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Question of the Week

26 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago -

BU Today, Boston University’s award-winning daily news site, brings you Question of the Week, a new podcast that provides insights from leading experts on timely questions covering politics, business, culture, education, science, medicine, sports, health, and more. Each episode features a conversation between a BU Today journalist and a different University faculty or staff member.

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Episodes

How Will Inflation Affect the Economy in 2023?

December 12, 2022 19:00 - 13 minutes - 18 MB

As we look forward to 2023, the health of the domestic economy remains a concern as high costs linger, hiring slows, and salaries stagnate. Many industries in the United States and abroad have increased costs due to supply chain issues and other factors, leading to some of the highest inflation in recent memory. In this episode Doug Most and Laurence Kotlikoff discuss inflation and the changing economic landscape, domestically and globally.  For the transcript for this episode, visit: https...

How Is The Conversation Around Mental Health Changing Among College Students?

November 28, 2022 20:00 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MB

As awareness of its importance rises, mental health has become a topic of much discussion in higher education, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. SPH researcher Sarah Lipson investigates mental health impacts among young people, primarily students. In this episode Sophie Yarin and Lipson discuss new insights and numbers behind the ever-changing mental health landscape in higher education For the transcript for this episode, visit: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/the-conversat...

Why Are This Year’s Midterm Elections Especially Important?

October 31, 2022 19:00 - 8 minutes - 12.3 MB

Maxwell Palmer, an associate professor of political science at Boston University, discusses the history of midterm elections and provides background on what has shifted in Massachusetts since 2014. Palmer also explains how he thinks things might play out in the upcoming elections, and reminds listeners of the importance of voting in every election. For the transcript for this episode, visit: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/why-are-midterm-elections-important Register to vote here - https:...

Will the Supreme Court End Affirmative Action?

October 17, 2022 18:00 - 41 minutes - 56.9 MB

Jonathan Feingold, a Boston University School of Law associate professor, discusses the history of affirmative action in the United States and provides details into how policies can shape race relations in higher education. He also analyzes how he thinks the two upcoming Supreme Court cases involving Harvard and UNC will play out.   For the transcript for this episode, visit: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/will-the-supreme-court-end-affirmative-action/ Never miss an episode. Subscribe to...

How Do I Talk to a Climate Change Denier?

September 26, 2022 14:00 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MB

We all know someone—perhaps an uncle or a friend’s mom on Facebook—who is a climate change denier. Although the science is clear, misinformation still runs rampant, says Arunima Krishna, COM assistant professor of mass communication, advertising, and public relations, who studies public perceptions of climate change. In this episode, Krishna explains how climate misinformation spreads, who believes it, and how to engage with people who deny climate change.  This episode uses clips from here...

Why Do Some People Live to 100—and How?

September 12, 2022 14:00 - 21 minutes - 29 MB

Thomas Perls, director of BU’s New England Centenarian Study, explains how and why some people live to 100 years old. While genetics plays a huge role in whether someone becomes a centenarian (or supercentenarian), Perls says we can still do four things to increase our chances of living longer.  Find Perls’ Life Expectancy calculator here.  Learn more about the New England Centenarian Study (NECS) here. The study is funded by the National Institute on Aging, the William M. Wood Foundation,...

How Do I Get a Job after College?

May 02, 2022 18:00 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MB

In this episode, Grace Saathoff (CFA'22, COM'22) and Emily Worden, a CFA Arts Leadership and Innovation lecturer and career coach, tackle some of new graduates’ biggest concerns about entering the job market for the first time. Tune in for some practical advice and helpful job hunting tips for recent graduates.

Why Do So Many Autistic Girls Go Undiagnosed?

April 12, 2022 17:00 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MB

In this episode, BU researchers Gael Orsmond and Sharada Krishnan offer a multifaceted perspective on how and why young women may have a different autistic experience compared to young men.  In recent years, an increasing amount of anecdotal evidence has surfaced about the differences in how autism presents between girls and boys. On social media apps such as TikTok, women are now sharing their stories of going undiagnosed until adulthood, leading many to question why late diagnosis seems to...

How Close Are We to World War III?

March 28, 2022 12:00 - 15 minutes - 21.8 MB

One month since Russia invaded Ukraine, the war has reached a stalemate, raising concerns about whether fighting could spill over into neighboring countries. Are we on the verge of another world war? To understand the current situation, we spoke with Joshua Shifrinson, a BU Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies associate professor of international relations. 

What Is the Future of Travel in 2022?

March 14, 2022 15:00 - 10 minutes - 14.6 MB

In the aftermath of two years of pandemic disruptions to the hospitality and tourism industries, Makarand Mody, an SHA associate professor of hospitality marketing, sheds some light on the future of travel in 2022. Mody discusses flexcations, the popularity of AirBNB and VRBO, the return to city tourism, and more.

How Did BU Student Irene Kim Become a Viral TikTok Influencer?

February 28, 2022 14:00 - 15 minutes - 21.7 MB

We talk to Boston University student Irene Kim (@ireneykim) about how she became a TikTok influencer and how she finds time to record her viral food reviews between work and school. Irene also shares her strategy for gaining followers, and how much companies are willing to pay her for munching on their products. TikTok clips courtesy of @ireneykim

Will President Biden Forgive Student Loans?

February 10, 2022 15:00 - 10 minutes - 14.9 MB

Mark Williams, Boston University Questrom School of Business executive-in-residence and a master lecturer in finance, considers if, and how, President Biden could forgive student loans. Williams discusses who is impacted the most by student debt, the politics of student loan forgiveness, and the effects of the current COVID-19 student loan pause. Clips from here and here.

How Much Did US Insurers Waste on Ivermectin for COVID?

