Omnia Podcast

“In these times” has been a handy turn of phrase in 2020, with varying adjectives used to modify it. Challenging. Unique. Strange. What started as a useful shorthand for the COVID-19 pandemic and the surreal nature of stay-at-home orders became used describe world-wide protests and calls for racial justice. This fall, the OMNIA podcast goes beyond the shorthand, using COVID-19 as a platform for a six-episode series that explores the science, social science, and history that has shaped events in 2020.To kick things off, we talk to a biologist about contagion. We’ll get insight on mutations, tracking COVID-19’s spread, and protection from antibodies and vaccines. But COVID-19 is more than the disease itself, so we drop in on a conversation between sociologists about health inequality. They’re not surprised that Black, brown, and low-income communities are being affected by COVID-19 at higher rates, but they are concerned about the still-unknown long-term effects on physical and mental health. And finally, a phi

In this episode of the OMNIA Podcast, we recap the 60-Second lectures from the spring of 2019 and highlight two favorites from our archive. You’ll learn about race in the USA from a philosophical perspective, the psychology of why we quit, why truth matters to democracy, and new pedagogies for teaching in the age of climate change. Our dip into the archives features the 2016 60-Second SLAM winning talk, "The Other Opioid Crisis: How We Learned to Ignore Untreated Pain in Poor Countries," by then History and Sociology of Science Ph.D. candidate Luke Messac, and a 2006 talk, "Beyond the Founding Fathers," by Kathy Peiss, Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Professor of American History. Many thanks to our spring 2019 lecturers: Quayshawn Spencer, Robert S. Blank Presidential Associate Professor of Philosophy; Joseph Kable, Baird Term Professor of Psychology and Associate Director of MindCORE; Sophia Rosenfeld, Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History; and Bethany Wiggin, Associate Professor of G

In this episode, we talk to Charles Bernstein, inventive poet, writer of libretti, translator, archivist, and, since 2003, a member of Penn's faculty. Bernstein is the Donald T. Regan Professor of English and Comparative Literature and co-director of PennSound. He retired from the Department of English at the end of the spring 2019 semester. In 2019, Bernstein was awarded the Bollingen Prize for American Poetry awarded by Yale University. The Bollingen Prize is awarded biennially by the Yale University Library to an American poet for the best book published during the previous two years or for lifetime achievement in poetry. Produced by Penn Arts & Sciences • Narrated by Lauren Thacker • Edited by Alex Schein • Music by Blue Dot Sessions • Allen Ginsberg "Howl" (Big Table Chicago Reading, 1959) and Robert Frost "Dust of Snow" (Readings at Columbia University, May 5, 1933) courtesy of PennSound: http://bit.ly/2VtVElp Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast by Penn Arts & Sciences on iTunes (

Quayshawn Spencer asks a simple question about race with a not-so-simple answer: what kind of thing is it? Spencer, the Robert S. Blank Presidential Associate Professor of Philosophy at Penn, poses the question to undergraduates in his Philosophy of Race course. As a specialist in the philosophies of science, biology, and race, his course examines the very nature and reality of race, beginning with early theories put out by European thinkers including Francois Bernier and Immanuel Kant. Kant’s 18th century essay, “Of the Different Human Races,” provided a scientific definition of race that would influence a long tradition of scholars using science to reinforce negative racial stereotypes—a tradition that Spencer’s course investigates alongside more contemporary philosophical, social, and political questions about race and racism. Produced by Penn Arts and Sciences • Narrated by Alex Schein • Recorded and edited by Alex Schein • Music by Blue Dot Sessions Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast by Penn Arts & Scien

In our new series, OMNIA 101, we talk to faculty members about integral aspects of their research, shedding light on their biggest challenges and their strategies for conquering them. Mark Trodden, Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Fay R. and Eugene L. Langberg Professor of Physics, and Masao Sako, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Department Chair, have different approaches to exploring two of the greatest mysteries in their field: dark matter and dark energy. Trodden, a theoretical physicist, devises mathematical models in an effort to explain the cosmic data that observational astronomers like Sako obtain using telescopes and other tools. In this episode of the OMNIA podcast, we asked both of them to help us understand dark matter and dark energy. Produced by Penn Arts and Sciences • Narrated by Karen Brooks • Recorded and edited by Alex Schein • Music by Blue Dot Sessions Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast by Penn Arts & Sciences on iTunes (apple.co/2XVWCbC) and Stitcher (bit.ly

Since 2003, the 60-Second Lecture Series has challenged Arts and Sciences faculty to distill a wealth of knowledge into a one-minute talk. Every Wednesday in September and April sees Penn Arts and Sciences faculty members standing at a podium on College Green and lecturing on topics ranging from human history, to fractions, to fly fishing—all in under a minute. The latest OMNIA podcast recaps the fall 2018 lectures and highlights two old favorites. In this episode, you’ll learn about greening vacant lots and what that means for crime rates, little-known medieval words that accurately describe the 2018 midterm elections, interpreting the Constitution, the very nature of time, and the evolving cultural and political questions raised ever-improving technologies of speech recognition and information retrieval. Our dip into the archives features a 2009 talk titled “Why Achievement Isn’t Normal,” given by Angela Duckworth, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology, 2013 MacArthur Fellow, and New Y

