Town+Gown NYC Program

AI & Creativity

In this episode, Prof. Jie Ren is joined by creativity expert Dr. Kai Wang to explore the intersection of AI and creativity. They discuss what creativity truly means beyond the arts, why it matters in everyday problem-solving and innovation, how AI can augment creative work while keeping humans in the loop, and what advice students can follow to cultivate creativity in the age of AI. Host and Executive Producer: Jie Ren Producer: Olakunle Davies Additional Production: Hector Madera Jr., Victoria Ilano, Jeffrey Haynes Cover Art: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Artwork: "Emotion and Logic" by Jie Ren Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Music: ”The Epic Hero” by Keys of Moon

NYC Citywide Public Data and Town & Gown Data Analytics

In this episode, Prof. Jie Ren speaks with Will Hisao from NYC Mayor’s Office of Operations, about the vision behind citywide public data dashboards, the challenges of managing large-scale, multi-agency datasets, and how public data can drive transparency, insight, and cross-sector collaboration. She is also joined by MSBA students, Faris Al-Dhahi, Amogha Manchinahalli Srikanta, and Kamrul Islam, who share their hands-on experiences working with real NYC datasets - reflecting on site visits, analytical methods, technical skills, and how applied public-sector projects deepened their understanding of city operations and data- driven decision-making. Host and Executive Producer: Jie Ren   Producer: Olakunle Davies   Additional Production: Hector Madera Jr., Victoria Ilano, Jeffrey Haynes   Cover Art: Paola Curcio-Kleinman   Artwork: "Emotion and Logic" by Jie Ren   Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman   Music: ”The Epic Hero” by Keys of Moon

Town+Gown NYC Program

In this episode, Prof. Jie Ren speaks with Terri Matthews, Director of Town+Gown: NYC @ NYC DDC, a citywide research program in the built environment, about how Town+Gown connects student-led experiential learning programs at academic institutions, like Fordham University, with NYC agencies with real research needs.  These projects help tackle real-world public-sector challenges through evidence-based research. Together, Prof. Ren and Terri Matthews discussed how insights from student-led research projects may play into practice and policy changes over time, the technical and soft skills needed by students for impactful civic analytics, and how AI adoption is reshaping expectations for the next generation of students and public-sector analysts. Host and Executive Producer: Jie Ren Producer: Olakunle Davies Additional Production: Victoria Ilano, Jeffrey Haynes Cover Art: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Artwork: "Emotion and Logic" by Jie Ren Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Music: ”The Epic Hero” by Keys of Moon

Women & Tech Series: A Woman's Journey in Tech

In this episode of “When Tech Meets Ed,” Prof. Jie Ren sits down with Yilu Zhou, PhD, to explore Zhou’s personal journey as a woman in tech. They discuss overcoming stereotypes, navigating imposter syndrome, and breaking the glass ceiling. The conversation also examines how AI is reshaping the workforce and what family support is needed to reduce the gender gap. Host and Executive Producer: Jie Ren Producer: Olakunle Davies Additional Production: Victoria Ilano, Jeffrey Haynes Cover Art: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Artwork: "Emotion and Logic" by Jie Ren Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Music: ”The Epic Hero” by Keys of Moon

Women & Tech Series: The Networking Dynamics of Women in Tech

As part of the “Women & Tech” series, this episode features a conversation with Sofia Bapna, PhD, associate professor and Lawrence Fellow, Carlson School of Management, on the networking dynamics shaping women’s careers in the tech industry. She and Prof. Jie Ren discuss the persistent gender gap in the tech industry and the types of organizational support that can help reduce it, drawing upon Bapna’s research on networking and interventions designed to create more equitable professional outcomes. Host and Executive Producer: Jie Ren Producer: Olakunle Davies Additional Production: Victoria Ilano, Jeffrey Haynes Cover Art: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Artwork: "Emotion and Logic" by Jie Ren Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Music: ”The Epic Hero” by Keys of Moon