Dice in Mind

Aaron Pollyea has a background in astronomy and physics, but currently has a day job dealing with climate change and its intersection with agriculture. He has been a life-long Star Trek fan, and has been working as a freelance writer for Star Trek Adventures since it began. In his free time, Aaron may be found gazing through his telescope, reading a good book, or doing historical reenacting with his wife. Please check out these relevant links: Star Trek Adventures: Technical Manual Star Trek Adventures: Utopia Planitia Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

*We apologize for the low-gain issue with Meric's microphone*   Meric Moir is a digital marketing manager at an international engineering company, a MacEwan University graduate from the sadly defunct Professional Writing program, a father of four, and a constant storyteller and worldbuilder. He recently became the book lead on Cosmere RPG's Mistborn World Guide. Please check out these relevant links: Cosmere Roleplaying Game Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

It's our fourth anniversary episode! Join us for a brief look back and candid look forward to what you can expect from Year 5 of Dice in Mind. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Jim Johnson was born about the same time Apollo XII landed on the moon (and has always been kinda spacey) and shares a birthday with the Kindle. He is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series and the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series. He's also written a bunch of other stuff in and around the SFF genres and pen and paper RPGs. He's currently the project manager and line editor for Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures RPG. Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five-year-old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Star Trek Adventures: Technical Manual Star Trek Adventures: Second Edition Core Rulebook Sentience 2d20 Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Kelli Fitzpatrick is a science fiction writer, gamewriter, and teacher. She is the author of Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified (from BenBella Books, 2025) and is a contributing writer for the Star Trek Adventures role-playing game from Modiphius. Her Star Trek story “The Sunwalkers” won the 2016 Strange New Worlds contest from Simon and Schuster. Her short fiction has been published by Baen Books, Crazy 8 Press, Flash Fiction Online, and others, and her essays on sci-fi pop culture appear at StarTrek.com, Women at Warp, and in anthologies from Sequart and ATB Publishing. She has written for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope outreach team and Arizona State University's Interplanetary Initiative. She has over a decade of experience teaching high school and college courses. Find her at KelliFitzpatrick.com and on Bluesky @KelliFitzWrites. Please check out these relevant links: Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified Star Trek Adventures: Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Jesse Rogerson is an Assistant Professor at York University. He is a passionate scientist, educator, and communicator. Whether in the classroom or on social media, he seeks to create conversations on how science and society intersect, and why science is relevant in our daily lives. Please check out these relevant links: Daydreaming in the Solar System Traveller RPG The Millennial Project Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. John Moores is an Associate Professor at York University and Director of the Graduate Program in Earth and Space Science. He is the Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and also serves as the Director of the Technologies for Exo-Planetary Science NSERC CREATE Program, which provides unique training opportunities for graduate students. He previously served as the Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies for the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University. Please check out these relevant links: Daydreaming in the Solar System Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Star Trek Adventures: Klingon Core Rulebook Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook Starforged Rulebook Continuing Mission Article Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Low is a live-scan certified CA high school English teacher, parent, story-teller, and game designer. He teaches kids non-violent conflict resolution, collaboration, confidence, critical thinking, and creative writing using games, inspired by a love of learning, not fear of failure. #LAStrong Please check out these relevant links: InfiniBrix Kickstarter Luck of Legends Michael's Wonderful Video Stories RPG Podcast Brick Loot Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Welcome to our second RPG review through the lens of LitRPG! We hope you enjoy it. Please check out these links from the episode: Star Trek Adventures 2e Starter Set Star Trek Adventures 2e Core Rulebook Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Happy New Year! Sophie May is the PR Manager at publisher of tabletop games, Modiphius, working on games such as Star Trek Adventures, the Discworld RPG, and more. Having worked in PR since 2018, Sophie has previously worked in agency, where she worked for brands such as BT, JP Morgan, PizzaExpress, and more, before working in-house at sustainable fashion brand, Lucy & Yak. Having joined Modiphius in January 2024, Sophie now leads Modiphius' PR efforts, including media relations, influencer marketing, and PR events. Please check out these relevant links: Modiphius Dungeons & Dragons Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

