Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show

Send us a textDr. Ola Engkvist is Head of Molecular AI in Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca R&D (https://www.astrazeneca.com/) . Dr. Engkvist did his PhD in computational chemistry at Lund University followed by a postdoc at Cambridge University. After working for two biotech companies Dr. Engkvist joined AstraZeneca in 2004. He currently leads the Molecular AI department, where the focus is to develop novel methods for ML/AI in drug design , productionalize the methods and apply the methods to AstraZeneca’s small molecules drug discovery portfolio. Dr. Engkvist's main research interests are deep learning based molecular de novo design, synthetic route prediction and large scale molecular property predictions, and he has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Dr. Engkvist is also adjunct professor in machine learning and AI for drug design at Chalmers University of Technology and a trustee of Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center.Support the show

Send us a text Dr. Arathi Sethumadhavan, Ph.D. is Head of User Research for AI, Ethics & Society, at Microsoft's Cloud+AI organization, where she works at the intersection of user research, ethics, and product experience. In her current role, Dr. Sethumadhavan is focused on the Microsoft AI ethical principles (privacy and consent, fairness, inclusion, accountability, and transparency) as it relates to various Microsoft AI experiences. Dr. Sethumadhavan is a seasoned research leader, with two decades of experience studying human-technology interaction, and during the course of her career, she has led user research for several novel and complex applications (e.g., Microsoft's custom neural voice, facial recognition), as well as at Medtronic, where she provided human factors leadership to multiple products in the Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure portfolio, including the world’s smallest pacemaker. She has also spent several years investigating the implications of automation on air traffic controller performance and situation awareness. Dr. Sethumadhavan is also a Fellow at the World Economic Forum, where she is working on unlocking opportunities for positive impact with AI to address the needs of the aging population. Dr. Sethumadhavan has published ~60 articles on a range of topics from patient safety, affective computing, and human-robot interaction, has delivered ~80 lectures, has been cited by the American Psychological Association and the Economist, and has worn many hats along the way, including research leader, strategist, author, mentor, editor, keynote speaker, and sometimes adjunct professor. Dr. Sethumadhavan's book, "Design for Health: Applications of Human Factors", was published in 2020. Dr. Sethumadhavan has a PhD in Experimental Psychology (specialization in human factors and ergonomics) from Texas Tech University and an undergraduate degree in Computer Science University of Calicut. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Brian Keating, Ph.D. (https://briankeating.com/) is Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics, at the Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences (CASS), in the Department of Physics, at the University of California, San Diego . Dr. Keating is a public speaker, inventor, and an expert in the study of the universe’s oldest light, the cosmic microwave background (CMB), using it to learn not just about the origins and evolution of the universe, but to gain potential insights into an even bigger picture, that of the "multiverse", a hypothetical group of multiple universes that comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. Dr. Keating is also a writer, the best-selling author of one of Amazon Editors’ Best Non-fiction Books of All Time, "Losing the Nobel Prize", and his new book is entitled "Into The Impossible: Think Like A Nobel Prize Winner". Dr. Keating is also a prolific podcaster on the Into The Impossible podcast (https://briankeating.com/podcast.php). Dr. Keating has his B.S. in Physics from Case Western Reserve University, his M.S and Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University, was a Physics Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University, and was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow from California Institute of Technology. Please buy a a copy of Brian’s new book, Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner, only $0.99 through 10/5/2021 - https://urlgeni.us/amzn/TLANPWSupport the show

Send us a textAround 2 billion people worldwide still lack access to the basic tools of improved sanitation (toilets and latrines). One billion people still have to defecate in the open, and at least 10% of the world’s population is thought to consume food irrigated by raw wastewater. An estimated 800,000 children, younger than 5 years of age, perish from diarrhea each year, including conditions related to cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. Mr. Jack Sim is the Founder of the World Toilet Organization (https://www.worldtoilet.org/), an organization established with the aim to break the taboo around toilets and this global sanitation crisis. Mr. Sim is also the founder of the Restroom Association of Singapore, the World Toilet Day initiative, and Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) Hub. In 2001, for "creating good will and bringing the subject into the open" and "mobilizing national support in providing on-the-ground expertise", Mr. Sim received the Schwab Foundation award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2004, he was awarded the Singapore Green Plan Award 2012 by Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) for his contribution to Environment. In 2006, he was invited to launch The German Toilet Organization in Berlin. He is also a founding member of American Restroom Association. In 2007, Mr. Sim became one of the key members to convene the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) comprised of over 130 organizations active in the sanitation sector. He is also an Ashoka Global Fellow and in 2008 was named Hero of the Environment by Time Magazine. Mr. Sim also sits in the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils (GAC) for Water Security and also the GAC for Social Entrepreneurship. Mr. Sim graduated with a Masters in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2013. He was shortlisted for the Sarphati Sanitation Award in November 2013. Mr. Sim also founded the BOP HUB and a series of social businesses and startups. He is now constructing a 65,000 sq ft World Trade Center for the Poor in Singapore to coordinate an effort to transform the 4 billion poor into a massively efficient marketplace to end global poverty.Support the show

