The opioid epidemic has killed roughly 900,000 Americans since the year 1999 – and one of the factors that fueled the crisis was doctors overprescribing opioids to patients. Jason Doctor, a USC Price School Professor, has been researching a way to curb overprescribing: notifying doctors when their patients fatally overdose. In this episode, we’ll discuss his studies and how they can help policymakers combat this health crisis.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs – commonly known as DEI – have become a hot-button issue in U.S. politics. Many organizations launched or expanded DEI programs in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a police officer. Now, a backlash against DEI has turned into policymaking, with federal, state and local governments aiming to restrict or ban DEI programs. Shaun Harper, a University and Provost Professor at the USC Price School, joins the show to discuss policymakers’ actions against DEI and the potential consequences.

Owning a home has long been promoted as a tenet of the American Dream, but many Americans now find that dream out of reach. Last year, the share of first-time home buyers shrank to historic lows, according to the National Association of Realtors. To help us understand the causes of the housing crisis and how we can solve it, we are joined by Richard Green, director and chair of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.