Happy Turtle Things

Hi there, I'm Ivana Kurecic,

a Munich-based quantum physicist, communication specialist, and market development consultant with expertise in science policy and project management and a background in space science and music.

I work in the quantum industry full-time and I'm currently completing my PhD in Physics and MSc in Politics & Technology, both at the Technical University of Munich.

Albeit it's no longer regularly updated, on this website you can find my project archive and the occasional blog post. Feel free to get in touch or check out a few of the things I'm working on now.

Talk & article for Soapbox Science Munich 2020

one-off project

Talk & article for Soapbox Science Munich 2020

At the 2020 Soapbox Science Munich event, I spoke about my area of expertise — quantum science that will (or won’t) change the world of the future.

Causes of COVID-19 lockdown policies in US states (2020 course project)

one-off project

Causes of COVID-19 lockdown policies in US states (2020 course project)

In sync with the world bouncing back from the recent global crisis, I'm beginning to pick up the slack on two years spent waiting for everything to improve, and this

Quantum Policy Control Theory (science slam talk)

political science

Quantum Policy Control Theory (science slam talk)

I held a science slam talk about how public policies are created and how important it is for quantum experts to speak up and have their voices heard.

Podcast episode: Rock-solid Certainty?

Podcast episode: Rock-solid Certainty?

As the final crescendo of the Telling Responsible Stories course at the Munich Center for Technology in Society, my team and I released a podcast episode on how researchers, policy makers, philosophers, and the media deal with scientific uncertainty.

I made a /now page!

I made a /now page!

If you're curious about what I'm using my time on these days, I've made a /now page!

Slides from the Quantum Technologies Meetup 2019/04/04

Slides from the Quantum Technologies Meetup 2019/04/04

I held a talk at the Quantum Technologies Meetup hosted by IBM in Munich on 2019/04/04. Behold, the slides!

Scientific research in sketches #2

Scientific research in sketches #2

Does lead feel heavier than feathers; is beauty universal; what can you do today to fight depression 3 years in the future?

Scientific research in sketches #1

Scientific research in sketches #1

Small male dogs lift their legs higher than big ones when they pee; if you're fit, you can multitask much better; is music better when you hear it or when you see it?

Does practice make perfect?

Does practice make perfect?

You've picked out something you want to get great at and you're practicing diligently? ... You're sure you know what you're doing? Taking a peek at the science of deliberate practice might help you not fail miserably!

The fleeting advantage of being a narcissist and do nice guys finish last

The fleeting advantage of being a narcissist and do nice guys finish last

It turns out narcissists are able to charm the socks off of anyone they meet — if they feel like it — but not more than that. Stick around for an overview of the narcissists' arsenal and the scientific observation of how nice guys — spoiler alert — really finish first.

How to make a friend fast — the scientific method

How to make a friend fast — the scientific method

Believe-it-or-not, we actually know exactly how to create friendships in the lab!

In science, you can either be funny or credible

In science, you can either be funny or credible

The science of citation accumulation is not as complex as you might think. In this little post, I summarize some of the interesting research done on the effect that titles have on the number of citations a scientific piece of text receives.

Everyone is a dick during heat waves

Everyone is a dick during heat waves

Eternal sunshine sounds nice until you're caught in a drawn-out, blistering, summer heat wave. And it's not just the weather that's horrible then — it's everyone around you, too!

Is listening to country music going to kill you?

Hello there, let me tell you about how listening to country music is going to kill you.

Scientists videotape fruit bats having sex: is fellatio useful?

Fellatio helps fruit bats have sex for twice as long!

Have you ever wanted to know what happens to bees on cocaine?

Cocaine is toxic to insects, go figure!

Ejaculate your way to health

Ejaculation does, indeed, cure the common cold!

Answering the existential questions — what is navel fluff?

Even wondered... what the hell is this navel fluff? Wonder no more, scientists have gotten to the bottom of this!

Even pigeons can differentiate between art movements

Even pigeons can differentiate between art movements

Scientists managed to teach pigeons to tell the difference between the art styles of Monet and Picasso! I guess it's not that hard to be an art critic.

Learning a foreign language as an adult sucks

Don't feel bad if learning a foreign language seems hard — you're at a disadvantage already, your brain has retired.

Exercising is investing into your mental health. No, really.

Exercising is investing into your mental health. No, really.

Regular exercise (much more than time spent sitting every day) works great against symptoms of depression up to 3 years in advance!

Mice and rats on METH

METH makes rodents remember things better!

Would a chicken think you're pretty?

Would a chicken think you're pretty?

Chickens that were trained to respond to average opposite-sex faces liked the versions with exaggerated features. Humans did, too! So... is beauty universal?

The physical model of pooping in penguins

Authors of the research paper: "Anyone (...) must have wondered about the pressure the bird generates."

Organic insect repellent!

What do those buzzing bastards like more than human sweat?