Send us a text The Chernobyl disaster / nuclear accident, occurred on April 26th, 1986, at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of Ukraine. The initial emergency response, together with later decontamination of the environment, ultimately involved more than 500,000 personnel and cost an estimated US$68 billion, adjusted for inflation. The current Chernobyl Exclusion Zone covers an area of approximately 2,600 km2 (1,000 sq mi) in Ukraine, immediately surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, where radioactive contamination is highest and public access and inhabitation are restricted. The Exclusion Zone's purpose is to restrict access to hazardous areas, reduce the further spread of radiological contamination, and conduct radiological and ecological monitoring activities. Today, the Exclusion Zone is still one of the most radioactively contaminated areas in the world and draws significant scientific interest for the high levels of radiation exposure in the environment, as well as increasing interest from tourists. Despite the extremely high radioactivity of the region, the zone has become a thriving sanctuary with natural flora and fauna with some of the highest biodiversity and thickest forests in all of Ukraine. On this episode of our show, we are joined by Mykola Tolmachov, of the Chernobyl-51 Industrial Cluster, discussing their novel public-private partnership for both ecosystem restoration and the production of both energy and chemical byproducts, in the exclusion zone. English translation during the episode is performed by Ms. Victoria Laskina-Ustimenko. Support the show

Send us a textDr. Jean C. Accius, PhD, is Senior Vice President, AARP Global Thought Leadership (https://www.aarp.org/). Dr. Accius leads a team in positioning AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) as a global thought leader, identifying emerging trends around the world, cultivating and elevating new ideas, forging global strategic alliances that become the foundation for collaboration and sparking bold solutions to change systems and improve the lives of the global population as it ages. Dr. Accius is a passionate champion and catalyst for changing how the world sees and values aging. He is an internationally recognized thought leader on aging, longevity, equity, health systems transformation and modernizing the delivery and financing of long-term care. With tri-sector experience and deep knowledge, he has a strong track record of building high-performing teams, managing cross-functional operations and processes, and developing innovative and actionable solutions, policies, and programs to close the opportunity gap so that everyone can live longer, healthier and more productive lives. A highly sought after author and speaker, Dr. Accius has been quoted by or appeared in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, TIME Magazine, USA Today, Reuters, Politico, Next Avenue, ESPN’s Undefeated, Rolling Out, NationSwell, Congressional Quarterly, and Huffington Post. In 2020, he facilitated several sessions at the 50th annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and also engaged nearly 300 leaders across industries and sectors, including 20 ambassadors and many delegates, at the United Nations. Dr. Accius is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and has held a variety of board and advisory positions including Justice in Aging, the American Society on Aging, Leadership Maryland and the American University School of Public Affairs Board of Advisors. Dr. Accius is an Executive Leadership Council Fellow, member of G100’s Transformational Leadership Network, and holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration and a master’s degree in aging studies from the Claude Pepper Institute at Florida State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in public administration from American University. Dr. Accius is a graduate of Leadership Maryland’s Class of 2014, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health program on health reform, and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Corporate Innovation program.Support the show

Send us a textNTT (http://www.global.ntt/) is a Japanese telecommunications company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. NTT DATA Services (https://www.nttdata.com/global/en), is a global digital business and IT services leader focused on a range of business services, including cloud, data and applications, and which has recently embarked on an ambitious new initiative, as part of their goal "To Change The Future For Good", towards Re-Imagining Health and Well-Being, towards what NTT defines as a more human-empowered, knowledge-driven and technology-enabled approach. Lisa Esch is Senior Vice President-Healthcare Provider, Digital Health, Innovation, & Industry Offerings, at NTT DATA Services, where she oversees solutions and offering development, as well as their Go-To-Market strategy within the vertical and serves as the subject matter expert in the client engagements. Lisa has an extensive background in disruptive technologies, healthcare innovation, strategic planning, and business process improvement. Before joining NTT Data Services, Lisa was a Senior Healthcare Executive with DXC Technology, and Computer Science Corporation, where she served as the Chief Innovation Officer- Providr Healthcare. Along with her executive career, Lisa has served on the boards for Empower Education International, Children's Heart Alliance, Head Start Health, and Student for Student. She began her healthcare career as a Registered Dietitian. Lisa graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and completed Graduate Studies in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Lisa is Yellow Belt Certified in Spartans Sales Training and holds a Certificate in Medical Nutrition & Dietetic Internship from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Michael Petersen, M.D., is Chief Clinical Innovation Officer at NTT DATA Services. Dr. Petersen is dedicated to helping clients solve complex challenges around health equity and social care, in which data, analytics and technology can be applied to make a meaningful shift towards positive human-centric healthcare experiences. Michael joins NTT DATA from Accenture, where he helped shape the firm’s health equity point of view, capabilities and ecosystem. Before working in healthcare IT, he was an emergency medicine pediatrician at several large health systems, including five years as Chief of Pediatrics at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. Prior to that, Michael served several years in the United States Army developing his leadership skills. Michael earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and did his Pediatric / Emergency Pediatric residency / fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis.Support the show

