Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

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  Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education | Jeremy C. Young | AAC&U | Trending in Higher Ed 28.08.2026 42min

  How can higher education rebuild its relationship with the public in an era of heightened political polarization, shifting financial models, and rapid technological disruption? In this episode of Trending in Ed, host Mike Palmer welcomes back Jeremy C. Young, Senior Advisor at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), to discuss the foundational new report: Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education: The Trust Agenda. As part of our ongoing Trending in Higher Ed series—featuring insights from leaders like Eddie Watson (AI & pedagogy), Brian Rosenberg (Whatever It Is, I'm Against It), and Elliot Felix (The Connected College)—this episode explores how campus leaders can move past reactive crisis management and actively cultivate trustworthy relationships across their communities. Jeremy breaks down AAC&U’s five-point framework, offering actionable, practical strategies for institutional leaders, faculty, and advocates. Featured Reference & Key Highlights: 📄 Featured Reference: AAC&U's Report, Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education (The Trust Agenda)—the core blueprint for this conversation, outlining actionable solutions to restore institutional trust. 🚀 Accelerate Innovation: Overcoming institutional inertia to streamline shared governance, adapt to the rapid emergence of AI, and adopt flexible academic pathways like universal transfer and "College in Three". 🤝 Prioritize Community Engagement: Drawing inspiration from trusted community colleges and regional publics to act as true anchor institutions—leveraging local procurement and public-facing research (echoing Dr. Kenneth Carter’s work in public scholarship). 🎓 Recommit to Inclusive Excellence: Centering student success, expanding support for food/housing security, and fostering genuine civil dialogue that welcomes conservative students and diverse viewpoints (referencing Lara Schwartz’s Try to Love the Questions). 📢 Tell a Clearer Story: Shift away from the media's hyper-fixation on elite Ivy League universities and reframe higher ed around shared public values like freedom, fairness, and opportunity directly through campus-level communications. 🛡️ Coordinate a Mission-Centered Defense: Protecting university autonomy and academic freedom through collaborative cross-institutional defense networks—building a proactive trust foundation before crisis management (as discussed with Legend Labs' Jeff Hunt) becomes necessary. Episode Timestamps: ⏱️ 00:00 – Welcome back Jeremy C. Young & transition from PEN America to AAC&U ⏱️ 00:03:00 – Introducing the featured reference: AAC&U's Trust Agenda report ⏱️ 00:09:00 – Pillar 1: Accelerating innovation, AI adaptation, & shared governance reform ⏱️ 00:12:30 – Pillar 2: Community engagement, anchor institution strategy, & local impact ⏱️ 00:19:00 – Pillar 3: Inclusive excellence, student support, & engaging political difference ⏱️ 00:26:30 – Pillar 4: Reframing higher ed narratives & empowering local messengers ⏱️ 00:33:30 – Pillar 5: Collaborative defense, institutional autonomy, & cross-sector alignment ⏱️ 00:39:30 – Implementation: AAC&U's upcoming Leadership Institute & long-term outlook Catch the full video episode now on YouTube and Spotify! 🔔 Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com to dive into our full archive of higher ed conversations, show notes, and resources!
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  The Emergent Leader with Author Don Gregori COO @ First Factory 25.08.2026 40min

  Mike Palmer reconnects with old colleague Don Gregori, COO of First Factory, to unpack core insights from Don’s book, The Emergent Leader: A Guide to Brand Building, Leadership, and Self-Mastery. Drawing from a non-linear career path—ranging from theater major and aerial stunt coordinator to an 18-year tenure at Kaplan and scaling tech teams—Don shares practical strategies for authentic leadership, proactive stress management, and navigating AI workplace disruption. Key Takeaways 🎭 Unconventional Paths Build Strong Leaders: Creative backgrounds like theater teach team vision, feedback loops, and real-time collaboration far better than standard business classrooms. 🏷️ Authentic Brand Building: Standing out requires standing alone; authentic leaders drop polished posturing, embrace their flaws, and focus on human connection. 🧩 Self-Mastery Precedes Leadership: Mindset functions as an operating system. True self-mastery requires proactive stress preparation and ruthless prioritization rather than reactive recovery. 🤖 AI Shifts Value to Generalists: As AI commoditizes routine execution, critical thinking, problem-solving, and cross-functional synthesis become an employee's most essential assets. 💼 Delegation Drives Growth: Effective leadership requires simplifying or delegating your current tasks so you remain open to new growth and strategic opportunities. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction & Reconnecting 30 Years Later 01:45 - Theater, Aerial Stunts, and Unconventional Business Prep 03:30 - Digital Transformation & Career Progression at Kaplan 05:45 - Near-Shore Software Development at FirstFactory 07:15 - Why Write The Emergent Leader? 11:00 - Leg 1: Brand Building, Culture, and Authentic Leadership 20:00 - Leg 2: Leadership Development, Vulnerability, and Prioritization 25:30 - Leg 3: Self-Mastery, Mindset, and Proactive Stress Management 31:45 - How AI is Reshaping Tech, Developers, and Critical Thinking 35:45 - Early-Career Advice and Reskilling for the Future 39:00 - Parting Thoughts & Wrap-Up Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode!
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  Lessons in Literacy from a 62-year-old Learner | David Chalk | Neurodiversity and Dyslexia Advocate 21.08.2026 28min

