Karl Deisseroth: Bringing CLARITY to brain research Stanford University School of Engineering 2026-09-22 | Karl Deisseroth: Bringing CLARITY to brain research
Best of: Regenerating and rejuvenating human tissues Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-04-26 | Hi everyone, it’s your host Russ. Our team has been working hard on some new episodes and we’ve got one more best-of to share today before we bring you another new guest next week. Last year, I spoke with one of my bioengineering colleagues, Fan Yang about some of the fascinating work she’s doing in the realm of tissue engineering. I hope you’ll take another listen to hear more about the ways her lab is modeling human tissue to help develop a better understanding of how we might effectively replace damaged tissues and alleviate a number of health concerns.
Best of: How do you build a better robot? By understanding people. Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-04-19 | Hi everyone, it’s your host Russ. We have another best-of for you today — this one is an interview I did with computer scientist and electrical engineer, Dorsa Sadigh. We had a fantastic conversation about the work she’s doing to train robots to better understand humans, and as she shares, it turns out that one key to this work is better understanding human behavior. If you’re like me and curious about how we’re going to make human-robot interaction work, this is a great episode to tune into again. Enjoy.
The 2024 William D. Nix Lecture Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-04-12 | The Nix Lecture Series is named in honor of William D. Nix, NAS, NAE, professor emeritus of materials science and engineering, and one of the founders of our department in its current form. This year’s William D. Nix Lecture in Materials Science took place on February 5, 2024. Our distinguished speakers were Stanford Professor Stephen Chu, 1997 Nobel laureate in physics and Secretary of Energy in the Obama administration, and Walden Rhines, PhD ’72, president and CEO of Cornami Inc. The lecture series aims to bring together our community of students, faculty, alums, and other professionals passionate about the positive impact our discipline can have in addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges, such as developing safe energy and a clean environment to support a healthy life.
Best of: Why AI must embody the values of its users Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-04-12 | We’re bringing back an episode about trust and AI. In a world where the use of Artificial Intelligence is exploding, my guest, computer scientist Carlos Guestrin shares insights from the work he’s doing to support the development of trust between humans and machines. We originally recorded this episode in 2022, but the insights are just as if not more relevant today. We hope you’ll take another listen and enjoy.
The future of addiction Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-04-05 | Guest Anna Lembke is a psychiatrist and a specialist in the behavioral sciences who studies addiction. While there is tremendous variety in the things people can be addicted to, all forms are tied to dopamine, a biochemical that is key to human senses of pleasure, reward, and motivation. She says that new treatments are combining traditional abstinence with programs that help patients reenergize dopamine centers in the brain through physical exercise, which is a known producer of dopamine. If patients can reach 30 days of abstinence there is a good chance at recovery, Lembke tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of pediatric pain Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-03-22 | Laura Simons is a clinical psychologist and an authority on pain, particularly chronic pain in childhood, which is much more common than widely understood. Most people don't even think chronic pain happens in children, says Simons. The consequences, however, are serious, ranging from learning gaps from missed school to social isolation and even depression. Better treatment begins with a better understanding of the science of pain, as Simons tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of computer music Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-03-22 | Ge Wang is a professor of music, a computer scientist, and director of the Stanford Laptop Orchestra – an orchestra in which human musicians and computers collaborate to make music. “I once thought computer music was abstract and inaccessible, but it can be very playful, too,” he says. Humans and computers making music together, it’s the best of both worlds, Wang tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of measuring cancer Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-03-15 | Guest Olivier Gevaert is an expert in multi-modal biomedical data modeling and recently developed new methods in the new science of “spatial transcriptomics” that is able to predict how cancer cells present spatially and will behave in the future. Tumors are not monolithic, he says, but made up of various cell types. Spatial transcriptomics measures cells in the undisturbed organization of the tumor itself and enables a more detailed study of tumors. This new technology can be used to determine what type of cells are present spatially and how each cell influences neighboring cells. It paints a picture of tumor heterogeneity, Gevaert tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of reading Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-03-11 | Rebecca Silverman is an expert in how humans learn to read. It’s a complex process, she says. First we must connect letters and sounds to decode words in texts. Researchers know a lot about the decoding process and how to teach it. But, beyond that, we must also comprehend what the words in texts are conveying. Comprehension is complex, and researchers know much less about the comprehension process and how to teach it, Silverman tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of culture Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-03-01 | Professor and cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand’s latest book, Rule Makers, Rule Breakers, explores notions of what she calls “tight” and “loose” cultures, and how each shapes us as individuals and the world around us. Tight cultures closely follow unwritten cultural norms, while those on the looser side have more latitude. Culture is complicated, she says, but understanding its nuances is key to understanding the world, Gelfand tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of: What makes a surgeon great? Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-02-23 | Hi everyone, it’s your host Russ here. Today we’re taking you into our archive of over 250 episodes to re-share an interview I did in 2022 with Stanford Medicine Professor of Surgery, Carla Pugh. Performing surgery is profoundly complex and requires precision, dexterity and lots of practice. Dr. Pugh shares about how she’s studying the movements of skilled surgeons to better understand what makes them successful, which can in turn help to improve training for new surgeons. I hope you’ll tune-in to hear the insights Dr. Pugh has to share.
