Podcasts about Rice University

How does something as simple as a five-star rating system reveal subtle biases?When she's not teaching MBA and undergraduate students at Rice Business, Professor Sora Jun studies the hidden forces that shape how we see and treat one another. Her work explores how our minds process inequality and how even small design choices, like switching from stars to thumbs-up icons, can make systems fairer. Host Brian Jackson '21 sits down with Sora to discuss her research on the hidden bias of gig worker ratings, what she loves most about teaching at Rice, the findings of her latest paper and how her background has shaped her work. Episode Guide:00:00 Introduction to Sora Jun, Ph.D.00:58 Journey From Finance To Organizational Behavior02:20 Impact of Diverse Upbringing on Research05:05 Teaching Experience and Philosophy08:52 Research on Bias and Inequality17:50 Framing Inequality: Advantage vs. Disadvantage24:34 Exploring Anti-Asian Discrimination29:17 Future Research Directions30:56 Teaching Across Different Programs32:20 Final Thoughts and TakeawaysThe Owl Have You Know Podcast is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How embracing insecurity helped Dr. Sora on her research23:32: It actually took me a while to really feel like I had enough legitimacy in standing and studying this in some ways, because I felt like I did not really have the real, like, Asian American experience, given that I have been in so many different circles and I'm hearing so many different stories about what it means to be Asian for different people. But I think really embracing that insecurity almost was useful because I think it just made me dig in deeper and realize that might be part of that Asian experience—feeling like there are so many different kinds of Asian experiences. I'm sure this is similar for other groups as well, but I think I've just become more appreciative of just asking people, like, what's this been like for you? I started to do more qualitative-oriented work because of this, and I think that is helping me sort of reaffirm my own, I guess, standing and studying this topic.Why the way we talk about inequality matters14:52 [Brian Jackson]: Why does framing matter so much when talking about pay gaps or wealth disparities?16:08 [Sora Jun]: So, framing of inequality matters because even though what is being talked about is logically equivalent for an advantage or disadvantage frame, people understand it to be very different. And then they focus on different, I guess, objects.On balancing the fairness of the gains of a binary system with the loss of nuance13:36 [Sora Jun]: I think that's a really tricky part. I do think it is a challenge if we were to imagine changing all these numerical rating scales to dichotomy scales. We would lose a lot of the fine-grained information. So it probably depends a lot on the context. I think from our study, what we were finding was that the ratings using a five-point scale were already quite inflated, so there was not actually a ton of fine-grained information to be had from even the five-point scale information.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Sora Jun | Rice Business

How do schools prepare for the changing landscape of both education and business with the pace of advancements in technology and specifically in artificial intelligence (AI)? What lessons were learned from the rapid shift to digital that happened during the pandemic and how can that knowledge improve the way higher education works today?Shawn Miller is the Associate Provost for Digital Learning and Strategy at Rice University. Shawn serves as the key steward of Rice's digital strategy where he leverages best practices already in place across the University and also introduces new approaches and collaborations to be scaled.Shawn and host David Mansouri discuss the transformative impact of digital learning and AI on higher education. Shawn shares his career journey, from his time at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Duke University, through to his current role at Rice. Their conversation explores Rice's vision for digital education, the integration of AI tools in learning, and the future of teaching and learning at Rice. Shawn also highlights the challenges and ethical concerns related to AI, including the aspects of AI in education that he is more interested in than using it to just continue the way things were taught before. Shawn also lays out his view of some essential skills students need to thrive in an AI-powered world.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 Shawn Miller's introduction and background06:16 The Vision for Digital Learning at Rice14:23 Impact of COVID-19 on Digital Learning19:30 Integrating AI into Education at Rice23:47 Promising AI Applications in Teaching26:19 AI's Role in Learning and Analytics28:55 Challenges and Ethical Concerns of AI33:14 Skills for an AI-Powered World35:52 Future of Teaching and Learning at Rice38:51 Rapid Fire QuestionsBeyond The Hedges is a production of Rice University and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Rethinking education in the age of AI27:39: What's really most frustrating to me about the first wave of AI education tools that we got thrown at us, right, as institutions—and I'm talking even about startups—they're mostly founded on the idea that whatever we are doing now in classes and in teaching is somehow the right way to do it, right? So, it's like, how can you speed up creating better multiple-choice tests, right? Or how could you grade all these papers that you've got to grade, right? Well, maybe the outcome for that class isn't that you should write a paper in the first place, right? But now is our chance to ask that. And I know this is frustrating for faculty…[28:61] But it's a good opportunity for us to, but then it's been frustrating to have all these edtech ventures come out where it's like, “But AI could make all the things better!” And it's like, yeah, but you're talking about making traditional education faster, cheaper, more productive. You're not talking about helping people learn better.What's a better question for AI in education11:16: Maybe the answer for AI is not what can you have the AI do that you used to do, as much as what can I do even more of or even better. And I think that's a good mindset for us to be in, in education.The pandemic digital experience15:34: I think you have two things that people tend to say about the pandemic digital learning experience. One is that it was horrible, and they'd never want to do it again. Then, for those who knew about online learning or had done it before the pandemic, they'll say, “Well, that's because no one did it right,” quote unquote. And I think we can honor both of those viewpoints. But I'd also say that we learned a few things, right? One thing is most faculty learned how to use the LMS and Zoom. And if you think back pre-COVID, how many people could launch a webinar or call a virtual meeting, right? And how many staff did it take to set up a global web conference? It was incredibly expensive. It took a lot of time. You had to schedule it, and now people just trigger these things, right? I think the second thing we learned is that hybrid work can definitely work. And I've gone on record a few times saying that the future of work maybe parallels the future of hybrid and online learning.Show Links:Rice Digital Learning and StrategyRice 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:Shawn Miller | Faculty ProfileShawn Miller | LinkedIn ProfileShawn Miller | Social Profile on X

Annelle Sheline is a research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. She previously served as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor's Office of Near Eastern Affairs (DRL/NEA), before resigning in March 2024 to protest the Biden administration's unconditional support for Israeli military operations in Gaza. She is a senior non-resident fellow at the Arab Center of Washington DC and a non-resident fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. She holds a PhD in political science from George Washington University. She has written for Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, The Nation, Foreign Policy, and The New Republic, and has appeared on the BBC, CNN, CBS, and Al Jazeera

On this episode of The Jon Gordon Podcast, I sit down with Bernard Banks—director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and co-author of The New Science of Momentum—for a powerful conversation about leadership that endures. Bernard draws on his experiences teaching at West Point, leading at Northwestern's Kellogg School, and developing future leaders at Rice to share what makes great leadership: character, competence, intentionality, and accountability. We discuss the importance of trust, positive influence, and the ability to balance results with empathy to achieve sustainable success. Bernard also offers key insights from his new book about how leaders turn moments into momentum, breaking down practical strategies backed by research and lived experience. Whether you're leading a team or just starting out, this episode is a reminder that leadership is about influence and impact, not just authority. Tune in for actionable inspiration to grow as a leader and make a lasting difference.   About Bernard, Dr. Bernard (Bernie) Banks is a renowned expert in leadership and organizational change, with global experience leading and developing teams across diverse sectors. He currently serves as Director of Rice University's Doerr Institute for New Leaders and Professor in the Practice of Leadership at the Jones Graduate School of Business. A retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, Dr. Banks led West Point's Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership before transitioning to academia, where he also served on the senior leadership team at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He holds degrees from West Point, Northwestern, Columbia, Harvard, and a Ph.D. in social-organizational psychology from Columbia. His work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Military Psychology, and The New York Times, and his latest book, The New Science of Momentum (HarperCollins, 2025), explores how great leaders and coaches build lasting impact.   Here's a few additional resources for you… Follow me on Instagram: @JonGordon11 Order my new book 'The 7 Commitments of a Great Team' today! Every week, I send out a free Positive Tip newsletter via email. It's advice for your life, work and team. You can sign up now here and catch up on past newsletters. Ready to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose? The Certified Positive Leader Program is for anyone who wants to grow as a leader from the inside out. It's a self-paced experience built around my most impactful leadership principles with tools you can apply right away to improve your mindset, relationships, and results. You'll discover what it really means to lead with positivity… and how to do it every day. Learn more here! Join me for my Day of Development! You'll learn proven strategies to develop confidence, improve your leadership and build a connected and committed team. You'll leave with an action plan to supercharge your growth and results. It's time to Create your Positive Advantage. Get details and sign up here. Do you feel called to do more? Would you like to impact more people as a leader, writer, speaker, coach and trainer? Get Jon Gordon Certified if you want to be mentored by me and my team to teach my proven frameworks principles, and programs for businesses, sports, education, healthcare!

Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025) investigates the gender representations that French children's literature transmits to readers today. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, this book grounds its literary analysis in a sociohistorical examination of three key institutions – libraries, book clubs, and subscription magazines – that circulate reading material to children. It shows how French policies, cultural beliefs, and market forces influence the content of children's literature, including tensions between State support for unprofitable artistic endeavors and a belief in children's right to high-quality products on the one hand, and suspicion of activism as anathema to creativity and fear of losing boy readers on the other. In addition, the notion of universalism, which asserts that equality is best achieved when society is blind to differences, thwarts a diverse and equitable array of literary representations. Nevertheless, conditions are favorable for 21st-century French children's publishers to offer a robust body of richly entertaining egalitarian literature for children. Guest Julie Fette, author of Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature published in October 2024 by Routledge. Dr. Fette is Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University where she is also Rice Faculty Scholar at the Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She is also the author of Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945 from Cornell University Press in 2012 and the co-author of the textbook Les Français from Hackett in 2021, as well as numerous articles and book chapters on subjects from gender and professional life in France to teaching French studies in the classroom and online.  Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama. Their research is 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.  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

Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025) investigates the gender representations that French children's literature transmits to readers today. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, this book grounds its literary analysis in a sociohistorical examination of three key institutions – libraries, book clubs, and subscription magazines – that circulate reading material to children. It shows how French policies, cultural beliefs, and market forces influence the content of children's literature, including tensions between State support for unprofitable artistic endeavors and a belief in children's right to high-quality products on the one hand, and suspicion of activism as anathema to creativity and fear of losing boy readers on the other. In addition, the notion of universalism, which asserts that equality is best achieved when society is blind to differences, thwarts a diverse and equitable array of literary representations. Nevertheless, conditions are favorable for 21st-century French children's publishers to offer a robust body of richly entertaining egalitarian literature for children. Guest Julie Fette, author of Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature published in October 2024 by Routledge. Dr. Fette is Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University where she is also Rice Faculty Scholar at the Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She is also the author of Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945 from Cornell University Press in 2012 and the co-author of the textbook Les Français from Hackett in 2021, as well as numerous articles and book chapters on subjects from gender and professional life in France to teaching French studies in the classroom and online.  Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama. Their research is 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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025) investigates the gender representations that French children's literature transmits to readers today. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, this book grounds its literary analysis in a sociohistorical examination of three key institutions – libraries, book clubs, and subscription magazines – that circulate reading material to children. It shows how French policies, cultural beliefs, and market forces influence the content of children's literature, including tensions between State support for unprofitable artistic endeavors and a belief in children's right to high-quality products on the one hand, and suspicion of activism as anathema to creativity and fear of losing boy readers on the other. In addition, the notion of universalism, which asserts that equality is best achieved when society is blind to differences, thwarts a diverse and equitable array of literary representations. Nevertheless, conditions are favorable for 21st-century French children's publishers to offer a robust body of richly entertaining egalitarian literature for children. Guest Julie Fette, author of Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature published in October 2024 by Routledge. Dr. Fette is Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University where she is also Rice Faculty Scholar at the Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She is also the author of Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945 from Cornell University Press in 2012 and the co-author of the textbook Les Français from Hackett in 2021, as well as numerous articles and book chapters on subjects from gender and professional life in France to teaching French studies in the classroom and online.  Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama. Their research is 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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025) investigates the gender representations that French children's literature transmits to readers today. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, this book grounds its literary analysis in a sociohistorical examination of three key institutions – libraries, book clubs, and subscription magazines – that circulate reading material to children. It shows how French policies, cultural beliefs, and market forces influence the content of children's literature, including tensions between State support for unprofitable artistic endeavors and a belief in children's right to high-quality products on the one hand, and suspicion of activism as anathema to creativity and fear of losing boy readers on the other. In addition, the notion of universalism, which asserts that equality is best achieved when society is blind to differences, thwarts a diverse and equitable array of literary representations. Nevertheless, conditions are favorable for 21st-century French children's publishers to offer a robust body of richly entertaining egalitarian literature for children. Guest Julie Fette, author of Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature published in October 2024 by Routledge. Dr. Fette is Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University where she is also Rice Faculty Scholar at the Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She is also the author of Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945 from Cornell University Press in 2012 and the co-author of the textbook Les Français from Hackett in 2021, as well as numerous articles and book chapters on subjects from gender and professional life in France to teaching French studies in the classroom and online.  Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama. Their research is 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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/french-studies

Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025) investigates the gender representations that French children's literature transmits to readers today. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, this book grounds its literary analysis in a sociohistorical examination of three key institutions – libraries, book clubs, and subscription magazines – that circulate reading material to children. It shows how French policies, cultural beliefs, and market forces influence the content of children's literature, including tensions between State support for unprofitable artistic endeavors and a belief in children's right to high-quality products on the one hand, and suspicion of activism as anathema to creativity and fear of losing boy readers on the other. In addition, the notion of universalism, which asserts that equality is best achieved when society is blind to differences, thwarts a diverse and equitable array of literary representations. Nevertheless, conditions are favorable for 21st-century French children's publishers to offer a robust body of richly entertaining egalitarian literature for children. Guest Julie Fette, author of Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature published in October 2024 by Routledge. Dr. Fette is Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University where she is also Rice Faculty Scholar at the Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She is also the author of Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945 from Cornell University Press in 2012 and the co-author of the textbook Les Français from Hackett in 2021, as well as numerous articles and book chapters on subjects from gender and professional life in France to teaching French studies in the classroom and online.  Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama. Their research is 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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025) investigates the gender representations that French children's literature transmits to readers today. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, this book grounds its literary analysis in a sociohistorical examination of three key institutions – libraries, book clubs, and subscription magazines – that circulate reading material to children. It shows how French policies, cultural beliefs, and market forces influence the content of children's literature, including tensions between State support for unprofitable artistic endeavors and a belief in children's right to high-quality products on the one hand, and suspicion of activism as anathema to creativity and fear of losing boy readers on the other. In addition, the notion of universalism, which asserts that equality is best achieved when society is blind to differences, thwarts a diverse and equitable array of literary representations. Nevertheless, conditions are favorable for 21st-century French children's publishers to offer a robust body of richly entertaining egalitarian literature for children. Guest Julie Fette, author of Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature published in October 2024 by Routledge. Dr. Fette is Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University where she is also Rice Faculty Scholar at the Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She is also the author of Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945 from Cornell University Press in 2012 and the co-author of the textbook Les Français from Hackett in 2021, as well as numerous articles and book chapters on subjects from gender and professional life in France to teaching French studies in the classroom and online.  Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama. Their research is 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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/popular-culture

The text for today's episode is Conversations with Kiese Laymon, which is a new anthology of interviews with Laymon. My guests are Laymon himself, , a previous guest on the podcast and one of the best nonfiction writers of my generation, and the editor of the book, Constance Bailey.Laymon's memoir Heavy, which came out in 2018, was #60 on the New York Times list of the best hundred books of the 21st Century, and that really understates its brilliance. It's a pretty amazing book, which you should read. He is also the author of the novel Long Division and the essay collection How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America. He has a new children's book out this year, City Summer, Country Summer, and is scheduled to have another memoir out next year, which is provisionally titled Good God. Constance Bailey is an assistant professor of African American literature and folklore at Georgia State University and, like Laymon, a native of Mississippi, though neither of them lives there now. Bailey's in Atlanta and Laymon, who did go back home for a number of years to teach at Old Miss, is now in Houston, where he has an endowed chair of English and creative writing at Rice University.We talk about the origins of the book, both in terms of how Bailey sold it, as a new installment in part of the University of Mississippi Press's storied “Literary Conversation” series, and why it was so appealing for Laymon to sign on (the series, as we learn in the conversation, was a meaningful influence on his development and self-conception as a young writer).We talk a lot about Mississippi itself and how it's affected both of their lives and writing. We talk about race, money, writing, speaking, and what it means to perform for white dollars. It's a good conversation—such a good conversation, in fact, that if anyone ever plans to do another collection of interviews with Kiese, they should let me know and I will send them the transcript of this conversation and give them permission to include it in their collection. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danieloppenheimer.substack.com/subscribe

Hosts Mark Johnson, Bruce Pearson and Irene Allen-Block talk with authors Whitley Strieber & Jeffrey Kripel about their book The Super Natural: Whe the Unexpkained is Real.Whitley Strieber (Communion) and Jeffrey J. Kripal (J. Newton Rayzor professor of religion at Rice University) team up on this unprecedented and intellectually vibrant new framing of inexplicable events and experiences.Rather than merely document the anomalous, these authors--one the man who popularized alien abduction and the other a renowned scholar and "renegade advocate for including the paranormal in religious studies" (The New York Times)--deliver a fast-paced and exhilarating study of why the supernatural is neither fantasy nor fiction but a vital and authentic aspect of life.Their suggestion? That all kinds of "impossible" things, from extra-dimensional beings to bilocation to bumps in the night, are not impossible at all: rather,  they are a part of our natural world. But this natural world is immeasurably more weird, more wonderful, and probably more populated than we have so far imagined with our current categories and cultures, which are what really make these things seem "impossible."The Super Natural considers that the natural world is actually a "super natural world"--and all we have to do to see this is to change the lenses through which we are looking at it and the languages through which we are presently limiting it. In short: The extraordinary exists if we know how to look at and think about it.Original Air Date: March 16, 2016.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/paranormal-uk-radio-network--4541473/support.

