UVA Speaks

This UVA Speaks podcast features Naomi Cahn, the Justice Anthony M. Kennedy Professor of Law and Armistead M. Dobie Professor of Law at the School of Law at the University of Virginia. Cahn and two co-authors have written a book entitled, Hot Flash: How the Law Ignores Menopause and What We Can Do About It. The book explores the topic of menopause, which is often still considered a taboo subject, yet is a stage of life that half of the population will inevitably experience. She shares some of the cultural stereotypes that surround menopause and how it is treated in the law and medical field. Cahn calls for more medical research, better education, and legal reforms to support menopausal women, especially in the workplace. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Naomi Cahn, the Justice Anthony M. Kennedy Distinguished Professor of Law, the Armistead M. Dobie Professor of Law, and Co-Director of the Family Law Center at the School of Law at the University of Virginia. Cahn is an expert in family law, trusts and estates, feminist jurisprudence, reproductive technology, and aging and the law. She is a co-author of casebooks in both family law and trusts and estates, and she has written numerous articles that have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and the New Yorker.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Kelley Anderson, Associate Professor of Nursing at the School of Nursing at the University of Virginia. Anderson explains that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing more deaths than all cancers combined. She shares how lifestyle and food choices can significantly reduce the risk and progression of heart disease, as recommended by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential Eight. A collaborative, grant-funded initiative between the University of Virginia, Blue Ridge Medical Center, and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank offers crucial heart disease prevention services to rural communities in Central Virginia. Through a food pharmacy, clients receive fresh fruits and vegetables and sessions with nutritionists who educate them on sustainable lifestyle changes to prevent and manage heart disease. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/f605CPAuJqp6KTDQh_bmteSZ0xsKzZR0mu_gSgNox3DwCOdjLjhc0gNqy6-mdkhtvNz9PXRRrqrAw4OhDvrf5sScqKw?loadFrom=SharedLink Kelley Anderson is an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia's School of Nursing. As a nurse-scientist, her research centers on heart failure, cardiovascular health, assistive technology for heart failure patients, and innovative approaches to teaching and mentoring. As a family nurse practitioner, Anderson also studies nursing in global and under-resourced contexts and earned a Fulbright Program Scholarship to the Czech Republic.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Kelsey Johnson, Professor of Astronomy and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia. Earlier this year, Johnson captivated audiences at a popular Lifetime Learning virtual event entitled "Mysteries of the Cosmos: Science, Philosophy, and the Big Questions," where she delved into some of life's most profound mysteries. Due to the large number of questions posed by participants, Johnson agreed to address additional inquiries in this podcast. Here, she tackles deep questions about the origins of the universe, the nature of time, and the possibility of other dimensions. Johnson underscores the importance of curiosity and humility when confronting such vast and potentially unanswerable questions, and she champions interdisciplinary thinking as essential for fostering innovation and breakthroughs. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Kelsey Johnson is a professor of astronomy at the University of Virginia, an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies, and she currently serves as the associate dean of undergraduate education at the College of Arts & Sciences. She is the past president of the American Astronomical Society and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the founding director of the award-winning Dark Skies Bright Kids program. Johnson has won numerous awards for her research, teaching, and promotion of science literacy. Her TED talk on the importance of dark skies has more than 2 million views, and her writing has appeared in nationwide publications, including the New York Times, Scientific American, and the Washington Post.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Philip Potter, Professor of Politics in the Department of Politics, founding Director of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy’s National Security Policy Center, and founding Director of the National Security Data and Policy Institute at the University of Virginia. Potter explains that the National Security Data and Policy Institute, a collaboration between the University of Virginia and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, seeks to bridge the gap between government and academia to address the country’s most pressing national security issues. The Institute researches the challenges of data proliferation and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and biotechnology. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Philip Potter is a Professor of Politics from the Department of Politics at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and the founding Director of the National Security Policy Center at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the National Security Data Policy Institute at the University of Virginia. Professor Potter’s research focuses on US foreign policy, military affairs, and international security. He has published dozens of articles, policy papers, and government reports on these topics as well as two books. He also serves as a university expert for the Intelligence Community and a senior advisor in the Department of Defense.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Abby Fines, Assistant Professor of Education in the Department of Kinesiology and Director of the Lifetime Physical Activity Program at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. Fines specializes in adaptive physical activity, focusing on tailoring exercise and sports programs to meet the unique needs of individuals with disabilities. She highlights that in kinesiology, exercise is regarded as medicine and advocates for equal access to sports and recreational activities. This involves breaking down barriers and advancing opportunities in adaptive sports. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Abby Fines is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and the Director of the Kinesiology Lifetime Physical Activity (KLPA) program at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. She oversees more than 35 academic courses designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to lead physically active lives. With a specialization in adaptive physical activity, Fines focuses on sports development for individuals with intellectual, physical, and sensory disabilities across various levels of play and competition. Her research is dedicated to creating equitable opportunities for participation, particularly for para-athletes, in both school and community athletic settings.

