{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2Fbd09ec90-999e-4856-9772-8c06ddb69958","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"DNA - The Code of Life and Diversity for Innovation with Dr Parwinder Kaur","description":"\nDr Parwinder Kaur\u00a0is an award-winning scientist, a passionate leader and positive role model\u00a0as a mother, and a professor in science for the next generation\u00a0of diverse scientists to pursue their passion for science and discovery.\u00a0She leads cross-disciplinary biotechnology research investigating Earth\u2019s biodiversity\u00a0and natural environments to ensure sustainable futures.\u00a0She uses her expertise to reach people in new ways, connecting them with their surroundings.\u00a0Through her diverse research teams, such as ExPlanta, she harnesses STEM to achieve maximised impact. In doing so, she believes this will help us\u00a0tackle the bigger issues we as society are facing, bringing about solutions through fresh thinking rather than following usual norms.\u00a0She has\u00a0been recognised\u00a0for her\u00a0substantial contributions to biotechnology\u00a0and scientific excellence by the prestigious \u201cScience and Innovation Award\u201d by the Australian Academy\u00a0of Sciences in 2013, won the Microsoft's AI for Earth award for 2019 and WA\u00a0Innovator of the Year (finalist) in 2022.\u00a0Dr Kaur is a passionate science\u00a0communicator, an entrepreneur in the biotechnology sector, an active mentor for gender equity, a Superstar of STEM, a Women in Technology WA Role\u00a0Model, GirlsXTech international ambassador\u00a0working to close the gender gap in technology\u00a0and\u00a0Diversity in STEM expert panel appointment with the Office of the\u00a0Hon Ed Husic MP,\u00a0Minister for Industry and Science, Australia.\u00a0\u00a0\nIn our conversation, we talk about biotechnology and genetics for conservation, and creating sustainable solutions through interdisciplinary innovation.\nShow Notes:\u00a0https://steampoweredshow.com/shows/parwinder-kaur\n[00:01:11] Parwinder's journey to molecular biology and the study of DNA.[00:02:10] Growing up surrounded by different cultures and faiths.[00:03:23] Parwinder's chemistry teacher opening the door to science as an avenue to answer her questions.[00:04:28] Changing perspectives over time. The relationship between Ayurveda and epigenetics.[00:06:16] Tools don't make the science, but they sure can make things go faster.[00:06:47] Work that took Parwinder 7 years, now can be done in 7 days, because of tools.[00:08:00] The knowledge needs to progress and we can help that along by making it more accessible to get a wider range of perspectives.[00:08:38] Diversity is an important factor in innovation.[00:11:07] How Parwinder's cultural and religious background inspires her science.[00:13:18] There is enough old knowledge validated with science to suggest that we just need better tools or methods to get there as well.[00:13:47] Investigating different faiths revealed to her that there are many common beliefs about the origin of life.[00:14:35] Epigenetics. It's all connected.[00:15:13] The road to understanding DNA in a three-dimensional space.[00:19:35] We need to think bigger as well. Many of the problems we're trying to solve globally also must be viewed in multiple dimensions.[00:24:32] Parwinder's work touches on so many different areas, what has been achieved could not have been done without multidisciplinary collaboration.[00:25:53] Comparatively, Australia is less restrictive than India with respect to disciplinary boundaries.[00:28:14] The system doesn't favour multidisciplinary approaches that may take longer.[00:28:58] It's hard to inspire students to solve the problems around us if we can't allow them to explore a broader range of disciplines to find the solutions.[00:33:17] Funding and KPIs can be bound to a limited scope.[00:33:28] Obstacles to remote collaboration, and being a scientist in the most isolated city in the world.[00:37:49] Remote collaboration with a medicine lab outside KPIs has lead to initiatives like DNA Zoo.[00:41:55] Promoting Australia for its biodiversity and Perth for its Pawsey supercomputer.[00:45:38] DNA Zoo.[00:45:57] What can we learn about the superpowers of other species.[00:47:24] Conservation has to factor in genetics as well as environment.[00:48:47]","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/463a3a71-fb1b-4cbc-97ff-ffaeb148cb8b/052-dr-parwinder-kaur-square.jpg"}