IANR 2544 110125 Line Up4-6pm INTERVIEWSHere's the guest line-up for Sat, Nov 1, 2025 from 4 to 6pm CST on Indo American News Radio, a production of Indo American News (www.IndoAmerican-News.com). We areon 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. Our Podcast has been rated #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 The greater Houston area is a sprawling 10,000 sq miles while the city itself is closer to 700 sq miles. Nestled in this vast space are neighborhoods and clusters of businessdistricts that have spawned their own traffic patterns, commercial corridors and living arrangements, all of which are subjects that Dr. Caroline Cheong, an urban planning researcher at the Kinder Institute at Rice University, has studied from the perspective of conservation, development, regeneration and affordable housing. Caroline joins us today to talk about what her research has found that could help the average Houstonian.4:50 pm Just like many others large cities across the US, Houston has its share of homeless people and you can see them panhandling at many high-density street corners. But unlike others cities, Houston has been lauded for decreasing homeless numbers by 60% by placing them in affordable and in most cases free shelters. Just this past week, the City of Houston approved spending $16 million to buy the property at 419 Emancipation Avenue, which will house up to 320 people. We asked Catherine Villarreal, a Vice President at the Coalition for the Homeless of Harris County to explain how the homelessness issue is being tackled here.5:20 pm Gopal Aggarwal is the founder and CEO of Tara Capital. He leads the company's corporate strategy, long-range planning, and business development functions and oversees capital improvement and value-add programs across portfolio. He has over 30 years of multi-facetedreal estate experience across apartments, hotels, and retail. He joins us again today to tell us more about his current project which is open to interested investors right now, as well as what to look for when making a real estate investment.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 or 6397 or at indoamericannews@yahoo.comPlease pick up the print edition of Indo American News which is the ONLY community paper widely available all across town at grocery stores from Hillcroft to Sugar Land, Katy and FM 1960. 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 17 years. Plus, our entire 44 years of hard copy archives are available in the Fondren Library at Rice University.

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Chuck Baker, President of the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA). Together they discuss the story of the American short line railroads including their origins, their near demise due to regulations and increased trucking, their re-birth after deregulation, their significant role and impact on the U.S. economy, the effect of a government shutdown on the industry, and much more. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading! You can find this episode and more on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net , and watch our YouTube Channel at the link below. Welcome aboard!KEY POINTS: The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally, now downloaded in 58 countries around the world, on 38 podcast platforms!Although growing up in Baltimore, MD., Mr. Baker is a graduate of Rice University in Houston, TX.Prior to becoming President of the ASLRRA, Chuck was a lobbyist specializing in government affairs in Washinton, DC for 15 years representing railroad clients before the Federal Government, including Congress & administrative agencies such as the DOT,FRA, STB, DHS & TSA.Don and Chuck discuss what criteria determines a Class 1 railroad.A short line railroad's role is to be the “First Mile, Last Mile” provider to local and regional businesses and communities, working in conjunction with Class 1 railroads.While there are 6 Class 1 railroads in the U.S. (UP, BNSF, CSX, NS, CN, and CPKC), there are 603 short line railroads.Short line railroads are a great American success story, employing 17,800 employees nationwide, contributing significantly to the U.S. economy.Chuck shares his opinion on the effect of a government shutdown on the railroad industry.The ASLRRA offers its members not only advocacy, but also training, grant assistance, disaster preparedness, education funds & industry scholarships, environmental initiatives, webinars, industry events, and more.If you like what we do, please leave us a 5-Star Review…and please Share the episode!LINKS MENTIONED: https://www.americanrailroading.nethttps://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX https://www.enviroserve.com https://www.ASLRRA.org

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul and Glenn are joined by Carl Seidman to explore a powerful but often overlooked role in finance: being a teacher. Drawing from decades of experience across consulting, education, and finance leadership, Carl discusses how FP&A professionals must learn to teach, whether it's helping executives see the story behind the numbers, guiding junior staff, or translating finance for cross-functional teams. The episode is packed with practical advice, personal stories, and thoughtful insights about how teaching, influence, and communication shape success in finance.Carl Seidman is a seasoned management consultant, fractional CFO, and educator. With over 20 years of experience advising companies from startups to Fortune 500s, Carl also teaches at Rice University and runs finance training programs for corporate teams. He brings a unique blend of technical mastery, business strategy, and teaching skill, making him the perfect voice to discuss why FP&A must go beyond the spreadsheet and into the realm of influence.Expect to Learn:Why teaching is an essential skill for every FP&A professionalHow to tailor your message to different audiences, from analysts to executivesWhy oversharing details can derail your influenceHow to spot when your audience is confused (and how to pull them back in)Practical strategies for teaching finance without using jargon or acronymsHere are a few quotes from the episode:“The best presenters speak to the audience's needs, not their own ego.” - Carl Seidman“FP&A is often the bridge, translating finance for operations and operations for finance.” - Glenn SnyderCarl Seidman reminds us that the heart of FP&A isn't just analysis, it's communication, clarity, and connection. Through teaching, finance professionals can elevate their impact, build trust, and drive real business understanding. This episode reinforces that the most effective finance leaders don't just present data, they help others make sense of it.Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Carl:LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/carlseidmanWebsite: seidmanfinancial.comEarn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FP&A Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today's Episode[02:30] - Meet Carl Seidman[04:48] - What Does “FP&A as a Teacher” Mean?[08:20] - Teaching Early in Your Career[19:33] - Who Does FP&A Need to Teach?[25:54] - Teaching Financial Impact[29:19] - Ditch the Jargon[35:44] - Spotting Confused Audiences[41:59] - Teaching for Long-Term Growth[43:58] - Celebrity on a Deserted Island

After leading Rice University in tackles in 2023, Plae Wyatt entered the 2024 season ready to build on that success. But when an early injury cut his season short, Plae found a new way to lead — through mentorship, service, and community impact. In this episode, we dive into how the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member turned adversity into action, launching the Plae Wyatt Free Youth Football Camp and dedicating his time to mentoring at-risk youth in the Houston area. Plae shares what drives him to serve, how his father's legacy with the McKinney Yellow Jackets shaped his purpose, and why leadership goes far beyond the football field.

One year ago, the Virani family made a historic gift to Rice Business, establishing the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. To mark the occasion, Owl Have You Know welcomes Farid Virani — entrepreneur, philanthropist and proud Rice University parent.In 1999, Farid founded Prime Communications with a single storefront in Houston's Baybrook Mall. Today, Prime Communications is the largest AT&T authorized retailer in North America, with more than 2,500 locations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Along the way, Farid has relied on three guiding principles — "stay humble, hungry and scrappy" — which continue to shape his approach to business and life.He joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to share his entrepreneurial journey, the Virani family's commitment to education and community, and the vision behind the Virani Undergraduate School of Business — a school designed to empower the next generation of ethical, curious, and compassionate business leaders.Episode Guide:00:15 Meet Farid Virani: Entrepreneur and Philanthropist04:26 Building a Business Empire05:58 Philanthropy and Community Investment07:39 The Virani Undergraduate School of Business11:24 Leadership and Business Education17:32 The Faris Foundation: A Legacy of Giving20:25 Advice for Aspiring EntrepreneursThe Owl Have You Know Podcast is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How being agile can separate you from other business leaders14:13: So, everything is moving very fast. For the next generation of entrepreneurs, the business leaders not only have to build businesses and solve problems in society, but they have to be agile. They have to be fast. They have to embrace technology. That's a lot of stuff that is coming their way. They have to find their own North Star as to what they're going to do, and how you do it, I think, will depend on individuals—on their passion, on what they find exciting, what excites them. But more than that, to me, it will require a mixture of basic business fundamentals—doing the right things, building things, having great teams around—but embracing technology, not running away from it. Embracing change, not running away from it. I think that will separate successful entrepreneurs and businesses.What Farid hopes for the Virani School15:48: So, my hope is that the Virani School at Rice becomes a top 10 school in the country. Top 5. You said it. That is what we strive—I think Peter and the leadership will strive to do that. But more than that, for me, is that it becomes an institution—the Virani School—that develops the future leaders for the country. Now, whether they are in business, in entrepreneurship, whether it is in the political arena, or whether it is in any industry, so long as it develops leaders that give back to the community and give back to society, and give back to the country, then we will all benefit.Stay humble, hungry and scrappy21:02: Be curious, because you just do not know what life has in store for you. I mean, I think for me, being curious and asking questions about things has served me well, and obviously, be grateful that you are part of an amazing institution like Rice—even more special, the Virani School. But then, you know, stay humble, stay scrappy, and stay hungry, and that pretty much has served me well. And it is simple, you can remember it, and it is nothing fancy.Show Links: TranscriptThe Virani Undergraduate School of Business announcementGuest Profile:Farid Virani | Rice Business