With the holiday season approaching across the Northern Hemisphere, we are taking two weeks to explore the importance of mental health and how RPGs and adjacent canons and games can promote it. Please join us for this timely conversation...and please be well. If you are in need of talking with someone, please consider calling: 911: Emergency Assistance 988: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline You can also check out this list of resources curated by the American Psychological Association. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Matthew Sprange is co-founder and managing director of Mongoose Publishing, where he has been running the company for more than two decades. A game designer who has designed, authored, or edited more than 50 game products, Matthew also has magazine credits in Signs & Portents and several other popular publications. Please check out these relevant links: Mongoose Publishing State of the Mongoose 2024 Traveller Paranoia Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Peterson is an Assistant Professor of Leadership in the Department of Leadership. He teaches in the Doctorate in Professional Leadership and the Master's in Management programs. He is also currently developing graduate courses focusing on higher education leadership. He previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership with emphases in higher education and student affairs at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Prior to faculty roles, he served in multiple leadership roles in higher education and student affairs. These areas include residential life, financial aid, and student advising. Dr. Reynolds is a professor  civil procedure, conflict of laws, negotiation, and mediation at the University of Oregon. Her research interests include negotiation, dispute systems design, and cultural influences and implications of alternative processes. She holds the Orlando John and Marian H. Hollis endowed professorship at the law school. She is currently serving as the law school's Interim Dean. Dr. Noam Ebner is a professor at Creighton University and former chair of its online graduate program in negotiation and conflict resolution, he has over fifteen years of experience in online teaching, curricular design, and program development. He has consulted to other academic programs in these areas, and has supported many teachers in the negotiation, conflict resolution, and ADR fields in their transition to teaching online. Please check out these links from the episode: Star Wars and Conflict Resolution II: My Negotiations Will Not Fail Star Wars and Conflict Resolution Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Ian Lemke is a game developer for Green Ronin and is responsible for The Expanse Roleplaying Game line. He has written for The Expanse line since the core rulebook and has also contributed writing to Blue Rose. Ian has been developing games (both tabletop RPGs and computer games) since 1993. He's worked as a writer or developer for many companies including White Wolf, FASA, Modiphius, Zenimax Online, and more. He got his start running Vampire LARPs and ran a fantasy LARP for 10 years and loves all things sci fi and fantasy. He lives in the outskirts of Atlanta, GA with his wonderful wife (who secretly gives him a lot of his best ideas), a dog named Shakespeare, a rabbit named Marlowe, and several chickens. Please check out these links from the episode: Ian Lemke (Twitter/X) The Expanse Transport Union Edition Quickstart The Expanse Roleplaying Game Green Ronin Publishing Nevermore Roleplaying Game Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Welcome to our first "official" RPG book review through the lens of LitRPG! We hope you enjoy it. Please check out these links from the episode: Star Trek Adventures 2e Core Rulebook Continuing Conversations Episode 145 Continuing Conversations Episode (YouTube) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five-year-old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Please check out these links from the episode: Once Upon Sentience Star Trek Adventures: The Federation-Klingon War Tactical Campaign Al Spader (Twitter) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Shelly Mazzanoble is an award-winning author of essays, books, two unfinished novels, some short stories, and one-act plays that have actually been produced. Most surprising, she is someone's a mother. She loves writing about reality TV almost as much as parenting. Then there's all the Dungeons & Dragons stuff. Shelly has written three books about D&D: Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girl's Guide to the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons: One Woman's Quest to Trade Self-Help for Elf Help, and Welcome to Dragon Talk: Inspiring Conversations About Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Love to Play It (co-authored by Greg Tito.) Most recently, Shelly has written How to Dungeon