The Vandal Theory
“The Vandal Theory” podcast asks, “What gets University of Idaho researchers’ brains buzzing ... besides coffee?” These award-winning stories showcase researchers exploring and solving real-world problems. With interviews on all things Vandal, discover the world of U of I research with hosts Leigh Cooper and Danae Lenz.
Episodes
July 28, 2025 • 9 mins
Alistair Smith (go.uidaho.edu/4mbiISI) is a professor and department chair in University of Idaho’s Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/419qiFi). He’s working with power companies across the globe to identify which types of vegetation are most likely to ignite — and what can be done to stop wildfires before they start. At U of I’s combustion lab, his team tests how vegetation burns under different conditions, he...
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July 19, 2025 • 7 mins
Feng Li (go.uidaho.edu/3UdtdZK) is the Micron Endowed Professor of Microelectronics at University of Idaho and director of the Next Generation Microelectronics Research Center (go.uidaho.edu/44MLoKG). He’s helping shape the future of semiconductors — not just through research, but by training the next generation of skilled workers Idaho’s tech industry needs. Li studies high-temperature devices that can withstand the extreme heat o...
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July 14, 2025 • 10 mins
Dev Shrestha (go.uidaho.edu/3Gnw3s3) is a University of Idaho engineering (go.uidaho.edu/44k6BNk) professor exploring the future of farming, starting with the soil beneath our feet. He’s developing affordable soil sensors and studying the power of biochar to help farmers conserve moisture, increase yields and build a more resilient, sustainable future for Idaho agriculture. In this episode, he shares how improving soil health on th...
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July 7, 2025 • 8 mins
Kendra Kaiser (go.uidaho.edu/3GtiU0n) is the director of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (go.uidaho.edu/3I8jscN). In the first episode of a special summer season of “The Vandal Theory,” she shares how the institute is identifying and filling critical water research gaps across Idaho.
Visit our website uidaho.edu/vandaltheory. Email us at vandaltheory@uidaho.edu. Learn about Idaho’s premier research university, Univer...
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April 14, 2025 • 28 mins
Question: When you were growing up, did your parents ever let you do anything without their supervision that many parents today would be alarmed by?
David Pimentel (go.uidaho.edu/448DQDo) is a professor in University of Idaho’s College of Law (go.uidaho.edu/3E4HZh8). His work explores the intersections of law, history and culture, and in the final episode of this season of “The Vandal Theory,” he discusses lessons from his work ...
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April 6, 2025 • 29 mins
Question: What is your favorite African animal?
Meet Ryan Long (go.uidaho.edu/4l9hrvI), an associate professor of wildlife sciences in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/44dwZIK) at University of Idaho. In Disney’s “The Lion King,” all the regional animals show up to honor Simba’s birth. Now that’s obviously fictitious, but lots of large animals do live alongside each other in Africa. Long is working to u...
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March 30, 2025 • 29 mins
Question: What drives people to the polls?
Markie McBrayer (go.uidaho.edu/43rzyqw) is an assistant professor of political science in the Department of Politics and Philosophy (go.uidaho.edu/423Gc3F) at University of Idaho. Her research focuses on American politics and policy with a focus on political institutions, representation and social inequality. Today she’s discussing takeaways from the recent presidential election, polariz...
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March 23, 2025 • 29 mins
Question: Do you use ChatGPT or another AI program?
Meet Barrie Robison (go.uidaho.edu/3E34kvn), a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/4kwcihb) and director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/43TLX6C) at University of Idaho. Artificial intelligence seems to be infiltrating all aspects of our lives. Robison will discuss the ways U of I is supporting its researchers, in...
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March 15, 2025 • 26 mins
Question: Have you ever had a problem you just lived with because you assumed it couldn’t be fixed?
John Crepeau (go.uidaho.edu/41ufl0H) is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (go.uidaho.edu/4iSt4oS) at University of Idaho who has had a hand in making all sorts of things, from a nuclear-powered Mars hopper to reimagined medical equipment. In this episode, he talks about his experiments and the role he’s pla...
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March 7, 2025 • 28 mins
Question: Have you ever butchered animals, such as while hunting or at a farm or ranch?
Meet Phil Bass (go.uidaho.edu/3XubJdD), associate professor of meat science in the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/4kpnzjc) at University of Idaho. Whether as hamburger, filet mignon, ribeye or T-bone, beef is a staple on many American dinner tables. Listen as Bass discusses the growing size of cattle, the cr...