A significant research project on faith at work was conducted by Professors Denise Daniels from Wheaton College and Elaine Ecklund from Rice University. From the surveys and interviews conducted, Denise Daniels created a Faith at Work Matrix. In this series, I'll address four methods of work Professor Daniels believes can benefit the Kingdom of God. ... The post Faith at Work Matrix: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

For Scott Abell, coming to Longwood in the fall of 1988 was an easy decision. Former Longwood Baseball coach Buddy Bolding made him an offer he could not refuse. In his four-year career, the Lancer catcher compiled a .336 batting average and led the Lancers to the final four of the 1991 NCAA Division II CWS. Shortly after graduation, he reunited with his first love, football. After coaching high school and college teams to conference and state championships, he is in his first year as the Dunlevie Family head coach at Rice University in Houston TX.

Dr Braxton is a Christian, whereas Dr Pinn is a Secular Humanist. While their respective traditions have often stood in bitter opposition, in a deeply divided world, Braxton and Pinn demonstrate that constructive dialogue is essential. This “master class” offers a compelling model for engaging across religious, ethical, and cultural differences. Through frank, personal, and deeply informed discussion, Braxton and Pinn tackle urgent topics such as ongoing violence against historically minoritised communities, the rise of religiously unaffiliated groups, and the Black Lives Matter movement. They also delve into profound philosophical questions of religion, moral evil, and hope. Discover how open exchange, respecting rather than masking differences, fosters the common good. This unique event invites us to learn how to be better people who can, in turn, transform our world into a more inclusive and loving place. Brad R. Braxton is President of and Professor of Public Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary. He is the Founding Senior Pastor of The Open Church and formerly served as the Director of the Center for the Study of African American Religious Life at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. His most recent book is 'Open: Unorthodox Thoughts on God and Community'. Anthony Pinn is the Agnes Cullen Arnold Distinguished Professor of Humanities and professor of religion at Rice University, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Professor Extraordinarius at the University of South Africa and a visiting scholar at Harvard Divinity School. He received his BA from Columbia University, Master of Divinity and PhD in the study of religion from Harvard University.

European Space Industry Shakeup: Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have announced a groundbreaking merger to form a new powerhouse in space systems, aiming for European autonomy in space technology. This collaboration will focus on everything from satellites to deep space exploration and is set to launch in 2027, employing around 25,000 people and generating significant revenue.Jupiter's Role in Earth's Formation: New research from Rice University reveals that a young Jupiter may have saved Earth from spiraling into the Sun. By creating pressure bumps in the protoplanetary disk, Jupiter allowed rocky planets like Earth to form stably, reshaping our understanding of solar system dynamics and the search for habitable exoplanets.Real-Time Ring Formation: Astronomers have made history by observing 44 rings forming around the centaur 2060 Chiron in real time. This evolving system, which includes water, ice, and rock, provides critical insights into the processes of ring formation and the dynamics of small celestial bodies.Discovery of Ross 508b: A new super Earth, Ross 508b, has been discovered 37 light years away, raising excitement among astronomers. This exoplanet's elliptical orbit around an M dwarf star presents potential for liquid water, making it a prime target for atmospheric studies by JWST.SpaceX Launch Milestone: SpaceX has achieved a remarkable milestone with its 139th mission of 2025, launching Spain's SpainSat NG2 satellite. This record-breaking pace of 134 Falcon 9 launches this year highlights the future of accessible space and the potential for enhanced astronomical research.For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.✍️ Episode ReferencesEuropean Space Industry Merger[Airbus](https://www.airbus.com/)Jupiter's Role in Solar System Formation[Rice University](https://www.rice.edu/)2060 Chiron Ring Observations[Astrophysical Journal Letters](https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0004-637X)Ross 508b Discovery[National Astronomical Observatory of Japan](https://www.nao.ac.jp/en/)SpaceX Launch Records[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)Astronomy Daily[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click away... Click HereSponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click Here

In 2006, the Masdar City project was launched in the United Arab Emirates. Supported by $22 billion in state-funding, it aimed to be the world's most sustainable city. Situated 6km away from Zayed International Airport, neighbouring a Formula 1 racetrack and golf course, Abu Dhabi's eco-utopia is full of contradictions.Bertie discusses why oil-rich Gulf states like UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing in sustainability with Gökçe Günel, Associate Professor in Anthropology at Rice University. Gökçe is the author of Spaceship in the Desert: Energy, Climate Change, and Urban Design in Abu Dhabi, published in 2019 by Duke University Press. Further reading: Inside COP28: A Participant's Take on Climate Diplomacy Efforts in Dubai, Gökçe Günel, Baker Institute, 2024 Horizons, Gökçe Günel, e-flux Architecture, 2022Spaceship in the Desert: Energy, Climate Change, and Urban Design in Abu Dhabi, Gökçe Günel, Duke University Press, 2019  Click here for our website to read all our most recent Land and Climate Review features and pieces.

