Curious Conversations, a Research Podcast

"Curious Conversations" is a series of free-flowing conversations with Virginia Tech researchers that take place at the intersection of world-class research and everyday life.
Produced and hosted by Travis Williams, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Office of Research and Innovation, episodes feature university researchers sharing their expertise, motivations, the practical applications of their work in a format that more closely resembles chats at a cookout than classroom lectures. New episodes are shared each Tuesday.
If you know of an expert (or are that expert) who’d make for a great conversation, email Travis today.
Latest Episode
Eiman Elgewely joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about her work using virtual reality and the principles of interior design to explore historical spaces. She described the research and collaboration required by such projects and explained how digital technology can help revive lost heritages, increase access, and provide insights for current applications. She specifically talked about two recent projects - 3D virtual reality creations of the house of Sheikh Isa in Bahrain and Meketre's ancient Egyptian garden. The latter can be experienced in the Cube at the Moss Arts Center from May 5 - May 7.
(music)
Travis
When I think about interior design, I don't often think about unlocking history's mysteries. So when I heard that Virginia Tech's Eiman Elwegly was doing just that and using aspects of virtual and augmented reality to do so, she pretty much immediately got a podcast invitation in her inbox and was kind enough to respond yes.
Eiman is an assistant professor of interior design in Virginia Tech's College of Arts, Architecture, and Design, as well as a faculty affiliate of the Center of Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech. Her research interests are in digital cultural heritage and museum studies, and she currently leads several virtual heritage projects in the visualization and virtual reality lab. Iman and I chatted a little about what these virtual realities entail and how she goes about collecting the information needed to create them. We also talked about how exploring these spaces in virtual reality helps us get a better understanding of history, as well as helps us better understand aspects of life back then that we could apply to our lives today. Eiman also talked with me about the most recent project she is working on with Virginia Tech's Institute of Creativity, Arts and Technology that explores an ancient tomb and also incorporates the use of smell. But if you want to know exactly what types of smells we're talking about, you're going to have to listen to the rest of the podcast. And as always, be sure to rate, follow, and or subscribe to the podcast. I'm Travis Williams, and this is Virginia Techs. Curious Conversations.
(music)
Travis
Well, and know you and I, we've talked quite a bit about your work using virtual reality to create these digital experiences, this digital exploration of history and historical places. And so I guess maybe just to start off with, maybe briefly, what does that virtual reality, that experience, what does that digital experience, what all does it include, what does it entail?
Eiman
Yeah, so in my research, I work on digital cultural heritage in general. It's a general umbrella for multiple applications. It doesn't just include virtual reality. So it includes also 3D documentation of cultural heritage sites, historical buildings, and stuff like that. And then we can create out of that a VR experience, which is a virtual walkthrough experience so that you can have the sense of space, sense of scale, proportions, how people use the spaces. And it can be used for education. It could be used in museums. So it's widely used right now in multiple different platforms as well, such as online museums.
Travis
What does creating virtual reality representations of historical spaces, what does that help us better understand?
Eiman
That's a wonderful question actually. So it helps us actually learn new realities about spaces, environments, how people use the spaces to function on everyday basis. It can reflect cultural and social and environmental needs. So that is really a very important part of it.
Another critical part is that how can we get access to places that are hard to access? So, for example, think about places that have been subject to environmental disasters, such as in Pompeii, for example, due to the eruption of Mount Vesophius. Think about something like the Buddha-Banyan statues and how we lost them because of the...Al-Qaeda, so we can have conflicts, wars, and stuff like that affecting cultural heritage sites. The crisis caused by ISIS for Syria and Iraq, very important cultural heritage sites have been subject to this kind of damage. So how can we use digital technology to revive and to better understand this lost heritage. And that is also another important part of what we are doing actually in this kind of research.
Travis
Yeah, that access piece is really fascinating to me because of all the reasons you mentioned, but also just the cost of traveling to a place like that. I'm probably not a person that's going to be able to hop on a plane tomorrow and go visit any of those spaces. So if I could online, that would be wonderful.
Eiman
Yeah, and that's why there's also a big thing now, it's called the virtual tourism. There was a big question mark about it. Is it going to affect the real tourism positively or negatively? But all research and surveys and everything is showing that that is actually...helping the cultural sites and tourism sites. So for example, when you visit the Coliseum, you can download the VR application or an AR application that can show you how this site used to look like in the past during, and you have to have a timeline to see the different iterations the same thing in the Great Pyramids of Giza, for example. So it's another layer of information that you can provide people with either on-site or off-site. So that is a very important part, of course, how can we use it for tourism.
