Westworld, Pixar, and Pop Culture with Laura Troiano

🚀 In this episode of Galaxy One Radio, we break the barrier in more ways than one — welcoming our first female guest, Dr. Laura Troiano, Dean of the Honors College at Rutgers University–Newark!
Laura is an expert in popular culture, nostalgia, narrative theory, and the evolving ways we experience entertainment today.

From the generational impact of Minecraft to the enduring lessons of HBO’s Westworld, we explore how pop culture both reflects and shapes the world we live in.

Tune in as we dive into:
🎮 How Minecraft became a world-building phenomenon for Gen Z
🛡️ Why Westworld is essential for understanding American identity and frontier myths
🎢 The hidden cultural power of theme parks like Disneyland and Dollywood
🎥 Why Pixar films — and the stories we tell — matter more than ever
📚 The future of storytelling, education, and critical thinking in the age of social media
Get ready for a fascinating ride through pop culture’s past, present, and future!