Podcasts about Rice University

En este episodio hablamos con la Dra. Kelly Weinersmith, bióloga, parasitóloga y autora de ciencia popular. Kelly es investigadora asociada y profesora adjunta en el Departamento de BioSciences de Rice University, y su trabajo se centra en parásitos que manipulan el comportamiento de sus huéspedes, uno de los fenómenos más fascinantes de la biología. Además de su investigación científica, Kelly es conocida por acercar la ciencia al público a través de libros, charlas y podcasts. Es coautora de los bestsellers “Soonish” y “A City on Mars”, donde explora tecnologías emergentes y los retos reales de colonizar otros planetas. En la conversación hablamos sobre su investigación en parasitología, cómo los parásitos pueden controlar a otros organismos, el papel de la ciencia en el podcasting y la divulgación, y también nos adentramos en una de las grandes preguntas del futuro: si realmente podríamos vivir en Marte y qué problemas biológicos tendríamos que resolver para hacerlo posible.http://www.weinersmith.com/https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-daniel-and-kellys-extraord-29862087/https://www.instagram.com/curiosidacientificapodcasthttps://jaboneradongato.com/Codigo; Curiosidad

Today we begin a three part series in which we explore the idea of the subtle body, a concept found in many contemplative and healing traditions around the world. From yogic energy channels to Daoist internal alchemy, the subtle body refers to the layers of human experience that lie between the physical body and consciousness, suggesting that our lives may unfold through more dimensions than the purely material. In this episode, scholar and martial artist Simon Cox interviews Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy. Murphy was born in Salinas, California in 1930, making him a lively 95 years old at the time of this recording. He is a longtime student of Sri Aurobindo's integral philosophy and the author of numerous innovative books that approach the topic of the subtle body — including 1992's The Future of the Body and 1995's In the Zone. Throughout his career, Murphy has made it a priority to investigate extraordinary human capacities and the further evolution of human nature. Simon Cox brings a unique perspective to this conversation. he spent six years training in Daoist internal arts at Wudang Mountain in China before earning his PhD from Rice University. His book The Subtle Body: A Genealogy traces the history of subtle body concepts across cultures, and his research explores how these ideas have shaped both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. He's currently a research fellow at Esalen's Center for Theory and Research. He holds weekly conversations with Michael Murphy as part of a collaborative effort to illuminate the deeper architecture of Esalen's mission. Simon is currently writing a new book on Esalen's intellectual history — a mythic excavation of Murphy's “Big Vision”: the radical, reality-bending aspiration that seeded Esalen's creation and continues to shape its evolutionary field. Photo of Michael Murphy: Kate Kondratieva

Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Solange are just some of the achievements that my guest has create in his career. Mathew's newest book is called Emancipation of Slaves Through Music, a book he wrote in part due to research of students he has collaborated with on this book. Mathew is back to talk about how music has shaped the lives of Black people thru the century's continents & human struggle to freedom. He even talks about the modern music industry & how it has shaped us as a people & culture.Mathew Knowles, Ph.D is the Founder of Music World Entertainment (MWE), one of the world's leading music and entertainment conglomerates, with record sales exceeding 300 million worldwide. Widely recognized in the entertainment industry for his effective approach to developing and promoting award-winning artists such as Destiny's Child, Beyoncé, and Solange,Mathew is a public speaker, and author of the #1 Best Selling book, The DNA of Achievers: 10 Traits of Highly Successful Professionals and Racism from the Eye of a Child. He has also been a popular keynote speaker and guest lecturer at colleges, universities and various organizations throughout the country. This includes Berklee College of Music where he was the keynote speaker for The Formation of a Star…the DNA of Achievers and panelist for The Evolving Music Industry seminar, along with other speaking engagements at Rice University, University of Southern California, The Learning Annex, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Billboard Music & Money Symposium, The Power of Diversity Leadership Panel Discussion, E Women's Network, Circle of Sisters, Revolt Music Conference and numerous others. Knowles is also the author of the #1 best selling book, The DNA of Achievers: 10 Traits of Highly Successful Professionals. As a self-made entrepreneur from the small town of Gadsden, Alabama he became the top salesperson at Xerox Medical Systems and then one of the world's top entertainment managers and executives in the music industry. Knowles highly enjoys motivating and educating others by sharing his knowledge and experience. © 2026 BuildingAbundantSuccess!!   2026 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

This episode assesses the "transition"—if that is the correct word—in Venezuela nine weeks after the January 3 U.S. military operation that extracted Nicolás Maduro. This conversation with Laura Dib, director of WOLA's Venezuela program, and Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin American Energy Program at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, focus particularly on the role of oil, the country's largest source of foreign exchange by far. Dr. Monaldi acknowledges that oil revenues have increased significantly. However, these revenues now flow into a U.S.-controlled account. The lack of transparency around this fund—including unknown balances and unclear disbursement rules—is deeply concerning. Dib emphasizes that ordinary Venezuelans have yet to feel material improvements. Over 12.4 million out of perhaps 29 million Venezuelans facing severe humanitarian needs, and "when Venezuelans go to a supermarket right now, they don't really feel a change." While more than 600 political prisoners have been released since January, over 700 remain detained, and the repressive apparatus that sustained Maduro's government remains largely intact under Delcy Rodriguez's control. Dr. Monaldi explains that Venezuela needs approximately $100 billion in oil sector investment to restore production to levels seen twenty years ago. Yet the recent reform of Venezuela's hydrocarbons law grants the oil minister enormous discretion over tax rates and contract allocation, creating precisely the kind of uncertainty that deters serious investment. Monaldi and Dib note that Venezuela currently lacks even a published national budget, and its ranking as the third most corrupt country on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index reflects the dismantlement of democratic institutions. Dr. Monaldi draws a parallel to post-Soviet Russia, warning that how oil contracts are allocated in the coming months could determine the country's trajectory for decades—either creating a transparent system or enriching a new class of oligarchs. Both guests stress that sustainable economic recovery is impossible without meaningful progress toward the rule of law. "Oil companies do not care about democracy... they do focus on the rule of law. And in the case of Venezuela, I don't think we will see any stable rule of law unless we get a transition to democracy," Dr. Monaldi says. With their current leverage, oil firms should push for democratic reforms as a condition of investment, Dib suggests. She calls on the U.S. Congress to exercise oversight and notes that the administration's stated goals—regional security and reducing migration—cannot be achieved without addressing the humanitarian emergency and rebuilding institutions. Both guests express concern that the Trump administration appears focused narrowly on oil production rather than the broader institutional reforms necessary for Venezuela's long-term stability. " I don't see any indication that a system is being built for this to happen in the proper way," Monaldi warns. Expectations are rising in Venezuela, but they will not be met without transparency, accountability, democracy, and the rule of law.

Sanjoy Paul is an Indian-American computer scientist, engineer, and innovation leader (born January 22, 1962). He currently serves as Executive Director of Rice Nexus (Rice University's premier innovation and prototyping hub) and AI Houston, as well as Associate Vice President for Technology Development at Rice University, where he also lectures in Computer Science.He is a Fellow of the IEEE (FIEEE) and was recently elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (FNAI) in 2025 for his contributions to AI, IoT, and related technologies. With 95 patents to his name, his work focuses on integrating artificial intelligence/machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), computer networking, 5G, and extended reality (XR) to create intelligent systems for industries like healthcare, energy, manufacturing, and space.His career includes senior roles such as Managing Director at Accenture Technology Labs (leading R&D in robotics, 5G, digital twins, and AI), Global Digital Head at Wipro, leadership positions at Infosys, Bell Labs, and as Founder/CEO of RelevantAd Technologies. He holds a B.Tech from IIT Kharagpur (1985), a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland (1992), and an MBA from Wharton (2005).

The world could face one of the most severe shocks to energy markets since the 1970s as we enter week two of the war in the Middle East.The strait of Hormuz, the artery for 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas, has been effectively shut down. Qatar, which makes up one fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas exports, has stopped production of LNG after Iran struck two of its sites. In the aftermath natural gas prices spiked in Asia and Europe.Jim Krane, a fellow in Middle East Energy Studies at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, is here to talk through the high stakes. Jim also reported for the Associated Press in the Middle East for years.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

In this episode, Dr. Erica Ogwumike shares her inspiring journey from a standout basketball career at Rice University and the 2020 WNBA draft to representing Nigeria at the Olympics. Now a dermatology resident and social media content creator, Dr. Erica talks about residency applications, offers guidance for dermatology applicants, and discusses how she balances her medical training with creating engaging content for her followers. Along the way, she reflects on the role of purpose, discipline, and mentorship in shaping her path.We hope you enjoy this conversation!DIGA Instagram: @derminterest Connect with Dr.Erica:Instagram: @ericaogwumikeTikTok: @ericathemdYouTube: @ericatheMDToday's Host: Shan FrancisFor questions, comments, or future episode suggestions, please reach out to us via email at derminterestpod@gmail.com---District Four by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3662-district-fourLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

