Best Duke Engineering Podcasts (2025)

1
Bjorn Ryan-Gorman: Coming Out as Gay in the Snowboarding World and Reclaiming Masculinity on Your Own Terms 45:23

Play Pause

7m ago45:23

45:23

Bjorn Ryan-Gorman, professional snowskater and LGBTQ+ advocate, shares his journey from hiding his sexuality behind aggressive board sports to building a life of authenticity in Portland. Growing up in Montana as a sponsored snow athlete, Ryan-Gorman used snowboarding and skateboarding as outlets for self-hatred and denial, pushing himself to dange…

1
David Epstein: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World 51:45

15m ago51:45

51:45

David Epstein, author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, dismantles the myth that early specialization is the only path to excellence. Drawing from research on elite athletes, musicians, and scientists, David reveals how individual variability in learning means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to skill development. He r…

1
Midlife Metamorphosis: Embrace Your Power, Discover Your Freedom 47:42

8h ago47:42

47:42

Midlife can feel like an ending, but what if it’s actually the moment everything starts to make sense? What if the same body you’ve spent years trying to fix is the one that’s been carrying the wisdom you’ve needed all along? Dr. Regina Druz sits down with Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, a certified health coach and functional nutrition practitioner, for a c…

1
25. Danelle Brostrom on Leading AI: Privacy, Humanity, and Progress in Schools 36:48

4h ago36:48

36:48

K-12 EdTech coach Danelle Brostrom joins us to talk about bringing curiosity, guardrails, and humanity to AI in schools. We dig into what we should learn from the social-media era, how librarians are frontline partners for information literacy, the real risks inside edtech privacy policies (and how districts can negotiate them), and concrete ways A…

1
Daniel Stillman: The Architecture of Conversations and Why Every Interface Shapes What We Say 1:18:27

23m ago1:18:27

1:18:27

Daniel Stillman, author of Good Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter, reveals how conversations are designed—whether we realize it or not. Drawing from his background in design thinking and facilitation, Daniel breaks down the components of conversational architecture: openings, turns, power dynamics, and interfaces. He explains why physic…

1
Ayelet Fishbach: The Science of Motivation, Why Fantasies Fail, and Balancing Abstract Goals with Concrete Plans 1:07:21

1d ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Ayelet Fishbach, motivation researcher at University of Chicago, dismantles the fantasy-driven approach to New Year's resolutions and goal-setting. Drawing from data spanning multiple years, she reveals that while temporal landmarks like New Year work for initiating goals, only 20% of people still pursue them by November—the difference comes down t…

1
Dandapani: Mastering Your Mind as an Operating System, Sexual Energy Transmutation, and the Monastic Path to Unwavering Focus 1:07:07

38m ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Dandapani, former Hindu monk who lived monastically for 10 years, shares teachings from his guru on treating the mind as an operating system that must be understood before it can be mastered. He explains the critical distinction between a focused life (giving undivided attention to whoever/whatever you're engaged with) and a purpose-focused life (w…

1
Cal Newport: Slow Productivity, Escaping Pseudo Productivity, and the Three Principles for Sustainable Knowledge Work 1:40:53

14m ago1:40:53

1:40:53

Cal Newport unpacks his framework for Slow Productivity, built on three core principles: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. He introduces "pseudo productivity"—the toxic heuristic that emerged in mid-20th century knowledge work when visible activity became a proxy for useful effort because traditional product…

1
Alan Stein Jr: The Performance Gap Between Knowing and Doing, and What Elite Athletes Teach Us About Execution 1:05:31

15m ago1:05:31

1:05:31

Alan Stein Jr, former basketball performance coach to Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and other NBA superstars, reveals why knowledge without execution is worthless and how the world's highest performers bridge the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Drawing from decades working with elite athletes, Stein explains that performance gaps…

1
From Knowledge to Wisdom 🧠 — with Hywel Carver 58:32

1h ago58:32

58:32

Today's guest is Hywel Carver! Hywel is co-founder and CEO of Skiller Whale, which provides live team coaching for software engineering teams. With Hywel, we got deep into what makes traditional developer training awful, what engineers truly learn and what they should learn. Then we explored how to measure the impact of learning and how AI may poss…