Master Parenting: A Guidebook for Gamifying the Child Rearing Quest, Leveling Up Your Skills, and Raising Future Adventurers. Please check out these links from the episode: Tertulia (the publisher is offering a 25% discount until 12 November) Amazon Bookshop.org Barnes & Noble University of Iowa Press Middle-Aged Lady Mom (on Substack) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Katie Nickolaou is the Emmy Award Winning CBS Morning Meteorologist for WLNS in Lansing, Michigan. From reporting on tornadoes live in the field to tracking multi-day blizzards, she loves injecting her forecasts with unique and detailed information that captivates and educates her audience. She is the creator of the #FandomForecast, a project she started to bring together her love for pop culture and weather forecasting. Please check out these links from the episode: Twitter Instagram TikTok Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason A. Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Nearly two years ago, we had the opportunity to interview RPG royalty. Bill Smith is the writer and editor of the much hailed Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (2nd ed.) core rulebook, Game Master Handbook, and more from West End Games. He was so humble and kind when we spoke. We hope you enjoy listening to the chat half as much as we did having it! Also, we promise this is the last rerun on Dice in Mind for a very, very long time. ----- This week we bring you RPG royalty! Seriously. We have the good fortune of sharing our fascinating conversation with Bill Smith, writer and editor of the much hailed Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (2nd ed.) core rulebook, Game Master Handbook, and more from West End Games. Bill's work on the mechanics and storytelling of Star Wars roleplaying should not be underestimated. His influences subtle and significant remain manifest throughout the science-fiction and fantasy RPG zeitgeist to this day. It also turns out that Bill is also a really neat person. Please check out Bill's oeuvre old and new: Website Outlaw Galaxy Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (2nd ed.) Bill Smith's books have sold nearly half a million copies. He has written for leading publishers such as Del Rey Books, Little Brown, Lucasfilm, Topps, West End Games, TSR Inc., and Wizard Press. From 1991 to 1997, he served as the Star Wars roleplaying game line editor for West End Games. In 1995, he was voted "Favorite Designer" by the RPGA, the world's largest organization for role-playing game enthusiasts. He has also written for Hershey Foods, the WIT Agency, and has been involved in motorsports promotion, marketing and journalism for nearly three decades. Bill works a day job to support his writing habit and continues to publish Outlaw Galaxy stories. He hopes you enjoy them. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Michael on Twitter Continuing Conversations Star Trek Adventures, Second Edition Dune: Adventure in the Imperium Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Sarah Al-Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in astrophysics from the University of California at Berkeley. After some time as a data-taker for a supernova research team using instruments at Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton, California, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in science communication. Sarah spent six years as a museum guide, writer, and show producer at the historic Griffith Observatory. She was a monthly contributor to Griffith Observer magazine and a content creator for All Space Considered, the observatory's monthly astronomy news program. Sarah joined The Planetary Society as Digital Community Manager in 2020, using her science communication skills to cultivate The Planetary Society's online communities. In 2023, she became the host and producer of Planetary Radio, The Planetary Society's weekly podcast and radio show. She continues to share the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond each week. Please check out these links from the episode: Planetary Radio The Planetary Society Griffith Observatory Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Brad and Jason are doing a bit of summer traveling. So, please join us this week for a rerun of one of our most popular episodes:   Katie Nickolaou is the Emmy Award Winning CBS Morning Meteorologist for WLNS in Lansing, Michigan. From reporting on tornadoes live in the field to tracking multi-day blizzards, she loves injecting her forecasts with unique and detailed information that captivates and educates her audience. She is the creator of the #FandomForecast, a project she started to bring together her love for pop culture and weather forecasting.   Please check out these links from the episode:   Twitter Instagram TikTok Star Trek: Lower Decks Campaign Guide (Star Trek Adventures RPG)   Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

