Mercouri Kanatzidis joins us for a deep conversation on chemistry, Novel solar cell technology , and how his research has contributed to the discovery of novel materials and formed unique structures and compositions. A 2025 Albert Einstein World Award of Science Recipient, Kanatzidis was recognized for his pioneering work in halide perovskite semiconductors and solar photovoltaic material.Now, Kanatzidis is a Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of chemistry and professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern University and Senior Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.In the past, he has won the Samson Prime MInister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels for Transportation as well as the ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry. His work has impacted solar and fuel technology in addition to his research on nanotechnology. WATCH / LISTEN• Inside the Albert Einstein World Award of Science Recipient | Mercouri Kanatzidis (https://youtu.be/eceOJEfY5-g)CONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER / X: https://x.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nat_championsSUBSTACK: https://nationalchamps.substack.com/

Barney Graham joins us for a deep conversation on vaccine research, the fight against Covid-19 , and how his work shaped the first Covid-19 vaccine. A 2025 National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee, Graham is one of the leading scientists on vaccine research and worked at the National Institute of Health (NIH) during the head of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

He is an American immunologist, virologist, and clinical trials physician.Now, Graham is currently a Professor of Medicine and Microbiology, Biochemistry, & Immunology and Senior Advisor for Global Health Equity at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, where he helps teach the next generation of doctors and immunology research.

He is the former deputy director of the Vaccine Research Center (VRC), part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH). During his tenure at the VRC, Graham also served as chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory.

WATCH / LISTEN• Inside the National Inventors Hall of Fame | Barney Graham (https://youtu.be/VNwxHl5_dnM)

CONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER / X: https://x.com/Nat_Champions

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nat_champions

SUBSTACK: https://nationalchamps.substack.com/

Lauren K. Williams joins us for a deep conversation on mathematics, structure, and how abstract ideas quietly shape the modern world. A 2025 MacArthur Fellow and professor at Harvard University, Williams is one of the leading mathematicians advancing our understanding of algebraic and combinatorial systems—work that connects pure theory to powerful applications across science and engineering.At Harvard, Williams’ research focuses on algebraic combinatorics, representation theory, and cluster algebras, fields that study how complex systems organize themselves through hidden patterns and symmetries. Her work has helped reveal deep connections between seemingly distant areas of mathematics, offering new tools for understanding networks, geometry, and higher-dimensional structures that underpin everything from physics to data science.In this episode, Williams reflects on why abstract mathematics matters in a practical world, how long-range thinking differs from short-term optimization, and what it means to pursue originality in a discipline where progress is measured in decades. It’s a rare look inside the mindset of someone expanding the foundations of human knowledge.WATCH / LISTENhttps://youtu.be/9nZn0BXqnB4CONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER / X: https://x.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nat_championsSUBSTACK: https://nationalchamps.substack.com/

Dr. Ángel Adames-Corraliza joins us for a powerful conversation on climate, weather, and how the atmosphere shapes life on Earth. A MacArthur Fellow, Dr. Adames-Corraliza is one of the world’s leading atmospheric scientists, whose work is transforming how we understand tropical weather systems and their global impact.As a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and educated at the University of Washington, Dr. Adames-Corraliza has pioneered breakthroughs in understanding how moisture, storms, and large-scale circulation patterns interact in the tropics. His research explains how tropical systems influence everything from extreme weather and rainfall to droughts and climate variability across the globe. These insights are critical for improving weather prediction and helping societies prepare for climate-driven risks.In this episode, Dr. Adames-Corraliza reflects on why the tropics play an outsized role in Earth’s climate, the responsibility scientists have to communicate uncertainty and risk, and how better understanding the atmosphere is essential to navigating a rapidly changing planet.WATCH / LISTEN• How the Tropics Shape Global Weather | https://youtu.be/z0dMYeK0RXQCONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER / X: https://x.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/nat_championsSUBSTACK :https://nationalchamps.substack.com/

Dr. Pamela C. Ronald joins us for a powerful conversation on science, food security, and the future of humanity. A Wolf Prize winner, Dr. Ronald is one of the world’s leading plant geneticists, whose work has transformed how we think about agriculture, climate resilience, and global hunger.As a professor at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Ronald pioneered breakthroughs in understanding how plants resist disease and survive environmental stress—most notably through her work on rice. Her research helped identify genes that allow rice to withstand flooding and resist disease, leading to the development of climate-resilient rice varieties now used by millions of farmers around the world. These innovations have directly improved food security for some of the planet’s most vulnerable populations.In this episode, Dr. Ronald reflects on the role of biotechnology in a warming world, the responsibility of scientists to engage the public, and why feeding humanity sustainably—starting with staple crops like rice—is one of the defining challenges of our time.WATCH / LISTEN•    • Making Rice Resistant to Floods | Dr. Pame...  CONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER / X: https://x.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM:   / nat_champions  PATREON:   / nationalchampionradio  

