Best Emily Coffey Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. #237: Curiosity at Work: A Swedish Perspective, with Peder Söderlind 28:00

11h ago28:00

28:00

Peder Söderlind describes himself as a Swedish author, researcher and entrepreneur, but I believes he's an important emerging curiosity theorist. His writing and thinking on the topic are rich in all the best ways -- evocative, provocative, constructive.Our conversation moved from "local, difficult, and meaningful" problems for keeping our minds cu…

1
Ep. #236: Images of Curiosity: Visual & Domain-Specific, with Emily Peterson 28:00

10d ago28:00

28:00

Can we capture what makes us curious? Where does our curiosity cross into confusion, or frustration? Can we place it? Might we experience it in one domain, but not another?These are the kinds of questions that animate the work of Emily Grossnickle Peterson, Ph.D., director of the Educational Neuroscience Lab at American University.Years after first…

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Ep. #235: Inviting Curiosity by Design, with Cassini Nazir 28:00

14d ago28:00

28:00

Can curiosity be meaingfully infused into design processes? Cassini Nazir thinks so.From curiosity journals to bookmarks and Valentine's Day celebrations, he's full of ideas about how to invite curiosity in, by design.Cassini Nazir teaches interaction design and user experience courses in the College of Visual Arts and Design at University of North…

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Ep. #234: Tips for Wanderers, with Andréa Seiger 28:00

21d ago28:00

28:00

Summer's coming. Time to take that curiosity out for a little spin!Whether you're traveling far from home or enjoying a little "staycation," author, tour manager and explorer extraordinaire Andréa Seiger has tips for getting the most of your adventures.Why visit cemeteries, science associations and bus stops? Can you smell green? What do your knees…

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Ep. #233: Curiosity & Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense, with Saul Perlmutter 28:00

28d ago28:00

28:00

"We live in an experimenting society" Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter reassures us, "The fact that we can use partial information and do better is actually one of our superpowers."Third Millennium Thinking: Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense by Saul Perlmutter, John Campbell and Robert MacCoun takes the optimism and tools of science and helps us …

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EP. #232: Beautiful Questions, with Warren Berger 28:00

1M ago28:00

28:00

It’s been ten years since self-described “questionologist" Warren Berger first published his best-selling book A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas.Now, more than ever, we need the power and importance of thoughtful — and, as he would say: beautiful — questions.And what of the intersection of curiosity and que…

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Ep. #231: The Moore Foundation's Curiosity-Driven Science Initiative, with Janet Coffey 28:00

1M ago28:00

28:00

I came across the heading "DISCOVERY MATTERS" as I dug around the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's website and I knew I was on to something.Janet Coffey, Ph.D., directs the Moore Foundation's Curiosity-Driven Science Initiative. She aims to enhance opportunities for active public engagement with science as a means to help cultivate a curious and…

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Ep. #230: The Ask Approach with Jeff Wetzler 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

In his new and surprisingly uplifting book ASK:Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life, Jeff Wetzler distills the many lessons he’s learned into a curiosity-centric approach – “The Ask Approach” – that offers a way for all of us to tap into our desire for connection and into the wisdom hid…

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Ep. #229: Literary Agent Kayla Lightner Is Looking for Fearless Curiosity 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

A few months ago, I got a text message from a friend: “I’m at a writing conference,” she typed, “listening to a panel of agents answer the question 'What are you looking for?' Kayla’s answer began: 'I’m looking for fearless curiosity.'”Kayla Lightner is a writer and a literary agent with Ayesha Panda Literary. Together we explored how she knows "fe…

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Ep. #228: Wrestling with Questions, with Ken Woodward 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

We talk a lot about questions here on Choose to Be Curious. But talking about questions is one thing, really wresting with them is another.Ken Woodward not only curates questions, he leans into them. Big time. And that has changed his life in ways large and small that are an inspiration to me. I think they will be for you, as well.“Wrestling with t…

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Ep. #227: A Mile in Their Shoes: Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

