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The Grand Challengers Podcast

The Grand Challengers Podcast

By: Peter Marcus Bach
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In a world facing climate change, urbanization, and population growth, inspiring individuals are stepping up with innovative solutions. Each episode features passionate guests working at the cutting edge of science, engineering, technology, and design. Through their journeys, they share insights and personal growth while creating new ways of thinking for an uncertain future. Tune in for actionable advice and inspiration for young professionals aiming to make a difference.


If you enjoy the show, please hit the follow or subscribe button! That's a small way you can help the show grow and reach many more ears!


Show Website: https://www.petermbach.com/podcast/


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast/


© 2025 Peter Marcus Bach
Career Success Economics Science
Episodes
  • #53 - Alma Schellart: Making data open, making models talk and embracing uncertainty to solve 100-year old urban drainage challenges
    Nov 10 2025

    Alma Schellart, Senior Lecturer in Water and Engineering at the University of Sheffield, England dives into the world of urban drainage, models and uncertainty and shows us how models and data can can make or break trust in the general public and why we need to be careful and meticulous with our use and communication of these. We discuss types of uncertainty that are encountered in infrastruture decisions, the importance and volatility of open data as well as the age-old challenge of managing urban drainage systems, something that has remained a challenge for over 100 years. We also trace Alma's steps from her early interest in water and growing up in the Netherlands to the literary landscapes of England and how her hobbies are gaining a resurgence in the younger generations and present an opportunity for engagement in all things water and sustainability.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1.59 Guest Intro and Alma's Knitting Hobby
    8:21 From an obsession with fish to urban drainage
    14:32 Getting to Sheffield for the PhD
    20:40 Setting the scene - models and urban sewers
    24:59 A 101 on Uncertainties
    30:20 Considering uncertainties in design
    35:03 Managing CSOs - the common urban drainage dilemma
    42:09 Modelling vs. Monitoring - what do we and the media trust?
    56:45 Building the trust and the CoUDLabs Project
    1:01:15 Reaching the newer generations and broader communities
    1:02:34 Alma's next big project in sewers - heat recovery
    1:09:19 Q&A Start
    1:09:37 What does innovation mean to you?
    1:11:05 Key Moment, Event, Person
    1:15:01 Time Management
    1:18:32 Favourite childhood memory
    1:21:40 Greatest challenge to date
    1:26:20 Advice for young professionals
    1:27:30 What would you most like to be remembered for?
    1:32:02 Where can people find you?
    1:32:58 Final Message
    1:33:17 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 35 mins
  • #52 - Makoto Kern: Feature-centric to user-centric - UX Design to navigate global challenges and the “AI Competence Mirage”
    Oct 27 2025

    Makoto Kern, Founder and Principal Design Consultant at iiimpact in Austin Texas USA dives deep into the world of UX (User Experience) Design and shows us how a user-centric approach to software is essential, especially in the disruptive AI landscape. We hear about how he and iiimpact have supported the environmental, resources and healthcare industries, future concerns about cybersecurity and how to navigate the highly disruptive AI landscape, live with AI technology and value the human connection above all others.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and Studio Background Design Talk
    4:49 How an electrical engineer got into UX
    12:36 The basics of UX vs. UI
    21:00 The steps to founding iiimpact
    30:21 The domains iiimpact has worked in
    36:47 The AI Competence Mirage and Cybersecurity
    43:37 Tips for Entrepreneurs - the importance of the team
    49:49 Talking AI
    59:42 Make an iiimpact Podcast
    1:04:33 Q&A Start
    1:04:58 What does innovation mean to you?
    1:06:17 Key moment, event, book, person
    1:08:46 Time management
    1:09:48 Favourite childhood memory
    1:12:09 Biggest challenge to date
    1:13:33 Advice for young professionals
    1:14:32 What would you most like to be remembered for?
    1:15:17 Where can people find you?
    1:16:22 Final message
    1:16:43 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 18 mins
  • #51 - Rob Wreglesworth: A culture reboot for nature, biodiversity and conservation through incentives, conversations and T-shirts
    Oct 13 2025

    Rob Wreglesworth, Associate Ecologist and Innovation Lead at The Environment Bank, Co-Founder of No Longer Known and Host of the Innovate Eco Podcast, based in the UK, goes deep on biodiversity and conservation from both the economic and social lenses. We discuss topics like biodiversity net gain and nature credits, eDNA, current issues with conservation and how Rob is now targeting scarcity mindset with his new startup No Longer Known, a culture reboot, in a sense. T-shirts factor into this discussion and may be a solution to engaging the general public on conservation issues. We also look into how Rob has combined the variety and diversity of skill sets he has gained over his career to create real-world impact.

    Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)

    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    1:59 Guest Intro and a conversation between two audiophiles
    5:50 Rob's Motivation for Ecology & Environmental Sciences
    13:03 The issue with species conservation (Newts and bats)
    18:29 Unpacking nature credits, biodiversity and environment banks
    23:38 Diving deeper into biodiversity net gain and biodiversity metrics
    28:30 Soil biodiversity in comparison to animal biodiversity
    29:55 eDNA for understanding the underground
    33:45 Gaining compliance in biodiversity net gain
    40:42 Rob's diversity of projects at The Environment Bank
    43:20 Arming yourself with interdisciplinary knowledge
    45:16 The Innovate Eco Podcast
    52:08 The cultural reboot for conservation with No Longer Known
    1:15:20 Q&A Start
    1:15:50 What does innovation mean to you?
    1:17:47 Key event, book, person
    1:21:57 Time Management
    1:25:03 Favourite childhood memory
    1:27:00 Biggest challenge to date
    1:29:29 Advice to young professionals
    1:32:44 What would you most like to be remembered for?
    1:34:22 Where can people find you?
    1:36:00 Final Message
    1:36:58 Outro

    Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
    Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!

    Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
    Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.

    Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

    • X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
    • Instagram: @petermbach87
    • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 38 mins
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