David Jacobson, Professor of Sociology at the University of South Florida. Today's interview, focuses on his book, Of Virgins and Martyrs: Women and Sexuality in Global Conflict. Published in 2013, the book explores the interplay among cultural, political, economic, and historical forces that shape gender relations and violence, individualistic vs. communitarian values, and tensions between globalism and traditional, tribalist societies. Jacobson is the co-founder of The Global Resolve Initiative, which helps villagers in developing countries develop alternative energy technologies, with a pil ..read more

Madhumita Murgia is a writer specializing in artificial intelligence and its impact on society. She was the artificial intelligence editor for Wired magazine and in February 2023 was appointed as the first A.I. Editor of the London-based Financial Times. Her recent book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of A.I., was shortlisted for the 2024 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. The book explores how A.I. algorithms affect everyday workers around the world, their contribution to growing inequalities of wealth and power, and even to dystopia outcome ..read more

Las Cruces’s very own renaissance man, Bob Diven -- an accomplished painter, sculptor, set designer, actor, playwright, composer, actor, satirist, cartoonist, singer-songwriter, folk guitarist; columnist, and more -- reflects on the creative process and the development of artistic skills. Recorded 2/13/21 ..read more

Vietnamese-American Christina Vo is the author of two memoirs. The first, entitled The Veil Between Two Worlds: A Memoir of Silence, Loss, and Finding Home, was published in 2023. Our interview will focus on her second book, published this past April, entitled, My Vietnam, Your Vietnam: A Father Flees. A Daughter Returns. A Dual Memoir. This book consists of alternating passages written by Christina and her father, Nghia M. Vo, a retired physician and author of numerous books on Vietnamese culture and history. Recorded 6/27/24 ..read more

Dwight Pitcaithley, the former Chief Historian of the National Park Service, discusses NPS's history and its three-fold mission of preservation, research, and education, with the last segment focusing on the controversies surrounding Civil War monuments. Recorded 2/10/21 ..read more

Joel Schwartz won a MacArthur Award for work that made a major contribution to the phase-out of lead in gasoline. Ronnie Levin worked at the Environmental Protection Agency to help establish federal standards and more robust testing to protect consumers from lead in drinking water. Both Schwartz and Levin teach at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Recorded 2/24/21 ..read more

Dr. Keith Rafal, medical director of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island and creator of the non-profit organization and website, Our Heart Speaks, through which people from around the world share inspirational stories and artistic expressions about their rehabilitation, healing, connection, and meaning. Recorded 3/7/21 ..read more

Amorina Kingdon is an award-winning science writer, at Hakai Magazine until 2021 and as a contributor to publications at the University of Victoria and the Science Media Center, both in Canada. She is also a writer of fiction, published in PRISM and Flash Fiction magazine. The subject of today’s interview is her recently released book, Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Under Water, which explores an amazing and under-appreciated world that surely deserves to become better known. Recorded 6/4/24 ..read more

David Nurenberg is a professor, educational consultant, and writer in the Boston area who teaches courses at both the high school and graduate level, in suburban, urban, and international teaching and learning environments. He shares his insights on all things educational in his podcast, Ed Infinitum, and is the author of the book, What Does Injustice Have to Do With Me? Covering both theory and practice, the book provides detailed descriptions of how to both raise awareness and develop critical thinking in the teaching of social justice issues to privileged white students ..read more

Sheldon Krimsky was a professor of humanities and social sciences at Tufts University and a fellow of the Hastings Center, an independent bioethics research institution. His long and distinguished career focused on the links between public policy and science and technology, environment and health, and ethics and values. His work stressed the importance of public understanding of science-related issues, and his many books for the nonspecialist attested to his commitment to providing the public with the best information available about such issues, often well a ..read more