The future of bioprinting Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-02-16 | Mark Skylar-Scott is one of the world’s foremost experts on the 3D printing of human tissue, cell by cell. It’s a field better known as bioprinting. But Skylar-Scott hopes to take things to a level most never imagined. He and his collaborators are working to bioprint an entire living, working human heart. We’re printing biology, Skylar-Scott tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of language learning Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-02-09 | Cognitive scientist Michael Frank studies differences in how children and AI learn language. There is a “data gap” between the billions of words ChatGPT has to work with and the millions of words a toddler is exposed to. But, says Frank, children learn in a rich social context that supports their learning. He’s currently conducting the “BabyView Study,” where he puts cameras on young children's heads to help him understand their learning experience, as Frank tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of: Computational modeling can help us understand Alzheimer’s disease Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-02-02 | Hi everyone, it’s your host, Russ. Today, we’re re-running an important episode on Alzheimer’s disease — a topic that touches many people. We still don’t have a complete understanding of the disease and that makes it hard to design effective therapies. In 2022, I sat down with mechanical engineer Ellen Kuhl who offered a glimpse into the way she’s using computational modeling to help improve our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. I hope you’ll take another listen.
The future of immigration Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-01-26 | Ran Abramitzky studies the economic history of immigration by tapping into now-public government records and using AI to chart changing attitudes on immigration captured in written documents and official speeches. What’s revealed is a remarkable story that often diverges from conventional wisdom. Not all streets were paved with gold, Abramitzky tells host Russ Altman, himself a descendant of immigrants, on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of: The future of art Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-01-19 | Hi everyone, it’s your host Russ. We’re re-releasing a wonderful episode today about the positive impact art has on individual and societal health. My guest Deborah Cullinan, vice president for the arts at Stanford, shares how including just 10-20 minutes of art in your day — whether through drawing or dancing to your favorite song — can contribute to improved health. Her insights remind me, and hopefully will remind you as well, that art plays a valuable role in both individual and societal well being. I hope you’ll listen and walk away with some inspiration for bringing more art into your life and community.
The future of digital health Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-01-12 | As the pandemic made a doctor visit as easy as a Zoom call and computer vision proved able to distinguish a benign blemish from something more worrisome, guest Eleni Linos, MD, DrPH, grew fascinated with the many ways digital technologies will impact all of medicine, not just her specialty, dermatology. She now believes the future of digital health is the future of health, period. But much work remains to ensure those benefits extend to every sector of society. Linos previews the future of digital health for host and fellow physician Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of: New life for old muscles Stanford University School of Engineering 2024-01-05 | Happy New Year from the team here at The Future of Everything. To kick off 2024, we’re bringing you an episode that’s been one of our most popular. The timing is just right as many of us are headed into the new year thinking about how to live better. In this episode, Professor Helen Blau, a stem cell biologist, tells us all about how she’s recruiting stem cells to regenerate youthful muscle in older people. We’re thrilled to bring this episode out of the archives for another listen and renewed hope about possibilities ahead in the world of health.
