Matthew Malkan is a Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at UCLA and a member of CLAFI’s Steering Committee. Matt’s research focuses on the two primary sources of energy in the universe since the Big Bang: fusion power in stars and accretion power from massive black holes. In addition to teaching, Matt is a member of the National Science Board and the principal investigator of a research project on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The first part of this episode is a March 2020 conversation between John Keevan-Lynch and Matthew Malkan, where they discuss Matt’s academic journey and the role of astrophysics in illuminating the origins of the universe.

The second part of this episode is a May 2021 conversation between Aldo Schwartz and Matthew Malkan, where they discuss Matt’s recent work with the James Webb Space Telescope, the existence of aliens, and the future of life on earth.

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The Office Hours podcast is sponsored by CLAFI, the UCLA Center for Liberal Arts and Free Institutions. CLAFI’s purpose is to study great literary, artistic, and cultural achievements, with particular emphasis on the foundations of free institutions. Through undergraduate course offerings and public events, CLAFI serves UCLA students and faculty as well as the general public.

CLAFI also has a Student Club that, along with promoting and attending the Center’s lectures, hosts its own events such as movie nights, short story readings, and faculty-led seminars. The club also supports student-led projects that promote the liberal arts, like this podcast.

To get involved with the Center or its Student Club, visit our website at clafi.ucla.edu

Thanks for listening.

Joan Waugh is a Professor Emeritus of History at UCLA and a member of CLAFI’s Steering Committee. She has written and lectured extensively about the American Civil War, reconstruction, and the Gilded Age. Her books include An American War: A History of the Civil War Era co-authored with Gary Gallagher, and a prize-winning biography of Ulysses S. Grant, titled Grant: American Hero, American Myth. 

In this episode, Riley Wilson and Joan Waugh discuss General Grant’s life trajectory, his preternatural ability with horses, and why the Gilded Age is relevant to modern America.

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The Office Hours podcast is sponsored by CLAFI, the UCLA Center for Liberal Arts and Free Institutions. CLAFI’s purpose is to study great literary, artistic, and cultural achievements, with particular emphasis on the foundations of free institutions. Through undergraduate course offerings and public events, CLAFI serves UCLA students and faculty as well as the general public.

CLAFI also has a Student Club that, along with promoting and attending the Center’s lectures, hosts its own events such as movie nights, short story readings, and faculty-led seminars. The club also supports student-led projects that promote the liberal arts, like this podcast.

To get involved with the Center or its Student Club, visit our website at clafi.ucla.edu.

Thanks for listening.

Scott Waugh is a Professor Emeritus of History at UCLA and a longtime supporter of CLAFI. In addition to teaching, Scott has served a lengthy tenure in UCLA’s administration, as Chair of the History Department, Dean of the Social Sciences, and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. He retired from UCLA in 2019 to focus on research, and he is currently writing a book about political turmoil during the reign of Henry II.

In this episode, Aldo Schwartz and Scott Waugh discuss the role of humanities in higher education, the value of reading history, and the vital importance of following your curiosity.

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The Office Hours podcast is sponsored by CLAFI, the UCLA Center for Liberal Arts and Free Institutions. CLAFI’s purpose is to study great literary, artistic, and cultural achievements, with particular emphasis on the foundations of free institutions. Through undergraduate course offerings and public events, CLAFI serves UCLA students and faculty as well as the general public.

CLAFI also has a Student Club that, along with promoting and attending the Center’s lectures, hosts its own events such as movie nights, short story readings, and faculty-led seminars. The club also supports student-led projects that promote the liberal arts, like this podcast.

To get involved with the Center or its Student Club, visit our website at clafi.ucla.edu.

Thanks for listening.

Teofilo Ruiz, or “Teo” as he likes to be called, is a Professor Emeritus of Medieval History, and former chair of the History and Spanish & Portuguese Departments at UCLA. In 2012, Teo was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama for his “inspired teaching and writing”. Teo has lectured internationally and is the author of many books, as well as dozens of scholarly articles on Medieval and Spanish History.

In this episode, Madison Elder speaks with Teo about his childhood in Cuba, his travels abroad, his recent retirement, and his ceaseless passion for teaching.

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The Office Hours podcast is sponsored by CLAFI, the UCLA Center for Liberal Arts and Free Institutions. CLAFI’s purpose is to study great literary, artistic, and cultural achievements, with particular emphasis on the foundations of free institutions. Through undergraduate course offerings and public events, CLAFI serves UCLA students and faculty as well as the general public.

CLAFI also has a Student Club that, along with promoting and attending the Center’s lectures, hosts its own events such as movie nights, short story readings, and faculty-led seminars. The club also supports student-led projects that promote the liberal arts, like this podcast.

To get involved with the Center or its Student Club, visit our website at clafi.ucla.edu.

Thanks for listening.

Peter Sellars is a renowned opera director, MacArthur Fellow, and distinguished professor of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA. He is known for his contemporary stagings of classical operas and plays, as well as his academic-artistic collaborations that span disciplines and cultures. 

In this episode, Aldo Schwartz and Peter Sellars discuss Peter’s current projects, his new class on “Myth and Ritual”, the importance of honesty in creative discourse, and the role of artists in creating a better world.

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The Office Hours podcast is sponsored by CLAFI, the UCLA Center for Liberal Arts and Free Institutions. CLAFI’s purpose is to study great literary, artistic, and cultural achievements, with particular emphasis on the foundations of free institutions. Through undergraduate course offerings and public events, CLAFI serves UCLA students and faculty as well as the general public.

CLAFI also has a Student Club that, along with promoting and attending the Center’s lectures, hosts its own events such as movie nights, short story readings, and faculty-led seminars. The club also supports student-led projects that promote the liberal arts, like this podcast.

To get involved with the Center or its Student Club, visit our website at clafi.ucla.edu.

Thanks for listening.