Recent Work
The physics of collectives
Are there conditions that create a pathway to innovation and groundbreaking inventions? How do groups solve problems? In today’s episode, we look at the science of collectives to learn about the patterns that emerge as human societies grow, the importance of a collective structure to foster ideas and create impact, and – from collectives like ants and immune systems – the importance of veering off the beaten path to become better at exploring and discovering.
March 13, 2024. Produced for the Santa Fe Institute.
Swearing Is More Important Than You Think [Uncensored]
Every language has its taboo words (which many people use all the time). But the list of forbidden words is always changing — and those changes tell us some surprising things about ourselves.
April 24, 2023. Produced for the Freakonomics Radio podcast and aired on NPR.
What's the Worst Kind of Regret?
Is it worse to regret something you’ve done, or something you haven’t done? What’s the upside of rejection? And which great American short-story writer convinced Angela to quit driving?
July 2, 2023. Produced for No Stupid Questions, a podcast from the Freakonomics Radio Network.
Abortions in Bristol Bay: Legal but difficult to navigate
In the wake of the Roe vs. Wade reversal, abortion remains legal in Alaska and is protected by the state constitution’s right to privacy. But, that doesn’t mean it’s available across the state. In Bristol Bay, patients seeking abortions have always faced obstacles to care.
July 18, 2022. First aired on KDLG public radio in Dillingham, Alaska.
Up close with spawning salmon
In the summer, hordes of salmon travel thousands of miles from the ocean to fill the streams and creeks around Lake Aleknagik. These waterways are an important part of the salmon life cycle, where adult fish come to spawn and then die. Each year, researchers from the University of Washington’s Alaska Salmon Program follow them upstream to survey the number of salmon that reach these spawning grounds.
August 23, 2022. First aired on KDLG public radio in Dillingham, Alaska.
An afternoon of Yup’ik dancing celebrates community and culture
On a windy Saturday in July, ten women gathered in the tundra for the Women’s and Two Spirit Dancing Circle, organized by Dillingham resident Maria Dosal.
July 22, 2022. First aired on KDLG public radio in Dillingham, Alaska.
Real and Imagined
In the summer before moving to Maine, I find items from a woman who lived in Portland over a hundred years ago, tucked into a book I had owned for years. After arriving in Portland two weeks later, I’m determined to find out who that woman was.
December 16, 2021. Originally aired on 90.9 WMPG FM. Written, recorded, and produced for the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies with help from Sinduja Srinivasan, Haley Paskalides, and Kendra Hanna. Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Daniel Birch.
The Leprechaun
For two years of my childhood, I wasn’t just a normal girl.
November 13, 2021. Performed live at the Portland Museum of Art. Special thanks to Micaela Blei and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.