IANR 2610 030726 Line Up4-6pm INTERVIEWS (Guest host Gautam Sinha in for Sanchali)Here's the guest line-up for Sat, Mar 7, 2026 from 4 to 6pm CST on Indo American News Radio (www.IndoAmerican-news.com), a production of Indo American News. We are on 98.7 FM and you can also listen on the masalaradio app.By Monday, hear the recorded show on Podcast uploaded on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts,Radio Public and Breaker or go to our website and click on the IANR link. Our Podcast has beenrated #2 among 100 Podcasts in Houston by feedspot.com. We have 6 years of Podcasts and have had thousands of hits.TO SUPPORT THE SHOW, SELECT FOLLOW ON OUR FREE PODCAST CHANNEL AND YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED OF NEW UPDATES.4:20 pm Many Indian Americans across the country are entering into politics at city, county, state and national levels and it is a source of pride that the community feels in their races. In Congress, Indo American representation has increased from just one member in 2012 to six in 2024. A new candidate, Rakhi Israni, has entered into the race in California as a Democrat in the 14th Congressional District, but she has deep roots in the Houston area where shewas raised as the daughter of the well-known Dr. Haku Israni who founded Test Masters. She is currently visiting her hometown to meet with supporters and took the time out to have a telephone interview with us.4:50 pm Just as we were warned, we are quickly getting immersed in a world of Artificial Intelligence and it is the dawn of a new computer revolution, onewhich we have to learn to navigate or be doomed to irrelevance. But how exactly should we use our cellphones to improve our efficiencies when we have to deal with CoPilot, Gemini, Gork, Perplexity, Chat GPT, Claude and the still evolving Siri? We turn to Roger Israni, who owns Test Masters - and is the older brother of Rakhi - to teach us some of the basics of AI.5:20 pm Immigrations cases have been throwninto a chaos with changing rules of enforcement ever since the Trump Administration took office. Thousands of immigrants have been rounded up anddeported or detained in rapidly deployed detention facilities. Heavily armed and ill trained ICE agents have been sent to Democratic cities resulting in violence and deaths and provoking national protests. H1-B visas have been capped and changes made to the work authorization process, bond eligibility if detained and to asylum regulations. Immigration attorney James Parker with Willy Nanayakkara& Associates talks about how important it has become to have the right legal representation to tackle these issues.Also stay tuned in for news roundup, views, sports and movie reviews.TO BE FEATURED ON THE SHOW, OR TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 713-789-NEWS or6397 or at indoamericannews@yahoo.comPlease pick up the print edition of Indo American News which is available all across town at grocery stores. Also visit our website indoamerican-news.com which gets 90,000+ hits to track all current stories.And remember to visit our digital archives from over 18 years. Plus, our entire 45 years of hard copy archives are available in the Fondren Library at Rice University.

The traditional March 1 release of the Sunbelt Conference fall football schedule has been delayed. According to one source, the league is waiting for incoming new member Louisiana Tech University to resolve its legal issues with its current affiliate, Conference USA. The Sunbelt Conference lost Texas State University to the Mountain West Conference beginning this fall.  That leaves a vacancy in the Sunbelt’s Western Division. That’s where Louisiana Tech was expected to step-in this fall. Except… The Bulldogs from Ruston, Louisiana remain in a legal “dog house” with their long-time partner, Conference USA. Until that issue is solved in the courthouse or out in the hallways with a big sack of cash, Louisiana Tech’s predicament has other members of the Sunbelt Conference twiddling their thumbs waiting for a final resolution. The Sunbelt Conference currently has 14 members.  Seven schools are in the Eastern Conference and seven are currently in the West.  However, Texas State is bolting for the Mountain West after baseball season ends. That leaves just six teams in the West if Louisiana Tech is unable to work out a suitable exit deal with Conference USA soon. The Sunbelt Conference wants to avoid having an “unbalanced” schedule in 2026 with seven East teams and only six in the West if Louisiana Tech doesn’t come aboard this fall. What a mess!  How did we get here? On July 15, 2025, a big celebration in Ruston was held announcing that Louisiana Tech was moving from Conference USA to the Sunbelt Conference no later than the fall of 2027.  The expectation was (and still is) that a deal could be reached with Conference USA which would allow Louisiana Tech to begin Sunbelt play this fall in 2026. As of today, neither Conference USA nor the Sunbelt Conference have released their 2026 football schedules.  That’s because no one knows where Louisiana Tech will be playing football and other sports beginning this fall. The Bulldogs joined Conference USA in 2013.  This rather far-flung conference was considered (at the time) to be a good fit. Prominent C-USA members in 2013 included UAB, Florida Atlantic, Marshall University, UNC-Charlotte, North Texas, Rice University, Old Dominion, Southern Miss, and UT-San Antonio. Every one of those nine schools has vacated C-USA in the past four years to join either the American Athletic Conference or the Sunbelt Conference. The University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP) will become yet another major defection from C-USA beginning this fall.  The Miners (members of Conference USA since 2005) are joining the Mountain West Conference (like Texas State of the Sunbelt Conference). Why did all of those teams leave C-USA? The television and media revenue offered by other conferences was substantially more than Conference USA’s most recent media contract to pay to its member schools. A majority of Louisiana Tech’s athletic supporters are ready to skedaddle from Conference USA’s geographically expansive league as quickly as possible. C-USA has added schools in recent years such as Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia – 1,000 miles from Ruston, LA) and the University of Delaware (1,321 miles each way from Ruston). Joining the Sunbelt Conference will allow Louisiana Tech to renew regional rivalries with UL-Monroe (35 miles via I-20), UL-Lafayette (185 miles south of Ruston), and even Southern Miss (240 miles to the southeast in Hattiesburg).  The travel savings for Louisiana Tech (along with the other Sunbelt schools) will be substantial across all sports. But… Athletic conferences and member schools sign long-term affiliation contracts which require a minimum notice period along with a hefty exit fee to allow the school to leave before the primary term ends. A payment of several million dollars for early termination is likely required for Louisiana Tech to leave Conference USA. With so many other universities bolting from Conference USA in recent years, the conference has pocketed millions in early exit fees.  They should be able to afford the finest attorneys to protect their best interests in court, if necessary. The other teams’ departures have left Louisiana Tech as one of C-USA’s top remaining draws. Conference USA appears to have no financial incentive to budge when it comes to allowing Louisiana Tech out of its contract. The Bulldogs’ departure could significantly diminish the current media value of Conference USA’s contract with its TV partners. C-USA signed a five-year media deal with CBS Sports Network and ESPN beginning in the fall of 2023.  That new media deal was signed around the same time that three former C-USA members (Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss) negotiated their own early exit deal to join the Sunbelt Conference in 2023. What if Conference USA’s current media deal calls for a payment reduction if one of its primary institutions (such as Louisiana Tech) left during the term of that contract? Keep that in mind as this game plays out. Then there is the issue of prior notice required to leave Conference USA According to previous reports, Conference USA’s agreement with Louisiana Tech required 14 months prior written notice.  Since Tech gave C-USA notice on or about July 15, 2025, that 14 month period will not be satisfied until September 15, 2026 (a few weeks into the 2026 football season). Most major college football conferences allow their teams to open with a series of non-conference opponents. Last fall, both the Sunbelt Conference and Conference USA member schools did not play their first conference game until Week #4 (Saturday, September 20, 2025). Based on this year’s calendar, Louisiana Tech could, conceivably, begin as a Sunbelt member in time for Week #4 on Saturday, September 26, 2026. But then… Conference USA surprised Louisiana Tech by filing a lawsuit in the state of Louisiana in November, 2025. The lawsuit asserted that Louisiana Tech misled Conference USA by intentionally delaying its exit announcement (mid-July, 2025) until after the school had already cashed its annual media revenue check from C-USA paid in late June. In addition to providing 14 months prior notice to leave, Louisiana Tech’s contract with Conference USA apparently called for the school to forfeit its share of media revenue (estimated at $3 to $4 million annually) for two years. Conference USA claims that Louisiana Tech (theoretically knowing that it was planning to leave C-USA) erred by accepting and cashing the late June media check. Are you confused enough yet? There has been very little news since Conference USA filed that lawsuit in November, 2025.  One local news outlet reported in mid-January that “conversations remain ongoing between C-USA and Louisiana Tech on a negotiated exit fee settlement”. That sounds nice, but we’re now into the month of March. The Sunbelt Conference football schedule remains on hold.  Conference USA’s football schedule has not been published yet, either.  However, Louisiana Tech’s logo remains firmly atop the C-USA athletics page banner even today. Conference USA is in no hurry to resolve this issue.  The conference “wins” if Louisiana Tech is forced to remain a part of the league (and part of its media agreement) through the 2026-2027 athletics year. Some good news and bad news Conference USA allowed the trio of Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss to exit prior to the start of the 2023 football season after they provided less than 12 months’ prior notice.  The three schools were able to negotiate a financial settlement with C-USA and left for greener pastures. That would seem encouraging to supporters of Louisiana Tech’s exit – even at this late hour. However, the departure of Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss came around the same time that C-USA’s was signing its new media deal with CBS Sports Network and ESPN. Louisiana Tech has been playing football in the major college division since 1987. It is now a nationally known sports brand. Conference USA likely touted Louisiana Tech as one of its (pardon my pun again) “big dogs” in the league’s new media package starting in 2023. There is a chance that implications with C-USA’s media contract may (or may not) become another snag in the negotiations between the conference and Louisiana Tech. Conference USA can afford to wait this game out.  They have no reason to budge anytime soon. Louisiana Tech has a tough and expensive business decision to make It can opt to pony-up and pay a ransom to exit Conference USA to join the Sunbelt this fall. This might involve the school’s major athletics donors, bankers, and (perhaps) even a Sunbelt Conference “angel” to help finance a loan to be paid-back through future Sunbelt media revenues. Or Louisiana Tech can say that the early exit price being asked by C-USA was simply too high.  Fans and alumni (like me) would be disappointed in having to wait until 2027 to begin Sunbelt Conference play in football.  Future Sunbelt intrastate foes like UL-Monroe and UL-Lafayette will also lose by such a delay. It’s time to make a deal – or not – quickly. We can handle the truth! The post Louisiana Tech – Who’ll Let the Dogs Out? appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

We swap stories with Chapman Welch about building reactive music systems at Rice University and burning through Tele licks onstage. Chapman details his journey tracing a path from Mississippi studios and lessons with the almight Johnny Sandlin to slanging licks at bluegrass contests. We chat about Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan, compare jam-bands with the Allman Brothers, and talk about how to make art, make rent, and keep your right hand honest.FEAST

