2036: The Podcast

James T. Laney, former president of Emory University, reflects on his close friendship with President Jimmy Carter and the founding of The Carter Center at Emory. He shares memories of their work to establish the center, Carter’s inspiring leadership, and the lasting impact of Carter’s lectures and Town Halls on the Emory community. Laney also offers unique insights from his time as the U.S. Ambas...

In this special podcast, Terry Adamson 68C 73L shares stories from his lifelong friendship with President Jimmy Carter. As a key figure in founding The Carter Center, Adamson reflects on its inception, partnership with Emory, and mission to advance human rights, global health, and democracy, calling it “a fulfillment of things he started as president.” He also pays tribute to Rosalynn Carter’s pio...

Libraries and museums don’t just preserve history. Clint Fluker, Emory’s inaugural senior director of culture, community, and engagement for the Carlos Museum and Emory Libraries, wants them to highlight new ideas and create space for important conversations. With exhibitions celebrating 50 years of hip-hop and the groundbreaking work of Black comic book artists, Emory is changing how communities...

Sarah Higinbotham, assistant professor of English at Emory’s Oxford College, examines concepts of justice and human rights in literature. Higinbotham encourages students to look at old works through a new lens, helping them make personal connections with text written centuries ago. She also believes studying literature is not solely for college students. Through her nonprofit, Common Good Atlanta,...

For Wilbur Lam, innovation in medicine is all about improving patient care. As associate dean of innovation at Emory School of Medicine, Lam sees great promise in microtechnology to understand, diagnose, and treat disease. At his research lab and at the bedside, he’s combining bioengineering and medicine with the goal of making disease detection and treatment easier, faster, and more effective. Ho...

For David Frank, practicing medicine involves more than just the art and science. Throughout his career, he has been inspired by deeply personal connections. One connection is particularly meaningful. He holds the Christopher Brett Wolf Chair in Hematology and Medical Oncology, named for the beloved son of John and Cammie Rice. Frank keeps a photo of Chris on his desk as a reminder of the personal...

Andrea Dittmann’s research on inequality in the workplace stems from personal experience. As a graduate student working part-time in a restaurant, she saw a difference in how she was treated as a research student and a waitress. Now an assistant professor with expertise in organization and management, Dittmann examines the disparities between blue- and white-collar workers. She says schools and co...

The race to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine showed the world just how powerful the immune system can be to prevent serious illness. Rafi Ahmed discusses how understanding the immune system is key to developing lifesaving vaccines. Ahmed, the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory School of Medicine, directs the Emory Vaccine Center and is co-leader of the Ca...

Ed Lee knows a thing or two about the power of healthy discussion. As senior director of the Barkley Forum for Debate and senior director of inclusivity for Emory College, he says an effective argument brings differing views together to come up with a compromise to move forward. Lee shares his passion for discourse and explains how listening and reflecting can bring people together. Hosted on Acas...

Judges are seen as impartial arbiters of the law, but they are elected officials with different legal backgrounds. Joanna Shepherd, Thomas Simmons Professor of Law at Emory, studies the intersection of law and economics. Her research looks at judicial behavior to see whether factors like campaign contributions, tenure, and personal experiences influence judicial decisions. In some recent legal cas...

Growing up in a multicultural home, Paul Bhasin was surrounded by diverse music—from Latin American pop songs to vintage Bollywood soundtracks. Now an accomplished orchestral trumpeter, Bhasin conducts the Emory University Symphony Orchestra, directs the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, and serves as interim chair for the department of music at Emory. He says music is a core academic subject rather...

Eri Saikawa, professor and environmental scientist at Emory, is researching soil and air quality in communities around the world to better understand the impacts of climate change. Saikawa looks at the relationship between climate change and health, particularly in vulnerable communities that are disproportionately affected by severe weather events. She believes that community awareness and everyd...

When Nanette K. Wenger, renowned cardiologist and professor at Emory, began practicing medicine, research on heart disease in women was nonexistent. Wenger’s pioneering work changed how the medical field understands and treats heart attacks and cardiovascular health in women. Now 65 years on, she continues to advocate for women’s health. Wenger sees the increasing representation of women in medici...

Growing up next to a church, Jill Hamilton, professor at Emory’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, understands the importance of Bible verses and hymns when facing difficult situations. That’s why she is researching the power of scripture and music in the healing process, particularly for Black patients. Hamilton sits down with Ken Carter, director of Emory’s Center for Public Scholarship a...

What if, rather than fearing failure, we recognize that growth only happens when we make mistakes? In this extended director’s cut of Season 2 Episode 9: A Future Without Stigma, Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani and James Raper, a longtime mental health counselor, have a thoughtful discussion about seeing success in failure, the myth of happiness, and finding the right therapist. Contac...

Students have heard it for decades: What are you going to do after college? Branden Grimmett, who leads career and professional development at Emory College, challenges us to ask a better question: Who do you want to become? Tune in as he and Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani reimagine higher education to ensure that all students can build meaningful lives and careers. Hosted on Acast. S...

Is pickleball the secret to resiliency? In this episode, Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani sits down with Keiko Price, Emory’s athletics director, to sketch out a holistic vision for health and well-being. They also discuss the surprising benefits of staying in motion—whatever that looks like for you. (Bring your own paddle.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani as he goes deep with James Raper, a longtime mental health counselor and Emory’s inaugural associate vice president for health, well-being, access, and prevention. They discuss how we can cultivate a campus environment where all students can share—and celebrate—their fullest selves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human flourishing depends on connecting and belonging. How do we carve out space in our lives to ensure connection for ourselves and others? Listen as Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani and Enku Gelaye, dean of campus life, imagine a more inclusive future for higher education, with space for everyone to thrive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the advent of artificial intelligence technologies, consumers can access more personalized goods and services than ever before. But at what cost? Listen as host Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani and Ramnath K. Chellappa, business-analytics expert at Goizueta Business School, probe the unintended consequences of AI and how we can preserve our privacy in a data-driven world. Hosted on...

What if artificial intelligence could predict and prevent invisible diseases? In this episode, Kimberly Jacob Arriola, dean of Emory’s Laney Graduate School, speaks with Anant Madabhushi, Emory professor and global leader in developing artificial intelligence to improve health outcomes. They explore the wide-ranging potential of these technologies to save lives, mitigate health disparities, and al...

In this episode, Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani and Matthew Sag, professor of law and artificial intelligence at Emory, probe the best and worst that AI has to offer the legal system, society, and how humans work and live together. Plus: Sag, a diehard science-fiction fan, explains why we shouldn’t worry that the robots are taking over—yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...

How can we create artificial intelligence technologies that build a better world? When Lauren Klein, Emory professor and author of Data Feminism , imagines the future of computational analysis, she envisions an ethical approach with justice at the center. Kimberly Jacob Arriola, dean of Emory’s Laney Graduate School, sits down with Klein to discuss how to make that future a reality. Hosted on Acas...

The COVID-19 pandemic collapsed the boundary between work and life, and we’ve only just begun to put the pieces back together. Tune in as Emory Alumni Board President Munir Meghjani takes on tough questions about the future of life, labor, and leisure with Carla Freeman, interim dean of Emory College and Goodrich C. White Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Hunter Akridge, an...

In this episode, Kimberly Jacob Arriola, dean of Emory’s Laney Graduate School, speaks with Ayanna Jones, an Emory PhD student working with NASA to understand Earth’s complex atmosphere. Arriola and Jones envision a scientific community where all students, especially students of color, can thrive. Plus, Jones, a co-founder of #BlackInChem, takes on a million-dollar question—literally. Hosted on Ac...