Best Rockefeller Institute Podcasts (2024)

1
Psilocybe Mushrooms with Inti Garcia Flores and Alan Rockefeller 1:08:18

13d ago1:08:18

1:08:18

In this episode of Propaganda By The Spore, we’re talking Psilocybe Mushrooms! This episode has been in the works since early 2021, we hit lots hiccups and logistical snags along the way, but we’re happy to finally get this episode out into the world. We start off with a short interview with Mazatec historian and archivist Inti Garcia Flores about …

1
Ep. 96. Alcohol and Firearm Misuse 18:59

1M ago18:59

18:59

As researchers advance their understanding of the causes of gun violence in the US and the contexts in which it occurs, one area under recent consideration is the relationship between firearm use and alcohol misuse. A recent report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that one in three individuals who committed a homicide wi…

1
Ep. 95. Rahimi Reactions 32:03

2M ago32:03

32:03

On June 21, 2024, the United States Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision in the case of United States v. Rahimi. In an 8-to-1 majority, the Court upheld the federal prohibition of firearms by those subject to a domestic violence restraining order. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Jaclyn Schildkraut, executive director of the Inst…

1
Ep. 94. The Refugee Experience 45:54

2M ago45:54

45:54

Diya Abdo is a second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan and the author of the book, American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience. The book shares the stories of seven refugees from around the world who begin their American journeys in North Carolina, where Abdo is a Lincoln Financial Professor of English in the Dep…

1
Ep. 93. Freshmen Perspectives: Assemblymember Brian Cunningham 18:14

3M ago18:14

18:14

Assemblymember Brian Cunningham joins Policy Outsider for the latest in the "Freshmen Perspectives" series, which invites freshmen legislators in the New York State Senate and Assembly to share what they're working on, what they've learned, and what they're excited about tackling next. Cunningham (who stretches our definition of freshman as a winne…

1
Polyploid Breeding with The Savanna Institute 1:39:21

3M ago1:39:21

1:39:21

In this episode we chat with 3 time PBTS guest Eliza Greenman and her co-worker Kathleen Rhodes at The Savannah Institute about polyploid plant breeding. Polyploidy is a genetic condition where an organism has extra copies of it's genome in it's cells. Inducing polyploidy or breeding with existing polyploids can be a useful tool to gain traits such…

1
Ep. 92. 100 Years of Executive Budgets 25:47

3M ago25:47

25:47

In the early 1980s, the New York State Division of the Budget released a retrospective on the executive budget process. The book, The Executive Budget in New York State: A Half-Century Perspective, describes how the executive budget process came to be, how it evolved over 50 years, and how it helped the state function through the Great Depression, …

1
Ep. 91. Un(der)banked Immigrants 34:25

3M ago34:25

34:25

For many, access to the banking system is an important component of upward mobility. Loans, savings accounts, credit cards–these are all part of a financial system that, when used strategically, can help establish financial stability or undergird entrepreneurial activity. But there are barriers to accessing the banking system for those on society's…

1
Ep. 90. Gun Violence Exposure, Suicide, and Black Americans 29:17

4M ago29:17

29:17

Rates of both gun violence and firearm suicide have been increasing year over year, but not all Americans have been impacted equally. Black individuals in the US are nearly 14 times more likely to die from a firearm homicide than their white counterparts, and their inpatient hospitalizations due to firearm injuries are nine times higher. And in 202…

1
Ep. 89. Fostering Success at SUNY 27:36

4M ago27:36

27:36

A report we released in February 2024 found that foster youth at SUNY who received funding from the Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) tended to reenroll after their first year of college at higher rates than their peers; they also tended to post higher graduation rates for associate degrees and, after six years, bachelor’s degrees. Th…

1
Ep. 88. Freshmen Perspectives: Assemblymember Dana Levenberg 43:38

5M ago43:38

43:38

Assemblymember Dana Levenberg represents the 95th district in the New York State Assembly. Her road to statewide elected office included a stint as chief of staff for former New York State Assemblymember Sandy Galef, time on the Ossining School Board, and four elected terms as Ossining Town Supervisor. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Assemblyme…

