The Authority File

As the pandemic exacerbated inequities in housing, technology access, health care, and more, higher education faced a reckoning of its own. In today’s virtual learning and work environments, many called for a reevaluation of the academy’s purpose. What do students receive from their postsecondary education? More specifically, should universities teach students how to learn, or how to get a job?

In this third episode, our guests take a hard look at modern higher education. Hari Rajagopalan of Francis Marion University tackles the debate between a skills-based, career-ready pedagogy or an interdisciplinary, critical thinking curriculum. Cynthia Clark of Bentley University touches on the need for professors to establish a learning environment that encourages independent thought, research, and questioning. Next, Gwendolyn Combs of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln discusses higher ed’s response to—and the effects of—employers’ demand for workforce-ready graduates. Finally, Rhonda Sharpe of the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race highlights parents’ perspectives and expectations of college degrees, which often include deliverables that can influence curricula in the classroom.

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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s widespread Black Lives Matter protests, a slew of organizations released statements that promised new initiatives to address inequities within the workplace. Many announced new chief diversity officers, established DEI departments, or pledged to examine and report on hiring practices. But what’s the difference between effective transformation and window dressing? How do organizations make sure positive changes aren’t temporary?

In this second episode, our guests discuss how to sustain positive initiatives in the workplace introduced in response to the ongoing pandemic and global social movements. Hari Rajagopalan of Francis Marion University and Gwendolyn Combs of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln touch on the importance of top-level support and widespread adoption throughout an institution. Cynthia Clark of Bentley University highlights the need for DEI initiatives to receive substantive financial investment from employers. Last, Rhonda Sharpe of the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race speaks to the importance of defining DEI—what one organization means by diversity, equity, and inclusion can mean something entirely different at another.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

Starting in March 2020, widespread changes to work life prompted declarations of a “new normal.” The implementation of remote work, reliance on video conferencing, and shift in balance between home and work life appeared to signal a “transformed workplace.” But will these adaptions remain permanent? A year and a half later, have our work lives really transformed, or are we headed toward a pre-pandemic “normal” instead?

In this series, Cynthia Clark of Bentley University, Gwendolyn Combs of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Hari Rajagopalan of Francis Marion University, and Rhonda Sharpe of the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race join the program to discuss the trap of the “transformed workplace” narrative. Bringing together expertise in business, higher education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, our guests drill down into positive changes that may remain post-pandemic, unequal effects of work environment adjustments, and how to support students entering today’s workforce.

In this first episode, our speakers highlight the differences between the temporary shifts we’ve seen and substantial, long-lasting transformation within organizations. First, Rhonda explains the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on high- and low-wage workers. Hari reasons that the longevity of proposed work changes will depend on location, context, and access to technology. Last, Cynthia and Gwendolyn speak to how the pandemic hastened developments that were long in the works—automation, artificial intelligence, and carbon footprint reduction, to name a few.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

We’ve launched satellites into orbit. Sent a rover to Mars. Landed on the moon. What’s next for the space industry? Which near-term goals are possible in this decade? Well, organizations will first need to address the accumulating mass of debris congesting the near-Earth space environment. Also known as space junk, these thousands of pieces of abandoned satellites and rockets pose serious risks. As Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, notes, “If you cannot clean the orbit, you will not be able to have human space flight.”

In the final episode of this series, Stella discusses what’s next in space technology. She digs into the ever-growing problem of orbital debris, its potential threats to the market, and the business opportunities it creates for cleanup and removal companies. Last, Stella offers some advice for universities on how to prepare students for diverse career and research opportunities in the space industry.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

How has space exploration’s shift from a government-dominated industry to an increasingly privatized environment influenced the market? Are the major players still in the US and Russia? Which investments attract the most competition and innovation?

