The Human Dimension

Josh Cook - Agents Do Work

Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Cook of FlowAltDelete, a Microsoft MVP and true master of M365 Copilot. Many of our clients and students use copilot as their daily driver, so it was great to have an expert on Copilot on the show to share his excitement about the powerful new way of working it enables. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Josh Cook is a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications and a prominent expert in the Microsoft AI and Power Platform ecosystem. He specializes in designing enterprise-grade solutions that bridge the gap between people, data, and intelligent workflows using Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. As a community leader, Josh directs the Calgary Biz Apps community and hosts workshops and hackathons designed to empower the next generation of builders. Under his content brand, FlowAltDelete, Josh focuses on making complex AI and low-code technologies approachable and actionable. He is widely recognized for his ability to help organizations move beyond the initial hype to design governed, scalable systems that connect people and intelligent agents in the next era of work. Social Links & Resources * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flowaltdelete/ * Content Hub: https://flowaltdelete.com/ * Expertise Areas: * Microsoft 365 Copilot & Copilot Studio * Power Platform Architecture (Power Apps, Automate, Pages) * Low-Code Governance and Scaling * Enterprise AI Implementation

Decio Cataldi and Matteo Bonfini - What a Time to Be Alive

welcome back everyone to another episode of AigoraCast. Today, I'm very happy to have Decio Cataldi and Matteo Bonfini from Adacta International on the show. Decio Cataldi is the executive director at Adacta International, a leader in consumer and sensory research. In his role, Decio oversees the company's strategic and financial direction with a specific focus on driving growth through technological innovation. With a background in strategy consulting, M&A, and restructuring, he brings analytic rigor to the field, spearheading Adacta's efforts to integrate AI into sensory and consumer science to create more predictive, data-driven research models. Meanwhile, Matteo Bonfini is a food scientist and senior researcher at Adacta International where he leads sensory and consumer science projects for major global CPG companies. Matteo specializes in decoding consumer perception across diverse international markets, translating deep sensory data into actionable strategies for product innovation. He's dedicated to exploring how emerging technologies can enhance traditional methodologies and push the boundaries of consumer research. So, Decio and Matteo, welcome to the show. Social Links & Resources * LinkedIn: Decio Cataldi [https://www.linkedin.com/in/decio-cataldi-1a7a67179/] * LinkedIn: Matteo Bonfini [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matteo-bonfini/] * Company: Adacta International [https://www.adactainternational.com/] Expertise Areas: * AI Integration in Sensory Science * Data-Driven Research Models * Global Consumer Perception * Strategic Product Innovation

Damir Torrico - Always Ask

Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I had a wonderful conversation with Dr. Damir Torrico, an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I particularly enjoyed our discussion on why curiosity is so vital, and specifically how "always asking" and pushing back on AI outputs is the key to achieving real fluency with these new tools. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Short Bio Dr. Damir Torrico is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, specializing in the intersection of food properties, human physiology, and consumer behavior. His research focuses on flavor perception, emotional responses to food, and salt/sugar reduction strategies. With a global academic background spanning Louisiana State University, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Costa Rica, Damir utilizes emerging technologies like virtual reality and biometrics to capture authentic consumer insights. His work aims to bridge the gap between laboratory testing and real-world eating experiences to create foods that are both nutritious and highly palatable. Social Links & Resources * LinkedIn: Damir Torrico [https://www.linkedin.com/in/damir-torrico-61b25069/] * University Profile: UIUC Faculty Directory [https://fshn.illinois.edu/directory/damir] * Expertise Areas: * Ingestive Behavior & Physiology * Healthy Aging & Nutritional Sensory Science * VR & Biometric Consumer Research

Wei Qin, PhD - Stretch your Limits

Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I caught up with my longtime friend, Dr. Wei Qin, Global Director of the Insights Center of Excellence at Ingredion. I particularly enjoyed her story about a flavorist using AI to find a molecule they hadn't considered. It is a great example of her view of AI as a "stretcher" for human limits. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Social Links & Resources * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wei-qin-50078211/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wei-qin-50078211/] * Company: https://www.ingredion.com/ [https://www.ingredion.com/] * Latest Book: Gen X Asian Americans: From Learning to Thriving Expertise Areas: * Flavor Modulation & Sensory Measurement * Market Research & Consumer Behavior * Center of Excellence (CoE) Strategy * Social Media Insights for R&D Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by Wei Qin in this episode are her own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Ingredion or Wei's former employers.

The Human Dimension

Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Aigoracast. Our guest today is Dr. Riccardo Accolla. Dr. Riccardo Accolla is a neuroscientist and food innovation leader dedicated to creating more resilient food systems through technology and human-centric insights. As the Director of Innovation at Thimus, he applies his expertise in multisensory perception, reward, and emotion to develop product strategies that resonate with consumers on a cognitive level. With over 20 years of experience, Riccardo's career spans leadership roles at global flavor houses and food-tech startups. He previously led the design of sustainability-tracking software at ripe.io and founded A-T4H Consulting to support "better-for-planet" food solutions. Riccardo holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the Swiss Polytechnic Federal Institute (EPFL) and a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic School of Milan. Social Links & Resources * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardoaccolla/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardoaccolla/] * Company: https://www.thimus.com/ [https://www.thimus.com/] * Expertise Areas: * Multisensory Food Perception * Neuro-Innovation * Sustainable Food Systems * Consumer Emotions and Reward Mechanisms