Learning Tracks

Listen in on the Northwestern Alumni Association's virtual classroom, and learn from notable professors and experts about a wide arrange of subjects and timely topics.

audio by album learning tracks

The Future of News in the Digital Age

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56:29 minutes (22.63 MB)

For the first time since the birth of television, the media landscape is being fundamentally reshaped. New technologies are changing how people get information, how journalism is produced, and, most significantly, how money is made in the media industry. Medill professor Rich Gordon explores some of the trends shaping the future of media and their implications for journalism and civic engagement.

Getting Behind the Rhetoric on Social Security

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Fay Lomax Cook, professor of human development and social policy at the School of Education and Social Policy and director of the Institute for Policy Research, explores some of the myths surrounding an issue that affects Americans of all ages.

24:18 minutes (11.13 MB)

Is it true that Social Security will go bankrupt in 2041? Are young adults more likely to believe in UFOs than to think they will get Social Security when they retire?

The Future of U.S. Diplomacy: Part 1

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Recorded in November 2007 at the National Press Club at the NAA's A Night with Northwestern in D.C., this compelling three-part podcast explores the major issues affecting U.S. foreign policy and the future of U.S. diplomacy.


34:58 minutes (16.01 MB)

Listen to Part 2. Listen to Part 3.

The Future of U.S. Diplomacy: Part 2

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Recorded in November 2007 at the National Press Club at the NAA's A Night with Northwestern in D.C., this compelling three-part podcast explores the major issues affecting U.S. foreign policy and the future of U.S. diplomacy.

39:26 minutes (18.06 MB)

Listen to Part 1. Listen to Part 3

The Future of U.S. Diplomacy: Part 3

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Recorded in November 2007 at the National Press Club at the NAA's A Night with Northwestern in D.C., this compelling three-part podcast explores the major issues affecting U.S. foreign policy and the future of U.S. diplomacy.

35:11 minutes (16.11 MB)

Listen to Part 1. Listen to Part 2

How The West Wing Was Won: Part 1

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This three-part podcast features alumni journalists from The NewsHour, ABC News, and USA Today discussing the 2008 presidential campaign.

36:08 minutes (16.58 MB)

Listen to Part 2. Listen to Part 3.

How The West Wing Was Won: Part 2

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This three-part podcast features alumni journalists from The NewsHour, ABC News, and USA Today discussing the 2008 presidential campaign.

36:11 minutes (16.57 MB)

Listen to Part 1. Listen to Part 3.

How The West Wing Was Won: Part 3

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This three-part podcast features alumni journalists from The NewsHour, ABC News, and USA Today discussing the 2008 presidential campaign.

37:08 minutes (17.01 MB)

Listen to Part 1. Listen to Part 2.

Can Renewable Energy Solve Our Problems?

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Bob Vanderhye (McC68), specialist in environment- and energy-related technology, explores the benefits of renewable energy.

10:34 minutes (4.84 MB)

Renewable energy isn’t just for the future. Many technologies are currently available that can greatly improve national health, enhance national security, and create all levels of domestic jobs. In part 1 of this edition of Learning Tracks, Bob Vanderhye (McC68), a specialist in environment- and energy-related technology, explores the many benefits of renewable energy.

Can Renewable Energy Solve Our Problems? Part 2

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Bob Vanderhye (McC68), specialist in environment- and energy-related technology, explores the benefits of renewable energy.

14:58 minutes (6.86 MB)

Renewable energy isn’t just for the future. Many technologies are currently available that can greatly improve national health, enhance national security, and create all levels of domestic jobs. In part 2 of this edition of Learning Tracks, Bob Vanderhye (McC68), a specialist in environment- and energy-related technology, explores the many benefits of renewable energy.

Can Renewable Energy Solve Our Problems? Part 3

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Bob Vanderhye (McC68), specialist in environment- and energy-related technology, explores the benefits of renewable energy.

11:57 minutes (5.48 MB)

Renewable energy isn’t just for the future. Many technologies are currently available that can greatly improve national health, enhance national security, and create all levels of domestic jobs. In the third and final part of this edition of Learning Tracks, Bob Vanderhye (McC68), a specialist in environment- and energy-related technology, explores the many benefits of renewable energy.