Kerrie Holley joins us for a powerful conversation on innovation, equity, and the future of artificial intelligence. A 2025 inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Holley is best known as IBM’s first African American Distinguished Engineer and one of the visionary minds behind Service-oriented Architecture (SOA) a technology that became the foundation for cloud computing and modern enterprise systems.Now a leader in AI and healthcare and a member of the National Academy of Engineering Kerrie Holley reflects on a trailblazing career that continues to break barriers and inspire the next generation of technologists.WATCH / LISTENhttps://youtu.be/Y_GHxsFr03oCONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER: X.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM: instagram.com/nat_championsPATREON: patreon.com/NationalChampionRadio

🎙️ National Champion Radio | Dr. Eduardo Brondízio
🏅 2025 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
🎖️ Two-time National Champion
📚 Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University Bloomington

What can the Amazon teach us about coexisting with nature—and one another? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Eduardo Brondízio, Brazilian-American anthropologist and 2025 Tyler Prize laureate, about his groundbreaking work on the Amazon as both a vast “urban jungle” and a living laboratory of governance, economics, and ecology.

As a pioneer in coupling Indigenous knowledge with scientific research, Dr. Brondízio shows us how community-led management of forests offers a model for sustainable production and dignified livelihoods. He joins us to explore how trade in açaí and other forest products can drive economic development while preserving ecosystems—and what that means for our collective future.

🏛️ Highlights:

• From Indiana to the Amazon: bridging academic insight and on-the-ground practice

• Rethinking the Amazon as an “urban jungle” shaped by Indigenous cities, markets, and cultures

• How açaí trade exemplifies ethical, community-driven economies

• Lessons in multi-level governance: local autonomy, national policy, global impact

• Why Indigenous stewardship is key to future sustainability

📺 WATCH / LISTEN
Spotify | Apple | YouTube

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with National Champions—our guests are America’s most impactful thinkers, creators, and pioneers.

#EduardoBrondízio #TylerPrize #AmazonStudies #IndigenousGovernance #SustainableEconomies #NationalChampionRadio #Anthropology #EnvironmentalStewardship

Dr. Arogyaswami Paulraj joins us to unpack the future of wireless communication and the journey behind one of the most important breakthroughs in modern technology. As the inventor of MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology, Dr. Paulraj’s innovations have become the foundation of high-speed wireless networks from Wi-Fi to 5G impacting billions of devices around the world.A professor emeritus at Stanford University, Dr. Paulraj’s contributions to signal processing and wireless systems earned him the prestigious IET Faraday Medal in 2023, one of the highest honors in engineering. His visionary work continues to shape the landscape of global connectivity and inspire new generations of innovators.WATCH / LISTENhttps://youtu.be/zryEAyMlDUICONNECT WITH DR. PAULRAJStanford Profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/arogyaswami-paulrajCONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSTWITTER: X.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM: instagram.com/nat_championsPATREON: patreon.com/NationalChampionRadio

34567890123456789  views Jun 20, 2025🎙️ National Champion Radio | Dr. John M. Owen IV🏅 2025 Grawemeyer Award Winner for Ideas Improving World Order📚 Professor of Politics, University of VirginiaWhat shapes world order—military power, or the battle of ideas? In this episode, we speak with Dr. John M. Owen IV, winner of the prestigious 2025 Grawemeyer Award, about the enduring impact of political ideologies on international affairs.As a leading scholar at the University of Virginia, Dr. Owen has shown how ideas—liberalism, fascism, communism—spread across borders and reshape alliances. He joins us to explore how ideological rivalries still define the global balance of power and what lessons we can learn to build a more stable, just international system.🏛️ Highlights:Why ideas—not just interests—shape world orderThe Cold War’s ongoing legacyHow authoritarianism and liberalism compete todayWhat policymakers get wrong about ideology📺 WATCH / LISTENSpotify | Apple | YouTube🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with National Champions—America’s most impactful thinkers, creators, and pioneers.#JohnOwen #GrawemeyerAward #WorldOrder #PoliticalIdeology #UVA #NationalChampionRadio #InternationalRelations #Liberalism #Authoritarianism

2025 Wolf Prize Laureate | Pioneering Plant Immunologist | HHMI Investigator.Dr. Jeffery L. Dangl joins us to delve into the intricate world of plant immunity and its profound implications for global agriculture. As a leading figure in plant biology, his research has revolutionized our understanding of how plants defend themselves against pathogens, paving the way for sustainable crop protection strategies.A distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Dr. Dangl's groundbreaking work has earned him numerous accolades, including the 2025 Wolf Prize in Agriculture. His collaborative efforts have been instrumental in developing models that explain plant immune responses, which are now foundational in the field.WATCH/LISTENYouTube: https://youtu.be/hL8V51qveGcCONNECT WITH DR. DANGL UNC Biology Department: https://bio.unc.edu/people/faculty/dangl/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: TWITTER: X.com/Nat_ChampionsINSTAGRAM: instagram.com/nat_championsPATREON: https://www.patreon.com/NationalChampionRadio