Dr. Jada Wiggleton-Little, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, discusses her extensive research on pain communication. She explores subjects like social biases and perceptions of pain, pain as a bodily command, and the implications of pain communication in the management of pain in medical and personal settings. Wiggleton-Little shares insights from her own life and education that prompted her to make this her area of study.








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 Trevon Logan, the ENGIE-Axium Endowed Professor of Economics, and Benton Wishart, a recent Ohio State economics alumnus and Dr. Logan’s research assistant, discuss their research into white women’s involvement in the slave trade during the antebellum era. Their work, titled Her Property Transactions: White Women and the Frequency of Female Ownership in the Antebellum Era, shows that white women were involved in 30% of slave transactions as buyers and sellers. Logan and Wishart analyzed data by assigning gender to 30,000 names, revealing the impact of laws that granted women property rights exclusive to enslaved people. This groundbreaking research challenges past misconceptions about women’s roles and highlights the importance of data in historical research.








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Jaime Sabel, Associate Professor in Molecular Genetics and Director of the Center for Life Sciences Education (CLSE), discusses the CLSE’s role in housing the biology major and collaborating with other life sciences departments. Her FRAMER and MASTER educational scaffolds support students’ metacognitive skills to enhance their understanding of complex biological concepts. Sabel also highlights her STEM Ambassadors program which aims to bridge the gap between scientists and high school students, fostering better public communication of science. She concludes by sharing her journey from developmental genetics to biology education research and outlining future research directions for her lab.








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Pranav Jani, Associate Professor of English, researches the literatures, cultures and history of current and formerly colonized people. His current book project examines the 1857 Rebellion in British India, and he describes the historical context of the rebellion, its depiction as the Sepoy Mutiny by imperialist narratives, and provides an in-depth analysis of the underlying causes. He highlights the rebellion’s historiographical journey, notably its impact on Indian nationalism, and how it evolved in Indian consciousness from a mutiny to the First War of Independence. Jani discusses with host David Staley the rebellion’s influence on current ideological frameworks.








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Dr. Paul Martini, a Professor of Astronomy and Physics at The Ohio State University, joins host David Staley to discuss the expanding universe, dark energy, and the role of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) project in advancing research. Dr. Martini also talks about the importance of custom-built instruments in astronomy, the use of machine learning in data analysis, and his personal journey to being an astronomer. To hear more about his research on cosmic acceleration, you can catch Dr. Martini at the Science Sundays series on February 2nd or watch a recording of the event here.








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Paleoclimatologists Ellen Mosley-Thompson and Lonnie Thompson continue their discussion with host David Staley on the imminent challenges and possible solutions to climate change. They emphasize the importance of collective action, innovative technologies, and political will in combating environmental issues. They highlight practical actions individuals can take, such as voting and reducing energy consumption, and discuss the role of global cooperation and investment in science. Drawing from their extensive fieldwork, they share personal experiences and stress the need for a multidisciplinary approach, integrating sciences and liberal arts, to address the multifaceted impacts of climate change. Despite short-term pessimism due to current inaction, they express long-term optimism that humanity will rise to meet the crisis.



Listen to Part One








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Paul Reitter, a Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures at Ohio State University, discusses his recent translation of Volume 1 of Karl Marx’s Capital with host David Staley. Reitter discusses the nuances and challenges of translating Marx’s work, the intricacies of Marx’s theories on value and capitalism, and how Reitter’s translation aims to preserve Marx’s original meaning and literary style. Staley and Reitter also cover the broader implications and significance of translation studies, the historical undervaluation of translation in academia, and Reitter’s future projects on translating the remaining volumes of Capital.








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Erin Lin, Associate Professor of Political Science, and author of When the Bombs Stopped: The Legacy of War in Rural Cambodia discusses her research. She focuses on the the enduring impact on Cambodian agriculture and economic development of unexploded ordnance from US secret bombings during the Vietnam War. The bombs remain dangerous, contributing to injuries and deaths, while severely affecting agricultural productivity and household incomes. She describes the extensive efforts required for de-mining and the socio-political challenges faced by farmers, such as land grabbing.








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Professor of physics Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin studies quantum information science and engineering (QISE), a combination of quantum mechanics and information technology, and its applicability in computing, networking, and sensing. He describes the foundational concepts of quantum mechanics, magnetism, and the physical properties of materials to host David Staley. Halperin explains how classical electromagnetism cannot fully account for the behavior of magnetic materials, emphasizing the necessity of quantum mechanics. Halperin also describes his innovative research on quantum sensors and nanomaterials and a new technique his lab developed to integrate molecular systems with solid-state devices for quantum sensing applications.








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Steve Gavazzi, Director of the College of Arts and Sciences’ CHRR and professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology, joins host David Staley to discuss Gavazzi’s research on public higher education. Gavazzi and Staley coedited Fulfilling the 21st Century Land Grant Mission: Essays in Honor of The Ohio State University’s Sesquicentennial Commemoration. Gavazzi emphasizes the importance of the good relationships between universities and their communities and shares insights from longitudinal studies run by CHRR, such as the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY). The discussion also touches on the American Population Panel and CHRR’s role in housing secure, accessible data repositories for long-term research. Gavazzi also discusses the upcoming 60th anniversary of CHRR.