James L. Sutter is a co-creator of the Pathfinder and Starfinder Roleplaying Games. From 2004 to 2017, he worked for Paizo Publishing, starting out as an editor on Dungeon Magazine, going on to do foundational work for Pathfinder, and eventually becoming the Creative Director in charge of launching Starfinder, as well as the Executive Editor of the Pathfinder Tales novel line for Paizo and Tor, before leaving to write full-time. James is also the author of the young adult romance novels Darkhearts and The Ghost of Us, as well as the fantasy novels Death's Heretic—a finalist for the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel—and The Redemption Engine, which won the 2015 Scribe Award for Best Original Speculative Novel. His short stories have appeared in such venues as Nightmare, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Escape Pod, and the #1 Amazon best-seller Machine of Death. In addition, he's written comic books, essays in venues like Clarkesworld and Lightspeed: Queers Destroy Science Fiction, a wealth of tabletop gaming material, and video games. When not writing, James has performed with musical acts ranging from metalcore to musical theater. He lives in Seattle. Please check out these links from the episode: The Ghost of Us James L. Sutter (website) Twitter/X Tabletop Gaming Credits Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these links from the episode: Confirmation Bias (excerpt) Continuing Mission Star Trek Adventures Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Bradley Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dante Lauretta is a Regents Professor of Planetary Science and Cosmochemistry at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. He is an expert in near-Earth asteroid formation and evolution. He is the leader of NASA's OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return mission, the United States' premier mission to visit one of the most Potentially Hazardous near-Earth Asteroids, survey it to assess its impact hazard and resource potential, understand its physical and chemical properties, and return a sample of this body to Earth for detailed scientific analysis. He also maintains an active research program in Cosmochemistry and Meteoritics. Please check out these relevant links: Dante Lauretta OSIRIS-REx The Asteroid Hunter Xtronaut Leadership in Star Trek Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Scott Fitzgerald Gray has been flogging his imagination professionally since deciding he wanted to be a writer and abandoning any hope of a real career in about the fourth grade. The time since has seen him indulge in educational forays in science, arts, and film, and the bewildering variety of occupations that have driven his search for the secret of the human condition to include information systems specialist, multimedia developer, teacher, facilitator, journalist, production manager, editor, graphic designer, and logger (because he lives in Canada, after all). Please check out these relevant links: Twitter CORE20 RPG Insane Angel Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Christina Mitchell is a senior multimedia specialist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, where she has worked since 2020. Christina specializes in production coordination but as a passionate storyteller she is always striving to find new and creative ways to engage audiences. Most recently, Christina led the creation of NASA's first tabletop roleplaying game adventure, “The Lost Universe.” Christina graduated from Emory & Henry College in 2019 with a B.A. in Mass Communications and minor in Politics and Society, she is currently pursuing an M.A. in Communications Management at Webster University. When not working or studying, Christina can usually be found at the barn with her rescue horse, practicing archery, or curled up at home with her cats and a book. Please check out these relevant links: The Lost Universe Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Jeff Ashworth is the author and editor of the bestselling Game Master series of 5e sourcebooks, including The Game Master's Book of Random Encounters, The Game Master's Book of Non-Player Characters, and The Game Master's Book of Traps, Puzzles and Dungeons. When he isn't working on special projects for Media Lab Books, he enjoys playing and designing games with his friends. He and his longtime campaign companion/wife live in Virginia with their dogs, Zelda and Lincoln. Please check out these relevant links: Everything I Need to Know I Learned from RPGs Jeff's Books on Amazon Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five year old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Jim Johnson was born about the same time Apollo XII landed on the moon (and has always been kinda spacey) and shares a birthday with the Kindle. He is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series and the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series. He's also written a bunch of other stuff in and around the SFF genres and pen and paper RPGs. He's currently the project manager and line editor for Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures RPG. Please check out these relevant links: Al Spader (Twitter/X) Sentience RPG Jim Johnson Jim Johnson (Twitter/X) Star Trek Adventures: The Federation-Klingon War Tactical Campaign AlphaSmart Neo Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five year old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Jim Johnson was born about the same time Apollo XII landed on the moon (and has always been kinda spacey) and shares a birthday with the Kindle. He is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series and the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series. He's also written a bunch of other stuff in and around the SFF genres and pen and paper RPGs. He's currently the project manager and line editor for Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures RPG. Please check out these relevant links: Al Spader (Twitter/X) Sentience RPG Jim Johnson Jim Johnson (Twitter/X) Star Trek Adventures: The Federation-Klingon War Tactical Campaign AlphaSmart Neo Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Sorry for the late episode, we had a technical glitch: Jason was on spring break. Carl Niblaeus is a Stockholm-based tabletop RPG designer, one of two behind the gritty sci-fi RPG Death in Space and part of the creative coven Stockholm Kartell. With a PhD in astroparticle physics focusing on dark matter, he has a special interest in the cosmos and its inner workings. Today he spends his days working in data science, on evenings and weekends he takes the chances he can to escape to cold dark space and strange universes beyond our own. He is mostly an omnivore when it comes to RPGs, exploring all kinds of experiences the hobby can offer, but shies away from high page counts and large rulesets. Please check out these relevant links: Death in Space Microscope Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. If you like what you hear, PLEASE leave us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!

