Connections Podcast

Can medical empathy be taught? Helping medical and nursing students understand the value of human, emotional connections is the goal of the Standardized Patient program at the University of Rochester Medical Center. It pairs patient actors with students, and charges students with empathically delivering bad news to the actors. We discuss the program and the value of empathy in medical settings. In studio: Dr. Robert Horowitz , M.D., chief and professor of palliative care in the Department of

When he was running for Congress, Rochester City Councilman Adam McFadden said that young people do not value life the way they should. He said that addressing violence is more complex than simply passing new laws. We talk to him about trauma-informed care, and the complex solutions to violence in our community.

When you put something into a recycling bin, is it going to be actually recycled? Steve Orr of the Democrat and Chronicle offered an in-depth look into the state of local recycling, including the financial pressures and the choices in front of us. We discuss what does - and does not - happen with our recycling, and the forces that are causing change. In studio: Steve Orr , quality of life watchdog reporter for the Democrat & Chronicle Kate McArdle , community outreach coordinator for the New

President Trump said last week that he doesn't understand why American sons and daughters would be asked to put their lives on the line for some NATO partners like Montenegro. That sparked a public debate over how treaties work, and whether the NATO commitments are worth keeping. Our guest has extensive experience teaching and analyzing issues pertinent to NATO partners. We discuss President Trump's recent visit with Vladimir Putin, too. In studio: Randy Stone , director of the Skalny Center for

Local students are teaming up with nationally-recognized artists to learn how to use art and technology to convey messages about social justice and self-identity. It’s a partnership between the George Eastman Museum and the Out Alliance. We hear from students in the program about what it means to use social media to express themselves, and how digital tools can make a difference in shaping causes they care about. In studio: Nate Larson, artist with Larson Shindelman Marni Shindelman, artist with

Rochester is gearing up for the Puerto Rican Parade and Puerto Rican Festival . We discuss those events, along with issues pertaining to the Puerto Rican community, both here and across the country. Our guests share their thoughts about questions related to statehood and independence, recovery efforts on the island, and issues related to discrimination and racism on the mainland. In studio: Paul Figueroa Lippert, liaison with the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño Santos Cruz, technology

Rt. Reverend Prince Singh is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, and he has a lot to say about the current divisions within our country and racism in our community. He joins us to discuss what he's learned and the role he thinks the church can play in healing those divides.

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: If we're alone in the universe, climate change, and more, with astrophysicist Adam Frank; How to curb gun violence in Rochester; If the American church has failed the poor.

We're joined by members of the Landmark Society and the Out Alliance to talk about historic places in our community that have played a pivotal role in the LGBTQ movement. Those organizations are leading a new walking tour that is part of the Landmark Society's LGBTQ Landmark Initiative . We discuss the initiative and Rochester's contributions to the LGBTQ movement. In studio: Larry Francer, associate director of preservation for the Landmark Society of Western NY Wayne Goodman, executive

Foodlink has launched a new workforce development program aimed at bridging the middle skills gap in the food industry and helping to reduce poverty in our region. It's called the Foodlink Career Fellowship, and its 12 trainees are taking classes and receiving hands on training. In this episode of our Summer of Food series, we talk about the program, and we hear from a member of the inaugural class about what she hopes to accomplish with her new skills. Our guests: LaRhonda "Rudy" Harris, member