The State of Inquiry (Audio)

Indiana Public Media
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The State of Inquiry is a video and audio podcast from Indiana Public Media that brings Indiana University research to life. Each mini-season explores a timely theme—like artificial intelligence, public health, or global economics—through in-depth conversations with IU experts. Designed for curious listeners, the show highlights how IU research shapes Indiana, the nation, and the world.

  1. 21h ago

    AI & You 3.0 (4 of 5): Who Teaches AI Right from Wrong?

    What does it take to build AI systems that are not only smart, but ethical?  In this episode of AI & You, host Kevin Jones talks with Fawzi BenMessaoud, Senior Lecturer in AI and Informatics at Indiana University’s Luddy School, about what it means to build artificial intelligence with emotional intelligence. Drawing on decades of experience in technology, cybersecurity, and higher education, BenMessaoud explores how AI systems can be designed around ethical principles, human values, and responsible decision-making. The conversation looks beyond what AI can do to ask a more important question: how can we make sure intelligent systems behave in ways that serve people responsibly? Fawzi BenMessaoud is a Senior Lecturer, AI and Informatics at Luddy with over 30 years of experience in higher education and global tech innovation. He has served as an FBI special agent, developed NSA-certified cybersecurity programs, and co-created award-winning online learning systems. His work explores data transformation in human intelligence, intelligent systems, building intelligence from data, and AI instruction. Kevin Jones is an AI strategist, educator, and thought leader with more than 30 years of experience integrating innovative technologies into the workplace and brings deep experience in both academia and public media to his role as host of AI & You: Navigating the Next Frontier, the third season of AI & You episodes  featured on Indiana Public Media’s State of Inquiry.

  2. Oct 26

    AI & You 3.0 (3 of 5): Decoding Human Movement

    Learn how AI is being leveraged to better understand us by analyzing human movement and physiology. In this episode of AI and You, Dr. Kevin Jones explores how artificial intelligence can act as a “bio-digital microscope,” revealing subtle human behaviors that are invisible to the naked eye. Joined by Dr. Mark Jaime and Dr. Gregory Lewis, the conversation focuses on how AI and computer vision are being used to analyze micro-movements and physiological signals to better understand social connection, neurodiversity, and autism spectrum traits. The discussion highlights their collaborative research, including new approaches to identifying movement patterns across individuals, the potential for remote and more accessible diagnostic tools, and how engineering and psychology together are reshaping how we study human behavior. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes that AI is not just advancing technology, but deepening our understanding of what it means to be human. Mark Jaime is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Indiana University Columbus whose research explores how subtle human movements shape social connection. Using tools like computer vision and machine learning, he studies how these micro-movements relate to social cognition and autism spectrum traits. His work aims to create more objective, data-driven ways to understand how people perceive and interact with one another. Gregory Lewis is an Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering at Indiana University Bloomington and a researcher at the Kinsey Institute. His work focuses on measuring the body’s physiological responses using wearable and noncontact sensors, combined with advanced signal processing and modeling. He studies how these signals relate to behavior, stress, and social interaction, with applications ranging from real-world sensing to trauma research. Kevin Jones is an AI strategist, educator, and thought leader with more than 30 years of experience integrating innovative technologies into the workplace and brings deep experience in both academia and public media to his role as host of AI & You: Navigating the Next Frontier, the third season of AI & You episodes  featured on Indiana Public Media’s State of Inquiry.

  3. Oct 19

    AI & You 3.0 (2 of 5): The Future of Higher Education

    How is artificial intelligence reshaping higher education, and what opportunities and challenges does it create for students, faculty, and university leaders? In this episode of AI & You, host Kevin Jones talks with Ken Iwama, Indiana University’s Vice President for Regional Campuses, about how artificial intelligence is shaping higher education. Their conversation explores the opportunities and challenges AI presents for students, faculty, and university leaders, and how regional campuses can adapt as the technology continues to evolve. Ken Iwama was appointed Vice President for Regional Campuses on July 1, 2024, after serving as Chancellor of Indiana University Northwest from 2020 to 2024. At IU Northwest, he guided the campus through the pandemic, expanded grant activity, helped stabilize enrollment, and supported growth in first-year students, applications, and admissions. He also led efforts that made IU Northwest the first regional campus to implement the Groups Scholars Program and the first comprehensive public institution in Indiana to receive Hispanic-Serving Institution designation. Before joining IU, Iwama served as founding Vice President for Economic Development, Continuing Studies, and Government Relations at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York. His division supported academic programs, research, workforce development, community engagement, and student services. He helped secure more than $22 million for facilities and academic initiatives and led creation of the CSI Tech Incubator. Earlier, Iwama served as Chief of Staff and Deputy to two College of Staten Island presidents and as General Counsel for the State-Operated School District of Jersey City. He holds a BA in English from the University of New Hampshire, an MA in Labor and Employment Relations from Rutgers University, and a JD from Seton Hall Law School. Kevin Jones is an AI strategist, educator, and thought leader with more than 30 years of experience integrating innovative technologies into the workplace and brings deep experience in both academia and public media to his role as host of AI & You: Navigating the Next Frontier, the third season of AI & You episodes  featured on Indiana Public Media’s State of Inquiry.

