Tomorrow’s World Today® Podcast

Windshields do more than protect from bugs and the wind. In this episode, we sit down with Ramzi Hermiz, CEO of Carlex Glass America, to explore the role glass plays in modern vehicles. Specifically, we examine windshields in terms of vehicle structure, safety, comfort, and connectivity. Ramzi also details the uniqueness of Carlex’s Nashville plant: it is a vertically integrated automotive glass manufacturing facility that can convert raw sand into automotive glass in a continuous process. 👨‍🏭 

Float glass is made at ~2700°F on a ribbon over a tin bath. The ribbon travels along a quarter-mile-long line that is designed to run continuously for many years. We then look at the processing of glass through cutting, bending, and lamination to produce a windshield that needs to meet specific optical performance standards. These standards are especially important for camera-based ADAS and heads-up displays, which both require precise shape and high optical quality.

Ramzi discusses automotive development several years in advance, the importance of “fail fast” in development, and the relationship between traceability and repeatable processes in bringing a product to market. We then turn to what lies ahead for windshields, including photovoltaic glass (which can assist with electric-vehicle range and in-vehicle loads), augmented-reality windshields, and switchable roof glass. 🚘 

We also discuss an application that many consumers are not aware of. Using non-OEM glass for replacement windshields can affect HVAC loads, interior noise, battery range in electric vehicles, and HUD performance. If you are interested in vehicle safety, comfort, and performance, then this episode is for you. Be sure to subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What do you see in store for the windshield over the next 5 years?

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You take logistics for granted until it occurs to you that something has gone wrong. We talk to Michael Giudice, Vice President & Air Logistics Manager at Kuehne+Nagel, about what goes on behind the scenes in freight forwarding. Michael will take us through the gateways used in air cargo, partnerships with air carriers, and the planning of cargo from origin to destination on time and in perfect condition. ✈️ 

We will talk about the limitations that affect every piece of cargo. For air cargo, we look at volumetric vs gross weight, aircraft capacity, and the puzzle nature of cargo capacity planning. Michael will also take us on a journey through the changes within logistics over time. We will look at changes in aircraft design and the move towards greater fuel efficiency today, and touch on the possibility of a supersonic aircraft making a comeback in the next 10 years. Finally, we link logistics and the supply chain to the global supply chain, and to the rise of logistics as a career path and its presence within universities. 📦 

We then look at air cargo at the more critical end. Only 0.99% of global cargo is transported by air. What is transported by air? High value, sensitive, urgent items. Formula 1 race cars on charter, live animals, donor organs, and pharmaceuticals. Michael will look at risk reduction through temperature control, real-time GPS tracking, and predictive analytics. He will also discuss the importance of relationships despite advances in logistics, AI, and disruption planning. 🧭 

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What does it take to build a supplement brand around transparency, science, and trust? 💊🔬

Kat Schneider, Founder and CEO of Ritual, shares how her search for a prenatal vitamin she could trust inspired her to rethink what the supplement industry could look like. What began during her pregnancy grew into a company focused on traceable ingredients, third-party certifications, clinical research, and understanding not only what goes into a supplement, but how it works in the body.

Kat explains why Ritual built a traceable supply chain that allows consumers to see where ingredients come from and why they are included. 🌎 She also breaks down what consumers should look for when choosing supplements, including certifications from organizations like Clean Label Project, NSF, and USP, and why the phrase “clinically studied” does not always tell the whole story.

The conversation also explores the technology behind supplement delivery, including delayed-release capsules, Ritual’s beadlet-and-oil design, and systems designed to deliver certain ingredients where they can be better utilized by the body. 🧬 Kat shares how Ritual approaches product development through ingredient quality, sourcing, safety, delivery, and clinical research.

Looking ahead, Kat discusses the future of personalized health and the need for more research focused on women throughout different stages of life, including fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. She also explains why emerging data from wearables and AI-driven recommendations will only be as valuable as the science behind them. 💡

Listen to the full conversation to hear how Ritual is combining science, transparency, and product innovation to rethink the future of supplements and women’s health. 🎧

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You know the drill - there are certain cancer screenings that you can identify almost immediately: mammograms, colon screenings, Pap tests, and lung cancer screenings for those at high risk of developing the disease. Yet, what about the other various forms of cancer that do not come with routine screening protocols? David Harding, the Senior Vice President of Pipeline Product Management at Abbott, shares how multicancer early detection testing is changing the game with a simple blood draw.

