Ideas Matter | WashU Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/ideas-matter Hosted by WashU’s Sandro Galea, the Ideas Matter podcast is a space for thoughtful, informed conversations about the forces shaping our lives and institutions. In a time when public debate often generates more heat than light, Ideas Matter provides expert perspectives that deepen understanding and inform a better conversation about what matters most in the moment. We hope you find the dialogue responsive to topics of the day and yet evergreen in its focus on the issues that shape our world. From immigration, global trade, and public health to AI, creativity, and the future of democracy, we hope you will join the conversation. About the host: Sandro Galea is a physician, epidemiologist, and author, and serves as dean of the School of Public Health and vice provost for interdisciplinary initiatives at WashU. He was named one of Time magazine’s epidemiology innovators and has been listed as one of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.” © Washington University in St. Louis 416de701-12a1-59e9-8845-6b0b64d28fe4 yes b41574d0-3a91-11f1-83c6-2f82c7f97def Trailer: Introducing Ideas Matter: A WashU Podcast en Thu, 14 May 2026 15:19:34 -0500 Thu, 14 May 2026 15:20:22 -0500 https://source.washu.edu/podcasts/ideas-matter https://img.transistorcdn.com/A8YTVLHqzjSaqm88Cu-FFrar2zBdDLEY1yyRiR9pK1g/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85NzQ3/M2NkNzJhYzIyNjZm/ZTdhZWUwYWI4ZjA0/ZjY3ZS5qcGc.jpg Ideas Matter | WashU https://source.washu.edu/podcasts/ideas-matter episodic Sandro Galea Hosted by WashU’s Sandro Galea, the Ideas Matter podcast is a space for thoughtful, informed conversations about the forces shaping our lives and institutions. In a time when public debate often generates more heat than light, Ideas Matter provides expert perspectives that deepen understanding and inform a better conversation about what matters most in the moment. We hope you find the dialogue responsive to topics of the day and yet evergreen in its focus on the issues that shape our world. From immigration, global trade, and public health to AI, creativity, and the future of democracy, we hope you will join the conversation. About the host: Sandro Galea is a physician, epidemiologist, and author, and serves as dean of the School of Public Health and vice provost for interdisciplinary initiatives at WashU. He was named one of Time magazine’s epidemiology innovators and has been listed as one of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.” Hosted by WashU’s Sandro Galea, the Ideas Matter podcast is a space for thoughtful, informed conversations about the forces shaping our lives and institutions. public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis WashU washupodcasts@email.wustl.edu No No E6: Political Polarization and the Future of Democracy 6 6 E6: Political Polarization and the Future of Democracy full fb586097-05df-4c95-9f37-19d536286163 https://share.transistor.fm/s/af827f51 As a country, are we too far gone to heal our political divides, or is it still possible to change course? 
 
Professor Lilliana Mason of Johns Hopkins University joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss why politics have become so personal and what polarization means for the future. 

]]> As a country, are we too far gone to heal our political divides, or is it still possible to change course? 
 
Professor Lilliana Mason of Johns Hopkins University joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss why politics have become so personal and what polarization means for the future. 

]]> Tue, 12 May 2026 09:11:20 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 2056 As a country, are we too far gone to heal our political divides, or is it still possible to change course? 
 
Professor Lilliana Mason of Johns Hopkins University joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss why politics have become so personal and what polarization means for the future. 

]]> public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis No E5: Cross-Border Commerce 5 5 E5: Cross-Border Commerce full 76ca3882-4e85-42ff-a689-e08806c0e26d https://share.transistor.fm/s/6790846c How is e-commerce shaping our global economy? And what role will it play in the future of U.S.-China relations? 
 
Professor Lizhi (Liz) Liu, of Georgetown University, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss the booming political economy surrounding e-commerce in China. 

 

]]> How is e-commerce shaping our global economy? And what role will it play in the future of U.S.-China relations? 
 
Professor Lizhi (Liz) Liu, of Georgetown University, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss the booming political economy surrounding e-commerce in China. 

 

]]> Tue, 05 May 2026 13:13:06 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 1965 How is e-commerce shaping our global economy? And what role will it play in the future of U.S.-China relations? 
 
Professor Lizhi (Liz) Liu, of Georgetown University, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss the booming political economy surrounding e-commerce in China. 

 

]]> Amazon, e-commerce, China, globalization, supply chain, economy, online, TEMU, geopolitics, international affairs No E4: Power, Knowledge, and COVID-19 4 4 E4: Power, Knowledge, and COVID-19 full f92c5820-8a9c-4126-b109-1e31787edbd2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a451c201 Did the scientific community’s response to the pandemic fall short of the reasoned pursuit of truth? 

