Continuing Studies: Higher Ed Podcasting

After 300+ interviews with Stanford experts, Russ Altman knows how to turn complex ideas into conversations people actually want to follow.

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Russ, host of The Future of Everything, about the craft behind engaging expert interviews. Russ shares how he keeps highly technical conversations clear and fun, why he sees himself as the “jargon police,” and how curiosit...

How can podcasting become more than a way to share research—and actually become part of the research itself?

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Abigail Harrison Moore from the University of Leeds about Whose Power, a podcast project created with the Preservative Party, a group of young curators at Leeds City Museum. Abigail shares how the project uses podcasting as a participatory research space&mdas...

How can a podcast use academic research to help us make sense of today’s news?

Neil and Jen talk with Gemma Ware, head of audio at The Conversation UK and host/co-producer of The Conversation Weekly, about how the show brings academic expertise into the news cycle through narrative-produced audio. Gemma shares how The Conversation pairs academic rigour with journalistic flair, helping researchers explain complex ideas in a way...

25 years ago, MIT made a bold choice: share our knowledge with the world, free of charge. Eventually, out of this, Chalk Radio was born as one tool of MIT's OpenCourseWare to deliver that knowledge. 

In this episode, Neil and Jen talk with Brett Paci, producer of the Chalk Radio podcast and Assistant Director of Media Production at MIT OpenCourseWare, about how that mission has evolved over 20+ years. From static course materi...

What are the core skills that make a great podcast host? Before podcasting, there was broadcasting, and there’s still a lot to learn from it.
This week, Neil and Jen go back to school, well, Jen's school that is.They head to BCIT’s broadcasting studios to host Jen’s former instructors, Kathryn Stewart and Kevin Ribble, now co-hosts of Ignite My Voice. Kat and Kevin share what podcast hosts can learn from broadc...

What does it take to turn rigorous scientific research into stories millions of people actually want to listen to?

This week,Neil and Jen sit down with Blythe Terrell, executive editor of Science Vs., to learn how one of the world’s most popular science podcasts blends deep research, narrative storytelling, and a bit of humour to reach millions of listeners. Science Vs. certainly doesn't opt for the path of least resistance, B...

How can podcasting bring diverse voices and forms of academic work to a larger audience?

Neil and Jen sit down with Will Brehm, creator of FreshEd, to talk about how a decade of academic podcasting has evolved from a simple interview show into a broader platform for research, storytelling, and new voices. Will shares how FreshEd grew into a multi-show network, why moving beyond English-language content matters, and what he&r...

Can you actually study podcasting at university—and does it lead to a career?

Neil and Jen talk with Chloe Sackur and Max’ed Aadan, recent graduates of the MA in Podcasting program at City St. George’s, University of London, about what it’s really like to learn podcasting in a university setting. They share how the program blends technical training, storytelling, pitching, and industry placements—an...

What happens when a classroom podcast turns into peer-reviewed scholarship, an AI teaching tool, and its own academic platform?

When Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian first launched Innovation Fuel, the goal was simple: bring real entrepreneurial stories into the business classroom. Five years later, that idea has grown into something much bigger.

In this episode, Neil and Jen catch up with Dave and Gelareh to talk about how th...

As universities face pressure to evolve, podcasting is emerging as an unexpected catalyst and channel for change.

Carola Boehm first caught Neil’s attention with her EPOD abstract suggesting the ivory tower might be starting to crack — a bold (and maybe slightly controversial) take that kicked off this conversation about how podcasting is reshaping the way knowledge gets created and shared in higher education. So this we...

A thoughtful look at how podcasting is expanding the ways academic work is created and shared.

Jim Ambuske, historian and producer, is back to share his thoughts on where audio is going in the academic world and what it’s going to take to have it recognized as a scholarly medium. Jim gets into his new work on the In Pursuit project, what he’s seeing in the world of digital archives and oral history, and why he believes a...

Start your 2026 inspired and ready for what’s next in higher ed podcasting—straight from the people building it.

What’s ahead for higher ed podcasting in 2026? This episode rounds up predictions from creators and educators around the world, spotlighting the trends shaping the year ahead. Hear why podcasting may gain more academic credibility, how universities could lean on audio as a PR and outreach channel, and wh...

The evolution of Think Fast, Talk Smart and what it teaches higher ed about communication and connection.

To close out the year, Continuing Studies revisits one of its most popular episodes — the first-ever live recording from the inaugural Higher Ed PodCon in Chicago. In this special conversation, Matt Abrahams, Stanford GSB lecturer and host of the globally acclaimed podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart, shares the remarkable ...

How podcasting fits into modern scholarship and the evolving goals of higher education.

Barry Lam—philosopher, professor, and creator of the acclaimed narrative podcast Hi-Phi Nation— joins the show to explore how audio storytelling can bridge the worlds of scholarly research and public engagement. This wide-ranging conversation traces the evolution of narrative academic podcasts, the craft behind building compelling aud...

How a podcast amplifies Black voices and their journeys of excellence at UIC.

Dr. Aisha El-Amin, Executive Associate Vice Provost of Student Success and Belonging at the University of Illinois Chicago, reflects on the power of storytelling to create belonging, visibility, and momentum for students. She shares how the Black Excellence Podcast began as a 28-day project and grew into an award-winning platform that helps students se...

How a college podcast network builds community across the campus.

Ryan Record, Podcast Network Manager at Howard Community College, shares how Dragon Media Podcasts evolved from a digital radio station into a thriving, community-driven podcast network. He discusses building a diverse slate of shows spanning student life, literature, film, and public health—each designed to connect campus and community voices. Ryan reflects on ...

A strategic new content pillar from Knowledge at Wharton, extending the brand’s reach through podcasting.

Dee Patel, Director of Content in Wharton’s Marketing and Communications department, shares how her team transformed the school’s long-standing Knowledge at Wharton brand into a new podcast network designed to make faculty research more accessible. Drawing on her background in broadcasting, Dee explains how the...

How a campus network bridges broadcast and podcast to engage students.

At BYU Radio, podcasting is reshaping how students and educators share stories of faith, creativity, and connection. Senior producer Heather Bigley offers an inside look at how a traditional university radio network transitioned toward a podcast-first model—empowering students to produce their own shows, experiment with storytelling formats, and reach audie...

A campus podcast that is a stage for student voices, faculty wisdom, and the spirit of community.

Dr. Greg Pillar shares how The Bulldog Mindsetpodcast grew from an idea into a thriving campus podcast that amplifies the voices of students, faculty, and the broader Gardner-Webb community. Through thoughtful preparation, creative questions, and a commitment to authentic conversation, he reflects on lessons learned from the first seaso...