All Episodes

May 1, 2023 44 mins

Science communication comes in all mediums, from film-making to journalism, even Dungeons and Dragons, and Shamini Bundell does it all.

Shamini is an award-winning filmmaker, a writer, and a journalist, working on the Nature YouTube channel, podcast, and magazine online. She is also one of the members of RPGeeks, combining Dungeons and Dragons with science.

Join us as we speak about Shamini's journey through science and science media production, her introduction to Dungeons and Dragons, and applying her broad skillset to both science communication and creative arts.

About Shamini Bundell 

Shamini is a science-film maker and video journalist for the journal Nature. She studied Zoology at undergrad followed by a Science Media Production MSc and then worked in TV for several years before ending up at Nature. In her spare time she combines science communication with Dungeons & Dragons as part of the 'RPGeeks' including running live shows at evens like New Scientist Live and Natural History Museum Lates.

Show Notes (link)

[00:01:17] Delving into the natural sciences.

[00:02:24] The transition into science media production and science communication.

[00:04:37] Shamini's long history with filmmaking.

[00:07:00] Science filmmaking for Nature.

[00:07:24] The creative process for science filmmaking.

[00:10:01] The making of Sandcastle film.

[00:12:49] Project managing the filmmaking process.

[00:13:48] How do you decide where to stop when making a video?

[00:18:12] On discovering Dungeons & Dragons.

[00:19:24] So, pantomime.

[00:20:09] Drunken bus stop D&D.

[00:22:37] The origins of RPGeeks.

[00:24:55] Magic is just the science we haven't justified yet.

[00:25:36] Segue: That world building thing.

[00:27:31] On being a Dungeon Master / Game Master.

[00:29:32] Making the science work.

[00:31:42] The morally grey areas of science and magic.

[00:34:08] Bonus Question 1: What hobby or interest do you have that is most unrelated to your field of work?

[00:35:08] Bonus Question 2: Which childhood book holds the strongest memories for you?

[00:40:07] Bonus Question 3: What advice you would give someone who wants to do what you do? Or what advice should they ignore?

Connect with STEAM Powered

Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Patreon

Hosted and produced by Michele Ong.

Music is "Gypsy Jazz in Paris 1935" by Brett Van Donsel.



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.