Stories of Impact
In every episode, we travel the world and dive deep into the intersection of spirituality and science on Stories of Impact, The American Writing Awards Science Podcast of the Year. Every first and third Tuesday of the month, writer, performer, producer Tavia Gilbert and journalist Richard Sergay bring you a new conversation that offers uplifting explorations about the art and science of human flourishing. This project was made possible through the generous support of a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation.
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Dr. Nicholas Bloom: What Remote Work Reveals About Equity and Innovation
05/20/2025
Dr. Nicholas Bloom: What Remote Work Reveals About Equity and Innovation
Did you know that you are part of one of the most significant revolutions in the last 85 years? If you’re one of the 180-million Americans in the labor force, and at some point since the 2020 pandemic, you joined the ranks of work-from-home, you are historically revolutionary. Today, we sit down with Dr. Nicholas Bloom, economist and professor of economics at Stanford University. He's studied work-from-home habits for over 20 years—so long before covid-19—and now, his data is showing how the revolutionary shift that happened during the pandemic, is reverberating through society and affecting everything from sports and real estate to crime, taxes, and politics. Read the of this episode Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Kurt Gray: What Polarization Teaches us About Harm and Human Understanding
05/06/2025
Dr. Kurt Gray: What Polarization Teaches us About Harm and Human Understanding
We’re back this episode for our second timely interview focusing on political polarization, wrapping up in conversation with Dr. Kurt Gray, professor of moral psychology and neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, and the director of the Deepest Beliefs Lab in the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding. Moral psychology is the descriptive understanding of our moral judgments, or concern with not just how people should make moral decisions, but how they actually do. Why does this matter? In Dr. Gray’s words: "To understand our contentious and divided political moments where people are unwilling to discuss politics across the aisle or entertain even that the other side is a reasonable human being in the way that you feel about yourself and your own side. We do disagree already when it comes to politics. But where does this political disagreement come from? …Once you get that, then you can understand where this political animosity comes from. But it's really a question of moral disagreement. And for that you need to understand our moral psychology.” Read the of this episode
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Dr. Sean Westwood: What Polarization Reveals About Democracy and the Human Spirit
04/15/2025
Dr. Sean Westwood: What Polarization Reveals About Democracy and the Human Spirit
When we spoke recently with Dr. Sean Westwood, associate professor of government at Dartmouth College and the director of the Polarization Research Lab, we knew we wanted to share the conversation with you as quickly as possible, because it speaks so directly to the current moment. Dr. studies American politics and how partisan conflict manifests in the United States, its consequences and its origins. Read the of this episode
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Dr. Anna Corwin: Understanding Spiritual Intelligence Across Cultures
03/18/2025
Dr. Anna Corwin: Understanding Spiritual Intelligence Across Cultures
Today we wrap up an enlightening series of conversations on religious ritual as a pathway to human flourishing with Dr. Anna Corwin. When Dr. Corwin became connected to the Diverse Intelligences initiative and researchers who collaboratively examine the variety of intelligence on the planet or beyond, whether plant, animal, human, alien, or artificial, she was inspired to see new possibilities for her own unique research interest, and to embark on a scientific exploration into spiritual intelligence. Read the of this episode
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Dr. Adam Cohen, Aliza Kline and Dr. Arielle Levites: Gathering at the Table for Connection and Belonging
03/04/2025
Dr. Adam Cohen, Aliza Kline and Dr. Arielle Levites: Gathering at the Table for Connection and Belonging
Today we’re back in conversation with Dr. Adam Cohen, social psychologist and psychologist of religion at Arizona State University, who shares another research project that explores the way religious ritual connects participants more deeply not only with faith, but with community — this time, not through the practice of abstaining from food, but from breaking bread together. Dr. Arielle Levites, Managing Director of the Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education and a Research Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University had the same idea — that observing Shabbat wasn’t just a nice idea, it was a practice with measurable impact. So the team designed a study, enlisting the participation of Aliza Kline, founding President and then-CEO of OneTable, an organization designed to help young Jews develop independence and confidence in observing the ritual of Shabbat dinner in their homes. The question they wanted to answer? Does Shabbat dinner as a spiritual practice increase social connectedness? Read the transcript of this episode
