Connections Podcast

Conversations about plastic pollution often center around their impact on the world’s oceans, but what’s happening in our own backyard? Plastics and microplastics are imposing environmental pressures on the Great Lakes. From organic and inorganic pollution, to the threat of invasive species, to climate change, plastics are threatening the fresh water demands of many communities that rely on the lake system. This hour, we’re joined by scientists who help us understand the current state and health

Keuka College is preparing to welcome Beverly Tatum , author of “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” Here’s how the college describes her upcoming presentation: “Dr. Tatum explores the ramifications of an education system that remains separate and very much unequal. Why are public schools still so overwhelmingly segregated? What does that mean for students of all backgrounds? And most importantly, what can be done about it?” Our guests on Connections: Aqua Porter ,

Weekend Connections is a collection of some of the most noteworthy moments from the week on Connections with Evan Dawson. This episode includes conversations about: Health insurance, with Jonanthan Gruber, a key architect of the Affordable Care Act; Gun violence, and an effort to transform guns into garden tools; The story behind the Black Men Achieve Awards.

A group of graduate students at the University of Rochester is leading an initiative that encourages more people of color to pursue STEM-related majors and professions. According to the National Science Foundation, 70 percent of scientists and engineers employed full time are white, and underrepresented minorities in those professions earn less than their white co-workers. The Rochester Chapter of the Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering has plans to address the disparities. We hear

New York State has joined a list of more than 40 other states in banning what experts call revenge porn. It refers to the venue for distribution of nude or sensitive images, usually after the end of a relationship. We talk about what the law says, and what psychologist hope we can learn about our behavior with digital technology and social media. In studio: Scott Malouf , attorney whose practice is focused on the intersection of social media and the law Tara Nolan -DeRose , mental health

Invoking the idea of beating swords into plowshares, two men have written a book calling for us to beat guns into garden tools. The book, simply called "Beating Guns," is a layered approach to understanding gun violence. From the history of American gun enthusiasm, to the intertwining of gun culture with Christianity, the authors explore how we arrived as the most armed country. In Rochester, they’ll host an event in which citizens can turn in guns that will be melted down and turned into tools.

As the world watches France attempt to rebuild Notre Dame, experts tell us that there are historical parallels. Katherine Clark Walter, from the College at Brockport, says, “The major Gothic cathedrals of Europe were often born of renovations necessitated by devastating fires just such as this one and their renovation often foregrounded the relics these churches held as key to their spirituality and identity, so there is a fascinating meeting of past and present as the whole world now watches to

How would cities look different if there were more diverse voices involved in their design? Ashleigh Walton is an architect and a project manager at Urban Design Associates in Pittsburgh. She’ll be in Rochester next week to give a presentation about social equity and design as part of the Community Design Center’s Reshaping Rochester Series. Walton joins us for a preview of that presentation, and we discuss the value of mentorship in the field. Our guests: Ashleigh Walton , project manager at

We sit down with Jonathan Gruber, an economics professor at MIT who says Rochester is set to become one of America's growth engines. He’s in Rochester to discuss his book, “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream.” We talk to him about the promise he sees in Rochester. Gruber is also one of the key architects of the Affordable Care Act and the 2006 Massachusetts healthcare reform – Romneycare. We discuss healthcare and healthcare policy

We sit down with organizers and winners of the Rochester Black Men Achieve Awards . The awards recognize men of color who have made outstanding commitments to the local community. In studio: Jermayne Myers, president of the Rochester Black Men Achieve Awards Jamarr Myers, vice president of Rochester Black Men Achieve Ty Kelly, director of work scholarship at Wegmans, inductee in the Black Men Achieve Hall of Fame, and nominee for Distinguished Executive of the Year Donald Starver, talent