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March 2, 2025 • 29 mins
Question: Have you ever gone hiking and got a tick?
Janet Rachlow (https://go.uidaho.edu/43lwo7B) is a professor of wildlife ecology in the College of Natural Resources (https://go.uidaho.edu/3QOqHr7) at University of Idaho. She has studied mammals both large and small, and in this episode, she discusses two on opposite ends of the size spectrum.
Music
“Young Republicans” by Steve Combs (go.uidaho.edu/3U3MNHs) via freemusic...
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February 21, 2025 • 29 mins
Question: Growing up, did you ever ride horses?
Meet Rebecca Scofield (go.uidaho.edu/414paCk), chair of the University of Idaho’s Department of History (go.uidaho.edu/418fGpC) specializing in American history. Bicycles, horses, mechanical bulls and dragons — Scofield brings new insights to the visuals of women riding astride beasts and machines throughout history and how that informs our current economy.
Visit our website uidaho....
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November 14, 2024 • 26 mins
Question: Can you tell us about your first huckleberry hunt?
Steve Cook (go.uidaho.edu/3O6hc5u) is the head of the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology (go.uidaho.edu/3UKfCKj) at University of Idaho. He researches huckleberries and today he’s going to discuss why they’re so hard to domesticate and what he and his team are doing to solve that problem. If we’re lucky, he might give us some huckleberry hunting t...
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November 10, 2024 • 26 mins
Question: How far ahead do you plan into the future?
Meet Andrew Kliskey (go.uidaho.edu/3NZPbMT), U of I’s President’s Professor of Community and Landscape Resilience and director of the Center for Resilient Communities (go.uidaho.edu/4fiXxLq). He’s going to chat with us about how he and his research team are working with communities to meet their energy and water needs for the future.
Visit our website uidaho.edu/vandaltheory. E...
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November 3, 2024 • 29 mins
Question: Is there someone in your life, past or present, who you associate with their clothes — like if they changed their outfit you would be confused about who they were?
Sonya Meyer (go.uidaho.edu/3YMfyfp) is a professor in the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/48uxHS4) and curator of U of I’s Leila Old Historic Costume Collection (go.uidaho.edu/4f8fUma), which reflects the clothing acros...
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October 28, 2024 • 29 mins
Question: As a mother, how stressful is it making sure your baby has a healthy diet?
Meet Bethaney Fehrenkamp (go.uidaho.edu/48fYIZv), a reproductive immunologist and a clinical assistant professor of immunology with Idaho WWAMI (go.uidaho.edu/3BXhLvx), the state’s medical school. Fehrenkamp is passionate about understanding the complex interactions between maternal and infant health, which she will discuss today.
Visit our we...
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October 21, 2024 • 29 mins
Question: You probably know some of the stereotypes about people who live in trailer parks. Do you think those stereotypes live up to the reality?
Leontina Hormel (go.uidaho.edu/4eMfylf) is a professor of sociology in the Department of Culture, Society and Justice (go.uidaho.edu/3A1ZhcJ) at University of Idaho. She researches environmental sociology, gender and class inequalities, and community action research. Today she will dis...
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October 14, 2024 • 29 mins
Question: Have you ever counted the rings of a tree?
Meet Grant Harley (go.uidaho.edu/4dKshU0), an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/4dLMUPV) at University of Idaho who has dedicated his lab to answering questions using tree rings. He is joining us to discuss climate change, crime fighting, volcanic eruptions and lost forests.
Visit our website uidaho.edu/vandaltheory. Emai...
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October 7, 2024 • 29 mins
Question: What do you think are some of the reasons why an author would prefer to use a pen name over their real one?
Zachary Turpin (go.uidaho.edu/4gQLFSk) is an associate professor in the Department of English (go.uidaho.edu/3XTA9wL) at University of Idaho who researches 19th-century periodical culture, archival research methods, digital humanities and textual recovery. He has worked to uncover unaccounted-for periodical works ...
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September 30, 2024 • 27 mins
Question: Have you ever tried baking or brewing with yeast?
Meet Paul Rowley (go.uidaho.edu/3zxrdVG), an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/47KBAlq) at University of Idaho. Yeast are the basis of our breads and brews, but Rowley looks deeper into the secret lives of yeasts and how they interact with viruses and other fungi.
Visit our website uidaho.edu/vandaltheory. Email us at van...
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