmly avante-garde. A video of the musical performance can be found on the OIST Youtube channel. 

https://www.mscty.space/ 

https://www.mixcloud.com/newratio/nick-luscombe-new-ratio-programme-94-mutsumi-aragaki-special/ 

https://www.aragakimutsumi.com/ 

In episode #9 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark sits down with neuroscientist and philosopher Andrea Hiott.

In this episode they talk about Andrea's work in providing a new metaphor for understanding cognition: cognition as navigation or way-making.

As well as exploring what exactly is meant by the claim that cognition is way-making, they explore how this intersects with contemporary views within philosophy and science, what some of its practical implications are, and indeed, how Andrea made her way to these ideas in the first place. As you will hear, the path was long and winding, and no doubt played a substantial role in making Andrea the fascinating and lively conversation partner she is today.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

Cover art is provided by Cian Brennan.

In episode #8 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark sits down with cognitive scientist and ethical AI researcher, Dr. Abeba Birhane.

In this episode, they talk about Abeba's work auditing large image datasets, how they have discovered racial biases in these data sets,  and what the implications of that are.

They also talk about Abeba's work in embodied cognitive science, and how the understanding of the person that emerges from that work challenges some of the assumptions underlying the value of the 'predictive' algorithms that are being used more and more in, for instance, crime prevention.

Abeba provides a great overview of the state of AI research at the moment, some of the challenges it faces, and some of the things we can do to ensure we are developing technologies that serve everyone and not just certain privileged groups.

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

Cover art is provided by Cian Brennan. 

In episode #6 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with philosopher of embodied cognitive science, Dr. Mog Stapleton. 

Mog is presently a visiting researcher at OIST, and is working on understanding the relationship between cognition and the gut-brain axis. 

In this episode, they talked about the role of aesthetics in the production of knowledge, the relationship between enaction and the empirical mind sciences, affectivity in cognition, enacting eduction and the value of ritual for transformation. 

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

Cover art is provided by Cian Brennan. 

In episode #2 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with Dr. Fred Cummin, head of the Cognitive Science program at University College Dublin. 

Fred is a linguist and the originator of the field of study that is joint speech: where two or more people say the same thing at the same time, such as within religious rituals, at sporting events, or at political protests. Fred is also an incredibly well studied individual in a range of disciplines and has a profoundly philosophical, idiosyncratic and insightful take on embodiment as a frame within the sciences.  

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

In episode #1 of the Connectomics podcast, Mark speaks with Dr. Tom Froese, head of the Embodied Cognitive Science Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). 

The conversation touches on the central themes of embodied cognitive science and the enactive framework in particular, the methods of this approach, the mission of the unit at OIST, and some of the implications of developing or adopting such an understanding. 

This episode was edited and produced by Shane Byrne and in association with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

Connectomics explores the intersection between embodied cognitive science, philosophy, culture, technology and design. 

In this episode, Prof. Filip Husnik, who leads the Evolution, Cell Biology, and Symbiosis Unit, talks about his research on symbiosis. Tune in to hear about coral reefs, insects, the deep sea, and Okinawa’s star sand.

This episode, Lucy Dickie speaks to Prof. Sam Reiter about cephalopods, the emerging field of neuroethology, and how we can learn more about the brain and intelligence.

This episode is all about scientific outreach. Science Communicator Lucy Dickie speaks to a community relations staff member and two scientists about outreach and what it was like running the annual OIST science festival during the time of COVID-19. 

This episode is all about clownfish! Science Communicator Lucy Dickie speaks to Professor Vincent Laudet who leads OIST’s Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit and uses the well-known orange-and-white fish as his model species. 

Margaret Mars Brisbin is a recent OIST graduate whose PhD focused on Acantharians – tiny, marine organisms. Science communication fellow, Lucy Dickie, spoke to Maggi about this research, marine conservation more broadly, and why it’s important for marine scientists to inspire others to care about the ocean. 

In this episode, we speak to OIST Provost Professor Mary Collins about COVID-19. We talk about the virus but also OIST’s response to the outbreak in Okinawa, and the many projects that have been started here to help contain the spread within the community.

This episode Lucy Dickie speaks to OIST adjunct researcher Professor Greg Stephens about quantifying behavior. Greg looks at systems across the biological world, from tiny wiggling worms and rowdy zebrafish to crowds of people.