  What if everything we know about teaching reading is upside down? In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer sits down with tech entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and innovator David Chalk to unpack a remarkable story of literacy, neurodiversity, trauma, and redemption. Key Highlights & Discussion Points: 🧠 Trauma and the Literacy Crisis: David recounts his early school trauma starting on day one of first grade, highlighting how unrecognized dyslexia and ADHD left him functionally illiterate for decades. ✈️ Building Success Beyond Reading: Despite reading at a fourth-grade level, David built multi-hundred-million-dollar businesses and became an airline jet pilot by leaning into creativity and oral vocabulary. 📖 Unlocking Reading in 11 Hours: Featured in the documentary The Truth About Reading, David reversed standard instruction methods to jump from a 4th-grade reading level to post-university proficiency in just 11 hours at age 62. 🤖 AI as a Pattern-Based Learning Ally: AI language models process language through pattern training—mirroring how human brains naturally acquire spoken words—offering a powerful tool to tutor neurodiverse learners without cognitive strain. 🗣️ Vocabulary and the Future of Work: As technology evolves, rich oral communication skills, deep vocabulary, and expressive clarity will serve as critical differentiators in an AI-driven workforce. ❤️ The Role of Emotional Resilience: David emphasizes why unconditional parental support and self-esteem are essential safeguards for children struggling through academic friction. About the Guest David Chalk is a technology entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and neurodiversity advocate who has founded ten successful companies. After mastering fluid reading at age 62, David now applies his background in artificial intelligence and pattern recognition to transform reading instruction for struggling learners everywhere. Subscribe & Connect Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode! Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for show notes, resources, and more sharp takes on the future of learning.
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  Bringing an AI Fluency Program to Kids Globally with Dr. Taniya Mishra, CEO @ SureStart 14.08.2026 46min

  How do we move beyond baseline AI literacy to true AI fluency, agency, and self-efficacy for the next generation? In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer sits down with Dr. Taniya Mishra, Founder and CEO of SureStart, to explore how hands-on, mentor-led AI education is empowering youth globally to shift from passive users to confident creators. Drawing from her 12+ years as an industrial AI researcher, Dr. Mishra shares how SureStart demystifies technology through near-peer mentorship, modular curriculum, and a layered approach to AI learning—from middle school vocabulary to vibe coding and building small language models. KEY INSIGHTS & DISCUSSION POINTS 💡 The Heart of SureStart—Near-Peer Mentorship: How pairing middle/high school students with near-peer mentors (graduate and undergraduate students) demystifies AI, creates psychological safety, and normalizes making mistakes as a core part of the coding process. 💡 A Layered Framework for AI Education: Understanding AI through a tiered mental model (DIYer, electrician, electrical engineer, researcher) to meet students where they are—building confidence through foundational vocabulary, conceptual clarity, and practical execution. 💡 Navigating Vibe Coding & Emergent Tech: Why rapid advancements like vibe coding require students to look beneath the surface code, balancing prompt engineering efficiency with direct coding precision. 💡 Overcoming "Cautious Clickers" & Risk Aversion: Strategies to build self-efficacy among underrepresented students by prioritizing representative role modeling (50%+ female mentors) and praising questions in the learning environment. 💡 Responsible AI Across the Curriculum: Why ethics should not be an isolated module, but woven throughout every project (e.g., addressing authorship and bias in generative tools) to cultivate critical evaluation skills. 💡 Operationalizing AI in K-12 Education: Integrating flexible, modular lessons (ranging from 15-hour blocks to 60-hour semester courses) into packed public school schedules through teacher training and district partnerships. 💡 New Economy Skills & Human + AI Synergy: Preparing youth for a changing workforce by pairing AI tools with core human competencies: critical reasoning, executive functioning, data literacy, financial literacy, and an entrepreneurial mindset. CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS ⏱️ 00:00 – Welcome & Introduction: Dr. Taniya Mishra and SureStart ⏱️ 01:00 – Taniya’s Journey: From PhD AI Researcher to EdTech Founder ⏱️ 04:00 – Overcoming "I'm Not a Tech Person" & Demystifying STEM ⏱️ 06:30 – The Core of SureStart: Near-Peer Mentorship in Action ⏱️ 09:50 – Keeping Up with Fast-Moving Trends & Vibe Coding ⏱️ 12:50 – The Layered Model: DIYers to AI Researchers ⏱️ 18:20 – Addressing "Cautious Clickers" & Creating Safe Failure Spaces ⏱️ 24:40 – Integrating AI Fluency into Busy K-12 Schedules ⏱️ 29:30 – Parallel Processing: Upskilling Teachers & Engaging Parents ⏱️ 34:40 – Responsible AI Frameworks & Verification Skills ⏱️ 42:30 – New Economy Skills: Data Literacy, Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship ⏱️ 45:30 – Final Thoughts: Humans Plus AI SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT 🎧 Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you listen to podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in learning, media, AI, and the future of work. 🌐 Website: https://trendingineducation.com 📩 Follow Mike Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelppalmer/
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  The Reward Trap: Why External Rewards Backfire with Dr. Ozgur Bolat 11.08.2026 41min

  In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer is joined by Dr. Ozgur Bolat, associate professor of educational science and author of The Reward Trap: Why Rewards Backfire and the Real Science of Motivating Kids. Dr. Bolat shares his journey from seeking external validation to decoding the science of intrinsic motivation, offering practical strategies for parents and educators looking to move away from quick-fix rewards and build lasting resilience and internal drive in children. Key topics discussed include: 🧠 The Pitfalls of External Validation: How relying on rewards, praise, and criticism creates an external locus of control and undermines intrinsic motivation. 🕊️ The PEACE Model: A framework (Perspective, Emotion & Cognition, Need, Commitment, Engagement) to address behavior and resistance without relying on bribes or threats. 📱 Modern Parenting & Mental Health: How overprotective parenting and digital distractions prevent kids from learning how to handle hardship and negative emotions. 🤖 Assessment in the Age of AI: Why generative AI exposes the limits of memorization-based testing and forces a shift toward assessing critical thinking, original reasoning, and conceptual understanding. 👨‍🏫 Evolving the Role of the Educator: Shifting teachers away from being mere "information transmitters" and into roles as mentors, coaches, and learning architects. 🤝 Parent and Teacher Dynamics: Research-backed insights on why warm, respectful relationships far outperform control mechanisms, anxiety, and high-pressure tactics. About the Guest: Dr. Ozgur Bolat is an associate professor in educational science, Fulbright scholar, Harvard Graduate School of Education graduate, Cambridge PhD, and former MIT Sloan researcher. He is the founder of parenting and teacher training initiatives dedicated to raising internally validated children. His book, The Reward Trap, features a foreword by Nobel Laureate Professor Aziz Sancar. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you listen to podcasts for more conversations on the future of learning, parenting, and human agency. Visit https://www.trendingined.com for show notes and past episodes.
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  The Education Investment Landscape with Mike Peng, Weatherstone Capital Partners 07.08.2026 27min

