Curiosity Unbounded

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Curiosity Unbounded

The Curiosity Unbounded podcast brings you behind the scenes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through conversations between MIT President Sally Kornbluth and the people working in its labs and in the field. Along the way, Sally and her guests discuss pressing issues, as well as what inspires the people running at the world’s toughest challenges at one of the most innovative institutions on the planet.

Episodes

  1. Making sense of cities — Andres Sevtsuk

    1 DAY AGO

    Making sense of cities — Andres Sevtsuk

    Andres Sevtsuk is an associate professor of Urban Science and Planning at MIT. His work focuses on the influence of urban design on travel behavior and quality of life, and contributes to making cities more walkable, sustainable and equitable.Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-12-making-sense-cities (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-12-making-sense-cities)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    29 min
  2. Get out the vote — Ariel White

    NOV 19

    Get out the vote — Ariel White

    Ariel White is an associate professor of Political Science at MIT. She studies voting and voting rights, race, the criminal legal system, and bureaucratic behavior as a way to shed light on people's everyday interactions with government. Her recent work investigates how potential voters react to being affected by punitive government policies, such as incarceration and immigration enforcement, and how people can make their way back onto the voting registries after these experiences.Links:* Ariel White (https://arwhite.mit.edu/)* Political Science (https://polisci.mit.edu/people/ariel-white)* MIT Gov/Lab (https://mitgovlab.org/people/ariel-white/)Timestamps:* (07:58) - What is actually known immediately following an election* (10:47) - How does mail-in voting affect elections* (13:09) - Why some people don't voteShow notes and transcript: https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-11-get-out-vote (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-11-get-out-vote)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    28 min
  3. Making medicine easier to swallow — Giovanni Traverso

    NOV 5

    Making medicine easier to swallow — Giovanni Traverso

    Giovanni "Gio" Traverso is an associate professor in MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering and a gastroenterologist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. His work focuses on innovative methods for drug delivery, diagnostics, and biological sensing. Here, Gio speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about tackling the core challenges of taking medication, the unique perspective that comes with being both a professor and a practicing gastroenterologist, and the importance of entrepreneurship.Links:* The Laboratory for Translational Engineering (https://www.l4te.org)* MIT School of Engineering (https://engineering.mit.edu/faculty/giovanni-traverso/)* MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering (https://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/cgt20@mit.edu)Timestamps:* (04:48) - Electroceuticals* (06:08) - The gut-brain connection's affect on appetite* (08:29) - The challenges of adherence to medication schedules* (15:45) - EntrepreneurshipShow notes and transcript: https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-10-making-medicine-easier-swallow (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-10-making-medicine-easier-swallow)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    22 min
  4. Silk, the fabric of more sustainable agriculture — Benedetto Marelli

    SEP 24

    Silk, the fabric of more sustainable agriculture — Benedetto Marelli

    Benedetto Marelli is a biomedical engineer by training and a materials scientist. He is an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His work is focused on the fabrication of new biopolymers that can interact with biomolecules, living matter, and the environment. Here, Benedetto speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the advantages of using silk-based coatings in agriculture as well as for water filtration, and why being bold and creative can lead to powerful discoveries.Links:* Laboratory for Advanced Biopolymers (https://www.marelli.mit.edu/)* Civil and Environmental Engineering (https://cee.mit.edu/people_individual/benedetto-marelli/)* MIT Climate Project (https://president.mit.edu/climate-project)Timestamps:* (01:23) - The benefits of silk use for agriculture* (06:00) - MIT’s Climate Grand Challenges* (07:12) - Using silk to filter out forever chemicals* (09:31) - MIT’s Climate ProjectShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-8-hard-facts-soft-skills (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-8-hard-facts-soft-skills)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    23 min
  5. Hard facts on soft skills — Namrata Kala