Gravitating to the darker sides of fantasy, Seth Skorkowsky has always preferred horror and pulp heroes over knights in shining armor. When not writing, Seth enjoys cheesy movies, tabletop roleplaying games, making YouTube videos, and traveling the world with his wife. Please check out these relevant links: YouTube Twitter Website Books Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Author, interviewer, host, archivist, producer, voiceover, actor and and fan: Larry Nemecek has a background in news and theatre, but it is “Trekland” where he's worked for over 25 years. A renowned Star Trek authority, Larry is the author of the bestselling classic, Star Trek The Next Generation Companion, and a regular convention guest worldwide, often referred to as “Dr. Trek.” Larry now brings his Trek insight, resources, and archives to the ultimate deep-dive experience for Trek fans at Portal 47. Please check out these relevant links: Trekland Portal 47: Your Inside Access to all Things Star Trek Trekland Treks Tours Trekland on YouTube Twitter Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

We're going long with this episode! Jim Johnson was born about the same time Apollo XII landed on the moon (and has always been kinda spacey) and shares a birthday with the Kindle. He is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series and the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series. He's also written a bunch of other stuff in and around the SFF genres and pen and paper RPGs. He's currently the project manager and line editor for Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures RPG. Please check out these relevant links: Scribe Ineti (website and books) Twitter Star Trek Adventures Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

In which we talk about our achievement, respectively recent and pending, of the age of 50. Also, the GM Corner is now Audubon Court! The tea must flow. Please check out these relevant links: Imperial Tea Court Star Wars Outlaws Star Trek Adventures Star Wars Roleplaying Game Classic Traveller Facsimile Edition The One Ring Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Emily Strand is an author, podcaster, teacher, speaker, award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She holds an MA in theology from the University of Dayton and has taught religion on the college level for nearly 20 years. She has published two books on Catholic sacraments and several peer-reviewed chapters and essays on the religious, symbolic and spiritual themes in popular fiction such as Harry Potter and Star Wars. With Dr. Kathryn N. McDaniel of Marietta College, she co-hosts Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast, a show in the MuggleNet family of podcasts. Please check out these relevant links: Potterversity: Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast Cogs, Cakes & Swordsticks Fantasy Age Second Edition Core Rulebook Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Join us as look back at what 2023 meant for Dice in Mind as well as the RPG industry more broadly. We also share some of what you can expect from this fair little podcast in 2024. (Correction: Jason goofed on the name of the restaurant in Kraków. The link is below.) Please check out these relevant links: Tawerna Wilczy Dół Witcher RPG Fantasy Age (2nd Edition) Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

We are thrilled to bring you this chat from Episode 73 with Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito, the wonderful co-hosts of the Dragon Talk podcast and authors of the upcoming Welcome to Dragon Talk: Inspiring Conversations about Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Love to Play It. We spend most of our time exploring the book, diving into the potential for D&D to make the world a better place through fostering community, mental health, and so much more. And did we mention you can preorder the book? Please check out Shelly's and Greg's book and other work: Welcome to Dragon Talk Dragon Talk (the official podcast of D&D) Shelly Mazzanoble Greg Tito Every week, Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito go inside the walls of Dungeons & Dragons for exclusive interviews and previews! This D&D team sits down each week with celebrities and personalities from across gaming and pop culture to discuss one of the greatest fantasy brands of all-time. They talk about the tabletop roleplaying game, as the latest in D&D video games, comics, novels, movies, and television. Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Music by Kevin McCloud courtesy of Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 license (https://www.youtube.com/c/kmmusic/featured).

