Michigan Minds

Archaeologist Brian Stewart, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, has conducted research in the small southern African country of Lesotho for 15 years. There, he is investigating the world's earliest evidence of human behavioral complexity: the behaviors, actions and beliefs that make us human. Through his work, Stewart is hoping to understand how humans developed the ability to quickly adapt to a range of environments. Lesotho, with high mountains and extensive deserts, provided an ideal system in which people could test their ability to adapt and survive.Stewart joins the Michigan Minds podcast to talk about his experience with Lesotho, and how President Trump's recently announced tariffs could impact the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate expert Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, does not sugarcoat things.The words "scary," "depressing" and "devastating" come up when he talks about the impacts of climate change, including record warmth and drought conditions. But he also doesn't ignore how communities across the country and around the world are finding ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption.Overpeck joined the Michigan Minds podcast to discuss recent trends in climate news—both good and bad—and what people can do to stay resilient.Do you have advice for people who are feeling climate anxiety and ways to cope with that?We get that question a lot from students, but I think also fellow faculty. These are tough times in terms of what's going on in Washington, what's going on in our global climate. There are a lot of other things going on that we worry about, so I think what's important is to figure out ways to be resilient. And one of the ways is to really reach out to your family, friends and community to get the support you need. Another is to find things you can do. And there's so many things you can do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shalanda Baker is the University of Michigan's vice provost for sustainability and climate action. She joined the Michigan Minds podcast to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.How does the current political climate affect what we're doing here at the University of Michigan with regard to sustainability and climate action?I am so laser focused on climate action and sustainability. I think the science is clear. We're in an emergency. We are in the last decade of action. We only get one life, and so in my life, I've decided to be of service, whether that be as a military officer, which I've done, as a professor, or a civil servant, which I also did, and now here.We're doubling down on making clear what the science is and what the urgency is.Now, as we communicate that more broadly, we absolutely have to connect the dots. I think one of the reasons why the arguments being made by the current administration have been so powerful and connected with people is that the investments that we were making to mitigate climate change were not being felt yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Michigan Minds Podcast, where we explore the wealth of knowledge from faculty experts at the University of Michigan. I'm Jared Wadley, a lead public relations representative for Michigan News. Today I'm speaking to Oliver Haimson about the changing social media landscape. He's an assistant professor in the School of Information and the Digital Studies Institute. Oliver's research focuses on social media content moderation and marginalized populations, as well as the changing identities on social media during life transitions. Thanks for being here, Oliver.Oliver Haimson:Yeah. Thanks so much for having me, Jared.Jared Wadley:Before we get into the topic, tell the audience a little bit about how you became interested in studying social media.Oliver Haimson:Yeah. I mean, I think I started where most people start, which is I was really interested in social media myself. It was I guess the early 2010s when I started doing research in this area, and as a social media user, I was just fascinated by the ways that people were using it to mostly talk about more sensitive content, how people were thinking about disclosure and how they were presenting their identities on social media. So it really came from this personal perspective. But I think in a lot of cases, social media researchers as they start to learn more about the space end up using social media less themselves. So I would say that nowadays I'm not the biggest social media user, but I am still really fascinated by it from a research perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, civilian lives, as well as lives of the scientists who live in the country, were upended. When an international grant was launched to support Ukrainian scientists, Andrzej Wierzbicki, a U-M professor of cellular, molecular and developmental biology, who is Polish, saw the funding opportunity as a way to help support the country that neighbors his own. Wierzbicki won a grant from the International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine, or IMPRESS-U. Wierzbicki joins the Michigan Minds podcast to discuss how he is working with partners in Poland – Marcin Nowotny of the International Institute of Molecular Cell Biology in Warsaw – and Ukraine – Mykhailo Tukalo of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics in Kyiv – to explore how DNA is organized within plant chloroplasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Michigan Minds, Pamela Herd, social policy professor at the University of Michigan, discusses issues of healthcare access and affordability in light of the slaying of an industry CEO, efforts of a university lab in boosting access and breaking down walls to social safety net programs, and finding common ground within a polarized electorate.Here's an excerpt