The Course
Episodes
Episode 145 - Nicholas G. Hatsopoulos: "I'm a scientist, I love discovering new things"
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Nicholas G. Hatsopoulos from the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy is on The Course this week to discuss his career path. From ma...
Episode 144 - Fred Chong: "Never been a day I thought this was the wrong job."
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Fred Chong is the Seymour Goodman Professor of Computer Architecture and is also a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Eng...
Episode 143 - Claudia Brittenham: "Objects keep me honest."
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Claudia Brittenham is from the Department of Art History and the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity. She is also the Director of ...
Episode 142 - Chiara Galli: "Every rose has its thorns."
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Chiara Galli from the Department of Comparative Human Development is on The Course to talk about how her childhood experience movi...
Episode 141 - Paula Harper: "That's a thing you can do?"
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Paula Harper's participation in the choir drew her to music classes in her English major college days, and accidentally gave ...
Episode 140 - Scott Gehlbach: "I got it. I know what I'm doing."
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Scott Gehlbach from the Department of Political Science and Harris School of Public Policy would almost have gone back to his family farm bu...
Episode 139 - Jennifer Pitts: "It was a leap of faith."
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Jennifer Pitts from the Department of Political Science is on The Course this week to talk about her career journey from being captured by a...
Episode 138— Ruth Bloch Rubin: "You are the captain of your own ship."
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As an academic studying American politics at the University of Chicago, Assistant Professor Ruth Bloch Rubin recognizes she is living in an unpreceden...
Episode 137— Marco Garrido: "I kind of stumbled into being a professor."
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With various interests, Associate Professor Marco Garrido was still determining his next steps after graduation and went off exploring the world. It w...
Episode 136—Molly Offer-Westort: "I was interested in exploring the world more and having different experiences."
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From being an English teacher in Central Lesotho to being a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar to working with the World Bank and the United Nations,...
Episode 135 - Robert A. Pape: "The goal here is to use social science to save lives."
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Robert A. Pape from the Department of Political Science discusses how his early research interest in air power and international political v...
Episode 134 - Timothy Harrison: "I had $287 in my bank account ."
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Timothy Harrison finished high school and ventured off to build his career as a model until he decided to pivot to a scholarly pat...
Episode 133 - Catherine Kearns: "Soak up your time in college."
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor in the Department of Classics Catherine (Katie) Kearns is on The Course to talk about her study in Mediterranean archaeology and h...
Episode 132 - Andreas Kraft: "Being a student athlete..."
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor of Marketing and Asness Faculty Fellow Andreas Kraft is on The Course this week to talk about his experience as a student-athlete....
Episode 131 - Victoria Saramago: "This is the challenge that I want to tackle right now."
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Victoria Saramago of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures grew up fascinated by storytelling. From wanting to be a ...
Episode 130 - Carolina López-Ruiz: "Expand your worldview and knowledge in university."
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Carolina López-Ruiz from the Divinity School and the Department of Classics shares how her passion for the ancient world started from a you...
Episode 129 - Fred Ciesla: "I want to know if there is life elsewhere."
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Fred Ciesla from the Department of Geophysical Sciences is on The Course this week to share how his career path to becoming a geophysical sc...
Episode 128 - Emily Lynn Osborn: "Not to pin your passion onto only one pathway."
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Emily Lynn Osborn from the Department of History talks about how studying African History merged with her sense of rebellion with ...
Episode 127 - Jasmine Nirody: "A career where I can learn things all the time."
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, Assistant Professor Jasmine Nirody from the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy revealed how studying snake move...
Episode 126 - Andrew Ferguson: "Fortune favors a prepared mind."
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor of Molecular Engineering and Vice Dean for Education at the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Andrew Ferguson, talks about ...
Episode 125 - Lewis Shi: "I am committed to what I am doing."
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Lewis Shi from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine shares his determination to be a doctor from a ...
Episode 124 - Simeon Chavel: "Embrace the chaos."
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Simeon Chavel from the Divinity Schools shares how he found his way to becoming a Hebrew Bible scholar at the University of Chicag...
Episode 123 - Martha Feldman: "Follow your passions and interests."
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ferdinand Schevill Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Music and the College, Professor Martha Feldman, joins us in this episode. Pro...
Episode 122 - Gabriel Richardson Lear: "What kind of person do I want to be?"
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Gabriel Richardson Lear of the Department of Philosophy and the Chair of UChicago's Committee on Social Thought joins us on The Course ...
Episode 121 - Allison Squires: "If you're torn on a decision..."
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering, Allison Squires, describes her experiment-filled childhood and all the joy science broug...
Episode 120 - Haresh Sapra: "Be a student. Experiment. Learn. Better yourself."