Travis
Yeah, that's fascinating. Well, when you go about creating these virtual reality sites, where do you go about getting all of the details and the data that goes into that creation? What's your source material?
Eiman
So that is actually a very intensive research process because that requires a lot of compiling of research materials that include architectural drawings, architectural site reports, archaeological reports, historical photographs, sometimes museum collection archives in some cases.
In addition to modern technologies providing laser scans and photogrammetry scans. So for example, if you know about my project, Sheikh Isa in Bahrain, the house of Sheikh Isa, we used 3D documentation that was published in 2017 and that was created by an international research team and led by the Polytechnic de Milano. That was super helpful to create a very accurate model of the house, especially that we were working on a sustainable study. So we wanted to have very accurate results of this kind of simulation of how the building performed during different times of the day and stuff like that. So that was very, very helpful. In some other projects such as in the current Meketri tomb, We are working on drawings that the excavators drew manually, for example, in 1920 when the artifacts were first excavated. And that is really a very interesting process. So looking into those different pieces of information and fragments and putting them together is a very enjoyable part of our work.
Travis
Well, you mentioned the project in Bahram. When you all went into doing that project, I know one of the things you were trying to figure out, or at least try to better understand, how historic buildings in that region better dealt with heat. So I'm curious, as you went and you all did that project and you created this virtual reality, was there anything that you learned from that that surprised you about that house?
Eiman
Absolutely. Yeah. So, in addition to being a wonderful example of Islamic architecture, this house actually functions like a sustainable machine. So everything is really synchronized, like the strategic orientation of openings, the passive cooling systems, like the wind tower, which I like to call it the air conditioner of the past, together with a series of courtyards that are wonderfully connected in order to create the circulation of the air. The very thick mud brick walls that create the insulation to protect people inside the house during different conditions. All that works really wonderfully without any type of mechanical systems or HVAC or electricity at that time. So that was amazing. And the beautiful detail when you look at that is understanding or knowing. The fact that this was created by craftsmen and master masons, they didn't have any formal architecture education in Bahrain until after World War II. So everything related to this knowledge was actually moved from one generation to another verbally and it was practiced by those craftsmen and inherited. So that was really a fascinating detail. Another beautiful thing about this project is that it's allowing us to create comparisons between this house and other houses or other residential buildings in the Arab world, North Africa, and to see the regional differences and the creative diversity of sustainability practices. And that was really fascinating to see the different use of materials, different approaches to the courtyards, wind catchers and different stuff like that. And that is deeply rooted in cultural heritage. So sometimes you just need to look into the past to find some questions, some answers to modern questions or nowadays questions. So that is really was another important part of that project.
Travis
Yeah, was there anything as you've looked at maybe different spaces, especially when it comes to heat and building more sustainable buildings to deal with heat? Is there anything that's been a commonality maybe across differences that you've bumped into?
Eiman
Yeah, I think the commonality was the use of native materials, the idea of the openings like making things structure similar to the wind tower. Sometimes the structure is a little bit different, a nice detail, for example, the difference between the wind tower in Egypt and the wind tower in...Bahrain is that under the openings in the wind tower, the structure is different and you can find something like a fountain just underneath the opening and that is in order to some hydration. So that was really a nice detail. Another thing is that you can find because the weather is very arid in Bahrain, so you don't find lots of vegetation, for example, in the courtyards. However, in Egypt, you can find that the courtyard is planted. So you can find these beautiful differences based on the climate, the environmental differences, however there are still some similarities.
Travis
I know you're also one of your other big projects, which you mentioned was this tomb that you're working on. What could you share with us about that project?