  In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer sits down with Mike Peng, Founder and Managing Partner of Weatherstone Capital Partners, to explore the evolving intersection of education, technology, and capital markets. After missing a meeting at ASU+GSV in San Diego, Mike and Mike reconnect to unpack what it takes to scale educational ventures past the startup phase and navigate the broader macroeconomic shift from venture capital to private equity in EdTech. Drawing from his unique career journey—from engineering at UT Austin and strategy consulting at McKinsey to leading rapid growth at Block Renovation and earning an MBA at Stanford—Peng shares why Weatherstone focuses on partnering with operators in the 1-to-10 scale stage ($1M to $10M EBITDA range). Together, they examine the real "moats" in the age of AI (data ownership and customer relationships over UI), why corporate L&D and continuing certification are outperforming traditional K-12/Higher Ed models for private equity, and how simulation tools and micro-learning are reshaping workforce upskilling. Peng also offers vital advice for founders assessing whether they are the "limiting factor" in their company's growth and how to navigate tight capital markets. KEY INSIGHTS: 0-to-1 vs. 1-to-10 Leadership: Building a product from scratch requires a scrappy, zero-to-one mindset, whereas scaling from 1 to 10 demands processes, enterprise workflows, and founders willing to look in the mirror to ensure they aren't becoming their company's limiting factor. The Capital Shift from VC to PE: With EdTech valuations down ~60% from 2021 peaks and market maturity kicking in, 2024 marked a pivot where private equity outpaced venture capital in EdTech funding—shifting the focus from hyper-growth to unit economics, profitability, and sustainable scale. Redefining AI Moats: User interface (UI) and simple API connections to large language models are no longer defensible differentiators. True AI moats reside in owning proprietary data, maintaining deep customer trust, and controlling end-to-end customer relationships. Corporate L&D and Reskilling Demand: While K-12 and Higher Ed present longer sales cycles and risk aversion, Corporate L&D—particularly recurring certification, micro-training in daily workflows, and AI simulation (e.g., bedside manner nursing)—presents massive opportunity as 85% of employers seek to reskill their workforce by 2030. Founder Discipline in Tight Markets: Bootstrapping and pivoting quickly are more viable than ever thanks to AI MVP acceleration. Founders must plan capital runway at least a year in advance and regularly "come up for air" so market evolution doesn't leave their business behind. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Introduction & Connecting Post-ASU+GSV 01:00 – Mike Peng's Journey: UT Austin, McKinsey, Block Renovation, & Stanford MBA 02:30 – Inside Weatherstone Capital Partners: Long-Term Platform Investing 03:30 – 0-to-1 vs. 1-to-10: Passing the Founder "Mirror Test" 05:30 – Takeaways from ASU+GSV: AI Undercurrents & Modern Moats 07:30 – Career Readiness, CTE, & The 1,400-Tool EdTech Stack 09:30 – Data is the New Oil, AI is the New Electricity 11:30 – Managing Hallucination Risk & Trust in Classroom Tech 13:30 – Segmenting EdTech: Why Capital is Moving from VC to PE 18:00 – The Future of Work: LXP, Micro-Learning, & AI Simulations 23:30 – Personal AI Tutors, Spatial Hardware, & Final Advice for Founders 26:00 – Wrap Up & How to Connect with Weatherstone Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in learning, media, and the future of work.
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  Building Constructive Dialogue Habits in Higher Ed with Francesca Schuler ED @ Dialogue Vanderbilt 04.08.2026 40min

  How can higher education equip Gen Z to navigate rapid AI disruption, political polarization, and shifting workplace expectations? In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer connects with Francesca Schuler, Executive Director of Dialogue Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt University. Drawing from her executive career as a COO and CEO in private-sector consumer and fitness industries, Francesca brings a fresh, operational lens to solving higher education's civil discourse challenge. Together, Mike and Francesca explore why modern communication frequently breaks down and why developing constructive dialogue habits—such as listening with curiosity, managing emotional reactivity, and asking thoughtful questions—is critical for modern leadership and citizenship. From creating tech-free conversational spaces like the "Vandy Speakeasy" to building nationwide partnerships through the Dialogue CoLab, Francesca shares actionable strategies to cultivate emotional intelligence (EQ), foster psychological flexibility, and empower students to thrive in a complex world. KEY INSIGHTS & DISCUSSION POINTS Habits Over Skills in Moments of Crisis: While functional skills are vital, leaders and students ultimately fall back on ingrained habits during high-pressure situations. Practicing daily habits like asking with curiosity, showing up without rigid certainty, and listening to learn builds long-term emotional intelligence (EQ) and resilience. Unlearning Technology's Bad Habits: Social media platforms and instant messaging reward hot takes, rigid positions, and immediate reactivity over thoughtful engagement. Treating AI as a supportive tool rather than the final answer preserves human judgment, nuance, and critical thinking. Tactical Campus Programs for Practice: Dialogue Vanderbilt creates low-stakes practice environments—such as the phone-free "Vandy Speakeasy"—and hands-on workshops like "Switch Sides" and "From Every Angle" to rehearse respectful debate and open inquiry. Institutional Neutrality and Citizenship: Rooted in Vanderbilt’s historical unifying mission, maintaining institutional neutrality provides faculty and students space to explore complex ideas while learning how to agree—and disagree—more constructively. Busting Career & Personal Growth Myths: Re-evaluating pervasive narratives around imposter syndrome and work-life balance encourages individuals to embrace agency, navigate trade-offs, and prioritize core success traits: curiosity, humor, and getting things done (GSD). Scaling Civil Discourse Across Higher Education: Through initiatives like the Dialogue CoLab, over 30 higher education institutions—ranging from community colleges to state schools and private universities—are sharing best practices to foster constructive campus cultures nationwide. SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in learning, media, AI, and the future of work.
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  Reaching The Mission Generation with Author Arun Gupta, CEO at NobleReach 30.07.2026 39min

