Saturdays at Seven Conversation Series

In the twenty-ninth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Stephen M. Barr, President of the Society of Catholic Scientists and Professor of Physics Emeritus at the University of Delaware. Barr begins by unpacking the basics of the Grand Unified Theory for non-physicists. He details why…

In the twenty-eighth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Francis Su, the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. Su opens by discussing what motivates mathematicians and how the strange, uncanny, wonderful, and unexpected encounters are often the ones that excite them the most.…

In the twenty-seventh episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Russell W. Howell, the Kathleen Smith Chair of Natural and Behavioral Sciences at Westmont College. Howell opens by discussing how mathematicians often find themselves confronted by results they find mysterious and for which no immediate explanation…

In the twenty-sixth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Mark Behrens, the John and Margaret McAndrews Professor of Mathematics at the University of Notre Dame. Behrens begins by unpacking the unique ways mathematics provides logical and replicable results. He also notes mathematics can prove mysterious…

In the twenty-fifth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Kim Jongerius, Professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Department of Mathematics at Northwestern College. Jongerius begins by exploring the role mystery plays in the pursuit of mathematical forms of truth. Shying away from mystery, especially…

In the twenty-fourth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Satyan L. Devadoss, the Fletcher Jones Professor of Applied Mathematics and Professor of Engineering at the University of San Diego. Devadoss opens by exploring how mathematicians quite often find themselves encountering that which is mysterious. Acknowledging…

In the twenty-third episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Helen M. Alvaré, the Robert A. Levy Chair in Law and Liberty and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law. Alvaré opens by discussing the impact of the 2022…

In the twenty-second episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with W. Bradford Wilcox, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation University Professor of Sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia. Wilcox begins by discussing what constitutes a family-friendly institution and what colleges and…

In the twenty-first episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Amanda Hontz Drury, Professor of Theology and Ministry and Director of the Imaginarium at Indiana Wesleyan University. Drury opens by discussing the discernment process that led her to establish the Imaginarium as well as the commitments…

In the twentieth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Wendy Wang, the Director of Research for the Institute for Family Studies. Wang opens by discussing the research she and her colleagues conduct concerning the Success Sequence—a set of three steps that when followed in order…

In the nineteenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Donna Carroll, President of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). Carroll opens by discussing how the student bodies served by Catholic colleges and universities have grown more ethnically diverse and the ways those student…

In the eighteenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with André Stephens, President of Fresno Pacific University. Stephens opens by discussing the history of the Fresno Pacific Idea Statement, the revisions it underwent since its inception in the 1960s, and the ways it creates frameworks for…

In the seventeenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Jeff Schloss, the T. B. Walker Professor of Natural and Behavioral Sciences and Director of the Center for Faith, Ethics, and the Life Sciences at Westmont College. Schloss opens by discussing whether humans are inherently collaborative…

In the sixteenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., President of Creighton University. Hendrickson begins by discussing the unique commitment Creighton makes to prepare health care professionals on its campus in Omaha but also on a campus it recently established…

In the fifteenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago. Cupich opens by sharing how he came to learn about Chicago’s rich history, appreciate its diverse cultures, and engage with parishioners who worship in the Archdiocese’s 216 churches—churches…

In the fourteenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Morten Lauridsen, Distinguished Professor of Composition Emeritus at the University of Southern California. They open their conversation by talking about Lauridsen’s practice of going down deep, the role that practice plays in his ability to appreciate…

In the thirteenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with J. Michael Hardin, Professor of Quantitative Analysis (and former Provost) at Samford University and a Fellow of the American Statistical Association. Hardin begins by discussing how the history of “Big Data” reaches back to the 1940s…

In the twelfth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Karen An-hwei Lee, Professor of English and Provost at Wheaton College. Lee opens by discussing the importance of the Christian imagination, how such an imagination is fostered by a liberal arts education, and how such an…

In the eleventh episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Jay Brewster, Professor of Biology and Provost at Pepperdine University. Brewster begins by discussing the role undergraduate research can play in the lives of students and why its benefits merit it being classified as a high…

In the tenth episode of the second season of the “Saturdays at Seven” conversation series, Todd Ream talks with Noah J. Toly, Provost at Calvin University. As an urban affairs scholar, Toly opens by talking about what he sees when visiting a city and, in particular, what he appreciates about the cultural assets each city…