Best Stanford Engineering Podcasts (2025)

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Best of: The future of coastal erosion 29:34

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2h ago29:34

29:34

It’s summertime, and for many of us that means a recreational trip to the beach or coast. Worldwide, billions of people live year-round near a coastline, and these settings can be responsible for everything from buffering storms and preventing sea-level rise to fishing, flourishing tourism, and trade. For all these reasons, the acceleration of coas…

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Why voices light us up—but leave the autistic brain in the dark | Dan Abrams 31:51

34m ago31:51

31:51

Recognizing a familiar voice is one of the brain’s earliest social feats. But what are the brain circuits that let a newborn pick out mom in a crowded nursery? How do they change as kids turn toward friends and the wider world? And what are we learning about why this instinct fails to develop in the autistic brain? This week, host Nicholas Weiler j…

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The future of plant chemistry 31:21

6d ago31:21

31:21

Chemical engineer Beth Sattely studies the intricate chemistry of plant life. Plants are more than food, she says: They are living chemical factories churning out molecules that help plants do everything from adapting to climate change to fighting infections – or even producing valuable new cancer drugs. Lately, Sattely’s lab is working on ways to …

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Anil Ananthaswamy, "Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Maths Behind Modern AI" (Dutton, 2024) 1:09:21

8d ago1:09:21

1:09:21

Machine learning systems are making life-altering decisions for us: approving mortgage loans, determining whether a tumor is cancerous, or deciding if someone gets bail. They now influence developments and discoveries in chemistry, biology, and physics—the study of genomes, extrasolar planets, even the intricacies of quantum systems. And all this b…

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# 58 Maya Doueihi - Project Manager WhatsApp / Growing up in Beirut and being political / News Anchor for Dad (Age 5) / "Never Give Up" 1:02:16

9d ago1:02:16

1:02:16

I'm your host Gary Nowak and what a wonderful conversation I had with my guest Maya Doueihy. Maya brought so much energy, passion and beautiful perspective to her career and I know you'll enjoy it. Career Background: Grew up in Beirut, Lebanon Studied at the Lebanese American University studying International Relations and affairs Worked as a proje…

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David Topping on the Grand Canyon Prototype Experiments, Disequilibrium Transport, and Hysteresis 1:02:18

11d ago1:02:18

1:02:18

Dr. David Topping is a Research Hydrologist with the US Geological Survey. He did his undergrad at MIT, a masters and Phd at the University of Washington and has published >100 well cited peer review publications. Dr Topping has worked with the USGS for >30 years but for the last 18 or so have been with the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Cent…

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The future of parent-child bonding 33:55

13d ago33:55

33:55

Biologist Lauren O’Connell studies poisonous frogs, but not just the toxins that make them dangerous. She also studies the neuroscience of their complex parenting. She’s learned that tadpoles recognize their mothers by smell and do a “begging dance” when hungry, and that the frogs produce a protein that protects them from their own poisonous chemis…

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Robyn Arianrhod, "Vector: A Surprising Story of Space, Time, and Mathematical Transformation" (U of Chicago Press, 2024) 1:11:46

13d ago1:11:46

1:11:46

A celebration of the seemingly simple idea that allowed us to imagine the world in new dimensions--sparking both controversy and discovery. The stars of this book, vectors and tensors, are unlikely celebrities. If you ever took a physics course, the word "vector" might remind you of the mathematics needed to determine forces on an amusement park ri…

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#93 – Chemical & biological engineering at a National Lab: leadership, communication, & commercialization 44:46

14d ago44:46

44:46

I sat down with Brian H. Davison, PhD, Chief Scientist of Systems Biology & Biotechnology in the Biosciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Center for Bioenergy Innovation. Brian is a graduate of the University of Rochester and Caltech and candidate for President of the American Institute for Chemical Engineering (AIChE). Brian d…

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Famous & Gravy: Cosmic Marketer and the Meaning of Life | Stephen Hawking 1:01:31

