Faculty in Focus Office of the Provost at Brown University

In this episode, Provost Richard Locke speaks with Economist John Friedman, whose work combines economics, big data, and public policy to understand why some children rise out of poverty and some do not.

He’s particularly interested in measuring upward mobility - or what we call “the American Dream”- whether low income children grow up to earn more than their parents.

His research is designed to inform powerful policy changes across the country, in specific neighborhoods, and on college campuses.

Diane Lipscombe runs the Carney Institute for Brain Science at Brown- a hub of researchers focused on developing scientific breakthroughs in conditions such as epilepsy, autism, and depression.

In this episode, Diane talks about the want ad that transformed her life trajectory, how research about the heart informed her study of the brain, and what motivates her more than 30 years after her first job as a research assistant.

In this episode, with great humor and humanity, Professor Rose discusses the origins of her interest in hip-hop, the triumphs and trials she faced pursuing her field of study, and how she remains optimistic as she delves deeply into the causes and ramifications of persistent, systemic racism.