Eiman
Yeah, so this is our most recent project and the exhibition is coming soon, hopefully May 5th and that will be synchronized with ICANN Day. And it's the Meketre Tomb in VR. there were very beautiful miniature models that were discovered in 1920 by American excavator and archaeologist. He was also the curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that was in 1920, Herbert Winlock. And these beautiful miniature models were discovered in that tomb in Luxor in Egypt. And the artifacts were divided between Egypt and the Metropolitan, and these beautiful artifacts are now displayed in both the Metropolitan and Cairo Museum. What is significant about these miniature models is that they convey or represent daily life in Middle Kingdom Egypt in a very beautiful way. So you can find models of a garden, a granary, workshop, a weaving shop, a slaughterhouse. So it's like a miniature mini world. So that was really fantastic to me. And then when we look...into how can we use digital technology to bring these miniature models into life. So now we are bringing an experiential exhibition that can bring an ancient Egyptian garden into life. And we did a lot of research on the flora and faena, all the bird, beautiful birds, beautiful flowers, the Egyptian jasmine, everything. And we're trying to create a multi-sensory exhibition. So think about all the... acoustics and the soundscape. So it's very accurate. What type of birds would you hear at that time or at that moment of time, 4,000 years ago. So it's like a time machine. We're also working with smell. We're working with all the different senses in immersing the visitor into this moment of history. And another thing that is very important to me in this project is the idea of digital repatriation. So think about those artifacts that have been taken from the people and the places where they originally belong and how the story is disconnected right now. So how can we make this kind of connection between the original site and the people? So that is really important. And I really...pay a lot of attention to digital repatriation because I don't think that this project is just about Egypt, while of course, ancient Egypt is a very important part of human history and human civilization for sure. But it's also about colonization, about many nations that lost important part of their history and their cultural heritage. And it's now displayed in multiple global institutions like in Africa, in South Asia, and Middle East, and how can we use digital technology maybe to put these stories back together.
Travis
I think I just need to follow up on something. I believe you said you all are gonna also include smell in this experience. How are you including smell and what types of smells can we expect if we experience this?
Eiman
Yeah, so this is really important. We are using diffusers that work with Android and Mac systems so that we are connecting these programmable diffusers to the system that we created so that it will diffuse Jasmine because Jasmine was very common in ancient Egyptian gardens and also blue lotus. So for example, those are the main two smells that you are going to experience in our garden hopefully.
Travis
Yeah, those sound great. Now, if you start to do virtual reality experiences with maybe a different place and a different time, I'm not so sure that you would want to do smell. I guess I'm thinking of like some of the stories I hear about like the Dark Ages or maybe like some of the times when we had plagues and stuff like that. Maybe we avoid the smell portion of it for that. I don't know, but I'm not the researcher. That's up to you.
Travis
And I would like to add here that the beauty of what we are doing is that if you look at our team and you see how diverse and interdisciplinary the team of faculty and students from creative technology to computer science to interior architecture. So it's really fascinating to see all those talents put together and working towards something that is very creative.
Travis
Yeah, that is super, that's super great. And I believe you said that it's in within ICAT.
Eiman
Yes, yes, it's funded by iCat and it's going to be displayed at the queue.
Travis
Well, I'm curious because your background is in interior design, and I know it's in a few other things too, but I'm curious, how does interior design help us better understand history?
Eiman
Actually, it's a lovely question. I don't mind that question at all. I think a very important part of it is that these spatial environments help us to learn about how people lived. And that is really an important part. think about looking at how spaces were laid out, furnished, and used. How can you understand about the social rules, the spiritual practices, the daily life and culture? cultural identity that you can learn from this. Like look in some of the projects that I work on, I have been working on pieces of furniture, trying to understand the use, the proportions. Does it belong to a child or an adult person. Like for example, in my reviving Karanis project, which is a virtual house in a Greek or Roman town in Fayoum in Egypt, we found a big number of reading tables, which give us a significant reference of like a level of literacy in the towns, for example. So looking at these evidences is really important. Understanding the relation between people and places is very important. So using digital storytelling to look back into these spaces and better understand them and convey these new realities about them, I think it's a very interesting and important part of understanding history.
Travis
Was this always the angle that you wanted to study interior design from? Were you always interested in the history side of things?
Eiman
I think it started by being interested in cyberspace design and the virtual environments. And then I have been thinking about how can we use this new environment to present different worlds. And then I started thinking about particularly about Egyptian cultural heritage, especially that I felt like people are not no more very much interested in going to museums. How can we make it a more exciting and more engaging experience? And that is exactly what I'm trying to do through the experiential exhibitions and stuff like that. So using the senses, using this kind of multi-sensory dimension, I think that is what I'm trying to do.
Travis
Yeah, so the more futuristic technology has gotten, the more it's encouraged you to want to use it to maybe step back into the past.
Eiman
Exactly, yes. I think you put it in a very interesting way.
