BG Ideas

Dr. Susan Finn, an Academy of Distinguished Alumni inductee and author of Nutrition Authority: Perspectives on Opportunity, and Judy Budi, President/CEO at Graceworks Lutheran Services and BGSU Board of Trustees member, talk about why dietetics is important, why it is always changing, and how equity matters in nutrition.

Dr. Elizabeth Brownlow, a graduate of the American Culture Studies PhD program, and a Leading Edge Fellow with the American Council of Learned Societies, talks about how her time at BGSU and her training in humanities research methods prepared her for community engaged work for participatory democracy.

Jason Kucsma, executive director of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, talks about the pivotal role public libraries play around the country and how they create healthier, happier communities.

Kevin Noble Maillard, an author, law professor, and New York Times columnist, talks with children's book illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal and Maria Simon, the head children's librarian at Wood County District Public Library, about Maillard and Martizenz-Neal's new book: Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story. They discuss how Native American history and culture can be explored throug...

Michèle Stephenson, documentary filmmaker and keynote speaker for the 2023 Latino/a/x Issues Conference at BGSU, discusses her recent film Stateless/Apátrida and the Afro-Latinx experience in the Americas, in conversation with BGSU graduate student Rene Ayala.

Dr. Angie Ahlgren, professor of Theater History and Performance Studies at BGSU, discusses her research into the emotional labor of stage managers in contemporary theater. Ahlgren was a 2023 ICS faculty fellow.

Ryan Ebright, an associate professor in BGSU'S College of Musical Arts and author of the forthcoming book, "Making American Opera after Einstein," discusses how Philip Glass's innovative "Einstein on the Beach" led to the flourishing of contemporary American opera and musical theatre.

Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen, BGSU professor of linguistics and the 2023 Baruch S. Blumberg NASA / Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation, explains how the future of science and space exploration means including those with disabilities in crucial roles. Listeners can learn more about Astro Access by visiting their website at astroaccess.org to keep up with ICS...

Dr. Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Professor Emerita of English and bioethics at Emory University and senior advisor at the Hastings Center, talks about rethinking visibility, identity, and access for those with disabilities, and the implications for everyone. Listeners can keep up with ICS happenings by following us on Twitter and Instagram at icsbgsu, and on our Facebook page. You can listen to big...

BGSU writing professors Dr. Neil Baird and Dr. Kitty Burroughs talk about how Chat GPT and other AI tools are changing how people write. They also offer practical tips for ways it can be used ethically to enhance the writing process. Listeners can keep up with ICS by following us on Twitter and Instagram at icsbgsu and on our Facebook page. You can listen to Big Ideas wherever you find your favori...

Marissa Bramble is a fifth-year senior majoring in Psychology and Social Work and Dr. Meagan Docherty is a BGSU assistant professor in the Department of Psychology. The two share the results of their research into the polyvictimization of juveniles and its association with delinquent behavior. Our sound engineers for this episode were DeAnna MacKeigan and Marco Mendoza. Research was provided by So...

Jasmine Wilson is a BGSU senior majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and minoring in Psychology; Dr. Jason Whitfield is a BGSU assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders. The two discuss the results of their research into the perceptions of African American English, which was funded by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship. Our sound engineers for this...

Dr. Nathan Hensley, associate professor of sustainability education at BGSU, and Dr. Margaret Weinberger, a lecturer in BGSU’s sociology department, discuss their recent team-taught course “Reimagining Sustainability” which used storytelling and sociology to create new approaches to environmental sustainability. Our sound engineers for this episode were DeAnna MacKeigan and Marco Mendoza. Research...

Dr. Kristi Foell, associate professor of German at BGSU, and Dr. Neal Jesse, professor of political science at BGSU, discuss how their team-taught course on Contemporary Migration in Europe and the United States brought together politics and cinema. Our sound engineers for this episode were Damon Dotson and Jacqueline Schwartz, with audio editing by Deanna MacKeigan and Marco Mendoza. Research was...

Mary Kathryn Nagle, a lawyer, playwright, and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and Dr. Heidi Nees Carver, an assistant professor of theater at BGSU, talk about bringing the stories of indigenous people out of shadows through theater.   Our sound engineers for this episode were Damon Dotson and Jacqueline Schwartz, with audio editing by Deanna McKeigan and Marco Mendoza. Research was provided b...

Indigenous Hip Hop Artist and music producer Frank Waln and BGSU professor and ethnomusicologist Katherine Meizel discuss the role music plays in resistance and advocacy in Native communities, mixing traditional indigenous sounds with modern music, music collaboration, and their own individuals works. Listeners can keep up with ICS is happenings by following us on Twitter and Instagram @icsbgsu, a...

Description:   Indigenous artist Sadie Redwing and BGSU professor Andrea Cardinale discuss graphic art as activism and advocacy and as a form of community engagement. The two delve into tribal visual design sovereignty, visual languages in underserved and marginalized communities, and the effects social media and technology are having on the images that shape and define us. Listeners can keep...

Season 7 Episode 4 Guest: John Dowd Title: The ethical impacts of artificial intelligence on society Description: ICS Faculty Fellow John Dowd takes a deep dive into Artificial Intelligence (AI), explains some key terms and concepts, and then discusses the ethical implications of the technology. He highlights findings from his data and discusses his collaboration with BG high school students durin...

Episode 3 Guest: Michaela Walsh Title: COVID’s impact on Indigenous Communities in Mexico Description: ICS Faculty Fellow Michaela Walsh discusses the COVID pandemic's effects on indigenous Hñähñu’s communities  in Mexico and the US. The pandemic was a perfect storm, in which the lack of reliable info in indigenous languages, the rise in conspiracy theories, distrust of the Mexican government...

A successful CEO, a war crimes criminal prosecutor, and a business psychologist discuss how they applied their BGSU education to forge unexpected career paths and give back to their communities. Listeners can keep up with ICS happenings by following us on Twitter and Instagram @icsbgsu and on our Facebook page. You can listen to BG Ideas wherever you find your favorite podcast. Please subscribe an...

Journalist Beth Macy is the author of Dopesick, the bestselling book (and TV miniseries) delving into the rise of the opioid crisis. Macy was inducted into BGSU’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni, and she joined us to talk about her work, the state of journalism today, and how BGSU contributed to her success. Listeners can keep up with ICS happenings by following us on Twitter and Instagram @icsbgs...

The finale episode of season 6 is guest hosted by Bryan Bové, a PhD Candidate in BGSU’s American Culture Studies program and a graduate assistant in the Center for Women and Gender Equity. Bové talks with technology leader Lacey Tezino, the founder of the app Passport Journeys, which provides workshops, events, and teletherapy sessions with licensed clinicians. Tezino discusses the inspiration for...

Dr. Niki Kalaf-Hughes, an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at BGSU and Spring 2022 ICS Faculty Fellow, discusses effective communication between the public and elected officials, and how more equitable representation would affect our current political systems. Listeners can keep up with ICS happenings by following us on Twitter and Instagram @icsbgsu and on our Facebook p...

Dr. Sylvie Vitaglione talks about her research, “From Fonda to Fitbits: A History of Dance and Fitness Media,” which considers the relationship between technology, fitness, and performance. Vitaglione discusses the role technology plays in mediating the body, and the influence of our environment in personal fitness. Vitaglione is an adjunct professor in the Departments of Theatre and Film and Worl...

Dance scholars Dr. Jade Power-Sotomayor and Dr. Amy-Rose Forbes-Erickson discuss how Caribbean performance and dance fosters community, expresses cultural resistance, and communicates resilience. Power-Sotomayor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, San Diego, and Forbes-Erickson is an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Performance Studie...