Prof. Benjamin Rogers's research explores the meaning of work and narratives in the workplace, specifically the way that the stories we tell manifest in our organizational experiences to shape our well-being. His work particularly focuses on how these narratives can be used to design effective and scalable psychological interventions to help workers—and people, more broadly—to find more meaning and improve their well-being. His findings have included how a growth mindset can lead employees to help others at work, what leads workers to conclude their boss has naively “fallen for flattery,” and how seeing your personal narrative as similar to a “Hero's Journey” can give life and work more meaning. If you are in need of talking with someone, please consider calling: 911: Emergency Assistance 988: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline You can also check out this list of resources curated by the American Psychological Association. Please check out these relevant links: Boston College Website Scientific American Article TIME Article Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

With the holiday season approaching across the Northern Hemisphere, we are taking two weeks to explore the importance of mental health and how RPGs and adjacent canons and games can promote it. Please join us for this timely conversation...and please be well. If you are in need of talking with someone, please consider calling: 911: Emergency Assistance 988: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline You can also check out this list of resources curated by the American Psychological Association. You can also check out this link: Lord of the Rings   Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. Disclaimer: This episode in no way constitutes a therapeutic interaction, the provision of clinical intervention, or a professional relationship in any manner.

Al Spader is a middle school science teacher, father of five year old twin boys, and a freelance RPG writer and game designer. As a regular writer for Star Trek Adventures and lead designer of the Sentience 2d20 RPG, Al brings his knowledge of neurodivergence and social-emotional learning to the TTRPG community. Please check out these relevant links: Twitter Sentience Revised Core Rulebook Star Trek Adventures: Missions Briefs 003 - Anomalies Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

We have noticed that there are a few OnlyFans content creators who are participating in some fairly high-profile RPG actual plays. What is the business model that motivates this synergy? Please check out these relevant link: Glass Canon Podcast The One Ring Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Dr. Amy Sturgis holds a Ph.D. in Intellectual History and specializes in the fields of Science Fiction/Fantasy, the Gothic, and Indigenous American Studies. She serves as faculty at Lenoir-Rhyne University and Signum University and staff for the StarShipSofa podcast. She lives with her husband, Dr. Larry M. Hall, in the Appalachian highlands of Virginia, USA. Dr. Emily Strand is an author, podcaster, teacher, speaker, award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She holds an MA in theology from the University of Dayton and has taught religion on the college level for nearly 20 years. She has published two books on Catholic sacraments and several peer-reviewed chapters and essays on the religious, symbolic and spiritual themes in popular fiction such as Harry Potter and Star Wars. With Dr. Kathryn N. McDaniel of Marietta College, she co-hosts Potterversity, a Potter Studies Podcast, a show in the MuggleNet family of podcasts. Please check out these relevant links: Amy Sturgis Emily Strand Star Wars: Essays Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Please check out our new project on TikTok: Star Trek: New Voyages Travis Baldree is a full-time audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to hundreds of stories. Before that, he spent decades designing and building video games like Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy, and Fate. Apparently, he now also writes books. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his very patient family and their small, nervous dog. He is the author of Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust. Please check out these relevant links: Website Twitter Boneshops and Bookdust Legends and Lattes Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Please check out our new project on TikTok: Star Trek: New Voyages Chris Pramas is an award-winning game designer, writer, and publisher. He is best known as the designer of the Dragon Age RPG and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 2nd Edition, and as the founder and President of Green Ronin Publishing. He has been a creative director at Wizards of the Coast and Flying Lab Software and wrote a series of books about fantasy warfare for Osprey Publishing. Green Ronin continues to thrive under his leadership, publishing roleplaying games like The Expanse, Mutants & Masterminds, Blue Rose, and Modern AGE. Please check out these relevant links: Website Twitter Books on Amazon Green Ronin Publishing Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

