Discovering Life in Unexpected Places

The Science of Fatherhood

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2126441/fan_mail/new] What actually happens to a man when he becomes a father — in his brain, his body and his sense of who he is?  Darby Saxbe [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/darby-saxbe/], professor of psychology at USC Dornsife, draws on the research behind her new book, Dad Brain [https://www.amazon.com/Dad-Brain-Science-Fatherhood-Shapes/dp/1250387523], to share what science reveals about the ways fatherhood changes men and how being a dad can shape workplaces and society.  Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here. [https://dornsife.usc.edu/dornsife-alumni/lifelong-learning/]

Discovering Life in Unexpected Places

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2126441/fan_mail/new] Life is emerging where scientists once thought it impossible — deep beneath Earth’s surface, under crushing pressure, extreme heat, and total darkness. These discoveries are redefining the limits of biology and expanding the search for life beyond Earth, from Mars to the icy moons of distant planets. USC Dornsife Dean James Bullock conducts a conversation with USC researcher Karen Lloyd and alumna Laurie Barge exploring how Earth’s most extreme environments are shaping where — and how —scientists search for life beyond Earth, and what these findings reveal about life’s origins and why it matters for humanity’s future. Featuring: Laurie Barge [https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/could-alien-worlds-hold-life/], PhD ’09, senior research scientist in astrobiology, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (tentative) Karen G. Lloyd [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/karen-lloyd/], professor of earth sciences; Wrigley Chair in Environmental Studies, USC Dornsife; author, Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth [https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691236117/intraterrestrials?srsltid=AfmBOorvW8bdtu62klYyM4UXB7nzg-ku-qudZg9GR5Fy9ZBMrioUyqdg] Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here. [https://dornsife.usc.edu/dornsife-alumni/lifelong-learning/]

From Gold Rush to Gigabytes: California’s 175 Years of Change and Reinvention

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2126441/fan_mail/new] Commemorate California’s 175th anniversary by exploring defining moments that have shaped the Golden State — from its 1850 admission to the Union to today’s tech-fueled transformation. Moderated by historians William Deverell [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/william-deverell/]and Elizabeth Logan [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/elizabeth-logan/] of USC Dornsife’s Institute on California and the West [https://dornsife.usc.edu/icw/], this conversation with guest scholars spotlights the forces that shaped significant eras. Featuring:  * Alice Baumgartner [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/alice-baumgartner/], associate professor of history, USC Dornsife * Dan Lewis [https://www.huntington.org/author/daniel-lewis], Dibner senior curator for the history of science & technology, The Huntington * Nayan Shah [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/nayan-shah/], professor of American studies and ethnicity and history, USC Dornsife  * Jill Sohm [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/jill-sohm/], professor (teaching) of environmental studies, USC Dornsife  * Peter Westwick [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/peter-westwick/], professor of the practice of thematic option and history, USC Dornsife Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here. [https://dornsife.usc.edu/dornsife-alumni/lifelong-learning/]

The Quantum Leap: How Quantum Computing Redefines What's Possible

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2126441/fan_mail/new] Quantum computing is set to transform how we solve some of the world's biggest problems, from accelerating medical breakthroughs to tackling climate challenges. But how does it work, and why is it so powerful? In this Dornsife Dialogues, leaders in the field explained the basics of quantum computing and discussed the incredible potential it holds for shaping our future. Moderated by Moh El-Naggar [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/moh-el-naggar/], Interim Dean, USC Dornsife; Dean's Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Chemistry With: * Rosa Di Felice [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/rosa-di-felice/], professor of physics and astronomy and quantitative and computational biology, USC Dornsife * Daniel Lidar [https://viterbi.usc.edu/directory/faculty/Lidar/Daniel], Viterbi professorship in engineering and professor of electrical engineering systems, USC Viterbi; professor of chemistry, physics and astronomy, USC Dornsife Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here. [https://dornsife.usc.edu/dornsife-alumni/lifelong-learning/]

In Conversation with Danzy Senna

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2126441/fan_mail/new] Danzy Senna [https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/danzy-senna/], USC Dornsife professor of English and celebrated author of the novel Colored Television [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/721501/colored-television-a-gma-book-club-pick-by-danzy-senna/], joins her fellow author (and former student) Jonathan Escoffery for a lively discussion of her literary journey, central themes in her work — including mixed-race identity, artistic ambition and bohemianism — and more. Lauded by The New York Times, The Washington Post and others as one of the best books of 2024 and dubbed “The New Great American Novel” by the Los Angeles Times, Colored Television sets a new standard for contemporary fiction. Senna is also the award-winning author of Caucasia, Symptomatic and New People, works that have cemented her reputation as a bold, witty voice in American literature. She shares her stories firsthand with Escoffery, an award-winning writer whose critically acclaimed debut novel, If I Survive You [https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374605988/ifisurviveyou/], was named “Best Book of 2022” by NPR and a New York Times’ Editors’ Choice. Learn more about the Dornsife Dialogues and sign up for the next live event here. [https://dornsife.usc.edu/dornsife-alumni/lifelong-learning/]