Over the past decade, Rice Business has scaled with intention.MBA enrollment has doubled. Faculty ranks have grown. New MBA formats have launched. The Virani Undergraduate School of Business was established. And a new building will open soon, designed to further fuel collaboration, research and innovation.In this conversation, Dean Peter Rodriguez reflects on the strategy behind that momentum — from championing the Online MBA to building one of the nation's strongest entrepreneurship ecosystems in the heart of Houston. He discusses AI's impact on business education, the evolving energy landscape, and the leadership lessons that come with guiding a school through rapid transformation, all while shaping the next chapter for Rice Business.Episode Guide:00:00 Meet Dean Peter Rodriguez01:20 Online MBA Origins and Vision for Growth07:50 Virtual Campus Advantage09:41 From Space Crunch to Expansion: Designing the New Building16:29 Launching the Virani Undergraduate School of Business21:51 AI and Business Education28:46 Dean Life and Daily Headwinds29:23 Why Rice Ranks High & Houston's Entrepreneurship Advantage36:32 What Deans Learn on the Job43:37 Next 50 Years Vision48:25 ClosingThe Owl Have You Know Podcast is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On Rice MBA's Growth over the decade01:37: If there was one overarching theme of the last decade, I think growth is it. The question is always like, well, why growth? Or growth for what? And of course, clearly want growth for the good outcomes, and that good outcomes all start with pursuing the mission.We have a mission to create and disseminate knowledge at the vanguard of business and the business disciplines. And so that is what we really do. And when I was really looking at the job almost exactly 10 years ago and thinking about where Rice was and where it needed to be, one of the first conclusions that was easy to draw was that it needed to be about twice as big as it was, at least, you know, and, and it is not that growth is all good, but why would I say that? And the thinking was, you know, in order to advance that mission, we needed more tenure track faculty. And there the foundation on which more or less everything else proceeds.How does the Rice Business navigate AI? 22:19: On the basic part of our mission, which is delivering an education, we have to do two things. We have to prepare people to think really critically and to be able to assess them as individuals without this incredible, unprecedented tool. That is to say, what can Peter do of his own accord? What does he know? And then I have to train him very aggressively to make sure that with the tool, he is also highly capable, far more capable to do some things, and as capable as anybody in any university in the country is using the tool. So there's sort of almost sounds like martial arts mastery. You know, you have to sort of, wax on, wax off, you know, learn these sort of things that are apart from the tool, and then you are sort of empowered. That's where we are, is trying to do that.Houston loves risk takers30:59: Houston loves risk takers. It is part of the environment, it is part of a Texas thing too, but, you know, it is going to space, drilling out in the Permian Basin or deep in the ocean, putting in an artificial heart, whatever it is. I think there is a real admiration for trying hard things and picking yourself up if you fail and not being discouraged because things did not go right the first time.Show Links: Rice Business New Building PlansTranscriptGuest Profile:Peter Rodriguez | Rice BusinessLinkedIn 

Jay Steinfeld is the Founder and former CEO of Blinds.com, the world's largest online retailer of window coverings, which was acquired by The Home Depot in 2014. Under his leadership, Blinds.com grew from a bootstrapped startup in his home to a billion-dollar enterprise, earning a reputation for innovation in ecommerce and technology-driven growth. Jay is also a Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Lead from the Core: The 4 Principles for Profit and Prosperity and the Entrepreneur in Residence at Rice University's Graduate School of Business, where he shares business insights.  In this episode… Scaling your ecommerce business doesn't always require more ad spend or tighter funnels — it can come from forming the right strategic partnerships. Rather than battling industry giants for market share, there's an opportunity to grow by leveraging their reach and infrastructure. How can you turn major players into powerful growth engines for your brand? Jay Steinfeld's answer is the Big Brother Little Brother strategy, a partnership model where a smaller company integrates with a larger one to accelerate growth. As a seasoned ecommerce founder and technology-driven operator, he explains how building product-agnostic software creates leverage far beyond a single category. By making integration seamless and delivering unique value that larger companies lacked, he reduced customer acquisition costs and unlocked rapid distribution. He also emphasizes creating "stickiness" through private-label strategies and focusing on asymmetric risk — low downside, massive upside. The key takeaway: identify what only you can offer and make it irresistible for larger partners to say yes. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle chats with Jay Steinfeld, Founder and former CEO of Blinds.com, about the Big Brother Little Brother growth strategy. They delve into the brand's 90-day Sears integration, expanding partnerships to Wayfair and The Home Depot, and the risks of empowering competitors while creating long-term "stickiness."

On Tuesday's show: We have the latest news on voter turnout during primary election day.Also this hour: Houston didn't make the headlines like Minneapolis or Los Angeles for aggressive immigration enforcement this past year, but it felt the impact. More than one in seven Houston-area residents personally know someone who was detained and potentially deported in 2025. We discuss new surveys from Rice University's Kinder Institute on how Houstonians' attitudes toward immigration enforcement are shifting.Then, retired astronaut Butch Wilmore joins us to talk about his career, including the nine months he spent on the ISS when his mission was originally only supposed to last eight days.Then, we discuss why the Trump administration wants to extend the Texas border wall through Big Bend National Park.And we learn about a Texas Tech University archaeology team's recent discovery of a long-lost Spanish mission site, which sheds new light on missionary life in Texas during the 1700s.Watch

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark is joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, a former businessman, lawyer, opinion columnist and editorial board member at the House Chronicle and the author of "Unapologetically Moderate". They discuss Primary Day in Texas with a big Senate race nearing, Trump's concerning polling numbers in the state and more. Mark is later joined by Brian Ping, a News Anchor for KNX Radio in Los Angeles and a St Louis native. Ping reacts to the video depositions of whistleblowing Los Angeles firefighters and more. In hour 2, Sue hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day and more. Mark also tells a great story involving a past interview with actor Dustin Hoffman. Mark is later joined by Asra Nomani, a Senior Editor of Investigations at Fox News Digital, a Senior Fellow at the Independent Women's Network and the Founder of the Pearl Network. Nomani shares her thoughts on the United States and Israel bombing Iran. In hour 3, Mark is joined by Susan Crabtree, a Real Clear Politics National Political Correspondent and the Co-Author of "Fool's Gold": The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All." She discusses her latest Real Clear Politics piece which is headlined "Top Library Advocate: Backing Drag Queen Story Hour Supports Parental Choice." Mark is later joined by George Rosenthal, a Co-Owner of Throttlenet for Tech Talk Tuesday. They discuss Iran's "Digital Bunker" warefare, the Death of Copper (Silicon Photonics) and more. They wrap up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

In this segment, Mark is joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, a former businessman, lawyer, opinion columnist and editorial board member at the House Chronicle and the author of "Unapologetically Moderate". They discuss Primary Day in Texas with a big Senate race nearing, Trump's concerning polling numbers in the state and more.

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark is joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, a former businessman, lawyer, opinion columnist and editorial board member at the House Chronicle and the author of "Unapologetically Moderate". They discuss Primary Day in Texas with a big Senate race nearing, Trump's concerning polling numbers in the state and more. Mark is later joined by Brian Ping, a News Anchor for KNX Radio in Los Angeles and a St Louis native. Ping reacts to the video depositions of whistleblowing Los Angeles firefighters and more.

Visit us at Network2020.org. The year 2026 kicked off with a massive shake-up in U.S. foreign and energy policy. Through bold action, the Trump administration is signaling its conviction that global power lies in controlling physical energy reserves, such as those in Venezuela, rather than adhering to international climate treaties. By planning to invest billions into fixing Venezuela's oil infrastructure, the U.S. aims to flood the market with cheap crude oil and push prices down to $50 a barrel. This strategy is designed to weaken foreign oil monopolies in the Western Hemisphere, starve rival world powers of export revenues, and collapse the energy lifelines that have sustained ideologically aligned neighbors of Venezuela. What will be the strategic impact of this situation on countries like China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba? What are the costs and benefits for private oil companies investing in a market defined by a history of expropriation? How will cheap crude impact the global energy transition and the growing power demands of the AI revolution?Join us for a discussion on the vision for the U.S. energy strategy and how that fits into the future global energy mix, featuring Dr. Caroyln Kissane, Associate Dean of the graduate programs in Global Affairs and Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime at New York University's Center for Global Affairs, Robert McNally, Founder and President of Rapidan Energy Group and White House energy advisor to President George W. Bush and Dr. Francisco Monaldi, Director of the Latin America Energy Program at Rice University's Baker Institute.Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay.

A provocative book arguing that the workplace is where we learn to live democratically. In The Pandemic Workplace: How We Learned to Be Citizens in the Office (U Chicago Press, 2024) anthropologist Ilana Gershon turns her attention to the US workplace and how it changed—and changed us—during the pandemic. She argues that the unprecedented organizational challenges of the pandemic forced us to radically reexamine our attitudes about work and to think more deeply about how values clash in the workplace. These changes also led us as workers to engage more with the contracts that bind us as we rethought when and how we allow others to tell us what to do. Based on over two hundred interviews, Gershon's book reveals how negotiating these tensions during the pandemic made the workplace into a laboratory for democratic living—the key place where Americans are learning how to develop effective political strategies and think about the common good. Exploring the explicit and unspoken ways we are governed (and govern others) at work, this accessible book shows how the workplace teaches us to be democratic citizens. Our guest Ilana Gershon is a US focused anthropologist with broad interests in political and legal anthropology, linguistic and media anthropology, science and technology studies, and the anthropology of work She is the Herbert S. Autrey Chair of Anthropology and the Co-Director of the Program in Science and Technology Studies at Rice University. I am joined in this episode by my co-producer Julie Smith, a Master's student in the Department of Communication at Oakland University.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

A provocative book arguing that the workplace is where we learn to live democratically. In The Pandemic Workplace: How We Learned to Be Citizens in the Office (U Chicago Press, 2024) anthropologist Ilana Gershon turns her attention to the US workplace and how it changed—and changed us—during the pandemic. She argues that the unprecedented organizational challenges of the pandemic forced us to radically reexamine our attitudes about work and to think more deeply about how values clash in the workplace. These changes also led us as workers to engage more with the contracts that bind us as we rethought when and how we allow others to tell us what to do. Based on over two hundred interviews, Gershon's book reveals how negotiating these tensions during the pandemic made the workplace into a laboratory for democratic living—the key place where Americans are learning how to develop effective political strategies and think about the common good. Exploring the explicit and unspoken ways we are governed (and govern others) at work, this accessible book shows how the workplace teaches us to be democratic citizens. Our guest Ilana Gershon is a US focused anthropologist with broad interests in political and legal anthropology, linguistic and media anthropology, science and technology studies, and the anthropology of work She is the Herbert S. Autrey Chair of Anthropology and the Co-Director of the Program in Science and Technology Studies at Rice University. I am joined in this episode by my co-producer Julie Smith, a Master's student in the Department of Communication at Oakland University.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

