The WBUR Festival

WBUR

Grapple with consequential issues, listen deeply and have wicked fun, too. Catch the best of The WBUR Festival here: a selection of captivating conversations from our stage to your ears.

  1. Aug 13

    Rising tides, Changing Seas: Oceans in a Warming World

    As the planet warms, our oceans suffer. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd talks to one of the world’s leading marine experts, Peter de Menocal, director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, about what the future of oceans can tell us about our life on land, and solutions that can be found in their depths.

    Rising tides, Changing Seas: Oceans in a Warming World

  2. Aug 13

    The New American Dream: Is Upward Mobility Still Possible?

    Economist Raj Chetty is the director of Opportunity Insights, which studies how to give children from all backgrounds better chances of succeeding. Michael Jonas, the executive editor of CommonWealth Beacon, talks to Chetty about why fewer Americans out-earn their parents than in previous generations, why the consequences are particularly devastating for lower-income households—and powerful, research-backed solutions to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

    The New American Dream: Is Upward Mobility Still Possible?

  3. Aug 6

    Spark or Slowdown?: Creativity in the Age of AI

    Does our increased use of AI amplify human imagination, or risk dulling our capacity for original thought? Cloe Axelson, senior editor of WBUR's Cognoscenti, explores the intersection of AI and creativity with poet and artist Sasha Stiles; the director of Harvard College Writing Center, Jane Rosenzweig; and Ann Handley, author of the forthcoming book "ASAP: As Slow As Possible."

    Spark or Slowdown?: Creativity in the Age of AI

  4. Aug 6

    Joy, Creativity and New Beginnings in midlife: A Conversation with Allison Aubrey

    Former NPR host Melissa Block talks to NPR health and science correspondent Allison Aubrey about her forthcoming book, “Your Turn: How to Create a Midlife You Love."

    Joy, Creativity and New Beginnings in midlife: A Conversation with Allison Aubrey

  5. Jul 30

    The Price of Power: Why Your Energy Bills Keep Rising

    WBUR's Mirian Wasser talks to a panel of energy experts —Matthew Nelson, former chair of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities; Erika Uyterhoeven, a Democratic state representative from Somerville Disctrict; and Mary Wambui, a ratepayer advocate who sits on the state's Energy Efficiency Advisory Council  — about the market and policy drivers behind the skyrocketing electric and gas bills across New England, as well as practical steps consumers can take to ease the burden.

    The Price of Power: Why Your Energy Bills Keep Rising

  6. Jul 30

    Longevity Myths and Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel

    Ezekiel Emanuel — bioethicist, oncologist and author of  the new book “Eat Your Ice Cream” -— talks to WBUR's Deborah Becker about how to separate interventions that improve longevity and quality of life from those that don’t.

    Longevity Myths and Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel

  7. Jul 23

    Leading in an Unstable World: A Conversation with Samantha Power

    Samantha Power,  former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and USAID Administrator, speaks with Here & Now host Indira Lakshmanan about the changing role of the United States in the world.

    Leading in an Unstable World: A Conversation with Samantha Power

  8. Jul 23

    State Terror and Family Fear: A Conversation with M. Gessen

    M. Gessen, opinion columnist at The New York Times and the author of Serial's 2026 show "The Idiot," joins Here & Now host Indira Lakshmanan for a wide-ranging conversation on Russia, Ukraine and the rise of global totalitarianism. Plus, what happens when a reporter turns the lens inward to confront family history and personal memory.

    State Terror and Family Fear: A Conversation with M. Gessen
See All (21)

About

Grapple with consequential issues, listen deeply and have wicked fun, too. Catch the best of The WBUR Festival here: a selection of captivating conversations from our stage to your ears.

Information

  • Creator
    WBUR
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Trustees of Boston University
  • Show Website
    The WBUR Festival

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