Drexel University Podcasts

Gwynne Grasberger, Associate Vice Provost for Research Development, joined by Paul Jensen, Executive Vice President and Nina Henderson Provost, and David Unruh, Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement discuss the process of refining and advancing Drexel's area of excellence and opportunity within the three primary focus areas outlined by the Drexel 2030 Strategic Plan.

Assistant Vice President for Inclusive Culture and Belonging Patience Ajoff-Foster is joined by Angela Dowd-Burton, Marcella Stokes and Richelle Parham, contributing authors of A Legacy to Share: Navigating Life’s Challenges and Celebrating Our Greatest Achievements, presented by the Drexel University Black Alumni Council. In this roundtable they discuss student access, finding their voices, the stories of their fellow Black alumni of Drexel University, and much more. Transcript - https://drexel.edu/strategicPlan/legacy-podcast-transcript

Drexel University is executing a strategic plan to effectively and intentionally address shifts in higher education and broader challenges facing society. These challenges were magnified in 2020 with nationwide calls for anti-racism movements. The initiatives developed and executed through Drexel's Strategic Plan will ensure that we establish a diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist learning community that provides equitable opportunities for excellence and achievement for all faculty, students, professional staff, and partners. This work importantly intersects with the recommendations put forth by Drexel's Anti-Racism Task Force. In this podcast, members of the Task Force discuss what it means to be an anti-racist university, what Drexel has accomplished thus far, and the work we will continue to do moving forward.

"Please, Just Change Your Password" Be honest, when's the last time you thought about how safe your personal information was online? Jim Goepel, an adjunct professor at Drexel, explains how to protect yourself online (and begs you to please, please, change your password every once in a while).

"The Kids are Alright" Despite what 80's teen movies told us, throwing "bad kids" into detention doesn't actually help them. Jim Connell, an associate professor at Drexel, draws on his own experiences and his work in behavioral health to find better ways to help troubled kids.

"All She Wants to Do is Dance" We tend to think of dance as a female-dominated field. But is it? Assistant teaching professor Sandra Parks breaks down the ways the industry keeps women out of leadership positions, and what needs to be done to bring about change.

"Give (Inner) Peace a Chance" Learning to relax is a lot more stressful than it sounds. But Jackie Murphy, an assistant clinical professor at Drexel, thinks it's more important than ever that nurses (and pretty much everyone) learn how to find some peace in their lives.

"Talk COVID to Me" To wear masks or not to wear masks, that is the question. The messaging we received about the COVID-19 pandemic was...confusing, to say the least. Tom Hipper, an assistant professor at Drexel, looks at exactly what went wrong, and how we can (and must) change the way we communicate to the public when the next disaster strikes.

"Having Fun Isn’t Hard When You’ve Got a Library Card" In the age of e-books and Amazon, what's the point of libraries? Danuta Nitecki, Drexel's Dean of Libraries, explains exactly why libraries still play a pivotal role, both on campus and in communities.

"When Health Gets High-Tech" Technology is the solution for everything, right? Well, yes and no. Here, Michelle Rogers, an associate professor at Drexel's College of Computing and Informatics, talks about how technology is helping our health care system - and how it still has a long way to go.

"It's a Scandal!" When a crisis happens at your business, who you gonna call? Carl Francis has spent his career handling scandals and threatening situations for organizations. He gives his Drexel students in the LeBow College of Business (and us) insight on handling high-stakes issues.

"Tell Me a Story" They say to write what you know. That's why Nomi Eve, a writer and the director of Drexel's creative writing MFA, places her Jewish heritage at the center of her novels. Here, she talks about the process of writing historical fiction, and what she hopes her students get out of their MFA.

"Good Universities Make Good Neighbors" How can you be a good neighbor? If you're a university, finding your place in your surrounding community can be tricky. Jen Kebea, the executive director of the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, breaks down how universities can become more civically engaged.

"Girls Just Want to Have Healthcare" Not all healthcare is created equal, especially if you're a woman. Kymberlee Montgomery, an associate clinical professor of nursing and medicine at Drexel University's College of Nursing and Health Professions, explains to us the biggest health issues facing women today.

"Diagnosis: Racism" How can where you live affect your health? For Black communities, their neighborhoods can literally make them sicker. Sharrelle Barber, an assistant research professor at Drexel's Dornsife School of Public Health, looks at the intersection of place, racism, and health.

"It’s Just Business" Big Business is the root of all evil, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Drexel professor Barrie Litzky breaks down how some businesses are using the free market to make the world a better place – and why more businesses need to do so.

"Captain Planet, Philly Edition" Solar panels, wind power, the Green New Deal. There’s a lot going on in the world of renewable energy, and it can be hard to keep track of. Drexel’s Jeffrey Beard explains how we can “green” our houses and why Philly is perfectly set up to be a sustainable city.

"I Want a New Drug" There seems to be a million kinds of medicine in your local pharmacy. But what does it take to get a drug to market? Drexel professor Richard Mangano explains the drug discovery and development process, and why some drugs get funded – and some don’t.

"We’ve Got a Crisis on Our Hands" It’s a nightmare scenario: your company has tweeted something inappropriate, and now everyone online is talking about it. What should you do? Drexel professor Min Lee is here to save your social media presence.

"The Art of the Podcast" Drexel professor Derek Gillman’s resume is basically a tour through some of the world’s greatest museums. Here, he tells us about his favorite art in Philly, and how museums are changing to keep up with the times.