Season IX | EP 3 : Chris Noel, Mayor of Denali. From Hoosier to the Last Frontier. Beautiful Thinker.

What if the craving for community is what roots you in the most unlikely places? Chris Noel left Indiana for Alaska's remote Denali Borough—fewer than 2,000 residents stewarding the land around North America's highest peak, where half a million visitors attempt the mountain each year. From environmental management to fighting fires to becoming the fifth mayor of a place where neighbors aren't optional, they're essential, Chris shows how building real community means showing up when the call comes. Sometimes preparedness isn't about predicting what's coming, it's about being ready for your finest hour. And sometimes the universe conspires in your favor when you live a purpose-driven life.

What if failure isn't the opposite of success but the fuel for it? Mike Weasner's initials were written in the stars before he could spell them—and his path to those stars included medical disqualifications, career pivots, and his unheeded warnings about Challenger. From keeping private astronomy logs for 35 years to building one of the world's largest amateur astronomy websites, Mike reveals how craving the cosmos taught him to get back up when life knocked him down—and why sharing that craving matters more than keeping it to yourself. Sometimes the universe you trust is literally the universe itself.

What if our ability to worry about social media and porn means we're doing better than we think? Dr Bryant Paul, whose research has been cited by the Supreme Court, studies the fundamental human craving that connects every ancestor on our family tree - and reveals how our caveman brains simply aren't built to process today's mediated world. Yet even as algorithms exploit ancient desires, the fact that we can debate these dangers suggests our most primal needs are being met. 

On the sixth episode of Season VIII Polarity - IU Edition, welcomes Jonathan Racek, Professor and Program Director of Comprehensive Design at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Racek discusses the importance of play within all stages of life, and how his experiences with playmaking and design thinking around the world have shaped his perspective. Throughout this conversation, he explores the beauty of embracing ambiguity, taking risks, and fully exploring a problem before jumping to conclusions. 

On the fifth episode of Season VIII "Polarity" - IU Edition, welcomes Jean Camp, Professor and Director of Center for Security and Privacy at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. In this episode, Dr. Camp discusses the dynamic interplay between technology and human behavior, highlighting the importance of designing systems that prioritize trust and usability. Through this conversation, she explores the balance between privacy and security, the role of community involvement in cybersecurity, and the rapid evolution of AI. 

Our fourth episode of Season VIII “Polarity”: IU Edition, welcomes Shahzeen Attari, professor at the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. In this episode, Dr. Attari shares her insights into how human behavior influences environmental policy and how storytelling can be a powerful tool in shifting public perception. Through this conversation, they explore how seemingly opposing forces—individual actions and global solutions—can work together to create meaningful change.

Our third episode of Season VIII “Polarity”: IU Edition, welcomes Lee Feinstein, founding dean at the Hamilton Lugar School of International and Global Studies, President of McLarty Associates, and researcher for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. In this episode, Feinstein shares insights on the importance of establishing a global and international studies school at IU Bloomington, reflecting on his experiences working in Poland, and contributing to Holocaust research and remembrance efforts for the Holocaust museum. He also provides informative insights on the upcoming 2024 election and its involvement concerning international relations, and emphasizes the importance of education in fostering awareness and understanding of foreign relations tied to the United States.

Our second episode of Season VIII “Polarity”: IU Edition, welcomes Dana Marsh, director at Historical Performance Institute and professor at the IU Jacobs School of Music. In his work, he prioritizes balancing tradition with fresh perspectives, and how we can preserve old music to honor the history while embracing present times. In this episode, Marsh discusses his extensive work in historical music performance and how working with old instruments brings the thrill of connecting audiences to music from another time. 

Our first episode of Season VIII "Polarity": IU Edition, welcomes Jamie Theophilos, doctoral student and associate instructor at the Media School at Indiana University Bloomington. Theophilos discusses their work on digital justice, conflict resolution, and the impact of educational relationships. In this debut episode, they'll explore how polarity shapes our online interactions and educational spaces through the lens of thoughtful engagement and collaborative connection.

In this episode, Carolyn Hadlock, Founder and Host sat down with Johannes Torpe to discuss his circuitous creative path starting with being born in a commune, and his evolution as a multidisciplinary creative and CEO of his eponymous studio.