Episode 07: Matt Russo - DJ to the Cosmos

Matt Russo defies categorization. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto in Jazz Guitar Performance, Astronomy and Physics, a Ph.D. in Astrophysics and a minor in Mathematics thrown in there for good measure. He has fronted a Hip Hop/Fusion band and is now a part of an indie pop group, RVNNERS. He develops sound-based planetarium shows, giving a voice to the cosmos and has a TED talk from last year on the subject that has been viewed 1.5 million times and is one of the coolest talks that I have ever seen. 

Matt juggles all of these projects and more while also finding time to be a lecturer at the University of Toronto and Seneca College and an advocate for science outreach. 

It’s hard for me to relate how excited I am that he is on Origins - enjoy!

Show Notes:

• Matt’s bands (1:30): Tiny Danza and RVNNERS

• Being singularly focused versus pursuing multiple curiosities. Tim Ferriss blog on one way to think about this: Push vs. Pull Processes

• Sonification (9:03)

• TEDx talk University of Toronto (10:12)

• Matt’s interaction with the six-year old fan of his work (11:00)

• Matt discusses acting almost unconsciously during his TEDx talk because of his preparation - this might be similar to a ‘flow state’ (discussed by Dr. Csikszentmihalyi on the TED stage) (13:30) 

• Course on astronomical sonification (16:30)

• Idea of education being built on ‘really clear scaffolding’ (18:40)

• Antidisciplinary and Joi Ito  (20:45)

• Sara Mazrouei and dating craters on the moon and listening to their impacts (24:15)

• Matt on Twitter (@astromattrusso) (26:30)

• The age of data (28:10)

• Looking to what’s next vs. living in the now (32:00)

• Derek Sivers “if it’s not a HELL yes, then it’s a no” (34:55)

• Books:

  • Planet Hunters (36:50)

  • Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (37:00)

  • Music of the Spheres (37:20)

  • Figuring (37:45)

  • Breakfast of Champions (39:00)

• Nerding out about taking notes (41:00)

• Where to find Matt online: 

  • Planetarium shows: System sounds

  • Matt’s website

• Matt’s Five-cut Fridays and my Spotify account with all Five-Cut Friday playlists

• If you like this podcast, then share it with someone you think you will love it, too