  What if the safest career path in an era of rapid AI disruption is actually doing something entrepreneurial or mission-driven? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach Foundation and author of The Mission Generation: Reclaim Your Purpose, Rewrite Success, Rebuild Our Future. Drawing from his background as a venture capitalist, Georgetown and Stanford instructor, and public service advocate, Arun breaks down why traditional stability is becoming the new risk and how emerging generations—and professionals at all career stages—can align personal ambition with civic purpose. They discuss why fewer than 7% of government tech workers are under the age of 30, how to modernize public service pathways beyond outdated hiring portals, and why AI will elevate human-centric strengths like curiosity, judgment, and cross-domain experience. Arun also introduces a framework for rethinking individual net worth around five "hidden capitals"—trust, learning, experiential, mission, and health capital—that compound over a 60-year career horizon. KEY INSIGHTS: Stability as the New Risk: Relying strictly on traditional prestige markers (where you work) over purpose markers (the problems you solve) leaves professionals vulnerable to rapid technological and economic shifts. The Five Hidden Capitals: Career value extends far beyond financial metrics, compounding over time through trust, curiosity, diverse experience, mission impact, and sustained health. Public Service as a Career Accelerator: Short-term civic stints should be framed as resume-enhancing accelerators rather than lifetime commitments, making public service more accessible for tech and business talent. Inverting the Risk Equation: A venture capital mindset shifts the focus from "what if it goes wrong?" to "what if it goes right?"—encouraging transformative, mission-oriented bets over incremental safety. From Independence to Interdependence: Solving large-scale modern challenges requires building cross-sector pathways between public, private, and social institutions. Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in learning, media, and the future of work. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Introduction: Arun Gupta and The Mission Generation 01:00 – From VC Bets to Public Service: Teaching "Valley Meets Mission" at Stanford & Georgetown 03:30 – The Tech Talent Gap: Why Under 7% of Government Tech Workers Are Under 30 06:00 – An Intergenerational Quest: Finding Purpose Across Every Stage of Life 07:00 – Purpose Markers vs. Prestige Markers: Why Stability is the New Risk 10:00 – Advice for Graduates: Service Stints, Entrepreneurial Mindsets, and Action-First Clarity 14:40 – The 4 Barriers to Mission Work & How AI Crosswalks Sector Silos 18:00 – Redefining Net Worth: Investing in the 5 Hidden Capitals 21:00 – Rebuilding Civic Pathways: Framing Public Service as a Career Enhancer 25:40 – Mid-Career Civic Sabbaticals & Purpose as a Longevity Driver 28:30 – From Independence to Interdependence: Designing Systems for Complex Problems 31:20 – The VC Risk Model: Reframing Decisions around "What If It Goes Right?" 38:00 – Silo Busting & Final Takeaways
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  Helping the Workforce Lean into AI with Monica Marquez, Co-Founder of FlipWork 22.07.2026 34min

  Host Mike Palmer connects with Monica Marquez, founder of ⁠FlipWork⁠ and founding director of the ⁠TIDE Center at UNT Dallas⁠, to explore how humans can navigate the rapid disruption of AI in the workplace. Drawing from her deep background in human capital, diversity, and leadership development at industry giants like Goldman Sachs, Google, and Bank of America, Monica brings a deeply human-centered approach to the AI revolution.  Mike and Monica skip the standard AI hype to discuss why simply rolling out AI tools isn't enough to drive real adoption. They dive into the psychology of AI integration, unpacking what Monica calls the "identity bottleneck" - the challenge workers face when shifting from a traditional mindset where "effort equals success" to a modern reality where "impact equals success." Monica also introduces her "long division" analogy for AI, explaining why we shouldn't ban the tool in classrooms or boardrooms, but instead require users to show their work and actively interrogate the AI's logic.  Key Discussion Topics:  * The Identity Bottleneck: Why our traditional conditioning to reward "grit and elbow grease" is causing resistance to AI's effortless outputs, and how to overcome the feeling of "cheating."  * Measuring AI Fluency: A look at FlipWork's psychometric diagnostic, which assesses "agentic velocity" (individual adoption) and "enterprise symbiosis" (organizational support).  * The Calculator Analogy: How educators and leaders can demand the "long division" of AI prompting to combat passive consumption ("work slop") and prevent cognitive atrophy.  * Agentic Teams: Why AI isn't a one-size-fits-all solution and how to orchestrate specialized models (like Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini) just like human team members.  * Democratizing Expertise: How everyday users can use AI as an accessible thinking partner to overcome biases, expand diversity of thought, and level the playing field.  Whether you're an educator, an enterprise leader, or an individual trying to disrupt yourself before you get disrupted, this episode offers a practical blueprint for multiplying human genius in the AI age. Subscribe to Trending in Education on your preferred podcast platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your network. Visit ⁠TrendinginEd.com⁠ for more episodes and conversations on the future of learning and work. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:05 Monica’s Career Journey 03:57 Why FlipWork and AI 07:41 Enterprise Adoption Reality 13:45 Measuring AI Fluency 17:13 Identity Bottleneck Shift 21:56 Teaching Critical Thinking 26:08 Bias Trust and Agency 30:31 Guardrails and AI Teams 33:41 Final Takeaways
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  Leading from the Heart | Dr. D Ivan Young on Self-Empathy and the Neuroscience of Leadership 07.07.2026 43min

  Host Mike Palmer connects with behavioral neuroscience expert and executive coach Dr. D. Ivan Young to discuss his book, Leading from the Heart. They analyze the balance between artificial intelligence and human emotion, detailing how self-empathy, compassion, and psychological safety impact leadership. Dr. Young also shares practical insights on managing emotional signals, navigating media-driven dopamine loops, and using metacognition to reset negative thought patterns. Key Discussion Topics: Self-Empathy First: Leaders cannot effectively provide empathy or compassion to others if they do not first possess it within themselves. Thermostats vs. Thermometers: Effective leaders actively regulate the energy and psychological safety of an environment rather than merely reflecting the existing temperature. Weaponized Empathy: Modern social media algorithms and political messaging exploit emotional triggers to divide populations, requiring individuals to consciously choose harmony instead. The Thought Map: A tactile, metacognitive exercise using physical writing shifts activity across brain regions to halt an amygdala hijack. Ethical AI & "Uriel": A clinical, patient-centered AI designed to eliminate programming bias and promote user self-efficacy and resilience. Authentic Human Connection: Addressing the loneliness epidemic requires disconnecting from curated online personas and grounding oneself in nature. Subscribe to Trending in Education on your preferred podcast platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your network. Visit TrendinginEd.com for more episodes. Learn more about Dr. D. Ivan Young and pick up Leading from the Heart: The Essential Guide to Self-Empathy and Self-Compassion in Coaching and Clinical Practice
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  Educators As Designers with Author Jim Gaona Ellis 06.07.2026 33min

