The Debugged Podcast

In this episode, hosts Suhaani Sodhi and Teddy Lampert sit down with Arjun Karanam, an AI researcher and entrepreneur whose work spans from Apple’s Vision Pro to NASA’s Artemis missions. Arjun shares his journey from entering the Congressional App Challenge in high school to studying at Stanford, exploring how the intersection of technology and liberal arts drives innovation. From vibe coding with AI to the philosophical implications of tech policy, listen in for a deep dive into how students can bridge the gap between imagination and reality!

In this episode, Suhaani talks with Emma Bunch, a researcher and incoming PhD student at the University of Kentucky. Emma shares her journey from winning the Congressional App Challenge to conducting cutting-edge research at Vanderbilt and the NIH. Tune in to hear how she combines math, AI, and quantum computing to personalize cancer treatments and revolutionize nanomedicine!

In this episode, Teddy Lampert and Tushar Mehta sit down with Lisa O’Masta, CEO of Learning.com. With a career spanning leadership roles at Learning A-Z and Illustrative Mathematics, Lisa shares her vision for a future where technology is a safe and responsible tool for growth. Tune in to hear about her journey from financial services to EdTech, her anti-silver bullet philosophy, and how she fosters a culture of driving innovation in and out of the classroom.

In this episode, we sit down with Seyka Mejeur, co-founder of Ad Astra, to explore the high-stakes world of hard tech recruiting. From her early days discovering the aerospace industry to building the teams behind breakthrough space and clean energy startups, Seyka shares invaluable advice on finding mentors, assessing startup viability, and why making mistakes is a vital part of early career growth.

In this episode, Suhaani and Tushar talk with Dr. Owais Durrani, an emergency medicine physician based in Houston, TX. After reflecting on his own path in medicine, Dr. Durrani shares how he uses technology, specifically AI, in his practice. Listen to this week’s episode to hear about his thoughts on the future of AI in healthcare!

In this episode, host Suhaani Sodhi meets with Gina Pol from Girls Who Code to break down common misconceptions about the tech industry. From exploring non-traditional career paths and the importance of failing forward to the ethical integration of AI, Gina shares how students can find their place in a collaborative, creative, and ever-evolving field.

In a world racing to learn all the next coding tools, Dr. James Newswagner highlights the importance of statistics as well! On Episode 5 of Season 5, Suhaani interviews Dr. James Newswanger, a former Market Intelligence Researcher at IBM and an instructor at Columbia University. His journey ranges from obtaining a PhD in applied statistics to leading cutting-edge AI research at IBM, and he sees AI evolving from a tool into a coworker with the rise of agents. Tune in to hear his insight for students and advice on why statistics (not just programming) is the true foundation for a career in data science, and how to stand out in a competitive market.

In this episode, Teddy interviews Jeremy Sirota, CEO of Merlin, whose journey intersects topics of music, law, and technology. Tune in to hear how he champions independent artists worldwide and creates meaningful solutions in the digital world.

On this episode of Debugged, Suhaani and Tushar speak with Karim Meghji, the Chief Product Officer at Code.org. Tune in to hear about his journey from engineering to AI, with human interaction at the root of it all. Although Karim’s work falls firmly in the realm of tech, he still focuses on how computer science can impact both students and teachers. Learn more about Karim’s work at Code.org, his beliefs about the power of CS in education, and his thoughts on the future of AI!

On Episode 2 of Season 5, Suhaani and Teddy interview Joe Alessi, director of the Congressional App Challenge. Tune in to hear more about Alessi’s interests in politics, STEM, and education! Plus, Alessi offers some advice to App Challenge participants.