KEDtalks

A collage of images from ASU KEDtalks videos, with the tagline, "Conversations for the curious"

ASU KEDtalks: Tales of passion and perseverance

Helping humans and robots work as teams, disarming disinformation, fighting cancer with our own immune systems — these are just a few of the big ideas that ASU researchers are exploring. Learn about their work and what drives them in our latest season of ASU KEDtalks.

Charlie Rolsky swims underwater wearing a lab coat and safety googles, reaching for a plastic water bottle floating in front of him

Swimming in plastic | ASU KEDtalk

There’s something in the water — plastic. An unfathomable amount of plastic has made its way into our oceans, but Charlie Rolsky believes we can make small changes in our lives to turn the tide of plastic pollution for a cleaner world and healthier ecosystems.

Aditi Chattopadhyay leans on her desk in her office at ASU. Model airplanes sit on a shelf behind her.

Resilience in materials and in life | ASU KEDtalk

No stranger to resistance, Regents’ Professor Aditi Chattopadhyay has forged her own path in aerospace engineering to design resilient materials capable of withstanding the rigors of the world.

Nancy Cooke against a decorative background showing a human hand and robot hand touching at the fingertips

Autonomy isn’t autonomous | ASU KEDtalk

Robots and artificial intelligence are growing more and more autonomous. But they still need to work smoothly with humans to be effective. ASU Professor Nancy Cooke explores how humans, robots and AI can best work together as a team.

Scott Ruston against background images showing interconnected networks and the words "Disinformation" and "fake news"

How to defend against fake news | ASU KEDtalk

There’s an insidious threat that seeks to divide the nation and undermine our faith in democracy — disinformation. ASU researcher Scott Ruston offers tips on how to defend yourself.

Karen Anderson against a background collage showing cells, DNA and a scientist using a pipette

A ‘living drug’ that beats cancer | ASU KEDtalk

Could unleashing the body’s immune system cure cancer? Karen Anderson reveals how a scientific breakthrough that empowers the body’s own cancer-killing T cells offers new hope.

Mark Naufel against a decorative background image

Luminosity — where creative genius works | ASU KEDtalk

Mark Naufel launched Luminosity with moonshot ideas in mind. Now, interdisciplinary teams of students with bright ideas are designing, building and deploying innovations that positively impact society.

Meli'sa Crawford against a background image showing many kinds of fruits, vegetables and junk food

What poop says about your health | ASU KEDtalk

For Meli’sa Crawford, talking about poop isn’t gross or impolite — it’s an important part of a day’s work. She studies poop to learn about the microbiome, or gut bacteria, and to understand how gut bacteria affect your health.

Duke Reiter sits at a desk against a background showing Phoenix and New Orleans skylines

Preventing predictable disasters | ASU KEDtalk

The Interstate 10 spans the U.S. and offers a living laboratory for exploring the biggest issues of our time. Duke Reiter explains how ASU’s Ten Across (10X) initiative is using this transect to plan a resilient future.

Gaymon Bennett against background collage of images including San Francisco's skyline, the Earth and sun, and desert sand

Can innovation exist without soul work? ASU KEDtalk

Is innovation always good? And is more always better? Not without “soul work,” says Gaymon Bennett. He explains what soul work, shadow and spirituality have to do with our fixation on innovation in a new KEDtalk format with bonus podcast.