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Dr. Adam Cohen & Dr. Kathryn A. Johnson: Flourishing in the Yom Kippur Fast
02/18/2025
Dr. Adam Cohen & Dr. Kathryn A. Johnson: Flourishing in the Yom Kippur Fast
In today's episode, we continue the discussion about fasting, as we hear from two scholars about research focusing on what is considered the holiest day of the year in Judaism: Yom Kippur. During the 25-hour Day of Atonement, observant Jews focus on deepening their relationship with God through prayer, community connection, and by fasting. Over the last three years, two Arizona State University researchers, professor of psychology Dr. Adam Cohen and associate research professor Dr. Kathryn A. Johnson, have been on a scientific mission to understand the universal impact of the fasting ritual, asking whether abstaining from food and drink during this Jewish High Holiday deepens virtue, social cohesion, and personal well-being. Read the of this episode
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Dr. Mostafa Salari Rad: The Hidden Powers of Ramadan Fasting
02/04/2025
Dr. Mostafa Salari Rad: The Hidden Powers of Ramadan Fasting
Meet Dr. Mostafa Salari Rad, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at the New School in New York City. Born in Iran in a Shia Muslim practicing family, he always had an interest in philosophy, psychology, social science. He wondered why people behaved the way they did, why countries developed the way they did, and later, as a high school student in Japan, when he was the only person observing Ramadan, he started asking deeper questions about the self control he had to exert to fast, as Ramadan asked of him, from sunrise to sunset. Perhaps the first time, Dr. Rad questioned, why am I doing this? Why isn’t anyone else doing this? What does this ritual mean? When Dr. Rad decided to pursue a PhD in psychology, he focused his research on the fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which the vast majority of the 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide observe. He wanted to find out more about the psychological, behavioral, and social benefits of fasting, and he especially wanted to better understand the self-control Ramadan requires. Listen and learn more. • Read the of this episode • Learn more about • Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts • Find us on , and • Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Santiago Tobón — From Gangs to Growth: Fighting for the Future of Medellín's Teens
01/20/2025
Dr. Santiago Tobón — From Gangs to Growth: Fighting for the Future of Medellín's Teens
Meet Dr. Santiago Tobón. Born and raised in Medellin, Colombia, Dr. Tobón grew up in the 80's and 90's while the country surged with gang violence. As a kid, young Santiago was lucky to have enough privilege to keep himself safe and to give him a promising future of education and employment. But there was no denying the impact that gang violence was having on kids — kids his own age. When he graduated from college with a degree in computer science, and got a job working in rural economic development, it was the first time he saw gang activity up close. For four years he witnessed violent conflict around the local drug trade. Dr. Tobón started to dream of finding a way to stop gang violence and stop kids from sacrificing their lives to gang culture. He wondered how kids could instead find a path to a flourishing future? What could he do to keep gangs from bringing in hundreds of new teenage recruits each year? He decided to arm himself with PhD in economics. Read the of this episode Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at [email protected] Supported by
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Season 8 full length trailer: Stories of Impact
01/07/2025
Season 8 full length trailer: Stories of Impact
This season on Stories of Impact, we look through a new lens at old traditions, see new generations explore new solutions, and search for new ways to help kids make sense of modern life. Over the last seven seasons, Stories of Impact has brought listeners conversations about the art and science of human flourishing. We've met luminary artists like dancer Judith Jamison, pioneering researchers like Dr. Jane Goodall, and national leaders like Freddy Mutanguha. In this year's programming, we bring you a whole new series of inspiring stories, like our conversation on how ancient practices continue to have a purpose today. We learn how citizens are solving systemic problems like violence, and find hope in hearing about the research that will help kids in Colombia have a brighter future. We hear from educators working to increase agency and choice in kids’ classrooms, so that students are empowered to follow their individual spark of curiosity. In every episode, we travel the world and dive deep into the intersection of spirituality and science on Stories of Impact, The American Writing Awards Science Podcast of the Year, generously supported by Templeton World Charity Foundation. I'm writer, performer, producer Tavia Gilbert, and along with journalist Richard Sergay, every first and third Tuesday of the month, I'll bring you a new conversation on the Stories of Impact podcast, which offers uplifting explorations about the art and science of human flourishing. You can find the award-winning Stories of Impact podcast wherever you find the podcasts you love. Be sure to follow us so you don't miss an episode.