    APR 9

    Hard facts on soft skills — Namrata Kala

    Namrata Kala is an associate professor in applied economics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. She studies the value of employee training and incentives, how communities adapt to environmental change and regulation, and the returns on environmental technology investment. Here, Namrata speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the importance of soft skills training, and the benefits of being a straight shooter.Links: * MIT Sloan School of Management (https://mitsloan.mit.edu)* ​​”J-PAL,” the Jameel Poverty Action Lab (https://www.povertyactionlab.org)* MIT Climate Project (https://president.mit.edu/climate-project)Timestamps:* (10:07) - Communication skills and productivity* (13:14) - Building relationships to benefit climate work* (15:29) - MIT’s climate effortsShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-8-hard-facts-soft-skills (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-8-hard-facts-soft-skills)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    25 min
  6. Staying radical and relevant — Skylar Tibbits

    MAR 5

    Staying radical and relevant — Skylar Tibbits

    Skylar Tibbits is a designer and computer scientist whose research focuses on self-assembling and programmable materials, and 3D and 4D printing. He is the founder of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab. Here, Skylar speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the inspiration for his lab’s projects, why design at MIT is unique, and the magic in combining the creative with the technical. Links: * Skylar Tibbits (https://design.mit.edu/people/profile/skylar-tibbits)* Self-Assembly Lab (https://selfassemblylab.mit.edu/)* Video: Cube self-folding strand (https://vimeo.com/58840897)* MIT Morningside Academy for Design (https://design.mit.edu/)* Growing Islands (https://selfassemblylab.mit.edu/growingislands)Timestamps:(01:01) 4D printing(06:05) Self-assembly(07:21) Growing Islands(13:00) Design at MITShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-7-staying-radical-and-relevant (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-7-staying-radical-and-relevant)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    26 min
  7. Healing the ailing heart — Ellen Roche

    11/14/2023

    Healing the ailing heart — Ellen Roche

    Ellen Roche is an associate professor of mechanical engineering and the associate head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. Her research team develops new devices and therapeutic strategies for repairing the heart and other tissues. Here, she speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about her work, the advantages of taking a nonlinear route to one’s chosen career, and the importance of saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities.Links:* Ellen Roche (https://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/etr@mit.edu)* Therapeutic Technology Design and Development Lab (https://ttdd.mit.edu)* Video: Patient-specific, 3D-printed, soft-robotic hearts (https://youtube.com/watch?v=52qNGqBbTQA)* Dassault Systèmes (https://3ds.com/3dexperience)* Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (https://imes.mit.edu)Timestamps:(03:35) - Potential for 3D-printing hearts(08:14) - Hydrogels(17:33) - On AIShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-6-healing-ailing-heart (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-6-healing-ailing-heart)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    30 min
  8. Beyond words — Joshua Bennett

    10/10/2023

    Beyond words — Joshua Bennett

    Joshua Bennett is a professor of literature and distinguished chair of the humanities at MIT. Additionally, he is an accomplished spoken word artist, and author of several books. Here, he speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the power of words, the beauty of quiet things, and about the value in learning for its own sake. Plus, we hear him perform his poetry.Links:* drjoshuabennett.com (https://drjoshuabennett.com)* Tamara's Opus (https://youtube.com/watch?v=_U5BwD8zOeM)* Reading Poetry: Social Poetics (https://lit.mit.edu/academics/subject-offerings/?semester=spring+2023#21L.004-56361)* African Diaspora Studies program (https://shass.mit.edu/undergraduate/interdisciplinary/majors/african)Timestamps:(08:38) - On AI(13:40) - The benefits and joy of learning for its own sake(20:01) - The distinction between poetry on the page and on the stageShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-5-beyond-words (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-5-beyond-words)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    25 min
  9. Build your own superpower, then share it with the world — Fadel Adib