Russ’s Holiday Episode Playlist Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-12-20 | A curated playlist of six episodes from our archive to accompany you through the holiday season. Whether you’re thinking about giving during this season, ways to improve your health, or you’re simply excited to revisit compelling conversations with people who are impacting the future, we hope you’ll find something thought-provoking in this playlist. We are so grateful to you for taking the time to listen this year and we look forward to returning in the new year with more captivating discussions about the future of everything.Robert Reich: Is it time to rethink philanthropy? | youtube.com/watch?v=TCvh5mMGNZ8KC Huang: The future of the gut microbiome | youtube.com/watch?v=Txrt2TYgELAJoseph DeSimone: How 3D printing is changing medicine | youtube.com/watch?v=XGqCfUo8AVo&t=1sChris Manning: The future of computational linguistics | youtube.com/watch?v=biN5yufyLZM&t=3sElaine Treharne: Why physical books will always be with us | youtube.com/watch?v=vwHxqCNsvvUAbby King: A mobile app can be the gateway for helping communities improve their health and well-being | youtube.com/watch?v=0n3oU1hcFdY
Best of: Making sense of the gut biome Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-12-15 | The holidays are here, and with that many of us are preparing to enjoy meals with family and friends. One of our previous guests on the show, Professor Michael Fischbach, tells us that the “gut biome” – that is, the complex community of bacteria that lives in our gastrointestinal tract – is what makes digesting and extracting nutrients from those meals possible. It’s a fascinating conversation about the important role bacteria plays in the human digestive system. We hope you’ll tune in.
Best of: What can the DNA in your blood reveal about your health? Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-12-08 | We’re re-running our episode with Professor Stephen Quake today. Stephen’s research has helped countless patients avoid the pain and suffering that can come with invasive diagnostic testing. He’s developed a number of noninvasive blood tests to help detect preterm births, genetic disorders like Down Syndrome, cancer, and organ transplant rejection. It’s an episode that reminds us of the power of good science. I hope you’ll take another listen and enjoy.
The future of AI Chat: Foundation models and responsible innovation Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-12-01 | Guest Percy Liang is an authority on AI who says that we are undergoing a paradigm shift in AI powered by foundation models, which are general-purpose models trained at immense scale, such as ChatGPT. In this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast, Liang tells host Russ Altman how foundation models are built, how to evaluate them, and the growing concerns with lack of openness and transparency.
The future of ecohydrology Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-11-17 | Guest Alex Konings studies fundamental links between the global cycle of water percolating into the ground and evaporating into the skies and a similar cycle of carbon moving through the world, shaping ecosystems, droughts, and fires. These cycles are inextricably bound, she says, and understanding how they function individually and in tandem is key to life on planet Earth. These important cycles may be easily overlooked but they cannot be ignored, Konings tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of: Bendable electronics Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-11-10 | Today, we’re re-running a fascinating conversation that host Russ Altman had with Zhenan Bao back in 2017 about the work she and her lab are doing to develop artificial skin. The possible applications of a material that could replicate properties of human skin range from restoring a sense of touch for amputees to creating bendable electronics. Thank you for tuning in, we hope you enjoy this episode from the archives.
Best of: Developing electronics for the extremes of space Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-11-03 | Space exploration and travel are two topics that are always exciting, and that have sparked a lot of enthusiasm about the future. Debbie Senesky, a previous guest on the show, researches ways to develop tiny, tough electronics that could help augment our abilities to further exploration of extreme environments, such as those found in space. Today we’re re-running a conversation our host Russ Altman had with Debbie in 2017 on this topic. We hope you’ll tune in, and enjoy.
The future of computational imaging Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-10-27 | Guest Gordon Wetzstein is an expert in using math to improve photographs. Such methods have exploded in recent years and have wide-ranging impacts from improving your family photos, to making self-driving cars safer, to building ever-more-powerful microscopes. Somewhere in between hardware and software, he says, is the field of computational imaging, which makes cameras do some pretty amazing things. Wetzstein and host Russ Altman bring it all into focus on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Bioengineering: Where life sciences and engineering meet Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-10-23 | Bioengineers operate in the exciting spaces where medicine and engineering meet, designing molecules and modifying cells with life-changing results. Bringing these worlds together demands researchers with equal parts intelligence, intensity, and creativity — and perhaps the boldness necessary to buck convention and cut new pathways through unexplored scientific terrain. Whether inventing transformative technologies that allow researchers to control brain cells with light, engineering new-age plants that can withstand climate change, or shaping profound new understandings of why life works — and, sometimes, why it doesn’t — the insights and innovations that come out of Stanford bioengineering benefit people everywhere, every day.
