The State of Inquiry (Audio)

Host Leslie Lenkowsky explores how history moves from archive to exhibit. Joined by Erika Dowell from the Lilly Library, Mindy Besaw from the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, and Heather Calloway from University Collections at Indiana University, the conversation looks at how institutions shape historical narratives through objects, design, and interpretation, and what is gained and lost in...

Host Leslie Lenkowsky talks with Gene Coyle, a retired CIA field operations officer and former Indiana University professor, about the role of espionage in both the American Revolution and modern intelligence work. Drawing on his own 30-year career, Coyle explores how figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin used intelligence to shift the course of the war, and how those same principle...

In this episode, host Leslie Lenkowsky is joined by John Summerlot and James Capshew to examine Indiana’s connections to the Revolutionary era. The conversation traces how early American history continues to inform the development of institutions, from military traditions to higher education, and how those legacies remain visible today. John Summerlot is Director of Enterprise Risk & Incident...

In this episode, host Leslie Lenkowsky dives into the science of fermentation and the story behind a founding-era-inspired beer. Dr. Matt Bochman explains how yeast research at Indiana University Bloomington connects to real-world brewing, including a project using yeast isolated from a 250-year-old oak tree. Local brewers Clay Seenbergen (Upland), Chris Paumi (The Tap), Kim Collins (Towaki Brewin...

Host Les Lenkowsy is joined by Matt Ely and Dr. Abigail Rawleigh to explore the texts that shaped the revolutionary generation. From Horace to Cicero, the conversation looks at what students in colonial colleges were assigned and how those ideas influenced early American thought. Ely shares how he brings these works into the present through interactive workshops, while Rawleigh adds context from e...

Host Lisa Koontz is joined by Corey Kalbaugh and sisters Carly and Ricky Camplain to examine how equity-focused research is improving health systems that often overlook underserved populations. The conversation explores how clinical evidence, policy, and community-engaged research shape care for people facing structural barriers, from patients with chronic disease to Indigenous people impacted by...

In this episode, Debby Herbenick joins host Lisa Koontz to explore how public health researchers study sexual behavior, communication, and well-being across the lifespan. Drawing on decades of nationally representative research, they discuss how data helps identify emerging trends, clarify risks, and inform education and prevention efforts. The conversation focuses on how research can support heal...

In this episode of Living Well: Public Health for All , host Lisa Koontz is joined by Dr. Kyle Kercher and IU School of Public Health-Bloomington students Luke Troyer and Maddie Mastin to explore the role sport can play in advancing public health. The conversation focuses on Hoosier Sport, a campus-community initiative that partners with schools and local organizations to create youth programs cen...

In this episode, host Lisa Koontz talks with Charlie Beeker about how shipwrecks become living ecosystems and why preserving them matters. Beeker explains how underwater sites serve as both historical records and biological habitats, and how creating protected “living museums” supports conservation, education, and public access. The conversation highlights how studying and managing submerged envir...

In this episode, host Lisa Koontz talks with Daniella Chusyd about how studying elephant health can reveal new insights into human aging, resilience, and disease prevention. Chusyd explains why elephants are a powerful model for understanding longevity, cognitive health, and cancer resistance, and how factors like early-life trauma, pollution, and habitat change affect health over time. The conver...

What does AI actually mean for business, and who has the advantage: humans or machines? Dr. Brian Williams and host Dr. Kevin Jones explores how generative and explainable AI are reshaping decision-making in areas like accounting, finance, and corporate strategy. From predicting tax outcomes to building AI tools inside a business school, he breaks down what AI does well, where humans still matter...

In this episode of AI and You , Dr. Kevin Jones talks with Adam Maksl and Justin Hodgson about how universities are responding to the rapid rise of generative AI. Drawing on their leadership roles at Indiana University, they explore the intersection of policy, pedagogy, and technology, from developing system-wide frameworks for AI literacy to rethinking classroom practices in an era where traditio...

