What technologies will reshape business, education, andeveryday life in 2026? In this episode of UWO Now, host Wendell Ray welcomes futurist and UWO alumnus Daniel Burrus for an exclusive update on the Hard Trends shaping the coming year. Burrus revisits his predictions for 2025 and reveals what came true, what accelerated faster than expected, and what new forces will transform organizations in 2026.

0:00 - Cold Open
0:38 - Significance of Hard and soft trends
01:56 - Hard and soft trend examples
04:15 - 2025 trends predictions
07:45 - What are disruptors?
11:27 - Evolution of AI
12:50 - Agentic AI defined 14:47 - AI agents
15:31 - Don’t fear AI 18:00 - How to keep up with technology

20:10 - AI apps to know for 2026

23:44 - What organizations need to know

UWO Now, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, tech trends, 2026 predictions, AI, future of work, futurist Daniel Burrus.

2026 tech trends, Daniel Burrus interview, HardTrends vs Soft Trends, future of artificial intelligence, agentic AI explained,AI agents, business disruption, anticipatory leadership, future of work 2026,AI tools for organizations, technology strategy, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh podcast, UWO Now

In this UWO Now episode, host Wendell Ray talks with JordanKarsten, PhD, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, about applying his knowledge to help solve cold cases. They explore the techniques used to analyze human remains, the role of DNA evidence, and collaborations with law enforcement. Karsten explains how students at UWO get hands-on experience identifying remains that solve cold cases.

• Anthropology and archaeology

• Reconstructing lives from bones and fragments

• Criminal justice anthropology and fieldwork

• Solving cold cases with local law enforcement

#ColdCases #Forensics #Anthropology #UWO #UWONow #DNA #Investigation #Podcast

(00:00) Intro
(04:30) My first excavation was in Ukraine

(06:30) How we reconstruct lives from what we find

(13:10) How I identify bones as male or female

(15:12) I help law enforcement identify remains

(17:54) What Can be determined from a bone

(22:36) I take students with me on searches

In this UWO Now episode, host Wendell Ray talks with David Fuller, PhD, professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and discusses the causes and consequences of inflation. They explore how supply chains, consumer demand, and central bank policies interact to shape prices for everything from groceries to gas. Dr. Fuller explains what inflation really means for families and businesses.

• What inflation is and how it’s measured

• Federal Reserve policy and interest rates

• Supply-chain disruptions and consumer behavior

• Impact on wages, jobs, and personal budgets

• Strategies for navigating economic uncertainty

#Inflation #Economics #Finance #UWO #UWONow #Economy #Podcast #Money #Policy

(00:00) Intro
(02:40) Defining Inflation
(03:26) Causes of inflation

(11:12) What is a leading indicator?

(22:52) Will prices ever fall?

(26:08) Elected officials have no impact on inflation

In this UWO Now episode, host Wendell Ray speaks withUniversity of Wisconsin Oshkosh Police Captain Chris Tarmann about how proactive safety training and preparedness can save lives during an active-shooter or violent-threat situation on campus.

Ray also speaks with Professor Joseph Peterson, PhD whosurvived a gunshot wound during a mass shooting in his Northern Illinois University classroom.

Peterson describes the day the shooter entered his classroom and the aftermath.

Listeners learn practical steps that can be applied on anyuniversity campus to promote readiness and resilience.

• Active-shooter preparedness and response

• Campus safety leadership and communication

• Crisis management and situational awareness

• Coming face-to-face with a gunman

• Student and faculty emergency planning

#CampusSafety #ActiveShooterTraining #UWO #UWONow#UniversityLeadership #EmergencyPreparedness #CampusMassShooting # MassShootingSurvivor #Podcast

00:00 Intro

03:21 I train police departments for active threats

03:55 Preparing campuses for an active shooter

04:24 Either Run, Hide or Fight

05:33 How to prepare students

08:05 Peterson describes the shooting

09:17 I was shocked

10:08 I was shot but kept running

12:13 Dealing with the aftermath

14:40 There was survivor’s remorse

20:30 I share my experience to help others

24:36 I sought counseling

In this UWO Now episode, host Wendell Ray talks with Steven Schilhabel, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Assistant Professor, Information Systems, about the fundamentals of cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and the evolving digital economy. They explore how digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are reshaping global finance, what risks and opportunities they present, and what you need to know about investing, regulation, and innovation.

• Cryptocurrency basics and blockchain technology

• Digital currency investment and volatility

• Economic impact of decentralized finance (DeFi)

• Government regulation and policy considerations

• Financial literacy in a digital world

#Cryptocurrency #Blockchain #Finance #UWO #UWONow #DeFi #DigitalCurrency #Podcast

(00:00) Introduction – Host Wendell Ray introduces Steven Schilhabel
(03:05) What Is Cryptocurrency? – Understanding the basics of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and blockchains
(08:30) The Opportunity and the Risk – How volatility shapes the digital investment landscape.
(14:10) Regulation and Policy – The challenges of governing decentralized currencies.
(19:45) Looking Forward – How digital currencies could change the way we think about money.

Saravanan “Sud” Shanmugabaskaran is the co-founder of Tuna Traffic, a company specializing in Customer Relations Management (CRM) serving businesses across the world. Tuna Traffic helps companies seeking new customers and serve existing customers in a more efficient way. He is one of UWO’s Outstanding Young Alumni.