(music)
Travis
And thanks to Iman for helping us better understand how both interior design and virtual reality can help us better understand the past. If you or someone you know would make for a great curious conversation, email me at traviskw at dt.edu. I'm Travis Williams and this has been Virginia Tech's Curious Conversations.
(Eiman)
About Elgewely
is an Assistant professor of Interior Design at the School of Design and a Faculty Affiliate of the Center of Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech. Her research interests are in digital cultural heritage and museum studies and she currently leads several projects in the Visualization and Virtual Reality Lab.
Past Episodes
-
General ItemUltra-Processed Foods with Alex DiFeliceantonio
Alex DiFeliceantonio discusses ultra-processed foods, their health impacts, and how dopamine influences food choices in Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations.
Date: Apr 14, 2025 - -
General ItemTechnology’s impact on the Appalachian Trail with Shalini Misra
Shalini Misra explores how digital technologies are changing the Appalachian Trail, balancing tradition, accessibility, and environmental preservation.
Date: Apr 07, 2025 - -
General ItemThe Dangers of Gaze Data with Brendan David-John
Brendan David-John discusses the use of gaze data in virtual and augmented reality, including privacy concerns and current mitigation research.
Date: Mar 31, 2025 - -
General ItemCommunity Dynamics During and After Disasters with Liesel Ritchie
Liesel Ritchie discusses how sociology helps explain community resilience in disasters, the role of social capital, and the importance of local relationships.
Date: Mar 24, 2025 - -
General ItemDrone Regulation, Detection, and Mitigation with Tombo Jones
Tombo Jones discusses drone regulations, safety, and counter UAS strategies, highlighting Virginia Tech’s role in advancing uncrewed aircraft systems.
Date: Mar 17, 2025 - -
General ItemPublic Perception of Affordable Housing with Dustin Reed
Dustin Read discusses public perceptions of affordable housing, the role of profit status, and how development size impacts community support.
Date: Mar 10, 2025 - -
General ItemUnpacking the Complexities of Packaging with Laszlo Horvath
Laszlo Horvath discusses packaging design complexities, including affordability, sustainability, and the impact of tariffs and supply chain disruptions.
Date: Mar 03, 2025 - -
General ItemEngineering Safer Airspace with Ella Atkins
Ella Atkins discusses air travel safety, VFR vs. IFR challenges, recent collisions, and how technology and automation can enhance aviation safety.
Date: Feb 24, 2025 - -
General ItemCancer-Fighting Bubbles with Eli Vlaisavljevich
Eli Vlaisavljevich discusses histotripsy, an ultrasound therapy for cancer, its mechanics, clinical applications, and future directions in treatment.
Date: Feb 17, 2025 - -
General ItemExamining the ‘5 Love Languages’ with Louis Hickman
Louis Hickman discusses ‘The 5 Love Languages,’ their impact on relationships, research findings, and the role of personality, self-care, and adaptability.
Date: Feb 10, 2025 - -
General ItemThe Behavior and Prevention of Wildfires with Adam Coates
Adam Coates explores the factors behind California wildfires, fire behavior science, urban challenges, and the role of prescribed burning in prevention.
Date: Feb 03, 2025 - -
General ItemComputer Security in the New Year with Matthew Hicks
Matthew Hicks discusses evolving computer security threats, AI-driven risks, and practical tips to stay secure in 2025.
Date: Jan 27, 2025 -
-
General ItemInternet of Things Safety and Gift Giving Tips with Christine Julien
Christine Julien joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the Internet of Things (IOT), exploring its definition, potential vulnerabilities, and the implications of using smart devices, especially for children. Julien stressed the importance of security and privacy when using IOT devices, particularly during the gift-giving season and shared insights on navigating these complexities with an aim of balancing the enjoyment and security.
Date: Dec 09, 2024 - -
General ItemNeurodiversity and the holidays with Lavinia Uscatescu and Hunter Tufarelli
Lavinia Uscatescu and Hunter Tufarelli joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the importance of understanding and accommodating neurodivergent individuals in various environments, particularly social gatherings during the holiday season. The pair shared the impact environmental factors can have on neurodivergent individuals, as well as the significance of predictability and communication in social settings. As a person with autism, Tufarelli also shared her first-hand experiences and the importance of embracing self-care.