A provocative book arguing that the workplace is where we learn to live democratically. In The Pandemic Workplace: How We Learned to Be Citizens in the Office (U Chicago Press, 2024) anthropologist Ilana Gershon turns her attention to the US workplace and how it changed—and changed us—during the pandemic. She argues that the unprecedented organizational challenges of the pandemic forced us to radically reexamine our attitudes about work and to think more deeply about how values clash in the workplace. These changes also led us as workers to engage more with the contracts that bind us as we rethought when and how we allow others to tell us what to do. Based on over two hundred interviews, Gershon's book reveals how negotiating these tensions during the pandemic made the workplace into a laboratory for democratic living—the key place where Americans are learning how to develop effective political strategies and think about the common good. Exploring the explicit and unspoken ways we are governed (and govern others) at work, this accessible book shows how the workplace teaches us to be democratic citizens. Our guest Ilana Gershon is a US focused anthropologist with broad interests in political and legal anthropology, linguistic and media anthropology, science and technology studies, and the anthropology of work She is the Herbert S. Autrey Chair of Anthropology and the Co-Director of the Program in Science and Technology Studies at Rice University. I am joined in this episode by my co-producer Julie Smith, a Master's student in the Department of Communication at Oakland University.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A provocative book arguing that the workplace is where we learn to live democratically. In The Pandemic Workplace: How We Learned to Be Citizens in the Office (U Chicago Press, 2024) anthropologist Ilana Gershon turns her attention to the US workplace and how it changed—and changed us—during the pandemic. She argues that the unprecedented organizational challenges of the pandemic forced us to radically reexamine our attitudes about work and to think more deeply about how values clash in the workplace. These changes also led us as workers to engage more with the contracts that bind us as we rethought when and how we allow others to tell us what to do. Based on over two hundred interviews, Gershon's book reveals how negotiating these tensions during the pandemic made the workplace into a laboratory for democratic living—the key place where Americans are learning how to develop effective political strategies and think about the common good. Exploring the explicit and unspoken ways we are governed (and govern others) at work, this accessible book shows how the workplace teaches us to be democratic citizens. Our guest Ilana Gershon is a US focused anthropologist with broad interests in political and legal anthropology, linguistic and media anthropology, science and technology studies, and the anthropology of work She is the Herbert S. Autrey Chair of Anthropology and the Co-Director of the Program in Science and Technology Studies at Rice University. I am joined in this episode by my co-producer Julie Smith, a Master's student in the Department of Communication at Oakland University.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1959, the U.S. Army drafted a serious plan to build a nuclear-powered military base on the Moon.Serious... They really did.With reactors. And personnel. On purpose. It was called Project Horizon.Then JFK pivoted to Apollo, astronauts planted flags, and history books closed the case… Or did they?This week, we break down the documented Cold War Moon plans, JFK's race to beat the Soviets, MJ-12 whispers, and hacker Gary McKinnon's claim that he stumbled onto evidence of a secret space fleet and the possibility this was never really mothballed.Was Horizon just a very ambitious binder? Or was Apollo the public show while something quieter happened in the background?Join us as we separate the record from the rumors, run a thought experiment on how a hidden lunar base could work, and ask the big question: Did we just visit the Moon… or did we move in? All that and more this week on Hysteria 51!Special thanks to this week's research sources:Project Horizon (1959 U.S. Army Lunar Base Study)U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency. Project Horizon: A U.S. Army Study for the Establishment of a Lunar Military Outpost (1959). Declassified study outlining a proposed military lunar base. https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB479/docs/EBB-Moon01_sm.pdfU.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. “Project Horizon History Overview.” https://www.army.mil/article/189129/smdc_history_project_horizon_abma_explores_a_lunar_outpost“Project Horizon.” Wikipedia overview with citations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HorizonJFK & The Decision to Go to the MoonJohn F. Kennedy Presidential Library. “Special Message to Congress on Urgent National Needs” (May 25, 1961). https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/special-message-to-the-congress-on-urgent-national-needs-19610525 John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. “Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort” (Sept 12, 1962). https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/address-at-rice-university-on-the-nations-space-effort-19620912 NASA History Office. “JFK and the Decision to Go to the Moon.” https://www.nasa.gov/history/60-years-ago-president-kennedy-proposes-moon-landing-goal-in-speech-to-congress/Majestic 12 (MJ-12)FBI Vault. “Majestic 12 Documents.” FBI files noting Air Force findings that core MJ-12 documents were fraudulent. https://vault.fbi.gov/Majestic%2012National Archives. JFK Assassination Records Collection. https://www.archives.gov/research/jfkAllen Dulles & Assassination ContextWarren Commission Report (1964). https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-reportAssassination Records Review Board (Final Report, 1998). https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/review-board/reportGary McKinnonBBC News. “Gary McKinnon hacking case timeline.” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-19946958 U.S. Department of Justice (archived release on McKinnon indictment). https://www.justice.gov/archive/criminal/cybercrime/mckinnonIndict.htmCold War Classified Space Programs (Context)CIA. “The CORONA Satellite Program.” https://www.cia.gov/resources/csi/studies-in-intelligence/the-corona-satellite-program/ Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories:weird@hysteria51.comSupport the Show:Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1Shop:Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting!https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode centers on a conversation with sociologists Dr. Nicholas Wolfinger and Dr. Matthew McKeever about their book “Thanks for Nothing: The Economics of Single Motherhood since 1980” and what it reveals about poverty, race, and U.S. policy. The hosts discuss the core puzzle: even after four decades of gains in women's education and employment, single-mother families are still about five times more likely to be poor than two-parent families, just as they were in 1980. The guests revisit the 1965 Moynihan Report on the “Negro Family,” how it got tangled up with Oscar Lewis's “culture of poverty” thesis, and how both were weaponized in the culture wars. Wolfinger and McKeever stress that Moynihan's actual policy prescriptions were economic—jobs programs and large-scale public investment in Black communities—not moral lectures, but that critics (and later conservatives) recast his work as an attack on Black family culture. They trace a longer state preoccupation with “the family,” from Civil War–era pensions for Union widows and anxieties over divorce in Teddy Roosevelt's day to the backlash against desegregation and the way Brown v. Board rerouted structural segregation into school fights rather than housing policy. The conversation then turns to single motherhood as an economic condition rather than a moral category. The guests emphasize a simple but often ignored fact: one-earner families have fewer resources than two-earner families, and the majority of people in single-parent families are children. They dismantle the “deserving vs. undeserving poor” narrative that paints single mothers as irresponsible, sexually reckless, or “choosing” poverty, arguing instead that policy has systematically stripped support from families at the bottom while rewarding a subset of working poor through mechanisms like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Programs such as the EITC, they note, do get cash to low-income workers, but they also deepen inequality within the population of single mothers by boosting those who can maintain steady employment while leaving the least advantaged further behind. A recurring theme is the “fundamental attribution error”: the human tendency to attribute hardship to bad character instead of bad circumstances. The hosts use this to frame how conservative pundits like Ann Coulter talk about single mothers—blaming “promiscuity” and “choices” rather than the collapse of secure jobs, stagnant wages, and the cost of housing and childcare. Wolfinger and McKeever acknowledge that culture, neighborhood effects, and even heritable personality traits can play some role in intergenerational disadvantages, but they insist that the levers governments can actually pull are economic: wages, unions, transfers, and public goods like childcare and schooling. Nicholas H. Wolfinger is a professor of sociology at the University of Utah, specializing in family demography, marriage and divorce, and social inequality. Matthew McKeever is Professor of Sociology and Department Chair at Haverford. Prior to that, he was at Mount Holyoke College, Rice University, University of Houston, University of Kentucky, and Yale University.    Resources: Order the book: https://www.amazon.com/Thanks-Nothing-Economics-Single-Motherhood/dp/0199324328 Dr. Wolfinger webpage: http://www.nicholaswolfinger.com/ Dr. McKeever's webpage: https://www.haverford.edu/users/mmckeever Greg's Blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com/ Pat's Substack: https://patcummings.substack.com/   #NicholasWolfinger#MatthewMcKeever#ThanksforNothing#singlemotherhood#economicsofsinglemotherhood#singlemothersandpoverty#childpoverty#familypolicy#MoynihanReport#cultureofpoverty#welfarereform#EarnedIncomeTaxCredit#childallowance#basicincome#neoliberalism#Reaganomics#BillClintonwelfarereform#unionsandwages#labormovement#genderandwork# #raceandclass#singleparentfamilies#singlemoms#publicpolicy#PatCummings#PatrickCummings#GregGodels#ZZBlog#ComingFromLeftField#ComingFromLeftFieldPodcast#zzblog#mltoday

