APU Intellectible

Is your life real? Or are we all living and dying on the whim of some unknown entity that is pulling the strings in the universe’s biggest supercomputer video game? In this episode, APU’s Dr. Gary Deel talks to Dr. Steve Wyre about simulation theory.

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Successfully landing the Perseverance rover on Mars and the first space flight by private companies has created some public excitement about space exploration. Can these achievements translate to renewed interest and support in manned space exploration? In this episode, APU professor Dr. Gary Deel talks to astrobiologist and planetary scientist Dr. Ramses Ramirez about his scientific modeling work aimed at better understanding the climate and habitability of Mars, Venus and other planets and exoplanets. Learn about the many challenges of planetary colonization, the role of private and public sector organizations to get there, and the continued need to build public excitement about the potential of space exploration.

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Do people have control over their own actions? In this episode, APU’s Dr. Gary Deel talks to Dr. Bjorn Mercer about the existence of free will, free judgment, determinism, fatalism, and more.

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Immigration stirs a lot of mixed feelings, even among those who emigrated from war-torn countries. In this episode, Dr. Gary Deel talks to APU business professor Irvin Varkonyi about his experience as a young boy fleeing Hungary with his family after World War II. Learn how his parents were Jews who survived being imprisoned in a Holocaust concentration camp, but upon returning to their Hungarian village experienced antisemitic threats. They escaped to Austria and eventually to the United States where they were able to build a life. Despite firsthand experience, hear the mixed feelings Irvin’s father had regarding current immigration policies and what steps need to occur to help people better understand the complexities surrounding immigration.

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Identifying human trafficking in the hospitality industry can be difficult because of the constant influx of guests. However, 80% of sex trafficking victims are recovered from hotels and motels so it’s critical that hospitality staff are vigilant and highly trained to identify trafficking. In this episode, APU’s Dr. Gary Deel talks to Jessica Wickey about her efforts to educate hospitality students to recognize indicators of sex trafficking and labor trafficking. While sex trafficking gets more attention, labor trafficking actually involves a greater number of enslaved people working as housekeepers, cleaners, landscapers, cooks—often for third-party vendors that provide labor services to hotels and motels. Learn the key indicators of sex and labor trafficking and what to do if you suspect illicit activity.

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Infrastructure may not seem like the most exciting topic, but the innovation and technical advancements involved in improving our nation’s transportation and logistics sector is revolutionary. In this podcast, Dr. Gary Deel talks to APU transportation and logistics professor Dr. Kandis Wyatt about the vast scope of what’s considered “infrastructure,” which is much more than roads and bridges. Learn about innovative technologies that could change the way we think of transportation like space flight, drones, artificial intelligence, electric vehicle infrastructure, wide-spread broadband internet, and much more.

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The automation revolution is upon us and may be accelerated by the current state of the economy, where there are more jobs in the market than humans to work them. In this episode, Dr. Gary Deel talks to APU business professor Dr. Eugene Kaufman about the robotics revolution and the integration of technology and artificial intelligence in the workforce. Learn why it’s increasingly important for young professionals to focus on developing skills throughout their working lives so they’re able to be flexible and adaptable to inevitable technological changes in the workplace.

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All artificial intelligence systems have bias because a human being programmed it. In this episode, Dr. Gary Deel talks to APU professor Dr. Oliver Hedgepeth about his 40+ years of experience working with AI systems and smart computers. Learn about the impressive advancements of this technology and the endless benefits for humans as well as the risks and threats of this technology. Also learn about the limitations of intelligence and why aiming for superhuman computer systems may not be in the best of humans.

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Children with autism or other behavioral disorders can make incredible progress through intensive behavioral intervention services. In this episode, APU’s Dr. Gary Deel talks to Mary Strittman, a certified behavior analyst, about her work providing applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. Learn about this type of evidence-based therapy, how it’s used for children of all different abilities, and why it’s so important for everyone to know more about behavioral disorders to better understand the challenges and abilities of children.

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If the purpose of the U.S. criminal justice system is to rehabilitate offenders, why are recidivism rates so high? In this episode, Dr. Gary Deel talks to Criminal Justice professor Dr. Michael Pittaro about what’s not working in the corrections system and what needs to change to help offenders reintegrate successfully into society. Learn about criminal justice reform efforts, the social and political issues that prevent systematic changes, discussion about capital punishment, and what other countries are doing to improve their correctional system.

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