Date: Dec 02, 2024 - -
General ItemAI and Better Classroom Discussions with Yan Chen
Yan Chen joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the use of artificial intelligence to enhance teaching and peer instruction in classrooms. Chen believes one potential use for AI, specifically large language models, is to monitor and analyze peer interactions in real-time. He shared the platform he and colleagues have created to do this, called VizPI, which aims to provide instructors with insights and recommendations to create a more engaging and personalized learning environment for students.
Date: Nov 25, 2024 - -
General ItemForest Health and Natural Disasters with Carrie Fearer
Carrie Fearer joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about forest health in the wake of natural disasters. She explained how storms and disturbances affect forest ecosystems, the importance of human interaction in promoting healthy forests, and the opportunities for restoration following catastrophic events. She also emphasized the significance of native species and the role of decomposition in maintaining forest health.
Date: Nov 18, 2024 - -
General ItemSubduction Zones, Earthquakes, and Tsunamis with Tina Dura
Tina Dura joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about subduction zones, particularly the Cascadia Subduction Zone, earthquakes and tsunamis. She explained the mechanics of earthquakes, and how the geological record and fossilized algae are helping researchers better understand past occurrences and predict future ones. Dura emphasized the importance of translating scientific research into actionable information for the public, especially regarding tsunami preparedness and community resilience.
Date: Nov 11, 2024 - -
General ItemTurning old Plastic into Soap with Guoliang “Greg” Liu
Guoliang “Greg” Liu joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about his journey in sustainability, focusing on the innovative process of converting plastic waste into soap. He shared insights on the challenges of controlling the chemical processes involved, the types of plastics used, and the potential for creating both liquid and solid soap products. He emphasized the importance of sustainability in the detergent industry and expressed hope for future commercialization of his work.
Date: Nov 04, 2024 - -
General ItemEmerging Technologies and Entrepreneurship with James Harder
James Harder joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, specially highlighting the Department of Computer Science’s initiative, CS/root. Harder shared his belief that the entrepreneurship process can be learned and applied to various novel ideas and the ways the program hopes to teach and support it, as well as the role it will play in putting emerging technology in more people’s hands.
Date: Oct 28, 2024 - -
General ItemAI and Emergency Management with Shalini Misra
Shalini Misra joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about how artificial intelligence (AI) might be used in the field of emergency management. She shared some of the different ways AI is currently being used and the concerns she’s heard from emergency managers. Misra also talks about the steps she believes will be necessary for the technology to reach its full potential in this field.
Date: Oct 21, 2024 - -
General ItemFemale Leaders of Nations and the US Presidency with Farida Jalalzai
Farida Jalalzai joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the state of female leadership globally, with a focus on the United States. She shared how she believes the U.S. compares to other nations in terms of female political representation, the unique challenges women face in the U.S. political landscape, and the impact of gender roles on women's leadership opportunities. She also shared the insights she gained through her research of female leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: Oct 14, 2024 - -
General ItemAI and Securing Water Systems with Feras Batarseh
Feras Batarseh joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to discuss the intersection of water systems and technology, specifically focusing on aspects of artificial intelligence (AI). He shared the importance of using AI to predict and prevent water quality issues, such as high turbidity, and highlighted the need for water systems to become more intelligent and cyber-secure.
Date: Oct 07, 2024 - -
General ItemAlcohol Use and Intimate Partner Violence with Meagan Brem
Meagan Brem joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to discuss the intersection of alcohol use and intimate partner violence, highlighting the importance of understanding the causal relationship between the two. She debunked common myths, identified current knowledge gaps, and shared insights from ongoing studies. She also described the unique challenge of understanding these topics as they relate to LGBTQ+ populations and shared possible interventions on both societal and individual levels.
Date: Sep 30, 2024 - -
General ItemBrain Chemistry and Neuroeconomics with Read Montague
Read Montague joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the role of dopamine and serotonin in learning, motivation, memory, mood, and decision-making. He discussed his research on measuring dopamine and serotonin dynamics in the brain in real time using electrodes in epilepsy patients and explained the role neuroeconomics are playing in that research.
Date: Sep 23, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Future of Wireless Networks with Lingjia Liu
Lingjia Liu joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the future of wireless networks and wireless communications. He explained the evolution of cellular networks from 1G to 5G and the potential for 6G, as well as how open radio access networks (O-RAN) can help advance innovation in this space.
