Dr. Javiera Barandiarán is Associate Professor in Global Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2019 through 2021, she will be Faculty Director of the University of California’s Study Center in Santiago, Chile, supervising education abroad in Chile and Argentina. Her work explores the intersection of science, environment, and development in Latin America. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 36520]

Human mating psychology is complicated. Daniel Conroy-Beam uses an evolutionary perspective to understand how mate preferences are linked to actual mating outcomes. His work combines agent-based modeling of mate choice evolution with studies of real couples to compare and explore candidate algorithms for how people select their mating strategies, evaluate potential mates, and regulate their relationships. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36518]

COVID-19 has reshaped our world and impacted communities across the globe. UCSB virologist Carolina Arias relates the story of how molecular biology, virology and a lot of swabs helped us respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her UCSB department chose to focus on diagnostics because they knew testing was essential to understand virus transmission and develop control strategies. Series: "Women in Science" [Science] [Show ID: 36519]

Co-directors/producers Sharon Shattuck and Ian Cheney discuss their film Picture a Scientist (2020), which chronicles the groundswell of researchers who are writing a new chapter for women scientists. Their conversation gives insight to the films portrayal of the brutal harassment, institutional discrimination, and years of subtle slights faced by women in STEM. Shattuck and Cheney also delve into the production behind their documentary, offering viewers an inside look at the process of telling the story of scientific luminaries who provide new perspectives on how to make science itself more diverse, equitable, and open to all. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36511]

Jay Roach discusses the challenges in directing the Austin Powers Trilogy. In this video, Jay Roach talks with UCSB Pollock Theater Director, Matt Ryan, how he approached creating Austin Powers with Mike Meyers. With henchmen, fembots, and innuendo to spare, Austin Powers: quickly became a cultural phenomenon, spawning two sequels Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36510]

Bianca Valenti is a professional big-wave surfer, business innovator, and environmental activist. Valenti is leading movements focused on pay equity and growth opportunity in sport. Series: "Innovator Stories: Creating Something from Nothing" [Business] [Show ID: 36440]

Anna Fraser has served as Sonos' Chief People Officer since January 2017. She leads the company's recruitment, development, engagement, and retention strategies in addition to cultivating the Sonos culture across 15 offices globally. Before joining Sonos, Anna served as Director and Chief of Staff for Google's People Operations function, responsible for people strategy and employee experience for over 70,000 global employees. Series: "Innovator Stories: Creating Something from Nothing" [Business] [Show ID: 36442]

Matt Beane is an Assistant Professor in the Technology Management Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Research Affiliate with MIT's Institute for the Digital Economy. Matt studies deviance in work involving machine intelligence - and specifically robotics. He asks questions like "How do workers, organizations and even AI engage in deviance, and what happens when they do?" Matt has done extensive field research on robotic surgery, robotic materials transport, and robotic telepresence in healthcare, elder care and knowledge work. Series: "Innovator Stories: Creating Something from Nothing" [Business] [Show ID: 36438]

Heather Hochrein is founder and CEO of EVmatch, a nationwide network for sharing and renting private EV charging stations. The goal is to increase the adoption of electric vehicles, thereby decreasing carbon emissions from the transportation sector. She is well versed in clean technology and previously spent five years in leadership roles at Rising Sun Energy Center. She holds a BS from UC Berkeley and a master's in Energy and Climate from UC Santa Barbara. Series: "Innovator Stories: Creating Something from Nothing" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 36308]

Director Darya Zhuk discusses making Crystal Swan, which is a vitriolic comedy set in Belarus circa 1996. The film follows a young female DJ who befriends a rural family in a scheme to obtain her U.S. visa so she can move to Chicago and pursue her house-music career. In her debut tragic comedy, director Darya Zhuk reveals a multilayered vision of time and place and paints a bright, kitschy, vibrant backdrop of familial dynamics and cultural traditions. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36302]