Podcasts

Song Han is an associate professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science whose research focuses on efficient AI computing. He also leads the Efficient AI team at NVIDIA Research, focused on optimizing GPU-accelerated AI systems. In this episode, President Sally Kornbluth speaks with Song Han about efficient AI, why it’s so energy-hungry in the first place, and the benefits of lighter models.

Emil Verner is the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Professor of Management and Financial Economics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His research examines how finance and the broader economy interact, with a focus on the causes and consequences of financial crises — from bank runs and insolvency to debt booms, economic volatility, and political polarization.

In this episode, President Sally Kornbluth speaks with Emil Verner about why financial crises happen, how they ripple through economies and politics, and what they mean for individual financial stability.

Sebastian Lourido is an associate professor of biology and a member of the Whitehead Institute. He studies human pathogens and seeks to unravel the genetic pathways that help parasites like Toxoplasma gondii exist in human cells. In this episode, President Kornbluth and Sebastian discuss toxoplasmosis, how parasites behave inside human hosts, and the complex relationships that unfold over the course of a chronic infection.

Christopher Palmer is an Associate Professor of Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and an Affiliate with the Jameel Poverty Action Lab, based here at MIT. He studies consumer credit, and household financial decision making. In this episode, President Kornbluth and Palmer discuss household financial decision making around mortgages, car loans, and how best to save for retirement.

Brent Minchew is an Associate Professor of Geophysics in the department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at MIT. He studies the behavior of glaciers in response to environmental factors and is dedicated to understanding sea level rise and exploring viable interventions to stabilize ice sheets. In this episode, President Kornbluth and Brent discuss glacier-related sea-level rise and potential mitigation solutions.

Stefanie Mueller is an associate professor with a joint appointment in MIT's Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering departments. Her work is focused on developing novel hardware and software systems that advance personal fabrication technologies. In this episode President Kornbluth talks with Mueller about the future of customizable 3D printing, what it could mean to manufacturing and sustainability, and how to make it accessible to everyone.

Andres Sevtsuk is an associate professor of Urban Science and Planning at MIT. His work focuses on the influence of urban design on sustainable travel behavior and quality of life, and contributes to making cities more walkable, sustainable and equitable. In this episode President Kornbluth talks with Sevtsuk about the complex forces that shape our cities and the effects of urban planning on sustainable mobility and quality of life for city residents.

Ariel White is an associate professor of Political Science at MIT where she studies voting and voting rights. Her recent work investigates how potential voters react to being affected by punitive government policies, such as incarceration, and how people can make their way back onto the voting registries after these experiences. In this episode, Ariel speaks with President Kornbluth about what is actually known immediately following an election, the challenges of exit polls, and what efforts work in getting people to vote.

Giovanni Traverso is an associate professor in MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering and a gastroenterologist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. His work focuses on innovative methods for drug delivery, diagnostics, and biological sensing.

In this episode, President Kornbluth speaks with Traverso about tackling the core challenges of taking medication, the unique perspective that comes with being both a professor and a practicing gastroenterologist, and the importance of entrepreneurship.

Benedetto Marelli is a biomedical engineer by training and a materials scientist. He is an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His work is focused on using biomaterials-based innovation to improve agricultural methods, food security, and food safety. In this episode, President Kornbluth speaks with Marelli about the advantages of using silk-based coatings in agriculture and water filtration, and why being bold and creative can lead to powerful discoveries.