1
Ep. 87. Freshmen Perspectives: Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton 27:43

5M ago27:43

27:43

Jessica Scarcella-Spanton was 21 when she first served as executive director of the Democratic Party on Staten Island. Now, she's serving as a freshman senator in the New York State Legislature, representing New York's 23rd District, which covers the North and East Shores of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn. As a mother of two and wife to a disa…

1
Experimental Farm Network with Dusty and Nate 1:56:32

6M ago1:56:32

1:56:32

In this episode we talk with Dusty and Nate about their project, The Experimental Farm Network. The project is both a platform to support open-source, collective plant breeding and other on farm experiments as well as a seed store, which focuses on unusual varieties and genepools suitable for further selection. We cover how they started the project…

1
Ep. 86. What's in a Number? 25:36

6M ago25:36

25:36

Budget season is underway in New York and New Jersey. On this episode of Policy Outsider, guest Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, a former New Jersey State treasurer, joins Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna to discuss spending plans in the Garden and Empire State. The conversation covers what is included and excluded from reported budget numbers and…

1
Seaside Foraging w Rachel Alexandrou 1:18:34

7M ago1:18:34

1:18:34

In this episode of propaganda by the seed we sit down with Rachel Alexandrou. Rachel is a forager, educator and artist based out of the Midcoast Maine region. The focus oof this conversation is seaside foraging, plants such as saltwort, sea brassicas, sea plantain, common seaweeds and more. Rachel also talks about some of her favorite wild plants t…

1
Ep. 85. What is a High NA EUV Lithography Center? 25:01

7M ago25:01

25:01

On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna and Kevin Younis, executive deputy commissioner and chief operating officer at Empire State Development, return to the podcast to discuss the latest $10 billion investment in Albany's NanoTech Complex for a new High Numerical Aperture Extreme Ultraviolet (N…

1
Ep. 84. The Healthcare Mega Trend to Watch in 2024 22:01

7M ago22:01

22:01

The latest episode of Policy Outsider dives deep into the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare. Rockefeller Institute’s Senior Fellow for Health Policy, Courtney Burke, follows up on her latest blog, "The Healthcare Industry Mega Trend to Watch in 2024: “Today” and “Tomorrow” Players and the Emergence of the “Striving Survivors”" that expands on h…

1
Ep. 83. The State of New York's Marijuana Marketplace 22:55

7M ago22:55

22:55

The latest episode breaks down New York's Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). Passed in 2021, the MRTA experienced an uneven rollout due to legal challenges and the rise of illicit markets. Yet, state officials are looking at new ways to support the marijuana industry, empower entrepreneurs, and protect consumers. New York State Senator J…

1
Siberian Peashrub with Melissa Hoffman 1:54:33

8M ago1:54:33

1:54:33

In this episode we talk with Melissa Hoffman of Sho Farm and Living Future about Siberian Peashrub (Caragana arborescens). Siberian Peashrub is a large, multi-stemmed shrub from northern Asia. They are somewhat familiar in landscaping and as a nitrogen fixer, but the seeds remain underutilized by most people growing them around here. Melissa shares…

1
Ep. 82. Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Barriers to Financial Services 26:05

8M ago26:05

26:05

This episode focuses on immigrant entrepreneurs, their impact on the New York economy, and their ability to access banking systems, loans, capital, and other resources to start and maintain their business. Ahyoung Kim, director of economic empowerment for the Asian American Federation, and Kristine Rudgers, small business advisor for America's Smal…

1
Ep. 81. From Staffer to Assemblymember 22:55

9M ago22:55

22:55

On the latest episode, the Honorable Steven Raga, New York State Assemblymember from Queens, NY, shares his journey from legislative staffer to elected official and discusses the daily life of being an Assemblymember, including hectic legislative, community, and campaign schedules, as well as the importance of addressing constituents' immediate con…

