Voices of Excellence

Dr. Jada Wiggleton-Little, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, discusses her extensive research on pain communication. She explores subjects like social biases and perceptions of pain, pain as a bodily command, and the implications of pain communication in the management of pain in medical and personal settings. Wiggleton-Little shares insights from her own life and education that prompted her to m...

 Trevon Logan, the ENGIE-Axium Endowed Professor of Economics, and Benton Wishart, a recent Ohio State economics alumnus and Dr. Logan’s research assistant, discuss their research into white women’s involvement in the slave trade during the antebellum era. Their work, titled Her Property Transactions: White Women and the Frequency of Female Ownership in the Antebellum Era , shows that...

Jaime Sabel, Associate Professor in Molecular Genetics and Director of the Center for Life Sciences Education (CLSE) , discusses the CLSE’s role in housing the biology major and collaborating with other life sciences departments. Her FRAMER and MASTER educational scaffolds support students’ metacognitive skills to enhance their understanding of complex biological concepts. Sabel also h...

Pranav Jani, Associate Professor of English, researches the literatures, cultures and history of current and formerly colonized people. His current book project examines the 1857 Rebellion in British India, and he describes the historical context of the rebellion, its depiction as the Sepoy Mutiny by imperialist narratives, and provides an in-depth analysis of the underlying causes. He highlights...

Dr. Paul Martini, a Professor of Astronomy and Physics at The Ohio State University, joins host David Staley to discuss the expanding universe, dark energy, and the role of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) project in advancing research. Dr. Martini also talks about the importance of custom-built instruments in astronomy, the use of machine learning in data analysis, and his personal...

Paleoclimatologists Ellen Mosley-Thompson and Lonnie Thompson continue their discussion with host David Staley on the imminent challenges and possible solutions to climate change. They emphasize the importance of collective action, innovative technologies, and political will in combating environmental issues. They highlight practical actions individuals can take, such as voting and reducing energy...

Renowned paleoclimatologists Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Distinguished University Professor of Geography, and Lonnie Thompson, Distinguished University Professor in Earth Sciences, discuss their groundbreaking work in studying ice cores to understand Earth’s climate history. Join host David Staley to learn how they extract climate data from ice cores, the logistical challenges of their fieldwork,...

Paul Reitter, a Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures at Ohio State University , discusses his recent translation of Volume 1 of Karl Marx’s Capital with host David Staley. Reitter discusses the nuances and challenges of translating Marx’s work, the intricacies of Marx’s theories on value and capitalism, and how Reitter’s translation aims to preserve Marx’s...

Erin Lin, Associate Professor of Political Science , and author of When the Bombs Stopped: The Legacy of War in Rural Cambodia discusses her research. She focuses on the the enduring impact on Cambodian agriculture and economic development of unexploded ordnance from US secret bombings during the Vietnam War. The bombs remain dangerous, contributing to injuries and deaths, while severely affecting...

Professor of physics Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin studies quantum information science and engineering (QISE), a combination of quantum mechanics and information technology, and its applicability in computing, networking, and sensing. He describes the foundational concepts of quantum mechanics, magnetism, and the physical properties of materials to host David Staley. Halperin explains how classical el...

Steve Gavazzi, Director of the College of Arts and Sciences’ CHRR and professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology, joins host David Staley to discuss Gavazzi’s research on public higher education. Gavazzi and Staley coedited Fulfilling the 21st Century Land Grant Mission: Essays in Honor of The Ohio State University’s Sesquicentennial Commemoration . Gavazzi emphasizes the...

Some people look at a grasshopper and see an insect.  Anthropology professor Jeffrey Cohen sees a snack.  Cohen’s research spans migration, development, and nutrition, interests that have taken him from Project Panchavati, which addressed the digital divide in the Bhutanese community in Central Ohio during the pandemic, to his new book  Eating Grasshoppers , which explores the...

