Best UC Science Today Podcasts (2024)

1
A return to monarchy? Bradley Onishi on Project 2025 1:30:30

1h ago1:30:30

1:30:30

In Berkeley Talks episode 211, Bradley Onishi, a scholar of religion, an ex-evangelical minister and the co-host of the politics podcast Straight White American Jesus, discusses Project 2025, Christian nationalism and the November elections. “Project 2025 is a deeply reactionary Catholic vision for the country,” said Onishi, who gave the 2024 Berke…

1
With white helmets and GoPros, these volunteers risk it all in Syria’s civil war 1:04:21

15d ago1:04:21

1:04:21

In 2011, mass protests erupted in Syria against the four-decade authoritarian rule of the Assad family. The uprising, which became part of the larger pro-democracy Arab Spring that spread through much of the Arab world, was met with a brutal government crackdown. Soon after, the country descended into a devastating civil war that has killed hundred…

1
Legal scholars on free speech challenges facing universities today 1:41:16

19d ago1:41:16

1:41:16

In Berkeley Talks episode 209, renowned legal scholars Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law, and Nadine Strossen, professor emerita of the New York School of Law and national president of the ACLU from 1991 to 2008, discuss free speech challenges facing universities today. They covered topics including hate speech, First Amendment rights, the He…

1
Integrated Project Delivery in Healthcare Construction: Evolving Strategies for Complex Facilities 26:53

27d ago26:53

26:53

Send us a text In this episode of The Construction Insiders Podcast, host Jessica Busch explores Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) in healthcare construction, focusing on its evolution and effectiveness for complex facilities with guests Steve Howard and Michael Blasingim. The discussion covers the key aspects of IPD, including its benefits, challe…

1
What is understanding? Berkeley scholars discuss 54:50

1M ago54:50

54:50

In Berkeley Talks episode 208, three UC Berkeley professors from a wide range of disciplines — psychology, biology and ethnic studies — broach a deep question: What is understanding? “When I think about it through the lens of being a psychologist, I really think about understanding as a demonstration of, say, knowledge that we have about the world,…

1
It’s not just psychedelics that change minds, says Michael Pollan. Storytelling does, too. 1:11:47

2M ago1:11:47

1:11:47

In Berkeley Talks episode 207, bestselling author and UC Berkeley Professor Emeritus Michael Pollan discusses how he chooses his subjects, why he co-founded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics and the role of storytelling in shifting our perspective. “We're wired for story,” he told KQED’s Mina Kim, whom he joined in conversation…

1
The science behind the emotions in 'Inside Out 2' 1:00:59

2M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

There’s a scene toward the end of the new Pixar film Inside Out 2 where the main character, 13-year-old Riley, is having a panic attack in the penalty box at a hockey match. She’s just been reprimanded for tripping an opponent in frustration. On the outside, she’s seen sitting in the small space while grasping at her chest and neck, breathing in an…

1
Journalist Jemele Hill on the intersection of sports and race (revisiting) 1:31:11

3M ago1:31:11

1:31:11

In Berkeley Talks episode 205, sports journalist Jemele Hill discusses her career at the intersection of sports, race and culture in the U.S. at a UC Berkeley event in January 2020. "Sports journalism," began KALW radio journalist Hana Baba, with whom Hill joined in conversation as part of a Cal Performances speaker series. "So you’re growing up, y…

1
How the Supreme Court divided America 1:07:03

3M ago1:07:03

1:07:03

In Berkeley Talks episode 204, Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, discusses the history of the Supreme Court and how its recent decisions will impact generations to come. “When you think of the topics for the first two years of this supermajority — guns, abortion, affirmative action, the inter…

1
Reconsidering Black America’s relationship to the plantation 1:20:25

4M ago1:20:25

1:20:25

In Berkeley Talks episode 203, Alisha Gaines, a professor of English and an affiliate faculty member in African American studies at Florida State University, discusses why it’s important for Black America to “excavate and reconsider” its relationship to the plantation. “If we were to approach the plantation with an intention to hold space for the B…

