Dr. Meghan Burchell, an Associate Professor of Archaeology at Memorial University, explains how the growth patterns and chemistry of shells can offer clues about past harvesting practices and changing coastal environments.

She discusses her work with Tsleil-Waututh Nation in Burrard Inlet in British Columbia where community priorities help shape the research. The conversation explores how anthropologists question assumptions about past societies and how archaeological science can work in relationship with Indigenous knowledge.

Meghan shares her own journey from anthropology into shell science, what it can be like to be a woman in academia, and the curiosity, creativity, challenges, and rewards of a life in research.

Dr. Meghan Burchell is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Research at Memorial University in Newfoundland. She holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from McMaster University. Her research combines sclerochronology, biology and geochemistry to explore long-term relationships between coastal communities and their environments.

In this episode, Ruth speaks with award-winning creative director and world-builder Pietro Gagliano about the emerging intersection of artificial intelligence, storytelling and interactive media. Pietro shares how his work has evolved from pioneering virtual-reality experiences to creating dynamic worlds that can think, respond and change alongside their audiences.

Together, they explore the importance of preserving childlike curiosity, the creative power of play and why our response to rapidly evolving technology should be guided by imagination rather than fear. From Lego and Mario Paint to AI-powered characters and generative storytelling, this conversation asks what it means to build new worlds—and how the stories we create today might help shape a more hopeful future.