The first in a series: looking at a place from multiple perspectives. I call it "A Mile in Their Shoes". We begin with people who have chosen to care for a bit of the Earth, the big-hearted, hard-working, fun-loving Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail. They have found community, purpose and lots to be curious about...Check out Friends of the Mount Ve…

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Ep. #226: Foraging: Curiosity & Dancing with Nature, with Tama Matsuoka Wong 28:00

3M ago28:00

28:00

I’ve been thinking that foraging – going from place to place looking for things one can eat – is a lot like the sampling and prioritizing of information gathering that neuroscientists are studying, just applied to things many of us readily dismiss as "weeds".Tama Matsuoka Wong is a finance lawyer turned professional forager. She got curious about t…

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Ep. #225: A Special Alchemy: Curiosity, Empathy & Social Media, with Dr. Ben Rein 28:00

3M ago28:00

28:00

Today’s conversation with Ben Rein, PhD is a Choose to be Curious trifecta: a neuroscientist, who studies empathy, has devoted himself to science communication, and willingly stands in the chaotic swirl where curiosity can go weirdly very awry.Ben is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Robert Malenka's lab at Stanford University and a science communic…

1
Ep. #224: Curiosity, Community Radio & Choosing to Trust, with Katya Gordon 28:00

3M ago28:00

28:00

Author, journalist, sailor and community radio host Katya Gordon says radio pulls together everything she believes in: a shared purpose, old fashioned connection to one another, a vast array of differing ideas and priorities, and plain old hard work and commitment. We had a lovely and candid conversation about curiosity, spirituality, our many medi…

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EP. #223: The Social Side of Curiosity at Work, with Phil Thompson PhD 28:00

3M ago28:00

28:00

Business and popular magazines are riddled with assurances that the best leaders are curious. That where curiosity goes, success will follow. I blithely encourage people to “choose to be curious.”But the truth is: it isn’t that simple.There is some skill involved. And, not surprisingly, more than a few social constructs.So, today we’re digging into…

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Ep. #222: Lessons in Curiosity from CreativeMornings with Regina Buono & Jess Whalen 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

Do you have things you do, with any regularity, that feed your curious soul? Things that you just know will energize and enliven your day, your week, your whole month?You should. They make a difference.Allow me to introduce you to CreativeMorning, a global network of monthly breakfast gatherings "for the creative community" -- meaning: for you, me,…

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Ep. #221: Seeing LIke a Location Scout, with Aaron Hurvitz 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

What might the rest of us learn from someone whose job it is to observe places really closely?I met movie location scout Aaron Hurvitz at a wedding last summer and immediately thought (1) cool suit, and (2) interesting job – seems like a curiosity enterprise to me! Aaron’s location scouting credits include Joker, West Side Story, Indiana Jones and …

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Ep. #220: Superpower: Curiosity & Athletic Performance, with Addie Bracy 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

Addie Bracy is a professional ultra trail runner, coach, and sport psychology consultant. She helps athletes of all ages and abilities to prepare for the mental demands of competing. She says curiosity is key.Check out Addie Bracy here: https://www.strivementalperformance.comTheme music by Sean Balick; “Glass Runner" by Marble Run, via Blue Dot Ses…

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Ep. #219: Curiosity in Work, Life, Politics & Sports, with Matt Rogers 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

Matt Rogers is a political strategist by profession and nature. I wondered what insights he might have about how curiosity shows up in politics. More than anything else, this ended up being a conversation about the risks of incuriosity. Matt sees the dangers for his beloved Eagles, in his experience as a political candidate, and in personal relatio…

1
Ep. #218: Curiosity & Brain Health, with Dr. Julie Fratantoni 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

The folks at The Center of Brain Health at the University of Texas, Dallas, want to empower people to be the architects of their own brains.At the heart of the the Center's work is the science of neuroplasticity – that our brains are works in progress, capable of remarkable continuous growth and strengthening.How might curiosity contribute? Dr. Jul…