1
Investing in Luxury Hospitality: Insights from Industry Leaders 33:17

4M ago33:17

33:17

Send us a text Join us as Nicky Unkles and Sabrina Gleizer delve into the intricacies of luxury hospitality markets. From the regulatory landscape in New York to the demand-driven growth in South Florida, the business-friendly environment in Texas, and the challenges of building in Los Angeles, this episode offers valuable insights into the world o…

1
Adam Gopnik on what it takes to keep liberal democracies alive 1:09:38

4M ago1:09:38

1:09:38

In Berkeley Talks episode 202, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik discusses liberalism — what it means, why we need it and the endless dedication it requires to maintain. Liberal democracy, he said at a UC Berkeley event in April, depends on two pillars: free and fair elections and the practice of open institutions, places where people can meet and deba…

1
The Construction Insiders Podcast 0:53

4M ago0:53

0:53

Send us a text Welcome to The Construction Insiders podcast, your ultimate guide to navigating the construction industry. Our panel of experts shares in-depth knowledge on best practices, cutting-edge trends, and crucial information to help make your next project a success. Each episode covers a wide range of topics, from the latest technological a…

1
'Wave' memoirist on writing about unimaginable loss 51:59

5M ago51:59

51:59

In 2004, Sonali Deraniyagala was on vacation with her family on the coast of Sri Lanka when a tsunami struck the South Asian island. It killed her husband, their two sons and her parents, leaving Deraniyagala alone in a reality she couldn’t comprehend. In Berkeley Talks episode 201, Deraniyagala discusses her all-consuming grief in the aftermath of…

1
Gigi Sohn on her fight for an open internet 13:55

5M ago13:55

13:55

In Berkeley Talks episode 200, Gigi Sohn, one of the nation’s leading public advocates for equal access to the internet, delivers the keynote address at the UC Berkeley School of Information’s 2024 commencement ceremony. “I'd like to share with you some of the twists and turns of my professional journey as a public advocate in the world of communic…

1
Harry Edwards to sociology grads: Even in turbulent times, always believe in yourself 27:29

5M ago27:29

27:29

In Berkeley Talks episode 199, Harry Edwards, a renowned sports activist and UC Berkeley professor emeritus of sociology, gives the keynote address at the Department of Sociology’s 2024 commencement ceremony. “As I stand here before you, in the twilight of my life's time of long shadows,” said Edwards at the May 13 event, “from a perspective inform…

1
Feeling like a failure isn't the same as failing, filmmaker tells journalism grads 24:33

5M ago24:33

24:33

In Berkeley Talks episode 198, documentary filmmaker Carrie Lozano delivers the keynote address at the 2024 Berkeley Journalism commencement ceremony. Lozano, who graduated from the school of journalism in 2005 and later taught in its documentary program, is now president and CEO of ITVS, a nonprofit that coproduces independent films for PBS and pr…

1
Berkeley commencement speeches celebrate resilience, bravery 33:30

5M ago33:30

33:30

In Berkeley Talks episode 197, we're sharing a selection of speeches from UC Berkeley's campuswide commencement ceremony on May 11. The first speech is by Chancellor Christ, followed by ASUC President Sydney Roberts and ending with keynote speaker Cynt Marshall, a Berkeley alum and CEO of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. "I believe the future of our dem…

1
Ruth Simmons on access and equity in higher education 1:11:54

6M ago1:11:54

1:11:54

In Berkeley Talks episode 196, Ruth Simmons, a longtime professor and academic administrator, discusses how the journey to equal access and fairness in education has reached a critical inflection point — and why educators are essential to the progress we need to see. “History has shown: The failure to resolve satisfactorily the issue of whether and…

1
Navigating Contracts, Risk, and Litigation in the Construction Industry 27:38

6M ago27:38

27:38

Send us a text In this episode of Construction Insiders, host Jessica Busch delves into the evolving landscape of contracts, risk, and litigation in the construction industry with experts Allison Hunt and Sonny Jester. The discussion focuses on today’s market environment, material cost escalation, and innovative approaches to contract structuring a…

