Episodes

  • Retained Losses & Conflicting Terminology with Safety Bob

    Retained Losses & Conflicting Terminology with Safety Bob
    Mar 25 2026
    Everyone notices when something expensive breaks. Smaller issues, like water leaks and electrical issues, can fly under the radar - but those charges really add up. They can also fall under different terms or onto different expense reports, making them harder to track and prevent. This week, we chat with Dr. Robert Emery, the vice president for safety, health, environment & risk management for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and professor of occupational health at the University of Texas School of Public Health, about keeping a safety eye on small expenses and the wordswe use to emphasize and categorize them.
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    43 mins
  • Trust & Crisis Communication in Agriculture with Blair Fannin

    Trust & Crisis Communication in Agriculture with Blair Fannin
    Mar 18 2026
    Effective communication is all about cutting through the noise and providing accurate information - especially during a crisis. This week, we chat about agricultural crises, trust networks and a bit of farm economics with Blair Fannin, the media relations manager and disaster assessment and recovery public information officer for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
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    56 mins
  • Internet Infrastructure & Disconnecting Dissent

    Internet Infrastructure & Disconnecting Dissent
    Mar 4 2026
    A few months ago, when the Iranian government faced major nationwide protests, they turned off the internet for most of the population. Could that happen in the United States? This week, we chat with Dr. Karpoor Shashidhar and Dr. Cihan Varol of the computer science department at Sam Houston State about internet infrastructure at home and abroad. We also talk with Scott McHugh, program executive for the private sector at the Institute for Homeland Security, about the geopolitics of internet disconnection and access.
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    47 mins
  • Resilient Planning & The El Paso Airport Shutdown

    Resilient Planning & The El Paso Airport Shutdown
    Feb 16 2026
    Let's imagine your company relies on a major transportation hub or port of entry. You get a call in the middle of the night - that hub is shut down for ten days. Do you know who to call? Do you have a plan?

    Those aren't hypothetical questions for anyone in El Paso, where the airport was suddenly closed last week. It reopened after a few hours but it's a good example of the need for diversification and trust in your supply chain and professional relationships. We're joined by Dr. Pam Zelbst, a professor of supply chain management, and Dr. Ryan Randa, the research director for the Institute for Homeland Security and an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology. Also, here are some links to news articles about the closure from The El Paso Times, Wall Street Journal and NBC News.
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    51 mins
  • AM Radio & Communication Resiliency with Oscar Rodriguez

    AM Radio & Communication Resiliency with Oscar Rodriguez
    Feb 4 2026
    In a crisis, reliable and direct communication strategies are key - and sometimes old technology is the most robust. This week, we chat with Texas Association of Broadcasters President Oscar Rodriguez about AM radio's resiliency during disasters, and why Congress is interested in preserving car radios.
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    31 mins
  • Bridging the Gap Between IT & OT with Joe Weiss

    Bridging the Gap Between IT & OT with Joe Weiss
    Jan 29 2026
    How secure are your physical devices? Are they engineered to be cyber-secure overall, or is the focus on protecting data? This week, we chat with Joe Weiss, a managing partner at Applied Control Solutions, about building inroads and translations between the different worlds of IT, OT and engineering.
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    51 mins
  • Risk-Based Wildfire Preparation with Joel Hambright

    Risk-Based Wildfire Preparation with Joel Hambright
    Jan 21 2026
    Fighting wildfires is all about risk management - weather patterns, wind strength, fuel conditions and equipment locations all play a role in planning and prevention. AI and emerging technology could make a big difference, too. This week, we chat with Joel Hambright, the longtime Regional Operations Chief for region four of the Texas A&M Forest service, about forestry management and risk mitigation.
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    45 mins
  • Sovereign AI & Emerging Critical Infrastructure with Dr. Jason Davis

    Sovereign AI & Emerging Critical Infrastructure with Dr. Jason Davis
    Jan 7 2026
    We're accustomed to prioritizing energy independence as a national security concern. Is the infrastructure for artificial intelligence also becoming critical? This week, we chat with Jason Davis, a research professor and co-director of the Emerging Insights Lab at Syracuse University, about sovereign AI and the broad infrastructure it requires. We also touch on articles about data centers and related power plants and water concerns in Texas.
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    47 mins