What does it mean to think deeply and live freely in an age of distraction? Philosopher Jon Burmeister reflects on his journey from analytical rigour to embodied integration, exploring whole-person education, the history of ideas, and reclaiming attention in a fragmented world. Conversation Themes Whole-person education as liberation : How liberal arts education fosters curiosity, creativity, and self-knowledge while encouraging openness to change and growth. Deep thinking and the attention econ...
Dec 07, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Kendra Fee-McNulty, founder of Raveloe+Co, leads an empathy-driven marketing consultancy that helps mission-driven organisations find their voice and share their stories authentically. We discuss effective storytelling and how to balance creativity and commerce without compromising your values. Conversation Themes Kendra’s personal journey, including her experience as an adopted child and how it influenced her need to belong and excel, shaping her communication skills and career choices. Empathy...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Brittany is a silversmith, non-traditional educator, and the creative force behind Full Desert Weirdo. Together we rethink the edges of normalcy, illuminating how our quirkiest traits not only shape an ever-changing personal identity but also hold the potential to remake the world around us. Conversation Themes The Value of Outliers Social Norms and Conformity Autism and Neurodivergence Personal Identity and Reclamation Mutability and Change Links and Resources Full Desert Weirdo website Applied...
May 11, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Christopher hosts and produces the internationally-awarded "Life as A.." podcast, helping people find professional career ideas and business pathways by exploring jobs from around the world. We discuss the interplay between career and identity and the pursuit of purpose-driven work. Christopher's story in brief Christopher didn’t have a Plan A. He was a high-achiever who had the grades, but not the roadmap for his future. Studying sociology without a clear direction, he simultaneously worked in ...
Jan 30, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Lawrence Yeo is a writer, illustrator, storyteller, and the creator of 'More To That', an illustrated long form blog that delves deeper into the things that make us who we are. We discuss the role of confidence, gratitude, uncertainty and many other practicalities of pursuing a creative life. Lawrence's story in brief Lawrence grew up feeling abundant despite growing up poor, and always had a strong sense of curiosity and abundance. He pursued a career in finance but knew it wasn't his true pass...
Jan 09, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 1
If you could gift someone a life-changing learning experience, what would it be and why? We discuss the combined wisdom of 27 of my podcast guests and what it means for how we approach the practice of education. Where, when, and how do moments of truly life-changing learning actually happen? What do they look like? When have you had a learning experience that actually changed your life? If you think back through all the classes you’ve taken, the certificates you’ve earned, the books you’ve read,...
Nov 29, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Amanda is a liriodendress, a human embodiment of the tulip poplar tree. We discuss her journey of reconnecting with nature, listening to the wisdom of plants, and exploring alternative ways of knowing in her pursuit of heart-centred living. Episode Summary Raised in a conservative Baptist church, Amanda always felt the divinity in the world but questioned the disconnect between the teachings of the church and her own experiences. After experiencing miscarriages and feeling unheard by medical pro...
Oct 26, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Trudi is an experiential designer, facilitator, and creative who specialises in play. We discuss how purposeful play fosters connection, innovation, and psychological safety in life and the workplace. Key Topics The importance of a playful mindset and its benefits in the workplace, including fostering connection, innovation, and psychological safety Trudi's squiggly career journey and why she has had 48 jobs, from performing on London’s West End, to working in a bikey bar, and how her diverse ex...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Lalith Gunaratne is a parent, entrepreneur, and educator on mindful leadership. We discuss Lalith’s mindfulness journey, his experience starting a solar energy business, and how his approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion training is informed by mindfulness and personal integrity. Key Topics Lalith's mindfulness journey and the benefits of being present and letting go of attachment Challenges faced by Lalith as an ethical entrepreneur in the renewable energy sector and his transition to tra...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Dr Colleen Kelley is a chemist and the creator and founder of Kids’ Chemical Solutions, a comic-book based chemistry curriculum that aims to transform chemistry education through imagination and play. We discuss Colleen's mission to make chemistry more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Key Topics How Colleen is making chemistry more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of perceived math abilities, and the importance of trust and curiosity in unlocking imagination and real learn...
