On Good Authority

What do you do when the world as you know it changes overnight? That’s what happened to scientists in Ukraine last year when Russian forces invaded. Amid the turmoil, Tulane physicists made a research pact with counterparts in Kharkiv studying solar energy. Days later, a missile strike destroyed their labs at Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute. Tulane physicist Denys Bondar explains what has happened since — and how the drive to make discoveries can keep people going, no matter the circumstances.

Brian Edwards, dean of Tulane University’s School of Liberal Arts, is leading a new initiative exploring the idea that there’s something about port cities that set them apart — making them natural centers for creativity, culture, and vibrancy. What can we learn from the connections between New Orleans, Naples, and Tangier?

You’ve heard about diabetes, a debilitating condition that affects 37 million Americans and can severely impact quality of life. But what about prediabetes? Nearly 100 million Americans are at risk for Type 2 diabetes, but 80% of those don’t know it. So how to dodge diabetes? The answer, it turns out, may involve avoiding the bread aisle. Tulane assistant professor of epidemiology Kirsten Dorans joins us this week to discuss new research on the blood sugar benefits of cutting carbs.

Does research support that the United States is experiencing a wave of violent crime? Julia Fleckman, a social scientist with the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, studies the prevention of violence and works with families to end the cycle of violence. Fleckman shares her research on gun violence with the On Good Authority podcast.

The influencer marketing economy is booming, but for many influencers, harnessing the power of their content is easier said than done. Enter FanFix: an 8-figure company founded by Tulane alumnus Harry Gestetner that helps influencers monetize their content and turn their passions into profits. Rob Lalka of Tulane’s Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation joins Gestetner to discuss how he created a company that’s revolutionizing the influencer economy.

Public and white-collar corruption affect society in ways not always obvious. Addressing corruption can help us tackle more extensive societal issues like taxes, infrastructure, and poverty. But how do we do that? According to leading national economist Gary “Hoov” Hoover, we all must take action.

From “productivity paranoia” among employees to changing how managers effectively lead teams, organizational behavior expert Natalie Longmire talks about what the nation has learned almost three years into the great remote work experiment ushered in by the pandemic.

Tulane historian Linda Pollock discusses the history of parks and green spaces. Pollock walks us through how the design of parks and our experiences of nature have shifted throughout history and will continue to evolve within the tight constraints of urban living. We explore how race, ethnicity, gender and class impact what parks and gardens look like, who they're designed for and how that shapes communities.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and it’s getting smarter. It’s driving cars, screening resumes, monitoring surveillance networks and even helping doctors make medical diagnoses. How do we make sure such a powerful tool doesn’t become a threat? Tulane computer scientist Nicholas Mattei is a co-author of Computing and Technology Ethics: Engaging through Science Fiction, a book coming out this fall about the growing field of AI ethics. Mattei talks about the risks when developers don’t ask the right questions and whether AI has the potential to take over if we’re not careful.

Unlike many bacterial infections, antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease often fails. And the people who suffer from long-term or post-treatment Lyme disease may be frustrated that they don’t get better sooner, or at all. In this episode of On Good Authority, we talk to Monica Embers, associate professor of microbiology and immunology and director of Vector-Borne Disease Research at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, to learn how the bacteria that causes Lyme evades detection, making treatment or management difficult in some cases.