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Haresh Sapra is the Charles T. Horngren Professor of Accounting at the Chicago Booth School of Business. Originally from a sugar factory on the island...
Episode 119 - Michael K. Bourdaughs: "Go study abroad!"
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Michael K. Bourdaghs, Professor of Modern Japanese Literature and Culture at the University of Chicago, discusses his life and profes...
Episode 118 - Michele Friedner: "Thinking through disability expertise and questions of access."
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
| In this episode, Medical Anthropologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Human Development Michele Friedner discusses her ...
Episode 117 - Anthony Fowler: "Every academic faces a lot of rejection."
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Anthony Fowler, from the Harris School of Public Policy, researches econometric methods for causal inference to questions in political scien...
Episode 116 - Nancy Kawalek: "What we do is a little bit quirky."
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Nancy Kawalek, from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, is the Director of STAGE: Scientists, Technologists, and Artists Generatin...
Episode 115 - Amie Wilkinson: "I love communicating math."
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Amie Wilkinson, from the Department of Mathematics, studies smooth dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical chaos. Although she m...
Episode 114 - John Mark Hansen: "Bringing shadowed things to light."
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor John Mark Hansen is one of the nations leading scholars of American politics. His research focuses on interest groups, citizen activism, a...
Episode 113 - Leslie Rogers: "The stars aligning."
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Associate Professor Leslie Rogers from the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics talks about her path to becoming a UChicago Profe...
Episode 112 - Chibueze Amanchukwu: "You really can do it."
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chibueze Amanchukwu is the Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering. His group works on energy-related challenges, with a specific...
Episode 111 - Dipesh Chakrabarty: "The world remains a source of surprise."
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dipesh Chakrabarty is currently the Lawrence A. Kimpton Distinguished Service Professor in History, South Asian Languages and Civilizations, and the C...
Episode 110 - Robert Gulotty: "That's the career, that's what I wanted."
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Robert Gulotty, from the Department of Political Science, researches the relationship between national governments and global mark...
Episode 109 - Jennifer Iverson: "I belong. I'm okay. I'm here."
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Jennifer Iverson, from the Department of Music, is a twentieth-century music scholar specializing in electronic music, avant-gardi...
Episode 108 - Genevieve Lakier: "Decision-making is a result of gut instincts."
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Genevieve Lakier, from the University of Chicago Law School, teaches and writes about freedom of speech and American constitutional law. Her...
Episode 107 - Shaoda Wang: "I had this very vague dream of eliminating poverty."
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Shaoda Wang, assistant professor at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, shares his career path in the fi...
Episode 106 - Wilma A. Bainbridge: "You have room to pursue your wacky, fun, crazy ideas."
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The University of Chicago Assistant Professor Wilma A. Bainbridge, from the Department of Psychology, leads the Brain Bridge Lab, which focuses on exa...
Episode 105 - Paul Poast: "How I think about being an academic and why I wanted to be an academic."
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Paul Poast from the Department of Political Science teaches and researches international relations and is a foreign policy fellow ...
Episode 104 - Judith Zeitlin: "I think that humanities matter more than ever now."
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Judith Zeitlin is a Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. Professor Zeitlin’s research...
Episode 103 - Scott Snyder: "Discovery Knows No Vacation."
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, organic chemistry Professor Scott Snyder discusses his career path to becoming a faculty at the University of Chicago. He describes s...
Episode 102 - Jasmin Tiro: "If you had a superhero power, what would your power be?"
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Jasmin Tiro is a professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Chicago She is the Associate Director of Cancer Prevention and Pop...
Episode 101 - Peter Littlewood: "We have to solve these global problems globally."
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Peter Littlewood is the chair of the University of Chicago's Department of Physics. He was formerly the Associate Lab Director and then...
Episode 100 - Sarah Newman: “There is always a new direction to go in."
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Entering college with little idea of what she wanted to major in, Assistant Professor Sarah Newman took various courses and discovered archeology as h...
Episode 99 - Adam A. Davidson: "As a professor, here is a level of intellectual freedom."
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor of Law, Adam A. Davidson, majored in theatre, minored in business, and taught as a substitute teacher but discovered his true pa...
Episode 98 - R. Tamara Konetzka: “Fit is much more important than ranking."
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Louis Block Professor of Public Health Sciences, R. Tamara Konetzka, had an unusual career path that took her to various roles and places before findi...
Episode 97 - Ryan Cecil Jobson: "A love letter to the people of the Caribbean."
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by his own family history and the neighborhood he grew up in, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Ryan Cecil Jobson, found a...
Episode 96 - John A. Schneider: “A different way of looking at diversity."
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor John A. Schneider is from the Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences and understands that individual health is not just about pe...
Episode 95 - Anastasia Giannakidou: "Language is the one thing that identifies us culturally."