We have traditionally stayed away from current events and politics on the podcast. However, sometimes remaining silent means being complicit. We have thus chosen to share a few thoughts regarding the Israel-Gaza War (i.e., the Simchat Torah War). It is difficult to know how to help those in need during this time. We suggest contributing to either or both of the following charitable organizations: United Hatzalah ANERA Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio. "Hatikvah" courtesy of https://www.science.co.il/israel/Anthem.php.

We changed our music drops! Stay tuned for Episode 104 for the explanation. Michael Dismuke is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and Certified Leadership Development and Succession Strategist. He is a national speaker/trainer and consultant, a freelance writer for the Star Trek Adventures RPG, and a published comic creator. Please check out these relevant links: Twitter Captain's Log Star Trek Adventures Please also check out our new project on TikTok: Star Trek: New Voyages Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

We changed our music drops! Stay tuned for Episode 104 for the explanation. Jason Kaufman, Ph.D., Ed.D., is a professor of educational leadership at Minnesota State University, Mankato and a licensed psychologist. His teaching uses a lean and lab-rich approach to promote scientific thinking. His research explores how nature-based and mind-body interventions can promote human functioning and academic success.  He enjoys nature photography as time and travel allow. He is a co-host of the Dice in Mind podcast. Aaron M. Peterson, Ed.D., was most recently an assistant professor of educational leadership with emphases in higher education and student affairs at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Prior to joining the faculty at Minnesota State University Moorhead, he served in multiple leadership roles within the arena of higher education and student affairs. Currently, he is conducting studies involving stress, coping, and leadership approaches involving university and college faculty during the pandemic. He is also the co-creator of The Leadership Lab, an online presence and hub for students, scholars, and practitioners to share research and best practices around multiple areas regarding leadership. Please check out these relevant links: Leadership in Star Trek (Amazon) Leadership in Star Trek (McFarland) Twitter Please also check out our new project on TikTok: Star Trek: New Voyages Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast hosted by Brad Browne and Jason Kaufman to explore the intersection of life, games, science, music, philosophy, and creativity through interviews with leading creatives. All are welcome in this space. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Royalty-free music "Night Jazz Beats" courtesy of flybirdaudio.

Scott Fitzgerald Gray has been flogging his imagination professionally since deciding he wanted to be a writer and abandoning any hope of a real career in about the fourth grade. The time since has seen him indulge in educational forays in science, arts, and film, and the bewildering variety of occupations that have driven his search for the secret of the human condition include information systems specialist, multimedia developer, teacher, facilitator, journalist, production manager, editor, graphic designer, and logger. Please check out these relevant links: Insane Angel Games Twitter Please check out our new project on TikTok: Star Trek: New Voyages Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast in which we explore the meaning of life through the lens of RPGs!  In each episode, we will consider everyday stuff like science, religion, philosophy, and economics…through the lens of a specific roleplaying game and its dice mechanic. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Music by Kevin McCloud courtesy of Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 license (https://www.youtube.com/c/kmmusic/featured).

Drew Nichols a television is editor and most recently an associate producer on Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. Drew started off in reality and documentary programming about 15 years ago and transitioned into scripted television as an assistant editor on great shows like Mad Men, True Detective, 12 Monkeys, and MacGyver. Please check out these relevant links: Twitter Please also check out our new project on TikTok: Star Trek: New Voyages Welcome to Dice in Mind, a podcast in which we explore the meaning of life through the lens of RPGs!  In each episode, we will consider everyday stuff like science, religion, philosophy, and economics…through the lens of a specific roleplaying game and its dice mechanic. If you like what you hear, consider buying us a cup of coffee or becoming a patron.  You can also join the conversation by following us on Facebook. Music by Kevin McCloud courtesy of Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 license (https://www.youtube.com/c/kmmusic/featured).