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Some people look at a grasshopper and see an insect. 



Anthropology professor Jeffrey Cohen sees a snack. 



Cohen’s research spans migration, development, and nutrition, interests that have taken him from Project Panchavati, which addressed the digital divide in the Bhutanese community in Central Ohio during the pandemic, to his new book Eating Grasshoppers, which explores the cultural and economic significance of grasshopper consumption in Oaxaca, Mexico. Cohen describes the process and benefits of entomophagy (insect eating) and its potential role in human diets, despite the “yuck factor,” which host David Staley overcomes to enjoy the chapulines offered during the interview. 








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Margaret Ellen Newell, Distinguished Professor of History, talks with host David Staley about her directorship at the History Praxis Lab, a collaborative research initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation. The Praxis Lab engages undergraduates in research focused on citizenship, civic engagement, and the movements of Native Americans and African Americans in the Midwest. She also explores Native American history, particularly their complex journey towards and status following the 1924 citizenship law. Prof. Newell also describes the benefits of collaborative historical research, an unusual mode of scholarship in the mostly individual field.








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Dr. Jana Houser, an Associate Professor of Geography and Director of Undergraduate Studies, discusses her pioneering research on tornadoes through the use of mobile radar technology. She describes to host David Staley the challenges of predicting tornadoes due to their chaotic and localized nature. She’s been a storm chaser and worked on the movie Twisters. She credits her passion for tornadoes with growing up in Kansas. Dr Houser will present at the November 3, 2024 Science Sundays.








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Christopher Highley, Professor of English and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at The Ohio State University, discusses the context and findings of his most recent book, Blackfriars in Early Modern London. He highlights his extensive knowledge of the historical and cultural landscape of London during the time of Shakespeare. He describes the opportunities The Ohio State University has for students who want to learn more about this subject both at the university and overseas. Highley also tells host David Staley about the exciting initiatives through the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, which range from symposiums and research talks to fencing and falconry exhibitions.








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Elizabeth Renker, Professor of English at The Ohio State University, discusses her work in “Discovering Sarah Piatt“, a podcast and recovery project aimed at reclaiming the legacy of 19th-century poet Sarah Piatt, who was once a famous poet but faded into obscurity due to shifts in literary canon. Renker faced challenges in recovering Piatt’s work, such as incomplete archives and lost manuscripts but persevered to make her poems accessible through a digital humanities project. Renker gives glimpses of her forthcoming biography of Piatt, her views on the evolving nature of English departments, and her award-winning teaching methodologies.








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Andréa Grottoli, Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences, discusses her research on and the future of coral reefs with host David Staley. Grottoli shares insights into coral biology, the impacts of climate change on coral reefs, and the significance of coral ecosystems to the economy and environment. She specializes in coral resilience, the traits that enable some corals to survive environmental stressors. She has co-created innovative technologies, such as the UZELA device, to enhance coral survival. Listen in to see what the future might be.








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Voices host David Staley is joined by podcasters from the College of Arts and Sciences: Kayley DeLong – Shakespeare in the “Post”Colonies, Jim Phelan – Project Narrative, Elizabeth Renker – Discovering Sarah Piatt, and Elise Robbins – Nouvelle Nouvelle. They describe their podcasts and discuss whether podcasting can be considered a form of scholarship. The conversation explores the democratization of knowledge through podcasts, challenges in making academic work accessible, and the interdisciplinary and collaborative benefits of podcasting. They also discuss notable guests and episodes, audience engagement, and the personal motivations behind their podcasting ventures.








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Julia Applegate, Senior Lecturer at The Ohio State University, discusses her documentary film Free Beer Tomorrow. The film focuses on the historically significant and longest-running lesbian-owned Ohio bar, which was located near The Ohio State University. For her, it’s a story of the patrons of the bar and how they lived during the 1970s and ’80s. The bar served as a safe space for lesbians amid broader societal homophobia and discrimination.








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Dr. Christo Sevov, Associate Professor in the The Ohio State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, shares his research interests. Dr. Sevov explains the significance of catalysis, particularly homogeneous catalysis, and how it accelerates chemical reactions by using abundant, affordable metals like nickel and copper. He describes his research in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), its inherent instability, and the strategies his lab uses to make it more robust. Dr. Sevov outlines his lab’s contributions to pharmaceuticals, such as developing new tools for drug synthesis that reduce waste.




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Michael Ibrahim, Director of the School of Music at The Ohio State University, discusses the significance of the Timashev family donation and the design and features of the new Timashev Family Music Building. He describes initiatives such as the Global Black Music Studies Initiative and Opus 88. Ibrahim also elaborates on plans for expanding the school’s offerings, including a new music therapy program, and the importance of broadening their curriculum to include genres like hip hop and emerging technologies like AI in music.




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