Learning Tracks - President Obama Faces the World

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The 2009 A Day with Northwestern in Evanston ended with a full-house for Stephen Kinzer's talk on the challenges facing the new administration on the world stage.

63:44 minutes (25.53 MB)

"President Obama Faces the World" covered the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as hot spots Iran and Pakistan. Stephen Kinzer brings considerable expertise to the subject. He is an award-winning correspondent who spent more than 20 years working for the New York Times. Stephen has also written books on Turkey, Iran, and most recently A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It.

Learning Tracks - In Defense of Originalism: Interpreting the Constitution's Original Meaning

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Professor Steven G. Calabresi interprets the Constitution's original meaning in his 2009 A Day with Northwestern Keynote "In Defense of Originalism."


40:02 minutes (16.04 MB)

George C. Dix Proessor of Law Steven G. Calabresi presented the lunchtime keynote address "In Defense of Originalism: Interpreting the Constitution's Original Meaning" at the 2009 A Day with Northwestern in Evanston. Dr. Calabresi is a noted legal scholar and co-founded The Federalist Society where he serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Learning Tracks - Mike in the Morning

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ESPN Radio morning show co-host Mike Greenberg (J89) reflects on his career decision to “invest everything in something that means absolutely nothing” from his standing room only session at 2009's A Day with Northwestern.


32:01 minutes (12.83 MB)

For ESPN Radio Mike and Mike in the Morning co-host Mike Greenberg (J89) talking to the biggest names in sports is all in a day's work. He has been a guest on Late Night with David Letterman and Good Morning America and is author of The New York Times bestseller Why My Wife Things I'm an Idiot. Greenberg, however, manages a high-profile career with a healthy dose of perspective for what professional sports really means in the context of life as a husband and father.

Learning Tracks - Israel and the Palestinians

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In this episode of Learning Tracks, Dr. Elie Rekhess, one of Israel's leading experts on the Arab minority in Israel, talks about "Israel and the Palestinians" from 2009's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.


58:10 minutes (23.3 MB)

Visiting Crown Professor of Middle East studies, Dr. Elie Rekhess is one of Israel's leading experts on the Arab minority in Israel, Jewish-Arab relations, Palestinian politics, and the Islamic resurgence in the West Bank and Gaza. He is a faculty member in Tel Aviv University's Department of Middle Eastern History. For 2009's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Dr.

Learning Tracks - Amorous Italians and Drunken Englishmen

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In this episode of Learning Tracks, Dr. Susan Phillips talks about "Amorous Italians and Drunken Englishmen," as described in the pages of 16th and 17th century dictionaries, phrasebooks, and guides -- recorded at 2009's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.


40:34 minutes (16.25 MB)

Associate Chair and Associate Professor of English Dr. Susan Phillips describes herself as a medievalist with Early Modern leanings. Her current project traces the cultural history of the dictionaries, phrasebooks, and guides to conversations that flooded the early modern marketplace. Dr. Phillips discussed her research during 2009's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston in an engaging and entertaining presentation.

Learning Tracks - The Bionic Arm

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Dr. Gregory Dumanian describes his pioneering work developing prosthetic limbs that are controlled through nerve transfer in "The Bionic Arm" -- recorded at 2009's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.


61:19 minutes (24.56 MB)

Dr. Gregory Dumanian is a respected plastic surgeon in his native Chicago. As part of a collaborative project between Northwestern's Division of Plastic Surgery and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, he is pioneering more intuitive controls for amputees' prosthetic limbs. Dr. Dumanian's work was the subject of the session "The Bionic Arm: How Nerve Transfers Improve Control in Prosthetics."

Learning Tracks - The Economy: What Happened and What's Next

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In this episode of Learning Tracks, we hear selections from "The Economy: What Happened and What's Next," a Northwestern Explores panel discussion recorded in November at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.


53:10 minutes (24.34 MB)

Northwestern Explores is a Northwestern Alumni Association program focusing on the economy, career services, and life skills. For the November 3rd, 2009 event, a panel of distinguished alumni gathered at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to discuss "The Economy: What Happened and What's Next." Ellen Shearer, William F. Thomas Professor and director of the Medill News Service, moderated the panel, which featured:

Learning Tracks - It's Not As Bad As You Think

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Economist Brian Wesbury's (KSM89) sessions for A Day with Northwestern in Evanston are always standing room only. So, it's fortunate we captured his 2010 remarks for Learning Tracks. Better still, Brian says of the economy, "It's Not As Bad As You Think."