The conflict between science and religion? Turns out it's mostly a myth perpetuated by a handful of really loud voices on both sides. Dr. Elaine Howard Ecklund has spent 15 years using actual social science to study what scientists and religious people really think about each other, and the results are surprising: nearly half of elite scientists maintain religious commitments, most aren't hostile to faith communities, and there are way more varieties of atheism than you'd think (including "religious atheists" who attend church and pray). We dive into her research on "spiritual entrepreneurs," the eight shared values between science and religion (yeah, doubt is on the list for both), what went wrong during COVID, and why the science-religion conflict narrative is particularly American and Western. Plus, we get super practical about what churches can actually do—spoiler: it starts with honoring the scientists already sitting in your pews. This conversation challenged my assumptions, gave me hope, and reminded me that the people doing the real work are way more interesting than the stereotypes suggest. You can WATCH this conversation on YouTube Dr. Elaine Howard Ecklund is the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology at Rice University, where she directs the Religion and Public Life Program. A leading scholar in the sociology of science and religion, she has conducted groundbreaking research surveying over 15,000 scientists and interviewing nearly 1,000 across eight countries to understand how scientific and religious communities actually relate to each other. Her books include Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think, Varieties of Atheism in Science (with David Johnson), Why Science and Faith Need Each Other, and Secularity and Science: What Scientists Around the World Really Think About Religion. Her work challenges popular stereotypes, revealing the complex and often collaborative relationship between science and faith—and offering practical wisdom for churches, scientists, and anyone trying to hold these worlds together. UPCOMING ONLINE LENT CLASS: Jesus in Galilee w/ John Dominic Crossan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ What can we actually know about Jesus of Nazareth? And, what difference does it make? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This Lenten class ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠begins where all of Dr. John Dominic Crossan's has work begins: with history. What was actually happening in Galilee in the 20s CE? What did Herod Antipas' transformation of the "Sea of Galilee" into the commercial "Sea of Tiberias" mean for peasant fishing communities? Why did Jesus emerge from John's baptism movement proclaiming God's Rule through parables—and what made that medium so perfectly suited to that message? Only by understanding what Jesus' parables meant then can we wrestle with what they might demand of us now. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The class is donation-based, including 0, so join, get info, and join up here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday's show: AI-focused data centers have increased the demand for memory chips that drive many electronics consumers use. And that is driving up prices we pay to get them. Technology columnist Dwight Silverman explains, and he offers advice for how to spot AI being used in campaign ads or social media posts.Also this hour: As Johnson Space Center continues preparations for the next Artemis mission and America's return to the moon, it reminds us that NASA's long-term vision includes using the moon as a stepping-stone for future missions to Mars. But there is a lot to consider about what human beings spending extended time on the moon or Mars will mean. We talk that over with Rice University biology professor Scott Solomon, author of Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds.Then, we discuss the role the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary plays in protecting birds that migrate through Texas.And, as Olympic hockey games near their pinnacle this week, we talk with Chie Chie Yard, the first Houston native to play hockey in the Olympics. These days, she plans major events for the National Hockey League, and she is one of this year's Houston Hockey Hall of Fame inductees.Watch

Work shapes identity, community, and meaning—but how should faith show up in professional life? Sociologist Elaine Ecklund discusses religion in the workplace, drawing on research conducted with co-author Denise Daniels.“I think our faith compels us to hope for and enact flourishing for everyone.”In this episode with Evan Rosa, Ecklund reflects on vocation, gender, authenticity, and principled pluralism in modern workplaces. Together they discuss workplace identity, gender discrimination, calling across occupations, boundaries around work, religion's public role, and pluralism in professional life.Episode Highlights“I think our faith compels us to hope for and enact flourishing for everyone.”“People use their religion to bring justice to their workplaces.”“They don't want to pretend they're someone different.”“There are ways in which our faith traditions can put needed boundaries around our work.”“I am being fully who I am and I am oriented toward the other.”About Elaine EcklundElaine Howard Ecklund is a sociologist of religion and professor at Rice University, where she directs the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. Her research focuses on religion in public life, science and faith, and workplace culture. She is the author or co-author of numerous books, including Religion in a Changing Workplace and Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work (with Denise Daniels). Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and featured in major media outlets.Helpful Links And ResourcesWorking for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work https://www.ivpress.com/working-for-betterReligion in a Changing Workplace https://academic.oup.com/book/58194Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance https://boniuk.rice.edu/Elaine Ecklund website https://elaineecklund.comShow NotesReligion and workplace lifeSociology of belief research backgroundStudying scientists and religionExpanding research beyond science workplacesCollaboration with Denise DanielsAcademic and practical faith-at-work booksDefining work as paid laborHonoring caregiving and volunteer labor“People don't want to pretend they're someone different.”Bringing whole selves to workCalling across occupational sectorsWorkplace autonomy and meaning“People use their religion to bring justice to their workplaces.”Faith creating boundaries around workGender dynamics in workplacesStory of hiding motherhood in academiaFragmentation and identity performance“There are ways in which our faith traditions can put needed boundaries around our work.”Church gender expectationsBilly Graham rule implicationsWork skills serving congregationsLiving in pluralistic societyPrincipled pluralism explained“I am being fully who I am and I am oriented toward the other.”Embrace, dignity, and learning from difference#FaithAndWork #ElaineEcklund #PrincipledPluralism #ReligionAndWorkplace #Vocation #GenderAndWork #HumanFlourishingProduction NotesThis podcast featured Elaine EcklundEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Noah SenthilA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Leveling up your game just got so much easier, thanks to the new cutting-edge technology from BeONE Sports — a startup that uses mobile motion-capture and AI to enhance athletic performance, prevent injuries, and support coaches and athletes at every level.Co-founded by former Division I athlete Scott Deans '22, the idea for BeONE started right here at Rice Business. Scott has loved sports since his days playing football, and through the EMBA program, he found a way to bring his passion and business acumen together.He joins co-host Brian Jackson '21 to discuss his early career journey through architecture, the 12 years he spent at bp and what ultimately led him to Rice Business. They also dive deep into the exciting technology being used at BeONE and how the company's partnership with Rice Athletics is helping student athletes optimize their performance and prevent injuries.Episode Guide:00:00 Introduction to Scott Deans and BeONE Sports01:02 Scott's Athletic Journey and Transition to Architecture05:55 From Architecture to Analytics at BP12:56 Pursuing an MBA at Rice University16:36 Founding BeONE Sports and Its Technology28:23 Partnerships and Applications of BeONE Sports37:44 Challenges and Advice for Entrepreneurs42:20 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsThe Owl Have You Know Podcast is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On building company your passionate about19:35: I sometimes imagine if I had chosen the other, one of the other companies, and I was like, there is no way I would be here after four years, grinding through the trenches, as they say, on something that did not matter to me. So, yeah, I think that is a huge, huge point in any entrepreneurial journey, that it has to matter to you; otherwise, you are not willing to compromise and go through all the pain in order to make it successful.How the Rice program helped Scott build his business28:30: So another big piece of the program at Rice was really focused on, like, building a team. And I have been a coach for a long time. I have been part of teams and built teams, so teams are, in my opinion, the linchpin, really the basis for product and a business and all those things. But part of that process is everybody's recognizing what they are good at and what they are not good at, and then where you have gaps. You need to find people who are strong in those areas. So, recognize really quickly the areas that I am not strong at and, Jason, basically from a business side and many other sides, filled those perfectly.The importance of asking better questions09:55: Always try to ask better questions, and this has been a mantra of mine since I was a little kid. I think. Because, you know, there are always going to be answers. You can always find a solution. But is the solution the right one? And is there a better question we could be asking to, you know, a lot of rework or pivoting and changing. And so it creates a mindset of constant flux, like you are in constant change. And that is not an easy mindset for many people.Show Links: BeONE Sports “Rice partners with BeONE Sports to transform athlete performance with AI technology” | Rice BusinessTranscriptGuest Profile:Scott Deans | LinkedIn

How do you balance elite academics with athletic success? How was Rice able to expand the field of women's sports at Rice? What's the broader vision of how to transform Rice University into a hub of athletic and community engagement, while staying true to its academic integrity?Tommy McClelland is the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Rice University, a position he has held since August of 2023.Tommy discusses his personal journey from a walk-on football player to becoming the youngest Division I Athletic Director at 26. He shares insights into his leadership style, shaped by early career challenges and advice from his father. Tommy also shares his experience at various institutions, including Vanderbilt. Tommy explains to host David the vision for Rice Athletics. This includes the ambitious $120 million Gateway project, aimed at modernizing Rice's athletic facilities and integrating them with the local community. Let us know you're listening by filling out this form. We will be sending listeners Beyond the Hedges Swag every month.Episode Guide:01:01 Tommy McClelland's Early Life and Career03:10 Lessons Learned as a Young Athletic Director06:54 The Appeal of Rice University10:59 Balancing Winning with Academics15:23 The Gateway Project: Transforming Rice Athletics22:54 Future Vision for Rice Stadium24:39 Concert Opportunities and Local Community Impact25:46 Changing Landscape of College Athletics27:08 Adapting to One-Year Curricula31:16 Women's Sports Expansion at Rice33:55 Vision for Championship Success37:07 Engaging Alumni and Supporters39:19 Rapid Fire QuestionsBeyond The Hedges is a production of Rice University and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Balancing elite academics and athletics success11:49: When you say you're a coach and you reach out to recruit a kid and you say, “Hey, I'm Coach so-and-so, and I'm with Rice University.” Immediately there's a filter that happens and it you're not for them, or it is, if you're at any other school in our conference, that filter doesn't really exist... [12:28] When the 17th ranked university in the country says, “I am interested in recruiting you to play high-level sports at the Group of Five,” which, by the way, we sit on an island in that, and I think we need to lean into this further... [13:09] We sit very isolated, but in this unique position where if you want high academics and you want to compete at the Group of Five, there's only one choice. That's a beautiful filter.Rice community stadium is more than just a football stadium17:30: It's not Rice Football Stadium, it is the Rice Community Stadium and football is going to be the primary tenant. But we need to expand the things that we do in it on a yearly basis... We should not look up in a given year and say, the only thing that happened there was our conference slate, a graduation.On making a year count29:17: I only have them for one year, how am I going to influence them the most in their entire life? Through the professors they meet. Because they will be introduced to that through the network of people that they get to meet in the alumni, in the external network. And then through how I am going to build a relationship and challenge you athletically.Show Links:RiceOwls.comRice AthleticsThe Gateway ProjectRice AlumniAssociation of Rice Alumni | FacebookRice Alumni (@ricealumni) | X (Twitter)Association of Rice Alumni (@ricealumni) | Instagram Host Profiles:David Mansouri | LinkedInDavid Mansouri '07 | Alumni | Rice UniversityDavid Mansouri (@davemansouri) | XDavid Mansouri | TNScoreGuest Profiles:Tommy McClelland | Faculty ProfileTommy McClelland | LinkedInTommy McClelland | Instagram

On Monday's show: FEMA has released new draft flood maps for the Houston area. We discuss their implications with Jim Blackburn from Rice University's SSPEED Center.Also this hour: Veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers listener questions about their pets.And, as Spring Training begins, we preview the Astros season.Watch

