Random Acts of Knowledge

Heartland Community College professor Chris Miller discusses the College’s renewable energy program and the STEM Educator Renewable Energy Institute. The National Science Foundation asked Miller to run a workshop for local and state teachers to help develop materials on renewable energy for the high school classroom.  View the transcript here.

The history shared by humans and dogs goes back thousands of years. But not all cultures think of dogs as their best friends.  Central Illinois dog trainer Tina Zimmerman has been helping vanilla farmers in Uganda train dogs to guard their crop. Zimmerman found major challenges when she learned that the animals she was to train didn’t come from friendly litters or breeders, but instead were feral...

Juggling a busy day at work and a busy night at home can leave us exhausted in both places. It doesn’t help that in today’s interconnected world work emails are coming in on our smartphones at any hour of the day or night. We might be worried about how available we should be beyond an 8 hour work day.  Find the right balance between work demands and the rest of your life takes a little strategy bu...

From the song and dance style of Fred Astaire, to Technicolor adaptations of Broadway stage hits, to the soaring scores of romance and adventure films, music plays a key role in the history of cinema.   Film history buff John LeGear discusses movies that incorporate music as a key ingredient in transporting the audience to another world. View the transcript here.

The Heartland Academy for Learning Opportunities (HALO) is celebrating ten years of providing students with developmental disabilities a pathway to independence. Oumaima Boulhna speaks with Student Access and Accommodation Services Program Coordinator Barb Glover about the history of the HALO program and what students are doing now to reach their academic, professional and personal goals. View the...

Folklore –and horror movies– would have us believe that the Moon has supernatural power over some creatures on Earth. The reality is a bit different, yet no less interesting. Scientists have studied some strange phenomena where the Moon seemingly transforms some life on Earth. View the transcript here.

We don’t always think of cemeteries as places of learning. Yet, some students of history go to local graveyards to fill in gaps of information not found in court records or newspaper archives. Countless stories are told by the monuments in today’s cemeteries: in the dates, names, sometimes esoteric symbols and even the materials from which grave markers are made. View the transcript here.

Bats might spook some people. Scary or not, these flying mammals play an important role in the ecosystem.  An unintended threat to bats has been wind turbine farms that have been populating the Midwest. Two researchers discuss a study aimed at protecting bat populations from the spinning blades of wind turbines. View transcript here.

Archaeologists are using some new technology to look for some very old objects. Before they dig in the dirt, they take to the skies. Archaeological Spatial Analyst John Lambert discusses how Drone-based Aerial Photography and Photogrammetry is transforming the process of documenting and survey and dig sites. View the transcript here.

Language can be a divide for many people who have been living in a community for decades. In one English as a Second Language class, the first step to crossing that divide has been making students feel safe and accepted. Three people involved in Adult Education classes, a student, a teacher and an administrator discuss how English as a Second Language classes transform lives and the community. Vie...

Humans have been studying the sun since the beginning of conscious thought. Despite millennia of study, there are many mysteries our sun still holds. From the origin of sun spots to the movement of plasma and particles from our star, scientists are using new methods to unlock the secrets still held by that big ball in the sky. View the transcript here.

Keeping good employees from jumping ship is a major challenge for many employers. There are many factors that play into why an employee leaves a job but lack of meaningful communication is one of the largest. Breaking down the ways to give and receive feedback from employees may save managers from an endless cycle of hire, train, rehire and train someone new. View transcript here.

So in the age of Instagram is there room left for darkroom photography? When digital photographers take take hundreds of shots in minutes there is a value to slowing down. A photography instructor discusses what happens when the process goes old school. View the transcript here.

Heartland graduate Joshua Crockett served as Student Trustee, Student Body President and was selected as the recipient of a One Voice scholarship which funded his inclusion in a delegation representing the community in Washington, DC. Listen to Josh discuss his active career at Heartland and how he was inspired to become involved in student government. View the transcript here.

Dogs can be afraid of anything from the mailman to a flight of stairs. Shy or fearful dogs can learn to overcome uneasiness, however, with the right training. Some of what it takes to tackle a dog’s fears requires training for the two-legged members of the household. Professional dog trainer Tina Zimmerman talks about what humans need to learn to help their canine companions overcome some common f...

A significant number of LGBTQ adults and teens face barriers to their healthcare out of fears of discrimination and sometimes inadequate training towards certain care needs that are common concerns for that patient population. Even though the National Institutes of Health has made the LGBTQ+ patient population a priority for research into health disparities, some health professionals say there isn...

Get to know the Head Coach of the new Men’s and Women’s Cross Country program at Heartland Community College.  Avid runner Raegan Rinchiuso chats with Coach Wolf about his career and plans for the future for the team that begins competition in 2020. View the transcript here.

With their spiny backs and powerful jaws, alligator snapping turtles appear menacing. But these prehistoric-looking reptiles have been dwindling in number in the Midwest for decades.  With the help of an Illinois biology teacher and a network of classroom foster parents, the alligator snapping turtle is being reintroduced into the food chain of Midwestern waterways.  View the transcript here.

It’s never been easier to buy things. Global trade has flooded markets with a number of inexpensive products. Online retailers now can deliver goods to someone’s home in as little as a day.  But with the increased ease of consuming, is there an increased responsibility? Ashlee Sang discusses how conscious consumerism can improve the health and welfare of individuals and the larger world. View the...

Most writers will say that creative writing isn’t easy. No matter how many ideas someone may have, getting those ideas on the page is the real trick. Amanda L. Webster, author of ‘DIY High’ and ‘Valley of the Bees’ discusses how writers can find a perspective beyond their own experience and learn to get their point across. View the transcript here.

The shape of American history was changed when President Abraham Lincoln was shot. In the chaotic days following the infamous shooting at Ford's Theater, rumors swirled while the President's assassin fled justice. How many were involved? Were there a foreign agents behind the attack? Christina Lea Smith tells some of the lesser-known stories surrounding Lincoln's assassination. View the transcript...

On July 20, 1969 humans first set foot on Earth’s moon. By the end of 1972, the Apollo program’s firsthand exploration of the Moon would be over. At the Challenger Learning Center, missions to the Moon or Mars are planned every day… in simulation. A Challenger Learning Center Flight Director talks about what it took to get to the Moon 50 years ago, what it will take to get back. View the transcrip...

From search and rescue to wedding photography, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are being used to do more jobs than ever before. A professional drone pilot discusses the growing list of jobs that a used to be done by a team of people that are now done by a drone and a drone operator. View the transcript here.

Family members of those who are undergoing cancer treatment might feel powerless to help with a loved one's recovery. Oncology Massage Therapist Cindy Teremuende says that we underestimate the power of touch in helping with cancer recovery. View the transcript here.

Members of the LGBTQ+ communities can face prejudice that can extend from unjustified assumptions to active bullying. Not all behavior that is dismissive of LGBTQ+ persons is malicious or even active, but education can create more awareness to prevent even unintentional marginalization. Emily Rosenquist and Jessica Depke from Heartland Community College discuss their efforts to provide a “safe zon...