エピソード

  • Rob Bernstein Tackles the Titans, From Wrestling Rings to AI Things

    Rob Bernstein Tackles the Titans, From Wrestling Rings to AI Things
    2024/05/11
    Rob Bernstein, like many in the Amherst College Class of 1994, graduated just as the internet became a consumer-facing proposition. But unlike yours truly, Rob hitched his career to the internet. As a result, over the last 30 years he has managed to stay ahead of the curve, navigating a pivot from print media to digital, and from the WWE to agency work at the highest levels. As Chief Innovation Officer for Ketchum, a global communications firm, Rob spends his days peering around corners. The top question on his clients' minds these days: what will be the impact of artificial intelligence on the way we work, live, and create? (Full disclosure: AI helped me write the title of this episode.) In this episode, you'll learn: Why Rob is ambivalent about AI How we can learn more about AI, and the ways in which it's already changing the way many of us work What the WWE was like from the inside, and what it was like to work with the likes of wrestling superstars John Cena and The Rock, as well as WWE founder Vince McMahon The Amherst College classmates he'd like me to interview next Here are links to the resources Rob recommends to learn about AI: Newsletters: Neuron (https://join.theneurondaily.com/), TLDR (https://tldr.tech/) AI tools: Claude (https://claude.ai), ChatGPT (https://chatgpt.com/), Gemini (https://gemini.google.com/) To connect with Rob, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbernstein/
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    53 分
  • Allen Hurlbert Wants You To Contribute To Citizen Science

    Allen Hurlbert Wants You To Contribute To Citizen Science
    2024/05/04
    In this episode, I catch up with one of the smartest guys I knew at Amherst College, Professor Allen Hurlbert. Many of Allen's college classmates will remember him for his fondness for birds. While that interest has flowered into a successful and prolific teaching career, birds provide just one input into the focal point of his research today: building an understanding of the processes that shape global patterns of biodiversity and how those patterns are being impacted by global change. For the last several years, he also has spearheaded a citizen science project that invites all of us to track, record, and share information on the insects we find in our own backyards. It works a lot like birdwatching and can be just as fun and important for the advancement of our understanding of biodiversity. In this episode, you'll learn: All about Allen's citizen science project, Caterpillars Count, and just how easy and fun it can be to participate The ways in which climate change may produce winners, losers, and species that are likely to adapt Why overall bird populations have declined over the last several decades What attracted him to the study of biodiversity in the first place The Amherst College classmates he'd like me to interview next To contact Allen, email him at ahhurlbert@gmail.com. You also can learn about Caterpillars Count at https://caterpillarscount.unc.edu/.
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    57 分
  • President Michael Elliott On Coming Back To Amherst And Building A Strong Community

    President Michael Elliott On Coming Back To Amherst And Building A Strong Community
    2024/04/27
    When Michael Elliott attended Amherst College, he never imagined he'd one day become its president. But now that he has the job, he brings a perspective that the office hasn't seen since the last time an Amherst graduate held that office (in 1983). Like animals that can detect light in the infrared spectrum, President Elliott's student and alumni experience enables him to see things others may miss. As Amherst Reunion 2024 approaches, I thought, who better to talk about coming back to campus and how to make the most out of the brief time we'll have? In this interview, which I recorded live with about 25 of my classmates attending virtually, you'll learn: What a day-in-the-life as Amherst College president is like The aspects of Amherst that have changed the most, as well as those that haven't changed much over the last 30 years Amherst's "secret sauce"... ...And how much I miss chicken pucks Why building a strong community at Amherst is one of President Elliott's top priorities - and how alumni can help Recommendations on how to get the most out of coming back to campus, including options for families with children His answers to alumni attendee questions, including how he thinks about attracting and nurturing diverse talent through Amherst and beyond, and how campus life amid the war in Gaza fares in comparison to colleges and universities that have made headlines If you'd like to learn more about President Elliott or get in touch, email him at president@amherst.edu, follow him on Instagram (@amherst_president), or watch his interview series, Between 2 Mammoths (https://www.amherst.edu/about/president-college-leadership/president/between2mammoths).
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    1 時間 1 分
  • Neda Sharghi’s Brother Was Taken By Iran. Here’s How She Fought Successfully To Bring Him Home.