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Profs. Guy Itzchakov & Netta Weinstein: The Science of Listening
11/04/2024
Profs. Guy Itzchakov & Netta Weinstein: The Science of Listening
Please take our listener survey: THANK YOU! Today, we’re in conversation about the act of listening. Our guests are researchers Netta Weinstein, Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Reading, and Guy Itzchakov, an assistant professor in the Department of Human Services at the University of Haifa. Profs. Weinstein and Itzhchakov are part of a research team working to develop a scientific understanding of what listening is, what its benefits are, and why it matters so much to our well-being. Learn more: by Netta Weinstein and Guy Itzchakov Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts More about Read the , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by
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Dr. Sue Fletcher-Watson & Dr. Catherine Crompton: Autism Belonging & Connection
11/04/2024
Dr. Sue Fletcher-Watson & Dr. Catherine Crompton: Autism Belonging & Connection
Please take our listener survey: THANK YOU! In today’s episode, we explore the social cognition found within our own species, and what the benefit to every person might be if we deepen our understanding of the wide variety of intelligences of human beings. We hear from two researchers at the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Sue Fletcher-Watson, and her colleague, Dr. Catherine Crompton, about their study examining the social cognition of autism, which shines new light on the comfort and confidence that autistic people can experience in communication and community with other neurodivergent people, and how everyone benefits when autistic people’s needs are supported. We’ll also hear from three participants in the doctors’ research, who discuss their own experiences as autistic people in a world designed for and by the non-autistic. Learn more about and . Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts More about Read the , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by
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Dr. Everett Worthington: The REACH Method of Forgiveness
11/04/2024
Dr. Everett Worthington: The REACH Method of Forgiveness
Please take our listener survey: THANK YOU! Today’s episode highlights Richard’s conversation with Dr. Everett Worthington. Dr. Worthington is Commonwealth Professor Emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University. For the last 30 years, Dr. Worthington has been studying forgiveness, and he has written more than a dozen books on the subject. In 2001, he developed the pioneering REACH Forgiveness method, which has helped thousands of people—including himself—reap the mental and physical benefits of forgiveness. Learn more about and . Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts More about Read the , , , Comments, questions and suggestions [email protected] Supported by
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Dr. Nap Hosang: Pregnancy by Choice & a Vision for Modern Healthcare
11/04/2024
Dr. Nap Hosang: Pregnancy by Choice & a Vision for Modern Healthcare
Please take our listener survey: THANK YOU! Today, we meet , a Jamaican-born obstetrician and gynecologist with a long, distinguished career focused on preventing unintended pregnancies in the United States and globally. After decades of service in healthcare, Dr. Hosang has begun a new chapter of his career as the co-founder and CEO of , whose mission is to give people who don't want to become pregnant access to safe, effective, affordable contraceptives, without a prescription, wherever those people are located. Listen in to learn why Dr. Hosang believes Cadence’s success in the US will make a global impact. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Hafsat Abiola: Rebuilding Africa One Woman at a Time
10/15/2024
Dr. Hafsat Abiola: Rebuilding Africa One Woman at a Time
Today, we hear from , native of Nigeria, President of the , Harvard-educated economist, expert in sustainable development, and civil rights and Democracy advocate. Dr. Abiola’s father, M.K.O. Abiola, was imprisoned after decisively winning the presidency in an election determined to be fair and free by Nigerian and international observers. Meanwhile her mother, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, fought publicly for his release and for her husband’s freedom, until she was murdered in retaliation. Dr. Abiola has carried on her parents’ legacy in her pro-democracy activism and her work in the Women in Africa Initiative, “the world's leading international platform for the economic development and the support of African women entrepreneurs.” Read for this episode Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by
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Dr. David Addiss: Fighting Diseases Beyond Borders
09/30/2024
Dr. David Addiss: Fighting Diseases Beyond Borders
In today’s episode, we welcome , an expert in public health and preventive medicine. Dr. Addiss has spent his career thinking not only about science, but about service. In his early career, he cared for the health of migrants in the San Joaquin Valley of California, then later worked for nearly two decades the Centers for Disease Control in the Division of Parasitic Diseases, where he focused on controlling and eliminating diseases found not in the United States, but in communities of neglected people largely in the tropics. Hear what inspired him to spend his career caring for the needs of underserved and neglected people. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by
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Dr. Laurance Doyle & Dr. Fred Sharpe: Whales Sing, Do Aliens Listen?
09/17/2024
Dr. Laurance Doyle & Dr. Fred Sharpe: Whales Sing, Do Aliens Listen?
Today’s episode features the collaborative exploration of Dr. Fred Sharpe, an expert in humpback whales and the Principal Investigator with the Alaska Whale Foundation, and Dr. Laurance Doyle, astrophysicist and Principal Investigator of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute. Drs. Sharpe and Doyle are investigating humpback whales’ complex, long-distance communication with the aim of learning about how alien intelligences, if they exist, might attempt to transmit their messages through the cosmos. Learn more about and the , and and the Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts. More about Read the , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by the
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Dr. Mark Jordans: Healing in the Midst of War
09/03/2024
Dr. Mark Jordans: Healing in the Midst of War
Over our last couple of episodes, we’ve told the inspiring story of decades of positive transformation the nation of Rwanda has sustained since the catastrophic 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. We learned that Rwanda’s peacemakers have for decades nurtured a culture of reconciliation and resilience, cultivating communities where citizens flourish. Deep healing and renewal like that can come only after conflict ends — it can’t happen in the midst of war. In order for children, families, and elders to have a real chance to recover from trauma in body and soul, violence has to cease. But the reality is today, hundreds of millions of people live in the midst of ongoing conflicts, and their mental and physical health are undermined by the indiscriminate brutality of wars that may not end anytime soon. Our guest today, Dr. Mark Jordans, is a professor of global mental health at the University of Amsterdam and King's College London, and Director of Research and Development at War Child, which, for thirty years, has worked to care for children affected by wars. He is not waiting for peace, but instead, is committed to doing everything he can to help children caught in the middle of violence cope with the crises they face. Read the of this episode Learn more about ’s work Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at [email protected] Supported by
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Freddy Mutanguha & Dr. Elizabeth Dowling: The Science of Forgiveness
08/06/2024
Freddy Mutanguha & Dr. Elizabeth Dowling: The Science of Forgiveness
In our last episode, we met Rwandan leader Freddy Mutanguha, who shared his remarkable journey to finding meaning and forgiveness after dozens of his family members, including his parents and sisters, were murdered during the genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. Freddy’s powerful and timely testimony underscored the importance of truth, remembrance, and community organizing in helping genocide victims — and perpetrators — find healing and peace. Today we hear again from Freddy Mutanguha, and from Dr. Elizabeth Dowling, about what she’s learned from her research collaboration with Freddy and his team at the Aegis Trust, which works to prevent genocide and mass atrocities worldwide, and its projects supporting reconciliation across Rwanda, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Dr. Dowling shares how a nation with a recent history of polarization and violence has become a model for peace-making. Read the of this episode Learn more about the and the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at [email protected] Supported by
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Freddy Mutanguha: Forgiveness & Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda
07/16/2024
Freddy Mutanguha: Forgiveness & Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda
Today’s episode offers a powerful example of courage, peace, and forgiveness. Our story looks back thirty years, to one of the most violent periods in modern history — the genocide against the Tutsi — and to the resilience and wisdom of the Rwandan spirit and heart. On April 6, 1994, beautiful Rwanda, known as the Land of a Thousand Hills, became a hell on Earth. Between April and July 1994, hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were slaughtered in a horrifying frenzy of state-sponsored terror. Freddy Mutanguha, an ethnic Tutsi, was just eighteen years old when the genocide began. Today, Freddy shares the story of his unimaginable losses, the miracle of his survival, and his life’s work nurturing peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation in his country and across the world. Read the of this episode Learn more about the and the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Miller, Dr. Muth, Dr. Falótico, & Dr. Cantor: Intelligence Across Species
06/18/2024
Dr. Miller, Dr. Muth, Dr. Falótico, & Dr. Cantor: Intelligence Across Species
In our last episode, we spent time with the extraordinary Dr. Jane Goodall, primatologist, writer, speaker, and conservationist. Dr. Goodall previewed today's episode, featuring the three recipients of the Wildlife Intelligence Project, a $2.7 million joint initiative between National Geographic Society and Templeton World Charity Foundation designed to support "three early-career scientists…whose passion for and discoveries in wildlife field research have the potential to illuminate unknown wonders of our world.” We're proud to be in conversation with cognitive ecologist and bee researcher Dr. Felicity Muth, primatologist Dr. Tiago Falótico, and behavioral ecologist and biologist Dr. Mauricio Cantor. These three National Geographic Explorers all study animal cognition, but how they do it, and their objects of study — bees, capuchin monkeys, and dolphins — varies. What that shows, as you’ll hear about today, is that intelligence can take many forms, and it’s only once we look past our anthropocentric definitions of intelligence that we can truly understand and appreciate the complexity and beauty of nature. Read the of this episode Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Read more about the Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Jane Goodall: The Wild Fight for Our Planet
05/30/2024
Dr. Jane Goodall: The Wild Fight for Our Planet
In today’s episode, we hear from leader and luminary Dr. Jane Goodall, who has, for decades, made significant contributions to not only the scientific world, but to, arguably, the entire planet. When 26-year-old, British-born Jane Goodall began field studies of primates in Tanzania in July 1960, she was the first researcher to observe chimpanzees in the wild, and she remains the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. Her rigorous and creative approach quickly gained the attention of the National Geographic Society, which awarded her first grant, and has passionately championed her work in the decades since. Despite never getting a college degree, Dr. Goodall was accepted at Cambridge University, earned her PhD in ethology in 1966, and spent decades in the Gombe Stream National Park studying chimpanzee communities, eventually becoming the only human to ever be accepted into a chimpanzee society. Today, at the age of 90, Dr. Goodall is a legendary conservationist, galvanizing educator, UN Messenger of Peace, and an inspiring writer and public speaker. Her curiosity, empathy, wisdom, protective heart, and unshakeable hope reflect the best of humanity, and even though today’s conversation is short, you’ll hear all of those exemplary characteristics embodied in her voice and story. Read the of this episode Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Emma Black, Calum Irvine, Sean Spillane, & Students: Teaching Connection with Differences
05/21/2024
Emma Black, Calum Irvine, Sean Spillane, & Students: Teaching Connection with Differences