1
Cosmic Radio Interview Dr. Joseph Lazio from JPL's Deep Space Network 58:09

10h ago58:09

58:09

Join me as we learn more about the amazing radio antennas from the NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN). Last month we learned how the DSN communicates with mission spacecrafts. This month we learn about the research the antennas have been involved in and how the DSN will help the communications with our return to the moon on the Artemis Missions!! We a…

1
Andrew Yang: Universal Basic Income and the Automation Crisis Remaking America 44:31

4d ago44:31

44:31

Andrew Yang traces his path from failed entrepreneur to 2020 presidential candidate driven by a single realization: automation has already destroyed millions of American jobs, and the next wave will be exponentially worse. Through his work with Venture for America, he witnessed firsthand the economic devastation in Detroit, Ohio, and the Midwest—wh…

1
Christy Tennery-Spalding: Building Political Homes and Redefining Self-Care Beyond Capitalism 48:12

7d ago48:12

48:12

Christy Tennery-Spalding, activist and organizer, shares how growing up near Washington D.C. shaped her oppositional stance to power structures and led her to find a “political home” in San Francisco’s activist community. She introduces the concept of informed consent in organizing—ensuring participants feel safe, informed, and empowered rather tha…

1
24. Duke's Ahmed Boutar on AI Alignment: Ensuring Users Get Desired Results 43:49

24h ago43:49

43:49

In this episode, we’re joined by Ahmed Boutar, an Artificial Intelligence Master’s Student at Duke University, who brings a rigorous engineering focus to the ethics and governance of AI. Ahmed’s work centers on ensuring new technology aligns with human values, including his research on Human-Aligned Hazardous Driving (HAHD) systems for autonomous v…

1
Chris Fussell: Systems, Mindset, and Leading at the Edge 56:27

7d ago56:27

56:27

Former Navy SEAL and leadership strategist Chris Fussell reveals how elite teams operate under pressure—and how those principles can be applied far beyond the battlefield. Drawing from years of operational experience and his work with General Stanley McChrystal, Fussell explains how systems thinking, decentralized decision-making, and shared consci…

1
Andrew Bustamante: Inside the Mind of a Spy — Tradecraft, Trust, and the Cost of Secrecy 1:10:20

1d ago1:10:20

1:10:20

Former CIA field operative Andrew Bustamante pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to recruit spies, run intelligence operations, and navigate a life built on secrecy, loyalty, and manipulation. In this riveting and wide-ranging conversation, Bustamante shares stories from his military training at the Air Force Academy, his time at “The Fa…

1
Navigating The Complexity of Conditionally Active Biologics With Bonum Therapeutics' Diane Hollenbaugh, Ph.D., and Neela Patel, Ph.D. 47:49

1d ago47:49

47:49

In this episode of "Better Biopharma," host Tyler Menichiello is joined by Bonum Therapeutics' chief scientific officer, Diane Hollenbaugh, Ph.D., and chief business officer, Neela Patel, Ph.D. They talk about the inherent challenges of developing complex molecules like conditionally active biologics, sharing advice on CMC strategy, analytical meth…

1
Carlos Adell: From Drug Dealer to Industrial Engineer to Finding True Success Through Strategic Environment Design 52:37

2d ago52:37

52:37

Carlos Adell shares his unconventional path from growing up in a small Spanish town with limited resources to running a six-figure drug dealing business while simultaneously working as a DJ and industrial engineer. After nearly dying from a heart attack at 29 while working in corporate, Adell discovered that he had been living other people’s dreams…

1
Alison Shcraeger: The Economics of Risk and What a Las Vegas Brothel Taught Me About Uncertainty 45:46

6d ago45:46

45:46

Alison Shcraeger, economist and author of An Economist Walks Into a Brothel, explains how risk really works and why most people misunderstand it. From studying sex workers in Nevada to analyzing probability theory, Alison reveals that humans are not naturally wired to process probabilities—but we can learn. She introduces the concept of natural fre…

1
John Epstein: Testing Acast Sync and Update Functionality 51:45

12d ago51:45

51:45

This is a test episode to verify that our Acast sync system works correctly. We will upload this episode with a far-future publish date, then update the midroll timestamp to confirm that the PATCH endpoint successfully syncs changes from our local index to Acast without re-uploading the audio file. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in…

