Welcome to the “holiday office party” of Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, associate professor of literacy, culture, and international education in the Graduate School of Education; Julia Ticona, assistant professor of communication at the Annenberg School for Communication; and Dwayne Booth, aka “Mr. Fish,” a lecturer in Annenberg.  

Here, in the spirit of the season, the trio of “Office Hours” podcast returnees unite to discuss holiday traditions, reflect on the 2010s, and imagine what awaits in the new decade. “Office Hours” is a production of Penn Today and can be discovered on Apple Music.

5:05: Ticona’s favorite part of the holiday season

8:25: Thomas quips about HGTV trends

12:45: Mr. Fish on experiencing winter after California

16:00: Thomas explains the reaction to her new book, “The Dark Fantastic”

20:45: Ticona’s biggest Penn accomplishment this year

28:20: Thomas on quitting Twitter

35:15: Mr. Fish on political activism

49:00: All the guests consider what they've previously described as “overrated virtues”

57:00: Ticona looks back at her past decade and emphasizes gratitude

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Transcript

Welcome to the “office hours” of Julia Ticona, assistant professor of communication at the Annenberg School for Communication.

Here, in the latest episode of Penn Today’s “Office Hours” podcast series, which explores the minds of the University’s academic talents in a more unbuttoned setting outside of the lecture hall, Ticona unpacks the “sociological imagination,” explains how people are adapting to new technologies and gig economies born from them, and what superpower she’d embrace if given the choice. 

1:12: The “sociological imagination” and what Ticona studies

3:50: The “actual story” of how the cell phone kickstarted her research

13:55: Smartphones as a utility

23:20: Chitchat about roller rinks, who she’d invite to an ideal dinner, and more

34:22: Which superpower she’d choose between reading minds, being invisible, or flying

Download "Office Hours" on Apple Music

Welcome to the “office hours” of Doug Jerolmack, professor of Earth and Environmental Science, with a secondary appointment in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics.

Here, in the latest episode of Penn Today’s “Office Hours” podcast series, which explores the minds of the University’s academic talents in a more unbuttoned setting outside of the lecture hall, Jerolmack discusses the “science of scenery.” He talks rounded pebbles along riversides, studying sand movement even as it’s apparently undisturbed, and also teases out the dynamic with his twin brother, who also studies the environment, and the status of his wife’s West Philadelphia taco shop. 

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Welcome to the “office hours” of Vijay Balasubramanian, professor of physics in the School of Arts and Sciences. 

Here, in the latest episode of the “Office Hours” podcast, which explores the minds of the University’s academic talents in a more unbuttoned and freewheeling setting outside of the lecture hall, Balasubramanian joins for a chat about the science behind smell and memory, the distinction between “cool” and “important,” and why MacGyver makes for such a moral character.

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Welcome to the “office hours” of Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, associate professor of literacy, culture, and international education in the Graduate School of Education. 

Here, in the latest episode of the “Office Hours” podcast series produced by Penn Today, which explores the minds of the University’s academic talents in a more unbuttoned and freewheeling setting outside of the lecture hall, Thomas discusses growing up with limited children’s literature options, where young adult and children’s lit is going today, why she still hasn’t watched “The Wire,” and what she thinks is an overrated virtue. 

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Welcome to the “office hours” of James Serpell, professor of ethics and animal welfare at the School of Veterinary Medicine and director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals & Society.

Here, in the latest episode of Penn Today’s “Office Hours” podcast series, which explores the minds of the University’s academic talents in a more unbuttoned and freewheeling setting outside of the lecture hall, Serpell joins for a discussion about the parrot that sparked his interest in animal behavior, the use of antidepressants in dogs, his passion for cooking, and why today’s students inspire him.

Download audio on iTunes.

Welcome to the “office hours” of Kathy DeMarco Van Cleve, senior lecturer of Cinema and Media Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Here, in the latest episode of the “Office Hours” podcast produced by Penn Today, which explores the minds of the University’s academic talents in a more unbuttoned and freewheeling setting outside of the lecture hall, Van Cleve joins for a look back on the 2019 Oscars, exploring what The Academy got right and wrong this year, and whether it's worth feeling bad for Bradley Cooper. Plus, gab about what she likes to munch on, reflection on her favorite movie (or movies), and some shout-outs to her favorite places on campus.

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