What can poetry teach us about essential life lessons like paying attention, embracing uncertainty, and finding ways to begin new chapters in our lives? Join acclaimed poet Major Jackson, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities, professor of English and director of creative writing, in a special summer remix of the Quantum Potential podcast with Provost C. Cybele Raver.

·      Read “Devouring the Art of Language,” about Major Jackson.

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·      Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines.

Corrections: Philip Levine's What Work Is won the National Book Foundation's National Book Award for Poetry in 1991. Frank Bidart wrote a prose poem titled "Borges and I" that appears in his 1997 book Desire (Farrar Straus & Giroux).

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

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We all love to talk. Some like to listen, too. But language is far more than just a tool we use to communicate; it can impact democracy, identity and access. In this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Akshya Saxena, associate professor of English at Vanderbilt. Saxena’s work sits at the intersection of literature, media and political thought. She studies how English operates in multilingual societies like India—not just as a language, but as a force shaping democracy, identity and access.

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

·      Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter 

·      Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

What defines happiness? And how does that impact the pursuit of achievement, success and a meaningful life? These are some powerful questions no matter where you are in life. On this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with bestselling author, scholar and thought leader Arthur Brooks, who has spent his career examining the science around our pursuit of happiness. 

Brooks is joining Vanderbilt’s faculty as an endowed professor in the Department of Medicine, Health and Society in the College of Arts and Science beginning July 1. 

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

·      Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter 

·      Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

Remember during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were hoarding everything from toilet paper to potato chips? Or when the desire for a “must have” item drives buyers into strategic chaos to make that purchase? That type of psychological panic-buying is the economic power of scarcity. 

On this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Kelly Goldsmith, E. Bronson Ingram Chair and Professor of Marketing at the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management and a leading behavioral scientist. Goldsmith’s research explores how people respond psychologically and behaviorally to goals and threats related to resource scarcity. 

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

Note: Certain brands are referenced in this conversation for informational and comparative purposes only. Such references do not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or official association with those brands unless explicitly stated otherwise.

·      Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter 

·      Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

Right now in our country, political polarization and divisive anger between parties make some feel that our democracy is breaking. How can democratic societies endure—and even flourish—amid deep and persistent disagreement? On this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Robert B. Talisse, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt. Talisse is one of the country’s leading scholars of democracy, pluralism and political polarization. In this episode, he challenges listeners to rethink how we communicate through political disagreement and gives practical suggestions on how to reconnect our divided democracy.

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

·      Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter. 

·      Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines.

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

What makes a true story more compelling than fiction? Documentary films have the ability to shine a light on real-life experiences, issues and people in unique and creative ways. They pull viewers in by showing a slice of life through a specific perspective. In this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Mariah Kramer, documentary filmmaker, senior lecturer and director of undergraduate studies in cinema and media arts, about how filmmakers take a spark of an idea and turn it into an engaging film. Kramer is also the adviser to Vanderbilt’s Point of VU Student Film Festival.

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

• Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter 
• Read Research Sparks stories about Vanderbilt innovators

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

More than 50 million people in the United States have some form of hearing loss. The intricate science around improving hearing is advancing at a rapid pace with the help of innovative researchers like Jack Noble, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. On this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Noble about his groundbreaking research on ways to restore hearing for people with profound hearing loss, including designing personalized approaches to “tuning” the technology of cochlear implants.

For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

• Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter
• Read the stories and motivations behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines.

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

What songs have a spot on the playlist of your life? What music sparks emotions around specific moments in time? In this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver and Melanie Lowe, associate professor of musicology, explore the significance and teaching of music from the perspective of the listener and the composer. They examine how the meanings of different genres of music are filtered through time, experience and cultural shifts.

For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

• Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter
• Read the stories and motivations behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines.

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

What does it mean to build a great research university for the 21st century—one that is both deeply rooted and boldly distributed? In this special episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver and Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier examine an exciting and pivotal moment in the university’s history. Together, they explore how Vanderbilt’s expanding network of campuses and partnerships—from West Palm Beach and San Francisco to New York City, Chattanooga and Nashville—forms an innovative, mission-driven strategy for education, research and engagement. 

This wide-ranging conversation connects the dots between place, presence and purpose, revealing how a networked, multicampus model can amplify discovery, strengthen community impact and redefine what it means to lead in higher education.

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Whit Stiles, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

How can we cultivate systems of human flourishing and expand compassion, joy and faith while also integrating artificial intelligence? In the Season 2 premiere of the Quantum Potential podcast, join Provost C. Cybele Raver and Jaco Hamman, director of the program in theology and practice and professor of religion, psychology and culture at Vanderbilt Divinity School. They dive into a riveting conversation on the questions of how to build hope and imagination in the human spirit, using artificial intelligence as a valuable tool.

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Whit Stiles, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com. 

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series. 

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media