Dr. Rebecca Itow and host Dr. Kevin Jones explores the balance between innovation and intention, arguing that it’s not about whether to use AI, but how to use it thoughtfully. From assessment and academic integrity to designing meaningful learning experiences, she shares how educators can adapt without losing sight of what actually matters: helping students learn in ways that are both personally m...

In this episode of AI and You , Dr. Kevin Jones talks with Miranda Rodak about the shift from generative AI tools to more autonomous systems that can act on our behalf. They explore what this means for teaching, learning, and early career work, including how assignments, roles, and expectations are already changing. The conversation also highlights the importance of maintaining human judgment, aut...

In this special role-reversal episode of AI & You , The State of Inquiry Producer and Indiana Public Media Director of Content Eric Bolstridge takes on hosting duties to give Dr. Jones an opportunity to unpack his idea of the Age of Accelerated Transformation , a moment defined not just by artificial intelligence but by the speed and scale of change reshaping work, education, and everyday life...

When farmers face challenges, how do they decide it’s time to make a change? In this episode we explore how land, food systems, and rural values shape decision-making across Indiana’s agricultural communities. Rural communities are built on decisions about land, food, and what gets passed on to the next generation. In this final episode of the Rural Indiana series, James Farmer joins guest-host Ky...

Local news plays a critical role in rural communities yet trust in media continues to evolve as alternative information sources grow, filling a gap left by widening news deserts. In this episode, we explore where, how, and why rural audiences consume journalism today and what influences their confidence or skepticism in the news. Jason Peifer discusses the drivers of trust, transparency, and hosti...

Rural communities often experience unique public health challenges, including limited access to care and higher rates of preventable health issues. In this episode, we focus on one of Indiana’s most pressing concerns: teen pregnancy in rural counties. Alison Greene and Catherine Sherwood-Laughlin share how Project UNITE brings community members, educators, and public health experts together to des...

What does resilience look like in rural Indiana, and how are local governments, nonprofits, and community members working together to build it? In this episode, we explore the economic, environmental, and social forces shaping rural life with experts who study resilience on the ground. Aaron Deslatte shares insights from his work on sustainable community development and local governance, while Kyl...

What if you could make cancer cells more vulnerable by targeting DNA repair?  In this episode, lung cancer researcher John J. Turchi joins Richard Carpenter to explore how tumors respond to DNA-damaging treatments like cisplatin and radiation. Dr. Turchi explains why some cancers become resistant, how his team targets DNA repair and DNA damage response pathways, and what it means to develop truly...

How does our metabolism affect cancer growth? How do cancer cells “eat” and how do they communicate and compete with other cells?  Learn about the latest research into how cancer cells adapt at a metabolic level, using nutrients to proliferate, evade cell death, and persist after therapy.   Asmaa El-Kenawi, PhD, is an assistant professor of urology and the Andrew and Peggy Thomson Scholar at India...

What if the most important drivers of cancer aren’t mutations in DNA, but the chemical switches that control how cells read that DNA? Dr. Richard Carpenter talks with molecular biochemist Evan Cornett about the epigenetic machinery that helps determine whether a cell grows normally or turns cancerous. Dr. Cornett explains how lysine methylation and other chemical marks regulate gene expression, wh...

How does our understanding of environmental exposures and our own hormones shape how we can predict, detect, and treat lung cancer?  Lung physiologist Patricia Silveyra and advocate Dana Cattani join Richard Carpenter to connect the dots between environment, biology, and lived experience. Together they navigate diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, and discuss the support systems patients need a...

Triple-negative breast cancer is aggressive and hard to treat. How are new therapies and early phase clinical trials changing what’s possible for patients? Mateusz Opyrchal joins host Richard Carpenter to talk about metastatic and triple-negative breast cancer, where progress often comes through small but critical advances. They discuss why some tumors resist current therapies, how the immune syst...

In this episode, host Richard Carpenter talks with Dr. Maegan Capitano and oncology social worker Brynn Parkinson about cancers from two perspectives: the lab bench and the living room. Dr. Capitano explains how a better understanding of temperature, environment, and other factors can have dramatic effects on scientists’ ability to advance cancer research. And Brynn Parkinson shares how a better u...