The Ampersand

All Episodes (19)

From new to old

From new to old From old to new

1. 

   1. Weaving reciprocity with jazz: An interview with Reiland Rabaka

   For The Ampersand’s final episode of season two, we have the joy of interviewing Dr. Reiland Rabaka, professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and director of the Center for African and African American Studies. Dr. Rabaka is a creative and scholarly hurricane who has authored more than 17 books that span his wide interests. Like his research, today’s interview covers unbelievable and unexpected ground—from W.E.B. DuBois to the Women’s Movement, from jazz and the civil ri

   Dec 22,2023 44:53
2. 

   2. Counting back from three: An interview with Rachel Suter

   Fear of failing stops many of us from tackling curiosities or opening doors on new adventures, but what if we could live without that anxiety of falling from heights? For today's guest, Rachel Suter, mitigating that fear comes down to confidence in her plans, counting from three and leaping from the (in this case literal) precipice. Suter, an undergraduate at the University of Colorado Boulder, is majoring in neuroscience and art practices, dives at Casa Bonita and for CU Boulder's club diving t

   Dec 13,2023 29:56
3. 

   3. Espresso stories of sonder: An interview with Camden Sharkey

   The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows (a rabbit hole courtesy of today's guest Camden Sharkey) defines sonder as "the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own." While this may feel sad for some, Sharkey, who is an undergraduate at the University of Colorado Boulder majoring in political science and dance, finds the concept invigorating. Whether it means treating every individual coming to Dutch Bros coffee shop with care, arguing for social change at th

   Dec 05,2023 23:53
4. 

   4. Searching for Self-compassion: An interview with Lauren Lewis

   On The Ampersand, we love to highlight stories of people who bring together their widest interests, research and making. In most cases, these disparate facets of being shine from our brightest sides—but how can we find compassion for our darker corners? Today’s guest, Lauren Lewis, walks listeners through her journey navigating an eating disorder while learning to cook from the heart as a nutritionist and chef, guiding others to healing as a yogi, feeling at home in her body through dance and wa

   Nov 20,2023 28:43
5. 

   5. Living your North Star. Values and bringing human resources into the 21st Century with Bernadette Stewart

   How do you pass your values on to those you love? Or live out those same values in your workplace?On today's episode, Bernadette Stewart, assistant dean of people, engagement and culture at the University of Colorado Boulder, discusses the manner we not only articulate what we hold most dear, but live out our "North Stars" on a daily basis. From growing up in a military family to parenting to music/streaming lists to self-care and living larger, Stewart shares the experiences and lessons she gle

   Nov 10,2023 38:22
6. 

   6. Walk softly on this earth: The far right, Norse mythology, animism, metal, witches and more with Mathias Nordvig

   On The Ampersand, we take pride in the ground each episode covers. Today's guest, though, sets a high standard for the breadth through which we can meander in 30 minutes. Mathias Nordvig is a teaching professor in the University of Colorado Boulder's Department of German and Slavic Languages and Literatures. He specializes in pre-Christian Nordic mythologies, folklore and Neo-paganism. From the far right's co-opting of Norse iconography and mythology, to Danish summer camps, heavy metal, animist

   Oct 23,2023 35:14
7. 

   7. The universe, Dungeons and Dragons and self-discovery: An interview with Mikayla Huffman

   Today's guest, Mikayla Huffman, is pursuing a PhD in astrophysical and planetary sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Huffman's research delves into numerical modeling of impacts onto icy bodies, crater mapping on rocky bodies and cometary spectroscopy. She is also an exceptional dungeon master (DM) who leads epic, year-plus campaigns through a variety of Dungeons and Dragons worlds. Tune in to hear more about astrophysics and the manner D&D creates space for people to discover how th

   Oct 09,2023 44:21
8. 

   8. We are coming: A collaborative project gives voice to the past and draws researchers closer in the present

   What happens when you not only collaborate on a project, but you also meet your creative work and research bestie?The result, in the case of today's guests, is We Are Coming, a project by Yumi Janairo Roth and Emmanuel David about Filipino pasts and futures. In 1899, Buffalo Bill's Wild West hired three Filipinos to join the Congress of Rough Riders of the World. Although the Filipino Rough Riders were largely forgotten to history, Roth and David are working with historic theaters in towns and c

   Sep 25,2023 32:21
9. 

   9. Studying the best of humanity, even our darkest parts

   At what point does the drive for positivity become toxic? This week’s guest, June Gruber, studies moments that people deny themselves the full complexity of their emotions in order to try and stay happy, even when their experiences warrant feeling anything but joy. Gruber, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, studies the dark side of happiness, but in today’s interview she also explains how complex emotions give her hope in humanity’s capac

   Sep 19,2023 28:10
10. 