  How do we shift the role of teachers from passive curriculum implementers to active classroom architects? This week on Trending in Ed, host Mike Palmer is joined by K-12 math teacher and author Jim Gaona Ellis on the day his new book drops: Educators as Designers: The Hidden Architecture of Learning. Drawing from his unique background transitioning from an architecture student to a global educator across Phoenix, Madrid, and Vienna, Jim brings a fresh, human-centered lens to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We dive deep into the real-world application of design thinking in the classroom, moving past rigid checklists to focus heavily on the actual problems students face. Key Insights: Deconstructing "Hostile Design" in Schools: Jim explains how hostile urban architecture (like park benches built to deter the unhoused) mirrors common school punishments—such as stripping away a student's lunch period for missing homework. We discuss how these reactions merely mask symptoms rather than addressing root causes like student confusion or forgetfulness. High-Tech vs. No-Tech Classroom Tools: We look at how Jim pairs digital platforms like Desmos to illustrate the immense scale of scientific notation with his absolute favorite tool: a massive, double-page whiteboard that fosters democratic, collaborative learning. AI and the "Illusion of Learning": Recording in 2026, we tackle the double-edged sword of the AI revolution. Jim envisions a massive upside where backend AI instantly identifies learning differences like dyslexia and dynamically adjusts workloads on a slider scale. However, we weigh this against the front-end risk of cognitive offloading, which can rob students of critical thinking and create a false sense of academic progress. Rejecting "Solution Salesmanship": Rather than treating educators as a passive market for pre-packaged tech tools, we advocate for an industry-wide return to respecting teachers as creative thought partners who co-design learning experiences directly with their students. Embracing the Constraints: From navigating shifting cultural norms to managing the industrial "cells and bells" physical structure of school buildings, Jim shares how treating systemic limitations as design puzzles is the ultimate key to teacher longevity and instructional growth. Subscribe to Trending in Ed on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite RSS player so you never miss a forward-thinking conversation like this one! Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and welcoming Jim Gaona Ellis 01:30 - Jim's global journey: Transitioning from architecture to teaching in Phoenix, Madrid, and Vienna 03:30 - What inspired the book and expanding on traditional UDL frameworks 06:30 - Understanding "hostile design" in urban spaces and its parallels in modern classrooms 11:00 - The state of AI in 2026: Automatic backend accommodations vs. the front-end "illusion of learning" 16:30 - Moving past educational "solution salesmanship" to truly respect and empower teachers 20:00 - Classrooms in action: Visualizing data with Desmos vs. the democratic power of whiteboards 22:30 - Overcoming the industrial "cells and bells" model through thoughtful classroom experimentation 30:30 - Final takeaways: How to embrace systemic constraints as a learning designer
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  Building Explainable AI with Beth Rudden - CEO at Bast AI 23.06.2026 50min

  This week on Trending in Ed, host Mike Palmer is joined by Trending in Ed all-star Beth Rudden, CEO of Bast AI. From her roots digging in the dirt as an archaeologist to managing a $34 billion division as the Chief Data Officer of IBM Managed Services, Beth brings a deeply grounded, technical perspective to the artificial intelligence conversation. In this wide-ranging and insightful conversation, Mike and Beth skip the typical AI hype to explore what it actually takes to build explainable, trustworthy technology. Beth shares how Bast AI acts as an LLM-agnostic explainability layer—using a unique drinking chocolate analogy to demonstrate how they verify AI data rather than letting models hallucinate plausible narratives. They explore the practical application of using small language models (SLMs) for data enrichment, highlighted by Bast AI's meaningful work with Craig Hospital to translate complex neuro-spine outpatient procedures into accessible languages and analogies. KEY INSIGHTS: • Inverting the Chatbot Approach: Why defining what an AI can talk about is far more effective than building restrictive guardrails. • The Myth of "Human in the Loop": How shifting accountability to overworked humans can become a form of liability laundering. • Microservices vs. Agentic Harnesses: Looking at the risks of natural language agentic systems like Claude Code versus discrete, self-healing tasks. • Cognitive Offloading & Math Education: Why future technical skills should prioritize differential equations and the diversity prediction theorem over simple calculation. • Pattern Recognition vs. Choice: Defining true intelligence through the ability to choose wisely, rather than just matching mathematical patterns. They also cross paths with the Cynefin framework, explain how the human brain conserves energy by only holding two paradoxes at once, and unpack the cultural shifts reshaping modern engineering ethics. Stay ahead of the curve in education and technology! Please like and share this episode with your network, and follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite player so you never miss an episode like this one. LINKS: Learn more about Bast AI: https://www.bast.ai Subscribe to Beth's Substack: https://substack.com/@bethrudden TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction and welcoming Beth Rudden back to the show 01:00 - The drinking chocolate analogy for Explainable AI 03:00 - Beth’s lightning-round background: Archaeology to Chief Data Officer at IBM 05:00 - Getting "catfished by AI" and verifying facts with databases 07:00 - Mike on Gemini, RAG applications, and checking AI confabulation 09:00 - Enriched data and Small Language Models (SLMs) at Craig Hospital 12:00 - Epistemic security and inverting conversational technology 14:30 - Liability laundering and the illusion of "human in the loop" 15:30 - Agentic harnesses vs. self-healing microservices 20:00 - Understanding as labor and Conrad Wolfram's three-step math process 22:30 - Future human skills: Differential equations and jelly bean statistics 26:30 - Pattern recognition vs. true intelligence as the ability to choose 29:30 - Neurosymbolic systems and subjectivity in data science 34:30 - Shunting energy: The Cynefin framework and holding paradoxes 38:30 - Healthcare AI scribes and doctor burnout 44:30 - Trust architectures and building tech for the Maintenance Era 47:30 - Cultural devastation and the teleological suspension of ethics 49:00 - Final thoughts and wrapping up with Beth Rudden
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  Episode 750: Live from the HGSE Next Level Lab Spring Summit 09.06.2026 37min

