Connections Podcast

We continue a Connections tradition by discussing new words added to the dictionary this year. Maybe you're a "normie" and don't know these 250 new words, even though your "grauntie" did. It's okay; just text a "shruggie" to your friends. We'll take a quiz this hour to test our guests' knowledge and yours, so get a pen and paper and get ready to learn some new words. We'll also talk about the origins of language and how it changes over time. In studio: Amanda Chestnut , artist and communications

How well do you know your neighbors? Well enough to wave hello? Stop by for coffee? Sleep over at their homes? Peter Lovenheim is the author of the book, In the Neighborhood . In it, he describes his mission to become better connected to his neighbors and he does that...by having sleepovers. A third of Americans say they've never interacted with the people next door. It's part of an overall decline in neighborliness over the past 40 years. This hour, we discuss why we've become more isolated and

What can the U.S. education system learn from Finland? Perhaps the better question is, do students need school subjects? Teachers in Finland are gearing up for a significant shift in curricula for high school students. In 2020, curricula for students aged 16 and older will be rooted in phenomenon-based learning. That means instead of students taking math class, then science class, then English class, they will choose an event or phenomenon to study, incorporating multiple subjects in the process

In July, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said artificial intelligence, or AI, is a "fundamental existential risk for human civilization.” Musk wasn’t alone in sharing those concerns, leading many people to ask what will happen when humans develop super intelligent AI. As AI continues to advance, it raises questions about the job sector (Will it eliminate jobs or create them?), the education system (Could robots eventually replace teachers?), human safety (Could AI systems outsmart us and lead to

Are you missing a portrait of an ancestor? Or maybe a dulcimer? How about a colonial South American bookstand? They might be at the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG)! More than 600 mystery items are waiting to be claimed at the MAG. They aren’t part of the museum’s collection and the MAG’s curators don’t know how they ended up there, despite years of analysis. So now, the MAG is asking for your help, and it’s invoking a new state law that helps museums manage undocumented items. We talk about a handful

Let’s face it: millennials sometimes get a bad rap — they’re often called selfish, entitled, or apathetic. But many people argue that this negative reputation is unfair and untrue, especially when it comes to philanthropy. Generation Y is changing the game when it comes to giving money, expertise, and time. According to researchers, millennials are more committed to volunteering than young people a generation ago. They are also more likely to give to social causes, rather than organizations.

We continue an annual Connections tradition by talking to members of the Rochester community about their favorite books of the year. We hear about a range of genres, while getting some insight into how our guests think, what they read, and why. In studio: Kyle Semmel , executive director of Writers & Books Leslie Youngblood , writer Candice Hudson , teacher at Northwood Elementary School in Hilton Tony Leuzzi , poet and associate professor of English at Monroe Community College

A number of recent incidents involving students being bullied has once again pushed the epidemic into national headlines. The video of an 11-year-old bullying victim in Tennessee went viral after his mother posted it to Facebook. In the video, Keaton Jones describes how his classmates called him ugly, poured milk on him, and shoved food down his clothes. This comes after 13 year old Rosalie Avila of California and 10 year old Ashawnty Davis of Colorado took their own lives after their families

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: Making yoga more accessible to all communities; The future of Bitcoin and crypto currency; The search for alien life; Whether Star Wars still resonates with audiences today.

A local nonprofit is helping the homeless find permanent housing. We talk to the founders of Person Centered Housing Options about why they think a housing-first model makes for better outcomes in health, education, and in keeping families together. Our guests: Nicholas Coulter, co-founder of Person Centered Housing Options Charlie Albanese, co-founder of Person Centered Housing Options Enrique Arcelay, veteran of Person Centered Housing Options