Best of: Guided missiles target cancer Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-10-20 | Almost everyone knows someone who has battled cancer. Today, on The Future of Everything, we’re re-running our episode with Professor Jennifer Cochran who is bringing some hope in this area through work she and her lab are doing to find ways to localize therapies directly to the site of cancer tumors for more efficient and effective treatment. You won’t want to miss this one, it’s full of inspiring insights that will hopefully move us toward a future of improving outcomes for cancer patients.
The future of neuroscience: Karl Deisseroth sheds light on the inner workings of the brain Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-10-13 | Guest Karl Deisseroth is a bioengineer and a psychiatrist who has developed two of the most transformational research techniques shaping our understanding of how the brain works — optogenetics, which allows neuroscientists to control brain cells with light, and CLARITY, a way to render the brain’s gray matter transparent yet retain all its intricate wiring for easier study. There is a vast chasm between neuroscience and psychiatry, Deisseroth says of the reasons he felt compelled to develop technology ahead of pursuing science. It was never a trade-off of one over the other, however. It was simply where we had to go to get better at the science, Deisseroth tells fellow bioengineer and host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of: How do we educate a new kind of engineer? Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-10-06 | A perspective on the need for diversity and empathy in the engineering profession. As we enter a new academic year, it’s an opportune time to think about how we’re educating the next generation of engineers. Russ's conversation in 2020 with Sheri Sheppard, an emeritus professor of mechanical engineering and founder of the Designing Education Lab at Stanford, sheds light on this important topic. Professor Sheppard shares about ways that will help us educate engineers who not only are technically trained but also bring empathy into their work.
The future of quantum mechanics: Unraveling entanglements secrets Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-09-29 | Guest Monika Schleier-Smith is a physicist who says that quantum principles, like entanglement, can make atoms do funny things, such as allowing two atoms to share secrets across great distances. While entanglement opens tantalizing possibilities like quantum computing, there’s still much we don’t know about quantum mechanics. She now uses lasers to “cool” atoms to near motionlessness as a starting point for controlling and proving entanglement, as she tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of the gut microbiome Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-09-22 | Guest KC Huang is many things: A bioengineer. A microbiologist. An inventor. But mostly he’s an expert on the ecology of the human gut. He and his collaborators have developed a device that can sample bacterial DNA and create a living map of the gut microbiome from mouth to … ah, well … you know. Every step of the way, he says, we play host to trillions of guests we know very little about. It’s time we got to know them, Huang tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of coastal erosion Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-09-15 | Guest Jane Willenbring is a geoscientist who studies accelerating coastal erosion. The challenge lies not in understanding why coasts are receding today, but in determining what they looked like a thousand years ago to know how much they’ve changed — a secret revealed in coastal rocks through isotopes shaped by cosmic radiation. But measurement is only one part of the equation, she says. We must now think about erosion’s impact on humans, Willenbring tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of Muslim mental health Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-09-08 | Guest Rania Awaad is a psychiatrist who studies mental health in the U.S. Muslim community. There are promising approaches, like talk therapy derived in historic Muslim settings, that can also apply to other faith communities. The deeper lesson, she says, has been that Muslim approaches are in line with mainstream ideas of holistic health and healing. Like others, Muslims believe you can’t be physically well if you’re not mentally well, Awaad tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Mehran Sahami: The evolution of Computer Science education Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-09-05 | Read more: stanford.io/2z6Z84sThere is a boom in interest in computer science as an area of study. An expert in CS curriculum takes stock of the future of the field.Once the core American curriculum meant reading, writing and arithmetic, but Stanford professor Mehran Sahami says we might soon have to add a fourth skill to that list, “coding.”Sahami thinks deeply about such matters. He’s the leading force behind recent changes in Stanford’s computer science curriculum. He notes that it may not be surprising that more students are choosing to major in computer science than ever before, but what might turn heads is the changing face and intellectual landscape of the field. With concerted effort, more women and minorities, and even students from traditional liberal arts and sciences backgrounds, are venturing into computer science.Sahami says coding has become more than just video-games, social media and smartphone apps. The field is an intellectual endeavor taking on the biggest issues of our day — particularly in its influence on data-driven decision making, personal privacy, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and the role of large platforms like Google, Facebook and Apple on free speech issues.Sahami says that computers and algorithms are now part of the fabric of everyday life and how the future plays out will depend upon realizing more cultural and gender diversity in computer science classrooms and encouraging multidisciplinary thinking throughout computer science.Subscribe here: the-future-of-everything-stanford-engineering.simplecast.com