Date: Sep 16, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Mung Bean and Reducing Hunger in Senegal with Ozzie Abaye
Ozzie Abaye joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about her work using the mung bean to diversify the cropping system, empower farmers, and reduce hunger in Senegal, Africa. She explained why the mung bean is a good fit for that region, the process by which she began to share it with farmers, and the collaborations she’s utilized to expand it across the country. She also shared what some of the challenges were in developing recipes across cultural lines.
Date: Sep 10, 2024 - -
General ItemCurbing the Threat of Invasive Species with Jacob Barney
Jacob Barney joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about invasive species, their impact on native species, and the challenges of managing them. He explained the history and terminology of invasive species, their economic and ecological consequences, and the interdisciplinary approach to addressing the problem. Barney also highlighted practical steps individuals can take to prevent their spread.
Date: Sep 02, 2024 - -
General ItemMaking Motorcycle Riding Safer Around the Globe with Richard Hanowski
Richard Hanowski joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about harnessing research to help make motorcycle riding safer in low- and middle-income countries. He shared the difference in riding culture in those areas as opposed to the United States and explained how his team is utilizing some of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s pioneering technology to help increase rider safety.
Date: Aug 27, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Evolution of Political Polling with Karen Hult
Karen Hult joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the history and evolution of polling, methods used in modern polling, and how politicians and the average person can interpret poll results. The conversation highlights the importance of probability sampling and inferential statistics in generating accurate poll results, as well as the need for critical thinking when consuming poll results.
Date: Aug 20, 2024 - -
General ItemNavigating Back-to-School Emotions with Rosanna Breaux
Rosanna Breaux joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the challenges and emotions children may experience during the transition back to school. The discussion includes red flags to look for, as well as coping skills and support parents and caregivers can provide to help their children navigate the school year. The conversation touches on the impact of recent bans on students having individual smart devices in schools.
Date: Aug 05, 2024 - -
General ItemGeologic Carbon Sequestration with Ryan Pollyea
Ryan Pollyea joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about geologic carbon sequestration, which is the process of permanently storing carbon dioxide (CO2) thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface. Pollyea explained what types of rock this is currently known to work with, the efforts he and his colleagues are taking to expand this to other geologic regions, and the potential impact that could have for the environment and economics.
Date: Jun 04, 2024 - -
General ItemVeterans and Mass Incarceration with Jason Higgins
Jason Higgins joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the intersection of United States military veterans and mass incarceration and his book, “Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration.” He shared what led him to work at this intersection, some of the reasons he thinks it’s often overlooked, and factors he believes lead many veterans to being in prison. Having interviewed more than 60 veterans whose service ranged from the Vietnam War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Higgins also compares and contrasts their reported experiences and shares some of the efforts veterans are undertaking to support each other.
Date: May 28, 2024 - -
General ItemMicroplastics, the Ocean, and the Atmosphere with Hosein Foroutan
Hosein Foroutan joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about microplastics, the ocean, and the atmosphere. He explained what microplastics are and shared recent findings that indicate such waste is somehow making its way into the air around the world. He also described some of the research he’s doing to figure out how this is happening and shared his current theories.
Date: May 21, 2024 - -
General ItemReal Estate Values and Elections with Sherwood Clements
Sherwood Clements joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the impact real estate values have on the presidential election. He discussed some recent research he was a part of that explored the impact of the “homevoter,” what findings surprised him, and what he thinks the date tells us about the upcoming election.
Date: May 14, 2024 - -
General ItemAI and the Hiring Process with Louis Hickman
Louis Hickman joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the hiring process. He shared the ways in which AI has long been a part of the process, the findings from his research on AI evaluating automated video interviews, and some tips on how job seekers can leverage the technology to improve their job hunt.
Date: May 06, 2024 - -
General ItemExploring the Human-Dog Relationship with Courtney Sexton
Courtney Sexton joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the unique relationship between humans and dogs. She shared the origins of the dog-human relationship, how the animals have adapted and become more attune to human needs, and their role in helping researchers learn more about human health.
Date: Apr 30, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Chemistry of Earth History with Ben Gill
Ben Gill joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about piecing together Earth history through a combination of geology and chemistry. Gill explained how studying the cycles of different elements can tell a story and help us better understand the planet’s most pivotal moments, such as mass extinctions. He also shared how studying both the worth and best times of our planet can provide us valuable insights for the future.