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anastasia Giannakidou, the Frank J. McLoraine Professor of Linguistics, has always been captivated by the intricacies of language. Growing up in a pic...
Episode 94 - Darcey Merritt: “A different way of looking at diversity."
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Darcey Merritt of the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice returned to academia from being a social worker to address th...
Episode 93 - Adrienne Brown: "Show up and take space."
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Adrienne Brown, an Associate Professor in the Departments of English and Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity, shares her journey of following her interest...
Episode 92- Robert Vargas: “Is there something you want to say?"
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's interview features Associate Professor of Sociology and Deputy Dean of the Social Sciences Robert Vargas. Professor Vargas is a first...
Episode 91 - Jennifer E. Mosley: "I have the best of both worlds."
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Jennifer E. Mosely at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, talks about her winding path of studying psychology, wor...
Episode 90 - Linda Waite: "Why people made the choices they did."
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
George Herbert Mead Distinguished Service Professor, Linda Waite, from the Department of Sociology, heads one of the most extended longitudinal studie...
Episode 89- Chuan He: “I will be a professor for my lifetime."
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor, Chuan He, from the Department of Chemistry, won the acclaimed Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 2023, and the...
Episode 88- Geoffrey R. Stone: “Here I am 50 years later, still on the faculty."
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor of Law, Geoffrey R. Stone, did not want to be a professor. He deliberately messed up his interview at t...
Episode 87 - Eve L. Ewing: "Marvel, novels, research; you name it, I write it."
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From the newly formed Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity, Associate Professor Eve L. Ewing chose to become a professor because she wanted t...
Episode 86 - Jay Koyner: "The most gratifying part is the patient care."
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The first in his family to become a doctor, Professor Jay Koyner is a professor, a physician, and a researcher focused on acute kidney injuries. In th...
Episode 85 - Julie Y. Chu: “Encountering and engaging the world in my investigation."
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating the gaps and differences as a young migrant, Associate Professor Julie Y. Chu found anthropology and its methods of understanding the world...
Episode 84 - Kristen Schilt: “Take any sociology class that speaks to your interest."
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Kristen Schilt from the Department of Sociology talks about her childhood interest in Punk and Riot grrrl and how a sociology cour...
Episode 83 - Chris Kennedy: "It is important to be happy and engaged by the process."
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
William H. Colvin Professor, Chris Kennedy from the Department of Linguistics, majored in Russian Language and Literature in college and had a musical...
Episode 82 - Willemien Otten: "I try to bring old text to life."
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Willemien Otten is the Dorothy Grant Maclear Professor of Theology and the History of Christianity from the Divinity School. Growing up with her fathe...
Episode 81 - Jennifer Scappettone: “What would Montessori education look like at the university level?"
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Jennifer Scappettone is from the Departments of English Language and Literature and Creative Writing. On The Course this week, she...
Episode 80 - Patrick Jagoda: "On the cutting edge of knowledge and aesthetics."
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
William Rainey Harper Professor, Patrick Jagoda, spoke no English as a child but grew up to become a professor in the English department. While forgin...
Episode 79 - Rachel F. Brown: “I was destined to become a medieval historian."
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Chasing after castles and her own faith, Associate Professor Rachel F. Brown is now proudly an academic who teaches Medieval, Pslams, and Tolkien at t...
Episode 78 - Heather Zheng: "Keep working on the stuff you believe in."
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Neubauer Professor, Heather Zheng, from the Department of Computer Science, shares her career story in this episode. From working outside of academia ...
Episode 77 - David Kovar: “I think you should never stop taking advice."
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor David Kovar from the Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology talks about his journey to becoming a fundamental scientist at the Un...
Episode 76 - Ka Yee C. Lee: "See beyond the immediate roadblock."
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
David Lee Shillinglaw Distinguished Service Professor Ka Yee C. Lee from the Department of Chemistry has multiple roles at the University of Chicago. ...
Episode 75 - Allyson Ettinger: "Humans really are the gold standard."
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As an interdisciplinary researcher in the psycholinguistics and computer science field, Assistant Professor Allyson Ettinger from the Departments of L...
Episode 74 - Howard C. Nusbaum: "Where do we go from here?"
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Howard C. Nusbaum is the Stella M. Roley Professor of Psychology. In this episode of The Course, Professor Nusbaum outlines his childhood interests an...
Episode 73 - David Schmitz: "The neutrino is very special."
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
David Schmitz is the Associate Professor of the Department of Physics. He studies neutrinos, subatomic particle that plays a big role in the universe....
Episode 72 - Kathryn Takabvirwa: "It is all that I am."
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kathryn Takabvirwa is an assistant professor at the Department of Anthropology. She discusses how she was attracted to Anthropology and how her upbrin...
Episode 71 - Chihway Chang: "I will never be a professor."