37:53 minutes (26.02 MB)

Economist Brian Wesbury (KSM89) earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. He is the chief economist at First Trust Advisors and the author of two books, The New Era of Wealth and It's Not As Bad As You Think. The latter was the title of Brian's session recorded during 2010's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.

This Learning Tracks podcast is a production of the Northwestern Alumni Association.

Posted: May 29, 2010

Learning Tracks - The Economics of Higher Education

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Northwestern President Morton Schapiro speaks on "The Economics of Higher Education" from his keynote address delivered at the conclusion of 2010's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.


40:23 minutes (27.74 MB)

The 16th President of Northwestern University, Morton Schapiro, is among the nation’s leading authorities on the economics of higher education. He has testified before Congress on the subject and is widely published, especially in the areas of college financing and affordability and trends in educational costs and student aid. President Schapiro brought this expertise to a packed audience of alumni for the keynote address that closed 2010's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.

Learning Tracks - When Worlds Collide

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In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during 2010's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Knight Professor of Digital Media Strategy at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism Owen Youngman explores "When Worlds Collide: Technology, Journalism, and the Audience."


44:43 minutes (30.7 MB)

Knight Professor of Digital Media Strategy at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism Owen Youngman spent 37 years at the Chicago Tribune. He witnessed radical shifts in the technologies used by reporters and audiences alike, which he explores in "When Worlds Collide: Technology, Journalism, and the Audience."

Learning Tracks - The Battle for Congress

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In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during A Night with Northwestern in DC in November 2010, a panel of top journalists provide their insights into what happened during the 2010 Midterm Elections.

74:55 minutes (51.45 MB)

On November 4, the NU Club of Washington, DC hosted A Night with Northwestern in DC. The crowd that assembled at the National Press Club was treated to The Battle for Congress: A Panel Discussion on the Midterm Elections featuring a distinguished panel of journalists including:

Learning Tracks - Legislating the Environment

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In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during 2010's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Faith Bugel (L98) provides an overview of developments in clean air and clean energy policy.


47:15 minutes (32.45 MB)

Faith Bugel (L98) is a 1998 graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law.

Learning Tracks - A Purple Shade of Green

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In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during 2010's A Day with Northwestern in EvanstonMark Ratner (G69) provides an overview of Northwestern's sustainability and energy initiatives.


50:04 minutes (34.38 MB)

Mark Ratner (G69) is Morrison Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University in addition to being a professor of materials science and engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is also co-director of the 

Learning Tracks - A World of Improvisation

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In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during 2010's A Day with Northwestern in EvanstonBienen School of Music Professor Victor Goines brings us "A World of Improvisation."

19:36 minutes (13.46 MB)

Victor Goines is a Professor of Music in the Bienen School of Music and an internationally renowned jazz musician.

Learning Tracks - NAA at the Chicago Fed

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In this episode of Learning Tracks we return to the Chicago Fed. Our 2010 event was a great success, so on March 10 we gathered again for a look at the state of the economy with Professor Marty Eichenbaum.

59:02 minutes (40.54 MB)

Mary Eichenbaum is the Ethel and John Lindgren Professor of Economics and Co-Director of the Center for International Economics and Development at the Weinberg College

Learning Tracks - From the "Outside Looking In"

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In this episode of Learning Tracks, Professor Gary Wills draws from stories in his latest book "Outside Looking In" for the Afternoon Keynote at 2011's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.

45:48 minutes (31.46 MB)

Gary Wills is Professor Emeritus of History in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. In addition to being recognized for his excellence as a journalist and historian, Willis is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. He delivered the Afternoon Keynote at 2011's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston.

Learning Tracks - It's Still Not as Bad as You Think

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In this episode of Learning Tracks, economist Brian Wesbury (KSM89) returns to 2011's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston with the encouraging message, "It's Still Not as Bad as You Think."

49:02 minutes (33.67 MB)

Economist Brian Wesbury (KSM89) is chief economist at First Trust Advisors. His 2010 session at A Day with Northwestern in Evanston was among the most popular and he returned in 2011 with the reassuring message, "It's Still Not as Bad as You Think."

