This week, we welcomed back Aaron Gross, PhD, director of USD's Center for Food Systems Transformation. He explained to us how food -- vegetables and meat alike -- make it from farms to our plates, and how they can pick up bacteria and food-borne illnesses along the way. He talks about how the systems in place make it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions, what they can do as individuals, and what everyone can do to try to improve conditions and remove some of the ambiguity around our food.

Phones are everywhere, and parents are being confronted with the difficult decision of when to give their child one. This week, "At the Edge of It All" was joined by Susannah Stern, professor of communication. Stern has studied how children interact with media and technology since the early days of the World Wide Web, and is a mom who's had to make decisions about her children's tech use as well. She talks about her research on the topic -- what goes into the decision, and why one approach doesn't fit every family.

This week, "At the Edge of It All" was joined by USD Men's Basketball Head Coach Steve Lavin. He grew up in a home of educators, and learned from a young age the value of being a well-rounded person. He took that into his coaching career, where, coming up, he crossed paths with some of the game's biggest names. Now at USD, Lavin has a wealth of knowledge he's sharing with his team. And he explains why, to him, basketball is like making music. 

Adam Haberman, PhD, has a personal connection to his work. He’d always studied cell biology and the health of neurons, but once his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he felt a new urge to study the disease and improve our understanding of it. On “At the Edge of It All,” he helped explain what we know about how diseases affect our brain cells, and how his work with undergrads on fruit flies is contributing to a greater understanding that could someday cure the disease that’s affected his family and so many others.

In this episode of At the Edge of It All, Lauren Kirby, Director of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of San Diego, shares her journey from college athlete to NIL leader. Kirby explains how student-athletes can build their personal brands and navigate financial literacy. She also discusses NIL’s growing impact on local businesses and the broader college athletics landscape.

In this episode of At the Edge of It All, we welcome back Justin Brooks, JD, professor of law and founding director of the California Innocence Project. Brooks discusses the ongoing challenges of wrongful convictions and the fight for reform in the justice system. He also talks about the new Innocence Clinic at the University of San Diego's School of Law, where law students will work hands-on to help free the innocent and learn the real-world practice of law.

Learn more about USD School of Law's legal clinics: https://www.sandiego.edu/law/clinics/

Lorri Sulpizio, PhD, director of the Conscious Leadership Academy at the University of San Diego, sat down with "At the Edge of It All" to discuss the role of mindset and resilience in professional and personal development. In this episode, Sulpizio talks about common challenges such as job loss and career transitions and provides strategies for maintaining stability during those periods of uncertainty.

From saved passwords to smart devices, everyday conveniences can quietly expose us to cyber threats. For Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Nikolas Behar, professor of cybersecurity at the University of San Diego, sat down with "At the Edge of It All" to talk about how digital shortcuts and household devices make families and individuals prime targets to hackers. He also provided some simple tips for people to reduce their risk of a personal cybersecurity attack.

Erik Fritsvold, PhD, Academic Director of USD’s Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership program, joined "At the Edge of It All" to talk about the evolving world of policing. He discusses what makes a great officer and leader and how leadership can combat burnout and staffing shortages. Dr. Fritsvold also explores how higher education impacts officer performance and what the future of policing could look like in a rapidly changing world.

Kate Sealy, an all-star defender on USD's Women's Soccer team, joined the "At the Edge of it All" team to talk about how she balances being a student-athlete while excelling in her accounting classes. Sealy also shared how her coaches have supported her while she pursues a competitive internship while juggling a full course load.