Today we bring you a follow-up story about revolutionary education in Northern Ireland, this time exploring the impact of teaching young children to not just tolerate difference and diversity, but to seek it out, embrace it, and celebrate it. Our episode explores the history and legacy of Lough View Integrated Primary and Nursery School, a school founded 30 years ago to intentionally create a space where diverse points of view and religious and social practices could come together, and what’s remarkable is that this vision came to life fully five years before the Good Friday Accords birthed a fragile national peace. Lough View was established in Belfast by a group of parents who didn’t want to send their children to a segregated school that would perpetuate the bias and prejudice that had fed the decades of violence between Protestants and Catholics, but instead, created a totally different paradigm for their children, and their children’s education. Today we’ll hear from students and educators at Lough View, who tell us how this radical education has impacted classroom culture and individual lives, and how it might contribute to peace-building across the nation, and potentially, the world. • Read the of this episode • Listen to on integrated education in Northern Ireland • Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts • Find us on , , and • Share your comments, questions and suggestions at [email protected] • Supported by
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Dr. Calvo, Dr. Magnasco, & Dr. Reiss: Listening to Minds Beyond Our Own
05/07/2024
Dr. Calvo, Dr. Magnasco, & Dr. Reiss: Listening to Minds Beyond Our Own
Today we're back for another exploration of the magnificence and mystery of the universe — talking with three researchers who share not only a passion, but a respect for the species in their decidedly non-human, wildly intelligent subjects of research. First we meet Dr. Paco Calvo, a renowned cognitive scientist and professor of philosophy of science at the University of Murcia in Spain. Dr. Calvo has been called a philosopher of biology, who believes that by studying plant cognition, humans might be able to learn a little bit more about ourselves. And we hear from neuroscientist Marcelo Magnasco, a biophysicist professor and head of laboratory at Rockefeller University, New York, who works closely with Dr. Diana Reiss, professor of psychology at Hunter College and the director of the animal behavior and conservation graduate programs. Together, this team explores octopus intelligence. • Read the of this episode • Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts • Find us on , , and • Share your comments, questions and suggestions at • Supported by
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Dr. Frans de Waal & Dr. Michael Levin: Surprising Minds & the Nature of Intelligence
04/17/2024
Dr. Frans de Waal & Dr. Michael Levin: Surprising Minds & the Nature of Intelligence
In today's episode, we meet , Emory University and Utrecht University primatologist Dr. Frans de Waal, a trailblazer in the science of animal cognition, and Dr. Michael Levin, distinguished professor of biology at Tufts University and associate faculty member at Harvard's Wyss Institute. Both researchers’ work roots them deeply in the curiosity about the wonder of the natural world of animals, organisms, and plants that make up the diverse intelligences of the universe. They've each spent decades asking questions about the minds of a variety of species and furthering the science of cognition. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Erica Cartmill: How to Laugh Like an Ape
04/02/2024
Dr. Erica Cartmill: How to Laugh Like an Ape
Any sentient, soulful being paying attention to the way humans are treating other humans has been feeling these hard times. But sometimes, amidst all this darkness, humor can offer a little bit of hope. Today we're back with a friend of the podcast, Dr. Erica Cartmill. You might remember her from past episodes as a leader in the science of diverse intelligences, the multi-disciplinary, open science study of cognition, whether it's found in humans, animals, plants, machines, or anywhere else. This time, we’re talking with Dr. Cartmill about the violation of expectations as a feature of primate intelligence, or in more down-to-earth terms: Funny monkeys. Actually, monkeys isn't technically right — it's actually apes. What Dr. Cartmill and her fellow researchers have discovered, in a study they call “The Humor Project," is that humans and apes share a lot of traits, including what we think is funny. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Dr. Sinnott-Armstrong, Dr. Borg, & Dr. Conitzer: Can Machines Make Ethical Decisions in Healthcare?
03/18/2024
Dr. Sinnott-Armstrong, Dr. Borg, & Dr. Conitzer: Can Machines Make Ethical Decisions in Healthcare?
