
Curiosity Unbounded
The Curiosity Unbounded podcast brings you behind the scenes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through conversations between MIT President Sally Kornbluth and the people working in its labs and in the field. Along the way, Sally and her guests discuss pressing issues, as well as what inspires the people running at the world’s toughest challenges at one of the most innovative institutions on the planet.
Latest episodes

Apr 1, 2025 • 33min
Making sense of your dollars — Christopher Palmer
Christopher Palmer is an Associate Professor of Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and an Affiliate with the Jameel Poverty Action Lab, based here at MIT. He studies consumer credit, and household financial decision making.Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-15-making-sense-your-dollarsJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Feb 25, 2025 • 29min
Putting a glacier in its place — Brent Minchew
Brent Minchew is an Associate Professor of Geophysics in the department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at MIT. He studies the behavior of glaciers in respect to environmental factors and is dedicated to understanding sea level rise and exploring viable interventions to stabilize ice sheets.Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-14-putting-glacier-its-placeJoin our mailing list and send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Jan 28, 2025 • 20min
The future of customizable 3D printing — Stefanie Mueller
Stefanie Mueller is an associate professor with a joint appointment in MIT's Electrical and Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering departments. Her work is mostly focused on developing novel hardware and software systems that advance personal fabrication technologies. She envisions a world in which anyone can use 3D printing to create any object at any time.Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-13-future-customizable-3d-printingJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Dec 17, 2024 • 29min
Making sense of cities — Andres Sevtsuk
Andres Sevtsuk is an associate professor of Urban Science and Planning at MIT. His work focuses on the influence of urban design on travel behavior and quality of life, and contributes to making cities more walkable, sustainable and equitable.Show notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-12-making-sense-citiesJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Nov 19, 2024 • 28min
Get out the vote — Ariel White
Ariel White is an associate professor of Political Science at MIT. She studies voting and voting rights, race, the criminal legal system, and bureaucratic behavior as a way to shed light on people's everyday interactions with government. Her recent work investigates how potential voters react to being affected by punitive government policies, such as incarceration and immigration enforcement, and how people can make their way back onto the voting registries after these experiences.Links:Ariel WhitePolitical ScienceMIT Gov/LabTimestamps:(07:58) - What is actually known immediately following an election(10:47) - How does mail-in voting affect elections(13:09) - Why some people don't voteShow notes and transcript: https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-11-get-out-voteJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Nov 5, 2024 • 22min
Making medicine easier to swallow — Giovanni Traverso
Giovanni Traverso, an MIT associate professor and gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, shares his insights on making medicine easier to swallow. He discusses the innovative field of electroceuticals and how ingestible devices can regulate appetite. Traverso highlights the challenges of medication adherence and shares his unique experience balancing academia and clinical practice. He emphasizes the vital role of entrepreneurship in driving medical advancements, advocating for solutions that blend research with real-world applications.

Sep 24, 2024 • 23min
Silk, the fabric of more sustainable agriculture — Benedetto Marelli
Benedetto Marelli is a biomedical engineer by training and a materials scientist. He is an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His work is focused on the fabrication of new biopolymers that can interact with biomolecules, living matter, and the environment. Here, Benedetto speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the advantages of using silk-based coatings in agriculture as well as for water filtration, and why being bold and creative can lead to powerful discoveries.Links:Laboratory for Advanced BiopolymersCivil and Environmental EngineeringMIT Climate ProjectTimestamps:(01:23) - The benefits of silk use for agriculture(06:00) - MIT’s Climate Grand Challenges(07:12) - Using silk to filter out forever chemicals(09:31) - MIT’s Climate ProjectShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-8-hard-facts-soft-skillsJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Apr 9, 2024 • 25min
Hard facts on soft skills — Namrata Kala
Namrata Kala, MIT professor, discusses soft skills with MIT President Sally Kornbluth. They cover communication skills and productivity, building relationships for climate work, and MIT's climate efforts.

Mar 5, 2024 • 26min
Staying radical and relevant — Skylar Tibbits
Skylar Tibbits is a designer and computer scientist whose research focuses on self-assembling and programmable materials, and 3D and 4D printing. He is the founder of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab. Here, Skylar speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about the inspiration for his lab’s projects, why design at MIT is unique, and the magic in combining the creative with the technical. Links: Skylar TibbitsSelf-Assembly LabVideo: Cube self-folding strandMIT Morningside Academy for DesignGrowing IslandsTimestamps:(01:01) 4D printing(06:05) Self-assembly(07:21) Growing Islands(13:00) Design at MITShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-7-staying-radical-and-relevantJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA

Nov 14, 2023 • 30min
Healing the ailing heart — Ellen Roche
Ellen Roche is an associate professor of mechanical engineering and the associate head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. Her research team develops new devices and therapeutic strategies for repairing the heart and other tissues. Here, she speaks with MIT President Sally Kornbluth about her work, the advantages of taking a nonlinear route to one’s chosen career, and the importance of saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities.Links:Ellen RocheTherapeutic Technology Design and Development LabVideo: Patient-specific, 3D-printed, soft-robotic heartsDassault SystèmesInstitute for Medical Engineering and ScienceTimestamps:(03:35) - Potential for 3D-printing hearts(08:14) - Hydrogels(17:33) - On AIShow notes and transcript:https://news.mit.edu/podcast/podcast-curiosity-unbounded-episode-6-healing-ailing-heartJoin the mailing list or send us feedback:https://eepurl.com/ixPQPA
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