Stories of Impact
Featuring stories of new scientific research on human flourishing that translate these basic discoveries into practical tools. Bringing a mix of curiosity, compassion, and creativity that will appeal to all ages, journalist Richard Sergay and acclaimed writer/producer Tavia Gilbert shine a spotlight on the human impact at the heart of a cutting-edge social and scientific research project. This project was made possible through the generous support of a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation.
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The Power and Meaning of Forgiveness with Dr. Everett Worthington
11/19/2024
The Power and Meaning of Forgiveness with Dr. Everett Worthington
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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Democratizing Access to Birth Control
11/05/2024
Democratizing Access to Birth Control
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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Democracy, Resilience and Human Flourishing with Dr. Hafsat Abiola
10/15/2024
Democracy, Resilience and Human Flourishing with Dr. Hafsat Abiola
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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Compassion in Healthcare & Flourishing with Dr. David Addiss
10/01/2024
Compassion in Healthcare & Flourishing with Dr. David Addiss
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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Whale Song & Alien Intelligence with Dr. Laurance Doyle and Dr. Fred Sharpe
09/17/2024
Whale Song & Alien Intelligence with Dr. Laurance Doyle and Dr. Fred Sharpe
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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War Child with Dr. Mark Jordans
09/03/2024
War Child with Dr. Mark Jordans
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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The Science of Forgiveness, with Freddy Mutanguha and Dr. Elizabeth Dowling
08/06/2024
The Science of Forgiveness, with Freddy Mutanguha and Dr. Elizabeth Dowling
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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Forgiveness & Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda with Freddy Mutanguha
07/16/2024
Forgiveness & Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda with Freddy Mutanguha
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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Wildlife Intelligence Explorers with Dr. Ian Miller, Dr. Felicity Muth, Dr. Tiago Falótico & Dr. Mauricio Cantor
06/18/2024
Wildlife Intelligence Explorers with Dr. Ian Miller, Dr. Felicity Muth, Dr. Tiago Falótico & Dr. Mauricio Cantor
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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Changing the World with Dr. Jane Goodall
06/04/2024
Changing the World with Dr. Jane Goodall
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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Integrated Education with Emma Black, Calum Irvine, Sean Spillane, and students Bashanti, Dylan, Emma, Laila, Nina & Sophie
05/21/2024
Integrated Education with Emma Black, Calum Irvine, Sean Spillane, and students Bashanti, Dylan, Emma, Laila, Nina & Sophie
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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Diverse Intelligences Surprises with Dr. Paco Calvo, Dr. Marcelo Magnasco & Dr. Diana Reiss
05/07/2024
Diverse Intelligences Surprises with Dr. Paco Calvo, Dr. Marcelo Magnasco & Dr. Diana Reiss
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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Diverse Intelligences Surprises with Dr. Frans de Waal & Dr. Michael Levin
04/17/2024
Diverse Intelligences Surprises with Dr. Frans de Waal & Dr. Michael Levin
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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Humor in Apes
04/02/2024
Humor in Apes
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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AI & Ethics
03/19/2024
AI & Ethics
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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How Adversarial Collaboration Makes Better Science & Better Scientists
03/05/2024
How Adversarial Collaboration Makes Better Science & Better Scientists
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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Ubuntu & Youth Radio Reporters with Nina Callaghan
02/20/2024
Ubuntu & Youth Radio Reporters with Nina Callaghan
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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Youth and Truth in Northern Ireland
02/06/2024
Youth and Truth in 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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Coming Alongside: Chaplains of Change
01/16/2024
Coming Alongside: Chaplains of Change
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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Restoring the American Chestnut Tree with Dr. William Powell and Rex Mann
12/19/2023
Restoring the American Chestnut Tree with Dr. William Powell and Rex Mann
We’re celebrating the life of our friend Dr. William Powell, who passed away just before Thanksgiving. was one of our favorites of last year. This episode is an inspiring story about how bringing together vision, community, and cutting-edge science can make the impossible possible. It’s a story about American history, climate, globalization, and hope. It’s the story of the ’s efforts to do something never before done: To restore a tree that is functionally extinct — the American Chestnut tree. You’ll hear from Rex Mann, retired from the U.S. Forest Service and now a chestnut evangelist, and ACF’s lead collaborating scientist, , professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science in Forestry. Read the Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts , , , Comments, questions and suggestions Supported by
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Holistic Flourishing
12/05/2023
Holistic Flourishing
Last time you heard from us, Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas shared her research on the complexity of the loneliness epidemic in America today, and what we all can do to feel less lonely. Something she said — “Everyone's happiness matters to my happiness” — stuck with us, and became the springboard for this episode. Today, together with psychology researcher at Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program, we dive deep into the question of the interdependent nature of happiness and flourishing. Not only that, Dr. Lomas also invites us to ask who — and what — deserves to flourish. We’re also celebrating the life of our friend Dr. William Powell, who passed away just before Thanksgiving. was one of our favorites of last year. You can listen today, or come back in two weeks, when we rerun that conversation as the last episode of our year of Stories of 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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Solving the Loneliness Epidemic
11/21/2023
Solving the Loneliness Epidemic
It’s Thanksgiving week in the United States, and this Thursday, many of us will be with friends and family for the kick-off to six weeks of holiday cheer. But for so many people in America, the holidays can be a very lonely time. Loneliness and disconnection have consequences not only for individual health, but for the health of the nation. is the Science Director at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which tracks cutting edge research studies that focus on how important our relationships, our tendency towards generosity and cooperation, and our sense of mattering or contribution to our communities are to our health and wellbeing over the course of our lives. She wants to understand the science of loneliness. 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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Democratizing Access to Birth Control
11/07/2023
Democratizing Access to Birth Control
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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The Perils & Promises of AI
10/17/2023
The Perils & Promises of AI
In our last episode, we learned about the Rome Call for AI Ethics, which asked representatives from world business, educational institutions, governments, and religions to support ethical principles around artificial intelligence, including transparency, fairness, inclusivity, impartiality, reliability, and security and privacy. We are back with the same guests again today: scientists and technology experts, aligned with Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist faith traditions. They’ll tell us more about what they have learned in the years since they first responded to that global call from the Vatican. They’ll also share what not only what concerns them about AI, but what gives them a sense of optimism and hope. And we’ll hear more about what they bring to the international dialogue around emerging technology from their perspective as persons of faith. 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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Ethical Artificial Intelligence
10/03/2023
Ethical Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the ability of machines to perform tasks, such as learning and problem-solving, that are typically associated with human intelligence. And every single aspect of how we live our lives may ultimately be transformed by this technology. At the start of this year, it seemed as though AI shifted from a relatively niche technology known to industry insiders, into a subject that had suddenly captured broad public consciousness. Especially as ChatGPT burst on the scene as a tool available to virtually anyone, AI became a source of fascination, anxiety, and confusion. It’s happening fast. It’s on everybody’s mind. So what exactly is AI? 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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Systemic Compassion
09/19/2023
Systemic Compassion
In our last episode with Dr. David Addiss, Heather Buesseler, Dr. Liz Grant, and Dr. Corinne Reid, we explored the role of compassion in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and learned that the SDG’s were motivated by a compassionate desire to end global human suffering across a variety of sectors. This week we’re back with these four researchers, as they offer more personal insight about what draws them to study the science of compassion. This week the researchers’ objective is to encourage all of us to think about where we can make greater space for compassion in our own lives. 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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A Case for Compassion in Sustainable Development Goals
09/05/2023
A Case for Compassion in Sustainable Development Goals
We begin Season 7 with a friend of the podcast — , who listeners will remember from an emotional episode last year about the role of compassion in healthcare. Dr. Addiss is back for another evocative discussion about compassion, and he’s joined by his research colleagues , , and . In this conversation, these four public health experts discuss their research findings around the role of compassion in the international effort to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Read 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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Looking Back, Looking Forward
08/01/2023
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Today is our final episode of the sixth season of Stories of Impact, and is back in conversation with President , looking back over the year of stories we’re just wrapping up, and looking a little bit ahead at what’s to come. 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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Calm Doctors Make Good Doctors
07/18/2023
Calm Doctors Make Good Doctors
Today’s episode is all about medical professionals — the hardship, overwhelm, and burnout that pre-existed the pandemic and only got worse when it started. It's about research measuring the effectiveness of a program that offers healthcare workers the support they need to flourish, even in the midst of intensely stressful circumstances. And it’s about the positive impact the programs’ simple tools have made, not only in the lives of those first responders, but in the lives of their patients. This is a hopeful story, led by , co-founder and Academic and Research Director of , a nonprofit based in Mexico City, which teaches social and emotional skills. We also hear from , pediatric infectious disease professional and AtentaMente Stress Toolbox instructor. 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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Education After Silos: Science & Religion
06/20/2023
Education After Silos: Science & Religion
If you’ve been a long-time listener to the Stories of Impact podcast, you’ll expect by now to be surprised by the kinds of studies Templeton World Charity Foundation invests in. TWCF-funded projects are not only ground-breaking — they’re often “rule-breaking,” asking challenging questions often left untouched by other funders. Today’s story is about one of those cutting-edge scientific studies, one that explores the possibility of a paradigm shift in how educators not only educate students, but each other. The study we hear about in this episode is the kind of research project that Sir John Templeton himself would have enthusiastically embraced, one that sits at the intersection of science and religion, and is designed to tap into curiosity and passion for interdisciplinary and lifelong learning. Meet , a professor of Science Education at the University of Oxford, and the leader of a research project guided by the TWCF mission to explore Big Questions in the Classroom. Her research brings together science educators and religious educators who learn with and from each other. It’s a project that aims to break down divides between the space of scientific and religious study, in order to discover what happens when the silos disappear. Dr. Erduran’s study explores how argumentation can help students bridge disciplinary divides to achieve deep understanding. 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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