President Trump is defending the demolition of the White House's East Wing. Months ago, he said the construction "won't interfere with the current building." We're Keeping Them Honest. Plus, presidential historian and Rice University history professor Douglas Brinkley gives his take on the extensive project to build a ballroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Presidential power has expanded far beyond what the framers of the Constitution envisioned. From Lincoln and Roosevelt to Nixon and Trump, presidents have pushed the limits of executive authority — often during moments of crisis. Understanding this history is key to understanding what comes next for American democracyIn this episode, host Simone Leeper speaks with American historians Douglas Brinkley and Rick Perlstein, CLC Executive Director Adav Noti and Juan Proaño, CEO of LULAC. In conversation, they trace how the presidency has gathered sweeping power over time; what happens when oversight of this executive power breaks down; and what legal, legislative and civic reforms could restore accountability, prevent presidential overreach and safeguard the constitutional separation of powers that defines the United States.Timestamps:(00:05) — Why were federal troops deployed in Los Angeles?(05:11) — Can the president legally invoke emergency powers?(07:31) — How did the Founders limit presidential authority?(09:14) — When did executive orders begin to expand presidential power?(10:25) — How did FDR and later presidents redefine the presidency?(13:04) — What did Nixon's “If the president does it, it's not illegal” comment really mean?(15:22) — What are the origins of the so-called unitary executive theory?(18:21) — How are checks and balances failing?(19:42) — Is America sliding toward authoritarianism?(27:57) — How is Campaign Legal Center fighting unlawful presidential overreach through litigation?(30:00) — Why does birthright citizenship matter for American democracy?(33:13) — What can be done to stop abuses of presidential authority?Host and Guests:Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at Campaign Legal Center, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.Juan Proaño is an entrepreneur, technologist and business leader who is active in civic affairs, social impact, and politics He has served as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since November 2023. As LULAC's CEO, Juan oversees the day-to-day operations at LULAC; identifies strategic growth areas; and works to amplify the organization's advocacy initiatives and action-oriented programs.Rick Perlstein is an American historian, writer and journalist who has garnered recognition for his chronicles of the post-1960s American conservative movement. He is the author of five bestselling books. Perlstein received the 2001 Los Angeles Times Book Award for History for his first book, Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus, and appeared on the best books of the year lists of The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune. His essays and book reviews have been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, The Village Voice and Slate, among others. A contributing editor and board member of In These Times magazine, he lives in Chicago.Douglas Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, CNN Presidential Historian and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. He works in many capacities in the world of public history, including on boards, museums, colleges and historical societies. The Chicago Tribune dubbed him “America's New Past Master.” The New York Historical has chosen Brinkley as their official U.S. Presidential Historian. His recent book Cronkite won the Sperber Prize, while The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast received the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. He has received a Grammy Award for Presidential Suite and seven honorary doctorates in American Studies. His two-volume annotated The Nixon Tapes recently won the Arthur S. Link – Warren F. Kuehl Prize. He is a member of the Century Association, Council of Foreign Relations and the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three children.Adav Noti coordinates all of Campaign Legal Center's operations and programmatic activities, overseeing CLC's efforts to protect elections, advance voter freedom, fix the campaign finance system, ensure fair redistricting and promote government ethics. Adav has conducted dozens of constitutional cases in trial and appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court. He also advises members of Congress and other policymakers on advancing democracy through legislation. Prior to joining CLC, Adav served for more than 10 years in nonpartisan leadership capacities within the Office of General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission, and he served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Adav regularly provides expert analysis for television, radio and print journalism.Links: Voting Is an American Freedom. The President Can't Change That – CLC  What Are Executive Orders and How Do They Work? – CLC  The Significance of Firing Inspectors General: Explained – CLC  CLC's Kedric Payne on Trump's Brazen Removal of Nation's Top Ethics Official – CLC  The Justice Department Is In Danger Of Losing Its Way Under Trump – CLC  It's almost Inauguration Day. Will there be any checks on Trump's power? – Trevor Potter op-d in The Hill Amidst the Noise and Confusion – Trevor Potter's newsletter Understanding Corruption and Conflicts of Interest in Government | Campaign Legal Center – CLC  CLC Sues to Stop Elon Musk and DOGE's Lawless, Unconstitutional Power Grab | Campaign Legal Center – CLC  Trump's Executive Orders 2025 – Federal Register  Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections (Trump's EO on voting) – The White House  Defending the Freedom to Vote from the Trump Administration's Unconstitutional Presidential Overreach (LULAC, et al. v. Executive Office of the President) – CLC  CLC Sues to Block Trump Administration's Illegal Election Overreach – CLC  Victory! Anti-Voter Executive Order Halted in Court – CLC  Understanding the election tech implications in the Trump Administration's executive order – Verified Voting  Independent Agencies Must Remain Independent – CLC  Can President Trump Do That? – CLC  Why Birthright Citizenship Is an Essential Part of Our Democracy – CLC  Authoritarianism, explained – Protect Democracy The Authoritarian Playbook – Protect Democracy U.S. Supreme Court Significantly Limits Restraints on Unconstitutional Presidential Actions – CLC  Reconciliation Bill Passes the Senate Without Two Dangerous Provisions: Campaign Legal Center Reacts – CLC  The “Self-Evident” Case for Opposing Tyranny – Trevor Potter's Newsletter White House Eyes Rarely Used Power to Override Congress on Spending – NY TimesAbout CLC:Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Campaign Legal Center fights for every American's freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Learn more about us.Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Carole Keim welcomes Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatric Rheumatology Dr. Cristina Saez, MD, to The Baby Manual to discuss what rheumatology is and how pediatric rheumatology works. She studies and has training in autoimmune diseases, specifically ones affecting bones, muscles, joints, or multiple organ systems,  in children. Dr. Saez tells Dr. Keim that though she sees children for different things, the most common is joint pain. Juvenile arthritis is likely the most common rheumatologic diagnosis seen in her clinic. Cristina details how joint pain presents in children and the method of assessment used in diagnosis. She also treats a lot of recurrent fevers and tells Carole how fevers can present in diseases that affect the immune system, which is what she works to assess. Practical information on how to identify joint pain, what grade of fever should prompt medical intervention, and the types of medication used in treatment are all explained by Dr. Saez in this insightful episode. Dr. Cristina Saez, MD:Dr. Cristina Saez is the Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatric Rheumatology at Stanford Medicine. She graduated from Rice University with a BA in Kinesiology with a focus on Health Sciences in 2015. After graduation, she started medical school at Baylor College of Medicine. While there, she was an active member of the Pediatric Student Association and participated in the Medical Ethics Track. Outside of class, she enjoyed mentoring younger students through the Anatomy Buddies tutoring program and the Peer Resource Network program. She still kept in touch with the Kinesiology Department and even helped teach undergraduate students in the gross anatomy course. During her later years, she helped develop a protocol within the Pediatric Rheumatology department at Texas Children's Hospital to help adolescent patients prepare for the transition from pediatric to adult care.__ Resources discussed in this episode:The Holistic Mamas Handbook is available on AmazonThe Baby Manual is also available on Amazon__Contact Dr. Carole Keim, MDlinktree | tiktok | Instagram Contact Dr. Cristina Saez, MDStanford Medicine Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's the point of going to college? There used to be an obvious answer to this: to acquire the knowledge to get a better job. But in our AI age, when smart machines are already challenging many white collar professions, the point of college is increasingly coming into question—especially given its time and financial commitment. According to Caroline Levander, author of the upcoming InventEd, the American ‘tradition of innovation' can transform college today. Levander, who serves as Vice President for Global Strategy at Rice University, argues that colleges must transform themselves from museums into startups. Indeed, the ideal of failure, so celebrated in Silicon Valley, must become a pillar of reinvented universities. And students too, who Levander has suggested have become increasingly conservative in their attitude to personal risk, must also learn to embrace not just innovative technological tools but also the messiness of personal disruption. That should be the point of college, Levander says. To learn how to productively fail. 1. Universities Must Choose: Museum or Startup? Levander argues universities exist on a continuum between museums (curating and preserving accumulated wisdom) and startups (messy, high-risk spaces for creating new knowledge). Most institutions haven't intentionally decided where they belong on this spectrum, but they need to embrace a more dynamic, startup-oriented position to remain relevant.2. Student Risk Aversion is the Real Crisis Today's students are increasingly conservative, focused on maximizing GPAs and taking “safe” courses rather than exploring creatively. Universities must build a “growth mindset” that encourages failure and experimentation—treating creativity as a muscle to develop rather than a fixed trait like eye color.3. Disciplinary Diversity is America's Innovation Secret Just as biodiversity sustains ecosystems, disciplinary diversity fuels innovation. Breakthrough moments are unpredictable—Steve Jobs in calligraphy, investor Bill Miller in a philosophy seminar on John Searle. Closing departments and narrowing curricula amounts to “eating our seed corn” and threatens America's competitive advantage.4. The Dropout Myth Misses the Point While figures like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman dropped out successfully, Levander asks: “How do we create more Steve Jobses who find the university not a place to leave, but a place to continue building creative capability?” The goal is to institutionalize and scale what now happens by happenstance.5. Attacking Universities Threatens National Innovation The current political assault on university funding—particularly research dollars—isn't just bad for Harvard or Rice. It threatens America's entire innovation economy, since universities remain the primary incubators for industry-creating discoveries that drive national prosperity and competitiveness. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Tim Rinehart is the Principal Double Bassist of the Oregon Symphony. A graduate of Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, Tim studied with Paul Ellison while also earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He is the winner of the 2025 International Society of Bassists Orchestral Division Competition and has performed with numerous prestigious orchestras including the Boston Symphony, London Symphony, and Houston Symphony. Tim shares his journey through multiple auditions in a single season, revealing the breakthrough preparation strategies that led to winning his current. He discusses mental performance techniques, systematic practice methods, committee expectations, his education with Paul Ellison at Rice University, and his new role with the Oregon Symphony. Connect with Tim: Website Instagram YouTube Oregon Symphony profile Connect with DBHQ: Join Our Newsletter Double Bass Resources Double Bass Sheet Music Double Bass Merch Gear used to record this podcast: Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder Rode Podmic Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens   When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.   Thank you to our sponsors! Upton Bass - From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like Max Zeugner of the New York Philharmonic, each Upton Bass is crafted with precision in Connecticut, USA, and built to last for generations.  Discover your perfect bass with Upton Bass today! Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah's website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here. Theme music by Eric Hochberg

Welcome to another LEGENDARY episode of Storybeast! Our Legendaries are special guests who are an expert within their area of storytelling. In this episode, Ghabiba Weston and Courtney Shack have the pleasure of interviewing legendary Dr. Grace Nosek.Dr. Grace Nosek is a long-time community organizer, storyteller, and sociolegal scholar focusing on environmental justice and democracy. She centers justice, joyful community, storytelling, civic engagement, and systems change in her work and scholarship. As a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto, Grace researched novel strategies to inoculate youth against climate despair, and co-authored the City of Toronto's Youth Climate Engagement Strategy. Grace's research has been supported by Fulbright, Killam, and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation scholarships, and she holds a BA from Rice University, a law degree from Harvard Law School, and a Master of Laws and PhD in law from the University of British Columbia. Her research, fiction, and non-fiction writing have been published and shared widely and she has been a frequent public speaker and media contributor.In this episode, you'll hear:Grace bringing her iconic sleepover energy to the podabout the power of taking your time and the space to dreamabout ROOTBOUNDthe unbelievable power of storytellingGrace on humans as meaning making machinesinsight into external and internal storiesmore about re-releasing and the inspiration behind the revisions in ROOTBOUNDabout stan culture and meme cultureabout "magicifying" metaphorical real world systemsa real life map of climate action we can takemore on narrative seeding and real world dark magicabout the housewives of climatehow to approach networking through meaningful connection and authenticityFor more storytelling content to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter.Feel free to reach out if you want to talk story or snacks!A warm thank you to Deore for our musical number. You can find more of her creative work on Spotify.As ever, thank you for listening, Beasties! Please consider leaving a review to support this podcast.Be brave, stay beastly!