Learning Tracks - Privacy in the 21st Century

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In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during 2011's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, the Medill School provides a pair of experts to take on the subject of "Privacy in the 21st Century."


40:09 minutes (27.58 MB)

From online to airports, privacy is a big topic in early 21st century America. For 2011's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Medill Associate Professor Craig LeMay and Paul Rosenzweig of the Medill National Security Initiative offered their thoughts and expertise on "Privacy in the 21st Century."

This Learning Tracks podcast is a production of the Northwestern Alumni Association.

Posted: August 2, 2011 

Learning Tracks - Understanding the Arab Spring

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56:06 minutes (19.27 MB)

A series of uprisings have shaken the Middle East and North Africa since early 2011. In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded at 2012's A Day With Northwestern in Evanston, Weinberg Assistant Professor of Political Science Wendy Pearlman examined the upheavals in their historical context, analyzes their sources, and considers the major themes they bring to the fore.

Learning Tracks - Undergraduate Research: Politics Around the Globe

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57:27 minutes (19.73 MB)

A panel of Northwestern students shared their experiences exploring politics at A Day with Northwestern 2012. Jessica Allen (WCAS12) discussed interviewing female politicians in Uganda; Gabriel Schonfeld (WCAS12) talked about political lobbying by Jewish- and Irish-Americans in New York and Massachusetts; and Melissa Rothman (WCAS12) and Jacklyn Giannitrapani (WCAS12) spoke on the urbanization of slum areas in Buenos Aires. Jana Measells, Undergraduate Research Advisor, Office of the Provost, served as moderator.

Learning Tracks - We Are (51% of) the Ninety-Nine Percent

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57:02 minutes (19.58 MB)

The Occupy protest movement focused a nationwide spotlight on economic and social inequality in the U.S. and its effects on the global economy and democratic process. But what about the ways in which inequality affects women?

At A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Terry O’Neill (WCAS74), President, National Organization for Women, discussed health, wealth, and income disparities among women as well as between women and men.

Learning Tracks - Art Now! The Global Explosion

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59:27 minutes (20.42 MB)

In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded at 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Lisa Graziose Corrin, the Ellen Philips Katz Director of Mary and Leigh Block Art Museum and a Senior Lecturer in Art History for Weinberg, provided an inside look at the evolving global landscape of art and how it will shape the future of the Block Museum.

Learning Tracks - Technology Drives Transformation: Partnerships for Change

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60:01 minutes (20.61 MB)

In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded during 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Larry Birnbaum, McCormick professor and co-director of the Intelligent Information Lab, discuss a key partnership between Computer Science and Journalism at Northwestern, examining how technology can tackle problems facing the news and information industry and provide leverage points for enabling change.

Learning Tracks - From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership

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58:28 minutes (20.08 MB)

In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded at 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Harry Kraemer (KSM79), author of From Values to Action, Northwestern University Trustee, and former chairman and CEO of Baxter International, offers current and aspiring leaders a framework to adopt the four principles of values-based leadership that can make their organizations beacons of integrity.

Learning Tracks - Touch, Technology, and the Cost of Healthcare

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54:09 minutes (18.59 MB)

Major advances in science and technology have changed the medical field, yet the healing and diagnostic touch of the medical practitioner remains constant. At 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, Carla Pugh, Feinberg Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Center for Advanced Surgical Education, highlighted the changing balance between the art and science of medicine and its effect on the cost of healthcare.

 

Learning Tracks - A Tale of Two Economies

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53:48 minutes (18.47 MB)

In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded at 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, First-Trust Advisors Chief Economist Brian Wesbury (KSM89), ranked by The Wall Street Journal as a top economic forecaster, provided insights to help listeners navigate today's volatile economic waters.

Learning Tracks - What's Old? What's NU?

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59:03 minutes (20.28 MB)

Northwestern’s current profile — physical, intellectual, social — owes much to not just the formative, mid-19th-century aspirations of its founders, but also successive generations of NU students who have contributed much to the University's contemporary structure and operations. At 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, University Archivist Kevin Leonard (WCAS77, G82) offered a unique look at Northwestern’s colorful (and not always purple) history.

