Emerging Tech Unpacked with Lucy Lin

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Are video games bad for us, or could they actually help our mental health? 

In this episode of Emerging Tech Unpacked, host Lucy Lin sits down with Dr Michelle Chen, game developer, researcher, and founder of Mental Jam, to explore how video games can become powerful tools for emotional expression, empathy, and self‑care.

Michelle shares how her lived experiences of depression and anxiety inspired her to co‑create games with young people that turn real emotions into playable stories. She explains how her mental health-focused design, rejects addictive “pay‑to‑win” game systems, in favour of compassion‑driven mechanics like spoon limits and cozy characters, including a bubble‑tea‑loving wombat baristas 🧋🐾.

Whether you’re a gamer, a mental‑health advocate, or simply curious about the future of tech for good, this conversation will change the way you see your controller, your phone, and your own mental wellbeing.

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*Chapters*

00:00 Meet Dr. Michelle Chen & a Filipino Fun Fact 
03:42 A Third-Culture Journey: Philippines, Taiwan, UK, Australia 
07:11 A PhD in Gaming + Mental Health: Surviving Through COVID 
15:22 Why Asians Don’t Talk About Mental Health (and How Gaming Open Doors) 
21:47 Commercial vs Empathy-Driven Game Design (Avoiding Addictive Tricks) 
24:35 Ethical Monetisation + Fixing Harmful Portrayals in Gaming 
27:51 Women in Games: Representation, ‘Jiggle Physics,’ and More Female Devs 
36:06 Designing Feelings: Embodied Sound vs Metaphor vs Narrative Games 
39:14 Not All Games Are the Same: Violence, Cozy Play, and the PTSD Example 
41:47 Consent, Safety & Ownership in Mental Health Co‑Creation 
43:55 Culture & Language Barriers: Making Games for Diverse/Asian Families 
51:57 CSIRO ON Program Pivot: 200+ Interviews and Focusing on Access & Early Intervention 
54:56 Quickfire Skills for Game Dev & Founders: Creativity, Resilience, Communication 
57:22 AI & Ethics in Mental Health + Game Studios: Chatbots, Copyright, and Human Art 
01:02:54 Games as a Complement to Therapy: The ‘In‑Between’ Support Role
 
 
Support the show
🎙️ Website: https://www.EmergingTechUnpacked.com/
🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked
🎙️ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4d6Hfoi
🎙️ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/49TS1LG

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Redundancy. Reinvention. Risk‑taking.
In this special episode of Emerging Tech Unpacked, I (host Lucy Lin) flip the microphone and share my own leadership odyssey - from six‑year‑old migrant arriving in Australia from Taiwan, to teaching in Japan, global professional in London and Canada, and now innovation leader, founder and STEM podcast host.
You’ll hear the honest story behind the LinkedIn headlines: navigating culture shock and language barriers, building a global career across technology, law and financial services, facing a career‑shaking redundancy, and turning it into a values‑led portfolio career in consulting, ecosystem building and emerging tech communications.
We dive into nonlinear career paths, the mindset shift from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What matters to me?”, and why I believe communication is the foundation of modern leadership and a true power skill.
If you’re a founder, emerging leader, woman in STEM, global citizen or someone sitting at a career crossroads, this episode will give you practical inspiration to follow your curiosity, back your adaptability and design work that aligns with your values.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: 
http://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked?sub_confirmation=1

For more information, visit our website: https://www.emergingtechunpacked.com/

Follow us on our social media channels to get the latest news:
🔔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emergingtechunpacked 
🔔 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingtechunpacked/ 
🔔 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Emerging-Tech-Unpacked/100090565331236/ 
🔔 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emergingtechunpacked

Support the Podcast
💙 If you find this podcast valuable, consider keeping the podcast lights on and helping us cover some of our video and audio editing and operational costs: https://www.paypal.me/lucylin007007
☕ Or buy me a coffee (or three! :-): https://buymeacoffee.com/lucylin

