University of California Audio Podcasts (Audio)

Yvett Merino (Producer, Walt Disney Animation Studios) joins moderator Dolores Inés Casillas (Chicana and Chicano Studies, UCSB) in a post-screening discussion of Encanto, the acclaimed Disney animation film about a multigenerational family with magical powers in the mountains of Colombia. In their conversation, they discuss the importance of Latinx representation in mainstream media, reflecting on the film’s themes of intergenerational trauma and its power to spark important conversations among family audiences. Merino also shares the significance of including an immigrant story in the film and details the development and release of the film, including the impact the pandemic had on viewing practices. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 39050]

As part of the 2023 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Carly Demopoulos discusses the latest in sensorimotor control and speech impairment in people with developmental disabilities. Discover groundbreaking research on sensory motor control, auditory processing, and the impact on verbal and nonverbal communication. Explore the challenges faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder and learn about innovative approaches to treatment and interventions. Get ready to gain new insights and broaden your understanding of the complex relationship between the brain, speech, and communication. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38884]

What does "dignity at work" mean for educators and school staff? What are the primary challenges faced by school faculty and staff? How can administrators and decision-makers effectively address these issues? Join Jeffrey M. Siminoff from Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, along with Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona from Roybal Learning Center and Timothy Stiven from Canyon Crest Academy, as they delve deeper into the current state of human rights for educators and provide valuable insights. Series: "Education Channel" [Public Affairs] [Education] [Show ID: 39018]

The human penchant for storytelling is universal, early-developing, and profoundly culture-shaping. Stories (folk tales, narratives and myths) influence the costs of social transactions and organize societies at every scale of human interaction. Story as a mode of communication is also unprecedented in the animal kingdom: although we are compelled to tell stories about other animals, they are not likewise compelled to tell stories about us (or anything else, for that matter). Even our ability to manage urgent human problems such as global health and climate change are affected by the stories and myths humans choose to tell. This symposium explores several stories about how the evolution of story-telling shaped, and continues to shape, the human epoch. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39006]

Animals and tricksters are highly prominent beings in the mythology of the San Bushmen of southern Africa, as well as of hunter-gatherers in other regions of the world. Their actions and interactions provide the plot lines for most of the stories people tell about myth time. Why are these two beings so preeminent in San mythology and storytelling? Is there a connection between the two beings? Mathias Guenther discusses these two questions and the answer reveals a deep – and deep-rooted –mystical connection also between animals and humans. The hunting-gathering people that provide the cultural context for my talk are the San Bushmen of southern Africa, amongst whom I have done ethnographic field work. I will also consider hunter-gatherers from other parts of the world, both from present or recent times and from prehistory. These considerations may shed some light on certain aspects of prehistoric cave paintings. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39004]

Learn about groundbreaking research being conducted by some of the most highly skilled and intelligent minds in the nation towards enhancing human health, in fields such as biomedical sciences, social sciences, and digital health. In this program, you will learn how a single cell can learn, despite not having brain. Series: "Mini Medical School for the Public" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38982]

Political, financial and environmental crises coupled to the rise of social media have, in recent years, created a perfect storm of mis- and disinformation that leverage long standing reservoirs of belief within and across communities. These stories on social media mirror face-to-face storytelling and other storytelling environments in that they allow for the negotiation of cultural ideology (norms, beliefs, values), yet they also change the scope, speed and amplification of that storytelling. Importantly, storytelling has real world effects, and often motivates people to take action. We present a graphical model of the underlying narrative frameworks, estimated from the data itself, and show how various network based methods can form the basis for understanding the narrative coherence—and their possible outcomes—even when the discussions on social media are incomplete and noisy, as conversations in real life often are. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39003]

Director Paromita Vohra joins moderator Bhaskar Sarkar (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) in a discussion of her film Partners in Crime, which dives into the world of copyright law, piracy, and the fluid nature of authorship. She dives into concepts like the cultural commons and the complicated nature of artistic value. She also details the social and economic contexts of the bazaar and the impacts of a rapidly changing economic landscape on art. They share perspectives on the diversity of people involved in the “illegal” market, the impacts of colonization and neoliberal practices, and the nuances of conflicting definitions of ownership. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 39048]

A team of UC Davis researchers is making advances in a field that could eventually allow brain surgeons to offer replacement parts to injured patients.

Series: "UCTV Prime" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 39213]

Combating destructive effects of climate change, the Arboretum and Public Garden staff and Learning by Leading™ students plant test trees to cultivate a resilient and diverse urban tree canopy for the UC Davis community. Emily Griswold, Director of GATEways Horticulture and Teaching Gardens, outlines the tireless research and work of tending to mature trees and planting saplings.

Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 39214]