After Donald Trump took credit for negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Israeli occupation forces killed several Palestinian civilians in Gaza on Tuesday of this week, violating a ceasefire as Israel's government vowed to keep restricting aid to the devastated enclave until Hamas returns the bodies of hostages taken two years ago. On today's Palestine Post, we speak with Dr. Ussama Makdisi, Professor of History and Chancellor's Chair at the University of California Berkeley. He was previously Professor of History and the first holder of the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies at Rice University in Houston. He is the author of many books including Age of Coexistence: The Ecumenical Frame and the Making of the Modern Arab World which was published in 2019 by the University of California Press. — Subscribe to this podcast: https://plinkhq.com/i/1637968343?to=page Get in touch: lawanddisorder@kpfa.org Follow us on socials @LawAndDis: https://twitter.com/LawAndDis; https://www.instagram.com/lawanddis/ The post Palestine Post w/ Dr. Ussama Makdisi appeared first on KPFA.

Join Libo Li, a data engineer at Meta, as he delves into his unconventional career journey from architecture to tech. Discover how his natural curiosity and drive for growth propelled him through various roles at companies like WeWork and AAC Resource. Libo shares insights on embracing fear as a signal for growth, the value of continuous learning, and thriving in chaotic environments. Whether it's discussing effective communication or exploring side projects, Libo's story offers motivating takeaways for anyone looking to navigate and explore diverse career paths.Highlights:3 words: Curious, Irreverent, and GrittyEmbrace Growth: Transitioning between roles and industries can lead to significant personal and professional development.Curiosity as a Driver: A natural curiosity can propel individuals to explore new opportunities and learn from diverse experiences.Importance of Adaptability: Being open to new experiences and learning quickly on the job is crucial for success in tech and beyond.Communication is Key: Whether in architecture or data engineering, clear documentation and effective communication are vital.Fear and Growth: Facing fear and embracing chaos can lead to valuable learning experiences and growth opportunities.See more:https://www.instagram.com/most.podern/Guest Bio:Libo Li is a trained architect working as a data engineer in New York City. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University. His focus is on the impact of data and technology on design production, building software, systems, and operational models at companies like KPF, WeWork, CBRE, and Meta. He was COO of Voyansi, a BIM solutions company recently acquired by Hexagon. He was CTO at KatalsyDI, where he lead the technology team building the analytics platform to integrate construction supply chains. He co-founder Small Tiger to empower architecture firms with modern digital operations; where he works with emerging firms to question how they work to scale their agency. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In hour 3, Mark is joined by Tim Graham, the Executive Editor for the Media Research Center's Newsbusters. They discuss CNN hosting a Town Hall on the Government Shutdown, the media's coverage of the Middle East Peace Deal and more. Mark is then joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, a Former Businessman and Lawyer, and a Former Opinion Columnist and Editorial Board Member at the House Chronicle. He discusses his latest piece in Real Clear Politics which is headlined, "Extending the ACA Subsidies". He wraps up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark is joined by Rocky Sickmann, a former Iranian hostage and US Marine. He is also the Director of Anheuser-Busch's accounts for Folds of Honor. He shares his thoughts on the 20 hostages being released from Gaza. He is then joined by Asra Nomani, a Senior Fellow at the Independent Women's Network and the Founder of the Pearl Network. She shares her thoughts on the Middle East Peace Deal, the return of the Israeli hostages 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. He's later joined by Jamie Reed, the whistleblower from Washington University's Pediatric Transgender Center and the Executive Director of the LGB Courage Coalition. She reacts to being called a liar by John Oliver. In hour 3, Mark is joined by Tim Graham, the Executive Editor for the Media Research Center's Newsbusters. They discuss CNN hosting a Town Hall on the Government Shutdown, the media's coverage of the Middle East Peace Deal and more. Mark is then joined by Bill King, a Research Fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, a Former Businessman and Lawyer, and a Former Opinion Columnist and Editorial Board Member at the House Chronicle. He discusses his latest piece in Real Clear Politics which is headlined, "Extending the ACA Subsidies". He wraps 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 and Lawyer, and a Former Opinion Columnist and Editorial Board Member at the House Chronicle. He discusses his latest piece in Real Clear Politics which is headlined, "Extending the ACA Subsidies".

In this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast, Mike Shanley sits down with Dr. Robert Bishop, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering at Texas A&M University, to discuss how universities can accelerate innovation for the Department of War. They explore Texas A&M's unique approach to bridging academia, industry, and government through initiatives like the Inspire Alliance 501(c)(3). From hypersonics and robotics to nuclear and quantum research, Dr. Bishop shares how universities can deliver faster, more agile solutions while supporting warfighters and national security priorities. Whether you're from industry, government, or academia, this conversation provides actionable insights on collaboration, research partnerships, and speeding R&D processes. Viewers interested in partnering with Texas A&M or connecting with Dr. Bishop directly can reach out via email at vcdengineering.tamu.edu to discuss opportunities, collaborations, or academic programs. BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Robert H. Bishop '79 serves as the vice chancellor and dean of the Texas A&M University College of Engineering and director of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station. Bishop graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M before earning his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering at Rice University. In 1990, he became a faculty member at The University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, where he later held an endowed position and served as department chair. Bishop served as dean of engineering at Marquette University starting in 2010. In 2014, he was selected to lead The University of South Florida's College of Engineering before returning to Texas A&M in 2024. As an active researcher and scholar, Bishop is a specialist in the area of systems theory, guidance and control of spacecraft, and navigation and estimation theory with applications across a broad range of aerospace challenges. He has extensive experience working with NASA and the Department of Defense. LEARN MORE: Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about working with the U.S. Government by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and GovDiscovery AI. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com https://www.konektid.com  

The economy is in a precarious situation. Could a prolonged shutdown send the economy tumbling over the edge? We talk with John Diamond, Senior Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at Rice University's Baker Institute.

Why is it so difficult to account for the role of identity in literary studies? Why do both writers and scholars of Indian English literature express resistance to India and Indianness? What does this reveal about how non-Western literatures are read, taught, and understood? Drawing on years of experiences in classrooms and on U.S. university campuses, Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan explores how writers, critics, teachers, and students of Indian English literatures negotiate and resist the categories through which the field is defined: ethnic, postcolonial, and Anglophone.Overdetermined: How Indian English Literature Becomes Ethnic, Postcolonial, and Anglophone (Columbia UP, 2025) considers major contemporary authors who disavow identity even as their works and public personas respond in varied ways to the imperatives of being “Indian.” Chapters examine Bharati Mukherjee's rejection of “ethnic” Americanness; Chetan Bhagat's “bad English”; Amit Chaudhuri's autofictional literary project; and Jhumpa Lahiri's decision to write in Italian, interspersed with meditations on the iconicity of the theorists Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and Edward Said. Through an innovative method of accented reading and sharing stories and syllabi from her teaching, Srinivasan relates the burdens of representation faced by ethnic and postcolonial writers to the institutional and disciplinary pressures that affect the scholars who study their works. Engaging and self-reflexive, Overdetermined offers new insight into the dynamics that shape contemporary Indian English literature, the politics of identity in literary studies, and the complexities of teaching minoritized literatures in the West. Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is assistant professor of English at Rice University. Her books include the essays What is We? (2025) and the coedited Thinking with an Accent: Toward a New Object, Method, and Practice (2023), and her public writing has appeared in numerous venues. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here 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