1
The Hormone Whisperer: Unlocking Midlife Wellness For Heart Health Optimization 1:00:34

8d ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Menopause changes more than hormones. It reshapes how the whole body works. In this episode, Dr. Regina Druz talks with gynecologist and certified menopause specialist Dr. Polly Watson about the deep links between hormone wellness and cardiovascular health. What really happens to the heart when estrogen levels start to shift? How early do those cha…

1
23. The Lifeline of Learning: Dr. Sawsan Jaber on Radical Love, Agency, and Humanizing Education in the Age of AI 47:53

16d ago47:53

47:53

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sawsan Jaber, a global educator, equity strategist, and author of Pedagogies of Voice. Dr. Jaber’s work is rooted in her lived experience as the daughter of refugees and her profound belief that classrooms must be healing spaces that nurture student voice and radical love. This conversation is an urgent explorat…

1
Akshay Nanavati: Finding Bliss Through Suffering, Silence, and the Edge of Human Endurance 49:36

9d ago49:36

49:36

Akshay Nanavati is not your typical adventurer — he’s a former Marine, a survivor of war-induced PTSD, and a seeker of what he calls the “crucible of suffering.” In this deeply introspective and intensely raw conversation, Akshay explores how pain, guilt, and darkness became vehicles for transcendence in his life. From confronting suicidal despair …

1
The AI Transformation at Intercom 🤖 — with Darragh Curran 55:27

13d ago55:27

55:27

Today's guest is Darragh Curran! Darragh is the CTO of Intercom, which is one of the world's leading customer service products with more than 600 million users. With Darragh, we talked about how AI poses at the same time an existential risk and an incredible opportunity for Intercom, and how this led them to the decision of creating a completely se…

1
3: Redefining Education with AI: Vera Cubero on Project-Based Learning and Human Connection 40:15

15d ago40:15

40:15

In this episode from the archives, we’re joined by Vera Cubero, the Emerging Technologies Consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and a co-author of one of the nation's first K-12 AI guidelines. Vera shares her frontline experience transitioning from a classroom teacher piloting 1-to-1 Chromebooks to leading a sta…

1
Developing Antibodies To Block Neuroinflammation With MindImmune's Stevin Zorn, Ph.D. 44:28

15d ago44:28

44:28

In this episode of "Better Biopharma," host Tyler Menichiello is joined by MindImmune's president and CEO, Stevin Zorn, Ph.D. They discuss the development of the company's lead candidate, MITI-101, a monoclonal antibody designed to prevent peripheral immune cells from entering the brain and driving neuroinflammation linked to Alzheimer's disease. F…

1
David Brooks: Seeing People Deeply in a World of Shallow Interactions 56:45

16d ago56:45

56:45

New York Times columnist and bestselling author **David Brooks** joins Srini Rao to unpack what it really means to know and see another person — and how our ability to connect deeply has deteriorated in a world dominated by distraction, paradigmatic thinking, and judgment. Drawing from his latest book *How to Know a Person*, Brooks explores emotion…

1
Damon Centola: Why Change Spreads from the Edges—Not the Influencers 56:51

17d ago56:51

56:51

Damon Centola, sociologist and author of *Change: How to Make Big Things Happen*, dismantles the myth of the influencer and introduces a radically different model of how ideas and behaviors actually spread. In this thought-provoking conversation, Centola explains why change doesn’t come from social media stars with massive followings—but from dense…

1
Jennifer Wallace: Raising Resilient Kids in a Culture That Says They're Never Enough 51:53

20d ago51:53

51:53

Jennifer Wallace is a journalist, researcher, and mother of three who set out to answer one of the most pressing questions in modern parenting: *Why do our kids feel like they're never enough — and what can we do about it?* Drawing on insights from her book *Never Enough* and years of reporting, Wallace explains how achievement culture, status anxi…

