Beauty At Work
Beauty at Work expands our understanding of beauty: what it is, how it works, and why it matters. Sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders across diverse fields to reveal new insights into how beauty shapes our brains, behaviors, organizations, and societies--for good and for ill. Learn how to harness the power of beauty in your life and work, while avoiding its pitfalls.
Episodes
71 episodes
Yearning for wholeness with Elizabeth Oldfield (Part 1 of 2)
Elizabeth Oldfield is the author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. She has spent her career trying to lever open space for deeper conversations - about what it means to be a human being, where we can find wisdom a...
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22:10
Longing for Integration with Andy Youniss (Part 2 of 2)
This is the second part of our conversation with Andy Youniss, founder and former President and CEO of Rocket Software. Youniss has been the guiding force behind Rocket’s innovation, acquisitions, partnerships, strategy, culture, a...
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27:15
Longing for Integration with Andy Youniss (Part 1 of 2)
In this episode, sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews Andy Youniss, founder and former President and CEO of Rocket Software. Andy has been the guiding force behind Rocket’s innovation, acquisitions, partnerships, strategy, c...
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24:50
Longing for Belonging - with Ron Ivey and Monika Jiang (Part 2 of 2)
This episode is a conversation with two experts combating our current loneliness crisis: Ron Ivey and Monika Jiang.Ron Ivey is a writer, researcher, and strategic advisor to business, governments, and philanthropies with a focus on socia...
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32:56
Longing for Belonging - with Ron Ivey and Monika Jiang (Part 1 of 2)
Sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan talks to two experts combating our current loneliness crisis: Ron Ivey and Monika Jiang.Ron Ivey is a writer, researcher, and strategic advisor to business, governments, and philanthropies with a focus o...
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39:56
Connecting Earth and Sky with Dr. Nalini Nadkarni (Part 2 of 2)
Nalini Nadkarni’s unique academic career interweaves her scientific research on rainforest canopy biota with innovative public engagement. She has written 150 scientific papers and books on the composition and ecological roles of canopy-dwellin...
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29:57
Connecting Earth and Sky with Dr. Nalini Nadkarni (Part 1 of 2)
Nalini Nadkarni’s unique academic career interweaves her scientific research on rainforest canopy biota with innovative public engagement. She has written 150 scientific papers and books on the composition and ecological roles of canopy-dwellin...
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34:21
Nostalgia: Yearning for Beautiful Memories with Dr. Clay Routledge (Part 2 of 2)
Existential psychologist Dr. Clay Routledge, Vice President of Research at the Archbridge Institute, discusses the science of nostalgia, and why our yearning for beautiful memories is not simply an escape to the past but a vital resource for in...
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37:13
Nostalgia: Yearning for Beautiful Memories with Dr. Clay Routledge (Part 1 of 2)
Existential psychologist Dr. Clay Routledge, Vice President of Research at the Archbridge Institute, discusses the science of nostalgia, and why our yearning for beautiful memories is not simply an escape to the past but a vital resource for in...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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32:45
Season 3 Announcement
Season 3 of the podcast launches in July. We have a great lineup of guests coming up! I'd also love to hear your recommendations for guests and topics that you'd like to hear on the show. Please feel free to reach out at
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0:40
Is Democracy Beautiful? (Part 2 of 2)
What, if anything, is beautiful about democracy? Is it meaningful to talk about beauty when it comes to politics? These questions were discussed (and even fiercely debated) in our final plenary session of the Beauty at Work internat...
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46:52
Is Democracy Beautiful? (Part 1 of 2)
What, if anything, is beautiful about democracy? Is it meaningful to talk about beauty when it comes to politics? These questions were discussed (and even fiercely debated) in our final plenary session of the Beauty at Work internat...
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36:14
How Beauty Works: Neuroscience, Design, and Justice (Part 2 of 2)
This is part 2 of a 2-part episode examining how beauty works to shape our brains, the spaces we inhabit, and the communities we build. Please check out part 1 if you haven't already: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/15078668...
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36:23
How Beauty Works: Neuroscience, Design, and Justice (Part 1 of 2)
How does beauty shape our brains, the spaces we inhabit, and the communities we build?These questions were the focus of the second plenary session of our International Symposium on Beauty at Work that we held in Washington DC in May 2023...
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35:40
The Meaning And Value Of Beauty In Science (Opening plenary, International Symposium on Beauty at Work), Part 2 of 2
This episode is the second part of our plenary session on the meaning and value of beauty in science which opened the International Symposium on Beauty at Work that we held in Washington DC in May 2023.Please check out part 1...
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45:31
The Meaning and Value of Beauty in Science (Opening plenary, International Symposium on Beauty at Work) Part 1 of 2
What does Beauty mean to scientists? Why does it matter for the practice of science?These questions drive the opening plenary session of the Beauty at Work international symposium held at The Catholic University of America, May 26, 2023....
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36:12
Beauty in Science: An Interdisciplinary Conversation at the University of Oxford (Part 3 of 3)
In July 2022, we held an interdisciplinary panel at the University of Oxford on the role of beauty in science. The event was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust and Magdalen College. The panel represented perspectives from diverse disciplines...
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43:36
Beauty in Science: An Interdisciplinary Conversation at the University of Oxford (Part 2 of 3)
In July 2022, we held an interdisciplinary panel at Magdalen College the University of Oxford on the role of beauty in science. The event was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust and Magdalen College. The panel represented perspectives from di...
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35:01
Beauty in Science: An Interdisciplinary Conversation at the University of Oxford (Part 1 of 3)
In July 2022, we held an interdisciplinary panel at Magdalen College at the University of Oxford on the role of beauty in science. The event was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust and Magdalen College. The panel represented perspectives from...
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24:41
Why Is “Naturalness” A Problem In Physics? (Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder) - Clip From S1E16
Is beauty a reliable guide to truth in science? No, says physicist, author, and science communicator Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder. In this clip, she discusses how the concept of “naturalness” is related to beauty and why it’s misleadingFor...
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19:03
Can Beauty Bridge Art And Science? (David Clayton) - Clip From S1E15
Iconographer David Clayton, who was trained in materials science at Oxford, discusses why it seems that there is a gulf between art and science, and shares ideas for how to bring the two closer together.For the full interview see:
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21:12
Is Mathematics A Spiritual Quest? (Dr. Carlo Lancellotti) - Clip From S1E14
What does math teach us about beauty? In this clip, mathematician Dr. Carlo Lancellotti discusses how the search for an elegant, simple equation is similar to the quest to build a beautiful cathedral. He also discusses the link between math and...
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23:09
What beauty has to do with scientific understanding (Dr. Mark Painter) - Clip From S1E13
Where do scientists find beauty in their work and why does it matter to them? Immunologist Dr. Mark Painter argues that what’s central here is not simply the visual or sensory beauty he encounters in the phenomena he studies, but the beauty of ...
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17:00
Why Wonder Matters (Dr. Frank Keil) - Clip From S1E12
Why does wonder matter? In this clip, Yale psychologist Dr. Frank Keil discusses the importance of facilitating wonder in education, why we shouldn’t underestimate kids, and why cultivating wonder matters especially for science.For th...
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20:12
From Theoretical To Applied Sciences (Dr. Marcia Otto) - Clip From S1E11
When we think of the applied sciences, we usually think they’re important because they are useful. But can they also be beautiful? In this clip, public health expert Dr. Marcia Otto shares what inspired her career path from theoretical physics ...
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23:23