University of California Video Podcasts (Video)

Scientific progress depends on curiosity, investment and the freedom to take risks. Nobel Laureate and UC San Diego alumnus Fred Ramsdell traces his path from community college to biotechnology and a discovery that reshaped understanding of immune regulation. He explains how decades of publicly funded research made that breakthrough possible and why failed experiments are essential steps toward discovery. Ramsdell discusses threats to federal research funding, the private sector’s limited tolerance for risk and the need for scientists to communicate clearly. Rebuilding trust, he argues, starts with listening, finding shared values and explaining how basic research leads to new treatments, economic value and national security. Sustained support for science matters because no one can predict where the next major breakthrough will begin.

Series: "Deep Look Public Speaker Series" [Science] [Show ID: 41113]

Climate and environmental change affect reproductive health and pregnancy in important ways. Dr. Marya Zlatnik explains how petrochemicals, climate change, and everyday chemical exposures can shape reproductive resilience and pregnancy outcomes. Zlatnik helps clarify how people can protect reproductive well-being in a changing climate with informed, resilience-building choices. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41547]

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Althea Robinson Shelton, Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses sleep in children with neurodevelopmental differences. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41466]

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, moderator Judy Mark and panelists Elizabeth Barrios Gomez, Mulugeta Tadele, Kyungshil Choi discuss the challenges and solutions for serving immigrant clients. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41467]

What is a decision, and why does decision-making matter in politics, history, war, and public life? This panel examines how decisions differ from choices, when decisions become political, and how theories of rational choice, game theory, cognitive bias, neuroscience, and emotion shape our understanding of judgment. They explore how constitutional, legal, cultural, and social frameworks influence government decision-making, with special attention to decisions for or against war. And they trace how history uses moments of decision to explain sovereignty, leadership, democracy, authoritarianism, and crises such as climate change. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 41450]

Decision-making in history affects how societies understand power, responsibility, and change. Sir Christopher Clark, Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge, explains how narratives turn moments of decision into markers of sovereignty and political action. Clark examines real and ostensible decisions, deterministic political environments, and modern pressures from democracy, authoritarianism, and climate change, helping clarify why deciding can become harder over time. This work helps explain how historical narratives shape political judgment and points toward a more careful understanding of choice, power, and consequence. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 41449]

Political decision-making affects governments and societies in important ways. Sir Christopher Clark, Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge, explains how choices become decisions within political, legal, and cultural systems. Clark examines rational choice theory, cognitive bias, and decisions about war, helping clarify how power acts under pressure. This work helps explain why decisions are never purely abstract and points toward a richer understanding of political judgment. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 41448]

Menopause and healthy aging affect women’s health and well-being in important ways. Dr. Tami Rowen explains how the best available evidence shapes menopausal management, with a focus on the data and safety around hormone therapy. Dr. Riley Bove examines brain, heart, gynecological, bone, and emotional health during the postmenopausal years, helping clarify how women can support health in this next phase of life. This work helps explain why evidence-based care matters and points toward practical strategies for healthy aging. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41548]

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan, Medical and Research Director, Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center, Washington University in St. Louis, discusses evidence-based approaches for treating spasticity and dystonia management. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41464]

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Jane Tobias, Associate Professor, Jefferson College of Nursing, discusses environmental health for children with disabilities. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41465]