Date: Apr 23, 2024 - -
General ItemCircular Economies with Jennifer Russell
Jennifer Russell joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the concept of a circular economy. She explained that a circular economy is a shift away from the linear economy, which follows a take-make-dispose model, and instead focuses on reducing waste and reusing materials. Russell shared examples of tangible products and industries that can be, or already are, part of a circular economy.
Date: Apr 16, 2024 - -
General ItemThe History of Virginia Tech's Helmet Lab with Stefan Duma
Stefan Duma joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the history of the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab and the impact it has had on sports-related head injuries. He shared how a military research conference led him to study helmets, as well as the critical role the lab’s relationships with the Virginia Tech football and sports medicine programs have played in advancing this pioneering research. Duma discussed the role of the helmet lab in helping to create a greater awareness about head injuries throughout all sports, and described the helmet shell add-on fans can witness during the football team’s spring game on April 13.
Date: Apr 09, 2024 - -
General ItemThe History of Food Waste with Anna Zeide
Anna Zeide joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the history of food waste in America and its impact on society and the environment. She shared insights related to several historical turning points and stressed that addressing food waste requires rethinking and integrating food security and waste management systems.
Date: Apr 02, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Dog Aging Project with Audrey Ruple
Audrey Ruple joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the Dog Aging Project, the largest-known study of dog health which aims to understand the keys to healthy aging in dogs and the risks to their health. She explained what information they are collecting, what it means for dogs, and how it might also be used to better understand human health.
Date: Mar 26, 2024 - -
General ItemAll About Air Pollution with Gabriel Isaacman-VanWertz
Gabriel Isaacman-VanWertz joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about air pollution and its misconceptions. He shared his insights related to how plant and human emissions interact and what that means for our shared environment, as well as how he got into this field of study and his hope for the future.
Date: Mar 19, 2024 - -
General ItemRighting a Wrong Understanding of Newton's Law with Daniel Hoek
Daniel Hoek joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the recent discovery he made related to Newton's first law of motion. The law is typically translated as “a body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion remains in motion, at constant speed and in a straight line, unless acted on by an external force." Hoek explains how he became intrigued by the law, the puzzles surrounding it, as well as the misconception that objects with no forces acting on them exist and how Newton's own account contradicts this.
Date: Mar 11, 2024 - -
General ItemMeasuring the Risks of Sinking Land with Manoochehr Shirzaei
Manoochehr Shirzaei joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the importance of understanding and measuring sinking land, commonly called land subsidence. He shared insights about the use of satellite data in creating high resolution maps, how land subsidence fits into the overall picture of climate change, and how he hopes the information is used by localities.
Date: Mar 05, 2024 - -
General ItemEmerging Technology and Tourism with Zheng "Phil" Xiang
Zheng "Phil" Xiang joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the intersection of technology and tourism. He shares the significant technological shifts in the tourism industry over the past decade, including the influence of social media and artificial intelligence on trip research and the experience itself.
Date: Feb 27, 2024 - -
General ItemAI and Education with Andrew Katz
Andrew Katz joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. Katz shares his insight related to the applications of AI models, such as chat GPT, in analyzing student responses and providing feedback, as well as the challenges of AI in education and hope it can provide a more individualized education experience.
Date: Feb 20, 2024 - -
General ItemWarm, Fuzzy Feelings and Relationships with Rose Wesche
Rose Wesche joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the science behind the warm, fuzzy feelings that often accompany a new romance, the transition from infatuation to attachment, and how to maintain intimacy and passion in relationships. She also shared her research exploring the emotional outcomes of casual sexual relationships and provided advice for those in relationships.
Date: Feb 13, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Future of Wireless Networks with Luiz DaSilva
Luiz DaSilva joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the evolution of wireless networks, the importance of advancing the next generation of wireless, and the critical role the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) is playing in that advancement.
Date: Feb 06, 2024 - -
General ItemThe Positive Impacts of Bird Feeding with Ashley Dayer
Ashely Dayer joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about her work at the intersection of birds and humans, including a new project that explores the positive impact bird feeding has on human well being and general tips for the hobby.
Date: Jan 30, 2024 - -
General ItemSticking to healthy changes with Samantha Harden
Samantha Harden joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the science behind developing and keeping healthy habits.
