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The Past, Present, and Future of the TVA With Joe Hoagland

AMSEcast

Release Date: 07/24/2024

The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge from the Dawn of the Atomic Age to the Present show art The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge from the Dawn of the Atomic Age to the Present

AMSEcast

Alan Lowe, director of the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) introduces a live audience to the first-ever AMSEcast Conversation. Held in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the event featured a panel of experts discussing the historical significance of the Military Industrial Educational Complex and the book Critical Connections. The panel, which included Lee Riedinger, Ray Smith, and William Bugg, explored the development of Oak Ridge and the University of Tennessee (UT) during the 1940s.     Guest Bios Lee Riedinger has held numerous leadership positions during his distinguished...

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AMSE Science Report with author Seirian Sumner show art AMSE Science Report with author Seirian Sumner

AMSEcast

Seirian Sumner speaks to us about her terrific book Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps.  In this Science Report we learn why wasps often have a bad reputation. 

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AMSE Science Report Sally Adee, author of We Are Electric: Inside the 200 Year Hunt for Our Body’s Bioelectric Code, and What the Future Holds show art AMSE Science Report Sally Adee, author of We Are Electric: Inside the 200 Year Hunt for Our Body’s Bioelectric Code, and What the Future Holds

AMSEcast

The growing understanding of electricity over the past 200 years has dramatically changed our understanding of the universe, including, you might say, the universe inside our bodies.  I had the pleasure of speaking on our podcast, AMSEcast, with Sally Adee, author of We Are Electric: Inside the 200 Year Hunt for Our Body’s Bioelectric Code, and What the Future Holds.  In this fascinating book, Sally explores the ways our bioelectrical makeup is central to our lives.  Still, our understanding of the electricity in our bodies, and how the nervous system works, are relatively...

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Adding a New Twist to Our Understanding of the Cosmos with Dr. John Rather show art Adding a New Twist to Our Understanding of the Cosmos with Dr. John Rather

AMSEcast

In this episode, Alan engages in a captivating conversation with Dr. John Rather, a renowned scientist with an extensive career spanning astronomical research and government positions. Dr. Rather breaks down his groundbreaking work on a new cosmological model which challenges our conventional understandings of the universe's structure, dark matter, dark energy, and the flow of time. The discussion also explores Dr. Rather's fascinating journey in science, key influences, and his innovative theories on 5D space-time, quantum entanglement, and universal consciousness.     Guest Bio...

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Getting the Most Out of Getting Older with Dr. Aditi Gurkar show art Getting the Most Out of Getting Older with Dr. Aditi Gurkar

AMSEcast

Alan Lowe interviews Dr. Aditi Gurkar, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Aging Institute. Dr. Gurkar discusses her transition from medical doctor to becoming a leading researcher in aging, driven by her grandfather’s cancer diagnosis. She explains the critical difference between chronological and biological age, highlighting how aging impacts both physical and functional health. Dr. Gurkar also emphasizes the importance of early healthy habits, the value of in-person social connections, and the potential for delaying biological aging through targeted interventions while...

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AMSE Science Report with guest John Butterworth show art AMSE Science Report with guest John Butterworth

AMSEcast

Noted physicist John Butterworth discusses the world of particle physics, including the findings made in recent years regarding the Higgs Boson.  Here’s Jon explaining what the Higgs Boson is.

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AMSE Science Report with guest Kate Winkler Dawson show art AMSE Science Report with guest Kate Winkler Dawson

AMSEcast

Kate Winkler Dawson, author of American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI is an amazing resource. The Sherlock she is talking about is the incredible Oscar Heinrich who utilized for the first time many of the forensic tools and methods we know today. Kate noted that when Heinrich first started using those tools they were not trusted by many people, including those serving on juries.

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AMSE Science Report with guest author Andy Weir show art AMSE Science Report with guest author Andy Weir

AMSEcast

Noted sci-fi writer, Andy Weir, author of books such as The Martian, Project Hail Mary, and Artemis discusses which science fiction writers had influenced him the most. 

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AMSE Science Report with Author Andrew Knoll show art AMSE Science Report with Author Andrew Knoll

AMSEcast

Andrew Knoll talks about his terrific book, A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters.  To start I asked Andy to explain how we know our planet came into existence about 4.6 billion years ago.  He explained how that is calculated using meteorites and an element we know a lot about in Oak Ridge, Uranium. 

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AMSE Science Report with guest Guru Madhavan show art AMSE Science Report with guest Guru Madhavan

AMSEcast

I recently spoke with my good friend, Guru Madhavan, on our podcast, AMSEcast. Guru, the Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and Senior Director of Programs at the National Academy of Engineering, was in Oak Ridge to accept the AMSE Foundation’s inaugural National Award of Excellence given at our annual Gala. In our conversation we focused on his newest book titled Wicked Problems: How to Engineer A Better World.

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More Episodes
The TVA has been tackling some of the South's biggest problems since 1933. What started as a solution to poverty, flooding, and depleted farmlands now works on nuclear power and clean energy. In this episode, Joe Hoagland joins us in the studio to discuss how the TVA got started, what it’s doing now, and where it's going in the future. We delve into TVA’s current energy portfolio, future small modular reactors, and economic development. Joe also discusses the push for nuclear leadership in Tennessee, grid capacity challenges, and the importance of engaging future generations in STEM to support the growing energy sector.
 
 
About Joe Hoagland
Joe Hoagland is the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Vice President of Innovation and Research. He earned his  BS in Chemistry from Southern Utah University and an MS and PhD in Physical Chemistry from Washington State University. Joe has been with TVA since 1993, spearheading numerous key initiatives. He is also the Chair of Tennessee’s Energy Policy Council, an adjunct professor at the Howard Baker School at the University of Tennessee, and serves on the board of directors for the American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation.
 
 
Show Highlights
(0:35) Introducing Joe Hoagland
(1:37) When TVA was created, what area it covers, and its primary missions
(6:31) TVA’s current energy portfolio percentages and how it’s changing
(9:51) The amount of electricity TVA distributes every year and how it gets to consumers
(13:15) Understanding the TVA flood control system
(17:19) The TVA’s focus on economic development
(20:07) Joe Hoagland’s role as Chair of the Tennessee State Energy Policy Council
(25:03) How energy storage systems are changing
(29:16) Energy disruptors the TVA currently faces
(37:39) Engaging this and future generations in STEM to be part of the growing energy sector