  In this milestone 750th episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer takes the podcast on the road to the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) for the Next Level Lab Spring Learning Summit. Centered on the future of work, workforce learning, and instructional design, this episode features a dynamic series of conversations with emerging researchers and educational innovators who are reimagining how humans learn, lead, and thrive alongside advancing technology. Mike kicks off the celebration by reflecting on the podcast’s 750-episode journey, giving a nod to the community, and sharing updates on his latest media projects before diving into a packed poster session at the summit. The episode features five insightful interviews that bridge the gap between human capability and technological innovation. Ruiz Clark from Digital Promise shares his research on the Digital Leadership Convergence Model. He outlines a strategic project working with a large California school district to establish a vision for AI literacy, explaining why educational systems must look past basic technical literacy to completely rethink the purpose of education in an automated world. Palak Chandak and Archana Chaudhary discuss their framework for Humanics Integrated Business Studies (HIBS). They detail an innovative curriculum designed to cultivate durable skills, like communication and critical thinking, highlighting a real-world pilot project that embedded business students within coastal surf schools in India to solve community-driven challenges. Chilean entrepreneur Felipe Vergara Iduya introduces Hestia, an AI-supported framework designed to capture unstructured community evidence—such as peer relationships, behavior patterns, and school climate data—to foster system-level wellbeing within school ecosystems. Beth Sapire examines the intersection of learning and healing. Drawing on adult development theories and constructive developmental psychology, she outlines the systemic conditions necessary for expansive, collective learning within complex organizations. Finally, Sean Snyder and Bill Wisser from the HGSE Teaching and Learning Lab (TLL) break down their design and development process. They discuss the creation of a university-wide data fluency initiative for Harvard staff and explain how they utilized AI voice generation and animation tools to optimize course assets for the Data-Wise Learning Institute. Show References: Running It Back Podcast: Mike's Lessons Learned From Sports podcast with Tarlin Ray. ⁠Palm Court Pod:⁠ Mike's New College of Florida podcast with Grant Balfour and Megan Citron. Here's the John Oliver piece chronicling the challenges faced by Mike's alma mater. New College Film Project: Learn more about the documentary First They Came For My College directed by Harry Hanbury at newcollegefilm.com. The Convergence Model: Download the paper and view the poster framework developed by Ruiz Clark at theconvergencemodel.com. HGSE Teaching and Learning Lab: Explore the resources, course design support, and institutional projects mentioned by Sean and Bill at tll.gse.harvard.edu. Innovation-ish: Read up on the book by summit host Tessa Forshaw and co-author Rich Braden, a frequent touchstone on the podcast regarding creative confidence. ElevenLabs: Explore the AI voice generation platform utilized by the TLL team to streamline production logistics for simulated learning environments. Adobe Character Animator: Discover the performance-based animation software used to bring the TLL team's simulated teaching avatars to life. Timestamps: 00:00 Milestone 750th Episode Celebration and Welcome 01:54 Introduction to the Next Level Lab Spring Summit at HGSE 05:53 Ruiz Clark on AI Literacy and the Digital Leadership Convergence Model 10:30 Palak Chandak and Archana Chaudhary on Humanics Integrated Business Studies 17:30 Felipe Vergara Iduya on the Hestia Wellbeing Framework 23:30 Beth Sapire on Expansive Learning, Adult Development, and Healing 29:00 Sean Snyder and Bill Wisser on Data Fluency and AI Workflow at the HGSE TLL 35:30 Post-Summit Reflections and Summer Preview Like, Share, and Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to stay updated on the latest trends in education. Bonus points for writing a review to help us run through the tape all the way to 1,000 episodes!
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  Summer 2026 Preview Trailer: Reinventing the Future of Learning 05.06.2026 2min

  Big changes are coming to Trending in Ed. Next Tuesday, June 9th, we are hitting a historic milestone: Episode 750. To celebrate our upcoming 10th-anniversary season, we are completely reinventing the show's structure for a massive Summer 2026 Sprint. We are officially launching four dedicated summer tracks to follow the changing talent and learning landscape: K-12 Classroom Design AI & EdTech The Future of Work The Future of Higher Ed We have a powerhouse lineage of global experts, McKinsey-level operators, and national bestselling authors dropping all summer long—including folks like Arun Gupta, Beth Rudden, Jim Gaona Ellis, and Dr. Özgür Bolat. The sprint officially starts next Tuesday, June 9th, with an immersive, roving-report field documentary straight from the floor of the Harvard Next Level Lab Learning Summit in Cambridge. Core interviews drop every single Tuesday morning. Make sure you are subscribed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen so you don't miss a single drop. Trending in Ed dropping like its HOT all Summer long!
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  Scaling a Commencement Platform with Chase Rigby, CEO of Tassel 27.05.2026 34min

  Commencement season is here, and while we all love the tradition, let’s be honest: a lot of graduation ceremonies are still operationally stuck in the 18th century. This week, Chase Rigby, CEO of Tassel, joins Mike Palmer to talk about what it actually takes to modernize the final milestone of the student lifecycle. Chase shares his path from teaching seventh-grade math and science with Teach For America to working as a product manager at Google, before ultimately using a search fund model to acquire Marching Order and evolve it into Tassel. We dig into why forward-thinking colleges are moving away from treating graduation as just a logistical headache and starting to view it as a strategic marketing and recruitment engine. Chase explains how Tassel is trying to upend the traditional business model by moving away from nickel-and-diming students with steep fees for their own achievement, and instead leveraging community gifting platforms that put money back in their pockets for rent or student debt. We also get into the tech side of things, discussing how they train AI models on a 20-year phonetic database to get broadcast-quality name pronunciations on stage, all while navigating the strict landscape of biometric privacy and user consent. It turns out getting that final touchpoint right pays massive dividends for lifelong alumni relations. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 - Chase's journey from Teach For America to product management at Google. 03:00 - Running a search fund and finding the graduation space with Marching Order. 05:30 - Shifting mindsets: Treating commencement as a strategic marketing and alumni recruitment tool. 09:00 - Turning graduation into a net-positive financial event for students via gifting. 12:30 - Blending digital software with real life to provide free graduation photos. 18:30 - How Tassel uses a 20-year phonetic database and AI to nail name pronunciation on stage. 21:30 - Tackling biometric privacy, user consent, and BIPA compliance. 28:30 - Scaling campus software point solutions and trends in the lower middle market. 32:30 - Final takeaways, looking out for Tassel at upcoming ceremonies, and closing shots. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you listen to podcasts to stay ahead of the curve on what's emerging across the changing landscape of education!
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  How One Public High School Transformed First-Gen College Success with Dr. Erika Kitzmiller 19.05.2026 41min

