The Search Bar

People talk about work-life balance, but what does it even mean? And is it possible to truly find alignment between the two?  

Guest: Neil MacKinnon, president at Central Michigan University 

It's the 50th episode of The Search Bar and host Adam Sparkes welcomes Central Michigan University President Neil Mackinnon to the show. The two sit down to discuss the balancing act between your personal and professional life. President MacKinnon shares some insight into how he finds balance, the importance of mentorship and other thoughts on how you can better find work-life harmony. 

With the ubiquity of smartphones, who's a photographer when everyone's a photographer? And what separates photography from art? 

Guest: Kris Sanford, professor of photography at Central Michigan University 

Summary 

In this episode of The Search Bar, Adam Sparkes welcomes Kris Sanford to the show. The two discuss what makes a photographer truly great, the blurred line between art and photography, the pros and cons of artificial intelligence in the photography industry – and more. 

Ahead of National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in May, join us for a conversation focusing on the intersection of hearing loss, advocacy and innovation. 

Guest: Stacey Lim, associate professor of audiology at Central Michigan University 

Summary 

In this episode of The Search Bar, Adam Sparkes welcomes Stacey Lim to the show. Stacey shares her personal journey that led to a career in audiology, her love of fashion as it relates to hearing accessibility, stigma surrounding hearing loss and advice for young people considering a career in audiology. 

National Beer Day isn’t just a made-up holiday by the beer industry. There’s real, historical significance with the legalization of beer having economic ripple effects across the country during The Great Depression. 

Guest: Jason Taylor, professor of economics at Central Michigan University and author of The Brew Deal: How Beer Helped Battle the Great Depression 

Summary 

In this episode of The Search Bar, host Adam Sparkes welcomes Jason Taylor back to the show how beer helped save a struggling U.S. economy during The Great Depression, and how New Beer’s Eve and National Beer Day came to be. 

Sometimes it feels like we’re scrolling through life more than we’re living it.  

Guest: Kirsten Weber, professor of communication at Central Michigan University 

Summary 

In this episode of The Search Bar, host Adam Sparkes and Kirsten Weber, professor of communication at Central Michigan University, discuss how documenting our lives for social media affects our ability to fully experience the moment. They also provide ways we can find a balance between capturing memories and staying present in the moment. 

Participating in a marching band leads to personal and professional growth. What skills can you gain? And how can those skills set you up for success after graduation? 

Guest: Jim Batcheller, associate director of bands at Central Michigan University 

Summary  

Host Adam Sparkes welcomes Jim Batcheller, associate director of bands at Central Michigan University, to the show. The two discuss the value of playing in a marching band and how it sets you up for success in life – even if your career plans have nothing to do with music. 

Are people born curious? Or is curiosity something that can be nurtured over time? 

Guest: Guest: Jen Weible, professor of teacher and special education at Central Michigan University 

Summary  

Host Adam Sparkes welcomes Jen Weible back to the show to discuss curiosity. What can you do in your everyday experiences to help nurture curiosity? And how can you encourage someone to be more curious? The conversation focuses on what makes people curious, how we can encourage curiosity, and how being curious as a child can help guide our career paths. 

Artificial intelligence is here to stay. So, how can students and teachers embrace it effectively and ethically? 

Guest: Jen Weible, professor of teacher and special education at Central Michigan University 

Summary 

Host Adam Sparkes welcomes Jen Weible to the show to discuss the impact, benefits and potential drawbacks of utilizing artificial intelligence in schools. The two touch on some of the most exciting ways both students and teachers are currently using AI in education. And with advancements in technology happening so rapidly, how can schools ensure AI tools are used safely and ethically? 

From the products you buy to the food you eat; supply chains and logistics are an integral part of our everyday lives.   

Guest: Fred Lawrence, faculty member in logistics management at Central Michigan University 

Summary

Host Adam Sparkes sits down with Fred Lawrence, faculty member in logistics management, to get a better understanding of how supply chains impact our daily lives. Some of the questions they answer include: What affects the costs for consumers within a supply chain? How do tariffs and free trade agreements factor into things? How does data improve logistics within supply chains? How are AI and other emerging technologies set to revolutionize supply chains in the future? 

What’s the appeal of conspiracy theories? And how did they make their way into pop culture? 

Guest: Joe Packer, professor of communication at Central Michigan University 

Summary

Conspiracy theories have been around as long as human civilization. What’s their appeal? And why have conspiracies in pop culture found such a large following? Host Adam Sparkes and guest Joe Packer sit down to discuss everything from Plato’s teachings to Batman to Taylor Swift. Is there a risk of blurring the lines between fictional and real-life conspiracies?