January 28, 2022 17:00 - 12 minutes - 16.6 MB

Rena Conti, a Questrom School of Business associate professor of markets, public policy, and law, studied insurance claims and reimbursements data and found payments towards ivermectin for COVID-19, plugged by right-wing media despite its unproven efficacy, may have topped $130 million last year.  News clips from here and here. 

Do COVID Vaccines Affect the Menstrual Cycle?

January 13, 2022 14:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MB

Boston University School of Public Health professor Lauren Wise shares an update on her research into whether COVID-19 vaccines impact the menstrual cycle. Wise is the principal investigator of PRESTO, or the Pregnancy Study Online, and in 2021 she was among a group of researchers awarded $1.67 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health to conduct this research. In this episode, Wise shares her initial insights into the research on the COVID vaccine’s potential impact on menst...

Can Vaping Help You Quit Smoking?

November 16, 2021 04:00 - 7 minutes - 5.2 MB

Vaping among teenagers declined sharply in 2021, the second consecutive year to see a big decline. With research and debate continuing about whether using e-cigarettes can actually help a person quit smoking traditional cigarettes, BU Today spoke with Andrew Stokes, an assistant professor of Global Health at the BU School Public Health

Has Joe Biden Abandoned Trumpism and Populist Politics?

November 01, 2021 14:00 - 14 minutes - 9.78 MB

College of Arts & Sciences political scientist Lauren Mattioli assesses Joe Biden one year after his election. Promising to abandon Trumpism, the president has lowered the rhetorical thermostat, Mattioli says, but in areas like immigration, Biden is disappointing supporters with a populist politics, while GOP obstructionism imperils the rest of his agenda.

Who Will Be the Next James Bond?

October 21, 2021 19:00 - 10 minutes - 7.24 MB

In this episode, College of Fine Arts Dean Harvey Young considers possible successors to Daniel Craig and discusses his pick for the next James Bond. Young also talks about his favorite and least favorite of the actors who’ve played 007 and how the stereotypes of early James Bond movies have changed over time. Episode art image credit: Pinewood Studios. Music from here and here. Clips from here, here, here and here.

What Can a New Mayor Do to Improve a City?

October 18, 2021 14:00 - 11 minutes - 7.92 MB

A conversation with Thomas Whalen, a BU College of General Studies associate professor of social sciences, about whether a new mayor can improve a city. Whalen also discusses the upcoming historic Boston mayoral race between Michelle Wu and Anissa Essaibi George (CAS’96) and how previous mayors have brought about transformative changes in the city. To find out more about the upcoming mayoral election in Boston, check out WBUR’s voting guide. 

Why Did BU Rename Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples Day?

October 06, 2021 13:00 - 8 minutes - 6.15 MB

Adrienne Young (SSW’21), a member of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, wanted to see Boston University change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate the people who were in America long before Christopher Columbus arrived. BU administrators agreed, and this year for the first time, BU will celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day instead. Learn more about the campaign to make Indigenous People’s Day an official state holiday in Massachusetts here. 

What Would It Mean to Codify Roe v. Wade?

September 27, 2021 17:00 - 11 minutes - 8.12 MB

Linda McClain, a BU School of Law professor of law, discusses what it would mean to codify Roe v. Wade, after Texas enacted one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. McClain also talks about previous attempts to codify Roe v. Wade, the Women’s Health Protection Act, and the future of abortion access in this country. Note: A few days after this podcast was recorded, the US House of Representatives passed the Women's Health Protection Act. The act now goes to the Senate, where...

With Space Tourism a Reality, Will Civilians Travel to Space? And When?

September 16, 2021 16:00 - 9 minutes - 6.62 MB

Majd Mayyasi, a BU Center for Space Physics senior research scientist, discusses the future of civilian space travel and how it would impact the study of space. She also shares her experience training for suborbital flight as part of an inaugural program for scientists. 

With space tourism a reality, will civilians travel to space? And when?

September 16, 2021 16:00 - 9 minutes - 6.62 MB

Majd Mayyasi, a BU Center for Space Physics senior research scientist, discusses the future of civilian space travel and how it would impact the study of space. She also shares her experience training for suborbital flight as part of an inaugural program for scientists. 

When will COVID end?

September 13, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutes - 7.92 MB

David Hamer, a BU School of Public Health and School of Medicine professor of global health, discusses the future of the pandemic, what must happen next for the coronavirus to become more of a seasonal virus, and if annual booster shots will be a key step.  For more information, check out Hamer's recent interview with The Brink,  “Myths vs Facts: Making Sense of COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation,” where he debunks widespread myths about the vaccines, the Delta variant, and more.

When Will COVID End?

September 13, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutes - 7.92 MB

David Hamer, a BU School of Public Health and School of Medicine professor of global health, discusses the future of the pandemic, what must happen next for the coronavirus to become more of a seasonal virus, and if annual booster shots will be a key step.  For more information, check out Hamer's recent interview with The Brink,  “Myths vs Facts: Making Sense of COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation,” where he debunks widespread myths about the vaccines, the Delta variant, and more.

20 Years after 9/11, Is the US More or Less Vulnerable to a Massive Terrorist Attack?

September 03, 2021 03:00 - 7 minutes - 5.09 MB

Andrew Bacevich, a Pardee School of Global Studies professor emeritus of international relations and of history, discusses the state of American security 20 years after 9/11 and President Biden’s 2021 decision to pull troops from Afghanistan. 

Introducing Question of the Week

August 20, 2021 17:00 - 2 minutes - 1.46 MB

BU Today’s new short-form podcast, Question of the Week, provides insights from leading experts on timely questions covering politics, history, business, culture, science, and more.  Sound bites from CBSN, CNBC, NPR, and CNBC.