Curiosity Unbounded

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 WhitePolitical ScienceMIT Gov/LabTimestamps:(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-voteJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

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 EngineeringMIT School of EngineeringMIT Department of Mechanical EngineeringTimestamps:(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-swallowJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

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 BiopolymersCivil and Environmental EngineeringMIT Climate ProjectTimestamps:(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-skillsJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

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​​”J-PAL,” the Jameel Poverty Action LabMIT Climate ProjectTimestamps:(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-skillsJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA