The Academic Minute

What are the mysterious ‘red dots’ seen by the James Webb telescope? Joel Leja, associate professor of astronomy and astrophysics and Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Mid-Career Endowed Chair at Penn State University, examines their origin. Joel Leja is the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Mid Career Endowed Faculty Chair and an Associate Professor of astronomy and […] This is a public episode. If you would like to d...

Inflammation in the brain is bad, right? Shruti Sharma, assistant professor of immunology at the Tufts University School of Medicine, suggests that may not always be the case. Shruti Sharma, assistant professor of immunology, studies how the immune system knows when to fight—and when to heal. Shruti Sharma is an assistant professor of immunology at […] This is a public episode. If you would...

An employee’s well-being is critical to their performance. James Ritchie-Dunham, clinical associate professor in the Rosenthal Department of Management in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, discusses how to foster it. James L. Ritchie-Dunham is a clinical associate professor of strategy in The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs […] This is a public epis...

Catching cheats in finance is a big deal. Erik Lie, Amelia Tippie Chair and professor in finance at the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa, explores one way to do so. Erik Lie is a professor of finance at the University of Iowa and author of Catching Cheats: Everyday Forensics to Unmask […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers o...

Does sex sell?  Not always. Andrew Edelblum, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Dayton, explores when beauty backfires. Andrew Edelblum is a University of Dayton assistant professor of management and marketing whose work explores identity, ethics, branding and consumer culture. A member of the American Marketing Association and the Association for Consumer Research, […] Th...

Want to grade your students faster? You can use ChatGPT – but there may be downsides. Xiaoming Zhai, associate professor of science education and artificial intelligence at the University of Georgia, discusses the potential risks. Xiaoming Zhai, Associate Professor in Science Education, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science (courtesy), and Statistics (courtesy), serves the Directors of t...

Does going somewhere solo lead to better reviews afterwards? Rebecca Ratner, Dean’s professor of marketing at the University of Maryland, determines whether this is the case. Rebecca Ratner received a Ph. D. in social psychology from Princeton University and has been a visiting scholar in the marketing departments of the Harvard Business School, Chicago Booth Graduate […] This is a public ep...

On this Student Spotlight: White Dwarf stars may create a potentially viable environment for life. Cal Whyte, PhD student in the Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Science at Florida Institute of Technology, looks into this. Caldon T. Whyte is a PhD student in the Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Science at Florida Institute […] This is a public episode. If you would like t...

Remote counseling can have benefits for some. Ann Perreau, professor and co-chair of communication sciences and disorders at Augustana College, examines one. Dr. Ann E. Perreau is a professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Augustana College (Ill.) and an audiologist in the College’s Roseman Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing. In 2023, she was […] This is a public episode. I...

Are driving assistance systems making the roads safer? Ashish Agarwal, professor in the IROM Department of Management in the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, gets behind the wheel to find out. Ashish Agarwal is a professor of information, risk, and operations management at The University of Texas at Austin’s […] This is a public episode. If you would like to d...

Food is the main event of most Thanksgivings. Ashli Stokes, associate professor in the department of communication studies at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, discusses the importance of preparing something tasty for your family to enjoy this holiday. Dr. Ashli Quesinberry Stokes is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies and the Director of the […] This is a public episod...

The importance of odors to your taste buds might be greater than you think. Putu Agus Khorisantono, postdoctoral researcher at the Karolinska Institutet, delves into this. I am a cognitive and behavioural neuroscientist based in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (Psychology Division) of Karolinska Institutet, with a background in statistics, functional neuroimaging and neuroeconomics. My [&#...

How we treat obesity may need to be reshaped. Nabil Alshurafa, associate professor of preventive medicine and computer science at Northwestern University, determines what wearable sensors can achieve. Dr. Nabil Alshurafa is an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the McCormick School of Engineering, known for his work in mobile and […] This i...

AI may be able to help in the fight against cancer. Kun-Hsing Yu, associate professor in the department of biomedical informatics at Harvard Medical School, looks into how it can help. Kun-Hsing “Kun” Yu, M.D., Ph. D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School. He pioneered the first fully […] This is a public episode. If you would like t...

How can we save certain bird species?  By changing our behavior. Shelby Carlson, research associate at Cornell University, looks into this. Shelby Carlson is a research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. As a conservation social scientist, Dr. Carlson applies theories and methods from the fields of sociology and psychology to understand human-wildlife interactions. […] This is a pu...

We still have a lot to learn about the first pandemic thousands of years ago. Rays Jiang, associate professor in the department of global, environmental, and genomic health at the University of South Florida, digs into the Earth to find out more. As the first genomics lab in University of South Florida, Rays Jiang lab […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other...

How do we tell if a pattern of ecological disasters is new or old? Mohamad Junaid, associate professor of sociology, anthropology and social work at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, looks through history to explore this. I am an anthropologist with a strong belief in teaching as crucial to creating a just, sustainable, and […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...

How do we best help students navigate the ups and downs of college life? Alexis Redding, faculty co-chair of Higher Education and Lecturer on education at Harvard University, examines the W-curve to find out. Alexis Redding is a developmental psychologist whose who specializes in supporting young adults during the college years and the transition to […] This is a public episode. If you would...

What does the future hold for computer science? Imran Mirza, associate professor of physics at Miami University, explores this through quantum computing. Dr. Imran Mirza is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Miami University of Ohio. Before his appointment at Miami, he served as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of […] This is a public episode. If you woul...

Sustainable waste conversion techniques on Earth might one day be applied to colonies on the Moon or Mars. Toufiq Reza , associate professor of chemical engineering in the department of chemistry and chemical engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology , examines how. Faculty Bio: Dr. Toufiq Reza is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical E...

How can we make the jobs of substance abuse counselors easier? Cailyn Green , Assistant Professor of Addiction Studies at SUNY Empire State University , examines one resource designed to do so. Faculty Bio: Cailyn Green, MS, Ph. D., Masters-CASAC is the Assistant Professor of Addiction Studies at SUNY Empire State University. Her research in the substance use field a supported by her past clinical...

Iron isn’t just important for us – viruses need it too. Katherine Wander, associate professor of anthropology at Binghamton University, examines how this plays a role in COVID infections. Kathy Wander is a biological anthropologist in Binghamton University’s department of Anthropology. She received her BA from the Ohio State University and her MPH and PhD […] This is a public episode....

Can receiving a Purple Heart medal for a combat injury lower the risk of suicide in combat veterans? Jayna Moceri-Brooks, clinical assistant professor at the Rory Meyers College of Nursing at New York University, explores whether this recognition has an effect. Jayna Moceri-Brooks, PhD, RN, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU Rory Meyers College […] This is a public episode. If you woul...

Is there a better way to explore space without using rockets for propulsion? Manasvi Lingam, assistant professor of astrobiology at the Florida Institute of Technology, examines one potential technology. Manasvi Lingam, Ph. D., is an assistant professor of astrobiology at Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) in Melbourne, Florida. After completing his undergraduate degree at the […...

We need new tools for wildfire prevention going forward. Elahe Soltanaghai, assistant professor of computer science and electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, aims to deliver one. Elahe Soltanaghai is an assistant professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research spans the areas of wireless networking and sensing...