14d ago1:01:31

1:01:31

In this special crossover episode, we’re doing something a little different. From Our Neurons to Yours host Nicholas joins producer Michael Osborne to co-host his podcast Famous and Gravy for a lively conversation about the extraordinary life and mind of Stephen Hawking. Hawking, one of the most renowned scientists of our time, lived with ALS for m…

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Best of: How the grid is becoming more human-centric 29:07

21d ago29:07

29:07

We’re in the midst of summer and we know that power outages can happen more frequently during this season due to higher temperatures and an increased demand for electricity. A couple years ago we sat down with Ram Rajagopal, an expert in the future of electrical power. He shared a few ways our existing system of massive power plants is slowly but s…

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#67 Adam Mowl - Marine (Afghanistan) / Cyber Security / High Morale Compass / Fear the Beard 1:05:36

22d ago1:05:36

1:05:36

I'm your host Gary Nowak and I am honored to have as a guest a young man who has served our country with 5 years in the military. Adam Mowl is a self proclaimed Renaissance man with a great foundation for life and very strong character. Career Background: Served at a Marine for 5 years and spent 1 year in Afghanistan tracking high value targets Sin…

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Chris Bernhardt, "Beautiful Math: The Surprisingly Simple Ideas behind the Digital Revolution in How We Live, Work, and Communicate" (MIT Press, 2024) 52:16

24d ago52:16

52:16

Most of us know something about the grand theories of physics that transformed our views of the universe at the start of the twentieth century: quantum mechanics and general relativity. But we are much less familiar with the brilliant theories that make up the backbone of the digital revolution. In Beautiful Math: The Surprisingly Simple Ideas behi…

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The future of AI and the law 35:43

28d ago35:43

35:43

Law professor Daniel Ho says that the law is ripe for AI innovation, but a lot is at stake. Naive application of AI can lead to rampant hallucinations in over 80 percent of legal queries, so much research remains to be done in the field. Ho tells how California counties recently used AI to find and redact racist property covenants from their laws—a…

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Can brain science save addiction policy? | Keith Humphreys 45:51

28d ago45:51

45:51

If addiction is a disease of the brain, what does that mean for how we treat people—and how we write policy? In this wide-ranging conversation, Stanford addiction expert and policy advisor Keith Humphreys returns to the show to walk us through what neuroscience has taught us about substance use disorders and how that science intersects with law, pu…

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#85 Greg Tucker - CxO Level(s) / Stanford MBA (made them wait) / Engineering to Business / How to listen 1:08:41

1M ago1:08:41

1:08:41

I'm your host Gary Nowak and today I've had the great honor of reconnecting with a former colleague and extremely successful consultant @Greg Tucker Career Background: Award winning CXO, CMO, Chief Customer Officer Chief Journey mapper, heling companies better understand the customer journey Self employed with his highly successful consulting compa…

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The future of hoarding disorder 29:36

1M ago29:36

29:36

Psychiatrist Carolyn Rodriguez studies hoarding disorder and says that all of us have attachments to our possessions. But for many, these attachments can disrupt daily life and even pose health risks. For those with loved ones who struggle with hoarding disorder, she says treatments exist, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Lately, she’s…

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An Intellectual History of LLMs 1:21:29

1M ago1:21:29

1:21:29

In this episode, Alina Utrata interviews Amira Moeding, a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Cambridge where they held fellowships with Cambridge Digital Humanities and the Cluster of Excellence “Matters of Activity” at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. They talked all about Amira’s research on the intellectual history of Large Language Mo…

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Best of: The future of skin longevity 29:14

1M ago29:14

29:14

Summer is in full swing and we hope you are enjoying it with family and friends. As we spend more time outdoors, it’s an opportune moment to revisit a conversation we had with Zakia Rahman, a dermatologist who shared a number of helpful measures we can take to care for our skin. She reminds us that skincare is about more than vanity — it’s about vi…

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How basic science transformed stroke care | Marion Buckwalter 34:51

1M ago34:51

34:51

A generation ago, a big clot in the brain meant paralysis or worse. Today, doctors can diagnose clots on AI-enabled brain scans; provide life-saving, targeted medications; or snake a catheter from a patient’s groin into the brain to vacuum out the clot. If they intervene in time, they can watch speech and movement return before the sedatives wear o…