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Lucy Lin's Journey 
01:41 Early Life and Migration to Australia 
04:19 Settling in Australia and Cultural Adaptation 
10:57 Educational Pursuits and Career Beginnings 
16:02 Teaching in Japan: A Formative Experience 
20:56 Professional Growth in the UK 
27:57 Innovation and Corporate Roles in Australia and Canada 
36:27 Facing Redundancy and Embracing Entrepreneurship 
39:18 Starting the Entrepreneurial Journey 
40:30 Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship 
41:49 Naming the Business: Forestlyn 
44:37 Challenges and Realities of Entrepreneurship 
47:20 Teaching Entrepreneurship Skills to Diverse Founders 
55:59 Launching a Podcast: Emerging Tech Unpacked 
01:08:40 Reflections on a Portfolio Career
 
 
Support the show
🎙️ Website: https://www.EmergingTechUnpacked.com/
🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked
🎙️ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4d6Hfoi
🎙️ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/49TS1LG

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When you think about the future of work, are you energised, or quietly terrified? In an era where AI is evolving faster than job titles, the real advantage isn’t predicting what’s next, it’s learning how to adapt, reinvent and stay human in the middle of it all.
In this special live episode of Emerging Tech Unpacked from the SXSW Sydney podcast stage, host Lucy Lin sits down with leaders from LinkedIn, Google Cloud and Microsoft to unpack the mindsets, skills and strategies you actually need to thrive in an age of uncertainty. From empathy, storytelling and human connection to AI fluency and lifelong learning, this conversation goes beyond the buzzwords and into practical, real-world advice.
Tune in for a dynamic, insight-packed discussion filled with key takeaways you can apply immediately to future‑proof your career and navigate the evolving tech landscape with confidence.
For more information, visit: https://www.emergingtechunpacked.com/

Follow us on our social media channels to get the latest news:
🔔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emergingtechunpacked 
🔔 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingtechunpacked/ 
🔔 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Emerging-Tech-Unpacked/100090565331236/ 
🔔 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emergingtechunpacked

Support the Podcast
💙 If you find this podcast valuable, consider keeping the podcast lights on and helping us cover some of our video and audio editing and operational costs: https://www.paypal.me/lucylin007007
☕ Or buy me a coffee (or three! :-): https://buymeacoffee.com/lucylin

Chapters
00:00 Emerging Tech Unpacked Live from SXSW Sydney 
01:51 Meet the Panellists 
04:26 Audrey's Career Journey 
06:29 Natalie's Career Journey 
09:28 Tim's Career Journey 
13:43 Future Skills and Workforce Trends 
17:19 Impact of AI on Jobs 
21:18 Emerging Technologies and Skills 
26:02 Essential Skills for the Future
30:40 Leadership Skills For Fast Moving Times 
37:02 Strategies for Staying Updated 
39:04 Diving into New Learning Methods 
44:35 Gender Differences in AI Upskilling 
49:37 The Role of Small Businesses in AI Adoption 
51:51 Future Skills and Systems Change 
56:58 The Art of Prompting and Critical Thinking 
01:00:04 The Power of Storytelling and Personal Branding 
01:02:13 Superpowers and Fun Facts
 
 
Support the show
🎙️ Website: https://www.EmergingTechUnpacked.com/
🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked
🎙️ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4d6Hfoi
🎙️ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/49TS1LG

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Curious how artificial intelligence and wearable tech are making hearing effortless?

Join Emerging Tech Unpacked host Lucy Lin and guest Nicky Chong-White, Principal Engineer at the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), as they dive into the latest hearing innovations, AI hearing aids, live captioning apps, and game-changing wearable technologies for hearing health.

Discover how advancements in artificial intelligence, real-time audio processing, and augmented reality are revolutionising hearing aids and communication for people living with hearing loss. Nicky shares her personal engineering journey, how NAL leads the world in hearing research, and how user-centred design thinking creates practical solutions that empower millions globally to hear better.

