Best Uchicago Podcasts (2024)

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96. Empowering Young Minds: Expert Insights from a Former UChicago Admissions Officer and How the Leadership & Entrepreneurship Exploration (LEE) Program Builds Future Leaders 38:55

17d ago38:55

38:55

In this episode, we’re joined by two special guests: Matt Rosenbaum, a former UChicago Admissions Officer, and Maya Gobert, Director of the Leadership and Innovation Lab (LIL). Matt shares expert insights on nurturing curiosity in young students, how parents can support their educational journey, and common mistakes parents make during their child’…

1
The Differences Between College & Law School, with "How I Lawyer" Host Jonah Perlin 35:53

2h ago35:53

35:53

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews How I Lawyer podcast host Jonah Perlin on some of the many differences between college and law school, from cold calls to being graded on a curve to the nature of attending a professional school and more. Links to other resources: How I Lawyer Podcast with Jonah Perlin How I Lawyer #134: …

1
97. Mastering Speech, Debate, and Mock Trial: Essential Strategies To Stand Out 22:23

1h ago22:23

22:23

Wondering how speech, debate, and mock trial competitions can impact your child’s future success? In this episode, we dive into the dynamic world of speech, debate, and mock trial competitions, offering students, parents, and educators essential insights. Learn how participation in these activities can boost academic performance, enhance critical t…

1
Episode 134 - Timothy Harrison: "I had $287 in my bank account ." 27:31

5d ago27:31

27:31

Associate Professor Timothy Harrison finished high school and ventured off to build his career as a model until he decided to pivot to a scholarly pathway and fulfill his dream as a novelist. Now as an author and co-author of multiple books, Professor Harrison finds joy in teaching, reading, and thinking about various English literature in the 16th…

1
Promises Delivered? The Economic Effects of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 24:55

8m ago24:55

24:55

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a landmark piece of tax legislation from the first year of the Trump administration, overhauled the tax code for both individuals and businesses. In this episode of The Pie, Eric Zwick, Professor of Economics and Finance at the UChicago's Booth School of Business, discusses how the overhaul affected the economy, i…

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Episode 133 - Catherine Kearns: "Soak up your time in college." 26:23

6d ago26:23

26:23

Assistant Professor in the Department of Classics Catherine (Katie) Kearns is on The Course to talk about her study in Mediterranean archaeology and how her work crosses to reconstructing and studying ancient environments. Growing up, Professor Kearns was an athlete, loved doodling, and also picked up Latin. When she was introduced to history and, …

1
Experience/Perspective Essay (Diversity Statement) Deep Dive with Former Law School Admissions Officers 1:05:20

2h ago1:05:20

1:05:20

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with three Spivey consultants—Tom Robinson, former Harvard Law Director of Admissions; Sir Williams, former Wisconsin Law Director of Admissions; and Anne Dutia, former Michigan Law Assistant Director of Admissions—about the relatively new category of law school admissions essays t…

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Episode 132 - Andreas Kraft: "Being a student athlete..." 25:54

17d ago25:54

25:54

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Asness Faculty Fellow Andreas Kraft is on The Course this week to talk about his experience as a student-athlete. Professor Kraft came to the US as an undergrad with a scholarship to play wheelchair basketball, with thoughts on going professional. However, with time, he finds himself asking more and more questio…

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Creative Destruction: Why Innovation is Crucial for Growth 25:29

14d ago25:29

25:29

The primary contributor to long-run growth is productivity: A country’s ability to raise residents’ standards of living depends on its ability to boost workers’ output. In this episode of The Pie, Ufuk Akcigit, The Arnold C. Harberger Professor in Economics and the College, describes his research on growth through technological progress.…

1
Episode 131 - Victoria Saramago: "This is the challenge that I want to tackle right now." 28:20

26d ago28:20

28:20

Associate Professor Victoria Saramago of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures grew up fascinated by storytelling. From wanting to be a fiction writer to now an academic who studies novels, she digs into the relations between literature, cultures, and the perception of environmental change, environmental humanities, and energy. Listen…