Date: Jan 16, 2024 -
-
General ItemScreen Time and Young Children with Koeun Choi
Koeun Choi joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the impact of media on young children. She shared insights from her research on screen time and young children and introduced a project she’s working on that explores the use of artificial intelligence to help children learn to read.
Date: Dec 11, 2023 - -
General ItemThe History of Holiday Foods with Anna Zeide
Anna Zeide joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the history of foods traditionally connected to holidays occurring during the winter months, as well as the nature of developing personal traditions.
Date: Dec 04, 2023 - -
General ItemThe Chemistry of Better Batteries with Feng Lin
Feng Lin joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the chemistry behind creating better batteries for electric vehicles. He broke down some of the current challenges to mass producing an effective and affordable battery, and shared his thoughts on the potential for coal in helping overcome these hurdles.
Date: Nov 27, 2023 - -
General ItemAI as a Personal Assistant with Ismini Lourentzou
Ismini Lourentzou joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about artificial intelligence and machine learning related to personal assistants, as well as her student team’s recent experience with the Alexa Prize TaskBot Challenge 2.
Date: Nov 20, 2023 - -
General ItemThe Power of International Collaborations with Roop Mahajan
Roop Mahajan joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about the value of international collaborations to research and innovation, as well as how they’ve contributed to his work advancing the “wonder material” graphene.
Date: Nov 13, 2023 - -
General ItemDriving around Heavy Trucks with Matt Camden and Scott Tidwell
Matt Camden and Scott Tidwell of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) joined “Curious Conversations” to talk about the institute’s Sharing the Road program, which has shared tips for driving around heavy trucks with more than 20,000 high school students since 2018. They discussed the research behind the program and shared practical safety tips for drivers of all ages.
Date: Nov 06, 2023 - -
General ItemAutonomous Technology and Mining with Erik Westman
Erik Westman joined Virginia Tech’s ‘Curious Conversations’ to share his insights on how machine learning and autonomous technologies are impacting the mining industry, as well as what Virginia Tech is doing to prepare students for the future of the industry.
Date: Oct 30, 2023 - -
General ItemAgriculture Technology and Farmers with Maaz Gardezi
Maaz Gardezi joined Virginia Tech’s ‘Curious Conversations’ to talk about the importance of developing agriculture technology alongside and with the input of farmers. He shared details about a current interdisciplinary project he’s working on at the intersection of technology and agriculture, as well as his thoughts on the potential for advanced technology in this space.
Date: Oct 23, 2023 - -
General ItemAI and Healthcare Workspaces with Sarah Henrickson Parker
Sarah Henrickson Parker joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about how artificial intelligence and machine learning is currently being used in some healthcare spaces, and what the potential is for the future.
Date: Oct 16, 2023 - -
General ItemAI and Online Threats with Bimal Viswanath
Bimal Viswanath joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to chat about how the rise in artificial intelligence and large language models has changed the online threat landscape. He explained how this technology works and shared about a current project he’s involved with that aims to mitigate toxic language in chatbots.
Date: Oct 09, 2023 - -
General ItemAI and the Workforce with Cayce Myers
Cayce Myers fields questions on artificial intelligence’s impact on the workforce, regulations, copyright law, and more.
Date: Oct 02, 2023 - -
General ItemSpecial Edition: The GAP Report with Tom Thompson and Jessica Agnew
Each year, Virginia Tech produces the Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report, which provides a snapshot of the current state of agriculture and a projection of its future. Tom and Jessica, executive editor and managing editor, respectively, of the report, joined the podcast just prior to the 2023 release to explain what it is and how they hope it's used.
Date: Oct 01, 2023 - -
General ItemThe Metaverse, Digital Twins, and Green AI with Walid Saad
Walid Saad joined Virginia Tech’s "Curious Conversations" to field questions about the metaverse, digital twins, and artificial intelligence’s potential impact on the environment.
Date: Sep 24, 2023 - -
General ItemSemiconductors, Packaging, and more with Christina Dimarino
Christina Dimarino joined the podcast to chat about semiconductors, the importance of packaging in onshoring their production, and what Virginia Tech is doing to excel workforce development in this field.
Date: Sep 15, 2023 - -
General ItemPilot: Electric Vehicles with Hesham Rakha
In this pilot episode, Hesham Rakha shares insights on what sustainable mobility means, the gas price at which electric vehicles becomes the more cost effective option, and some of his personal experiences with an electric car.
Date: Aug 14, 2023 -