    09/12/2023

    Build your own superpower, then share it with the world — Fadel Adib

    Fadel Adib is an associate professor at the MIT Media Lab and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. His work pushes the limits of wireless sensing: to monitor climate change in the oceans; to impact food production, health, and space exploration; and to see through walls.In this episode, MIT President Sally Kornbluth talks with Adib about his work and how he’s inspired to solve pressing global issues. Along the way, they discuss his belief in the importance of inspiring others and democratizing advanced tools and technologies, as well as his early life in Lebanon and his family-held belief that education has the power to change lives.Links:* Fadel Adib (https://www.mit.edu/~fadel/)* The Big Bang Theory episode (https://youtube.com/watch?v=-7hJsis-Kpg)* Emerald Innovations (https://emeraldinno.com)* Signal Kinetics group (https://signal-kinetics.media.mit.edu)* Cartesian Systems (https://cartesian.systems)* MIT 100k Entrepreneurship Competition (https://mit100k.org)* Sensea (https://sensea.ai)Timestamps:(01:38) - The superpower question(07:48) - Detecting emotions through walls and The Big Bang Theory episode(09:00) - Ocean work and implications for aquaculture, climate change, and space exploration(17:50) - Early life in Lebanon(21:10) - Democratization of technology(25:52) - Family and the importance of education(28:26) - Local impact(29:24) - Public education through videosShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-4-build-your-own-superpower-then-share-it-world (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-4-build-your-own-superpower-then-share-it-world)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    34 min
  10. Decoding the tree of life — Greg Fournier

    07/14/2023

    Decoding the tree of life — Greg Fournier

    Greg Fournier is an associate professor of geobiology at MIT. Greg’s work focuses on the microbial world, and by studying the evolution of microbes, he and his team further our understanding of the history of life on Earth.In this episode, MIT President Sally Kornbluth and Fournier discuss fine-tuning our understanding of evolution; lab life and how research surprises often lead to new discoveries; and advice for those just beginning a career in science.Links:* Greg Fournier (https://eapsweb.mit.edu/people/g4nier)* Fournier Lab (https://fournierlab.scripts.mit.edu/web)* Craters of the Moon (https://nps.gov/crmo/index.htm)* Wind Cave (https://nps.gov/wica/index.htm)* Permian–Triassic mass extinction (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permian%E2%80%93Triassic_extinction_event)* Purgatory Chasm (https://mass.gov/locations/purgatory-chasm-state-reservation)* NASA postdoctoral fellowship (https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/directory/fournier-greg/index.html)* Course 1 (http://catalog.mit.edu/subjects/1/)* EAPS (Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences) (https://eapsweb.mit.edu)Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-3-decoding-tree-life (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-3-decoding-tree-life)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    36 min
  11. Bureaucracies, dictatorships, and the power of Africa's people — Mai Hassan

    05/08/2023

    Bureaucracies, dictatorships, and the power of Africa's people — Mai Hassan

    In this episode, MIT President Sally Kornbluth sits down with associate professor of political science and faculty co-director of MIT-Africa, Mai Hassan. Her work looks at bureaucracy, public administration, and the state in Africa, and more recently, how people mobilize against repressive dictatorships.Links:* Mai Hassan (https://maihassan.mit.edu)* MIT-Africa (https://misti.mit.edu/mit-africa)* Regime Threats and State Solutions (https://amazon.com/dp/1108796494)Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-2-bureaucracies-dictatorships-and-power-africas-people (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-2-bureaucracies-dictatorships-and-power-africas-people)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    33 min
  12. How a free-range kid from Maine is helping green-up industrial practices — Desirée Plata

    04/19/2023

    How a free-range kid from Maine is helping green-up industrial practices — Desirée Plata

    In this episode, MIT President Sally Kornbluth sits down with newly tenured associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, Desirée Plata. Her work focuses on making industrial processes more environmentally friendly, and removing methane (a key factor in global warming) from the air.Links:* Desirée Plata (https://cee.mit.edu/people_individual/desiree-plata)* Woods Hole Oceanographic (https://whoi.edu)* Plata Lab (https://platalab.mit.edu)* Global Methane Pledge (https://globalmethanepledge.org)* 2.00b Toy Product Design (http://web.mit.edu/2.00b/www/index.html)Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-1-how-free-range-kid-maine-helping-green-industrial (https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-1-how-free-range-kid-maine-helping-green-industrial)Join the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA (https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA)

    22 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

The Curiosity Unbounded podcast brings you behind the scenes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through conversations between MIT President Sally Kornbluth and the people working in its labs and in the field. Along the way, Sally and her guests discuss pressing issues, as well as what inspires the people running at the world’s toughest challenges at one of the most innovative institutions on the planet.

Information

  • Channel
    MIT
  • Creator
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 Curiosity Unbounded
  • Show Website
    Curiosity Unbounded

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