Artificial intelligence is proliferating and entering new industries every day. And while it’s been used in healthcare for 50 years, researchers continue to look for new ways to use it to improve care. Today, we’re back in conversation with a team of researchers, including a philosopher, a neuroscientist, and a computer scientist. This trio might be familiar to long-time listeners from an episode a few years ago, when we explored the question of whether artificial intelligence could be programmed to be moral. Over the last five years, this research team has been studying how to use AI as an assistive tool in allocating kidneys to patients needing organ transfers. It’s a project partly funded by OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Though the project is focused on integrating AI into evaluations of who gets a kidney transplant, the team is using that particular problem as the lens to explore more broadly the ethics of AI in decision-making. They’re asking whether it’s possible to imbue machines with a human value system, in what ways artificial intelligence can be employed to help humans make moral decisions, and how to ensure that when AI is involved in decision-making, the process retains humanity. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Virginia Cooper, Dr. Fiske, Dr. Kahneman, Dr. Koch, & Dr. Melloni: How Rival Collaborations Improve Science
03/05/2024
Virginia Cooper, Dr. Fiske, Dr. Kahneman, Dr. Koch, & Dr. Melloni: How Rival Collaborations Improve Science
In the dozens of episodes we’ve shared with you over the last four years, you’ve heard stories of experts examining the science behind everything from bees to whales, video games to dance, education systems to communication networks. Today, we're zooming out further, speaking with researchers who are exploring ways to improve how we do science and how we cultivate and educate better scientists. When you think of a scientist, what image comes to mind? Do you imagine a genius laboring solo in a lab, displaying little emotion as they logically analyze data? Let’s challenge that stereotype — scientists are anything but dispassionate. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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Nina Callaghan: The Ubuntu Spirit in Youth Radio
02/19/2024
Nina Callaghan: The Ubuntu Spirit in Youth Radio
This week we're bringing back one of our favorite ever episodes. Today, we hear a fascinating and inspiring conversation having to do with the flourishing of young South Africans. Today’s episode features Richard’s conversation with Nina Callaghan, former Associate Director and current South African Chair of Children’s Radio Foundation. In a post-apartheid country still suffering the social, psychic, and economic wounds of decades of institutionalized racial segregation, the very act of teaching these youth basic journalism 101, including ethics, consent, and truth-telling, is a powerful healing act. Callaghan discusses her work with the youth reporters and their two-year exploration of the concept of Ubuntu—a Nguni Bantu term often translated as “I am because we are.” Callaghan shares the program’s outcomes, both expected and unexpected. Learn more about the . Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts More about Read the , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by
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Dr. Jocelyn Dautel & Team: Reshaping the Legacy of Northern Ireland
02/05/2024
Dr. Jocelyn Dautel & Team: Reshaping the Legacy of Northern Ireland
War and conflict is raging across the globe. From Europe and the Middle East to Africa and the Americas, divisions between and within nations are leaving civilians dead and displaced. Northern Ireland has seen its fair share of violence and bloodshed since its founding in 1921. Although the Good Friday peace agreement was signed more than 25 years ago, the peace process is still a work in progress. This week, however, we explore a ground-breaking research project led by , an American researcher and senior lecturer at , into how Northern Ireland’s past continues to impact the way young people consume and share “truths” about their nation’s history. Researchers are hopeful that if Northern Ireland can to evolve beyond sectarian division, the country — and its youth — could serve as a global model of peace and reconciliation. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by Read about the period known as The Troubles and the peace agreement that marked the end of the conflict On February 3, 2024, Northern Ireland formed its first government in two years. Learn about what caused the past two years of Special thanks to Dr. Jocelyn Dautel and the entire Research Team: Dr. Bethany Corbett, Lecturer, Ulster University Prof. Kathleen Corriveau, Boston University Prof. Emma Flynn, Provost, Warwick University Eva Grew, Research Fellow, Queen’s University Belfast Dr. Mariah Kornbluh, Assistant Professor, Oregon University Caitlin McShane, Research Fellow, Queen’s University Belfast Dr. Christin Scholz, University of Amsterdam Prof. Jennifer Watling Neal, Michigan State University Dr. Lara Wood, Lecturer, Abertay University Dr. Jing Xu, University of Washington, Seattle
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Dr. Wendy Cadge: Chaplains at the Heart of Human Support
01/16/2024
Dr. Wendy Cadge: Chaplains at the Heart of Human Support
Before we ended 2023 we met two researchers, Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas and Dr. Timothy Lomas, who shared their research on human flourishing, and each touched on the importance of human connection and relationship as an antidote to loneliness. In our first episode of this new year, we continue that conversation, this time by exploring the unique role of chaplains, and how their purpose is to keep the people they serve from going through painful times, alone. To guide us on this journey, we are joined by , the Barbara Mandell professor of Humanistic Social Sciences at Brandeis University and founder of the , which supports, educates, and expands the vision of chaplains everywhere. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on , , and Share your comments, questions and suggestions at Supported by
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