The first season of the CSU Spur of the Moment podcast featured 14 diverse guests, each bringing expertise to the topics that CSU Spur is built upon: food, water, and health. Sometimes the individuals featured were familiar with CSU Spur, and sometimes it was only the concepts that connected them, but the podcast shone light on the issues of global importance in a variety of facets, as outlined below.
Subscribe and listen to CSU Spur of the Moment wherever you listen to podcasts; season two of the podcast premiers Tuesday, Sept. 13.
- Episode 1: Tackling big ag challenges with Secretary Tom Vilsack: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack discusses some of his top priorities, including equity for people of color in agriculture, nutrition security for all Americans, and using land wisely to combat climate change.
- Episode 2: Healing in animal welfare with Dr. Apryl Steele: Dumb Friends League CEO and President Dr. Apryl Steele discusses her belief that all should have access to the joy of pet ownership.
- Episode 3: Narrowing the diversity gap in agriculture with Kristin Kirkpatrick: Together We Grow’s Executive Director Kristin Kirkpatrick discusses innovative solutions to growing food sustainably to feed the planet, and the importance of making sure all voices and cultures are at the table to get the job done.
- Episode 4: Bridging art, architecture, and technology with Jason Bruges: CSU Spur artist Jason Bruges discusses his work, which sits at the intersection of art, architecture, and technology.
- Episode 5: How to become a university president and thrive through a global pandemic with Joyce McConnell: Colorado State University Fort Collins President Joyce McConnell tells all about her busy daily routine, and how CSU Fort Collins managed through the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Episode 6: Growing food for our future — agriculture around the world with Kerri Wright Platais: Kerri Wright Platais — special advisor to the Chancellor and director of International Agriculture at CSU Spur — discusses the nuances of global agriculture and how to help feed the world’s growing population.
- Episode 7: Listening to the Colorado River with Becky Mitchell: Becky Mitchell, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, explains how she works to preserve and improve the Colorado River headwaters — a natural resource that serves more than 40 million people.
- Episode 8: Solving science mysteries for a better world with Ana Cristina Fulladolsa: Dr. Ana Cristina Fulladolsa, the Director of the Plant and Soil Diagnostic Laboratory for Colorado State University, talks about studying plant samples to advise the community and business partners on how to grow healthier plants and food.
- Episode 9: Becoming a university for the people with Dr. Timothy Mottet: Dr. Timothy Mottet discusses why he pursued a presidency at CSU Pueblo as his number one career goal when he started in 2017.
- Episode 10: Planning a sustainable future for Denver with Laura Aldrete + Grace Rink: Laura Aldrete and Grace Rink talk about how, while they work in separate offices for the City of Denver, they often work together – at the intersection of city planning and sustainability – to find solutions on issues like energy and water conservation.
- Episode 11: Connecting animal and human welfare with Dr. Mark Stetter: Dr. Mark Stetter discusses his tenure as dean of CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the idea he brought forward for a similar on-show clinic for companion animal veterinary medicine – a first-of-its-kind clinic at CSU Spur.
- Episode 12: Building community through art with Anthony Garcia: Anthony Garcia, Sr. talks about his work through Birdseed Collective, which connects community members with art, music, and civic projects and fills a variety of other needs, including regular food distribution.
- Episode 13: The science of substance use with Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta: Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta discusses how he and his team study the ways in which street drugs are changing, share lifesaving information with the public, and inspire future research in the space.
- Episode 14: Providing water for people globally with Eleanor Allen: Eleanor Allen says her purpose is to improve the quality of life for people on the planet, and talks about how she leads her team to work with local people and governments to provide safe water to communities around the globe.
About CSU Spur
CSU Spur is a new, free educational year-round public life-long learning destination in Denver focused on engaging PreK-12 students, families, and visitors around food, water, and health. CSU Spur showcases the work of the CSU System campuses: CSU, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global, and offers degree programs that originate from the campus offerings. Spur is built upon the land-grant mission of access to education and the belief that students can be anything they want to be. To inspire learners of all ages to engage in important world issues, CSU Spur brings together scientists to collaborate, puts science on-display, and showcases career paths. The CSU Spur campus provides immersive learning experiences and cutting-edge research across three buildings: Vida, Terra, and Hydro. Learn more at CSUSpur.org.