1
Ep. #217: Ten Thousand Friends, with Rob Lawless 28:00

5M ago28:00

28:00

Rob Lawless has set himself the goal of having one-on-one, hour-long conversations with ten thousand people. He has four conversations a day, which he carefully documents on Instagram. I was #6041.If ever there were a curiosity enterprise, this is it.You, too, can be one of Rob's Ten Thousand Friends. Reach him at @robs10kfriends on Instagram. Tell…

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Ep. #216: Curiosity & Aging, with Michiko Sakaki 27:59

5M ago27:59

27:59

Ep. #216: Curiosity & Aging, with Michiko Sakaki by Lynn BortonBy Lynn Borton

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Ep. #215: Curiosity, Creativity, Science & Art: "SciArt" with Soren Meibom 28:00

5M ago28:00

28:00

Soren Meibom, scientist turned visual artist, situates himself at the intersection of curiosity, creativity, art and science. His work blends the techniques of visual arts with the tools of science: data, formulae, charts, and graphs. His unique combination – what he calls “SciArt” – seeks to trigger our curiosity and ignite our joy of discovery.Ch…

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Ep. #214: Curiosity & Genealogy: The Stories We Tell, with Jennifer Mendelsohn 28:00

5M ago28:00

28:00

Journalist and genealogist Jennifer Mendelsohn helps rediscover and tell stories that might otherwise be lost. She specializes in helping Eastern European Jewish families shattered by the Holocaust reclaim their history. In 2022, she co-founded the DNA Reunion Project at the Center for Jewish History, which seeks to promote DNA testing as a tool fo…

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Ep. #213: Poetry: Curiosity Emerging, with David Keplinger 28:00

6M ago28:00

28:00

If you think poetry isn't your thing, spend some time with David Keplinger.David is the author of eight books of poetry and a professor at American University. We got to know one another through a humanities workgroup that was looking at how curiosity might be more effectively woven into the fabric of life at AU. He was a warm and profoundly though…

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Ep. #212: Slow Down, with Justine Ickes 28:00

6M ago28:00

28:00

Happy New Year, friends! I hope the new year is landing gently for you.I thought it would be nice to start 2024 not in overdrive, but in a conversation about taking our curiosity out for a leisurely ride, and I figured Justine Ickes was just the person for it.Justine is an instructional designer, facilitator, trainer, and ICF-certified coach. She h…

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Ep. #211: Facilitation, Leadership & Curiosity, with Andres Marquez-Lara 28:00

6M ago28:00

28:00

Ask Andres Marquez-Lara what it takes to lead in the 21st century, and his answer will come swift and sure: facilitation.And facilitation? That’s nothing more — and nothing less— than putting curiosity to work in powerful ways personally, professionally, individually and collectively.Andres is founder and CEO of UFacilitate, a global platform for m…

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Ep. #210: ScholarCHIPS: Curiosity with Social Entrepreneur Yasmine Arrington Brooks 28:00

7M ago28:00

28:00

Yasmine Arrington Brooks was a teenager when she became the potential answer to a challenge. The child of incarcerated parents with a passion for making things happen, she founded ScholarCHIPS and hasn't looked back since.ScholarCHIPS provides college scholarships, mentoring, mental health supports, and a peer support network to college-bound young…

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Ep. #209: Why Neuroscience Matters, with Ilya Monosov 28:00

7M ago28:00

28:00

Ilya Monosov invites us to rethink our understanding of the brain -- and to wrestle with the implications of how we define "curiosity".Ilya studies neuronal circuits of motivation, emotion, and learning at the Department of Neuroscience at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. But this conversation about how one neuroscientist expl…

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Ep. #208: (Part 2) How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life & Change the World, with Scott Shigeoka 28:00

8M ago28:00

28:00

Part two of a wonderful conversation with curiosity activist Scott Shigeoka. Scott has just released his new book SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life & Change the World.In this second episode, we focus on a few of his favorite practices, including "Quicksanding" -- how to survive those scary, suffocating moments by slowing down. We explore …