What does it mean that we're living in the era of "peak presidential power"—and did Minneapolis finally reveal its limits? This week, presidential historian, Rice University professor, and CNN contributor Douglas Brinkley joins Preet Bharara to discuss the long arc of executive authority from Washington to Trump, why Minneapolis may have been Trump's "Rubicon," and why Trump is, in Brinkley's words, "the only truly unthoughtful president we've had." Plus, Brinkley—who sits on the board of the Bruce Springsteen Archives—talks Springsteen's new protest song 'Streets of Minneapolis,' and what it means to see the Boss in resistance mode. Then, Preet speaks about the news that DOJ has failed to indict six Democratic members of Congress over a video reminding military service members to refuse illegal orders, and he answers your questions about why assistant U.S. attorneys are quitting in droves, and whether the president has the right to sue other people. In the bonus for Insiders, Doug and Preet discuss the "pendulum swing" in American politics—how Trump pieced together his unlikely coalition, and why the next Democrat president will have to pass what Brinkley calls an "authenticity test." Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE's Youtube channel and subscribe. Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Space Show Presents Dr. Scott Solomon, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026Quick Summary:The Space Show program focused on Dr. Scott Solomon's new book “Becoming Martian,” which explores the biological and evolutionary challenges of human space settlement, particularly on Mars. Our discussion covered key concerns about reproduction in space, medical care for astronauts, and the genetic diversity needed for a successful Mars colony. Solomon emphasized that while technology for space travel is advancing rapidly, biological research and medical care capabilities need to develop in parallel to ensure human survival and reproduction in space. The Space Show Wisdom Team discussed various challenges including radiation effects, gravity prescription, and the potential for evolutionary changes in humans and animals living off Earth. Our conversation concluded with thoughts on how space settlement could impact Earth's ecosystems and the psychological effects of living in space.Detailed Summary:I introduced Dr. Scott Solomon, a biologist and science communicator from Rice University, who discussed his new book, “Becoming Martian,” which explores the potential effects of living in space on the human body and mind. The Space Show Wisdom Team also touched on the topic of gravity prescription and the challenges of having children in space, with Dr. Solomon suggesting that significant changes could occur in as few as 10 generations of space settlers.Scott, an evolutionary biologist, discussed his book “Future Humans” which explores scenarios for human evolution, including the possibility of people adapting to life in space settlements. He explained his research process, which involved studying how space conditions affect the human body, particularly focusing on Mars as a potential first destination for long-term human settlement. Scott emphasized his approach of not only presenting known facts but also describing the scientific process and the people involved in space exploration.Scott discussed the potential impacts of living in space, using Mars as an example, and highlighted the lack of data on how partial gravity affects the human body. He emphasized that factors such as the founder effect and evolutionary changes would be relevant regardless of the location, whether on Mars, the Moon, or a space station. Scott also proposed conducting experiments using bacteria as a proxy to study evolutionary changes in space, predicting that evolution might proceed faster in space due to higher radiation exposure.David and Scott discussed the potential for conducting non-profit driven scientific research on commercial space stations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the biological and psychological impacts of living in space for long-term human habitation. Scott highlighted the need for more research on human reproduction in space, citing a Dutch company's efforts to study this using in vitro fertilization technology that can simulate different gravitational environments. They also discussed the rapid advancement of technology for space travel but agreed that biological and ethical considerations need to be addressed before long-term human settlements on Mars can be considered viable.Our team discussed ethical considerations of bringing children into extreme environments, particularly focusing on Mars. Scott explained that while Earth has challenging situations, Mars presents unique risks including potential health issues from lower gravity and limited microbial exposure. Marshall raised questions about genetic changes in animals brought to space, referencing historical dog breeding as an example. The discussion concluded with Scott suggesting that minimizing infectious diseases could be achieved by avoiding mammals and birds in space colonization efforts, as many human diseases originate from animal spillovers.We also discussed potential animals to bring on a space mission, with Scott advocating for insects over mammals and birds due to their resource efficiency and lower risk of infectious disease transmission. Marshall suggested a mix of goats, chickens, mealworms, and fish, while David expressed concerns about the cultural acceptance of insect-based diets among potential space tourists. Scott shared his experience with insect-based cuisine, including Mexican ant larvae, and explained the nutritional benefits of insects compared to other animal proteins. The discussion touched on the potential effects of an insect diet on human reproduction and microbiome, with Scott noting that a vegan diet might be most energy-efficient for space settlements.Scott discussed the challenges of sending humans to Mars, including the need for a stable food supply for a two-and-a-half-year-round trip. He expressed interest in participating in a Mars mission but emphasized the importance of ensuring a safe return. John Jossy raised concerns about reproduction in space, highlighting the need for mammalian reproduction experiments in variable gravity environments. Scott acknowledged this issue in his book and mentioned ongoing rodent embryo studies by Spaceborne United as a first step in addressing these challenges.Our guest outlined the steps needed to make space settlement a reality by 2026, emphasizing the need for parallel research in technology, biology, and ethics. He highlighted the importance of studying reproduction in space, exploring genetic modifications, and understanding ethical challenges. Dr. Solomon noted that current investments in space life sciences research are insufficient and called for increased funding, both in the U.S. and through international collaboration. John Hunt asked about the potential impact of humans visiting exoplanets with Earth-like biospheres, to which Scott replied that he had explored such scenarios in a recent astrobiology class, emphasizing the importance of understanding the ecological impacts of human visits.The group discussed the challenges of human reproduction and medical care in space environments, focusing on the potential risks and unknowns of extraterrestrial life support systems and ecological interactions. Solomon emphasized the importance of applying Earth-based ecological knowledge to predict and prepare for space environments, while Marshall highlighted the complexity of allergies and the vast number of potential allergens in new environments. John Jossy noted that NASA's current priorities do not include reproduction or variable gravity research, and David raised concerns about the advancement of medical care for long-duration space missions. Doug Plata suggested that medical needs should be anticipated and planned for in the different phases of space settlement, advocating for accelerated animal studies to address reproduction before 2055.As a group and with our guest, we discussed the importance of genetic diversity and a large starting population for a successful human settlement beyond Earth, emphasizing the need for a genetically diverse population even if it's smaller. Doug and Marshall raised questions about the feasibility of selecting specific traits in the starting population, with Marshall suggesting that smaller, subsistence-based individuals might be advantageous. They also discussed the potential for evolutionary changes in isolated populations, with Solomon highlighting the role of gene flow between Earth and Mars. David asked about public interest in human spaceflight, to which Scott responded that interest varies but that space exploration can inspire a sense of interconnectedness and environmental stewardship.Scott continued discussing his book “Becoming Martian,” which explores the challenges of rebuilding civilization in space, including the basics like toilet paper and pencils, as well as the need to understand and potentially rebuild Earth's ecosystems. Doug raised questions about the role of ecology in space settlements, suggesting that complex biospheres might not be necessary and that agriculture could be simplified. Our guest agreed that agriculture could be simplified but emphasized the importance of ecological interactions, even in space. The group discussed the potential of using ant and termite nest structures as inspiration for designing habitats on Mars. They also touched on the concept of paraterraforming Mars, with Doug suggesting that it could be a quick way to produce Earth-like air using local resources.Special thanks to our sponsors:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223 (Not in service at this time)For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.com for instructions and access.The Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Broadcast 4504 Zoom: Frank Pietronigro | Friday 13 Feb 2026 930AM PTGuests: Frank PietronigroZoom: Frank discusses the Zero Gravity Arts Commission and moreBroadcast 4506 Zoom Open Lines | Sunday 15 Feb 2026 1200PM PTGuests: Dr. David LivingstonOpen Lines discussion. All topics welcome Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

Rodica Gonzalez was an accomplished violinist who began playing when she was just four years old. Originally from Romania, she earned a Master's Degree in Violin Performance from Rice University. She was a member of the first violin section of the Houston Symphony, toured internationally, performed at Carnegie Hall multiple times, and taught at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. Not only a friend of THNX but a personal friend of the host, Rodica passed away this week surrounded by loved ones. She is survived by her husband Robert and their son Matthew.

Dr. Bryan Denny joins us to further our understanding of emotional regulation research, particularly research that combines traditional diagnostic approaches with neurobiology. Bryan is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Rice University and Director of the Translational Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab. Bryan 's research is a fascinating complement to our book this month: Ethan Kross's SHIFT: MANAGING YOUR EMOTIONS SO THEY DON'T MANAGE YOU.Bryan's research seeks to understand the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that underlie successful and unsuccessful emotion regulation across a spectrum of healthy and clinical populations. He is interested in utilizing the results of basic investigations into these processes in order to design and examine novel interventions focused on improving real-world emotion regulation outcomes in a variety of contexts. Bryan tells us he has always been interested in the brain and how it works, but he didn't know a person could study that in college. He took Intro to Psych 101 from Brian Knutson, an affective neuroscientist, and switched his major. From his collegiate studies through his PhD, he became really intrigued in the application of fMRIs in understanding the brains processes in emotion regulation via brain imagining studies.Bryan explains several emotion regulation techniques and describes situation, strategy, person contingencies and how research may help understand what strategy is helpful for who in what situation. This knowledge may help individuals, but also will help clinicians in their practice, as well.Bryan says some people have the notion that emotions are things we can turn on or off, but a lot of research is focusing on acceptance. Bryan's work is currently looking at psychological distancing which may be a key component of mindfulness. A psychological distancing mindset helps individuals identify their stressors in real time to help not become swept-up in emotions. You can do this for yourself, but also for others to influence their emotional state.Bryan then tells us about the longitudinal emotion regulation research conducted by his lab, the Translational Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (T-SCAN). He is interested in long-term interventions and has recently been focusing on populations such as caregivers of persons with dementia and also of bereaved persons.To know what the appropriate tool is for a situation is for a person calls for more sophisticated models about how emotion and emotion regulation work. Then, delivering through clinicians and through targeted drugs, but also through education and phone nudges and other modalities could help people cope more adaptively.