1
The future of psychedelic science 1:02:14

6M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

In Berkeley Talks episode 195, UC Berkeley professors discuss how and why psychedelic substances first evolved, the effects they have in the human brain and mind, and the mechanism behind their potential therapeutic role. "If it's true that the therapeutic effects are in part because we're returning to this state of susceptibility, and vulnerabilit…

1
Sociologist Harry Edwards on sport in society (revisiting) 1:13:19

7M ago1:13:19

1:13:19

In Berkeley Talks episode 194, Harry Edwards, a renowned sports activist and UC Berkeley professor emeritus of sociology, discusses the intersections of race and sport, the history of predatory inclusion, athletes’ struggle for definitional authority and the power of sport to change society. “You can change society by changing people’s perceptions …

1
Sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson on the need for 'angry optimism' 1:25:38

7M ago1:25:38

1:25:38

In Berkeley Talks episode 193, science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson discusses climate change, politics and the need for "angry optimism." Robinson is the author of 22 novels, including his most recent, The Ministry for the Future, published in 2020. "It's a fighting position — angry optimism — and you need it," he said at a UC Berkeley event…

1
The future of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) 58:03

8M ago58:03

58:03

In Berkeley Talks episode 192, Sarah Deer, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma and a University Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas, discusses the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), a federal law passed in 1978 that aims to keep Native children in their families and communities. She also talks about the recent Supreme…

1
Justice Sonia Sotomayor on fighting the good fight 1:02:59

8M ago1:02:59

1:02:59

In Berkeley Talks episode 191, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor talks about getting up every morning ready to fight for what she believes in, how she finds ways to work with justices whose views differ wildly from her own and what she looks for in a clerk (hint: It’s not only brilliance). “I’m in my 44th year as a law professor,” said Ber…

1
Why so many recent uprisings have backfired 1:11:55

9M ago1:11:55

1:11:55

In Berkeley Talks episode 190, journalist and UC Berkeley alumnus Vincent Bevins discusses mass protests around the world — from Egypt to Hong Kong to Brazil — and how each had a different outcome than what protesters asked for. “From 2010 to 2020, more people participated in mass protests than at any other point in human history,” said Bevins, aut…

1
American democracy and the crisis of majority rule 1:09:35

9M ago1:09:35

1:09:35

In Berkeley Talks episode 189, Harvard Professor Daniel Ziblatt discusses how Americans need to do the work of making the U.S. political system more democratic through reforms that ensure that electoral majorities can actually govern. “If you're going to have a first-past-the-post electoral system, as we have in the United States, or one side wins …

1
Free speech on campus in times of great division 1:00:48

9M ago1:00:48

1:00:48

In Berkeley Talks episode 188, a panel of scholars discusses free speech on university campuses — where things stand today, what obligation campus leaders have to respond to conflicts involving speech and the need for students to feel safe when expressing their own views. "Issues of free speech on campus have been there as long as there have been u…

1
Protecting survivors of sex trafficking 1:36:50

10M ago1:36:50

1:36:50

In Berkeley Talks episode 187, Bernice Yeung, managing editor of Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program; public health journalist Isabella Gomes; and gender-based violence expert Holly Joshi discuss how sex trafficking can appear invisible if we don’t know where to look, and how doctors, nurses, police officers, hotel operators — all…

1
The transformative potential of AI in academia 1:12:01

10M ago1:12:01

1:12:01

In Berkeley Talks episode 186, a panel of UC Berkeley scholars from the College of Letters and Science discusses the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in academia — and the questions and challenges it requires universities and other social institutions to confront. "When it comes to human-specific problems, we often want fair, equ…

1
A Balancing Act in the Life Sciences Sector 21:34

11M ago21:34

21:34

Send us a text In this episode, Cumming Group’s Ron Pruzinsky and Caddis Partners’ Kyle Miller discuss the complex rightsizing of the national Life Sciences sector, Central region hotspots throughout the U.S., and new areas for growth and funding opportunities.By Cumming Group

