Dornsife Dialogues
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Dornsife Dialogues, hosted by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, are conversations among leading scholars and distinguished alumni regarding a wide range of topics relevant to our world today.
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Top 10 Dornsife Dialogues Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Dornsife Dialogues episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Dornsife Dialogues for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Dornsife Dialogues episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Automation, AI, and our Human Future
Dornsife Dialogues
09/13/23 • 57 min
We hear a lot about how automation will reshape human life in the age of artificial intelligence. From revolutionary new techniques in health care to job losses in creative industries, our world may look radically different in the near future. Alongside these great transformations comes a great amount of anxiety about our place in this world.
We usually pay the most attention to the impact of AI on work, but what about political and social life? What does intellectual property look like when AI can generate new media? How will diverse communities and groups face the urgent need to reevaluate our relations with the tools we have created? How might governments and other political actors respond?
Join our live discussion for the answers to these questions – and yours – from our panel of experts.
With:
-Ziyaad Bhorat, Visiting Scholar at the Center on Science, Technology, and Public Life, USC Dornsife; Associate Director, USC Center on Generative AI and Society
-Jennifer Petersen, Associate Professor of Communication; Director of the Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Studies, USC Annenberg
Moderated by:
Andrew Lakoff, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology; Director of the Center on Science, Technology, and Public Life, USC Dornsife
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Fighting Cancer with Breakthrough Technology
Dornsife Dialogues
08/30/23 • 57 min
Peter Kuhn, a founding member of the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, discusses breakthrough technology in the fight against cancer in the latest Dornsife Dialogues. Kuhn serves on President Biden's "cancer moonshot" initiative which is working to reduce the national death rate from cancer by 50%.
In this discussion with distinguished cancer researcher Amy Ross PhD ‘86, Kuhn shares the latest science and the future of early breast cancer detection using a simple blood draw. The simplicity of the blood draw with the sophistication of today’s understanding of breast cancer through advanced mathematics can bring confidence to the 70 million women in the U.S. who are at risk of breast cancer.
Learn how USC Dornsife is making a difference in the fight against cancer with:
Peter Kuhn, Dean’s Professor of Biological Sciences, USC Dornsife and cancer physicist. Learn more about his work.
Amy A. Ross PhD '86, cancer researcher (ret.), USC Board of Trustees member
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Exploring the Enigma of Consciousness
Dornsife Dialogues
03/29/23 • 58 min
Considering AI tools can now effectively mimic human communication, robots can ace the Turing test, and lobsters and crabs have been classified by some nations as sentient, the topic of consciousness has never been more timely or interesting.
Join this fascinating discussion on the latest developments and research regarding consciousness, including philosophical and scientific approaches to consciousness, the relationship between consciousness and the brain, and the potential implications of recent discoveries on our understanding of the human mind.
Speakers:
Antonio Damasio, David Dornsife professor of neuroscience; director of the USC Dornsife Brain and Creativity Institute. Author of numerous books, including Feeling and Knowing: Making Minds Conscious (2021).
Tok Thompson, professor (teaching) of anthropology and communication at USC Dornsife. Author of Posthuman Folklore (2019) which explores new concepts of personhood and The Truth of Myth (2020) which explores how fundamental narratives shape how we think of the world.
Moderated by: Jonas Kaplan, neuroscientist, associate professor of psychology and co-director the Dana and David Dornsife Cognitive Neuroimaging Center at USC Dornsife.
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Stand-Up Comedy: Its Historic Influence on Society
Dornsife Dialogues
03/01/23 • 60 min
For nearly 200 years, stand-up comedians haven’t just been reflecting society, they’ve been influencing it through pointed social commentary. Join us for a discussion about the evolution of the art form, some of the most influential comedians, the growing challenge of censorship, and much more.
Featuring:
Lanita Jacobs, associate professor of American studies and ethnicity and anthropology at USC Dornsife. Author of To Be Real: Truth and Racial Authenticity in African American Stand-Up Comedy
Wayne Federman, adjunct professor at USC School of Dramatic Arts. Author of The History of Stand-Up: From Mark Twain to Dave Chappelle. Emmy-winning producer of George Carlin's American Dream.
Cruz Arroyo, PhD Candidate in English at USC Dornsife, studying the fictionality of stand-up comedy.
Moderator: Kirstin Eggers, assistant professor of theatre practice in comedy performance at USC School of Dramatic Arts. Actor, writer, and comedic performer.
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Eating Right for a Better, Longer Life
Dornsife Dialogues
01/26/23 • 59 min
For many, the start of a new year signals a renewed interest in healthier eating. But what does that mean today? The research regarding what — and when — we should eat has evolved quite a bit. Learn from our experts about how people of all ages can improve their health through better eating. Including tips on what foods to eat — and when — for a longer life.