1
Laura Huang: Creating an Edge in a World That Won’t Hand You One 1:05:42

21d ago1:05:42

1:05:42

In this powerful and perspective-shifting episode, Harvard Business School professor and author **Laura Huang** shares a deeply human and practical roadmap for transforming disadvantage into advantage. Drawing from her book *Edge*, she breaks down the four-part EDGE framework—Enrich, Delight, Guide, and Effort—showing how each of us can flip bias, …

1
Emily Fletcher: The Science and Simplicity of Unlocking Human Potential Through Meditation 46:52

25d ago46:52

46:52

Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation and a former Broadway performer, shares how her journey from the stage to spiritual leadership reshaped her understanding of success, fulfillment, and mental resilience. In this candid and practical conversation, Emily explains the science behind stress, its impact on performance, and how meditation can tr…

1
Unlocking Longevity: How Genetic Insights Guide Lifelong Health 1:08:06

23d ago1:08:06

1:08:06

Your DNA carries powerful clues about how to protect your heart and extend your life, and modern genetics now makes it possible to turn that knowledge into action. Dr. Regina Druz sits down with Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen, the co-founder of IntellxxDNA, to discuss how breakthroughs in genetics, genomics, and epigenetics are redefining personalized me…

1
22. The Steam Engine of Software: Kris Younger on Transforming Education in the Age of AI 47:10

22d ago47:10

47:10

In this episode, we’re joined by Kris Younger, a longtime technologist and the Director of Education at Zip Code Wilmington, a nonprofit coding bootcamp. Zip Code is on the absolute frontier of technology, helping adults from diverse backgrounds, who often earn between $30,000 and $35,000 per year, rapidly transition into tech careers with salaries…

1
Building Psychologically Safe Teams 🛡️ — with Meg Adams 49:07

28d ago49:07

49:07

Today's guest is Meg Adams!Meg is Senior Director of Engineering for the New York Times. With Meg, we talked about her fantastic journey in tech, from management in sales and retail, to learning software development from scratch, to management again, but this time in technology. And then we especially talked about Neuro Leadership, what it is, how …

1
21. AI Engineer Vihaan Nama on Privacy, Practice, and Empowered Learning 48:49

1M ago48:49

48:49

In this episode, we’re visiting Duke University to meet Vihaan Nama, an AI engineer, researcher, and teaching assistant helping shape how AI is taught and built for the real world. From roles at PS&S and JPMorgan to graduate courses on explainable AI and product management, Vihaan brings a rare combination of technical depth and educator insight. I…

1
Engineering Bacterial Vector-Based Immunotherapies With OS Therapies’ Paul Romness and Robert Petit, Ph.D. 36:38

1M ago36:38

36:38

By Tyler Menichiello

1
Courtney Harding: Building the Future of Human Connection Through XR, Education, and Digital Agency 50:29

1M ago50:29

50:29

Courtney Harding, founder of Friends with Holograms and a leading voice in spatial computing, joins Srini to discuss the real-world applications and philosophical implications of immersive technologies like VR and AR. Drawing from her background in music journalism, activism, and public policy, she unpacks how virtual experiences are reshaping educ…

1
Cosmic Radio Interview with Dr. Joseph Lazio from JPL 59:12

1M ago59:12

59:12

Join me as we speak with Dr. Joseph Lazio, Project Scientist from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Deep Space Network. Dr. Lazio explains what the Deep Space Network (DSN) his job at the DSN and explain how the DSN antennas are used to track and communicate with NASA spacecrafts and the amazing research the antennas perform. This is the first part o…

1
Daniel Lieberman: Dopamine, Desire, and Why Enough is Never Enough 51:43

1M ago51:43

51:43

In this mind-expanding conversation, psychiatrist and author Daniel Lieberman unpacks the role of dopamine — the brain's molecule of motivation — and how it shapes nearly every aspect of our lives, from love and ambition to addiction and impulsive behavior. Drawing from his bestselling book *The Molecule of More*, Lieberman explains why we’re wired…

1
Frustrated with Exercise? How Move More Moments Can Re-engineer Your Routine 55:51

1M ago55:51

55:51

Exercise can be medicine for the heart, yet most of us still struggle to fit it into daily life. Dr. Regina Druz sits down with exercise physiologist Dr. Jim Walter to explore how movement shapes cardiovascular health and why small choices matter more than we think. He introduces “move more moments,” simple ways to counter a sedentary lifestyle and…