In this episode, we explore a potential watershed moment in American politics: the unprecedented number of women running for office in 2018. Dawn Teele, Janice and Julian Bers Assistant Professor of Political Science, researches women and politics, voting rights reform, and candidate recruitment. Right now, she’s studying Emerge, the largest Democratic campaign training program in the United States. The program recruits, trains, and connects Democratic women who want to run for office. We speak with Teele about the historical underrepresentation of women in politics and discuss some of the cultural narratives and structural factors—from fundraising trends to division of household labor—that potentially impact the success of female candidates in U.S. elections. Produced by Penn Arts & Sciences • Narrated, recorded, and edited by Anne Hoffman • Music: "Wanderers" by Dana Boule and "Roundpine" by Blue Dot Sessions Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast by Penn Arts & Sciences on iTunes (apple

In December 2017, The New York Times revealed the existence of a Pentagon program investigating unidentified flying objects. For many people, the continued existence of such a program on UFOs came as a surprise, though the military has historically been known to conduct such studies. Most notably, the Air Force’s Project Blue Book investigated more than 12,000 claimed UFO sightings between 1952 and 1969. Kate Dorsch, a doctoral candidate in the department of History and Sociology of Science, has been researching UFO encounters reported in Project Blue Book. Her dissertation covers the first “flying saucer” report in 1947 through the release of Steven Spielberg’s film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and investigates the creation of scientific knowledge and how this knowledge is communicated to the public. Produced by Penn Arts and Sciences •Recorded and Edited by Alex Schein •Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Yes Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast on iTunes: apple.co/29rg0EZ

Taije Silverman is an award-winning poet and faculty member in the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of English where she teaches classes on poetry, creative nonfiction, and translation. Before coming to Penn, she taught at the University of Bologna in Italy, where she was a Fulbright Scholar, and at Emory University, where she was the Creative Writing Fellow. She’s also received the Pushcart Prize and is on the editorial board of Alice James Books. Her poem “Where to Put It” was included in The Best American Poetry 2017, the second year in a row she had a poem in the collection. In this OMNIA podcast, she reads “Where to Put It" and another poem, "Tiresisas Too," and shares their backstories. Visit OMNIA for an extended Q&A with Taije Silverman: http://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/omnia-podcast-poetry-and-pulse-life-audio Produced by Penn Arts and Sciences • Recorded, edited, and narrated by Alex Schein • Music by Blue Dot Sessions Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast on iTunes: apple.co/29r

Concerns over lead poisoning were heightened in the U.S. after the contamination of a city water supply in Flint, Michigan. In Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania, rates of lead exposure in children are high—especially in low-income communities. Thanks to a Making a Difference in Diverse Communities grant from Penn Arts and Sciences, a team of researchers and students led by Reto Gieré and Richard Pepino of Earth and Environmental Science is educating local communities about the dangers of lead poisoning, collecting important data necessary to inform remediation efforts, and working with the city and other partners to reduce lead exposure and address environmental justice issues. They discuss the project and offer their insights on the risks of lead exposure in Philadelphia and possible remediation efforts to reduce these risks. We also speak with Tabeen Hosain, C'17, a philosophy, politics and economics major, who is leading a team of students collecting data on lead levels in soil. They're also worki

On May 9th, 2017, President Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey. This decision has intensified the debate of whether the U.S. is in a “constitutional crisis” given the numerous controversies swirling around the Trump administration. Rogers Smith, the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science and a presidential historian and constitutional scholar, offers his take on why the firing of James Comey, as well as Trump's use of executive action and social media, is challenging the balance of power in Washington. Produced by Penn Arts and Sciences • Recorded and edited by Alex Schein • Interview by Blake Cole • Narrated by Jane Carroll • Music by Blue Dot Sessions Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast on iTunes: apple.co/29rg0EZ

The politics of climate change and the politics of social inequality, such as the right to affordable housing, are usually examined as two separate issues. For Daniel Aldana Cohen, assistant professor of sociology, these two movements intersect when examining efforts to reduce carbon emissions in urban areas. Cohen has conducted research in cities such as São Paulo and New York and argues that to be effective, climate policy needs to be equitable.   Besides his work as an academic, Cohen is also the co-host of a podcast on the politics of climate change called “Hot and Bothered.” The show has featured prominent climate scientists, journalists, and activists such as Michael Mann, Naomi Klein, and Ken Henshaw. "Hot and Bothered" podcast: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/tag/hot-bothered Produced by Penn Arts and Sciences Recorded, edited, and narrated by Alex Schein Music by Blue Dot Sessions Subscribe to the OMNIA Podcast on iTunes: apple.co/29rg0EZ