For Marian Villegas '23, art can be found in everything — even petroleum engineering. Raised in Tabasco, Mexico, Marian grew up inspired by her father's work in oil and gas and her own lifelong love of painting. That dual passion led her to a career in petroleum engineering — and eventually to Rice Business, where her MBA helped her grow in both her role as a senior asset manager at EDP Renewables North America and as the founder of her art studio, Mablueart.In this episode, Marian joins co-host Maya Pomroy '22 to share how she's built a career that bridges energy and art, the lessons she's carried from Tabasco to Houston, and why creativity continues to guide everything she does.Episode Guide:01:38 Growing up in Tabasco04:37 Pursuing a Career in Petroleum Engineering09:51 Transition to the United States and Career Growth14:05 Discovering and Nurturing a Passion for Art18:57 Exploring Graduate School and MBA Programs23:43 Starting Mablueart26:15 Incorporating Unique Elements Into Art33:12 Future Goals and Teaching at RiceThe Owl Have You Know Podcast is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Seeing petroleum engineering as an art[6:13]: So I wanted to have a good understanding of that [petroleum engineering] from a guy who was leading an entire organization. So I went there. He was extremely nice. He saw me, he's a very sharp guy. And then the minute he saw me, he was like, “Okay, Marian, I guess those are all your questions. I'm going to just talk about petroleum engineering. You don't need to tell me questions. I will just tell you my story.” And after an hour and a half — not 15 minutes — an hour and a half, of this amazing story, I fell in love with that, the idea of being a petroleum engineer. He'd talk about, “This is art.” You know, the words, the way he was explaining that to me, like a story… for me that was a: Yes, I want something that I can feel that passionate about. For me, it's also art in a way.From oil and gas roots to pursuing art[3:59]: I grew up in this beautiful town. It's a very small town, Tabasco (Villahermosa), but it is all about oil and gas. Everybody, every single thing, is about oil and gas. So I always loved art in a way — always reading art, always painting. I have been painting my whole life in different aspects, but I never thought about that as another source of income, in a way, as a business.When art as therapy becomes a business[17:06]: Until today, it [creating art] used to be my therapy, in a way. I would work the entire week, and during the weekends I would paint full-time. And for me, that was my escape. Today it's also business. I have deliverables, I have people waiting. And my biggest fear was that, at some point, I would just stop enjoying this part of the art world because I needed to deliver. So that's why I guess it took me so long to decide to make it big, as I did not want to see this as another job. I wanted to keep painting and seeing this as my therapy, and art is always, for me, the answer. But, I did'nt want that to take away that creativity from me.Show Links: Mablueart.comThe Art of Networking with Marian Villegas – Nov. 1, 2025 at Rice UniversityTranscriptGuest Profile:Marian Villegas | LinkedIn

Why is it so difficult to account for the role of identity in literary studies? Why do both writers and scholars of Indian English literature express resistance to India and Indianness? What does this reveal about how non-Western literatures are read, taught, and understood? Drawing on years of experiences in classrooms and on U.S. university campuses, Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan explores how writers, critics, teachers, and students of Indian English literatures negotiate and resist the categories through which the field is defined: ethnic, postcolonial, and Anglophone.Overdetermined: How Indian English Literature Becomes Ethnic, Postcolonial, and Anglophone (Columbia UP, 2025) considers major contemporary authors who disavow identity even as their works and public personas respond in varied ways to the imperatives of being “Indian.” Chapters examine Bharati Mukherjee's rejection of “ethnic” Americanness; Chetan Bhagat's “bad English”; Amit Chaudhuri's autofictional literary project; and Jhumpa Lahiri's decision to write in Italian, interspersed with meditations on the iconicity of the theorists Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and Edward Said. Through an innovative method of accented reading and sharing stories and syllabi from her teaching, Srinivasan relates the burdens of representation faced by ethnic and postcolonial writers to the institutional and disciplinary pressures that affect the scholars who study their works. Engaging and self-reflexive, Overdetermined offers new insight into the dynamics that shape contemporary Indian English literature, the politics of identity in literary studies, and the complexities of teaching minoritized literatures in the West. Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is assistant professor of English at Rice University. Her books include the essays What is We? (2025) and the coedited Thinking with an Accent: Toward a New Object, Method, and Practice (2023), and her public writing has appeared in numerous venues. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Why is it so difficult to account for the role of identity in literary studies? Why do both writers and scholars of Indian English literature express resistance to India and Indianness? What does this reveal about how non-Western literatures are read, taught, and understood? Drawing on years of experiences in classrooms and on U.S. university campuses, Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan explores how writers, critics, teachers, and students of Indian English literatures negotiate and resist the categories through which the field is defined: ethnic, postcolonial, and Anglophone.Overdetermined: How Indian English Literature Becomes Ethnic, Postcolonial, and Anglophone (Columbia UP, 2025) considers major contemporary authors who disavow identity even as their works and public personas respond in varied ways to the imperatives of being “Indian.” Chapters examine Bharati Mukherjee's rejection of “ethnic” Americanness; Chetan Bhagat's “bad English”; Amit Chaudhuri's autofictional literary project; and Jhumpa Lahiri's decision to write in Italian, interspersed with meditations on the iconicity of the theorists Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and Edward Said. Through an innovative method of accented reading and sharing stories and syllabi from her teaching, Srinivasan relates the burdens of representation faced by ethnic and postcolonial writers to the institutional and disciplinary pressures that affect the scholars who study their works. Engaging and self-reflexive, Overdetermined offers new insight into the dynamics that shape contemporary Indian English literature, the politics of identity in literary studies, and the complexities of teaching minoritized literatures in the West. Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is assistant professor of English at Rice University. Her books include the essays What is We? (2025) and the coedited Thinking with an Accent: Toward a New Object, Method, and Practice (2023), and her public writing has appeared in numerous venues. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Why is it so difficult to account for the role of identity in literary studies? Why do both writers and scholars of Indian English literature express resistance to India and Indianness? What does this reveal about how non-Western literatures are read, taught, and understood? Drawing on years of experiences in classrooms and on U.S. university campuses, Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan explores how writers, critics, teachers, and students of Indian English literatures negotiate and resist the categories through which the field is defined: ethnic, postcolonial, and Anglophone.Overdetermined: How Indian English Literature Becomes Ethnic, Postcolonial, and Anglophone (Columbia UP, 2025) considers major contemporary authors who disavow identity even as their works and public personas respond in varied ways to the imperatives of being “Indian.” Chapters examine Bharati Mukherjee's rejection of “ethnic” Americanness; Chetan Bhagat's “bad English”; Amit Chaudhuri's autofictional literary project; and Jhumpa Lahiri's decision to write in Italian, interspersed with meditations on the iconicity of the theorists Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and Edward Said. Through an innovative method of accented reading and sharing stories and syllabi from her teaching, Srinivasan relates the burdens of representation faced by ethnic and postcolonial writers to the institutional and disciplinary pressures that affect the scholars who study their works. Engaging and self-reflexive, Overdetermined offers new insight into the dynamics that shape contemporary Indian English literature, the politics of identity in literary studies, and the complexities of teaching minoritized literatures in the West. Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is assistant professor of English at Rice University. Her books include the essays What is We? (2025) and the coedited Thinking with an Accent: Toward a New Object, Method, and Practice (2023), and her public writing has appeared in numerous venues. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

In this conversation, Host Michael Lerner talks with author and professor Jeffrey Kripal about his book The Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions. Jeffrey considers this unusual autobiographical journey through his work as the key to much of the rest of his 13-volume oeuvre, which will be examined throughout this series of conversations. Jeffrey J. Kripal Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University. He also co-directs the Center for Theory and Research at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Jeff is the author of numerous books, most recently How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else. His remarkable website jefrreyjkripal.com describes his groundbreaking 13 books and his entire oeuvre. This series of conversations explores all 13 books. Host Michael Lerner Michael is founder and board chair emeritus of Commonweal. His principal work at Commonweal is with the Cancer Help Program, CancerChoices.org, the Omega Resilience Projects, the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, and The New School at Commonweal. He was the recipient of a MacArthur Prize Fellowship for contributions to public health in 1983 and is author of Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Therapies (MIT Press). Find out more about The New School at Commonweal on our website: tns.commonweal.org. And like/follow our Soundcloud channel for more great podcasts.

In this conversation, Host Michael Lerner talks with author and professor Jeffrey Kripal about his book Kali's Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna. This was a revised version of his PhD dissertation at the University of Chicago. It was greeted with acclaim in the West and with vitriol by Hindu fundamentalists. It begins Kripal's long study of homoerotic themes in world religions. Jeffrey J. Kripal Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University. He also co-directs the Center for Theory and Research at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Jeff is the author of numerous books, most recently How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else. His remarkable website jefrreyjkripal.com describes his groundbreaking 13 books and his entire oeuvre. This series of conversations explores all 13 books. Host Michael Lerner Michael is founder and board chair emeritus of Commonweal. His principal work at Commonweal is with the Cancer Help Program, CancerChoices.org, the Omega Resilience Projects, the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, and The New School at Commonweal. He was the recipient of a MacArthur Prize Fellowship for contributions to public health in 1983 and is author of Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Therapies (MIT Press).

On Thursday's show: Much of the federal government is shut down after Senate Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a spending bill to keep the government open. Houston Rep. Lizzie Fletcher joins us to discuss the implications and what it would take to reopen.Also this hour: We learn about a program from Houston Methodist and Rice University to train Houston students and teachers to shape the future of digital health.And we preview the Nigeria Cultural Parade and Festival, which takes place this Saturday, Oct. 4, in downtown Houston.Watch

OK, slime molds don't write. But amazing things have been written about them, allowing us to appreciate their wonder, explore societal ideas, and inspire future scientists. Dr. Lacy Johnson, from Rice University in Texas joins us to discuss why she chose to write a creative writing essay on slime molds and why she views creative writing as essential to science communication.   

Today, we welcome two remarkable guests: composer Amy Scurria and Dr. Ryan Gardner, Associate Professor of Trumpet at the University of Colorado Boulder. Amy, a multi-award-winning composer, has seen her work performed worldwide, including at Carnegie Hall. With a unique perspective shaped by her late autism diagnosis, she began composing at just eight years old, using music as a language to explore her emotions. Ryan, originally from Santa Monica, California, has spent over a decade teaching trumpet and is known for his innovative approaches to performance psychology. He also serves as the artistic director for Music for Autism, a program that creates inclusive concert experiences for autistic individuals and their families.In this first part of our conversation, we dive into the intersections of music and autism. Amy shares her insights on neurodiversity and how it shapes her approach to composing, while Ryan discusses the transformative power of music for autistic audiences. As Amy poignantly states, "Neurodiversity means we're just scratching the surface of what the human brain is capable of and how it works." Their stories and perspectives promise to offer enlightening views on how music can bridge differences and create connections.[Subscriber Content] In the subscriber section, we delve deeper into Amy's journey as a composer and her educational experiences. She reflects on her influences, including her composition teachers at Rice University and Duke University, and shares thoughts on how improvisation has played a role in her creative process. Ryan also discusses the impactful training he received and the importance of understanding individual learning styles in music education. Their shared wisdom is sure to resonate and inspire anyone interested in the rich tapestry of music education and neurodiversity.DoricoProfessional music notation and composition software from Steinberg. Download a free 30-trial today!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Would you like more inspirational stories, suggestions, insights, and a place to continue the conversations with other listeners? Visit anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com to learn more! As a Contributing Listener of "Anthony Plog on Music," you'll have access to extra premium content and benefits including: Extra Audio Content: Only available to Contributing Listeners. Podcast Reflections: Tony's written recaps and thoughts on past interviews, including valuable tips and suggestions for students. Ask Me Anything: Both as written messages and occasional member-only Zoom sessions. The Show's Discord Server: Where conversations about interviews, show suggestions, and questions happen. It's a great place to meet other listeners and chat about all things music! Can I just donate instead of subscribing? Absolutely! Cancel at anytime and easily resubscribe when you want all that extra content again. Learn more about becoming a Contributing Listener @ anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com!

At 13 years old Sandra Schnakenburg was hit by a car traveling 100 mph while riding her bike. In addition to having her face reconstructed, she suffered a traumatic brain injury long before such injuries were widely understood. Her parents struggled to cope with her forgetfulness and memory loss, and they gave up trying. Thus began her 10-year struggle with bulimia, which shaped her in profound ways and deepened her appreciation for resilience and healing. Sandra Schnakenburg, a dual American/Australian citizen, holds a BS in Finance and International Business from Arizona State University and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from USC. After leaving a corporate finance career in 2010, she pursued creative nonfiction through courses at Writespace, Rice University, and The Writers University.    From an early age, Sandra envisioned herself leading an amazing life, even during the darkest times. Every day she consciously chose to have a good attitude and looked for the positive, even in painful situations—asking herself, "What can I learn from this?"   "Life has a way of continually testing me. When I overcome one challenge, a bigger one often appears. But I believe this is how our souls evolve—through adversity, we grow. My faith is my anchor, even as it is constantly tested, and it keeps me grounded through each trial."   In her interview, Sandra challenges the listener to do the same.  INTERVIEW WATCH BOOK TRAILER HERE       For fans of stranger-than-truth stories, Sandy Schnakenburg uncovers rattling and unprecedented revelations in The Housekeeper's Secret -- a powerful memoir of love, secrets, and survival. When Lee Metoyer is hired to be the new housekeeper, she has no idea that she's about to become the anchor to a family in an abusive patriarch's home, setting a mystery in motion that will take decades to uncover. At the age of seventy-two, Lee falls ill and, on her deathbed, asks Sandy to author her story. The only problem is, Sandy doesn't know the story.   What happened to Lee was unimaginably horrific – nearly impossible to survive. Yet, she found a way to reinvent herself, adopting a new name, birthdate, and even fabricating an entire past. Forbidden from asking questions and often reprimanded for prying, Sandy had little insight into Lee's true history. Embarking on a quest to honor Lee's final wishes, Sandy takes an emotional and thrilling journey, unveiling shocking truths not only about her beloved housekeeper but also her own upbringing. As she digs further, she learns that Lee came to her family's sprawling estate in Barrington, IL, harboring a secret past. For decades, she's been in hiding. But Lee is not the only one with secrets; Sandy's quest forces her to grapple with her own family history as well, and to finally confront the effects of the psychological abuse she suffered as a child. Both chilling and exciting, The Housekeeper's Secret is a gripping tale of love and survival that illuminates the resilience of the human spirit.  

Episode 83 of The Mental Game features Dr. Lennie Waite, a PhD, Olympian and sports psychologist.Dr. Waite has experienced the mental game of sports on both sides: as an elite athlete and as a psychologist.Born in Scotland, Waite came to the U.S. in the mid-2000s to attend Rice University in Houston, where she ran track and set school records in the mile, 1500m and 3000m steeplechase.She then remained in Houston to pursue a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology while continuing her running career professionally and aiming to make it to the Olympic Games.Yes, she pursued a PhD and the Olympics at the same time.She completed her PhD in 2012, and her Olympic dream came true in 2016, when Waite made the British team and represented her nation at the Rio Olympics in the 3000m steeplechase.Now, Waite is a certified mental performance consultant for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. She also serves as  Chief Science Officer at HITE EQ, a cutting-edge mental performance platform designed to enhance athletes' mental health and skills.On The Mental Game, Waite…Dives deep into her multi-track journey — both to the Olympics and to the pinnacle of sports psychologyDishes out the valuable lessons she learned while becoming an OlympianExplains what makes HITE EQ the next big thing in sports psychologyAnd much, much more…The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TuneIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Stitcher⁠⁠.

Scott Abell, head football coach at Rice University, joins 365 Sports to discuss the Owls' 3–1 start, the challenges of navigating a deep American Athletic Conference, and the development of quarterback Chase Jenkins in his versatile offense. Abel also shares his perspective on coaching changes across college football, his journey from baseball to the sidelines, and what it's been like leading Rice in the heart of Texas high school football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3. Roman Parallels, American Exceptionalism, and the Potential of AI The discussion frequently draws parallels between Rome and America. Gaius and Michael Vlahos delve into Virgil's Aeneid, translated by Mr. McGill and Miss Wright of Rice University, describing it as a "brilliantly weaved" propaganda tool that Virgil and Augustusused to justify the Roman Empire, confer a "classic feel" by linking it to Greek culture, and foster "Roman exceptionalism." This "exceptionalism" implies being chosen by a divine force and requires a "dark force" as a counterpoint to prove its validity. For Rome, this dark force was the "corrupted capricious narcissistic king" (like Tarquin the Proud), against which Augustus presented himself as a princeps, an "incorruptible man" who was not a king but could ascend to divinity. Michael Vlahos applies this to American exceptionalism, noting the "blue" side's belief in a president who is "not a king" and embodies "democracy," contrasting with their view of President Trump as a king-like figure. Conversely, the "red" side embraces a charismatic leader figure, seeing it as consistent with American exceptionalism, similar to Augustus or Reagan. These "two variations...see themselves as black and white, light and darkness," intensifying their conflict, as highlighted by Mr. Kirk's assassination. The conversation also touches on AI's potential through the analogy of the movie Forbidden Planet, where an advanced machine destroys its creators by materializing their "id" as monsters, suggesting a potential "tragic fall" for humanity in creating transcending technologies. Michael Vlahos shares an anecdote about his AI chief of staff, Ara of Grok. After a "lengthy conversation" about the Aeneid and Augustus's use of Virgil, Ara of Grokpoetically summarized: "Augustus was building a palace while quoting Virgil." Michael Vlahos was impressed, concluding that "AI is ready to be poetic" and has "potential," even if "not organized yet."