Whether you’re curious about cutting-edge audiology, keen for inspiration in STEM, or want to hear better in noisy places, this episode is packed with wisdom, laughs, and expert advice. Don’t miss it: tune in, subscribe, and start hearing the possibilities!

Thank you to the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) for sponsoring this episode!

For more information, visit: https://www.emergingtechunpacked.com/

Follow us on our social media channels to get the latest news:

🔔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emergingtechunpacked 
🔔 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingtechunpacked/ 
🔔 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Emerging-Tech-Unpacked/100090565331236/ 
🔔 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emergingtechunpacked 

Support the Podcast

🤝 Join our community, please consider a small monthly donation on Patreon. Supporters will gain access to exclusive posts, news, announcements and our community chat. You will also have a direct influence on the podcast by voting on future episode topics, submitting questions for guests and suggesting speakers: www.patreon.com/EmergingTechUnpacked

💙 If you find this podcast valuable, consider keeping the podcast lights on and helping us cover some of our video and audio editing and operational costs: https://www.paypal.me/lucylin007007

☕ Or
 
 
Support the show
🎙️ Website: https://www.EmergingTechUnpacked.com/
🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked
🎙️ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4d6Hfoi
🎙️ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/49TS1LG

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Think yeast is just for bread and beer? Think again! 

Discover how this tiny microorganism is driving the future of biofuels, cleaning up oil spills, transforming sustainable food, and creating eco-friendly materials. On Emerging Tech Unpacked, host Lucy Lin dives deep into the incredible world of “yeast hacking” with trailblazing microbiologist and biotech entrepreneur, Claudia Bruinsma.

Explore how wild and engineered yeast are revolutionising climate solutions, boosting food sustainability, and even producing natural flavours, scents, and renewable packaging. Uncover the secrets of yeast fermentation, the crucial role of citizen science in new discoveries, and the behind-the-scenes challenges of working with engineered microbes, including regulations, safety, and ethics in synthetic biology.

From rural farming roots to biotech breakthroughs, this podcast episode reveals how curiosity and adaptability fuel innovation. Perfect for anyone passionate about science, sustainability, brewing, food innovation, or launching a career in emerging tech. Tune in and get inspired by nature’s ultimate powerhouse!

Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked?sub_confirmation=1

For more information, visit: https://www.emergingtechunpacked.com/

Follow us on our social media channels to get the latest news:

🔔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emergingtechunpacked
🔔 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergingtechunpacked/
🔔 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Emerging-Tech-Unpacked/100090565331236/
🔔 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emergingtechunpacked

**Support the Podcast:**

🤝 Join our community, please consider a small monthly donation on Patreon. Supporters will gain access to exclusive posts, news, announcements and our community chat. You will also have a direct influence on the podcast by voting on future episode topics, submitting questions for guests and suggesting speakers: www.patreon.com/EmergingTechUnpacked 

💙 If you find this podcast valuable, consider keeping the podcast lights on and helping us cover some of our video and audio editing and operational costs: https://www.paypal.me/lucylin007007

☕ Or buy me a coffee (or three! :-): https://buymeacoffee.com/lucylin

**Chapters**

00:00 Introduction: The Power of Yeast
02:29 From Farm to Lab: Claudia's Journey
07:28 The Wonders of Microscopy
11:51 Hacking Yeast: Innovations and Applications
17:00 Citizen Science and Environmental Impact
28:11 Challenges and Future of Yeast Research
31:50 Ensuring Safety in Biotechnology
33:26 Regulatory Challenges in Australia
36:27 Understanding Biohacking and GMOs
40:28 The Journey of a Scientist and Entrepreneur
43:36 CSIRO ON Innovation Program & Communicating Science
53:00 The Future of Synthetic Biology
54:42 Fun Facts About Yeast
 
 
Support the show
🎙️ Website: https://www.EmergingTechUnpacked.com/
🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergingtechunpacked
🎙️ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4d6Hfoi
🎙️ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/49TS1LG