Quoracast » Podcast

Sam Sinai is a theoretical biologist who spends much of his time developing computational models. His early inspiration came from the Richard Dawkins book The Selfish Gene. The ideas Dawkins presents are compelling, but do not come with proofs, or convincing sets of numbers. Selfish Gene is largely a thought experiment that laid out a framework for evolution, and Sam's research elaborates on that framework with mathematical and computational evidence. Right-click to download the episode.

Dom Kane is a sound engineer, DJ, and producer based in the UK. I asked him to tell me what it's like to play those different roles, and how they compare to one another. We talked about the current state of popular music,  the role of a vocalist, and how fast things are moving thanks to MySpace and SoundCloud. Dom also answered some technical questions I had about music production. Right-click here to download.

Ellen Vrana personifies what makes Quora such a valuable source of information. To convey her beliefs, she reveals details about her life that some would consider intimate. In several posts she explores her history of depression, and her highest-rated post discusses what it is like to live as an introvert. I was happy to hear that a recent change in location and lifestyle has allowed her to shift her focus towards becoming a writer. Right-click to download.

  I’m regularly impressed by the depth and rigor that Brian applies to his Quora answers. He takes pains to provide enough detail to be thorough, but to also keep things approachable--it came as no surprise to me that he expressed some thoughts to me about one day becoming a teacher. In our interview, I wanted to get a sense of how Brian sees the landscape of modern science, and his place within it. Right-click to download.

Ron Maimon is one of the most divisive characters Quora has seen. Many of his posts contain helpful explanations of topics within Physics, Biology, and Math. When he responds to a question, Ron’s answer is usually propelled to the top. But his harsh demeanor frustrates some users, and others find his science unconvincing. Ron was recently blocked by moderators and is departing from the site. Prior to the event that got him banned, Ron and I were already planning to have a conversation. While I am happy that I got to hear his side of the story, I was equally interested in his motivations as a human being, and why he comes off as so abrasive in his online interactions.  Right-click to download.

Brian Roemmele is a prolific Quora user. Many of his 700 answers focus on electronic payment systems and algorithmic currencies.  I wanted Brian to explain to me how he got into this niche field, and how he has accrued the experience that allows him to speak so convincingly and authoritatively about such a fast moving field. For me, the most illuminating part of the interview came near the end, when Brian explained to me the true significance of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Right-click to download.

Leonard Kim has earned a large following over the past seven months. Since finding Quora, he has posted hundreds of answers, covering topics such as business, relationships, and general life advice. He is as candid as any Quora writer I have encountered, and much of his content centers around the painful challenges he has overcome in the past several years. He took the time to speak to me about where he is at in life, how he got here, and where he is going. Leonard can be contact at hello at leonardkim dot com, or through his website, leonardkim.com. Right-click to download.

With almost 6000 followers, Jessica Su is one of the most followed users on Quora. Since graduating from the California Institute of Technology, she has been pursuing a PhD in computer science at Stanford. She is a rarity in that she is willing to talk about her embarrassing fifteenth birthday party in one post, then describe an elaborate algorithm in the next. This makes her an appealing voice, both to people seeking strictly technical knowledge and to those looking for solidarity, or simply a good story. Right-click to download.

Kate Simmons is a private clinician specializing in the field of pain management. She has a passion for studying and understanding the causes and solutions of chronic pain. Her office, Myofascial Pain Solutions, offers trigger point therapy for conditions such as fybromyalgia, rotator cuff injuries, and plantar fasciitis, Kate is also a Quora top writer, with more than 300 answers. Right click to download.

Lisa Galarneau is a Quora Top Writer with over 2000 followers and 3000 posts in a variety of topics.  Her employment background includes stints in cryptology, telegram singing, and commercial anthropology, which she currently works in today. When earning her PhD, Lisa studied the anthropology of online gamers, traveling to thirteen different countries to study behaviors in different environments. Right-click to download.

Ian McCullough has spent his professional life in a variety of creative and managerial roles.  Since studying drama and entertainment technology at Carnegie Mellon, has helped develop consumer products in the areas of electronics, media, toys, games, and education.  He is the founder of  McCullough Productions and consulting, and the CEO and co-founder of Giant Cardboard Robots, a company that makes...giant cardboard robots. Right-click to download file.

Stephanie Vardavas is a Quora top writer with over 4100 followers and 4000 posts.  She is the CEO and founder of Row99.com and chair of the Oregon Commission for Women  Her experience includes positions as an attorney, product safety consultant, and delegate for Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.  On Quora, she is a heavy contributor to topics ranging from Jane Austen to Nike, where she spent 14 years as an assistant general counsel, advising several different segments of Nike's global business. Right click to download.

  Episode 8 is now on iTunes. John Burgess is a Quora top writer with over 4000 posts.  He is a former US foreign service officer who spent two tours in Saudi Arabia.  In addition to his posts on Quora, John maintains Crossroads Arabia, a blog about Saudi Arabia from the perspective of an American. Right click here to download the episode directly.

Jae Won Joh is a medical student and Quora top writer with over 1000 posts.  Prior to medical school, Jae attended Stanford university, where he studied Biology and Computer Science. Right click to download.

  Cliff Gilley is a product manager with a decade of experience, mostly in the area of legal technology.  He currently works as director of product marketing for DiscoverReady, a company that provides legal document review on a fixed-cost basis.  Cliff’s background is a combination of psychology, sociology and law.  He holds a JD from Seattle University. In this episode, Cliff discusses what led him from psychology to law to product management.  He also remarks on what people in the software industry can learn from games, as well as where he would like to see Quora go. Right click to download audio.