Show Notes
In today's episode, a physician and a former college dean grapple with "grind culture."
You'll hear from Lydia Dugdale, a professor of medicine at Columbia, and James Valentini, a chemistry professor and a former dean of Columbia College. In this conversation, moderated by Seth Freeman, they discuss the difference between meaningful work and meaningless striving, what it looks like to live with the end in mind, and the relationship between career and calling in a world defined by achievement culture.
This forum was held at Columbia in April 2026. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible. A link to the full forum is in the podcast description. Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.
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In today's episode, a Christian professor and an atheist professor grapple with a timeless question: if God is good and all-powerful, why is there so much suffering? You'll hear from Sean McDowell, Professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, and Paul Rinzler, Professor Emeritus at Cal Poly. In this conversation, moderated by Brooklyn Perry, they explore whether a divine plan can account for apparently random suffering, reckon with the implications of moral evil, and share their perspectives on finding hope amid suffering. This forum was held at Cal Poly in April 2026. Thank you to the student planning team who made this event possible. You can find a link to the full forum in the podcast description. Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.
In today's episode, our speakers explore this question: How can I live a satisfied life?
In today's episode, two MIT professors reflect on this question: In an academic culture obsessed with making a name for yourself, what does it look like to care about something bigger than your own success? You'll hear from Desirée Plata, an environmental engineering professor at MIT, and Cullen Buie, a mechanical engineering professor at MIT. In this conversation moderated by Mia Chung, they discuss where ambition crosses into ego, how they order their priorities between faith, family, and work, and what sustains them through personal loss and professional pressures. This forum was held at MIT in March, 2026. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible. Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.