By Emily Wilaj / Jambar Contributor
When Youngstown State University professor Kyle Starkey is not in the classroom teaching humanities and social sciences, he provides research and insight to the public through his new podcast, “Academic Bites.”
The podcast launched Feb. 21 on Spotify and there are currently two episodes — “The Complexities of Memory” and “Do Women’s Sports Need Protecting?”
Starkey said he wanted to find a way for staff members to connect and share their research with the public.
“A lot of the departments are very isolated, and we don’t cross those borders a lot,” Starkey said. “This was a way for us to talk to each other.”
Guests on the podcast included humanities and social sciences associate professors Amy Fluker and Amanda Fehlbaum.
Fluker said the podcast serves as an opportunity for faculty to learn more about each other and for listeners to learn more about their work during the process.
“Most of our day-to-day interactions are about our teaching and about administrative stuff. It was wonderful to actually get to talk to them about the important research they’re doing … to get to know them as scholars, as well as teachers and co-workers,” Fluker said.
Starkey said he wanted the podcast to come across as a casual conversation rather than a scripted production.
“I want it to be laid back,” Starkey said. “I want this to be a conversation, I want this to be all of us talking across these disciplinary lines.”
Fluker described the tone of this production to be informal yet insightful and engaging for listeners.
“It is meant to be a casual chat between multiple faculty members about subjects that they have in common. Faculty are often researching the same events, developments, etc. But from very different perspectives based on their own fields of expertise,” Fluker said.
Starkey’s main goal for the podcast is to convey to the public — specifically students — that professors do a lot more than just teach.
“In higher education, faculty members aren’t just teaching. People know we are doing research and we’re doing these extra things, but I don’t think students and people around campus know what it is or how exciting it is,” Starkey said.
Fluker said this project helps professors show the community their accomplishments in research and academia.
“Faculty here are required to be active scholars, always advancing research and publishing. We don’t always get to share that work in our classrooms, so you might not know we’re doing it, and this podcast lets us share a different side to our work.” Fluker said.
Episode three is being recorded April 17 and will feature YSU professors AJ Sumell and Gabriel Palmer-Fernandez. The show will also feature Vicki Vicars, vice president of operations at Thrive Mahoning Valley, who will discuss the economics and ethics of immigration.
Starkey encourages students, staff and community members to contact him at [email protected] if interested in being part of the podcast.