How natural systems are impacted by human activities is the focus of the latest episode of Why Not Change the World? The RPI Podcast. The episode brings a bioinformatics researcher and an expert in aquatic ecosystems together to explore the complex relationship between people and the environment.

“Every single change that we have made to our environment will make a difference in human biology as well as environmental biology,” said Jennifer Hurley, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Rick Relyea, the director of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute at Rensselaer, joined Hurley to discuss how their different scientific approaches highlight the interconnectedness of organisms on the planet — often in unexpected ways.

“In many cases, we couldn’t have dreamed of the stuff that we’re discovering now,” said Relyea, who also serves as the director of the Jefferson Project — a partnership between Rensselaer, IBM Research, and The FUND for Lake George that combines Internet of Things technology and powerful analytics with science to create a new model for environmental monitoring and prediction.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Google Play Music, or TuneIn.