  In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer welcomes Erika Kitzmiller, a research associate professor at the University of Chicago and author of the new book, Unchartered: How One Public High School Transformed First Generation College Success. Drawing on her own background as a former middle school teacher and a proud first-generation college graduate, Kitzmiller shares the insights gained from an intensive, multi-year case study of a public high school pseudonymously named Clayton. While the school boasted a near-100 percent college acceptance rate, only half of its alumni were successfully graduating from college. To address this gap, Kitzmiller and Clayton’s principal designed a unique practice-to-research partnership that centered student voices, incorporated alumni interviews, and directly empowered youth agency. The conversation explores pragmatic, on-the-ground structural changes implemented at Clayton that did not require massive budgets or flashy technology. Kitzmiller discusses how the school expanded elective choices, created a dedicated senior college seminar embedded directly into the school day, and shifted student supports from an opt-in model to an opt-out expectation. The duo also notes the tangible benefits of Advanced Placement classes, which allowed students from low-income backgrounds to gain academic confidence and bypass large university introductory courses that frequently act as academic hurdles. Beyond policy shifts, Kitzmiller highlights the vital role of building trust over long horizons and honoring the human stories of public school educators through detailed teacher portraits. This episode offers a grounded perspective on how K-12 institutions can actively prepare first-generation students for post-secondary endurance. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Erika Kitzmiller and her new book; 01:00 - Erika's background as a first-generation college graduate and middle school teacher; 02:45 - Initiating the practice-to-research partnership at Clayton High School; 05:30 - Fostering student agency, course catalogs, and college options; 11:00 - Transitioning to opt-out support systems and embedded senior seminars; 12:30 - The pragmatic value of Advanced Placement (AP) classes for low-income student persistence; 18:00 - Bringing a first-generation college success mission into K-12 environments; 22:30 - Navigating research collaboration, school district permission, and funding levers; 30:30 - Humanizing public education through rich teacher portraits; 34:00 - Rebuilding community trust and relational connections within schools; 39:30 - Final thoughts and expressing gratitude to frontline educators. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.
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  Smarter Decision-Making in the Age of AI with Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, Author of The Human Edge 15.05.2026 42min

  Cheryl Strauss Einhorn joins Mike Palmer to discuss her latest book, The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI. As the founder of Decisive and a former investigative journalist for Barron's, Cheryl brings a unique perspective to the world of problem solving. Her career shift from reporting on corporate scandals to teaching at Columbia University stems from a desire to move beyond simple awareness of cognitive biases and toward a system that actively counters them. The conversation centers on the AREA method, a decision making framework designed to manage the mental shortcuts that often lead us astray. Cheryl explains how her method separates research into distinct phases: Absolute, Relative, Exploration, Exploitation, and Analysis. By slowing down to evaluate information from multiple perspectives, decision makers can gain the conviction needed to act in high stakes environments. The Human Edge focuses specifically on how humans can remain the chief deciders while using AI as a cognitive sidecar. Cheryl notes that while AI provides speed and vast amounts of data, it lacks personal context and an understanding of human consequences. She warns against AI sycophancy, where tools mirror our own preferences back to us and narrow our worldview. To combat this, she introduces the concept of the cheetah pause, a deliberate deceleration that allows for the agility and maneuverability required to navigate complex problems. Mike and Cheryl also explore the role of AI in education and the workplace. They discuss using AI for perspective taking through role play, conducting pre-mortems to identify potential failures, and the importance of teaching decision science as a core competency in schools. The episode concludes with a reminder that our decisions define our future, and maintaining human agency is essential as we integrate powerful new technologies into our lives. Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction and professional origin story 03:50 - Transitioning from journalism to decision science 05:30 - Overview of The Human Edge and making decisions with AI 08:20 - Breaking down the AREA method 12:30 - Pre-mortems and the analysis of failure 15:45 - The risks of AI framing and the lack of human context 18:45 - Navigating research fire hoses and AI sycophancy 23:15 - Credibility, hallucinations, and the ROI of AI training 26:30 - The Cheetah Pause: finding agility through deceleration 31:10 - Using AI for perspective taking and agentic workflows 35:30 - AI as a safe space for learning and post-mortems 38:40 - Integrating decision making into the education system 40:50 - Closing thoughts: becoming the chief decider Links: The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI: https://www.amazon.com/Human-Edge-Smarter-Decisions-Age/dp/1119931313 Decisive: https://www.areamethod.com/ Problem-Solver Type Quiz: https://www.areamethod.com/quiz/ Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode like this one. Visit us at Trending in Ed for more.
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  Exploring American Educational Excellence with Author and Founder Kenan Sahin 12.05.2026 45min