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The future of food security 31:35

2M ago31:35

31:35

Guest Lisa Goldman Rosas is an authority on public health who says that food insecurity goes deeper than hunger and can lead to chronic diabetes, heart disease, and even anxiety and depression. Rosas champions a concept she calls “nutrition security,” which focuses on food’s health value over mere calories. She discusses her work with “Recipe4Healt…

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The future of motivation 32:47

2M ago32:47

32:47

Everyone has goals — some are monumental, others modest — but every goal matters. Join guest Szu-chi Huang, an expert in sustaining enthusiasm for individuals, customers, and employees across global corporations and organizations, as she delves into the science of motivation. Discover how the gap between where you are and where you want to be is br…

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Surgery as a window into brain resilience | Martin Angst 37:32

2M ago37:32

37:32

We've all heard stories about someone who went in for surgery and came out...different. A grandmother who struggled with names after hip replacement, or an uncle who seemed foggy for months following cardiac bypass. But why does this happen to some people while others bounce right back? This week, we explore this question with Dr. Martin Angst, a p…

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Best of: Training the next generation of entrepreneurs 28:30

2M ago28:30

28:30

It’s graduation season here at Stanford and students are getting ready to collect their diplomas and take their education out into the real world. A couple years ago, we sat down with Tina Seelig, a professor in our Management Science and Engineering department who’s done a lot of research on how we can teach skills including imagination, creativit…

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#25 Stanford-Trained Electrical Engineer “Reverse Engineering the Brain” - Dr. Louis Scheffer 59:42

2M ago59:42

59:42

Free Neurotech Newsletter: https://neurotechnologynews.beehiiv.com/subscribe Key Moments: 0:00 Introduction 1:12 Journey from Electrical Engineering to Neuroscience 6:45 Initial Interest in Neuroscience 8:16 What is connectomics? 11:45 Parallels Between Microchip Design and Neuroscience 14:22 Probabilistic Reconstruction in Connectomics 19:46 Neuro…

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The future of learning to read 38:31

2M ago38:31

38:31

Jason Yeatman is an expert in the neurobiology of literacy whose lab is fostering a virtuous research cycle between academia and school communities, aligning scientific inquiry with real-world needs of students, parents, and educators. His lab has developed ROAR – the Rapid Online Assessment of Reading—a gamified, web-based dyslexia screening tool.…

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Best of: How neural prosthetics could free minds trapped by brain injury | Jaimie Henderson 22:20

2M ago22:20

22:20

Imagine being trapped in your own body, unable to move or communicate effectively. This may seem like a nightmare, but it is a reality for many people living with brain or spinal cord injuries. We're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from the archives: our 2024 conversation with Jaimie Henderson, a Stanford neurosurgeon leading groundbreaki…

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The future of sleep 38:13

3M ago38:13

38:13

Neurobiologist Jamie Zeitzer is an expert on sleep – or, more accurately, an expert on why so many can’t sleep. He notes that, ironically, it’s often anxiety about sleep that prevents good sleep. In short, we lose sleep over lost sleep. Wearables and other tools can help but only to a point, and medications do not induce natural sleep. Instead, he …

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#24 Decoding Brain Signals, Neuromorphic Computing, MEMS w/ NeuroEngineer Dr. Akshay Ananthakrishnan 54:53

3M ago54:53

54:53

Free Neurotech Newsletter: https://neurotechnologynews.beehiiv.com/subscribe Key Moments: 0:00 Introduction 4:36 Initial Interest in Neurotechnology 7:34 Exploring Diverse Fields of Interest: Neuromorphic Computing, Brain-Machine Interface, Heliostat Fields, Military Applications 10:51 MEMS 14:52 Bio-compatiblity and Bio-mimetic Systems in Neurotec…

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#92 – What's the REAL purpose of science research? Knowledge? Training opportunity? Intellectual property? 58:03

3M ago58:03

58:03

My down-the-hall colleague Marc Porosoff and I sit down to discuss the public perception of scientific research done in universities and its value to society. Want more of Marc? He is the co-host of PodCAT, available on your favorite podcast apphttps://open.spotify.com/show/0tzTnMlZNcgBQfVUbvgchA