    10. The Ampersand Summer Special

    We're back! Our lovely listening ANDers made season one such a huge success that we're spending this summer recording seasons two and three of The Ampersand! While we're hanging out at Interplay Recording in Boulder learning about toxic happiness, playing with gender in Dungeons and Dragons and the way music can mobilize people toward a just and equitable society, we wanted to offer listeners something to satiate their thirst for the alchemy of ANDing. I hope you'll enjoy this conversation betwe

    Jun 15,2023 29:50
11. 

    11. “I’m like guacamole, baby. I’m extra.”

    Sammy Ramsey’s interests have always been wide, but many mentors told him to keep those passions private and choose one professional lane. On The Ampersand’s final episode of season one, Ramsey, who is an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, discusses how he navigated these pressures, chose to embrace his full self even if it got him kicked out of graduate school and how fighting to bring his entire identity to work and life generally has

    Mar 21,2023 39:29
12. 

    12. Fitting your story in: An interview with Sarah Sohkey

    Why is it challenging to tell our stories, even when we are deeply passionate about the subject matter? On today’s episode of The Ampersand, Sarah Sohkey, an associate professor of political science at the University of Colorado Boulder, reflects on her fascination with Russia, policy reversals and territories within the former Soviet Union and the strategies she has tried to convey her research to students, colleagues and the public. She also describes her efforts to transform undergraduate res

    Mar 06,2023 33:54
13. 

    13. When people listen: An interview with Aliya Trapp

    On The Ampersand, we highlight stories of people who dive into their interests. Equally important is the way we tell our stories. Today’s guest is Aliya Trapp, an undergraduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder majoring in ethnic studies and international affairs. Aliya loves to cook, garden and plays bass in a Grateful Dead cover band while diving deep into her studies. Besides chasing her interests with abandon, though, she reminds us just how important ANDing conversations can be.

    Feb 27,2023 25:38
14. 

    14. Veggie shakes, mental health and wooded walks in Jackson: An interview with Christopher Lowry

    When Christopher Lowry told us there is correlation between the number of plants you eat and emotional well-being, we stopped. Lowry, who is an associate professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder, has spent his career digging into the manner microbiome diversity in the gut affects our mental health. On today’s episode of The Ampersand, you’ll hear about his research, the childhood experiences that set him on his academic journey and that his findings are more than

    Feb 20,2023 33:12
15. 

    15. The mid-PhD pivot: An interview with Karen Bailey

    A mid-career pivot is terrifying enough, but what if you decided on a new interest midway through your PhD’s field research? That’s part of Karen Bailey’s story, who is today’s guest on The Ampersand. Bailey, who is an assistant professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, discusses her training as an ecologist that took her to Africa, the effect of seeing parallels between one of the largest droughts in southern African history and her own community's struggle with

    Feb 13,2023 31:45
16. 

    16. A career following curiosity: An interview with Leilani Arthurs

    How do you talk to your kids about their interests? For kids who become college students, that conversation often affects the major they choose first—a process that many worry abound in implications on rest of their lives. In the case of our guest, her major choice simply led to more interests, questions and opportunities to dive into new fields of research. Leilani Arthurs is a hydro-geo-chemist who studies volcanoes, water, educational access and so much more. Hear her story of what it looks l

    Feb 06,2023 28:31
17. 

    17. To see your community on the big screen: An interview with Gabby Mejia

    What does seeing your community in films accomplish? For today’s guest Gabby Mejia, the experience galvanized her desire to create visual stories that give voice to her experiences and bring positive societal change. Mejia discusses her background, her emotional response to seeing movies like Black Panther and the possibilities she sees when she collides her interest in film and social justice. For more information on Mejia's creative work, see her online portfolio and her YouTube channel.Music

    Feb 06,2023 28:35
18. 

    18. When we are made of Venn Diagrams: An interview with Hayley Muth

    In an era of specialization, many of us feel pressure to pick a thing—one skill, interest or passion that sets you apart. This one thing characterizes our identities, the way we talk, how we perceive ourselves and the stories we tell. But what happens when your one thing doesn’t pan out as planned and you need to pivot? That’s the story of our first guest in The Ampersand’s inaugural season. Hayley Muth graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder as a dance performance major, then pursued

    Feb 06,2023 31:07
19. 

    19. Introducing The Ampersand

    Coming soon, a new podcast series from Erika Randall, a dancer, professor, mother, filmmaker and writer who explores the alchemy of ANDing.Music by Nelson Walker.Written and produced by Erika Randall and Tim Grassley.Episodes recorded at Interplay Recording in Boulder, CO.

    Jan 13,2023 03:34