Inspiring People: Stories of Innovation and Service

What do you know about stuttering? If you aren't someone who stutters, do you know the things you should do when you meet a person who does? Today you'll hear from someone who can explain from his own experiences what stuttering is, the characteristics of one who stutters, and common myths about stuttering. Our speaker, Jeff Olevson, is the current president of the Sunnyvale Rotary Club and has be...

Desalination is a critical tool for addressing water scarcity, yet conventional renewable-powered desalination systems rely heavily on energy storage, increasing cost and complexity. In this talk, our speakers will present a novel control strategy—flow-commanded current control—for enabling direct-drive photovoltaic electrodialysis (PV-ED) with little to no energy storage. Their approach maximizes...

This talk will describe how the K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Center at MIT is creating technologies that are global by design. This entails spotting and quantifying meritorious problems, leveraging engineering science to create high-performance, low-cost solutions, and engaging a wide network of stakeholders that are positioned to catalyze adoption and dissemination. The fol...

This week is the first week of the Rotary year, and we'll hear from Rushton Hurley, the incoming president for '25-'26 and also the charter president from '15-'16. The program is about a third the length of our typical offerings, but Hurley hopes that the focus on what you experience in Rotary that is meaningful to you - your Rotary story - is one that makes you happier persona...

Sparked by an idea of a club member last year after a storm that knocked down a tree on almost every street, the Rotary Club of Natomas decided to assemble personal hygiene and outdoor survival items to be given to people in our neighborhood who were experiencing homelessness and living outdoors. Because of weather conditions, we wanted to put the items (52 total) into something that could withsta...

Today, 343 million people are facing acute hunger—more than double the number from just a few years ago. This dramatic rise is driven by a combination of conflict, increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters, and a global cost-of-living crisis. In the face of these growing humanitarian challenges, the World Food Program is turning to innovation to maximize its impact and reach those most in...

UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) has translated the science of a meaningful life to audiences around the world for over two decades, reaching a million people a month through its articles, podcast, and online tools. Today, GGSC is bringing that science directly to the workplace to address the challenges of the multitudes of people who suffer unnecessarily at work. You'll hear about...

The Rotarian eClub Fellowship is a springboard for eClubs and online Rotary clubs to connect, communicate and collaborate by sharing best practice and discussing ideas to develop Rotary in the future. Our speaker, Martin Brocklebank, introduces himself this way: I have been a Rotarian for too many years to count. Ten years ago I was instrumental in creating the third eClub in the UK. I have been a...

Heartbeats of Hope is the 2025 International Project for Interact District 5170, focused on making a meaningful impact in Vietnam. This year, Interact District 5170 is partnering with the VinaCapital Foundation’s Heartbeat Vietnam initiative to help provide life-saving heart surgeries for children born with congenital heart defects. High school students from Interact clubs across the San Francisco...

This episode refers to a number of visuals that are in the video version which can be seen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3fbnO3K6fxKt9pfaTp8mYn or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/24FR5Knwvfs We believe the message is an important one, even if you do not watch the video, and hope that you will enjoy this and every episode of our series. Dr. Matthew O'Connor, was awarded his master’s de...

This episode refers to a number of visuals that are in the video version which can be seen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3fbnO3K6fxKt9pfaTp8mYn or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ml1lSxKQix8 When we look to science fiction, there are many examples of impossibly smart materials. The T-1000 from Terminator 2 comes to mind, being able to have a body that can heal and reshape at will. Or, muc...

The Philosophy and Literature Circle provides learning opportunities for scholars incarcerated in prisons and jails in South-Central Texas to engage with and create works of literature and philosophy. The program draws on the strengths of humanistic inquiry and engagement to redress the isolation and exclusion central to U.S. punishment cultures. The mission of the Circle is to cultivate collabora...

A little over seven years ago, we had a program from this week's speaker that is one of the most-watched programs our club has shared with the world. It's focused on the fascinating topic of tiny homes. Today we'll have a chat about how Ariel's life has grown and changed since the last program with our club. Was living in a tiny house the right decision for her circumstances? What...