In this episode, Megan and Erin break down effective college application strategies, using insights from a U.S. News article featuring Rice University's Dean of Admissions. Rice says it wants to see Academic excellence and intellectual curiosity Community engagement and contributions Students who really want to be here Listen as Megan and Erin discuss How students can demonstrate intellectual curiosity Curiosity can be shown through self-directed learning, independent research, summer programs, or exploration outside formal coursework Letters of recommendation can reinforce curiosity and engagement with ideas and learning Community impact beyond traditional service Community contribution can take many forms, including collaboration, leadership, and using personal strengths to support others Rice values students who actively choose to engage with its collaborative and caring campus culture Evaluating college fit beyond prestige Students should research course offerings, campus culture, and day-to-day student life Campus visits help students determine whether a school aligns with their academic and social preferences Here’s the U.S. News article featuring Rice's Dean of Admissions:(https://www.usnews.com/education/getting-in/articles/2026-01-07/rice-university-college-applicants-advice). The post 616: 3 Ways Students Can Stand Out in Admissions appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

This episode of the Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by The Colburn LA Brass Institute.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Sasha Romero, principal trombone of the MET in New York. About Sasha: Sasha Romero was appointed principal trombone of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in 2018. Prior to her appointment at The MET, she held the position of principal trombone with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra from 2016-2018. Hailing from Longview, Texas, Sasha grew up within the acclaimed and robust Texas band system and achieved great musical success at a young age. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Music degree at Baylor University, where she studied with Brent Phillips; and her Master of Music degree at Rice University, studying with Allen Barnhill. In addition to a lengthy list of national and international solo and chamber music competition wins to her name, Sasha is honored to have been a semi-finalist in the first Brass Division of the 2019 XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sasha is a passionate educator, and currently serves on the trombone faculties at Rutgers University, Mannes School of Music, and Bard College Conservatory of Music. A highly sought-after teacher, soloist, and clinician, she has presented solo recitals and masterclasses at numerous colleges, universities, music conservatories, and industry conventions across the United States. When she is not at The MET, teaching, or screaming into the night at the shortcomings of NYC's public transportation system (looking at you, weekend subway service), Sasha is occasionally invited to perform as a guest trombonist with the world's major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Houston Symphony, and others. She can be heard on Weezer's OK Human album, as well as the film soundtracks to The Good Liar (2019) and Joker (2019). Sasha currently makes her home in New York City, where she spends an embarrassing amount of time catering to the demands of her absurdly adorable cats and searching endlessly for decent Mexican food. Sasha Romero is an S.E. Shires Performing Artist and she has a signature mouthpiece line with Long Island Brass Co.

On Friday's show: The Texas Education Agency has warned school districts that facilitating student political walkouts could lead to a state takeover. This comes as the agency unveils a newly created enforcement role focusing on overseeing investigations into alleged misconduct by Texas teachers. We get the latest on this developing story.Also this hour: We discuss how digital maps are increasingly being used to reveal patterns across Greater Houston, from the famed Houston arrow, to the Whataburger location map being used as a substitute for power outage tracking during major storms, to an ICE tracker map being developed by students at Rice University.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we preview the latest in a series of concerts from The Apollo Chamber Players celebrating America's 250th birthday and the centennial of what became Black History Month.Watch

On this episode of America at Night with McGraw Milhaven, McGraw welcomed journalist and bestselling author Chris Tomlinson to break down the shifting political landscape in Texas. Tomlinson discussed whether Democrats have a real opportunity to compete statewide, the impact of demographic changes, and how economic and cultural issues are shaping voter behavior across the state. Next, Dr. David Alexander of Rice University joined the program to preview NASA's upcoming Artemis II mission. He discussed the recent setbacks he also explained how the mission will return astronauts to lunar orbit for the first time in more than 50 years, the scientific and the strategic goals behind the program. Later in the show, author Alex Wellerstein explored the historical and ethical dimensions of President Harry Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb. He examined newly analyzed records, the political pressures of World War II, and how those choices continue to influence global security, nuclear policy, and international relations today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not every job will feel like the perfect fit, but for David Verbitsky '10, every new position is an important stepping stone in your career, and an opportunity to learn and grow. When David wanted to pivot his career from engineering to finance, the path led him straight to an MBA at Rice Business. His experience at Rice spring boarded him into a career in investment banking with a special focus on agriculture and food. Over the past 15 years, he's worked as the global head of agriculture and nutrition investment banking at Goldman Sachs, as the global head of AgTech and sustainable food investment banking at Nomura Greentech, and as a member of the global chemicals and agriculture investment banking team at Barclays.Now, David is applying all of his industry expertise to his own investment banking firm, Verbitsky Capital. In this episode, he chats with co-host Maya Pomroy '22 about how Rice Business prepared him for a successful career in finance, what he learned through every job change and where he thinks innovation in the agriculture sector is heading next.Episode Guide:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:59 David's Early Career in Engineering03:06 Transition to Business School and Finance06:09 Investment Banking Journey08:59 Shift to Agriculture Sector18:20 Navigating the VC Fund Experience21:30 Exciting Deals in AgTech23:24 Challenges and Lessons Learned29:44 Building and Leading a Team with Verbitsky Capital31:37 Future of AgTech34:35 Career Advice and Final ThoughtsThe Owl Have You Know Podcast is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:The importance of judgement in every leader31:19: [Maya Pomroy]: What do you look for in leaders?31:26: [David Verbitsky] I do not really know if you can quantify or measure it, but it is judgment. The only way you can really see that is seeing people in action, right? It is seeing, okay, when you are in a difficult situation, or maybe it is not even difficult, but when you have to make decisions. And take responsibility for things. And some of it is, could be very easy, like simple things who just, we are in the middle of a deal and you gotta just decide on what, how you move forward. Right. How do you take decisions? How do you move forward? How do you take accountability? How do you, in certain circumstances, decide not to do something? Which is probably more important in many different ways.On networking and constant learning36:16: [Maya Pomroy]:What would you say to someone that is sort of considering maybe an MBA to really pivot their own career.36:25: [David Verbitsky]  So first and foremost, I would say it is all about relationships. And her ability to, to maintain them. Right. That, that is part networking, but it is also just part effort of just people you already do know. Maintaining those relationships. Do you think that is first and foremost is the most important thing? Do not burn any bridges. Right? Keep them, keep them all active and then building off of that just sees opportunities when they present themselves, be open to things. Because they might be the wrong choice, but. You should learn something from every new step you take.From missteps to momentum37:04: Going to Goldman Sachs and switching a hundred percent into agriculture was a big opportunity, which I was like, I do not know, but let us try it out. Right? Those things worked out incredibly well. And then I had a bunch of missteps of like trying, trying to go and do startup or VC fund that just was not the right fit, or go into a place that was good for a while, then was not, and then just, it leads you here. So like. Realize when an opportunity presents itself and do not be afraid to take it. Which is the right piece of advice. Just be aware and realize this is an opportunity. Maybe it is not the right one, but be, I think, very mindful.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:David Verbitsky | LinkedInVerbitsky Capital

On Wednesday's show: In a special election last weekend, a Fort Worth State Senate seat in a conservative district flipped to the Democrats. Is that a one-off, or a sign of things to come? We discuss that story and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Our foodies list their favorite award-winning and award-nominated restaurants around town on this month's edition of The Full Menu.And we consider the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination in the history of our institutions and how those institutions reconcile that past. A new book explores that subject through the lens of Rice University, its history, and its "fundamental and ongoing process of transformation."Watch

In this segment, Mark is joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute and a Former Opinion Columnist and Editorial Board Member at the House Chronicle. King discusses a recent Democrat upset in a Texas State Senate district and how it could be a warning sign for Republicans, thoughts on the midterm and more.

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark is joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute and a Former Opinion Columnist and Editorial Board Member at the House Chronicle. King discusses a recent Democrat upset in a Texas State Senate district and how it could be a warning sign for Republicans, thoughts on the midterm and more. Mark is later joined by Joe Nocera, a Senior Editor and Writer with The Free Press. He discusses his latest piece which is titled, "The Way Out of the Immigration Mess."

Women, Theory, Praxis, and Performativities: Transoceanic Entanglements in Francophone Settings (Liverpool UP, 2025) bridges the gap between the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. It collectively fosters new transoceanic modes of thinking to reframe postcolonial debates and reveal the interconnected dialogues led by women from former French colonies and post-contact island territories. Thus, the volume unsettles the male agenda (captains, missionaries, mariners, ethnographers), and pays attention to the ways in which artists, writers, and activists have theorized or poetized women and the seas, reclaimed agency and created transformative possibilities. To critically map out a gendered conversation with the ocean, the contributors explore activisms and feminisms, intersectional praxes of care, ecological and health impacts of nuclear radiation and chlordecone contamination, queerness, decolonizing dance, the unsettling of official archives and female tidalectical corporeality and embodiments, Mā'ohi epistemologies and ontologies, silence as empowerment against colonial violence, forced migration and vulnerability. The volume's overarching approach belongs to a "politics of refusal" which brings forth formerly discarded archives and discredited sites of knowledge to counter ideologies and doctrinal apparatus that promote forgetting or erasure among non-sovereign populations. In exploring transoceanic feminine spaces as vital sites of knowledge production, this interdisciplinary collaboration aims to ensure that readers actively engage with feminine praxes, understanding their significance not only as theoretical constructs but as lived experiences (re)occupying, (re)appropriating and transcending patriarchal and postcolonial spaces. Jacqueline Couti is the Laurence H. Favrot Professor of French in the Department of Modern & Classical Literatures & Cultures at Rice University and the author of 2016's Dangerous Creole Liaisons: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses from 1806 to 1897 and 2021's Sex, Sea, and Self: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses 1924–1948, as well as editing several critical editions and special journal issues, and authoring numerous articles and book chapters.  Anny-Dominique Curtius is Professor of Francophone Studies in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Iowa, and has published two monographs : Symbioses d'une mémoire: Manifestations religieuses et littératures de la Caraibe in 2006 and Suzanne Césaire. Archéologie littéraire et artistique d'une mémoire empêchée in 2020. She has also co-edited a special issue of Esprit Créateur on “Francophonies of the Early Modern,” and published extensively in academic journals and edited volumes. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript in progress on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