Send us a textDr. Marina Ezcurra (https://marinaezcurralab.com/) is a Lecturer in the Biology of Aging, and NeuroBiology, at the School of BioSciences, at the University of Kent, UK (https://www.kent.ac.uk/biosciences/pe...). Dr. Ezcurra received her PhD from the Karolinska Institute in 2011. Her PhD research was a collaborative project between Karolinska and the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge, where she studied neural circuits and behavior using C. elegans in the lab of Dr. Bill Schafer. During her PhD, Dr. Ezcurra identified extra-synaptic mechanisms by which nutritional status modulates nociception, involving neuro-peptidergic and dopaminergic signaling. She went on to do a postdoc working on aging with Dr. David Gems at University College London. During her postdoc, Dr. Ezcurra developed methods to monitor the development of multiple age-related diseases in-vivo in C. elegans, leading to the discovery of a previously unknown process, Intestinal Biomass Conversion. This mechanism enables the C. elegans intestine to be broken down to produce vast amounts of yolk, resulting in poly-morbidity and mortality in aging nematodes. This work illustrates how aging and age-related diseases can be the result of run-on of wild-type gene function, rather than stochastic molecular damage. Current research in Dr. Ezcurra’s group focuses on how host-microbiome interactions affect host aging, and is funded by The Wellcome Trust and Royal Society. Dr. Ezcurra is a trustee board member of The British Society of Research on Aging.Support the show

Send us a textKimberly A. Reed just finished up a 2-year term as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Export- Import Bank of the United States (EXIM - https://www.exim.gov). She was the first woman to lead EXIM in the agency’s 87-year history, was the first recipient of EXIM’s highest honor, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Award, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2019 on a strong bi-partisan basis. EXIM provides loans, guarantees, and export credit insurance for the export of U.S. goods and services from enterprises ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses in a multitude of sectors including infrastructure, power, agriculture, transportation/aviation, health care, commodities, industrial, and technology. Ms. Reed was recognized for successfully navigating Congress to re-open EXIM after four years of dormancy and transforming the mission and impact of the 515-person independent federal agency. Ms. Reed also spearheaded EXIM’s historic, longest-ever Congressional re-authorization of seven years and a significant new mandate, the Program on China and Transformational Exports, which focuses on industries including biomedical sciences, biotechnology, wireless communication (5G), renewable energy, financial technologies, artificial intelligence, and the space industry. Prior to EXIM, Ms. Reed spent her career working at senior levels in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Reed served as President of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation where she worked with multi-national food, agriculture, and nutrition companies to understand consumer insights, communicate the science, and increase U.S. sales and exports. At the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Ms. Reed headed the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, where she oversaw the award of $4 billion in tax credits, loans, and grants to financial institutions and economic development groups investing in distressed communities across the nation. Ms. Reed also served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Treasury Secretaries John Snow and Henry Paulson, as well as counsel to three committees in the U.S. House of Representatives—Ways and Means, Government Reform and Oversight, and Education and the Workforce Committees, where she focused on Congressional investigations, oversight, and reform of federal agencies. She was also Vice President for Financial Markets Policy at Lehman Brothers in New York. Recognized as one of the “100 Women Leaders in STEM,” Washingtonian’s “Most Powerful Women in Washington,” and West Virginia Executive’s “Lawyers and Leaders,“ Ms. Reed previously served on the Boards of the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, American Swiss Foundation, National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research, Tax Coalition, and West Virginia Wesleyan College. She was the first woman elected as Chair of the Republican National Lawyers Association and is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Ms. Reed earned her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law and B.S. in biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), earned a Professional Certificate in Finance from the New York Institute of Finance, and, with a passion for travel, she has visited more than one hundred countries.Support the show

Send us a text Muhammad Rehman Shirzad is the Director of the Forensic DNA Laboratory, at the Directorate of Legal Medicine, and a Forensic Laboratories Consultant, at the Forensic Medicine Directorate, of the Ministry of Public Health, in Kabul, Afghanistan. His responsibilities include supervision of the Forensic DNA Lab, Forensic Analytical and Post-Mortem Toxicology Lab, Forensic Serology Lab, Forensic Microbiology Lab, and Forensic Histopathology Lab. Muhammad has his Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Forensic Science & Toxicology, from the Center for Research in Molecular Medicine (CriMM), at the University Of Lahore, Pakistan, and his B.Sci. in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, from the Center of Biotechnology and Microbiology, at the University of Peshawar. Muhammad is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) and the Canadian Academy of Forensic Science. He is fluent in Pashto, English, Hindi/Urdu, Arabic, and French. Muhammad is also the Forensic Advisor to the Global Youth Academic Advancement Forum (GYAAF). Support the show