Curious Conversations

Carrie Fearer joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about forest health in the wake of natural disasters. She explained how storms and disturbances affect forest ecosystems, the importance of human interaction in promoting healthy forests, and the opportunities for restoration following catastrophic events. She also emphasized the significance of native species and the role of dec...

Tina Dura joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about subduction zones, particularly the Cascadia Subduction Zone, earthquakes and tsunamis. She explained the mechanics of earthquakes, and how the geological record and fossilized algae are helping researchers better understand past occurrences and predict future ones. Dura emphasized the importance of translating scientific resear...

Guoliang “Greg” Liu joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about his journey in sustainability, focusing on the innovative process of converting plastic waste into soap. He shared insights on the challenges of controlling the chemical processes involved, the types of plastics used, and the potential for creating both liquid and solid soap products. He emphasized the importance of s...

James Harder joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, specially highlighting the Department of Computer Science’s initiative, CS/root. Harder shared his belief that the entrepreneurship process can be learned and applied to various novel ideas and the ways the program hopes to teach and support it, as well as the role it will play in...

Shalini Misra joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about how artificial intelligence (AI) might be used in the field of emergency management. She shared some of the different ways AI is currently being used and the concerns she’s heard from emergency managers. Misra also talks about the steps she believes will be necessary for the technology to reach its full potential in this fi...

Farida Jalalzai joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the state of female leadership globally, with a focus on the United States. She shared how she believes the U.S. compares to other nations in terms of female political representation, the unique challenges women face in the U.S. political landscape, and the impact of gender roles  on women's leadership opportunities. She...

Feras Batarseh joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to discuss the intersection of water systems and technology, specifically focusing on aspects of artificial intelligence (AI). He shared the importance of using AI to predict and prevent water quality issues, such as high turbidity, and highlighted the need for water systems to become more intelligent and cyber-secure.  About Batarseh B...

Meagan Brem joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to discuss the intersection of alcohol use and intimate partner violence, highlighting the importance of understanding the causal relationship between the two. She debunked common myths, identified current knowledge gaps, and shared insights from ongoing studies. She also described the unique challenge of understanding these topics as they...

Read Montague joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the role of dopamine and serotonin in learning, motivation, memory, mood, and decision-making. He discussed his research on measuring dopamine and serotonin dynamics in the brain in real time using electrodes in epilepsy patients and explained the role neuroeconomics are playing  in that research.  About Montague Montague i...

Lingjia Liu joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the future of wireless networks and wireless communications. He explained the evolution of cellular networks from 1G to 5G and the potential for 6G, as well as how open radio access networks (O-RAN) can help advance innovation in this space.  About Liu Lingjia Liu is a professor of electrical and computer engineering and a me...

Ozzie Abaye joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about her work using the mung bean to diversify the cropping system, empower farmers, and reduce hunger in Senegal, Africa. She explained why the mung bean is a good fit for that region, the process by which she began to share it with farmers, and the collaborations she’s utilized to expand it across the country. She also shared wh...

Jacob Barney joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about invasive species, their impact on native species, and the challenges of managing them. He explained the history and terminology of invasive species, their economic and ecological consequences, and the interdisciplinary approach to addressing the problem. Barney also highlighted practical steps individuals can take to prevent...

Richard Hanowski joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations”   to talk about harnessing research to help make motorcycle riding safer in low- and middle-income countries. He shared the difference in riding culture in those areas as opposed to the United States and explained how his team is utilizing some of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s pioneering technology to help increase ride...

Karen Hult joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the history and evolution of polling, methods used in modern polling, and how politicians and the average person can interpret poll results. The conversation highlights the importance of probability sampling and inferential statistics in generating accurate poll results, as well as the need for critical thinking when consuming...

Rosanna Breaux joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the challenges and emotions children may experience during the transition back to school. The discussion includes red flags to look for, as well as coping skills and support parents and caregivers can provide to help their children navigate the school year. The conversation touches on the impact of recent bans on students...

Ryan Pollyea joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations”  to talk about geologic carbon sequestration, which is the process of permanently storing carbon dioxide (CO2) thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface. Pollyea explained what types of rock this is currently known to work with, the efforts he and his colleagues are taking to expand this to other geologic regions, and the potential impa...

Jason Higgins joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations”   to talk about the intersection of United States military veterans and mass incarceration and his book, “ Prisoners After War : Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration . ” He shared what led him to work at this intersection, some of the reasons he thinks it’s often overlooked, and factors he believes lead many veterans to being in pri...

Hosein Foroutan joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about microplastics, the ocean, and the atmosphere. He explained what microplastics are and shared recent findings that indicate such waste is somehow making its way into the air around the world. He also described some of the research he’s doing to figure out how  this is happening and shared his current theories.  About Forou...

Sherwood Clements joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the impact real estate values have on the presidential election. He discussed some recent research he was a part of that explored the impact of the “homevoter,” what findings surprised him, and what he thinks the date tells us about the upcoming election.  About Clements Clements is a collegiate assistant professor of r...

Louis Hickman joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the hiring process. He shared the ways in which AI has long been a part of the process, the findings from his research on AI evaluating automated video interviews, and some tips on how job seekers can leverage the technology to improve their job hunt. About Hickman Hickman is a...

Courtney Sexton joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the unique relationship between humans and dogs. She shared the origins of the dog-human relationship, how the animals have adapted and become more attune to human needs, and their role in helping researchers learn more about human health. About Sexton Sexton is a post-doctoral researcher in population health sciences wit...

Ben Gill joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about piecing together Earth history through a combination of geology and chemistry. Gill explained how studying the cycles of different elements can tell a story and help us better understand the planet’s most pivotal moments, such as mass extinctions. He also shared how studying both the worth and best times of our planet can provid...

 Jennifer Russell joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the concept of a circular economy. She explained that a circular economy is a shift away from the linear economy, which follows a take-make-dispose model, and instead focuses on reducing waste and reusing materials and shared examples of tangible products and industries that can be, or already are, part of a circular ec...

Stefan Duma joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the history of the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab and the impact it has had on sports-related head injuries. He shared how a military research conference led him to study helmets, as well as the critical role the lab’s relationships with the Virginia Tech football and sports medicine programs have played in advancing this pioneerin...

Anna Zeide joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the history of food waste in America and its impact on society and the environment. She shared insights related to several historical turning points and stressed that addressing food waste requires rethinking and integrating food security and waste management systems. About Zeide Zeide is an associate professor of history in t...