Ideas Matter | WashU

How can India’s caste system inform our efforts to address racism and injustice globally? In this episode of Ideas Matter WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Suraj Yengde explore the historical foundations of caste and the ways in which it mirrors the social dynamics of our world today. 

Journalism’s role in our daily lives has shifted dramatically in recent decades, so how can it best engage the public in this moment?   For this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health and vice provost for interdisciplinary studies, and Lisa Gibbs, president and CEO of the Pulitzer Center, discuss what it takes for a news outlet to maintain public trust and adapt to new reporting methods.

As AI ushers in a fourth industrial revolution and universities face the onset of the demographic cliff, what does the future of higher education look like? In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and Stanford University’s Mitchell Stevens discuss how higher education reached this crossroads and what kinds of institutional changes need to take place in order to create a more equitable society. 

In a post-pandemic era and with AI on the rise, restoring the public’s trust in science is critical—but what will it take to do so? In this episode of Ideas Matter, Sandro Galea, dean of WashU’s Bursky School of Public Health, joins Stanford Medicine’s John Ioannidis to discuss his famous paper, “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False,” and to explore how science can do better. 

As a country, are we too far gone to heal our political divides, or is it still possible to change course?  Professor Lilliana Mason of Johns Hopkins University joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss why politics have become so personal and what polarization means for the future. 

How is e-commerce shaping our global economy? And what role will it play in the future of U.S.-China relations?  Professor Lizhi (Liz) Liu, of Georgetown University, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss the booming political economy surrounding e-commerce in China.  

Did the scientific community’s response to the pandemic fall short of the reasoned pursuit of truth?  Alex Broadbent of Durham University and Pieter Streicher of the University of Johannesburg—authors of a new book on science during the COVID moment—join WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss what is still to be learned from the pandemic.

What does AI mean for the future of human creativity? Janet Rafner of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, an expert in hybrid intelligence and human–AI co-creativity, joins Sandro Galea to discuss AI’s role in the creative space.

What role do tariffs play in today’s global economy and how could tariffs shape the future of international trade? The University of Chicago’s Robert Gulotty, an expert in international relations and political economy, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss how systems of trade could contribute to global cooperation in the 21st century. 

In the hotly contested debate surrounding U.S. immigration policy, what does it take to find common ground? Alexander Kustov, an expert in public opinion and democratic governance and a professor of global affairs at the University of Notre Dame, joins host Sandro Galea to discuss the factors driving this debate.

In a time when public debate often generates more heat than light, Ideas Matter is designed to inform a better conversation about what matters most. This biweekly podcast, hosted by Sandro Galea, explores topics ranging from immigration, global trade, and public health to AI, creativity, and the future of democracy. We hope you will join the conversation.