    Neda Sharghi’s Brother Was Taken By Iran. Here’s How She Fought Successfully To Bring Him Home.
    2024/03/17
    In 2018, Emad Sharghi, an American citizen, was wrongfully detained and given a 10 year prison term by Iran while he was visiting family. His crime? Simply being American. It took more than five hard years to win his release. Neda Sharghi, Emad's sister and my Amherst College classmate, has advocated tirelessly for Emad and all Americans wrongfully held abroad through high profile media appearances and meetings with US government officials, urging them to have the political courage they need to bring American detainees home alive. In this episode, she details: How Emad is doing today The terrifying moment she learned of his having been taken captive The stages that families of the wrongfully detained often go through as they come to grips with the unimaginable The playbook she recommends to help win their release, including governmental and private resources that aid these efforts (see links below) The Amherst College friends who supported her through this ordeal How the US government's policy and resourcing toward hostage negotiation has evolved following the execution of American journalist James Foley by ISIS in 2014 How others can support families trying to win the release of Americans wrongfully held abroad by hostile governments or terrorist organizations The conversation covers lighter topics, as well, including Neda's fond memories of Amherst College, her decision to pause her career to be a full-time mom, and the Amherst classmates she'd like me to interview next. If you, your family, or friends have a loved one who is being wrongfully detained, here are the resources Neda recommends: The Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/secretary-of-state/special-presidential-envoy-for-hostage-affairs/) Bring Our Families Home (https://www.bringourfamilieshome.org/) The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation (https://jamesfoleyfoundation.org/) Post-Isolation Support Activities (operated by the Department of Defense, as described here: https://www.c6f.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/Article/1845496/post-isolation-support-activities/) The official Hostages and Wrongful Detainees Flag for use in your social media (Hostages and Wrongful Detainees Flag.jpeg)
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    59 分
  • Ming Nagel Transforms Darkness Into Healing Music

    Ming Nagel Transforms Darkness Into Healing Music
    2024/03/09
    This episode's guest has come face to face with some of the darkest parts of the human condition. That's a result of her social work on behalf of those suffering from mental illness. In addition to providing relief and advocacy to some of the United Kingdom's most vulnerable, she has captured some of their stories in music that I find moving, lovingly crafted, and soothing. In this episode, you'll learn: About Ming's music, including three snippets of songs inspired by her social work and featuring a world exclusive from her band's latest album Her path to becoming one of the first female Master motorcyclists in the UK The book and luxury item she'd bring with her to a desert island Whom in the Amherst College Class of 1994 she'd like me to interview next Show notes: Ming's band website: projectblackbird.band "If This Is The End" music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgBne3iO9p4 The guitar shop she and some friends operate: moonflowerguitars.co.uk Her internet radio station, which is home to her weekly music show: exilefm.com Ming's email: mingyuin13@gmail.com
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    58 分
  • Matt Collins Gets A Taste Of His Own Medicine

    Matt Collins Gets A Taste Of His Own Medicine
    2024/02/11
    I interrupt my regularly scheduled programming to fulfill Amrita Sethi's request that I take a turn in the hot seat and sit for an interview on my own podcast. This episode is all about your humble host. In describing this episode's guest, I'm tempted to borrow a version of Mad magazine's self-effacing claim that it is suitable for wrapping fish. But that would be a disservice to the episode's guest host, Howard Chung. Thank you, Howard, for stepping in and making it look easy. In this episode, you'll learn about: The origin story of this podcast My commitment to community institutions, including faith and local government How I learned a chunk of the Amherst College songbook before I started kindergarden The portfolio of classic video game brands I once managed The Amherst classmate I want to hear from next If you'd like to get in touch with me, you can find me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcollins1/) or email me at amherstmatt@gmail.com.
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    54 分
  • Caroline Russell Smith Serves Up A Midlife Upgrade

    Caroline Russell Smith Serves Up A Midlife Upgrade
    2024/01/21
    Caroline Russell Smith is a sex therapist, and in this episode, she reassuringly shares the things that people can do to have the best sex of their lives. She offers so much more than just paths to a healthier, more fulfilling sex life, though. I see Caroline as a healer and someone who can help especially those in midlife upgrade their lives. In this conversation (which covers sex and includes some profanity, just in case you listen in the car with kids or at work), you'll learn about: The importance of learning new things in middle age - and the new sport Caroline has fallen in love with Her journey through high school sex education and working with both sex offenders and survivors of sexual violence Advice on how people in their 50s can tackle three problems common to this cohort: searching for meaning, facing malaise, and evolving our sex lives as our bodies age The Amherst classmate she wants me to talk to next Want to get in touch with Caroline? Visit her website (https://caroline-russell-smith.squarespace.com/) or send her an email at carolinerrsmith@gmail.com.
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    47 分
  • Dr. Amrita Sethi Is Breaking Down Barriers And Lifting Up Others When They Need It Most

    Dr. Amrita Sethi Is Breaking Down Barriers And Lifting Up Others When They Need It Most
    2024/01/01
    “No man is a failure who has friends.” These are the memorable last words the angel Clarence has for George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life. Frank Capra's movie classic comes to my mind this time of year, but I also thought about the line during my conversation with Dr. Amrita Sethi, an award-winning and pioneering endoscopist, as well as an Amherst College classmate. Not only has she figured how absolutely essential it is to have close friends and allies. She has built support systems that extend these benefits to aspiring doctors, helping them increase access to the profession, as well as learn and bounce back following a mistake. In this episode, you'll learn about: Amrita's embrace of breadth and focused depth, and how that has fueled her creativity and ability to innovate The critical importance of deep friendships and professional allyship, including people who will help you overcome self doubt The value of The Empathy Project (empathyproject.com) and other initiatives that help patients and doctors develop the trust and openness they need to achieve better outcomes Her theory behind why so many members of the Amherst Class of 1994 share common traits and worldviews Why we think James Cameron exemplifies the benefits of a liberal arts education The members of the Amherst Class of 1994 she wants me to talk to next
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    56 分