Natasha Nakhle is a student producer of the UWill Discover Podcast, amplifying UWindsor voices, research and discoveries. (SARA MEIKLE/University of Windsor)
By Sara Meikle
Research is often thought of as something that happens quietly — in labs or tucked away in unseen corners of campus.
The UWill Discover Podcast is changing that narrative by giving student researchers at the University of Windsor a platform to share their work, experiences and curiosity in a way that is accessible, engaging and human.
Launched in Feb. 2024, the podcast was created to celebrate and promote student research opportunities across campus.
According to Dr. Tim Brunet, coordinator, Outstanding Scholars and Student Leadership, the idea was rooted in creating visibility. Research assistant (RA) roles, he notes, are often essential yet underexplained.
“It pulls back the curtain,” Brunet said. “The podcast shows how mentorship, collaboration and conversations between faculty, staff and students drive discovery.”
That voice comes through clearly in the podcast’s mix of interviews, event episodes and student-led discussions. For Natasha Nakhle, a student producer, the experience has been transformative.
“Being part of the UWill Discover Podcast has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my academic career,” she said.
With a long-standing interest in journalism, Nakhle values the podcast’s ability to bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding.
“Knowledge dissemination makes society stronger,” she said. “We talk to professors, students and professionals from so many different disciplines and have a meaningful dialogue about research in their field.”
The podcast has also helped demystify faculty-student relationships.
Nakhle recalls conversations that were vibrant, funny and lighthearted, offering a new perspective on professors as relatable collaborators rather than distant experts.
“Even though we had different roles, we were able to understand one another and find joy in shared experiences,” Nakhle said.
That accessibility is central to the podcast’s appeal.
April King, a University of Windsor graduate student who has hosted episodes, described it as her first time sharing research through an audio medium. She was surprised by how approachable the process was — from editing to publishing — and by its reach beyond traditional academic audiences.
“It’s an accessible way to reach people who might never search for academic journals,” King said. “Listeners can discover new areas of interest and then dive deeper into the researchers’ work.”
For Ava Mammarella, a nursing student and mentorship coordinator for the Outstanding Scholars program, the podcast had a direct and practical impact. After hosting an episode on mentoring research where she interviewed author Margot Murray, Mammarella applied those ideas to the way mentorship is approached within the Outstanding Scholars program.
“I was nervous interviewing someone with decades of experience,” Mammarella said. “But it showed me that asking questions can lead you to opportunities and knowledge that you never imagined.”
Brunet hopes the podcast resonates beyond campus. By showcasing student perspectives, UWill Discover offers alumni, community members and prospective students a ground-level view of the university’s research ecosystem.
“We want to celebrate and elevate student research at UWindsor,” he said. “The podcast highlights the experiences of student researchers and the faculty who mentor them.”
In doing so, the UWill Discover Podcast makes research feel less intimidating, more transparent and more human — one conversation at a time.
Episodes are available for listening online.