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Ep. #208: (Part 1) How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life & Change the World, with Scott Shigeoka 28:00

8M ago28:00

28:00

I think it's fair to describe first-time author and long-time educator Scott Shigeoka as a curiosity activist. His debut book SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life & Change the World focuses on what Scott calls “deep curiosity” -- the search for understanding that leads to connection and transformation and, in so doing, makes people feel seen…

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Ep. #207: Seeing Differently: Curiosity, Creativity & Dyslexia, with Rebecca Kamen 28:00

8M ago28:00

28:00

You wouldn’t know it, given her passion for research and accumulation of impressive academic credentials, but one thing artist and educator Rebecca Kamen doesn't do very well is read.Only as an adult did she come to understand that she lives with dyslexia – a challenge in making the connection between the letters on a page and their meaning and sou…

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Ep. #206: Cultivating a Curious Palate, with Jack Zhang 28:00

8M ago28:00

28:00

Instagram and TikTok sensation chef Jack Zhang, aka @CookingForLevi, has some things to teach the rest of us about the adventure that is food and toddlers. His delightful videos are proof that bringing a little curiosity into the kitchen can make mealtime magic happen. Young Levi is a curious eater, eagerly joining his parents on the culinary journ…

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Ep. #205: India Asks Why, with Ruchi Manglunia & Shweata Hegde 28:00

9M ago28:00

28:00

Maybe it was the pandemic. Maybe curiosity is having a moment globally. I’m not sure what it is, but the thirst for learning and the attendant explosion of science communication efforts in India are noteworthy.I sat down with Ruchi Manglunia and Shweata N. Hegde, aka Jigyasa and Utsuka, the charming — and unapologetically curious — co-founders and …

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Ep. #204: Curiosity, Analogies & the Power of Less, with Leidy Klotz 28:00

9M ago28:00

28:00

What if the best answer to a curious, generative question like, "What are all the ways we could...?" is "Do less"? UVA Engineering professor Leidy Klotz, author of Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less makes the case to consider subtraction as a viable, reliable, and all-too-often overlooked strategy in a world that is biased to always add more. A…

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Ep. #203: When You Are Curious, with Veronika Darwell 28:00

10M ago28:00

28:00

As the new school year gets started, I’ve been thinking a lot about the important teachers in my life, the ones who left an indelible impression. Those special educators helped me see and, as importantly, they made me feel seen. They gave me tools with which to engage the world around me, exciting me about it — and me in it.No surprise: Slovakian e…

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Ep. #202: On Open-Earedness, with Tim McKenry 28:00

10M ago28:00

28:00

"Open-earedness" describes our willingness to explore new music. I’ve come to think of it as the auditory equivalent of open-mindedness. Good news: there's delightfully compelling evidence that choosing to be curious about music is good for our health and well-being!Tim McKenry, professor of music at Australian Catholic University, is a spirited ad…

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Emily Harpel of Art of Sucre 30:28

11M ago30:28

30:28

In 2016, Emily Harpel was inspired to give a nostalgic childhood treat a chic upgrade. Emily secured all of the social media handles, ordered her first machine, and Art of Sucre was born. Emily launched Art of Sucre as an events-based business, spinning out of the box flavors of cotton candy at weddings, parties, concerts. In 2020, Emily knew that …

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Ep. #201: Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, with Monica Guzman 27:59

11M ago27:59

27:59

"I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times" is as encouraging a book as I can imagine. It is a curiosity guidebook par excellence, chock full of tips and tricks and a lovely reminder that, as author Monicá Guzmán puts it, “understanding the people who confound us is always, always wort…

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Ep. #200: Street Wisdom, with David Pearl 28:00

11M ago28:00

28:00

I can think of no better way to mark the rather miraculous milestone of my 200th episode than with a conversation about walking and wonder. David Pearl is an innovator in business and the arts. He's also inventor and founder of Street Wisdom, an exercise in meticulous whimsy that helps us find inspiration from strolling the streets around us."If yo…