Our speaker, Steffek Rainey, is an innovator deeply committed to sustainability, with a focus on developing ventures that encourage everyday people to participate in impactful environmental change. A student at Harvard, Steffek is exploring cutting-edge design and engineering principles to create solutions to significant societal challenges like plastic pollution and climate change. Before joining...

Rotary Clubs around the world have successfully united toward the eradication of polio. Now, we, Rotarians, have the opportunity to use the same strategies, the same tools, the same determination to eliminate cervical cancer. From prevention to treatment, there are many entry points to intervene ranging from preventive HPV vaccination, promotion of screening and follow-up, and social mobilization....

The Constellation of Living Memorials (CLM) represents a groundbreaking approach to redefining community engagement in historic cemeteries. Rapid urbanization has caused populations to lose touch with an authentic sense of place, including the memories of our ancestors and the surrounding natural environment. By reimagining these spaces as mixed-use areas, CLM creates a tapestry that educates abou...

Celebrating 10 years since their first Magical Bridge playground opened in 2015, the foundation just completed its 10th custom playground this year. It's a child's first outdoor classroom, yet it's incredible that today's public playgrounds do not serve the needs of most children and their families. About 25% of us live with a visible or invisible disability, and data continues to show more outdoo...

This week's speaker, Margaux Charpentier, is the Grants Manager for One Heart Worldwide, an NGO whose mission is to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for all, with a particular emphasis on the underserved women and infants of Nepal. Margaux has a background in anthropology and is currently completing a Master's in International Development from University College Dublin in Ireland. At OHW, she i...

Natün Guatemala is a majority Maya-led organization passionate about elevating Indigenous leadership, rights and capacity. They equip local change agents and use existing local resources to effectively and sustainably build healthy, vibrant Maya communities. Natün has been through a period of intense transition in the last few years, moving from a problematic model of external intervention, hand-o...

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs with Sankalp Sankalp, named after the Hindi word for ""resolution,"" is dedicated to empowering marginalized women in small businesses. Through over 100 hours of entrepreneurship skills training, mentorship from industry experts, access to credit support, and connections with a robust alumni network, our program provides women with the tools and opportunities they ne...

Lyndon Barrois' works as an artist in the commercial, exhibition, and feature film visual effects world, as well as in the patronage space. We'll expand the artistic umbrella and its many disciplines' impact on culture, commerce and society as a historical tool or mirror that reflects our world. Lyndon J Barrois, Sr is based in Los Angeles, and is an artist, animation director, and filmmaker. An A...

Dr. Donna Adams-Pickett (PhD, MD, FACOG) is the CEO and owner of Augusta Women's Health & Wellness Center. Dr Adams-Pickett's message to us: It's called a miracle for a reason. Any pregnancy that ends in a healthy baby and mother reaches that outcome through a miraculous culmination of science, medical know-how, genetic fortune and most of all, luck. Unfortunately, in the United States, becaus...

The Superpowers of salt marshes as a vehicle of hope for our climate. You'll learn about the Steart Marshes of England and their impact globally, covering history, design, and management, as well as how the work being done in the marshes influences policy and has become recognized as a solution to the challenges we all face. Our speaker is Alys Laver, who has always had a passion for nature, a...

⁠ In the mountains of Guatemala, many indigenous women prefer to give birth at home with a midwife who speaks their language and understands them. Yet, sometimes, high risk complications occur. How can we lower maternal mortality that is 16 times higher than the United States when women live hours from the hospital and do not speak the language of the doctors? Wuqu’ Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance is...

Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease impacting tens of millions globally, and the number is expected to triple by 2050. Common symptoms of dementia include poor recollection, confusion and paranoia. Although there are medications to alleviate some of these symptoms, remembering to adhere to the medication is often a challenge for seniors with dementia. Seeing this, our speaker, Joy Akinkunmi, c...