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor, Chihway Chang, talks about her childhood growing up in Taiwan and having her father as one of the biggest influ...
Episode 70 - Ariel Fox: "Do not fear the office hours."
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ariel Fox is an assistant professor of Chinese literature from the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations. While she majored in politica...
Episode 69 - Patrice Rankine: "The world of ideas is vast."
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Patrice Rankine, from the Department of Classics, reminisces about his childhood bonding with his father over photography and the pivot he m...
Episode 68 - Chiara Cordelli: "Sometimes it is good to take breaks."
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Chiara Cordelli is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. Coming from Italy, she brings her creativity to her resea...
Episode 67 - Shereen Chaudhry: "Give knowledge, produce knowledge."
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shereen Chaudhry is an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Growing up thinking she...
Episode 66 - Elizabeth S. Heckscher: "What is like computer troubleshooting but also biology?"
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Ellie Hecksher from the Biological Sciences Division, shares how she found her love for evolutionary biology when observing a dish...
Episode 65 - Daniel A. Arnold: "Off the beaten path."
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Daniel A. Arnold from Divinity School describes his travels to Nepal and India in college, and how the years working in a bookstor...
Episode 64 - Diana Franklin: "I just always loved teaching."
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Diana Franklin from the Department of Computer Science explains how a lifelong desire to teach led her to develop new tools and pr...
Episode 63 - Harry L. Davis: "Teachers are role models in so many ways."
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Roger L. and Rachel M. Goetz Distinguished Service Professor of Creative Management, Harry L. Davis, from the Booth School of Business, talks about ho...
Episode 62 - Alisa Knizel: "Math is a form of art."
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Alisa Knizel, from the Department of Statistics and the College, talks about how various math competitions during her schools year...
Episode 61 - Joshua A. Frieman: "What is the nature of dark energy?"
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Joshua A. Frieman from the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics describes entering the field of cosmology when it was still very small a...
Episode 60 - Chong Liu: "Either be the best of something or be the first one of something."
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Neubauer Family Assistant Professor Chong Liu from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering explains her path into the field of molecular engineer...
Episode 59 - Chelsea Foxwell: "It is fun to look at art, especially with other people."
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Chelsea Foxwell from the Department of Art History talks about how being a museum docent as a kid and her first encounter with an ...
Episode 58 - Po-Chun Hsu "Push the boundaries."
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Po-Chun Hsu, from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, researches innovative, dynamic materials for light and heat manage...
Episode 57 - Sophie Salvo: "It feels like a discovery."
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Sophie Salvo from the Department of Germanic Studies discusses how her lifelong love of reading and interest in languages led her ...
Episode 56 - Leah Feldman "What I love about comparative literature."
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Leah Feldman from the Department of Comparative Literature talks about her dream of studying art but later finding her passion in ...
Episode 55 - Boaz Keysar: "You got to prepare."
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
William Benton Professor of Psychology Boaz Keysar talks about his circuitous career path that began in the Israel Military, to being a salesperson, a...
Episode 54 - Christopher Campos "Those little nuggets of joy..."
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Christopher Campos from the Chicago Booth School of Business describes his journey from being in the Marines to majoring in statis...
Episode 53 - Greg J. Norman: "Welcome to the club, rejection is part of the game."
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Greg J. Norman, from the Department of Psychology, once dreamt of being a professional athlete and competing in the Olympics but w...
Episode 52 - Constantine Nakassis: "It is a process of transformation."
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Constantine Nakassis from the Department of Anthropology is a linguistic anthropologist who is intrigued by the various meanings i...
Episode 51 - Sunyoung Park: "Earthquakes happen all the time."
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant Professor Sunyoung Park, from the Department of the Geophysical Sciences, researches a wide range of topics in seismology, including deep ea...
Episode 50 - Yoonsun Choi: "I got the data."
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Yoonsun Choi challenges the social norms of being an educated female of her time and continues questioning people's assumptions of Asia...
Episode 49 - Thomas Talhelm: "How are cultures different and why are cultures different."
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Associate Professor Thomas Talhelm talks about how he (unintentionally) ended up in China because of his love for language. As he evolved from being a...
Episode 48 - Linda Ginzel: "Behavior is a function of the person and the situation."
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From being a first-gen student to pursuing a PhD and becoming a social psychologist at the Booth School of Business, Professor Linda Ginzel shares her...
Episode 47 - Matthew Jesse Jackson: "Art is a universal language."
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Matthew Jesse Jackson discusses his path from being an ABD comparative literature student to graduating with an art history degree all becau...
Episode 46 - Sarah Nooter: "Why poetry matters at all."
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Sarah Nooter, from the Department of Classics and the College, talks about her passion for poetry and how understanding the meaning of poetr...