Featuring:
Valter Longo, professor of gerontology and biological sciences, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. He is the bestselling author of The Longevity Diet.
Maryann Pentz, Sidney R. Garfield Chair in Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Moderator: Laura Sanders '08, senior writer covering neuroscience at Science News
Watch the discussion on YouTube.
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Are There Still Good Germs?
Dornsife Dialogues
12/08/22 • 59 min
The COVID-19 pandemic made us all much more concerned about eradicating germs. Hand sanitizer is now a household staple and HEPA air filters have become the norm in offices and other indoor spaces. But many microscopic organisms we call “germs,” particularly bacteria, are actually beneficial.
Join Susan L. Forsburg, Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences at USC Dornsife and other experts to learn how bacteria can help us, from treating wastewater to cleaning the ocean floor to improving our immune system.
Featuring:
Jan Amend, professor of Earth sciences and biological sciences, USC Dornsife
Moh El-Naggar, Dean's Professor of Physics and Astronomy and professor of physics and chemistry, USC Dornsife
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Nuclear Energy: Should it Power Our Cities?
Dornsife Dialogues
11/15/22 • 59 min
Nuclear energy is hot again. After decades of activism to close nuclear reactors and shift to other forms of energy, a growing number of political leaders and environmentalists support a renewed investment in nuclear power. Concerns around energy security and the growing need for decarbonization are also giving many nuclear plants life extensions.
Why have opinions shifted, are there new solutions to managing nuclear waste, and what sort of technologies have emerged since its peak in the 1970s? Can nuclear energy be part of the clean energy strategy?
Featuring:
Jennifer M. Bernstein, visiting scholar, Spatial Sciences Institute, USC Dornsife; editor-in-chief, Case Studies in the Environment
Najmedin Meshkati, professor of engineering, USC Viterbi and international relations, USC Dornsife
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Witches: Beyond Myth and Magic
Dornsife Dialogues
10/31/22 • 58 min
At times revered and at other times persecuted, witches and the phenomenon of witchcraft span global cultures and centuries of history, remaining popular even today. But what exactly is a witch and what do they practice? Were those famously persecuted for witchcraft throughout Europe and colonial America really witches? And, what’s up with those pointy hats?
USC Dornsife scholars traced the history of witches, and the changing ways art and literature has depicted them for this special Halloween Dornsife Dialogues event.
Participants:
Deborah Harkness, professor of history at USC Dornsife and bestselling author and producer of A Discovery of Witches.
Lisa Bitel, Dean’s Professor of Religion and professor of religion and history at USC Dornsife and an expert on medieval history.
Moderator: Peter Mancall, USC Dornsife historian and Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities
Watch the discussion on YouTube.
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
Dinosaurs: From Fiction to Fact
Dornsife Dialogues
06/21/22 • 58 min
Though it’s been 66 million years since dinosaurs have walked the Earth, they’ve never been more popular. What do film and TV shows get right about dinosaurs and what’s often wrong about the way they’re depicted? Could there ever actually be a Jurassic Park? Was it really a meteor that caused the extinction of dinosaurs? What did dinosaurs actually sound like?
Enjoy this fascinating live discussion with answers to viewer questions, moderated by National Geographic Science Writer Michael Greshko, with two paleontologists:
Jingmai O’Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum in Chicago, who earned her PhD in geological sciences at USC Dornsife in 2009
Kiersten Formoso, vertebrate paleobiology and functional morphology PhD candidate at USC Dornsife
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
How Underrepresented Voters Could Shape the 2024 Election
Dornsife Dialogues
10/18/24 • 59 min
The presidency may be determined by razor-thin margins in swing states this November. Voters from groups traditionally less likely to turn out – such as non-college-educated individuals, low-income Americans and voters of color – could play a pivotal role in the outcome.
Our panel explores the key issues driving engagement among these underrepresented voters, the challenges they may face, such as voter suppression and misinformation, and their potential impact on swing state results.
Moderated by Jane Coaston, contributing opinion writer, The New York Times; fellow, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future.
With:
Mike Madrid, political consultant; author, The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy; fellow, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future
Eugene Scott, host, Axios Live; former national political reporter, The Washington Post
Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Dornsife Dialogues have?
Dornsife Dialogues currently has 23 episodes available.
What topics does Dornsife Dialogues cover?
The podcast is about News, Los Angeles, Art, History, Podcasts, Technology, Education, Science, Politics and California.
What is the most popular episode on Dornsife Dialogues?
The episode title 'Fighting Cancer with Breakthrough Technology' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Dornsife Dialogues?
The average episode length on Dornsife Dialogues is 60 minutes.
How often are episodes of Dornsife Dialogues released?
Episodes of Dornsife Dialogues are typically released every 46 days, 22 hours.
When was the first episode of Dornsife Dialogues?
The first episode of Dornsife Dialogues was released on Jun 26, 2020.
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