Movers & Thinkers

These people are unapologetic nerds — passionate about highly technical fields and not afraid to show it. How do they communicate that to people who don’t understand the thing they love? And in a broader culture where that word is not always seen as positive, how did they come to embrace their nerd status? Featuring astrophysicist Kelly Holley-Bockelmann, Star Wars maker Chris Lee and computer programmer (and late nerd bloomer) Morley Bankston.

When there’s a crisis, these are the people who get called in the middle of the night to address it. They’ve learned how to jump into action at any time and make life-altering decisions on a moment’s notice. What kind of personality do they need for a job like that? And after they’ve handled an emergency, how do they handle the inevitable stress on themselves? Featuring trauma surgeon Timothy Nunez, police chaplain James Duke and crisis communications expert Rosemary Plorin.

Interpreters live at the intersection of disparate languages and cultures, and sometimes they are the only people who can make communication happen. How does that affect their identity? And what happens when they encounter boundaries they simply cannot cross? Featuring banjo player Abigail Washburn, Spanish-English interpreter David Morales and sign language interpreter Scott Baker.

This episode was produced from a live taping in WPLN’s Studio C in September 2016. It was hosted and produced by Emily Siner; engineered by Carl Peterson and Cameron Adkins; and edited by Mack Linebaugh and Anita Bugg.

These people start with a blank page and end with something that didn’t exist before: a completely new piece of music, poetry or art. Featuring country songwriter Victoria Banks, poet TJ Jarrett and public artist Bryce McCloud.

This episode was produced from a live taping in WPLN’s Studio C in June 2016. It was hosted and produced by Emily Siner; engineered by Carl Peterson and Cameron Adkins; and edited by Mack Linebaugh and Anita Bugg. 

These people are guardians of the past: They explore kitchens, living rooms and attics, tracking down the recipes, stories and artifacts that tell us who we are and where we came from. Featuring David Ewing and Bradley Hanson and Jennifer Justus.