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How PARENTS Can Best Support Law School Applicants (Former Admissions Officers Weigh In) 55:52

2d ago55:52

55:52

In this special episode of Status Check with Spivey directed toward parents of law school applicants, Anna Hicks-Jaco and two Spivey consultants—Danielle Early, former Harvard Law Associate Director of Admissions, and Shannon Davis, former Assistant Dean for Admissions and Communications at Lewis & Clark Law—discuss how parents can best support the…

1
95. What Does a Harvard Admissions Officer Look for in Applicants? | Harvard College Admissions Insights 32:37

29d ago32:37

32:37

Interested in what a Harvard Admissions Officer looks for in applicants? In today’s episode, we dive deep into the intricacies of the Harvard College admissions process with Bruno, a Former Admissions Officer at Harvard College. Bruno shares insider details on what Harvard truly values in both first-year and transfer applicants, providing a behind-…

1
Episode 130 - Carolina López-Ruiz: "Expand your worldview and knowledge in university." 28:39

1M ago28:39

28:39

Professor Carolina López-Ruiz from the Divinity School and the Department of Classics shares how her passion for the ancient world started from a young age, and her determination to have a career related to this sector led her to appreciate various languages and the cultural understanding it opens up for her. Tune in to hear her talk about her care…

1
Using Machine Learning to Predict—and Prevent—Police Misconduct 26:57

1M ago26:57

26:57

In the wake of numerous high-profile incidents of police use of force, particularly against Black Americans, law enforcement agencies across the United States are confronting issues of officer misconduct. Whether such misconduct is preventable depends in part on whether it is predictable. In this episode of The Pie, Greg Stoddard, Senior Research D…

1
Episode 129 - Fred Ciesla: "I want to know if there is life elsewhere." 25:39

1M ago25:39

25:39

Professor Fred Ciesla from the Department of Geophysical Sciences is on The Course this week to share how his career path to becoming a geophysical sciences professor started when he was a child. He was inspired to study astronomy after seeing stars, in particular Venus, glowing in the night sky. His path led him to Cornell, NASA, and finally to UC…

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Addiction & Recovery in College with Author Mitch Leff 31:20

1M ago31:20

31:20

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Mitch Leff, author of My Addiction, My Superpower, about his experiences overcoming addiction at a young age, the lessons he learned, and how others can use his insights to improve themselves. As attorneys suffer significantly higher rates of substance abuse and depression re…

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94. Crafting Successful College Applications: The Winning InGenius Prep Strategy 35:11

2M ago35:11

35:11

Curious how our students enjoy a 99% acceptance rate? On today’s episode, Joel Butterly, Co-Founder and CEO of InGenius Prep dives into the unique strategies and programs that set InGenius Prep apart. We also explore real-life examples and listener questions, offering continued insight into how students can craft standout college applications and a…

1
Episode 128 - Emily Lynn Osborn: "Not to pin your passion onto only one pathway." 25:37

1M ago25:37

25:37

Associate Professor Emily Lynn Osborn from the Department of History talks about how studying African History merged with her sense of rebellion with the French language and interest in history. Opportunities that brought her abroad made her see the world differently, and these experiences transferred to her role at UChicago as she spearheaded the …

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Law School Application Resume: Deep Dive with Former Admissions Officers 49:45

1M ago49:45

49:45

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with two Spivey consultants—Karen Buttenbaum, former Director of Admissions at Harvard Law School, and Nathan Neely, former Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Global and Graduate Programs at the University of Houston Law Center—about the law school application resume:…

1
What Went Wrong With Federal Student Loans? 25:41

1M ago25:41

25:41

The United States is in the midst of a student loan crisis, with over 45 million borrowers owing more than $1.6 trillion in federal dollars. On this episode of The Pie, Constantine Yannelis, Associate Professor of Finance at the Booth School of Business, argues that federal policy is to blame: Decades of regulation and de-regulation have given way …