 

Alex Broadbent of Durham University and Pieter Streicher of the University of Johannesburg—authors of a new book on science during the COVID moment—join WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss what is still to be learned from the pandemic.

]]> Did the scientific community’s response to the pandemic fall short of the reasoned pursuit of truth? 

 

Alex Broadbent of Durham University and Pieter Streicher of the University of Johannesburg—authors of a new book on science during the COVID moment—join WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss what is still to be learned from the pandemic.

]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:40:24 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 1732 Did the scientific community’s response to the pandemic fall short of the reasoned pursuit of truth? 

 

Alex Broadbent of Durham University and Pieter Streicher of the University of Johannesburg—authors of a new book on science during the COVID moment—join WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss what is still to be learned from the pandemic.

]]> public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis No E3: AI and Creativity 3 3 E3: AI and Creativity full b84eb950-f061-42f4-955c-0f133bfd6e9d https://share.transistor.fm/s/b76461d4 What does AI mean for the future of human creativity? Janet Rafner of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, an expert in hybrid intelligence and human–AI co-creativity, joins Sandro Galea to discuss AI’s role in the creative space.

]]> What does AI mean for the future of human creativity? Janet Rafner of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, an expert in hybrid intelligence and human–AI co-creativity, joins Sandro Galea to discuss AI’s role in the creative space.

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:39:09 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 1230 What does AI mean for the future of human creativity? Janet Rafner of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, an expert in hybrid intelligence and human–AI co-creativity, joins Sandro Galea to discuss AI’s role in the creative space.

]]> public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis No E2: Trade, Tariffs, and Globalization 2 2 E2: Trade, Tariffs, and Globalization full 94a10598-b15d-4b08-a2ae-7c060552b570 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fe921262 What role do tariffs play in today’s global economy and how could tariffs shape the future of international trade? The University of Chicago’s Robert Gulotty, an expert in international relations and political economy, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss how systems of trade could contribute to global cooperation in the 21st century. 

]]> What role do tariffs play in today’s global economy and how could tariffs shape the future of international trade? The University of Chicago’s Robert Gulotty, an expert in international relations and political economy, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss how systems of trade could contribute to global cooperation in the 21st century. 

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:38:42 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 1772 What role do tariffs play in today’s global economy and how could tariffs shape the future of international trade? The University of Chicago’s Robert Gulotty, an expert in international relations and political economy, joins WashU’s Sandro Galea to discuss how systems of trade could contribute to global cooperation in the 21st century. 

]]> public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis No E1: Immigration in a Changing World 1 1 E1: Immigration in a Changing World full 163f3ba7-084a-4022-b819-4295d133abfc https://share.transistor.fm/s/297d8cd2 In the hotly contested debate surrounding U.S. immigration policy, what does it take to find common ground? Alexander Kustov, an expert in public opinion and democratic governance and a professor of global affairs at the University of Notre Dame, joins host Sandro Galea to discuss the factors driving this debate.

]]> In the hotly contested debate surrounding U.S. immigration policy, what does it take to find common ground? Alexander Kustov, an expert in public opinion and democratic governance and a professor of global affairs at the University of Notre Dame, joins host Sandro Galea to discuss the factors driving this debate.

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:37:59 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 1923 In the hotly contested debate surrounding U.S. immigration policy, what does it take to find common ground? Alexander Kustov, an expert in public opinion and democratic governance and a professor of global affairs at the University of Notre Dame, joins host Sandro Galea to discuss the factors driving this debate.

]]> public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis No Trailer: Introducing Ideas Matter: A WashU Podcast 1 1 Trailer: Introducing Ideas Matter: A WashU Podcast trailer d037b28b-5eb9-410b-850e-cfe63d731d35 https://share.transistor.fm/s/df609821 In a time when public debate often generates more heat than light, Ideas Matter is designed to inform a better conversation about what matters most. This biweekly podcast, hosted by Sandro Galea, explores topics ranging from immigration, global trade, and public health to AI, creativity, and the future of democracy. We hope you will join the conversation. 

]]> In a time when public debate often generates more heat than light, Ideas Matter is designed to inform a better conversation about what matters most. This biweekly podcast, hosted by Sandro Galea, explores topics ranging from immigration, global trade, and public health to AI, creativity, and the future of democracy. We hope you will join the conversation. 

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:45:30 -0500 Sandro Galea Sandro Galea 162 In a time when public debate often generates more heat than light, Ideas Matter is designed to inform a better conversation about what matters most. This biweekly podcast, hosted by Sandro Galea, explores topics ranging from immigration, global trade, and public health to AI, creativity, and the future of democracy. We hope you will join the conversation. 

]]> public health, healthcare, politics, global, society, medicine, perspective, WashU, university, scholarship, college, Washington University, St. Louis No