This fall, the University of Pennsylvania hosted its very first Penn Honors Diversity(PHD)Symposium. Eight of the university's schools, including Penn Arts and Sciences, invited early and mid-stage undergraduates, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to learn about the value of a Ph.D.-level education. In this episode, we speak to some of the visiting students about their experience, along with faculty organizers who collaborated to create this unique event, which took place from September 29 - October 1, 2016. Featuring: Eve Trout-Powell Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Penn Arts and Sciences Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of History and Africana Studies Michael Nusbaum Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Perelman School of Medicine Director, Biomedical Graduate Studies Program, Perelman School of Medicine Professor of Neuroscience Arnaldo J. Diaz Vazquez Assistant Dean for Research Training Programs Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pharmacology Patricia Rea Associate Director

In this episode, we explore the fact, fiction, and future of artificial intelligence in the military. Depictions of so-called killer robots in films such as "The Terminator" continue to be a part of serious discussions about autonomous weapons. Should we fear the development of weapons that can make decisions? Or are these fears based more on science fiction than fact? We speak with Michael Horowitz, associate professor of political science and the associate director of Penn’s Perry World House. Horowitz first became interested in next-generation defense tools during a fellowship year at the Pentagon and has written and spoken extensively on military applications of AI. In 2015 he addressed a United Nations assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, dedicated to emerging issues related to autonomous weapons technologies. Produced by Penn Arts & Sciences Recorded and Edited by Alex Schein Interviews by Alex Schein and Susan Alhborn Music "Concentration" by Satori Illustration by Dušan Kostić Subs

The bill proposing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was first introduced in the U.S. Congress four days after King’s assassination in 1968. It wasn't voted on until 1979, however, when it fell five votes short of the number needed for passage. After a grassroots campaign led to the largest petition to Congress in U.S. history, and icons like Stevie Wonder raised awareness in popular culture, the bill finally passed and was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The holiday was first observed in 1986, though it would be the year 2000 before it was celebrated in all states. We spoke with Camille Zubrinsky Charles, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor in the Social Sciences, professor of sociology, Africana Studies and education, and Director of the Center for Africana Studies, about the historical significance of the holiday and the progression of social movements like Black Lives Matter. Produced by the The University of Pennsylvania School of Arts & Sciences • Recorded and edited by Alex Sc

It was in 1992 when Dorothy Cheney, professor of biology, and Robert Seyfarth, professor of psychology, began their long-term study of free-ranging baboons in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. The wife-and-husband team spent the next decade and a half documenting the behavior, communication, and social cognition of these group-living primates. This work culminated in their highly influential 2007 book "Baboon Metaphysics". We spoke with the professors about their perspective on life-long work in the field. Click link below for full article in OMNIA, Penn Arts & Sciences' online magazine: 
bit.ly/1S4lJxT Produced by the The University of Pennsylvania School of Arts & Sciences • Recorded and edited by Alex Schein
• Interviews and script by Blake Cole
• Narration by Kristy Gingras Music: "Denzel Sprak" by Blue Dot Sessions
 Visit OMNIA online at: http://omnia.sas.upenn.edu

Hilary Putnam (1926-2016)is considered to be one of the most influential minds of the 20th Century – making significant contributions to the fields of philosophy, mathematics, and computer science, among others. Putnam received his undergraduate degree from Penn in 1948 and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University in 1985. Putnam was the Cogan University Professor Emeritus at Harvard University. He served as faculty in the Department of Philosophy starting in 1965. In this special OMNIA podcast, we speak with professors Gary Hatfield, Scott Weinstein, and Daniel Singer of Philosophy about Putnam’s legacy in their field and his unique connection with Penn as scholar and alumnus. Produced by the School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
Recorded, edited, and narrated by Alex Schein 
Music by Blue Dot Sessions Visit OMNIA online at: http://omnia.sas.upenn.edu

On Dec. 20, 2005, Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District—the trial that set the stage for a national debate on the constitutionality of teaching intelligent design (ID) as an alternative to evolution—was decided. In the lead-up to the trial, Michael Weisberg, professor of philosophy and chair of the philosophy department, and Paul Sniegowski, professor of biology, co-authored a letter on behalf of their departments in support of the teachers who argued against the inclusion of ID in the curriculum. We spoke with professors Michael Weisberg and Paul Sniegowski about their experience with the case—and whether public attitudes on evolution have changed—as well as lead counsel and Penn Law graduate Eric Rothschild and presiding judge John E. Jones III. Produced by the School of Arts & Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania • Interviews and narration by Blake Cole 
• Recorded and edited by Alex Schein
 Visit OMNIA online at: http://omnia.sas.upenn.edu