This UVA Speaks podcast features David Corlett, Assistant Professor and Senior Program Director of Undergraduate Degrees at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at the University of Virginia. Corlett discusses the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) and the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management (BPHM). These degree completion programs have transitioned from in-person to primarily online formats, broadening UVA's reach to non-traditional students both nationwide and internationally. He emphasizes the importance of a liberal arts education in fostering critical thinking, ethics, and adaptability, and shares how these programs have profoundly impacted students' careers and personal lives.   Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here.   David Corlett is an Assistant Professor and Senior Program Director of Undergraduate Degrees at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at the University of Virginia. Corlett is a historian whose research and teaching interests focus on the Atlantic World, comparative colonialism, and early New England. Before joining UVA full-time, he taught with the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary program at UVA since 2005, served as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Arizona State University (2019-2023), and as the Interim Director of the National Institute of American History & Democracy at the College of William & Mary.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Adelaide Wilcox King, Associate Professor of Commerce at the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. King’s research focuses on the complex and evolving landscape of psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapy through her academic insights as a strategy scholar. She examines an industry transitioning from the underground to the mainstream, and the cultural and social history of these powerful substances. She shares that she is part of an interdisciplinary group of scholars and clinicians at the university who are exploring the potential and pitfalls of psychedelics in addressing mental health issues and the broader implications for society. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Adelaide Wilcox King is an Associate Professor of Commerce at the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. She specializes in strategic management and decision-making, with a particular interest in positive organization studies and the influence of executive psychology on how strategic resources and human capital are valued and allocated in organizations. Her current interests center on the burgeoning psychedelic healing industry, and the systemic and organizational possibilities and constraints associated with efforts to alleviate suffering at scale.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Melanie Prengler, Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. Prengler researches the increasing number of remote workers and digital nomads, exploring how these individuals are redefining the workplace. She highlights the challenges and adaptations organizations face when employees are not co-located and discusses how digital nomads and remote workers can create a consistent work environment, balancing freedom with familiarity. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Melanie Prengler is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. At Darden, she teaches the “Contemporary Issues in Human Resources” class in the Leadership and Organizations Area. She studies how employees in remote work arrangements create a sense of workplace out of nonwork spaces_._

This UVA Speaks podcast features Nicole Long, an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia. A cognitive neuroscientist, Long and her colleagues at the Long Term Memory Lab study brain functions to explore the complexities of memory processing. Researchers use non-invasive techniques like MRIs and controlled laboratory tasks to discover how different brain regions are involved in various memory encoding and retrieval stages. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Nicole Long is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia. She is a professor and researcher at the Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease Center and a Principal Investigator in the Long Term Memory Lab. Through her research, Long and her colleagues aim to understand how we use strategic, goal-directed processes to form and retrieve memories.

This UVA Speaks podcast features Kristen Roorbach, a psychotherapist, educational psychologist, and Lecturer at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. She teaches a course entitled “Trauma and the U.S. Public School System” where she brings her clinical and research expertise to explore early childhood behavior and the impact of stress of trauma on learning. In her UVA classroom, Roorbach seeks to create an inclusive space for discussing public policy and addressing the complex interplay between mental health and education. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. Kristen Roorbach is a psychotherapist, educational psychologist, and Lecturer at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. As a clinician, Roorbach works with children ages 3 – 18, families, and individuals using brain-based and solution-focused methods to support them through issues related to anxiety, stress, trauma, depression, and challenging behavior.