On Tuesday's show: The window for families to apply for the state's new school voucher program, officially called Texas Education Freedom Accounts, opens on Wednesday for the 2026-27 school year. We discuss why the state is trying to limit which schools can participate and other questions as the new program begins.Also this hour: How much should you trust the quality of the water coming out the tap? Pedro Alvarez, director of Rice University's WaTER Institute, explains what we should all know about the quality of water where we live and work.Then, representatives from The Houston Defender and the The Houston Sun reflect on the history of the Black press in Houston, how it has shaped the city through pivotal eras of history, and why its voice still matters.And standup comedian Mohanad Elshieky performs this week at Punch Line Houston. We talk with him about his comedy and his work as a writer for NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!Watch

Women, Theory, Praxis, and Performativities: Transoceanic Entanglements in Francophone Settings (Liverpool UP, 2025) bridges the gap between the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. It collectively fosters new transoceanic modes of thinking to reframe postcolonial debates and reveal the interconnected dialogues led by women from former French colonies and post-contact island territories. Thus, the volume unsettles the male agenda (captains, missionaries, mariners, ethnographers), and pays attention to the ways in which artists, writers, and activists have theorized or poetized women and the seas, reclaimed agency and created transformative possibilities. To critically map out a gendered conversation with the ocean, the contributors explore activisms and feminisms, intersectional praxes of care, ecological and health impacts of nuclear radiation and chlordecone contamination, queerness, decolonizing dance, the unsettling of official archives and female tidalectical corporeality and embodiments, Mā'ohi epistemologies and ontologies, silence as empowerment against colonial violence, forced migration and vulnerability. The volume's overarching approach belongs to a "politics of refusal" which brings forth formerly discarded archives and discredited sites of knowledge to counter ideologies and doctrinal apparatus that promote forgetting or erasure among non-sovereign populations. In exploring transoceanic feminine spaces as vital sites of knowledge production, this interdisciplinary collaboration aims to ensure that readers actively engage with feminine praxes, understanding their significance not only as theoretical constructs but as lived experiences (re)occupying, (re)appropriating and transcending patriarchal and postcolonial spaces. Jacqueline Couti is the Laurence H. Favrot Professor of French in the Department of Modern & Classical Literatures & Cultures at Rice University and the author of 2016's Dangerous Creole Liaisons: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses from 1806 to 1897 and 2021's Sex, Sea, and Self: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses 1924–1948, as well as editing several critical editions and special journal issues, and authoring numerous articles and book chapters.  Anny-Dominique Curtius is Professor of Francophone Studies in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Iowa, and has published two monographs : Symbioses d'une mémoire: Manifestations religieuses et littératures de la Caraibe in 2006 and Suzanne Césaire. Archéologie littéraire et artistique d'une mémoire empêchée in 2020. She has also co-edited a special issue of Esprit Créateur on “Francophonies of the Early Modern,” and published extensively in academic journals and edited volumes. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript in progress on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Women, Theory, Praxis, and Performativities: Transoceanic Entanglements in Francophone Settings (Liverpool UP, 2025) bridges the gap between the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. It collectively fosters new transoceanic modes of thinking to reframe postcolonial debates and reveal the interconnected dialogues led by women from former French colonies and post-contact island territories. Thus, the volume unsettles the male agenda (captains, missionaries, mariners, ethnographers), and pays attention to the ways in which artists, writers, and activists have theorized or poetized women and the seas, reclaimed agency and created transformative possibilities. To critically map out a gendered conversation with the ocean, the contributors explore activisms and feminisms, intersectional praxes of care, ecological and health impacts of nuclear radiation and chlordecone contamination, queerness, decolonizing dance, the unsettling of official archives and female tidalectical corporeality and embodiments, Mā'ohi epistemologies and ontologies, silence as empowerment against colonial violence, forced migration and vulnerability. The volume's overarching approach belongs to a "politics of refusal" which brings forth formerly discarded archives and discredited sites of knowledge to counter ideologies and doctrinal apparatus that promote forgetting or erasure among non-sovereign populations. In exploring transoceanic feminine spaces as vital sites of knowledge production, this interdisciplinary collaboration aims to ensure that readers actively engage with feminine praxes, understanding their significance not only as theoretical constructs but as lived experiences (re)occupying, (re)appropriating and transcending patriarchal and postcolonial spaces. Jacqueline Couti is the Laurence H. Favrot Professor of French in the Department of Modern & Classical Literatures & Cultures at Rice University and the author of 2016's Dangerous Creole Liaisons: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses from 1806 to 1897 and 2021's Sex, Sea, and Self: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses 1924–1948, as well as editing several critical editions and special journal issues, and authoring numerous articles and book chapters.  Anny-Dominique Curtius is Professor of Francophone Studies in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Iowa, and has published two monographs : Symbioses d'une mémoire: Manifestations religieuses et littératures de la Caraibe in 2006 and Suzanne Césaire. Archéologie littéraire et artistique d'une mémoire empêchée in 2020. She has also co-edited a special issue of Esprit Créateur on “Francophonies of the Early Modern,” and published extensively in academic journals and edited volumes. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript in progress on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Women, Theory, Praxis, and Performativities: Transoceanic Entanglements in Francophone Settings (Liverpool UP, 2025) bridges the gap between the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. It collectively fosters new transoceanic modes of thinking to reframe postcolonial debates and reveal the interconnected dialogues led by women from former French colonies and post-contact island territories. Thus, the volume unsettles the male agenda (captains, missionaries, mariners, ethnographers), and pays attention to the ways in which artists, writers, and activists have theorized or poetized women and the seas, reclaimed agency and created transformative possibilities. To critically map out a gendered conversation with the ocean, the contributors explore activisms and feminisms, intersectional praxes of care, ecological and health impacts of nuclear radiation and chlordecone contamination, queerness, decolonizing dance, the unsettling of official archives and female tidalectical corporeality and embodiments, Mā'ohi epistemologies and ontologies, silence as empowerment against colonial violence, forced migration and vulnerability. The volume's overarching approach belongs to a "politics of refusal" which brings forth formerly discarded archives and discredited sites of knowledge to counter ideologies and doctrinal apparatus that promote forgetting or erasure among non-sovereign populations. In exploring transoceanic feminine spaces as vital sites of knowledge production, this interdisciplinary collaboration aims to ensure that readers actively engage with feminine praxes, understanding their significance not only as theoretical constructs but as lived experiences (re)occupying, (re)appropriating and transcending patriarchal and postcolonial spaces. Jacqueline Couti is the Laurence H. Favrot Professor of French in the Department of Modern & Classical Literatures & Cultures at Rice University and the author of 2016's Dangerous Creole Liaisons: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses from 1806 to 1897 and 2021's Sex, Sea, and Self: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses 1924–1948, as well as editing several critical editions and special journal issues, and authoring numerous articles and book chapters.  Anny-Dominique Curtius is Professor of Francophone Studies in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Iowa, and has published two monographs : Symbioses d'une mémoire: Manifestations religieuses et littératures de la Caraibe in 2006 and Suzanne Césaire. Archéologie littéraire et artistique d'une mémoire empêchée in 2020. She has also co-edited a special issue of Esprit Créateur on “Francophonies of the Early Modern,” and published extensively in academic journals and edited volumes. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript in progress on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/caribbean-studies

Women, Theory, Praxis, and Performativities: Transoceanic Entanglements in Francophone Settings (Liverpool UP, 2025) bridges the gap between the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. It collectively fosters new transoceanic modes of thinking to reframe postcolonial debates and reveal the interconnected dialogues led by women from former French colonies and post-contact island territories. Thus, the volume unsettles the male agenda (captains, missionaries, mariners, ethnographers), and pays attention to the ways in which artists, writers, and activists have theorized or poetized women and the seas, reclaimed agency and created transformative possibilities. To critically map out a gendered conversation with the ocean, the contributors explore activisms and feminisms, intersectional praxes of care, ecological and health impacts of nuclear radiation and chlordecone contamination, queerness, decolonizing dance, the unsettling of official archives and female tidalectical corporeality and embodiments, Mā'ohi epistemologies and ontologies, silence as empowerment against colonial violence, forced migration and vulnerability. The volume's overarching approach belongs to a "politics of refusal" which brings forth formerly discarded archives and discredited sites of knowledge to counter ideologies and doctrinal apparatus that promote forgetting or erasure among non-sovereign populations. In exploring transoceanic feminine spaces as vital sites of knowledge production, this interdisciplinary collaboration aims to ensure that readers actively engage with feminine praxes, understanding their significance not only as theoretical constructs but as lived experiences (re)occupying, (re)appropriating and transcending patriarchal and postcolonial spaces. Jacqueline Couti is the Laurence H. Favrot Professor of French in the Department of Modern & Classical Literatures & Cultures at Rice University and the author of 2016's Dangerous Creole Liaisons: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses from 1806 to 1897 and 2021's Sex, Sea, and Self: Sexuality and Nationalism in French Caribbean Discourses 1924–1948, as well as editing several critical editions and special journal issues, and authoring numerous articles and book chapters.  Anny-Dominique Curtius is Professor of Francophone Studies in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Iowa, and has published two monographs : Symbioses d'une mémoire: Manifestations religieuses et littératures de la Caraibe in 2006 and Suzanne Césaire. Archéologie littéraire et artistique d'une mémoire empêchée in 2020. She has also co-edited a special issue of Esprit Créateur on “Francophonies of the Early Modern,” and published extensively in academic journals and edited volumes. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript in progress on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Episode: 2881 Racial Mythologies: Hans Günther vs. Julian Huxley on the Concept of Race.  Today, poison in the library.

John Moretta is a seasoned historian with a Ph.D. from Rice University and extensive teaching experience at Central College, Houston Community College, and the University of Houston. This episode will be a discussion about LBJ and his label of "The Southerner" and how it was used in a positive and negative way throughout his administration, being from Texas might have influenced his policy making and political banter more than most think.