  4. Oct 12

    AI & You 3.0 (1 of 5): Vision, Innovation, and the Future of Eye Care

    How is AI reshaping eye care and vision science?  In this episode of AI and You, Dr. Tasneem P. Sharma and host Dr. Kevin Jones explore how breakthroughs in glaucoma research are moving beyond slowing vision loss toward protecting and even regenerating damaged neurons. She discusses her lab’s development of advanced disease models, the role of stem cells and precision medicine, and how AI is helping researchers make sense of complex biological data. The conversation also looks at the growing intersection of medicine, data science, and clinical strategy, and what it takes to lead in a field evolving as rapidly as ophthalmology. Tasneem P. Sharma is an Assistant Professor and Vice Chair of Strategic Engagement, Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on glaucoma, a leading cause of vision loss, with an emphasis on protecting and regenerating the neurons that are damaged as the disease progresses. Sharma’s lab develops advanced disease models, including a novel system that simulates pressure in the human eye using donor tissue, allowing her team to test new therapies in realistic conditions. Her work spans neuroprotection, stem cell–based regeneration, and precision medicine approaches that aim to move beyond slowing glaucoma to actually restoring vision. She has received major funding from the National Eye Institute and collaborates across disciplines to translate emerging technologies, including AI and bioinformatics, into future treatments for patients.  Kevin Jones is an AI strategist, educator, and thought leader with more than 30 years of experience integrating innovative technologies into the workplace and brings deep experience in both academia and public media to his role as host of AI & You: Navigating the Next Frontier, the third season of AI & You episodes featured on Indiana Public Media’s State of Inquiry.

  5. Oct 5

    The Materials of a Finite World (4 of 4): Time and Space

    Ahmed Ozsever is an Associate Professor in the Creative Core area of the Eskenazi School’s Studio Art program. An interdisciplinary artist who works in photography, installation, time-based media, sculpture, and text, Ozsever works from the perspective that the conditions of the Anthropocene era result from humans’ inability to comprehend time scales that extend beyond our own. His independent and collaborative works have been exhibited throughout the US at venues including the South Bend Museum of Art, the Indiana State Museum, the Visual Arts Gallery at University of Illinois Springfield, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Pilot Projects in Philadelphia, PA, station923 in Ithaca, NY, among others. His book River, Red, is scheduled to be released by Bridge Books in October 2026. Erika Kane is a lecturer in Interior Design at the Eskenazi School. Her work explores place-based approaches to adaptive reuse and sustainability in interiors and architecture. At the core of her work is a commitment to creative reuse, gentle impact, and meaningful repair.  Kane’s smaller scale work has been included in exhibitions domestically and abroad. Her master’s thesis, Adaptive Reduce: forging architectural futures through degrowth earned the Sustainable Futures Thesis Award from the Interior Architecture department at the Rhode Island School of Design.  Her thesis explores innovative ways to repurpose existing spaces and materials, challenging conventional notions of growth and consumption in the built environment. Yaël Ksander is director of communications and marketing for the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Previously, she served as director of communications and the mayor's spokesperson for the City of Bloomington, Indiana. Yaël is a regular host, producer, and narrator at Indiana Public Media and serves on the board of the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation.

