You Seem Exceptional

In 2025 my friend Elliot Novak graduated from UW-Madison and got a job as an Art Teacher. Join us and co-host Ian Hoffman as we talk about how Elliot approaches teaching, why kids are like that these days, and what it's like to work in a small school district environment.

Ellen Zhang, a Sophomore at UW-Madison, was recently elected the next Alder of District 8, a seat on the City Council representing the UW-Madison campus area. In this episode of You Seem Exceptional she joins host Oliver Gerharz and guest co-host Kayla Dembiec for a discussion about her campaign, the way it was covered, and what she is looking forward to being able to do in the next two years as an Alder and as a college student.

Sean Michael Dargan is a musician and the advisor to the Wisconsin Union Directorate's Music Committee. In this episode of You Seem Exceptional, Oliver Gerharz and freshly graduated guest co-host Easton Parks talk to him about his music, life as a musician, his straight gig with the Union, baby's first bagpipe, balancing music and sports in the year he was a Division 3 College Baseball player, the stay-at-home dad gig, and the silliest band names he's had. Easton was previously focused on You Seem Exceptional as a guest in early 2025, so take a listen to episode 26 if you'd like to hear more like this.

Ellen Zhang, a Sophomore at UW-Madison, was recently elected the next Alder of District 8, a seat on the City Council representing the UW-Madison campus area. In this episode of You Seem Exceptional she joins host Oliver Gerharz and guest co-host Kayla Dembiec for a discussion about her campaign, the way it was covered, and what she is looking forward to being able to do in the next two years as an Alder and as a college student.

Michael Pipkorn is the director and writer of "Fragile," one of two student films to come out of Com Arts 659 this semester. “Fragile” is about two college students who meet and fall in love, start dating, but when the girl dies, the boy begins to spiral, and believes that the girl lives on in her favorite porcelain doll. Join Oliver Gerharz and guest co-host Lydia Picotte for an interview with Pipkorn about the structure of the class that helped hm produce the film, being weary of the soul, striving to be the LeBron of movies, and the insane dream that inspired "Fragile." "Fragile" will be shown on campus on May 2nd at 7:30PM.

Natalie Tocco is a veterinary pathologist with years of experience in autopsy of wild, pet, and zoo animals. Join host Oliver Gerharz and guest co-host Ian Hoffman in an interview discussing the grief of losing an animal, the mysteries of animal anatomy and evolution, panda diplomacy and two elephant autopsies. Check out or episodes with Dominique Brossard and Caitlin Looby if you'd like to hear more about science communication!

On this week's episode of You Seem Exceptional, Oliver and guest co-host Kayla Dembiec speak with Dominique Brossard, a science communicator at UW-Madison currently working with the Morgridge Research Institute. They discuss her research, time as the department chair of life science communication, bridging the divide, and expertise in the government. For interviews with similar topics, you can check out our conversations with Science Communicator Caitlin Looby and Dean Eric Wilcots (soon to be Interim Chancellor Wilcots).

Dane County's Shamrock Club named Steve Goldberg the "Irish Person of the Year" in 2026, despite Steve not being Irish by blood. For St. Patrick's Day, Steve joins Oliver and guest co-host Paige-Elizabeth Kearney in an interview focused on what it means to be Irish, what the Dane County Shamrock Club does, Irish books, Irish Film and Steve's work in student mental health.

Jean Oliveras worked at USAID for 15 years, but after Trump put a pause on foreign assistance, she got an email from DOGE (The Department of Government Efficiency) asking her to report any office, position, program, contract, or grant with any ties to "DEIA or similar ideologies." Within the year, she and her husband had lost their jobs. Join Jean, Oliver, and guest co-host Ted Hyngstrom in a discussion of soft power and foreign affairs through the lens of defense, diplomacy, and development, how Elon Musk's team shut it all down, and what Jean has done since.

On this episode of You Seem Exceptional, Oliver and guest co-host Allie Hoffert interview three fisherman on the ice of Lake Monona Bay. Tune in to hear about why these men are interested in ice fishing, what equipment helps, and about the time one of them fell in.