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Ep. #199: Curiosity at Work, with Helen Chamberlin 28:00

12M ago28:00

28:00

I first got interested in curiosity as a management tool in my role as chief operating officer at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), a national grassroots nonprofit organization. NAMI had about 80 employees and nearly 1,000 mostly volunteer-led affiliates when I was there -- and it was basically my job to know everything. But I became conv…

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Ep. #198: Curiosity & Respect with Julie Pham 28:00

1y ago28:00

28:00

Respect matters says Julie Pham, PhD. But it's also relative, subjective, and contradictory. It's complicated. Her book 7 Forms of Respect: A Guide to Transforming Your Communication and Relationships at Work makes the case that respect is all about honing our curiosity practices. Inward curiosity to unearth our own feelings about respect, and outw…

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Vic Searcy of Sauce the City 26:41

1y ago26:41

26:41

Cleveland has no shortage of claims to fame, but Vic Searcy’s Chicken Sandwich stands out even in a city of bests. With locations in University Heights, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and Cleveland Browns Stadium, you’d think Sauce the City has been around for decades. On the contrary, Chef Vic launched (almost by accident) in 2018 when he won a locati…

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Ep. #197: A Curiosity Practice Bonanza, with Jonathan Schooler 28:00

1y ago28:00

28:00

In 28 very fast minutes we cover curiosity and creativity, the transformative power of asking questions, pivotal differences between general interest curiosity and deprivation curiosity, turning mind wandering into mind wondering, the loveliness of open mindfulness and implementation intentions ... and the possibility of an app for all of that!I re…

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Ep. #196: Beyond Your Front Door, with Dina Pavlis 28:00

1y ago28:00

28:00

Killer whales, honey bees, walking dunes and hugging trees? Those are just a few of the delights awaiting those who get beyond their front doors, both literal and figurative.Dina Pavlis has lived and played on the Oregon Coast for over 20 years. She is an avid hiker, outdoor enthusiast, nature photographer and volunteer interpretive ranger with the…

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Sharia Livingston of Living Rich 33:20

1y ago33:20

33:20

How do you prioritize a life on your own terms AND build a legacy of success for your family? Do what you love. Sharia Livingston has always dreamed of owning her own clothing business, but as a young mother, she opted for the safe bet and pursued a career in nursing. Her obsession with high-quality fashion never dulled and when her daughter was ol…

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Ep. #195: Where Research Begins, with Tom Mullaney 28:00

1y ago28:00

28:00

Where does research begin?Tom Mullaney and Christoper Rae say it starts way before we think it does.Their book, Where Research Begins: Choosing a Research Project That Matters to You (and the World) is a remarkable book -- a workbook, really.They provide a curiosity-informed, generative process for finding and really understanding the questions und…

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Is Shakespeare even real? 1:18:20

1y ago1:18:20

1:18:20

Theater major Brynn Niewenhaus sits down with us this week as we discuss and appreciate Shakespeare, taking a close look at King Lear.By Emily Coffey and Hannah Fodera

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Ep. #194: The Curiosity Lab, with Jaison Manjaly 28:00

1y ago28:00

28:00

The Curiosity Lab at IIT Gandhinagar (India) studies factors that generate, sustain and foster curiosity. The Lab is designed as an interdisciplinary space that promotes research and outreach initiatives specifically around curiosity. The Curiosity Lab takes on systemic inequalities, popular notions of what does or doesn't support curiosity, and ge…

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Dan Brown of Rust Belt Riders 33:38

1y ago33:38

33:38

The average US family will throw away as much as $1,500 worth of perfectly edible food each year. This waste costs our economy significant sums of money, but by avoiding this needless waste, we can redirect those funds to invest in infrastructure and services to divert that material from landfills. Since 2014, Rust Belt Riders has made it their mis…

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