The Academic Minute

Writers who lived through war can help bring different perspectives to these conflicts. Marilynn Desmond, distinguished research professor at Binghamton University, details one such writer. Marilynn Desmond holds a doctorate in Comparative Literature from the University of California at Berkeley. She has published extensively on the reception of Classical texts in medieval vernacular literatures,...

Why do we like the food we like as adults? Arianna Maffei, professor of neurobiology and behavior at Stony Brook University, looks at the early years to find out. I am a neuroscientist and I study how experience and learning affect the brain. I obtained my Bachelor degree in Biology in 1997 and my PhD […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or g...

Photos of the Holocaust are still being found. Wolf Gruner, Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish studies and professor of history at the University of Southern California, explores the history still to be told through images. Wolf Gruner is the Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish Studies and Professor of History at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles […] This is a public episode. If you...

Light can be a useful and non-invasive tool in medicine. Moussa N’Gom, assistant professor in the department of physics, applied physics, and astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, explains how. Moussa N’Gom is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Following an early career in industry as […] This is a...

Your physical space is very important as you age. Britteny Howell, assistant professor of health sciences and director of the healthy aging research laboratory at the University of Alaska Anchorage, says your health could be on the line. Britteny M. Howell, PhD, CPG, CDP® is Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, Director of the Healthy Aging […] This is a public episode. If you would like...

Students come into higher education institutions with a lot of questions about their futures  Ted Hadzi-Antich, associate professor of government at Austin Community College, explores one way to help them get answers. Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr. has been teaching “great books” to students at Austin Community College for 15 years, where he founded the Great Questions […] This is a public...

The field of philosophy is changing. David Bakhurst, Charlton professor of philosophy at Queen’s University, Ontario, looks into one instance why. David Bakhurst is Charlton Professor of Philosophy at Queen’s University, Ontario.  His book, Consciousness and Revolution in Soviet Philosophy (Cambridge, 1991), represents the first critical history of Soviet philosophical culture.  Since then, in add...

Being a sore loser in a presidential race has historical precedent. Jerald Podair, professor of history at Lawrence University, explains. Jerald Podair is Professor of History and Robert S. French Professor of American Studies Emeritus at Lawrence University. He is the author of The Strike That Changed New York: Blacks, Whites, and the Ocean Hill […] This is a public episode. If you would li...

E-waste is a climate change issue. Oladele Ogunseitan, professor in the department of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine, looks into combating this. Oladele (Dele) Ogunseitan holds the University of California Presidential Chair at Irvine where he served for more than a decade as Professor and Founding Chair of the […] This is a public episode. I...

On Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Week: Shayla Sawyer, professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering, explores a metal-breathing bacterium dramatically improves biosensors for aquatic ecosystems Shayla Sawyer is a professor in the Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her Nano-Bio Optoelectronics research program expands the fu...

On Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Week: Coastlines are a battleground in the face of sea level rise. Marcus Carter, assistant professor in the school of architecture, explains why design matters. MARCUS CARTER is an assistant professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a partner at OBJECT TERRITORIES, a critical design practice located in New York and Hong […] This is a public episod...

On Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Week:  Technology can be used to tackle climate change. Aparna Gupta, professor of quantitative finance at Rensselaer Polytechnic institute, examines this. Aparna Gupta is a professor of quantitative finance and co-director of the NSF IUCRC Center for Research toward Advancing Financial Technologies (CRAFT) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Gupta also ser...

On Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Week: There are always obstacles in our way. Brett Fajen, associate dean for academic affairs and professor, looks at how we navigate this by tracking our eye movements. Brett Fajen conducts research on perception and action. His main interests are the visual control of locomotion and perceptual-motor learning and adaptation. His […] This is a public episo...

On Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Week:  Can games be a useful component of learning in the classroom? Christopher Jeansonne, lecturer of communication and media, says yes. Christopher Jeansonne is a media educator, a media maker, and a scholar focusing on critical media pedagogy. His research involves practical and theoretical investigations of pedagogical methods that help students […] T...

On SUNY Distinguished Professor Week: The history of slavery should continue to be talked about. Lou Roper, SUNY distinguished professor of history at SUNY New Paltz, explains why. Lou Roper is SUNY Distinguished Professor of History at the State University of New York—New Paltz (USA) and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the […] This is a public episode. If you would like to disc...

On SUNY Distinguished Professor Week:  Is the United States a republic or a democracy, and why does it matter? Ian Reifowitz, SUNY distinguished professor of history at SUNY Empire State College, breaks this question down. Ian Reifowitz is a SUNY Distinguished Professor, and has taught history at SUNY-Empire State College since 2002. Additionally, Ian is […] This is a public episode. If you...

On SUNY Distinguished Professor Week: We take the ground for granted. Russell Briggs, distinguished teaching professor at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, examines the complexity of what is below our feet. Russell Briggs, Distinguished Teaching Professor, has been teaching Soil Science courses at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) since […] This i...

On SUNY Distinguished Professor Week: Do positives come out of disasters? Michel Bruneau, SUNY distinguished professor in the department of civil, structural, and environmental engineering at the University at Buffalo, examines this question. Michel Bruneau is a SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineers and of […] This is a publi...

On SUNY Distinguished Professor Week:  Goats and spiders can help make things lighter. Lisa Jean Moore, SUNY distinguished professor of sociology and gender studies at SUNY Purchase, looks for a more sustainable source of silk. Lisa Jean Moore is a medical sociologist and SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Purchase College, State […] This is a public episode. If...

Lockdowns during COVID-19 have been handled differently by governments around the world. Anna Amirkhanyan, professor of public administration and policy at American University, explores the effect on different populations. Anna Amirkhanyan is a professor of public administration and policy at American University. Her research focuses on public and nonprofit management, organizational performance,...

Helping people re-enter society after a prison stay can be tricky. Angela Murolo, assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice at St. Francis College, says one group may be left behind. Angela S. Murolo, PhD is an Assistant Professor at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, NY. Her dissertation investigated older people’s experiences on parole and […] This is a public episode. If you wou...

Sanctions on an institution can cause students to look elsewhere for higher education. Christopher Burnett, postdoctoral fellow in the department of education leadership and policy studies at the University of Houston, determines how bad the damage can be. Christopher Burnett is a Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the […] This is a public e...

The ancient past can show us similarities to the polarized times of today. Rachel Hadas, board of governor’s professor of English at Rutgers University, examines what we can learn from thousands of years ago. Rachel Hadas is Board of Governor’s professor at Rutgers-University Newark, where she taught English for many years.  Among her specialties were […] This is a public episode. If y...

Mental health challenges affect everyone. Toria Herd, postdoctoral research fellow at Penn State University, discusses the issues facing one group. Dr. Toria Herd received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Virginia Tech in 2021. She received her M.S. in Developmental Psychology at Virginia Tech and her B.A. in Psychology from the State University of New […] This is a public episode. I...

Get up and move – it’s good for you. Keith Diaz, Florence Irving associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, explores the health harms of sitting. Keith Diaz is a certified exercise physiologist and an Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center.  His research focuses on elucidating the role […] This is a public...