  6. Sep 28

    The Materials of a Finite World (3 of 4): Textiles

    In this episode of Design in Service of Humanity, host Yael Ksander brings together fiber artist Rowland Ricketts and merchandising professor Mary Embry to examine the full lifecycle of textiles, from soil to studio to global supply chains. Ricketts reflects on his farm-to-gallery practice, cultivating indigo in Bloomington and using historical dyeing methods to create immersive works that link agriculture, craft, and contemporary art. Embry broadens the lens to the global apparel industry, exploring how labor, environmental impact, and consumer behavior shape what we wear. Together, they consider how materials, making, and manufacturing intersect in a world of finite resources and how design education can reconnect people to the true cost and meaning of cloth. Rowland Ricketts utilizes natural dyes and historical processes to create contemporary textiles that span art and design. Trained in indigo farming and dyeing in Japan, Rowland received his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2005 and is a Provost Professor in Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. A recipient of United States Artists and Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowships, his work has been exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Seattle Art Museum. Mary Embry is a Teaching Professor in Merchandising and Fashion Design at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Her work centers on materials, global supply chains, labor rights, and sustainability. She is a recognized practitioner of high-impact pedagogical practices, particularly community engagement and active learning, receiving multiple IU Trustees Teaching Awards and the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. Yaël Ksander is director of communications and marketing for the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Previously, she served as director of communications and the mayor's spokesperson for the City of Bloomington, Indiana. Yaël is a regular host, producer, and narrator at Indiana Public Media and serves on the board of the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation.

  7. Sep 21

    The Materials of a Finite World (2 of 4): Adaptive Reuse

    In this episode of The State of Inquiry, host Yael Ksander speaks with Angela Caldwell and Lucas Brown about the ways artists and designers shape our relationship to objects, materials, and the built environment. From contemporary jewelry that reflects personal history and place to adaptive reuse projects like The Kiln in Bloomington’s Trades District, the conversation explores how thoughtful design can connect past and present while creating more sustainable futures. Angela Caldwell is a lecturer in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design in the Eskenazi School’s Studio Art program. Her work considers her personal history, and her connections to place and time through familiar objects, shapes, and materials. By examining these connections through a contemporary lens, Caldwell positions her work with a modern voice. Her work has been exhibited internationally at Galerie Marze in The Netherlands, New York City Jewelry Week, and been included in many traveling exhibitions. Lucas Brown is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Director of Design-Build at the J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program at IU’s Eskenazi School. His career has spanned the scale from furniture design to brownfield redevelopment. Sustainable design has been a central thread throughout his work. A licensed architect and founding principal of Brownsmith Studios, Brown integrates sustainable design strategies into his professional work. The Kiln, in the Bloomington Trades District, is one of Brownsmith’s recent adaptive reuse projects. Yaël Ksander is director of communications and marketing for the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Previously, she served as director of communications and the mayor's spokesperson for the City of Bloomington, Indiana. Yaël is a regular host, producer, and narrator at Indiana Public Media and serves on the board of the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation.

  8. Sep 14

    The Materials of a Finite World (1 of 4): Sustainable by Design

    In this episode of The State of Inquiry, host Yaël Ksander brings together architect and sustainability expert Christopher Reinhart and multidisciplinary designer Max Fertik for a conversation about how design shapes the way we live with the world around us. From high-performance buildings and global sustainability standards to experimental materials and community-driven design, they explore how architecture and art respond to environmental challenges at every scale. The discussion highlights how creative practice, research, and teaching at Indiana University are helping reimagine a more sustainable and resourceful future. Christopher Reinhart is an architect and educator who has implemented sustainability across a range of scales – at the hyper-local scale of teaching owner-builders to build their own homes of earth and straw, and at the large and mega-project scale of facilitating sustainability certifications for projects with budgets up to four billion dollars. He is a Udall Scholar, a Byron Fellow, a winner of the Solar Decathlon Design Challenge, and the recipient of the ARCC Kind Medal for architectural research, and he has presented about his work at many conferences, including Greenbuild, Living Future, NetZeroBuild and TEDxBloomington. Chris is a Lecturer in the Eskenazi School’s Miller Architecture Program, where he teaches energy and environmental systems, design studio, and professional practice, and serves as the program’s Licensing Advisor. Max Fertik is a multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator whose work flows between the various languages of function and the material ecologies of the postindustrial age. Max attended Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) as well as Trinity College (CT) and is a Lecturer in Comprehensive Design at the Eskenazi School. Max has exhibited domestically and abroad, and his work with invasive species was shown at the 2023 Venice Design Biennial and most recently at the 2025 Aichi Triennial. As a design educator, he focuses on local, community-centered design and resourceful, innovative material use. Yaël Ksander is director of communications and marketing for the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Previously, she served as director of communications and the mayor's spokesperson for the City of Bloomington, Indiana. Yaël is a regular host, producer, and narrator at Indiana Public Media and serves on the board of the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation.

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About

The State of Inquiry is a video and audio podcast from Indiana Public Media that brings Indiana University research to life. Each mini-season explores a timely theme—like artificial intelligence, public health, or global economics—through in-depth conversations with IU experts. Designed for curious listeners, the show highlights how IU research shapes Indiana, the nation, and the world.

Information

  • Creator
    Indiana Public Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Trustees of Indiana University
  • Show Website
    The State of Inquiry (Audio)