1
Nate Cohn on polling and the 2024 election 1:23:42

11M ago1:23:42

1:23:42

In Berkeley Talks episode 185, New York Times chief political analyst Nate Cohn discusses how polling works, the challenges facing pollsters today and where polling stands as we head into the 2024 U.S. presidential election. "I don't think it's a coincidence that we have a crisis of polling at the same time we have a crisis of democracy," said Cohn…

1
A blueprint for housing reform 53:35

11M ago53:35

53:35

In Berkeley Talks episode 184, Richard Rothstein, a senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Othering and Belonging Institute, and housing policy expert Leah Rothstein discuss their 2023 book, Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. The conversation was moderated by Tamika Moss, founder and CEO of the Bay Area organization, …

1
Poulomi Saha on why we're so obsessed with cults 50:34

12M ago50:34

50:34

In Berkeley Talks episode 183, Poulomi Saha, an associate professor in the Department of English and co-director of the Program in Critical Theory at UC Berkeley, discusses how cult culture, once a fringe phenomenon, has moved into the mainstream — and what that tells us about what we long for, what we fear and who we hope to be. "In this crisis mo…

1
Ezra Klein on building the things we need for the future we want 1:35:28

1y ago1:35:28

1:35:28

In Berkeley Talks episode 182, Ezra Klein, a New York Times columnist and host of the podcast The Ezra Klein Show, discusses the difficulties Democratic governments encounter when working to build real things in the real world. "To have the future we want, we need to build and invent more of the things that we need," began Klein, who joined in conv…

1
Chinese activist Ai WeiWei on art, exile and politics 1:29:40

1y ago1:29:40

1:29:40

In Berkeley Talks episode 181, renowned artist and human rights activist Ai WeiWei discusses art, exile and politics in a conversation with noted theater director and UCLA professor Peter Sellars and Orville Schell, director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society and former dean of Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. Ai, wh…

1
Revolutionizing Healthcare Design: Modularization, Prefabrication, and Technology Advancements 23:20

1y ago23:20

23:20

Send us a text Join us as we navigate recent industry changes, including economic shifts, labor shortages, and procurement challenges. Learn how modularization, prefabrication, and technology advancements are reshaping healthcare facility design and construction. Gain insights from our in-house experts, Gary Brett and Heather Furhman, as they share…

1
What are Berkeley's Latinx Thriving Initiatives? 52:31

1y ago52:31

52:31

In Berkeley Talks episode 180, Dania Matos and Fabrizio Mejia, vice chancellor and associate vice chancellor, respectively, for UC Berkeley’s Division of Equity and Inclusion, join Berkeley student Angelica Garcia to discuss the campus’s Latinx Thriving Initiatives (LTI) and how these efforts are supporting Berkeley’s goal of not only becoming a Hi…

1
Poet Ishion Hutchinson reads 'The Mud Sermon' and other poems 41:06

1y ago41:06

41:06

In Berkeley Talks episode 179, Jamaican poet Ishion Hutchinson reads several poems, including "The Mud Sermon," "The Bicycle Eclogue" and "After the Hurricane." His April reading was part of the UC Berkeley Library’s monthly event Lunch Poems. "I take this voyage into poetry very seriously," begins Hutchinson, "and take none of it for granted, beca…

1
Michael Brown's family on keeping his memory alive 1:48:27

1y ago1:48:27

1:48:27

In Berkeley Talks episode 178, Rashad Arman Timmons, a fellow at UC Berkeley’s Black Studies Collaboratory, joins in conversation with the family of Michael Brown Jr., whose 2014 killing by police in Ferguson, Missouri, ignited a wave of protests across the country. During the March 8, 2023, discussion, Brown’s father, Michael Brown Sr., his stepmo…

