With the Curiosity Unbounded podcast, President Sally Kornbluth gives us a behind-the-scenes introduction to some of the fascinating people who make MIT MIT. In these lively conversations, Sally’s guests explore some of humanity's toughest challenges, share their pioneering ideas and solutions, explain what inspires them and what keeps them up at night, and offer a vivid portrait of the delights and challenges of life at the Institute.
- Podcast
Episode #9: Silk, the fabric of more sustainable agriculture
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.
- Podcast
Episode #8: Hard facts on soft skills
Namrata Kala is an associate professor in applied economics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. She studies the value of employee training and incentives, how communities adapt to environmental change and regulation, and the returns on environmental technology investment.
Here, Namrata speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the importance of soft skills training, and the benefits of being a straight shooter.
- Podcast
Episode #7: Staying radical and relevant
Skylar Tibbits is a designer and computer scientist whose research focuses on self-assembling and programmable materials, and 3D and 4D printing. He is the founder of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab and director of undergraduate design programs in the Department of Architecture.
In this episode, MIT President Sally Kornbluth talks with Tibbits about the inspiration for his lab’s projects, why design at MIT is unique, and the magic in combining the creative with the technical.
- Podcast
Episode #6: Healing the ailing heart
Ellen Roche is an associate professor of mechanical engineering and the associate head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. Her research team develops new devices and therapeutic strategies for repairing the heart and other tissues. Here, she speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about her work, the advantages of taking a nonlinear route to one’s chosen career, and the importance of saying “yes” to unexpected opportunities.
- Podcast
Episode #5: Beyond words
Joshua Bennett is a professor of literature and distinguished chair of the humanities at MIT. Additionally, he is an accomplished spoken word artist, and author of several books. Here, he speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the power of words, the beauty of quiet things, and about the value in learning for its own sake. Plus, we hear him perform his poetry.
- Podcast
Episode #4: Build your own superpower, then share it with the world
MIT President Sally Kornbluth talks with Fadel Adib, associate professor at the MIT Media Lab and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, about his work and how he’s inspired to solve pressing global issues. Along the way, they discuss his belief in the importance of inspiring others and democratizing advanced tools and technologies, as well as his early life in Lebanon and his family-held belief that education has the power to change lives.