university of adelaide

Les Misérables opened on the West End in 1985 and is still running, making it London's longest-running musical. It's by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, who are in Australia to present a concert of their best-loved songs performed by the crème de la crème of musical theatre.

Also, Maori man Rodney Bell (Ngāti Maniapoto) traces his journey from butcher and rugby player to celebrated dancer and wheelchair user in Meremere and Broadway performer Nikki Snelson guides young performers to new heights in the University of Adelaide's production of Legally Blonde the Musical.

A Colombian engineer, Jessica is fascinated by the processes and complexity of water supply systems in urban areas.In her post doc research in Australia, she brings together her expertise on the water hammer and transient flow waves to create an AI model that is able to identify where pipeline defects are faster and more accurately than existing techniques.

She explains that in data science, the most important stage is understanding the problem. You need to bring in basic knowledge of the problem and expertise from other disciplines that are involved in a problem and combine that with artificial intelligence. AI is an important tool but just part of the solution. It’s critical to maintain all the legacy of knowledge and understanding of a problem. AI can make it simpler to apply, but you can’t leave behind the physics or knowledge of the hydraulic part of water movement. 

Working in industry, she has found that it’s important to first understand how the system works. In these large companies in charge of delivering water, each person has different objectives, so you need to understand how the company works, who is in charge, what are their objectives, and how they measure their success. If your research project aims at those things, they will be more receptive and a better chance of success.

Jessica has learned in both research and industry consulting that nothing works the first time and it’s important to not to let those little defeats build up in your head. You need to trust yourself. There are many moments in life when you are criticizing yourself, and you realize that the biggest enemy you have is yourself. She just breaks down the problem into small parts and then solves each part one by one. She is passionate about teaching and inspiring young engineers about the importance of water and the future of this invaluable resource.

RELATED LINKS
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Find out more about the University of Adelaide
Connect with Cindy Orozco Bohorquez on LinkedIN

With half of the world’s population now living in cities, a number that is projected to reach two thirds in the coming decades, people are becoming increasingly disconnected from their food both geographically and conceptually. Food travels greater distances, leading to increased waste and supply chain vulnerability.  

History tells us that during times of stress people turn to urban agriculture. Therefore, it is no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a resurgence of urban agriculture for its contributions towards food security, health and wellbeing. Moreover, urban agriculture has been identified as a key strategy for adapting to climate change. Recent analysis identified it as a $4 billion growth opportunity for Australia.   

So is urban agriculture just a nice idea, or a plausible reality?  

 Today, Cosmos journalist Dr Deborah Devis talks to three experts from the University of Adelaide: Isobel Hume, a PhD Candidate, Dr Matthias Salomon, an Urban Soil Health researcher, and Tim Cavagnaro, a professor in Soil Ecology in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, to get some insights. 

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website 

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly. Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Facebook's AI research team is improving upon technologies that let robots "feel," GM's Cruise embarks on its first completely driverless ride in San Francisco, and GE releases a "Turkey Mode" software update for its smart cooking appliances.

• Microsoft's Mesh for Teams brings mixed reality to work
• Facebook is enabling a new generation of touchy-feely robots
• Miso Robotics made its Flippy kitchen robot faster and even more autonomous
• University of Adelaide built a robot spider to scan Australia's Naracoorte Caves
• Leak suggests a Sonos Voice Assistant launch is imminent
• Cruise launches driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco
• Apple Wants iPhones to Detect Car Crashes, Auto-Dial 911
• Cooperative Perception' Could Help Autonomous Vehicles See Pedestrians Around Corners
• Arlo's latest LTE camera is cheaper and captures 1080p footage
• Traeger now ships full barbecue meals for you to cook on its smart grills
• Gobble, gobble: GE Appliances wants you to trust its smart oven to cook the perfect turkey

Picks of the week

• Jason: Google One users in 4 countries can get a free 2nd-gen Nest Hub by upgrading to 2TB annual plan
• Mikah: LED Strip Light Connector Kit

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jason Howell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/103

Sponsor:

• UserWay.org/twit

Facebook's AI research team is improving upon technologies that let robots "feel," GM's Cruise embarks on its first completely driverless ride in San Francisco, and GE releases a "Turkey Mode" software update for its smart cooking appliances.

• Microsoft's Mesh for Teams brings mixed reality to work
• Facebook is enabling a new generation of touchy-feely robots
• Miso Robotics made its Flippy kitchen robot faster and even more autonomous
• University of Adelaide built a robot spider to scan Australia's Naracoorte Caves
• Leak suggests a Sonos Voice Assistant launch is imminent
• Cruise launches driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco
• Apple Wants iPhones to Detect Car Crashes, Auto-Dial 911
• Cooperative Perception' Could Help Autonomous Vehicles See Pedestrians Around Corners
• Arlo's latest LTE camera is cheaper and captures 1080p footage
• Traeger now ships full barbecue meals for you to cook on its smart grills
• Gobble, gobble: GE Appliances wants you to trust its smart oven to cook the perfect turkey

Picks of the week

• Jason: Google One users in 4 countries can get a free 2nd-gen Nest Hub by upgrading to 2TB annual plan
• Mikah: LED Strip Light Connector Kit

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jason Howell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/smart-tech-today/episodes/103

Sponsor:

• UserWay.org/twit

In this Bonus Bite, Simon is joined by David Olney (Human Performance Consultant / Uni Lecturer / Podcaster) to discuss the importance of Apple’s Vision Accessibility - an area most people know little about. 

Almost completely blind since birth, David discusses how life-changing Apple technology is for those with vision impairment. By using touch and voice, David reveals how iOS assists with daily tasks and interactions; ultimately improving his independence.

Learn something new about the products you love - it’s a must-listen Bonus Bite by Apple Slice!

Part of the Auscast Network

More details at appleslice.com.au

SPECIAL GUEST - DAVID OLNEY

Based in Adelaide (South Australia), David is a former Associate Lecturer at The University of Adelaide and current Associate at SAGE International Australia. As a Human Performance Consultant, David trains people and teams to embrace and apply creative problem solving.

Listen to his podcasts:

• BLIND INSIGHTS (co-hosted with Tim Whiffen on Auscast Network)
• STRATEGIKON (co-hosted with Dr. John Bruni)

Follow David:

• Connect on LinkedIn

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.