Tech Refactored

Jerry Hudgins, Professor and Chair of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joins the podcast to discuss small modular nuclear reactors. The Nebraska Public Power District recently received approval to study potential sites across the state for these reactors. Jerry and Gus discuss what small modular nuclear reactors are, how they work, and how they can complement the usage of existing renewable energy sources.TwitterGus Hurwitz @gus...

Kathy Kleiman joins the podcast to discuss her recent book, Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer. Kathy and Gus start their conversation with background on the ENIAC computer itself – how it was funded, what its purpose was, and how it worked. Kleiman then explains the extraordinary story of the six women who were hired to program the ENIAC.TwitterKathy Kleiman @KleimKGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzLinksProving Ground: The Untold Story of ...

Eric Alston joins the podcast to discuss the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, marking the largest failure of a United States bank since 2008. Eric and Gus examine why and how this happened, the regulatory oversight of banks, and much more. TwitterEric Alston @IncompleteRulesGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzNGTC @UNL_NGTC

Marc Scribner, a Senior Transportation Policy Analyst at Reason Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss the East Palestine train derailment. Marc outlines potential causes of the incident and debunks some of the finger pointing claims on Twitter before shifting gears to train regulation more broadly. Gus and Marc also discuss new technologies being implemented into modern trains and rail systems.TwitterMarc Scribner @marcscribnerGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzLinksReason Foundation"Freight rail dere...

Matthew Tokson, Law Professor at the University of Utah, joins the show to discuss a range of issues around privacy in public spaces, your own backyard, and more.TwitterMatthew Tokson @mtoksonGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzLinksThe Carpenter Test as a Transformation of Fourth Amendment Law Matthew ToksonTelephone Pole Cameras Under Fourth Amendment Law Matthew Tokson

Christine Wittich, a Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor at the University of Nebraska, joins the show to continue our discussion on earthquakes from last week, but this time from a structural engineering perspective. We initially planned to discuss Christine's research on the usage of social media by state departments of transportation during emergencies, but given Christine's expertise on structural engineering and the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, we discuss both topics ...

On February 6th, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in Turkey and Syria, causing widespread damage across the region and tens of thousands of fatalities. Cara Burberry, a structural geologist and Professor in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Nebraska, joins the show to explain what causes earthquakes.TwitterCara Burberry @DeformationRoxGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzNebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTCLinksNebraska Governance and Technology Center

Heike Hofmann, Professor of Statistics at Iowa State University, joins the show to discuss forensic bullet matching. Hofmann explains how bullet striations are created, how she uses statistical analysis when matching bullets, how she became involved in this field, and much more. TwitterHeike Hofmann @heike_hhGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzNebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTCLinksAutomatic Matching of Bullet Land Impressions by Heike HofmannComparison of Three Similarity Scores for Bull...

Natalia Alamdari, a reporter for Flatwater Free Press, joins the podcast to discuss her recent article, Crypto needs cheap energy. It found a whole bunch in Nebraska. The article explores recent developments in cryptomining across Nebraska, focusing on a facility in Kearney that uses as much energy annually as the entire city itself. Natalia and Gus discuss the challenges these types of facilities present to communities.TwitterNatalia Alamdari @nataliaalamdariFlatwater Free Press @flatwaterfr...

What's on the horizon for the NTIA's $42 billion BEAD Program (Broadband Equity Access and Deployment) in 2023? Mike Romano, the Executive Vice President of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association, joins Gus to discuss BEAD and developments in communication policy including municipal broadband legislation, rural telecom carriers perspectives on national security and robocalls, and more.TwitterMike Romano @MikeRomanoNTCA NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association @NTCAconnectGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzNGTC...