LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 9

In Episode 9, host Ilana Gilovich learns how to navigate conversational endings gracefully.

Featured Guests:

• Tom Gilovich: Cornell University psychology professor and co-director of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Research
• Alison Wood Brooks: Harvard Business School professor and author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
• Mallory Gracenin: Actor, writer, consultant, and producer
• Tessa Velazquez: Chef, restaurant co-owner, founder + writer of The Sobremesa, and co-founder of YESBABE
• Max Stossel: Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, and Founder of Social Awakening
• Adam Mastroianni: Experimental psychologist and author of the science blog Experimental History

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 8

In Episode 8, host Ilana Gilovich muses on the courage and authenticity summoned by all captivating art... including conversation.

Featured Guests:

• Nicholas Epley: Professor of Behavior Science and Director of the Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
• Amit Kumar: University of Texas at Austin assistant professor of Marketing and Psychology
• Mallory Gracenin: Actor, writer, consultant, and producer
• Andrew Horn: social entrepreneur, writer, speaker, executive life coach, and creator of Social Flow
• Max Stossel: Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, and Founder of Social Awakening
• Francesca Harper: Artistic Director of Ailey II, Dancer, Choreographer, Singer, Producer

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 7

In Episode 7, host Ilana Gilovich learns how to listen deeply to the human and non-human worlds.

Featured Guests:

• Mallory Gracenin: Actor, writer, consultant, and producer
• Brandon Kazen-Maddox: ASL artist, director, choreographer, dancer, acrobat, and filmmaker
• Alison Wood Brooks: Harvard Business School professor and author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
• Fred Dust: Founder of Dust&Co. and author of Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Conversation
• Natalie Marie Shapiro: Facilitator, ritualist, and ceremonial guide

Mentioned Morsels:

• Sleep No More: an award-winning theatrical experience

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 6

In Episode 6, host Ilana Gilovich learns about the kinds of questions most likely to encourage scintillating conversation.

Featured Guests:

• Andrew Horn: social entrepreneur, writer, speaker, executive life coach, and creator of Social Flow
• Alejandro Rodriguez: writer, director, and founder of Alejo Communications
• Alison Wood Brooks: Harvard Business School professor and author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
• Paula Marantz Cohen: Distinguished Professor of English and Dean of the Pennoni Honors College at Drexel University and author of Talking Cure: An Essay on the Civilizing Power of Conversation

Mentioned Morsels:

• Talking Cure: An Essay on the Civilizing Power of Conversation by Paula Marantz Cohen

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 5

In Episode 5, host Ilana Gilovich learns how humor informs conversation: by putting people at ease or by putting them on edge.

Featured Guests:

• Alison Wood Brooks: Harvard Business School professor and author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
• Max Stossel: Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, and Founder of Social Awakening
• Will Boyajian: Actor, Singer, and Musician

Mentioned Morsels:

• Sleep No More: an award-winning theatrical experience

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 4

In Episode 4, host Ilana Gilovich learns about the conversational pyramid and contemplates the optimal level of depth in conversation.

Featured Guests:

• Alison Wood Brooks: Harvard Business School professor and author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
• Amit Kumar: University of Texas at Austin assistant professor of Marketing and Psychology
• David Pizarro: Cornell University psychology professor and co-host of Very Bad Wizards

Mentioned Morsels:

• Very Bad Wizards

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 3

In Episode 3, host Ilana Gilovich learns how to design conversational environments to encourage vibrant conversation.

Featured Guests:

• Alejandro Rodriguez: Writer, director, and founder of Alejo Communications
• Tom Gilovich: Cornell University psychology professor and co-director of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Research
• Tessa Velazquez: Chef, restaurant co-owner, founder + writer of The Sobremesa, and co-founder of YESBABE
• Fred Dust: Founder of Dust&Co. and author of Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Conversation

Morsels Mentioned:

•  Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Conversation by Fred Dust 
• Sleep No More: an award-winning theatrical experience

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 2

In Episode 2, host Ilana Gilovich explores how to build conversational environments in which all participants feel empowered to take creative risks.

Featured Guests:

• Brandon Kazen-Maddox: ASL artist, director, choreographer, dancer, acrobat, and filmmaker
• David Pizarro: Cornell University psychology professor and co-host of Very Bad Wizards
• Alejandro Rodriguez: writer, director, and founder of Alejo Communications

Morsels Mentioned:

• Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by Adrienne Maree Brown
• Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Video Interview:

• The full video interview with Brandon Kazen-Maddox is available here with subtitles, so podcast audiences can both see and hear the conversation. Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.

LIFTOFF: The Art & Science of Conversation
Episode 1

In Liftoff's first episode, host Ilana Gilovich shares her passion for conversation as an art form, and begins her quest to discover the secrets of extraordinary conversation.

Featured Guest: 

• Tom Gilovich, Cornell University psychology professor and co-director of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Research. 

Morsels Mentioned:

• "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

Transcripts for all LIFTOFF episodes are available on Buzzsprout.