In this third episode, Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, walks through today’s space market. She explains how China’s rising power in space technology has disrupted the business, and why companies have turned their sights (and dollars) to lunar exploration. Plus, Stella highlights her recent webinar on the lunar economy and predicts how countries will address governmental borders while inhabiting the moon.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

On July 20th, 2021, Blue Origin—the aerospace company founded by multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos—launched a space flight with four passengers, including the founder himself. This 10-minute flight to the borders of outer space sparked new discussions surrounding commercial investments in the space economy. How has space exploration evolved from a government-sanctioned space race to an industry rife with privately-funded business ventures?

Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry, joins us for this four-part series to characterize today’s space market. Who are the major players? Which sectors of the space economy prove to be the most sustainable—and lucrative? Is space tourism a viable, profitable opportunity for billionaires, or just a publicity stunt?

In this first episode, Stella introduces us to the commercialization of the space industry. She digs into the rapid progression of private investments in the field, as well as her predictions for advancements in space debris cleanup, solar-powered satellites, and lunar exploration. Stella also chats about her two books on the subject, 2018’s Emerging Space Markets, and a forthcoming title, which will dig into the impact of disruptions in the market due to new space technologies.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

Emailing a former professor about research breakthroughs. Downloading copyrighted papers off the internet. Sharing login credentials. Aren’t these all harmless characteristics of academia? Everyday tricks of the scholarly trade? Alan Brill, Senior Managing Director in the Cyber Risk practice at Kroll, warns that seemingly harmless actions or good intentions may lead to serious consequences—can the push toward academic freedom end up endangering our information in the process?

In this final episode, Alan discusses hackers’ exploitation of free-flowing information. He tackles the issue of Sci-Hub—the controversial website that shares pirated research—and the importance of respecting patents, copyright protection, and trade secrets. Alan also reveals his perspective on emerging threats in cybersecurity, and why cyber risk preparation at a university is so essential in today’s information age. “There is no such thing as 100 percent protection … What we need is a pre-planned incident response program … so that when it happens—and I think the only rational position today is don’t think in terms of if, think in terms of when it happens—you’re going to know what to do.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

Simon Rolston, in his new book Prison Life Writing: Conversion and the Literary Roots of the U.S. Prison System, separated the history of American prisons into two categories: the “rehabilitative” Treatment Era of the mid-1940s to mid-1970s, and the contemporary state of mass incarceration. Though the conversion narrative has remained constant throughout these two periods, prison life writers’ critiques of capitalism, colonialism, and white supremacy have shifted. What subtle and not-so-subtle changes have taken place? How have past and current calls for prison reform and abolition affected prison life writing?

In this final episode, Simon touches on the differences between traditions of prison life writers from the 1960s and 70s compared to those of today. He highlights the stories of Jimmy Santiago Baca, Shaka Senghor, and the intriguing paradox of Susan Burton’s conversion narrative, which mirrors the transformative journey of an Alcoholics Anonymous member.

Simon also underscores the need for the support of those outside the prison system—from protesting the prison industrial complex to helping the incarcerated rebuild their lives and connections. Finally, he shares his hopes for the future of prison life writing; namely, that it will no longer exist. “I’d love to be able to say in 20 or 30 years we’re no longer going to have a tradition of prison life writing. We’ll have a tradition of people who are treated fairly within a criminal justice system.”

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

“They try to put guilt on you. They try to make you think it’s your professional responsibility to help them. But the key is: security procedures only work if we use them consistently, and if we’re trained to know that bad actors are going to play on those emotions.” Alan Brill, Senior Managing Director in the Cyber Risk practice at Kroll, understands the ploys hackers use during a cyberattack—and the training needed to combat them. What kind of preparation yields the best security against the growing risk of organized, sophisticated cyberthreats? What’s the librarian’s role in contributing to this cyber-safe campaign?

In this third episode, Alan listens to a clip from a recent Choice webinar on cyberattacks, reviewing what went right and lessons learned. Alan also walks through the various tricks hackers can pull—dropping in personnel names, making requests appear incredibly urgent—to persuade staff to abandon protocol and grant access. Last, he shares guidance on what both librarians and administrators can do to enforce unified, collective cybersecurity across campus.

Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!