The future of science education: Cultivating critical thinkers Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-09-01 | Bad science is a big problem for society, says guest Jonathan Osborne, an expert in science education, but we don’t have to surrender to it. Beating bad science requires young people to learn three skills, Osborne says. First is an ability to size up conflicts of interest. Second, to evaluate a source’s qualifications. And third, to more rigorously question those who go against consensus. The whole goal of science is consensus, Osborne tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of - How computer chips get speedier through specialization Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-08-25 | A re-run of a conversation Russ had in 2021 with Priyanka Raina, an assistant professor of electrical engineering. Priya is an expert in computer chip design. Whether or not you realize it, chips are everywhere and power everything from your toaster to your car. Priya discusses the slowing pace of progress in improving chip efficiency, and how she sees a future where chip makers will need to shift away from general-purpose computer chips to task-specific chips.
Best of - AI and safety critical systems Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-08-18 | Today we're rerunning a conversation Russ had in 2020 with Mykel Kochenderfer, a professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University.Mykel's research has impacted anyone who has been on a plane recently for any kind of travel. His research led to the creation of a program known as the Airborne Collision Avoidance System, or ACAS X , which as he explains in more detail, is a critical tool in keeping air travel safe.Thank you for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode from the archives.
The future of longevity Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-08-11 | Guest David Rehkopf is an expert in population health who says that where we live is one of the strongest influences on how long we live. While we know diet and health care are important, it has been tough to tease out what about these places allows people to live longer and healthier lives. By examining environmentally induced changes in DNA, we may be able to more quickly and more accurately quantify what aspects of environments promote longer, healthier lives, Rehkopf tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of health outcomes Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-08-04 | As anyone with chronic disease knows, access to health care doesn’t always equate with equitable health care outcomes, says guest Alyce Adams, an expert in innovations in health policy. Too often, care delivery breaks down along racial and socioeconomic lines. Our focus should be on better outcomes for all people, she says. Adams now develops interventions to help communities and health systems improve care delivery — and health equity — as she tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of - How misinformation spreads Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-07-28 | Hi everyone, it’s Russ Altman here, your host of The Future of Everything. We’re on the cusp of another election season. As people across the country educate themselves on the issues and candidates on this year’s ballot, one question they will have to ask themselves is, how do I tell fact from fiction? In early 2022, my guest Johan Ugander shared his research to better understand the ways information spreads online. We’re re-running this episode today, and I hope you’ll take the time to hear a few of the strategies he recommends for preventing the spread of misinformation.
Best of - How light can power higher speed computing Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-07-21 | Hi everyone, it’s Russ Altman here. Thanks for tuning in. We’re re-running a show today that I did with David Miller back in 2021. David is an electrical engineer, and works in the field of photonics. As he shares in this conversation, there’s great potential for the field of photonics to help solve the problems posed by an increasing demand for computing power. Silicon-chip computers are starting to hit fundamental limits, and advances in the field of photonics – technology that uses light waves – may be just the help we need. David’s research offers a bright spot as we look to a future that continuously demands more computing power. Enjoy!
Designing to delight, the Moonshot Club delivers Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-07-19 | So many impactful projects at Stanford Engineering start with the simple question, What if…? Jason Lin, ’25, and his friends in the Stanford Moonshot Club recently asked, “What if we build a small wooden frame and then put a couch on it with two electric skateboards underneath?” The motorized couch that was born out of this question is a classic example of the creative and collaborative spirit that’s unique to Stanford. Through the process of making, Lin and his fellow Moonshot Club members have empowered students from a variety of academic backgrounds to come together, tinker, and make a positive impact on the community.
The future of antibiotic synthesis Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-07-14 | Chaitan Khosla is a chemical engineer who says that the world’s most advanced drug factories are not behemoths of the industrial age, but microscopic bacteria. These tiny creatures have evolved enzymatic assembly lines that ingest raw materials and churn out valuable other molecules, like life-saving antibiotics. By engineering new microbes, we hope to create next-generation drugs, Khosla tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of - How 3D printing is changing medicine Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-07-07 | Explore the frontiers of 3D printing in healthcare and its potential to revolutionize personalized medicine, reshape prosthetics, and reimagine drug delivery systems.In this episode we're re-sharing a conversation Russ had in 2021 with Joseph DeSimone, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University. This one is about health, and Joe tells us how 3D printing is transforming healthcare. His group is using it to make vaccine delivery easier and more effective. They're also creating implantable chemotherapy that kills tumors, while having fewer side effects for the patients. We hope you enjoy this glimpse of how 3D printing technologies are being used in novel and unexpected ways.
The future of human vision Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-06-30 | Neuroscientist Kalanit Grill-Spector studies the physiology of human vision and says that the ways computers and people see are in some ways similar, but in other ways quite different. In fact, she says, rapid advances in computational modeling, such as deep neural networks, applied to brain data and new imaging technologies, like quantitative MRI and diffusion MRI, are revolutionizing our understanding of how the human brain sees. We’re unraveling how the brain “computes” visual information, as Grill-Spector tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
The future of trauma therapy Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-06-23 | Guest Debra Kaysen is a psychologist specializing in treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who says that promising new cognitive and behavioral therapies are, quite literally, giving people “their lives back.” These therapies work without drugs to help patients manage their disease and its symptoms and, perhaps, even cure PTSD. We’re providing tools to change how they think, Kaysen tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.For interested listeners, Kaysen offers a list of PTSD resources:Resources-Previous TFoE episode with Shaili Jain on treatments for PTSD - https://engineering.stanford.edu/magazine/article/shaili-jain-treatments-ptsd-are-more-effective-ever-istss.org/public-resources/trauma-basics-istss.org/public-resources/find-a-clinician-adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/what-youre-feeling-ptsd-what-do-helpFree apps from the VA for PTSD and other related concerns-ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile-abct.org/get-helpFor a Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) trained therapist-cptforptsd.com/cpt-provider-rosterStanford’s PTSD clinic-https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/patient_care/ptsd.html-International resource for a Prolonged Exposure (PE) trained therapist-https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsa/find_pe_therapist.html
Best of - The future of robot simulations Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-06-16 | Hi everyone, Russ here, we’re running a best-of episode this week to re-share a conversation I had in 2021 with Karen Liu, an associate professor of computer science here at Stanford Engineering. The conversation is relevant today because, as we all know, AI is having a moment, and robotics is an important part of that. Karen and her lab have a goal of enabling robots to contribute in caregiving roles - think of tasks like helping medical patients get dressed each day - and they’re using physics-based simulations to do that. I hope you’ll take some time to tune into this discussion, it’s a timely and relevant one given larger societal conversations about AI. Enjoy!
The future of wastewater Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-06-09 | Guest Bill Mitch says it’s no secret the world is running short of fresh water. As a civil and environmental engineer, he sees wastewater as a potential solution, if only we can eliminate the impurities. Mitch designs systems to remove toxic chemicals from wastewater to enable its reuse as a drinking water supply. It’s not easy, but it costs half as much as desalinating seawater, Mitch tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Best of - New forms of semiconductors are key to the future Stanford University School of Engineering 2023-05-26 | This episode of The Future of Everything podcast with Srabanti Chowdhury first ran in 2022. We’re sharing it again to offer a glimpse into research being done to identify new materials for semiconductors that could lead to smaller, faster, more powerful and more energy efficient electronics. Since we recorded this episode, the CHIPS and Science Act was signed into law, creating a $280 billion dollar investment in the field over the next 10 years, and in light of the renewed commitment to this technology, we’re excited to share this conversation on the future of semiconductor materials.