  Host Mike Palmer welcomes Kenan Sahin, the Founder and President of CAMX Power and author of American Educational Excellence: The Foundation of Our Values, Democracy, and Market Capitalism, to the podcast. We explore his educational roots as a product of California public schools and early career as an MIT professor, as well as his time leading Bell Labs as a Vice President of Technology. Kenan shares the story of the catalyst for his book, which began when he challenged an expert in the Hague who could not find enough bad words for the American system. He compares US-trained engineers to those from Europe, arguing that our system excels because it prioritizes what students do with their knowledge rather than just the depth of what they know. The conversation then shifts to examine the fundamental values that define Americans as change-oriented societal rebels who cherish independence and choice. Kenan traces the origins of American educational excellence back to 1636 and the founding of Harvard College, as well as the 1647 law requiring towns to fund schools to protect children from being tempted by Satan. He contrasts our decentralized, coordinated network of thousands of local school districts and private colleges with centralized, state-controlled models like that of France. He also addresses the resilience of the university business model, noting that while major corporations often last only twenty years, many universities endure for centuries. We then tackle modern challenges like rising tuition costs and look at how technology and AI are shifting the focus of learning away from facts and knowledge toward the art of asking the right questions. Kenan notes new MIT initiatives designed to train thousands of engineers at a lower cost and the role of technology in supporting special education teachers. We end with the insight that excellence requires daily improvement and that despite critiques, our system remains a global leader by preparing students for democracy and market capitalism. Subscribe, like, and share Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more. Timestamps 00:15 Intro to Kenan Sahin 01:20 Kenan's background and MIT history 02:15 Bell Labs and the legacy of Arthur D. Little 03:55 Challenging the expert in the Hague 05:40 US engineers vs European graduates 06:55 Knowledge vs action: What you do with what you know 10:10 American values: Societal rebels and innovation 11:55 Family dynamics and the rebellion against authority 15:20 The 1636 founding of Harvard 17:15 The 1647 Tempting Satan Act 19:15 Centralized French system vs US coordinated network 20:45 University longevity and business model resilience 23:40 Tuition costs and philanthropy examples at MIT and Princeton 29:15 Quality control in the American higher education factory 31:55 Education for a lifetime vs trade schools 34:45 MIT's new 10,000 dollar engineering initiative 36:20 AI and the importance of asking the right questions 40:40 Special education and technology assistance 43:00 Daily excellence and the spirit of philanthropy
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  Big If True Thinking, AI and Early Literacy with Kumar Garg, President Renaissance Philanthropy 08.05.2026 39min

  Kumar Garg, President of Renaissance Philanthropy, rejoins host Mike Palmer for his third appearance on Trending in Ed, earning his highly coveted refrigerator magnet. Kumar discusses RenPhil's growth and its mission to help donors invest effectively in science and technology research areas like AI, climate, and education. Big If True: The conversation explores the concept of "Big If True" and the Big If True Science (BITS) accelerator. This framework focuses on transformative ideas that can have a tangible impact on a field within a three to five-year timeline. Rather than funding incremental research, BITS encourages researchers to identify the biggest goals that would make a real difference in the world if achieved. LEVI Literacy Initiative: A major focus of the episode is the Learning Engineering Virtual Institute (LEVI) Literacy Initiative. This $100 million program aims to cut the number of struggling early readers in half within the school districts where it operates. Kumar explains how improved AI diagnostics can identify speech impediments and learning disabilities much earlier than current methods, allowing for intervention before students fall behind in the third grade. A key technical challenge involves improving Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) for children. Current models are significantly less accurate for younger voices and noisy classrooms compared to adult speech. By building better datasets and benchmarks, researchers can create AI tools that serve as screeners to help speech pathologists and educators provide more tailored services early on, to ensure kids are on track by key 3rd grade literacy milestones. Learning Engineering: The episode also covers learning engineering, a field that treats the act of instruction as a systems-level challenge. Kumar highlights the dynamic dosing model from Carnegie Mellon, which combines human tutoring with digital AI tools to provide personalized learning. This hybrid approach allows students to advance at their own pace while keeping a human instructor available to manage motivation and technical hurdles. Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome back to Kumar Garg and the refrigerator magnet 03:55 The Big If True Science accelerator framework 05:48 Launching the LEVI Literacy Initiative to help early readers 08:18 Fixing the speech recognition gap for young children 14:48 Applying learning engineering to system-level breakthroughs 22:15 Safety as an accelerant for technological innovation 30:23 Dynamic dosing and the future of human and AI tutoring Subscribe to Trending in Ed on your favorite podcast platform to stay updated on the future of learning. Visit Renaissance Philanthropy at renphil.org to learn more about their newly launched LEVI Literacy Fund and other initiatives.
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  AI Literacy, Storytelling, and the Magic of Moby with BrainPOP CEO Lorin Thomas-Tavel 05.05.2026 30min

  In this special edition of Trending in Education, former colleagues reunite as Mike Palmer interviews Lorin Thomas-Tavel, the CEO of BrainPOP. We explore the evolution of a major brand in EdTech and discuss how it continues to simplify complex topics for students and teachers alike. We dive into the 27-year history of BrainPOP, which began when a doctor created animated content to help young patients understand their own bodies. Today, the platform serves as a trusted companion for teachers in K-8 classrooms, focusing on sense-making during complicated times. We discuss the unique parasocial bond children and adults share with iconic characters like Tim and Moby, and why human-led storytelling continues to power the magic of the product. We also celebrate AI Literacy Day by talking about BrainPOP’s work on AI literacy. Lorin explains how they partnered with Digital Promise to adopt a rigorous framework that focuses on understanding, evaluating, and using AI. We discuss why AI is an additive tool rather than a replacement for the human teacher in the classroom. The conversation touches on BrainPOP’s partnership with Kirkbi, the private holding and investment arm of LEGO, and how this collaboration energizes their mission of digital play and impact. Lorin also shares leadership insights on "even over" prioritization, the 10x power of cultural fit, and her recognition as an honoree with the Power of Women at the ASU+GSV conference. Time Stamps: 00:00: Intro and a Kaplan Reunion 03:00: The History and Mission of BrainPOP 04:45: Character Pedagogy and the Power of Moby 08:50: Launching the AI Literacy Collection with Digital Promise 13:45: The Lego Partnership and Digital Play 16:45: Integrating AI While Maximizing the Human Element 19:45: ASU+GSV and the Power of Women Recognition 21:40: Career Advice on Mentorship and the Courage to Ask 23:45: Building Culture and Using Even Overs for Focus 28:30: Final Takeaways on Curiosity and Community Like, follow, and subscribe to Trending in Ed with Mike Palmer wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode like this one.