Innerversal

In this episode of Innerversal, four students graduating from the class of 2026 at Brooklyn Technical High School - a future nursing student at Georgetown, fashion designer at the University of Arts London, biology undergraduate at Cornell, and computer science major at Brown - come together to illustrate the psychology of being a student.Throughout this conversation with diverse minds, we explore topics like resilience, transitioning into and away from remote learning, entering and graduating from a competitive high school, choosing the right college and major, inspiring mentors, advice for incoming high school freshman and seniors, the rise of artificial intelligence, and their expectations and anticipations for their respective futures.

How does a jam rock band play for an hour straight - or stay together for over 40 years?

In our 18th episode of The Innerversal Podcast , we sit down with Jon Fishman of Phish to talk about the intersections of psychology and music.

We discuss the upbringing that enabled artistry, what happens during an extended improvisational jam, stage fright - and a paradoxical way to fight against it - and how the band has managed to evolve without falling apart.

We also discuss his writing process, the endless list of musical artists that inspire him today and back when the band first formed in 1983 - including over 25 artists from around the world - where politics belong in music, what fame and success can do to musicians, and what aspiring artists should consider before deciding to pursue music full-time.

Where does creativity come from? What does it take to be an artist in 2026? Does AI actually pose a threat to the world of visual arts? In the 17th episode of INNERVERSAL, we speak with legendary hyper-surrealist painter Tigran Tsitoghdzyan about the intersections between psychology and painting.

What does it take to be a reporter in the middle of a warring nation? How does someone keep their cool in the middle of a deadly combat? Where does one go to avoid misinformation and disinformation? Most importantly, what still surprises a writer after witnessing so many international tragedies?

From the battlefield of Artsakh during the height of the pandemic to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts, we speak to writer, photographer, and filmmaker Fin de Pencier to discover the psychology of conflict journalism.

What makes a great coffee shop truly great? What is a founder thinking when they open a single café in the West Village - one that blossoms into 20+ across New York City? How do atmosphere & staff training shape the way we feel the moment we walk through the door? And how do founders know - sometimes in that Malcolm Gladwell Blink way - when a location or idea “just feels right”?

In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Rubinstein, Founder & CEO of Joe Coffee, and Amaris Gutierrez-Ray, the company’s VP of Coffee and Roasting. Together, we explore the motivations behind launching Joe Coffee in 2003, the wise and heartfelt decisions that allowed the shops - and their respective communities - to endure through COVID, the principles behind ethically sourcing great coffee, and the cultural debate around caffeine.

What is an actor thinking right before the camera begins recording? How does acting in drama differ from acting in comedy? What goes through their mind as they win their first Oscar - and second, third, fourth, and fifth!? In this episode, we speak with Vache Tovmasyan, an actor, stand up comic, and founder of numerous comedy shows. Most recently, he played the role of Garnik in the pom d'or film festival winning and five-time Oscar-winning film Anora, bringing his talents to an international stage.

Who is Gen Z? How did they make it through COVID & Remote Learning? Where do they see themselves in the future after such a unique adolescence? In this two-episode segment, we're speaking to a diverse array of students recently graduating from the renowned Brooklyn Technical High School.

Episode 12 [Part I]:

Luca Granelli (Industrial Design at University of Cincinnati)

Susana Sharp (Engineering at Brown University)

Grace Chen (Political Science at Fordham University [my alma mater])

Episode 13 [Part II]:

Nufisa Patwary (Computer Engineering at Stony Brook University)

Demyan Kruglov (Mechanical Engineering and Design at Northeastern University)

Gadin Aggarwal (Business at Carnegie Melon)

Who is Gen Z? How did they make it through COVID-19, Lockdowns & Remote Learning? Where do they see themselves in the future after such a unique adolescence? In this two-episode segment, we're speaking to a diverse array of students recently graduating from the renowned Brooklyn Technical High School.

[Part I]:

• Luca Granelli (Industrial Design at University of Cincinnati)
• Susana Sharp (Engineering at Brown University)
• Grace Chen (Political Science at Fordham University

[Part II]:

• Nufisa Patwary (Computer Engineering at Stony Brook University)
• Demyan Kruglov (Mechanical Engineering and Design at Northeastern University)
• Gadin Aggarwal (Business at Carnegie Melon)

On the heels of the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, we speak with Daniel Dluzneski - a threat specialist who spent 24 years with the United States Secret Service, has worked in bomb detection, and has authored The First Five Minutes: School Shooting Survival Guide For Administrators and Teachers. With his diverse knowledge and experience working in security - from protecting persons of interest to coordinating over one hundred active shooter school drills to sneaking into various institutions to prove their lack of readiness - Daniel guides us through a thunderous discussion on #Psychology and #ThreatDetection.