Melisa Diaz, Assistant Professor in Earth Sciences, specializes in geochemistry and the study of the cryosphere. She discusses her broad research interests, including her focus on the Antarctic and Arctic, urban geochemistry, and the environmental impact of redlining. Diaz elaborates on her role as a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, her work on Greenland’s periodic lake drainage, astrobiology, and research on ocean worlds. The conversation also touches upon her outreach initiatives like the “Girls on Rock” program, which aims to inspire young women to pursue science, and her efforts to intersect science, storytelling, and art to make research more inclusive and accessible.

George Rush, Professor of Art at The Ohio State University, delves into his recent work, including international exhibitions Curtain Walls in Mexico City and Dresden Cabinet in Germany. Rush discusses the integration of site characteristics into his works, his use of photography and collage, and his exploration of themes like urban landscapes and architecture. Rush also reflects on the evolution of his practice and creative process, as well as his future projects that include exploring overlooked parts of Columbus, Ohio.

Nicole Kraft, Professor of Journalism Practice at Ohio State University and Director of the Sports and Society Initiative, emphasizes the critical role of journalism in sustaining democracy and ensuring the public receives accurate information. She outlines the challenges now facing journalism, often in differentiating authentic journalism from misinformation. Kraft describes solutions journalism, highlighting its importance in advocating for societal improvements. Kraft will present as part of the Science Sundays series on January 11, 2026.

Danielle Fosler-Lussier, Professor of Musicology, discusses her research in historical and social inquiries about music. She describes the focus of her third book, Music on the Move, which examines how music migrates and adapts through technology as well as sociopolitical and cultural interactions. Music on the Move is a digital open access work with multimedia elements, a mode that has allowed her work to reach wider audiences in more accessible ways. With host David Staley, she delves into her work on music within U.S. cultural diplomacy and directorship of the Imagine Futures Initiative through the Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme.

Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, Professor of Developmental Psychology, discusses her research on family dynamics, particularly focusing on father-child relationships, co-parenting, and the transition into parenthood. She talks about the New Parents Project, which has followed nearly 200 couples from pregnancy through their child’s early years, examining the impact of factors like maternal gatekeeping and parental leave on father involvement and parenting quality. Schoppe-Sullivan also touches on her research methods, including the use of video observations and time diaries, and how these methods provide novel insights into family interactions.

Harvey Miller, professor of geography and Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Analysis, discusses his project “Ghost Neighborhoods of Columbus,” which uses AI, machine learning, and GIS to extract data from historic Sanborn fire insurance maps and construct 3D virtual models of neighborhoods that have been altered or destroyed by urban renewal, highway construction, and redlining.

The project is a collaboration with Ohio History Connection and incorporates oral histories, archival photos, and VR experiences to preserve cultural memory.

Harriet Fertik, Associate Professor in the Department of Classics, discusses her research in classical reception, as well as her focus on literature and political thought in the early Roman empire. She speaks on her most recent project, Traditions Lost and Found: W. E. B. Du Bois, Hannah Arendt, and Classical Antiquity, which explores the intersections of these two thinkers and their uses of classical antiquity in their respective works. Fertik also talks about her involvement with the group Eos, a society dedicated to Africana receptions of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the Ohio State Humanities Institute working group “Metaphors of Reception, Reception as Metaphor”.

 EJ Westlake, Professor and Chair of Theatre, Film and Media Arts, shares insights into her vast and varied work with plays, which includes her experiences directing, writing, and conducting research. She discusses her award-winning play about Amelia Earhart’s life, exploits, and ultimate tragedy. She also speaks on her many research and academic interests, including historical pageants, Nicaraguan and Guatemalan theater, and the larger scale of global theater, which she writes about in the textbook World Theatre: The Basics, soon to be released in its second edition.