Cancerguard®, a prescription-based test, analyzes for up to 50 cancer types and subtypes. The test analyzes for the presence of methylated DNA fragments from tumors and the proteins released by those tumors. These biomarkers return test results and tell the patient whether cancer signals were detected. This further underlines the importance of undergoing routine cancer screenings regardless of the test results.

Beyond the science behind the Cancerguard® test, there’s the more emotional component to cancer testing: the fear of the testing, the anxiety of potential cancerous diagnoses, and the role of care navigators in assisting cancer patients in taking the next steps in their treatment journey. Additionally, he discusses the challenges of taking a molecular diagnostic test to market, how the test is currently available, and has not yet received FDA approval, and the long-term efforts to fund research and development of the test.

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Early detection can change everything in cancer care. 🧬 

David Harding, Senior Vice President of Pipeline Product Management at Abbott, shares how new testing approaches are expanding what’s possible in screening.

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Our car spends most of its life parked.  Why, then, do we treat it like it only matters when it’s moving?  On this episode, we sit down with Norman Lu, Senior Program Manager at Toyota North America, to talk about how to turn EV charging from a source of anxiety into a source of value for car owners. 🚗 

Norman joins us to discuss what has changed in battery-electric vehicles over time, why the range is sufficient for most drivers today, and the biggest barriers to EV adoption.  He explains how electric vehicles can act as energy storage systems for the grid and how the battery in a single electric vehicle can provide enough power to keep a home running during an outage.  Additionally, he shares his thoughts on vehicle-to-grid programs and the problems with the electrical grid today. ⚡️ 

Norman also shares his thoughts on wireless EV charging, vehicle-to-grid programs, solar on vehicles, and the importance of connectivity for the cars of the future.  He also shares with us the challenges of innovation within a giant company like Toyota, and his thoughts on the company’s different approaches to electric vehicles. 📶

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What does the future of driving look like? Wireless charging, smarter energy use, and more personalized vehicles. 🚗📶 Norman Lu, Senior Program Manager at Toyota North America, gives a look into what’s coming next.

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What happens when the heart’s electrical system falls out of rhythm? ❤️

Roderick Tung, MD, Chief, Division of Cardiology, and Director, Cardiovascular Clinical Research, at the University of Arizona in Phoenix, shares how electrophysiology is transforming how doctors understand and treat heart rhythm disorders.

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Blood is the currency of clinical trials—and getting it from patient to lab within 48 hours can make or break a study. In this episode, LabConnect CEO Wes Wheeler joins us to discuss how a lab-agnostic model, purpose-built software, and disciplined process design are transforming global clinical research. 

Wes breaks down why LabConnect chooses not to own labs and how this decision enables speed, scale, and flexibility across seven key regions where trials are conducted and patients reside. He also unpacks the technology powering their connected ecosystem—unified LIMS, ERP, sample tracking, and data integrations that convert scattered specialty testing into submission-ready data. The result: a network that supports roughly 80% of the data used in new drug applications, while preserving audit trails and regulatory integrity for agencies like the FDA and EMA.

Looking ahead, Wes explores how AI, machine learning, and digital twins are reshaping clinical development—from modeling preclinical safety to identifying recruitable patient populations and flagging anomalies before they impact results. With cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and radiopharma driving the next wave of precision medicine, he shares how LabConnect’s innovation mindset keep trials moving forward.

Along the way, Wes reflects on the mentorship, engineering mindset, and leadership lessons that took him from mechanical engineer to global healthcare executive.