1
Ep. 80. Reducing the Carbon Footprint with Public Transit 23:08

9M ago23:08

23:08

Recently, in coordination with New York Congressman Paul Tonko, the Rockefeller Institute hosted the Locally Sourced Capital Region Climate Policy conference, which examined ways local governments and organizations within New York’s capital region are addressing climate change through policy and practice. As part of the Rockefeller Institute’s ongo…

1
Koji w/ Nicholas Repenning of Goen Foods 1:38:22

9M ago1:38:22

1:38:22

In this episode of propaganda by the seed we sit down with Nick from Goen Foods. Goen Foods is primarly known as a Miso producer in Maine, but also produces a wide range of koji based products. Nick also is an all around promoter of fermented foods/practices and helps to organize Maine’s Fermentation Fair. This conversation is an incredible glimpse…

1
Ep. 79. The Politics of Trash 44:18

11M ago44:18

44:18

Prior to the late 19th century, trash in many American cities accumulated in streets, in backyards, in privies, in empty lots, and in crawlspaces underneath homes. There were no organized municipal efforts to remove the trash and, as they grew in size and density, cities became smelly, foul, and unhealthy places to live. In their book, The Politics…

1
Ep. 78. Rescheduling Marijuana 13:48

11M ago13:48

13:48

A recent report from the Congressional Research Service suggests that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is likely to approve a US Department of Health and Human Services recommendation to reschedule marijuana, which is currently a Schedule I drug. On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, Director of Operations and Fellow Heather Trela explains wha…

1
Ep. 77. School-Based Health Centers 24:38

11M ago24:38

24:38

The 252 school-based health centers (SBHCs) operating in New York State serve more than 250,000 students. These health centers provide a range of services on school premises, from primary to behavioral health care—and, in some cases, dental and vision care—and augment the health services children receive from traditional healthcare providers. On th…

1
Gardening for Habitat 2:29:54

12M ago2:29:54

2:29:54

This month we talk about gardening for habitat, especially in the North-East. This episode is adapted from a workshop that Aaron presents sometimes, so it comes with a PDF handout and a slideshow, the podcast stands up well without them, but those extras are there if you want them. We cover what habitat gardening is, why it’s important, ecological …

1
Ep. 76. Asylum Seekers & Work Requirements 22:03

1y ago22:03

22:03

The recent influx of migrants into New York City has highlighted the barriers that these new arrivals face, including the limitations on their ability to work. In a new episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute Nathan Fellow Sarah Rogerson, an expert in immigration law and director of the Immigration Law Clinic and Edward P. Swire Justice C…

1
Repodcast: Around the World in 80 Plants with Stephen Barstow 1:46:52

1y ago1:46:52

1:46:52

We didn't get around to making a new episode this month, but here is a good one you might not have heard! This is a episode of Tim's old podcast the Solecast where he invited Aaron on a guest co-host, it's basically Propaganda by the Seed before it was called that. In this episode of the Solecast we sit down with Stephen Barstow, aka The Extreme Sa…

1
Ep. 75. Biden, SCOTUS, and Student Loan Debt Relief 18:09

1y ago18:09

18:09

In August 2022, the Biden administration announced a plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for eligible borrowers. The plan, legally challenged almost immediately, was struck down in early July by the Supreme Court, ruling the Executive had overreached its authority. Then, on July 14, the Biden administration announced its latest move: …

1
Northern Nuts and the genus Carya with Buzz Ferver 1:57:52

1y ago1:57:52

1:57:52

In this episode we talk with Buzz Ferver of Perfect Circle Farm. Buzz has been doing a ton of great work preserving fruit and nut genetics at his farm in VT, as well as pushing the boundaries of what tree crops can be grown in zone 4 in the north-east. He shares a ton of practical knowledge about the genus Carya (Hickories, Pecans and their hybrids…

1
Ep. 74. Public Policy and Deathcare Management 28:50

1y ago28:50

28:50

The deathcare infrastructure, consisting of frontline public servants who handle the recently deceased, faced an enormous strain during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were required to manage a tremendous number of excess deaths, often exceeding their capacity and resources to do so. Staci Zavatarro, Nathan Fellow at the Rockefeller Institute of Gov…

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