Learning Tracks - Observations from the Political Trail

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45:00 minutes (15.45 MB)

In this episode of Learning Tracks recorded at 2012's A Day with Northwestern in Evanston, NBC News Capitol Hill Correspondent Kelly O’Donnell (SESP87) showed a more human side of American politics, an arena known for conflict, cynicism, and larger-than-life egos. Sharing insights and observations from a professional life spent on the road, the award-winning reporter explored the intersection of the media, elected officials, and the public they serve.

Learning Tracks - The Global Economy: Current Prospects and Future Challenges

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76:01 minutes (26.12 MB)

How is the U.S. economy recovering from the Great Recession, and where is the global economy headed over the next few years? At A Night with Northwestern at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Professor Martin Eichenbaum addressed these questions and explored the major sources of short- and medium-run risk to the global economy: the European sovereign debt crisis, the brewing U.S. fiscal crisis, and global imbalances.

 

Moving One Team, One Northwestern Toward Greater Collaboration, Cooperation and Coordination

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13:32 minutes (4.65 MB)

Todd Murphy, the Associate Director of Northwestern University's Center for Leadership and a faculty member in the McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science, speaks about the secrets of successful leadership at the 2012 NAA Leadership Symposium. 

International Programs and Northwestern's Strategic Plan

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36:56 minutes (12.69 MB)

Devora Grynspan, Assistant to the President for Global Initiatives and the Director of the Office of International Program Development, talks about Northwestern's international programs and their key role in the University's strategic plan at the 2012 NAA Leadership Symposium. 

William Dudley – The Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education

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36:53 minutes (33.78 MB)William C. Dudley (G95, 98) (Williams '89) is the Provost and a Professor of Philosophy at Williams College. In October 2012 he joined Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro for The Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education, a thought provoking, interdisciplinary exploration of higher education.

President Morton Schapiro – The Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education

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22:11 minutes (20.32 MB)Among the nation’s leading authorities on the economics of higher education, Morton Schapiro was named the 16th president of Northwestern University in 2008. In October 2012 he joined Williams Provost William C. Dudley for The Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education, a thought provoking, interdisciplinary exploration of higher education.

Q&A Session – The Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education

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32:03 minutes (29.36 MB)Northwestern University Morton Schapiro and Williams Provost William C. Dudley take audience questions at The Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education.

A Night with Northwestern in DC – Q&A Session

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35:03 minutes (19.6 MB)

In November 2012 Northwestern alumni and friends joined NBC News correspondent and moderator Kelly O’Donnell for A Night with Northwestern in DC, a fascinating panel discussion about the US election featuring some of the nation’s most notable journalists.

 

A Night with Northwestern in DC – Panel Discussion 

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67:24 minutes (38.26 MB)

In November 2012 Northwestern alumni and friends joined NBC News correspondent and moderator Kelly O’Donnell for A Night with Northwestern in DC, a fascinating panel discussion about the US election featuring some of the nation’s most notable journalists.

From Bench to Bedside to Classroom: Oncofertility Research at Northwestern

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72:00 minutes (40.09 MB)Learn about the new field of oncofertility with Teresa Woodruff (WCAS 89), Thomas J. Watkins Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Feinberg; and Kemi Jona, Director of the Office of STEM Education Partnerships at School of Education and Social Policy.

Global Health Studies: A Campus-Wide Internationalization Strategy

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54:31 minutes (29.41 MB)Devora Grynspan, Director of International Program Development; David Kelso, Director of the Center for Innovation in Global Health Technologies; and William Leonard, Director of the Global Health Minor; discuss Northwestern’s Global Health Minor, one of the most successful programs in the country.

Proteomics and Biomedical Informatics: the Coming Revolution in Personalized Medicine

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91:17 minutes (50.02 MB)Hear about the latest advances in personalized 21st century medicine from Neil Kelleher, Professor of Molecular Biosciences and Director of the Proteomics Center of Excellence; and Justin Starren, Associate Professor in Preventative Medicine and Director of the Biomedical Informatics Center.

A Night with Northwestern at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago by Northwestern Alumni Association

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78:59 minutes (42.17 MB)What the immediate and medium-run prospects for the US and other major world economies? At A Night with Northwestern at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in February 2013, Professor Martin Eichenbaum addressed these questions and explored the major challenges facing the new Obama administration, the major Asian economies, and the European Union.