of the conversation:The killing of a healthcare CEO on a Manhattan sidewalk has become, in the words of Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch, "a stunning moment of clarity about the state of American society." I'd like to ask you what Will asked his readers: Why did it take an assassination to raise an issue that was ignored in a presidential campaign?So let me preface this by saying that vigilante justice, which is one way to think about what happened, is never OK. The killing, the murder, assassination of the United Healthcare executive was not OK.That said, people's reactions to it and the kind of depth of the anger that we heard from people in response is I think a pretty strong signal that something is fundamentally broken in how we deliver healthcare in the United States. And that's what it really tapped into: People are incredibly frustrated in the U.S. healthcare system. We spend enormous amounts of money paying for healthcare, both individually out of pocket as well as aggregately in terms of the federal and state budgets. And people just feel like they're not getting their money's worth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To combat climate change, the world needs to pivot away from fossil fuels.But building battery electric vehicles and infrastructure for renewable energy will require enormous amounts of minerals and resources, which can only be obtained in the quantities needed through mining. Low and low-to-middle income countries are also looking to boost their access to electricity, which will now likely take place through renewable energy systems. Adam Simon, a professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan, studies how metals are deposited in the Earth's crust, with the ultimate goal of ensuring a sustainable supply of resources for our growing global population. He recently published a study for the International Energy Forum that showed we currently do not mine copper quickly enough to keep up with the global demand for the energy transition.He joins the Michigan Minds podcast to discuss minerals needed for the energy transition, and how we will need to access those resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Rick is an associate professor of marketing at the Ross School of Business. His research speaks to how consumers perceive and experience inflation, how they choose what gifts to buy, and how they experience in-store and online shopping environments. He is particularly interested in understanding the behavior of extreme “tightwads” and “spendthrifts.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Michigan Minds podcast, J. Alex Halderman—Bredt Family Professor of Engineering and director of the Center for Computer Security and Society—discusses weak points in the U.S. electoral system and how to fix them, as well as the results of investigations following the 2020 election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Reames, an associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Environment and Sustainability, just returned to campus from two years at the U.S. Department of Energy working on energy justice.The Tishman professor of environmental justice and director of the SEAS Detroit Sustainability Clinic joined us on the Michigan Minds Podcast to share his thoughts on how energy justice could manifest in the United States. His research focuses on disparities in residential energy generation, consumption, and affordability—centering on the production and persistence of inequality by race, class, and place.You just returned home from more than two years at the U.S. Department of Energy working on energy justice. What is energy justice and how is it manifesting in the United States?Energy justice is this concept that really looks at how do communities participate in both the health environment and social impacts of our energy system, recognizing that the energy system has had certain burdens on communities. And so environmental justice is really saying that all communities, regardless of race and income and geography, should be afforded a clean environment. And that the goal of addressing injustices gets us toward making sure that that's true. Climate justice also recognizes that communities of color, low-income communities are feeling the climate crisis first and worst, and that any action to address climate change should include those communities and their burdens. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Michigan Minds podcast, Henry Liu—director of Mcity and the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation, and a professor of civil and environmental engineering at U-M's College of Engineering—gives an overview on the state of autonomous vehicles, whether you're wondering what the hold-up is for cars that no longer need driver's wheels, or eyeing offerings like Tesla's Full Self-Driving, GM's Super Cruise or Ford's BlueCruise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Michigan Minds podcast, Timothy Cernak, associate professor of medicinal chemistry in the College of Pharmacy and associate professor of chemistry in the the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, makes the case for growing the field of conservation medicine and calls on pharmacists and medicinal chemists to "be on the front line of species conservation." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last January, president Santa J. Ono set the university on a path to imagine what aspirations the University of Michigan could achieve in the next 10 years. Vision 2034 is the outcome of the yearlong strategic visioning process that engaged more than 25,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and local community members. U-M's vision to be the defining public university outlines four areas where the university will make dramatic and focused impact: life-changing education; human health and well-being; democracy, civic and global engagement; and climate action, sustainability and environmental justice. Geoff Chatas, the university's chief financial officer, talked with us about climate action, sustainability, and environmental justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U-M's Vision 2034 is the outcome of the yearlong strategic visioning process that engaged more than 25,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and local community members. U-M's vision to be the defining public university outlines four areas where the university will make dramatic and focused impact: life-changing education; human health and well-being; democracy, civic and global engagement; and climate action, sustainability and environmental justice. Marschall Runge, executive vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Medical School, spoke with us about human health and well-being. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UM's Vision 2034 is the outcome of the yearlong strategic visioning process that engaged more than 25,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and local community members. UM's vision to be the defining public university outlines four areas where the university will make dramatic and focused impact; life-changing education, human health and well-being, democracy, civic and global engagement, climate action, sustainability, and environmental justice. Provost Laurie McCauley talks about life changing education. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 2034, president Santa J. Ono set the university on a path to imagine what aspirations the University of Michigan could achieve in the next 10 years. UM's Vision 2034 is the outcome of the yearlong strategic visioning process that engaged more than 25,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and local community members. UM's vision to be the defining public university outlines four areas where the university will make dramatic and focused impact; life-changing education, human health and well-being, democracy, civic and global engagement, climate action, sustainability, and environmental justice. Ono talks about democracy, civic and global engagement on this episode of the Michigan Minds podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consumers have to wrangle with a sticky issue: Much of the plastic used every day can't be recycled.And the kind of recycling that can be done is called mechanical recycling, which means that plastic that can be recycled is simply broken down to be repurposed as other plastic objects, often which are of a lower value than the original product. Eventually, objects made out of this recycled plastic, such as park benches, just end up in a landfill.But University of Michigan chemist Anne McNeil is focusing on how to recycle previously unrecyclable plastic, using chemistry to modify the plastic into a product of equally high value to the original product. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Michigan Minds Podcast, where we explore the wealth of knowledge from faculty experts at the University of Michigan. Do you feel like you matter?Mattering, the sense of being valued, having purpose. No matter who you are, mattering matters. It's essential to happiness and healthiness. It's not a given. It doesn't always come easily, especially for certain individuals who may be more prone to feeling purposeless; the elderly and veterans among them.I'm Kim Shine, a senior public relations specialist at Michigan News. Today we're talking to John Piette, a professor of health, behavior and health education at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, about his research and community work focused on showing people they matter, specifically veterans.Hi John, welcome. Thank you for being with us on Michigan Minds to talk about your work with veterans and other groups who may feel as if they don't matter. Let's talk about your research and work with veterans, and your project, V-SPEAK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Though it's only February, many of the millions of people who resolved to lose weight this year have already given up, opting instead to sit for hours of binge-worthy Netflix, or to polish off those leftover holiday cookies. That's partly because people set unrealistic goals and focus too much on the scale, says University of Michigan clinical exercise physiologist Laura Richardson. In the new Michigan Minds podcast, Richardson discusses more sustainable and healthy ways to jumpstart –– and stick to –– a fitness plan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2024 election season is underway — as more voters pay close attention to which candidates and issues best serve them. But unlike previous years, the battle for the White House will be anything but normal because democracy could be jeopardized, says University of Michigan political expert Vincent Hutchings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the implications of negative peer feedback on social media posts, and how can content creators use this feedback to alter messaging? On this episode of Michigan Minds, Jessica Fong, PhD, discusses findings from a news study on the role of negative peer feedback on social media, how creators can use this information to enhance their presence on platforms, and the ways in which feedback encourages users to moderate their tone. Fong is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business, where she researches matching markets, platform design, advertising, and behavioral economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan Van den Bulck, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science and the Arts. His research focuses on involuntary and incidental media effects, and explores how entertainment media affect our perception of the real world. In this episode of Michigan Minds, Van den Bulck discusses how watching TV impacts our knowledge of various fields including law enforcement and emergency medicine, and talks about the relationship between media use and sleep. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron Perzanowski, JD, joins Michigan Minds to talk about digital ownership, the tradeoffs that occur when purchasing digital products instead of physical, and issues that consumers should be aware of involving user constraints, permanence, and privacy. Perzanowski is the Thomas W. Lacchia Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, and teaches and writes about the intersection of intellectual and personal property law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antonio C. Cuyler, PhD, is a professor of music in entrepreneurship and leadership at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. On this episode of Michigan Minds, Cuyler discusses findings from a report he coauthored published by the League of American Orchestras, titled, Racial/Ethnic and Gender Diversity in the Orchestra Field in 2023. Cuyler explains the ways in which this research can help the creative sector accelerate progress towards equity, diversity, and inclusion in orchestras. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanne Quigley, MD, joins this episode of Michigan Minds to discuss adolescent brain development and how social media can impact mental well-being. Quigley is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Michigan Medicine. She is also the medical director of Michigan Medicine's Child & Adolescent Ambulatory Psychiatry and the U-M Addiction Treatment Services (UMATS). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more common in everyday life and significantly changing the way in which people work. Kentaro Toyama, PhD, is the W.K. Kellogg Professor of Community Information at the University of Michigan School of Information, where he studies AI and human-computer interaction. On this episode of Michigan Minds, Toyama discusses how AI is impacting the creative workforce, the growth of generative technology like Chat-GPT, and the risk of misuse of new tech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barry Rabe, PhD, joins this episode of Michigan Minds to talk about his recent paper, Carbon Pricing Enters Middle Age, and discusses how carbon border adjustments can link future carbon pricing to international trade.Rabe is the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and the Arthur Thurnau Professor of Environmental Policy. His research examines the political feasibility and durability of environmental and energy policy, with a particular emphasis on efforts to address climate change in the United States and other nations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paige Sweet, PhD, assistant professor in the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, studies gender and sexuality, knowledge, and gender-based violence, and her work focuses on domestic violence. She joins Michigan Minds during Mental Health Awareness Month to talk about 'gaslighting' — what it looks like, how it impacts mental health, and resources to help community members find support to focus on their well-being.Resources mentioned in the podcast for anyone experiencing domestic violence: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233, www.thehotline.org National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: www.ncadv.org Download transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher R. Friese, PhD, RN, Elizabeth Tone Hosmer Professor of Nursing and Professor of the Health Management and Policy School of Public Health and Director of the Center for Improving Patient and Population Health (CIPPH), joins Michigan Minds for National Nurses Week. He talks about how the industry has changed in the past year since he last joined Michigan Minds and the challenges that nurses are currently facing.Download transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does brand purpose allow companies to connect with consumers? How are buyers influenced? How do marketers leverage the relationships that customers build with brands? Marcus Collins, clinical assistant professor of marketing at Michigan Ross, studies consumer culture theory — the convergence of anthropology, psychology, and sociology in marketing — to answer those questions. In this episode, Collins discusses how communal connections that are facilitated through cultural characteristics influence consumption and behavior, which is a topic he explores in his new book For The Culture. Podcast transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Srijan Sen, PhD, is the director of the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center and joins this episode of Michigan Minds to talk about recent data from the Intern Health Study, the impact of social support on depression risk and Mental Health Awareness Month. Sen is the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Professor of Depression and Neurosciences in the Michigan Medicine Department of Psychiatry, where his research focuses on the interactions between genes and the environment and their effect on stress, anxiety and depression. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Reich, PhD, is the director of the Institute for Global Change Biology (IGCB) at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability. Reich, who has conducted global change research on plants, soils and ecosystems, joins this episode of Michigan Minds to talk about the research of the IGCB, and how climate change influences the health, diversity and productivity of forests and grassland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Michigan Minds, Gregory Keoleian, PhD, talks about ways consumers can reduce their carbon footprint in three areas of their daily lives: home, mobility and diet. Keoleian co-founded and serves as director of the U-M Center for Sustainable Systems. He is also a Peter M. Wege Endowed Professor of Sustainable Systems at the U-M School for the Environment and Sustainability, and a professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at the U-M College of Engineering. His research focuses on the development and application of life cycle models and metrics to enhance the sustainability of products and technology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a focus on energy justice and equity, Sita Syal, PhD, studies the future of clean transportation and energy, and analyzes equity considerations in the design of these systems. Syal is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan College of Engineering. In this episode of Michigan Minds, Syal discusses the shift to electric vehicles, and how communities can work toward the goal of access to clean mobility for everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sue Anne Bell, PhD, is an assistant professor at the U-M School of Nursing, nurse scientist and family nurse practitioner. Bell joins Michigan Minds to talk about the long-term effects of climate disasters on human health, how climate change impacts older adults, and cost-effective ways to build an emergency preparedness kit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

William Elliott III, PhD, is a Professor of Social Work and the Director of the Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. In this episode of Michigan Minds, Elliott discusses the power of children's savings accounts, systematic patterns of poverty, educational justice, and Social Work Month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Michigan Minds, Tiffany Marra, PhD, discusses creating systemic change to diversify enrollment and how the CEW+ supports the U-M community, and shares stories to explore during Women's History Month. Marra is the director of the University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women+ (CEW+), ensuring that the center is addressing the needs of women and underserved individuals at U-M and in the community through career and education counseling, funding, workshops, events and a diverse, welcoming community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LaKisha Michelle Simmons, PhD, is an Associate Professor of History and Women's and Gender Studies, and the Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Chair at the department of Women's and Gender Studies at the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Simmons is a historian of African American gender history, and joins Michigan Minds to talk about her research specializing in Black girlhood, history of the family, history of sexuality and southern history in the 19th and 20th centuries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paula Lantz, PhD, joins Michigan Minds to discuss the social determinants of declining birth rates, the role of public policy in improving population health and reducing social disparities in health, and the particular importance of recognizing Women's History Month in 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katherine Michelmore, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Her research examines the social safety net, education policy, labor economics, and economic demography. Michelmore joins Michigan Minds to discuss her research, which examines how much black-white educational disparities reflect differences in family, school, and neighborhood contexts, and how the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) impacts multigenerational households and lower-income families with a nonresident parent.Download transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deborah Robinson, PhD, joins Michigan Minds to talk about the University of Michigan's Program for Research on Black Americans (PRBA), preliminary findings from the Black History Month Programming in Public Libraries project, and the importance of understanding the history of Black History Month. Robinson is a research investigator at the Institute for Social Research (ISR) Research Center for Group Dynamics (RCGD), where she serves as the PRBA Assistant Director of International Projects, and is the Faculty Administrative Coordinator for the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR).Download transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Cokley, PhD, joins Michigan Minds to discuss his research in the area of African American psychology, with a focus on racial and ethnic identity development, academic motivation, and academic achievement. Cokley is a University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor of Psychology and the Associate Chair for Diversity Initiatives at the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. In his recent work, Cokley examines the degree in which feeling like an imposter contributes to the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health outcomes, in a sample of ethnic minority college students at an urban public university. Download the transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Michigan Minds, U-M associate professor of psychology and ecology & evolutionary biology Ben Dantzer, PhD and National Science Foundation postdoctoral biopsychology research fellow at U-M Lauren Petrullo, PhD detail their research project, which studies how squirrels reproduce in years in which food is abundant and when it is not, and the long-term impact of those behaviors. The researchers found that some female red squirrels have large litters in years when there won't be enough food for all their pups to survive the winter and wanted to understand why. Download transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.