1
20. How to Teach Intentionally with AI featuring Brian Jefferson 46:52

1M ago46:52

46:52

In this episode, we're joined by Brian Jefferson, a professor at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Brian shares his incredible journey from a 20-year career as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers to becoming a recognized innovator in higher education. Listen in as we discuss how to move beyond AI anxiety by fostering …

1
Annie Duke: Why Knowing When to Quit Is a Superpower 1:10:48

1M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

In this powerful third appearance, bestselling author and decision strategist Annie Duke dismantles the myth that grit is always good — and makes the case for why strategic quitting is essential for success. Drawing from cognitive science, personal experience, and examples like Muhammad Ali, Dave Chappelle, and Stuart Butterfield (Slack), Duke illu…

1
The Science of Mastery: Anders Ericsson on Deliberate Practice 45:52

1M ago45:52

45:52

Psychologist Anders Ericsson, the originator of the concept of deliberate practice, shares the foundational principles behind how experts are made—not born. Drawing on decades of empirical research, he explains how world-class performance emerges through structured effort, targeted feedback, and the development of mental models over time.Ericsson c…

1
Navigating AI Development Workflows 🛠 — with Birgitta Böckeler 50:21

2M ago50:21

50:21

Today's guest is Birgitta Böckeler! Birgitta is is a distinguished engineer and global lead for AI-assisted software delivery at ThoughtWorks. Her full-time work is to figure out how engineering teams can make the most out of AI. With Birgitta, we talked about her favorite workflows, how she uses AI in the IDE, in the terminal or in a genetic mode.…

1
19. The Frontier Classroom: McKenna Akane on Rural Innovation and Emerging Tech 46:30

1M ago46:30

46:30

In this episode, we're joined by McKenna Akane, an award-winning STEM teacher and the Frontier Learning Lab Ambassador at the Montana Digital Academy. McKenna shares her incredible journey from being a first-year teacher in a rural Montana school to becoming a nationally recognized leader in educational technology, winning accolades like Discovery …

1
How J&J Is Tackling Alzheimer's Disease With Fiona Elwood, Ph.D. 32:50

2M ago32:50

32:50

In this episode of “Better Biopharma,” host Tyler Menichiello is joined by Fiona Elwood, Ph.D., VP and Neurodegeneration Disease Area Stronghold Leader at Johnson & Johnson. The two talk about J&J’s end-to-end organizational structure and its modality-agnostic approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease. Follow Tyler Menichiello on LinkedIn: https://w…

1
The Operating System of Transformation: Salim Ismail on Exponential Thinking, Leadership, and Inner Engineering 57:33

2M ago57:33

57:33

In this episode, Salim Ismail — founding executive director of Singularity University and author of *Exponential Organizations* — maps out what it takes to adapt, lead, and build in a world defined by accelerating change.He unpacks the frameworks behind exponential growth, the future of learning, and the architecture of modern organizations. But th…

1
18. Shaping the Future Classroom with Mike McGuckin 44:33

2M ago44:33

44:33

Mike McGuckin, a Computer Science Teacher at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, joins us to share his on-the-ground perspective on navigating AI in education. Mike's passion for technology led him to become the only North Carolina educator in the inaugural AIEDU Trailblazer Fellowship. This experience "skyrocketed" him into a leadership role whe…

1
“Honey, I Shrunk the ECG!”: How This Cardiologist Put Your Heart Rhythm at Your Fingertips 54:00

2M ago54:00

54:00

Pocket-sized ECG devices and advances in AI in healthcare are opening new possibilities in cardiology and giving patients practical ways to stay on top of their heart health. What once required bulky machines in hospitals can now be done from home, shifting how care is experienced and how patients connect with their doctors. In this episode, Dr. Re…

1
Dennis Xu: Designing Tools That Think Like We Do 47:01

2M ago47:01

47:01

Dennis Xu, co-founder of Mem, unpacks the future of personal knowledge and how it’s being reshaped by networked thinking, cognitive design, and human-centered AI. Drawing on his Stanford background, founder journey, and product philosophy, Dennis challenges the folder-based paradigms of information management — replacing them with malleable, graph-…