Jun 02, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 5
The Ungoogleable Michaelangelo is a multidimensional artist and creator of cosmic, comedic, and contemplative content. We discuss the mysteries of creativity and the disciplined use of psychoactive substances to expand one's understanding of the world. Key Topics Why "unconscious printouts" – unexpected creations that arise while doing something else – often end up being the artist's best work because the artist is not interfering with their own creativity Michaelangelo's trajectory as a multidi...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Season 3Ep. 4
John Fawole is an International Chess Federation master, chess in education lecturer, and founder of Bruvs Chess Media. John shares his journey to becoming a national chess champion in Nigeria, the transformative effects of chess education, and how the game impacts people's lives beyond the board. Key topics John's journey to becoming Nigerian National Chess Champion, US National Master and World Chess Federation Master What chess can teach us about creativity, commitment, patience, and problem ...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Lara is a New Zealand-based planner with over 10 years of experience in the field, working on projects across the public and private sectors. With a background in both government processes and business realities, Lara has a unique perspective on the intersection of policy, science, and community engagement. We discuss breaking down institutional knowledge barriers and public participation in planning. Key topics Understanding the challenges of managing climate risk and adaptation in New Zealand ...
Mar 04, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Sam Hoffman is a multidisciplinary creative with roots in copywriting and content creation for Broadway shows and Fortune 500s. For over a decade, Sam has moonlighted as a part-time high school speech and debate coach with one of the nation's top programs, Ridge High School in New Jersey. He specializes in the competitive categories that allow students to craft a persuasive acting performance geared around subjects they are passionate about. We discuss the creative strategy and seduction of auth...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Erich Leidums is the content creator behind That Mountain Life, where he documents his family's outdoor adventures and parenting journey in a small mountain town in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. We discuss the importance of building a fulfilling lifestyle that aligns with your values. Key Topics: The importance of building a fulfilling lifestyle that aligns with your values, freeing yourself from the need for external validation Erich’s experiences growing up in Canada and his squigg...
Sep 15, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 13
A conversation all about what happens when a mingling of interests meets a sudden change in priorities. The moments where you change from being one kind of thing into another, how that happens and how you update your self-understanding along the way. Teaching moments and learning moments – the beating heart of education that enables each of us to reflect on our experiences and capitalise on those reflections in ways we can put into practice and that move us forward. Key Topics: What you lose whe...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 12
A conversation all about doing things in a different way and order than you’re supposed to. Not doing what you’re told, leaning into life’s sudden twists and turns, feeling behind, and taking flight, all while figuring out adulting and navigating the exciting challenges, complexity and expectations of cultural identity. Key Topics: Having a family at a young age and living life out of sequence with your career-focussed peers Starting undergraduate studies at age 28 and catching up Becoming a pub...
Aug 18, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Seth is the President & Founder at Banyan Global Learning, a group of educators who deliver live virtual programs in social and emotional learning (SEL), Digital Citizenship, and Global Citizenship. We talk about what it means to design education that helps us find our place in the world. Key Topics How Banyan Global Learning works with schools to help kids find their place in the world by exploring the intersection of language, culture, technology, and social and emotional learning Seth's s...
Jun 21, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In this episode: Navigating the dynamics of death, grief and loss, from brain fog to finding a sense of control. Arguing over estates and why 70% of people don't make plans for what happens after they die. Explaining the mechanics of probate with a story about picking berries. Being a stage magician and how magic helps with storytelling. What we can learn from near-death experiences. Why patience matters in law as well as in marriage. Swimming and mindfulness. About the Guest: Robert Kabacy has ...
Jun 07, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this episode: Losing your job in the pandemic and reverse culture shock when moving from the US back to Colombia. From English language teaching to instructional design for product managers. Never leaving school and how teachers are more than teachers. Universal design for learning. How teaching expertise is valued in traditional education vs instructional design and edtech and what that means for teachers' freedom and creativity. Filling your cup and finding structure in uncertainty. About t...
May 24, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In this episode: What's involved in being an artist, academic and activist on YouTube and TikTok. Musical influences from Bob Dylan to Public Enemy. Why make songs and videos about the history of words and ideas? Getting naughty for nature. Performing rap on tap. Teaching as performance. Meditations on the self and social media. BONUS: Nathan and Danu collaborate on a song about the history of school. About the Guest: Nathan Dufour Oglesby (aka 'Nathanology') is a poet, producer and professor ba...
May 10, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In this episode: Journey from a humanities background in libraries to technical integrations specialist for a global corporate. Building a chatbot and losing everything in a server crash. Importance of communication and soft-skills when working on technical projects. A love of problem solving and an avoidance of boredom. About the Guest: Being forever curious about how things work has taken Cristina Huidiu from various roles within the library to technical roles in the corporate environment, whe...
Apr 26, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 6
James Birt is an Associate Professor of Computer Games in the Faculty of Society and Design at Bond University, Australia. We discuss how gaming shaped James’ career in education, and the value of games in learning and fostering innovation. Episode Summary James' passion for computer games and technology began at a young age, leading him to pursue a career in the field. He was captivated by the immersive and interactive nature of games, which sparked his curiosity and set him on a path to explor...
Apr 12, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 5
In this solo episode, Danu discusses how his own squiggly career is animated by his troubled personal relationship with education, and reflects on the traits that people who are 'still curious' have in common. Curiosity, love of learning, and privilege Why Front Row and Back Row are useful categories How we can recognise people who are 'still curious' Learning as a superpower Danu's squiggly career and troubled relationship with education Recorded 29 March 2022 Episode Summary Visit the Grokkist...
Mar 29, 2022•24 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Ann Collins is an Executive and Leadership Coach who helps senior leaders to get clarity on their next career steps and transition into new roles with confidence and ease. We discuss the importance of setting expansive goals, understanding one’s values, and letting go of limiting beliefs. Key topics What happens when executives and senior leaders start receiving coaching. Moving from 'to-do list' goals to transformational goals. Volunteering adventures from providing care in a rest home to advis...
Mar 15, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Amanda Young is a former linguist now working on risk mitigation and problem solving. We discuss the importance of trying new things, embracing mistakes, and finding joy both inside and outside of work. Key Topics Amanda's focus on finding joy both inside and outside of work The importance of trying new things and embracing mistakes Amanda's mix-and-match approach to learning new skills The values of openness, adaptability, and continuous learning that Amanda embodies Detours and Tangents Our mu...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 2
1-minute trailer showcasing what the Still Curious Podcast is all about. [Updated 25 May 2022] Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist Music : Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon
Feb 25, 2022•59 sec0
Maxine Bryant is an experienced team leader, project manager, and research management professional with fifteen years experience in the tertiary sector, specialising in operations management, system development, and policies and process. We talk about having an unplanned career and what's involved in leading science teams. Key topics The business of science, why research management isn't anybody's Plan A, and what happened when Maxine decided to step off the treadmill of life as a scientist. How...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Travis is a special education teacher who trained as an early childhood educator. We talk about building relationships with special needs kids and what Travis learned by migrating from Taiwan to New Zealand. Key topics What happens in a special needs classroom and why every day is about both careful planning and also throwing the plan away most days How Travis helps kids learn and grow through play and how he gets to know them by exploring their interests together What Travis has learned by migr...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Kat is the Program Manager for the Bachelor of Youth Work and Youth Studies at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. We discuss how 'street wisdom' and lived experience of chronic disadvantage, child abuse and homelessness helps Kat and her students tackle systemic injustice for young people. Key topics How growing up in poverty taught Kat from an early age about the need to tackle injustice and stand up for others (and why that got her into trouble) How Kat became an academic by accident and...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 10