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The future of geriatric care 34:49

3M ago34:49

34:49

Deborah Kado is a geriatrician who believes her field is misunderstood. Her interest in the science of aging began with a childhood encounter in a nursing home but recently resulted in intriguing work in which Kado linked microbes in the gut to vitamin D metabolism and poor sleep. Kado refuses to blame aging alone for health problems, advocating fo…

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The secrets of resilient aging | Beth Mormino & Anthony Wagner 36:30

3M ago36:30

36:30

This week on the show, we're have our sights set on healthy aging. What would it mean to be able to live to 80, 90 or 100 with our cognitive abilities intact and able to maintain an independent lifestyle right to the end of our days? We're joined by Beth Mormino and Anthony Wagner who lead the Stanford Aging and Memory Study, which recruits cogniti…

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#91 – Health and wellness for grad students (panel discussion) 49:47

3M ago49:47

49:47

I was invited by the School of Medicine and Dentistry to participate in a panel discussion on Health and Wellness for Graduate Students. The panel was organized by Jeff Koslofsky, who has a large catalogue of excellent resources for graduate students in the sciences, engineering, and medicine.Original postings here so you can subscribe/follow: http…

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Abolish AI!!: Decomputing with Dan McQuillan 1:20:29

3M ago1:20:29

1:20:29

On this episode of the Anti-Dystopians, Alina Utrata talks to Dan McQuillan, a senior lecturer in Critical AI at Goldsmiths University and the author of "Resisting AI: An Anti-Fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence.” They talk about the state of AI adoption in the UK since our last conversation (spoiler alert: it’s bad), why the Starmer govern…

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Best of: The future of educational technology 29:44

3M ago29:44

29:44

It's teacher appreciation week and along with schools across the country, we here at The Future of Everything want to send out a heartfelt thank you to the teachers who make a difference every day in the lives of our children and in society as a whole. In light of this, we’re re-running an education related episode, and more specifically one on the…

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#90 – When a scientist gets an award from the White House: Personal reflections 21:52

3M ago21:52

21:52

The story behind my trip to Washington DC in 2019 to get an award from the White House (PECASE, class of 2017). Intersection of science, politics, and personal beliefs. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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#23 Neurotech Startup Writing Algos to Track Biomarkers- Connectome's Dr Rufus Mitchell-Heggs 36:29

3M ago36:29

36:29

Free Neurotech Newsletter: https://neurotechnologynews.beehiiv.com/subscribe Key Moments: 0:00 Introduction 3:02 Founding Story: Connectome Health 6:15 Inspiration for Company Name: Connectome Health 8:12 fNIRS Overview and Connectome’s Modality Agnostic Strategy 10:23 Hardware 11:26 Key Brain Metrics 13:16 Goal to Move into NeuroDiagnostics 13:59 …

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#89 – How to get RICH with a PhD 18:19

3M ago18:19

18:19

There are no get rich quick schemes, but if you have a PhD or are getting one, you knew that already. However, there are some ways of developing financial security that are open to PhDs that may not be so available to others, even though you spent most of your 20s earning very little income. In this quick monologue, I say some things that may be co…

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The future of children’s health 31:47

3M ago31:47

31:47

Lisa Patel is a pediatrician and an expert in environmental health who says that pollution is taking an increasing toll on children’s health. Pollution from wildfires, fossil fuels, and plastics can cause asthma, pneumonia, and risks dementia in the long-term. But, she says, all hope is not lost. Solutions range from DIY air filters to choosing ind…

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#22 YC Startup Building a Foundation Model for the Brain - Piramidal AI Co-Founder Kris Pahuja 19:21

3M ago19:21

19:21

Free Neurotech Newsletter: https://neurotechnologynews.beehiiv.com/subscribe Key Moments: 0:00 Introduction: University, First Startup, Corporate Experience 2:44 Initial Interest in AI and Neuroscience 4:24 Founding Story of Piramidal 5:49 Y Combinator: Learnings and Experiences 7:35 Product: Foundation Model for the Brain 9:47 Competitive Landscap…