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What powers a global fandom machine? We sat down with Funko’s Chief Product Officer, Husnal Shah, to trace the line from a week‑one Disney sellout to 900 licenses and a milestone few toy companies reach in decades. We break down the three Cs—Culture, Creativity, Commerce—that decide which figures get made, why certain iconic moments jump off the shelf, and how a recognizable form can still surprise you when it captures the perfect story beat. 🪀

Husnal opens the door to Funko’s incubation lab, where blue‑sky ideas meet real‑time signals from sales, marketing, and social listening. You'll hear how concepts progress from a creative showcase to 3D prints, then to tooling and production—all while the launch story and marketing plan develop in parallel.

We get into the rise of Pop Yourself, the personalized experience that turns collectors into characters, and why gifting for birthdays, weddings, and holidays has turned customization into a growth engine. There's also a frank look at resilience, including diversified sourcing across Asia, navigating geopolitical and pandemic difficulties, and reaching new audiences as kids shift earlier to gaming, YouTube, and social platforms. 🎮

Looking forward, we explore how AR and digital layers can elevate discovery and display, including virtual try-ons, interactive unboxings, and community moments that bridge physical and digital shelves. We also talk geo expansion, and why Funko organizes teams by fandom to keep authenticity high in anime, music, film, and gaming. For anyone interested in product strategy, licensing, collectibles, or the business of culture, this conversation maps how a beloved form factory stays fresh and how the next billion could be even more personal. 🧸

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show, share it with a friend who collects, or leave a quick review—what topic should we "pop" next?

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What happens when two eighth-grade students notice a problem during volleyball matches? They create an award-winning invention that could soon hit store shelves nationwide.

Meet Sam Priest and Olivia Adams, volleyball players turned inventors who developed the "Untie Knot" – an elegantly simple silicone band that prevents shoelaces from coming untied during physical activity. Their invention journey began when they witnessed a teammate's shoe come untied during a match, causing an awkward game stoppage.

Through their school's Inventionland Education course, these young innovators learned to apply observational skills, research, and creative problem-solving to address this everyday annoyance. Through multiple prototypes, they discovered that shoelaces come untied through repeated impact forces during running or walking. Their solution? A stretchy silicone band that securely wraps around the knot to keep it tight.

The most remarkable aspect of Sam and Olivia's story isn't just their clever invention, but how the experience transformed their confidence and future outlook. Before the course, neither considered themselves inventors or had interest in STEM careers. Now, they have a company in Texas interested in bringing their product to market. Their success showcases the power of applied learning – combining mathematics, language arts, design, and science to solve real-world problems.

Their story demonstrates why hands-on STEM education deserves priority in our schools. It teaches not just technical knowledge but crucial life skills: creative thinking, collaboration, perseverance, and effective communication. As Sam advises future inventors: "Just be creative and share a lot of ideas. We had no clue what we were going to make when we started this, but it all worked out."

Want to discover how STEM education could unlock your child's potential? Listen to Sam and Olivia's full journey in this inspiring episode.

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What happens when middle school students are given the freedom to think, create, and solve real-world problems?

Principal Larry Connelly and teacher Karen Garland join host George Davison to share their seven-year journey implementing Inventionland Education's STEAM curriculum for 8th graders. Unlike traditional classroom experiences, this program puts students in the driver's seat, working in teams to identify problems and develop innovative solutions through a comprehensive nine-step process.

The results speak volumes. Students who struggle in conventional academic settings find their strengths celebrated in this collaborative environment. The program has become so popular that some homeschool families enroll their children specifically for this course. Local businesses eagerly partner with student teams, providing real-world mentorship opportunities that bridge classroom concepts with practical applications.

Most striking is how the program transforms student engagement. Attendance rates soar during presentation periods, with students taking ownership of their learning and supporting their peers. "I think this is an example of something that helps keep kids coming to school," Connelly explains, noting how students have even participated virtually while on family vacations rather than miss their presentation day.

Beyond invention skills, students develop crucial life competencies—communication, collaboration, time management, and resilience in the face of failure. As Garland reflects, "Thinking—that sounds so simple, but when students talk about their experience and they talk about how 'we just kind of had to think about this,' that's a teacher's dream."

Discover how one school's approach is redefining education by prioritizing building life skills over traditional grades, giving students the freedom to explore, create, and believe in their capabilities. Visit TomorrowsWorldToday.com for more stories of innovation and positive change shaping our future.

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