Free Food For Thought

In this episode, Grace and Caleb sit down with Daniel Libeskind, the globally renowned architect behind projects including the Jewish Museum Berlin and the master plan for the rebuilt World Trade Center site. Libeskind reflects on how his upbringing as the child of Holocaust survivors, his experience immigrating to America, and his belief in architecture as a vessel for memory have shaped his work...

Ambassador Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Stanford professor joins Tudor and Daniel to discuss themes from his book “Autocrats vs. Democrats,” arguing that while today’s US–China rivalry shares some Cold War features—two great powers, ideological competition, and global scope—it differs crucially because of deep economic interdependence, a less existential ideological clash,...

In this episode, Natalie sits down with Jeff Kukucka, a professor of psychology at Towson University. He comments on the fallibility of forensic investigations due to human error and bias. In this riveting conversation, he draws from his work as a researcher, expert witness, and government consultant to explain how the brain can produce unsound forensic decisions and how crime labs can (but often...

Please join us in this special episode, where Natalie interviews CMC alum and independent filmmaker Diane Wagner (class of ‘87), who is the executive producer of the upcoming documentary called “The Migrant Child Farmworkers - Now High-Profile Professionals.” The film shares the previously untold and inspiring stories of eleven children, most of whom were migrant child farmworkers or children of f...

In this episode, Tudor and Kimmy dive into the magic of the brain with Harvard neuroscientist Dr. Sandeep Robert Datta. From decoding why we lost our sense of smell during the pandemic to using AI to digitize scent with Osmo, they explore how odors reveal the secrets of motivated action. The conversation also tackles the "Ministry" interfering with academic "Hogwarts", discussi...

In this episode, we collaborate with the Keck Center to engage in an engaging conversation with Terry Tang, the Executive Editor of the LA Times and the first woman to lead its newsroom in 142 years. Tudor, Srisha, and Tara host this new episode to dive deep into "Inside the Newsroom," exploring the mounting economic, legal, and physical risks that modern journalists face. From the ethic...

In this episode, Caleb and Daniella sit down with Melissa Kearney, a professor of economics at Notre Dame University and a leading expert on family and social policy. As the author of the widely acclaimed 2023 book, The Two Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind, Kearney joined the show to discuss how shifting family structures are widening the gap in so...

In this episode, Tudor and Kimmy sit down with Steve Sabicer to discuss his journey from a Fortune 500 executive to a master butcher. They explore the philosophy behind his CMC talk, The Enlightened Omnivore, and how we can reclaim craft, intention, and connection in a high-speed, modern world.

Join CMC Professor Paul Hurley as he sits down with Daniel Bazmi and Natalie Chen to discuss outcome-based decision-making versus reasoning grounded in beliefs, values, and principles. The discussion centers on one especially thorny case: lying. Is it ever okay to lie? Is it okay if the person or corporation you want to lie to is morally compromised? Or, are outcomes ultimately irrelevant? Tune in...

Join Caleb as he sits down with Alan Auerbach, Professor of Economics and Law at University of California, Berkeley, as they answer the question:  will you collect Social Security?  Auerbach breaks down what Social Security actually is (and isn’t), why “promised” benefits can still be at risk, and what a world of reduced payouts would mean for retirees and the broader economy. Along the way, they...

Join Violet and Natalie as they join Professor Lerer to discuss the importance of the imagination, gender in literary narratives, the evolution of language, and the impact of children's narratives such as Hansel and Gretel and Harold and His Purple Crayon.

Join Abby as she sits down with Professor Sliwinski, who is the Professor of Information and Media Studies at Western University in Canada. They discuss the importance of dreaming in dark times. Drawing from powerful exemplars—from Harriet Tubman to contemporary Indigenous activist Abigail Echo-Hawk—Sliwinski shares critical lessons about how dreams can serve as one of our most important tools for...

Join Natalie and Kevin in an engaging conversation about borderlands and diaspora, along with the role of contemporary photography, geography, and art in transcending essentialism and engaging race both beautifully and powerfully in the Americas.

Join Avi and Kimmy as they join Robert Twomey to discuss the intersection between AI technology, art, and the humanities.

Avi and Natalie sit down with Professor Nicholas Buccola, the Dr. Jules K. Whitehill Professor of Humanism & Ethics at Claremont McKenna College, to discuss his new book One Man’s Freedom. Buccola explores the ideological clash between Barry Goldwater and Martin Luther King Jr., revealing how their competing visions of freedom continue to shape American politics and the meaning of liberty toda...

Join Daniella and Abby as they sit down with Daniel Pollack-Pelzner to discuss his new book outlining the life and legacy of Lin Manuel Miranda. Pelzner discusses his close interactions with Miranda, and sheds some light on how he became the artistic mastermind we know and love today.

In this episode of Free Food for Thought, Daniella and Avi join Professor Debak Das, the Assistant Professor of Peace and Security at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver. Professor Das shares insights from his journey through academia and research on nuclear proliferation, international security, and the politics of the nuclear order. The conversation e...

In this episode of Free Food for Thought, host Luke Carfaro speaks with Šumit Ganguly, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Indiana University–Bloomington. A leading expert on South Asian politics, Šumit Ganguly unpacks the history, persistence, and evolving dynamics of the Kashmir conflict.

In this episode, Christine Porath, professor at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Mastering Civility , Mastering Community , and co-author of The Cost of Bad Behavior , explores the hidden toll of incivility on performance, mental health, and overall well-being. She shares insights from her research and consulting with organizations and corporations, showing how respect and civilit...

Join Caleb in conversation with Mary Lovely, a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, as they discuss the state of American tariffs and how global headwinds are impacting our everyday lives. Drawing on her experience as a trade economist and regular media commentator, Lovely offers her take on inflationary pressures, labor market developments, Federal Reserve interest...

In this episode, Luke and Abby sit down with Hussein Banai to unpack the extensive and turbulent history of U.S.–Iran relations. From American missteps and the role of Israeli influence to the challenges of nuclear diplomacy and the power of clashing national narratives, Banai offers a deeply nuanced perspective on how history, ideology, and politics continue to shape one of the world’s most volat...

Join Emma for a conversation with Jeffrey Ding, Professor of Political Science at George Washington University, as they explore great power competition and cooperation in emerging technologies. Together, they delve into the political economy of innovation, China's scientific and technological landscape, and how past technological revolutions have shaped the rise and fall of global powers. Ding...

Join Kimi as she interviews Israeli-American Professor of law, Amos N. Guiora. Guiora has published extensively on issues related to national security, interrogation, religion and terrorism, the limits of power, human rights, and political and bystander complicity. In this episode, Guiora shares his career path, and discusses his role in implementing the Oslo Accords. He contrasts the Israeli and...

Join Emma as she interviews American author and columnist, Dan Koeppel, whose work incorporates investigative journalism, science, and adventure. In this episode, Koeppel discusses his research on the banana disease crisis, which inspired his book Banana: "The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World." Tune in to learn about his research process, archival exploration, and the challenges...

Join Emma and Grace as they have the pleasure of interviewing Lerone Martin, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Centennial Professor and Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University. In this lively discussion, Martin discusses his unique career path, and MLK's role as a relevant, insightful, and challenging conversation partner when engaging with t...