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Building AI simulations of the human brain | Dan Yamins 32:56

3M ago32:56

32:56

This week on the show: Are we ready to create digital models of the human brain? Last month, Stanford researcher Andreas Tolias and colleagues created a "digital twin" of the mouse visual cortex. The researchers used the same foundation model approach that powers ChatGPT, but instead of training the model on text, the team trained in on brain activ…

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#88 – Cuts to federal grants for science & engineering research in universities: Reactions of 2 professors 39:28

3M ago39:28

39:28

I don't usually make videos/podcasts specific to a time, but given the magnitude of the crisis in academic research, I made an exception. To try to add light to the heat, I took some time to chat with my colleague, Prof. Marc Porosoff, co-host of the PodCAT also at the University of Rochester, to discuss our reactions to cuts in federal funding for…

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The future of wildfire management 33:44

4M ago33:44

33:44

Michael Wara is a lawyer and an expert in wildfire policy who says that solutions are out there, but face financial, political, and cultural resistance. What’s needed, he says, are “whole-of-society” approaches that raise wildfire risk to the community level. In this regard, the devastation in Los Angeles in 2025 could provide the spark needed for …

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#87 – Federal research funding: How $10 million becomes $100 million 13:06

4M ago13:06

13:06

There is a lot of incorrect information out there on the role of research funding in the economy. Does it waste money or create it? Here, I use some data and back-of-the-envelope projections from my own lab at UC San Diego and University of Rochester to argue that a $10M investment in the form of grants & contracts will generate many hundreds of mi…

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The future of pediatric development and disability 31:42

4M ago31:42

31:42

Physician and psychologist Heidi Feldman is a pioneer in the field of developmental behavioral pediatrics who says that the world’s understanding of childhood disability is changing and so too are the ways we approach it. Where once institutionalization was common, today we find integrative, family-centered approaches, charting a more humane, hopef…

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Rob Ettema on River Ice, Ice-Sediment Interactions, and Sediment Scientist Biographies 56:05

4M ago56:05

56:05

I grew up in one of North America’s great snow belts…and started my career in Buffalo NY So, that background and my fascination with sediment transport primes curiosity in ice transport. I’m sure my ice friends would cringe at this, but I sometimes call ice transport as upside down sediment transport. But despite the symmetry of ice and sediment tr…

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What ChatGPT understands: Large language models and the neuroscience of meaning | Laura Gwilliams 42:31

4M ago42:31

42:31

If you spend any time chatting with a modern AI chatbot, you've probably been amazed at just how human it sounds, how much it feels like you're talking to a real person. Much ink has been spilled explaining how these systems are not actually conversing, not actually understanding — they're statistical algorithms trained to predict the next likely w…

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Scientists Cooperate while Humanists Ruminate (EF, JP) 41:46

4M ago41:46

41:46

Back in 2021, John and Elizabeth sat down with Brandeis string theorist Albion Lawrence to discuss cooperation versus solitary study across disciplines. They sink their teeth into the question, “Why do scientists seem to do collaboration and teamwork better than other kinds of scholars and academics?” The conversation ranges from the merits of coll…

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Best of: The future of female athletic health 30:25

4M ago30:25

30:25

The world of women’s sports is experiencing unprecedented growth, attention, recognition, and investment. Elite athletes including Simone Biles, Caitlin Clark, Serena Williams, and many others are having a significant impact on culture, and more women than ever are participating in both professional and recreational sports. Earlier this year, Russ …

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#21 Reach Neuro: Spinal Stimulation to Restore Movement In Upper Limb Post-Stroke - CEO Marc Powell 31:37

4M ago31:37

31:37

Free Neurotech Newsletter: https://neurotechnologynews.beehiiv.com/subscribe Key Moments: 0:00 Introduction 3:17 Initial Interest in Neuroscience 4:50 Origin Story of Reach Neuro 6:16 Reach Neuro’s Avantis Platform 11:12 Reach Neuro Competitors 14:40 Navigating FDA Regulations and Breakthrough Device Designation 19:02 Research Tools and Product Dev…