The Vandal Theory

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

Episode 10.1: The hidden costs of keeping Idaho’s water flowing

September 26, 2025 • 27 mins
Do you know where your water comes from? Meet Liz Bageant (go.uidaho.edu/46eWQ3X), economist with James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research (go.uidaho.edu/4pvdeEZ). Liz is going to discuss how Idaho’s growing population, its aging infrastructure and regulations affect the future of drinking and waste water (go.uidaho.edu/4mlmnNt) in the Gem state and the jobs that this industry supports. Visit our website ui...
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Coming soon: Season 10 of “The Vandal Theory”

September 22, 2025 • 59 secs
A new season of "The Vandal Theory" kicks off Monday, Sept. 29, with a lineup as curious and wide-ranging as ever. From teaching medical students through Pokémon, to exploring the future of Idaho’s water systems, to rethinking what it means to dress sustainably, season 10 is packed with discoveries. You’ll also hear unexpected twists in world mythology — plus a Halloween episode that brings monsters to life. Email us at vandalth...
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SS 1.4 Stopping wildfires before they spark

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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SS 1.3 Training Idaho’s next wave of tech talent

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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SS 1.2 Transforming Idaho agriculture from the ground up

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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SS 1.1: Shaping a water-resilient future for Idaho

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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Episode 9.8: An open mind in raising kids — and democracies

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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Episode 9.7: Understanding African ecosystems through antelopes and elephants

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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Episode 9.6: Politics and polarization

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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Episode 9.5: Incorporating artificial intelligence into universities

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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Episode 9.4: Solutions to life’s mechanical problems

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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Episode 9.3: Beef, it’s what’s for dinner and for science

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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Episode 9.2: Surviving toxic meals and treacherous ticks

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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Episode 9.1: From suffragettes to dragon riders

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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Episode 8.8: Taming the huckleberry

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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Episode 8.7: Balancing energy and water needs

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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Episode 8.6: If clothes could speak

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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Episode 8.5: Beyond breastmilk

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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Episode 8.4: Trailer park transitions

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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Episode 8.3: Solving mysteries with tree rings

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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