1
Episode 127 - Jasmine Nirody: "A career where I can learn things all the time." 30:55

26d ago30:55

30:55

In this week's episode, Assistant Professor Jasmine Nirody from the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy revealed how studying snake movements in her undergraduate years inspired her to become an organismal and integrative biologist instead of a medical doctor. She also shares the practical applications of studying the biophysics of tardigr…

1
The Uncertainties of Climate Change 44:48

2M ago44:48

44:48

How can we incentivize the private and public sectors to develop and deploy solutions to climate change, while accounting for uncertainties? This episode of The Pie covers a panel discussion among professors David Keith of the Department of the Geophysical Sciences at UChicago and founding faculty director of the university’s Climate Systems Engine…

1
Law School Personal Statement Deep Dive: Advice from Former Admissions Officers 1:10:00

2M ago1:10:00

1:10:00

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with three Spivey consultants—Anne Dutia, Paula Gluzman, and Derek Meeker, former law school admissions officers at Michigan, UCLA, Penn, and more—diving deep into the law school personal statement. They discuss the brainstorming and topic selection process, how to stru…

1
Episode 126 - Andrew Ferguson: "Fortune favors a prepared mind." 29:54

2M ago29:54

29:54

Professor of Molecular Engineering and Vice Dean for Education at the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Andrew Ferguson, talks about his parents encouraging him to pursue the path he wanted, studying chemical engineering and now researching immunoengineering. In this episode, Professor Ferguson breaks down the complexity of studyin…

1
Episode 125 - Lewis Shi: "I am committed to what I am doing." 26:06

3M ago26:06

26:06

Associate Professor Lewis Shi from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine shares his determination to be a doctor from a young age. After spending 12 years at Harvard as a "Preparation H," he found his niche in shoulder surgery and continues his fulfilling life as a surgeon, a mentor, and a researcher, all while having his …

1
Using Cellphone Data to Observe Religious Worship in the United States 20:32

3M ago20:32

20:32

What do location data from roughly 2.1 million cellphones say about religiosity in the United States? In this episode of The Pie, Devin Pope, Professor of Economics and Behavioral Science at the Booth School of Business, paints a new picture of who goes to church, how often, and the other types of activities they do (or don’t) partake in.…

1
Episode 124 - Simeon Chavel: "Embrace the chaos." 27:14

3M ago27:14

27:14

Associate Professor Simeon Chavel from the Divinity Schools shares how he found his way to becoming a Hebrew Bible scholar at the University of Chicago through multiple chances. As he continues his research, teaching, and administrative work, Professor Chavel keeps his opportunities open, multitasks, and finds intriguing research topics to keep him…

1
Episode 123 - Martha Feldman: "Follow your passions and interests." 25:32

3M ago25:32

25:32

Ferdinand Schevill Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Music and the College, Professor Martha Feldman, joins us in this episode. Professor Feldman talks about her career journey from training as a professional guitarist to becoming a scholar researching Italian Opera and teaching Long and Song to UChicago students. She emphasizes …

1
Dear 1L with Amanda Haverstick 34:11

3M ago34:11

34:11

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, SCG Pre-L Consultant and Fordham Law professor Jordana Confino has a conversation with legal writing coach and Dear 1L author Amanda Haverstick about legal writing and tackling your 1L year. You can learn more about Dear 1L here, connect with Amanda via LinkedIn here, or email her directly at amanda@dear…

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India’s Economic Future 30:40

3M ago30:40

30:40

India’s government has big goals for economic growth. The former Governor of the country’s Reserve Bank, Raghuram Rajan, argues that India won't be able (and shouldn't try) to follow traditional methods of development. Professor Rajan, now of the the Chicago Booth School of Business, joins The Pie to discuss India’s untraveled path to prosperity.…