1
Oppenheimer's Berkeley years 1:27:34

1y ago1:27:34

1:27:34

In Berkeley Talks episode 177, a panel of scholars discusses theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and how his years at UC Berkeley shaped him, and how he shaped the university. Oppenheimer, the subject of Christopher Nolan’s summer 2023 film Oppenheimer, came to Berkeley in 1929 as an assistant professor and over the next dozen years establi…

1
Building the Digital Frontier: Navigating AI and Technology in the Construction Industry 27:38

1y ago27:38

27:38

Send us a text In this podcast, we explore the construction industry's transformation through new technologies, data-driven decision-making, and AI. We discuss the importance of a single point of truth for owners, data management tools like Procore and Kahua, and human factors affecting technology adoption. As we delve into AI, we cover its applica…

1
Jessica Morse on how we can live with fire 1:25:31

1y ago1:25:31

1:25:31

In this Berkeley Talks episode, Jessica Morse, the deputy secretary for forest and wildland resilience at the California Natural Resources Agency, discusses the current wildfire crisis in California and how we got here, strategies the state is implementing, and lessons they've learned in order to decrease catastrophic wildfires and create more resi…

1
Siri creator Adam Cheyer shares secrets of entrepreneurship 1:26:58

1+ y ago1:26:58

1:26:58

Siri creator Adam Cheyer talks about the long road to launching the virtual assistant, how to take an entrepreneurial idea from conception to impact and why he doesn't see anything as a failure. "An entrepreneur and a magician are exactly the same," begins Cheyer, who also founded the startups Change.org, Viv Labs, Sentient and Bixby. "An entrepren…

1
Legal scholars unpack Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action 1:01:35

1+ y ago1:01:35

1:01:35

In this episode, three leading legal scholars — john a. powell, director of UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI); Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law; and Sheryll Cashin, professor of law at Georgetown Law School — discuss the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that public and private universities cannot use race as a factor in admi…

1
Poets laureate share works about creation, sacrifice and home 1:18:31

1+ y ago1:18:31

1:18:31

In this episode, three poets laureate — Lee Herrick, the first Asian American poet laureate of California; Kealoha, Hawai'i’s first poet laureate; and Nadia Elbgal, the Oakland youth poet laureate — perform and read their works in celebration of National Poetry Month in April. Kealoha, a slam champion who has a degree in nuclear physics from MIT, b…

1
Biden economic adviser on building a clean energy economy 1:20:02

1+ y ago1:20:02

1:20:02

Heather Boushey, a member of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and chief economist to the Investing in America Cabinet, discusses Biden's plan to build a clean energy economy in the U.S. "The president has made clear, I feel like gazillions of times at this point, that his goal is to build an economy from the bottom up and middle…

1
Climate grief: Embracing loss as a catalyst for collective action 1:29:03

1+ y ago1:29:03

1:29:03

Journalist and climate activist Naomi Klein joins Indigenous scholar Yuria Celidwen and posthumanist thinker Bayo Akomolafe, both senior fellows at UC Berkeley's Othering and Belonging Institute, to discuss climate grief and why they see it not as a reason for apathy, but as an invitation to feel the loss deeply — together — and to use it as fuel f…

1
Pulitzer-winner Natalie Wolchover: 'Knowledge of physics is a superpower' 10:42

1+ y ago10:42

10:42

In this Berkeley Talks episode, Natalie Wolchover, a senior editor at Quanta Magazine and winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting, gives the keynote commencement speech to the Class of 2023 at Berkeley Physics "'Knowledge is power,' my grandpa always used to tell me," said Wolchover at the May 14 ceremony. "Well, I think knowledg…

1
Sociology Ph.D. graduates on the power of family and deep inquiry 13:17

1+ y ago13:17

13:17

In this episode, two Ph.D. graduates in sociology — Kristen Nelson and Mario Castillo — give the graduate student address at the UC Berkeley Department of Sociology's spring commencement ceremony. "Like many of you, I was raised by a single mother," said Castillo at the May 19 event. "Her name is Mariana Leticia Castillo, and she was 17 when I was …

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