Margaret Ellen Newell, Distinguished Professor of History, talks with host David Staley about her directorship at the History Praxis Lab, a collaborative research initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation. The Praxis Lab engages undergraduates in research focused on citizenship, civic engagement, and the movements of Native Americans and African Americans in the Midwest. She also explores Native...

Dr. Jana Houser, an Associate Professor of Geography and Director of Undergraduate Studies, discusses her pioneering research on tornadoes through the use of mobile radar technology. She describes to host David Staley the challenges of predicting tornadoes due to their chaotic and localized nature. She’s been a storm chaser and worked on the movie Twisters. She credits her passion for tornad...

What scares you? Merrill Kaplan , Associate Professor of English and Director of Scandinavian Studies, takes time out of the spooky season to discuss the cultural and historical significance of Halloween, comparing its traditions to those of other holidays. She describes to host David Staley the evolution of folklore studies, which emphasizes the importance of understanding current cultural meanin...

Simone Drake, Hazel C. Youngberg Trustees Distinguished Professor at The Ohio State University College of the Arts and Sciences, joins David Staley to discuss Shutdown , a documentary she executive produced. The documentary explores the 1971 racial tensions at Linden-McKinley High School in Columbus, Ohio. These tensions arose from rapid demographic shifts and culminated in police violence against...

Christopher Highley, Professor of English and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at The Ohio State University, discusses the context and findings of his most recent book, Blackfriars in Early Modern London . He highlights his extensive knowledge of the historical and cultural landscape of London during the time of Shakespeare. He describes the opportunities The Ohio State...

Elizabeth Renker, Professor of English at The Ohio State University, discusses her work in “ Discovering Sarah Piatt “, a podcast and recovery project aimed at reclaiming the legacy of 19th-century poet Sarah Piatt, who was once a famous poet but faded into obscurity due to shifts in literary canon. Renker faced challenges in recovering Piatt’s work, such as incomplete archives a...

Andréa Grottoli, Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences, discusses her research on and the future of coral reefs with host David Staley. Grottoli shares insights into coral biology, the impacts of climate change on coral reefs, and the significance of coral ecosystems to the economy and environment. She specializes in coral resilience, the traits that enable some corals to survive environmental...

Voices host David Staley is joined by podcasters from the College of Arts and Sciences: Kayley DeLong – Shakespeare in the “Post”Colonies , Jim Phelan – Project Narrative , Elizabeth Renker – Discovering Sarah Piatt , and Elise Robbins – Nouvelle Nouvelle. They describe their podcasts and discuss whether podcasting can be considered a form of scholarship. The co...

Julia Applegate, Senior Lecturer at The Ohio State University, discusses her documentary film Free Beer Tomorrow. The film focuses on the historically significant and longest-running lesbian-owned Ohio bar, which was located near The Ohio State University. For her, it’s a story of the patrons of the bar and how they lived during the 1970s and ’80s. The bar served as a safe space for le...

Dr. Christo Sevov, Associate Professor in the The Ohio State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, shares his research interests. Dr. Sevov explains the significance of catalysis, particularly homogeneous catalysis, and how it accelerates chemical reactions by using abundant, affordable metals like nickel and copper. He describes his research in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), its inheren...

Michael Ibrahim, Director of the School of Music at The Ohio State University, discusses the significance of the Timashev family donation and the design and features of the new Timashev Family Music Building. He describes initiatives such as the Global Black Music Studies Initiative and Opus 88. Ibrahim also elaborates on plans for expanding the school’s offerings, including a new music ther...

Voices 200th episode! Dr. Robert Baker, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has had a life-long fascination with light, culminating in his work co-creating the National Science Foundation-Ohio State University NeXUS Laboratory. Baker’s current research focuses on electron dynamics and catalytic energy conversion. The NeXUS Laboratory houses a groundbreaking laser system capable of takin...

Dr. Robert Ward, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at Ohio State University, discusses his journey from being rejected by his elementary school band to becoming a music professor. He describes the Men’s Glee Club at Ohio State, highlighting its history since 1875, the non-music major composition of its members, the sense of community it fosters, and the audition pro...