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Episode 122 - Gabriel Richardson Lear: "What kind of person do I want to be?" 26:08

3M ago26:08

26:08

Professor Gabriel Richardson Lear of the Department of Philosophy and the Chair of UChicago's Committee on Social Thought joins us on The Course in this episode to talk about how her parents' early observation encouraged her to dip her toe into the philosophy world. From arranging state dinners to studying the works of Plato and Aristotle, Professo…

1
Episode 121 - Allison Squires: "If you're torn on a decision..." 27:58

3M ago27:58

27:58

Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering, Allison Squires, describes her experiment-filled childhood and all the joy science brought her. By walking through various opportunities, she found her place poking and perturbing molecules with her amazing team at the Squires Lab. Listen to her talk about how she got to her dream job an…

1
Tier-Ranking Admissions Strategies with UChicago Law School Admissions Dean Ann Perry 52:18

3M ago52:18

52:18

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Ann Perry, the University of Chicago Law School's Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, joins Mike Spivey and Anna Hicks-Jaco to tier-rank law school admissions strategies sourced from the folks over on the r/LawSchoolAdmissions subreddit. They talk about a huge range of topics, including pers…

1
ChatGPT: Who’s Adopting, Who’s Abstaining, and Why? 24:07

4M ago24:07

24:07

A year-and-a-half after its launch, half of workers report having used ChatGPT on the job. On this episode of The Pie, Anders Humlum, Assistant Professor at the Chicago Booth School of Business, shares results from a recent, large-scale survey profiling the workers who are leading the generative AI curve.…

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Episode 120 - Haresh Sapra: "Be a student. Experiment. Learn. Better yourself." 26:25

4M ago26:25

26:25

Haresh Sapra is the Charles T. Horngren Professor of Accounting at the Chicago Booth School of Business. Originally from a sugar factory on the island of Mauritius, Professor Sapra dreamed big with his family's encouragement and found his strength in accounting. Professor Sapra was an auditor before he pursued a PhD and finally landed a position as…

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Episode 119 - Michael K. Bourdaughs: "Go study abroad!" 30:31

4M ago30:31

30:31

In this episode, Michael K. Bourdaghs, Professor of Modern Japanese Literature and Culture at the University of Chicago, discusses his life and professional paths. His interest in Japanese literature and culture began when, out of the blue, he was given the chance to study for a year in Sendai, and the rest is history. He worked in the corporate wo…

1
Is College Worth It? Measuring the Returns to Higher Education 26:27

4M ago26:27

26:27

College graduates earn more than those who didn’t attend college. Does this mean higher education boosts your income? Or, does college simply attract students who would’ve earned more anyway? Jack Mountjoy, an economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, discusses his research on the returns to higher education.…

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Episode 118 - Michele Friedner: "Thinking through disability expertise and questions of access." 34:10

4M ago34:10

34:10

| In this episode, Medical Anthropologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Human Development Michele Friedner discusses her path to becoming a UChicago Professor. She describes an early interest in Indian culture that led her to study Indian religions as an undergrad, a time that vastly expanded her worldview and breadth of …

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Episode 117 - Anthony Fowler: "Every academic faces a lot of rejection." 24:09

4M ago24:09

24:09

Professor Anthony Fowler, from the Harris School of Public Policy, researches econometric methods for causal inference to questions in political science, with particular emphasis on elections and political representation. In this episode, he describes how he switched from being a biology student to being fascinated by the political world. He also t…

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Fighting Traffic in Chicago: Lower Fares, More Trains, Fewer Buses 24:11

5M ago24:11

24:11

American cities are overreliant on cars. Policies for reducing this gridlock and pollution range from changing public transit fares or frequencies to introducing new tolls. In this episode of The Pie, Milena Almagro, Assistant Professor of Economics at Chicago Booth, shares her research showing the optimal mix of these policies for cities dealing w…

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