Episode 6: Change with Dr. Grant Warner Artwork

Designing Science Conversations

This podcast mini-series began as a design research project to explore an approach to science communication that is human-centered ‘science conversation.’ Based on Fred Dust’s book 'Making Conversation', and the principles he describes, we partnered on the live audio platform Clubhouse to record conversations with scientists and the listening audience about their questions, challenges, and achievements. Every conversation can be a remarkable sharing experience – a partnership we design in real-time.

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Designing Science Conversations

Episode 6: Change with Dr. Grant Warner

October 25, 2022 • SpacetimeLabs • Episode 6

There is nothing as equally unsettling and necessary as change, particularly in the world we live in today. Joining us to discuss the welcome changes in the fields of science and innovation, is the Director of Innovation at Howard University and member of the National Faculty of the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps program, Dr. Grant Warner. Dr. Warner opens up the conversation about failure as a signifier of change and shares his view on the mindset shift required in the academic world regarding failure. He provides insight into the military’s approach to innovation, explaining why it’s important to differentiate experimentation from institution. We touch on everything from helpful critique and human-centered pitches, to why we should be more concerned with the pathway problem, rather than the pipeline problem when it comes to facilitating black and brown scientists. Tune in to discover what it is that prevents us from seeing change and how we can become more astute in recognizing its imminence and significance.

Key Points From This Episode:

Why change is the most pivotal piece of a conversation, prior to creation.
Dr. Grant Warner’s origin story.
How failure signifies change.
Dr. Warner’s favorite failure.
Helpful ways to give critique.
Significant changes in the field of innovation in academia.
The mindset shift required in the academic world around failure.
The importance of differentiating experimentation from institution.
The military’s approach to innovation.
What prevents us from seeing change.
How to recognize the imminence and significance of change.
Customer pitches versus investor pitches.
How pitches can change to be more human-centered.
The pathway (as opposed to the pipeline) problem for black and brown scientists.
The third reconstruction following the dual pandemic.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Designing Science Conversation

Dr. Grant Warner

Dr. Grant Warner on LinkedIn

NSF’s Innovation Corps

SpacetimeLabs

Dust & Company

Nic DiPalma Creative

Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Communication

Fred Dust on Twitter

Nic DiPalma on Twitter