Episodes

  • Wastewater Monitoring and Viral Alerts with Dr. Michelle Crum & Dr. Blake Hanson

    Wastewater Monitoring and Viral Alerts with Dr. Michelle Crum & Dr. Blake Hanson
    Apr 15 2026
    Imagine a ladle on a stick. Now imagine you're dipping in untreated waste water. How many viruses would you pull up - and what could those pathogens say about local health? This week, we chat about wastewater monitoring, viral DNA and public health with Dr. Michelle Crum, the interim chair of the department of preventative medicine and population health at the University of Texas at Tyler, and Dr. Blake Hanson, assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Innovating MCI Hospital Training with Donald Berger & Joel Hendryx

    Innovating MCI Hospital Training with Donald Berger & Joel Hendryx
    Apr 8 2026
    How do you plan for mass casualty incidents, especially in healthcare? Tabletop exercises and planning are a good start - especially when they prompt unexpected or innovative questions. This week, we chat with Donald Berger, Administrative Director of Safety Operations at University Medical Center and El Paso Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Joel Hendryx, the recently retired chief medical officer at University Medical Center of El Paso, about the importance of adapting and developing MCI training.
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    48 mins
  • The Importance of Trust Networks with Dr. JD and Mike Maloney

    The Importance of Trust Networks with Dr. JD and Mike Maloney
    Apr 1 2026
    Who do you trust? Who would you call right now if your industry took a sudden left turn? If a name isn't springing to mind, then you might want to work on building your trust network. This week, we chat with Dr. Jason Davis and Mike Maloney about the importance of trust, how to build likeability and memorability, and the importance of strong and weak ties.
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    49 mins
  • Retained Losses & Conflicting Terminology with Safety Bob

    Retained Losses & Conflicting Terminology with Safety Bob
    Mar 25 2026
    Everyone notices when something expensive breaks. Smaller issues, like water leaks and electrical issues, can fly under the radar - but those charges really add up. They can also fall under different terms or onto different expense reports, making them harder to track and prevent. This week, we chat with Dr. Robert Emery, the vice president for safety, health, environment & risk management for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and professor of occupational health at the University of Texas School of Public Health, about keeping a safety eye on small expenses and the wordswe use to emphasize and categorize them.
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    43 mins
  • Trust & Crisis Communication in Agriculture with Blair Fannin

    Trust & Crisis Communication in Agriculture with Blair Fannin
    Mar 18 2026
    Effective communication is all about cutting through the noise and providing accurate information - especially during a crisis. This week, we chat about agricultural crises, trust networks and a bit of farm economics with Blair Fannin, the media relations manager and disaster assessment and recovery public information officer for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
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    56 mins
  • Internet Infrastructure & Disconnecting Dissent

    Internet Infrastructure & Disconnecting Dissent
    Mar 4 2026
    A few months ago, when the Iranian government faced major nationwide protests, they turned off the internet for most of the population. Could that happen in the United States? This week, we chat with Dr. Karpoor Shashidhar and Dr. Cihan Varol of the computer science department at Sam Houston State about internet infrastructure at home and abroad. We also talk with Scott McHugh, program executive for the private sector at the Institute for Homeland Security, about the geopolitics of internet disconnection and access.
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    47 mins
  • Resilient Planning & The El Paso Airport Shutdown

    Resilient Planning & The El Paso Airport Shutdown
    Feb 16 2026
    Let's imagine your company relies on a major transportation hub or port of entry. You get a call in the middle of the night - that hub is shut down for ten days. Do you know who to call? Do you have a plan?

    Those aren't hypothetical questions for anyone in El Paso, where the airport was suddenly closed last week. It reopened after a few hours but it's a good example of the need for diversification and trust in your supply chain and professional relationships. We're joined by Dr. Pam Zelbst, a professor of supply chain management, and Dr. Ryan Randa, the research director for the Institute for Homeland Security and an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology. Also, here are some links to news articles about the closure from The El Paso Times, Wall Street Journal and NBC News.
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    51 mins
  • AM Radio & Communication Resiliency with Oscar Rodriguez

    AM Radio & Communication Resiliency with Oscar Rodriguez
    Feb 4 2026
    In a crisis, reliable and direct communication strategies are key - and sometimes old technology is the most robust. This week, we chat with Texas Association of Broadcasters President Oscar Rodriguez about AM radio's resiliency during disasters, and why Congress is interested in preserving car radios.
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    31 mins