The Vandal Theory podcast started as an experiment to get information out in a podcasting format and is now entering its third season next month.
The podcast is hosted by Leigh Cooper, University of Idaho science and
content writer.
It started off as a climate change package that explored about what UI does regarding climate change research. Cooper said the goal was to provide information to the general public, legislation, friends of the university and journalists.
The first season was comprised of three episodes all centered around climate change topics. These topics varied over the course of the season and were explored through round-table discussions about how climate change affects Idaho right now.
The first episode won first place in the Idaho Press Club awards for non-journalistic audio.
The second season was centered around Cooper having a discussion with the UI researchers about the importance of their research, why they got into their research and other various topics.
“It’s more of conversation about them as a scientist and their relationship with their research and what gets them up in the morning about their research,” Cooper said.
Cooper said her favorite episode is season two episode two with Matthew Fox-Amato, UI assistant professor in the history program. She said she enjoyed this episode because she got to learn about something she’s unfamiliar with.
The episode was about how photography was used in the civil war and how each side used it to help tell their stories.
She said she enjoyed this episode not only because of the subject matter, but because of the way Fox-Amato talked about the subject.
“He knew every fact, figure, name and all these stories that were just mind-
blowing stories,” Cooper said. “I couldn’t even interrupt him because he was just so dynamic as a storyteller.”
Fox-Amato said podcasts are important because you get to learn about a subject in a more digestible way.
“Whether you’re in the sciences or in the humanities like I am, I think it’s a really good way for people in a condensed way to get the word out,” Fox-Amato said.
Fox-Amato hopes the podcast continues to focus on the research being done at UI. Not only in the applied sciences, but in the social sciences and the humanities.
Cooper said when she considers topics for the podcast, she likes to choose topics people are interested in and want to learn more about.
“We wanted to show that University of Idaho researchers are doing research on these topics that are making it into the news,” Cooper said. “We can help you understand often these nuanced topics more than you would have before you listened to the podcast.”
Cooper said each episode takes a few months to complete from start to finish, with the fastest one completed in about a month. Cooper said the third season of the podcast will likely start in March some time. Right now, the researchers for the third season are still being decided.
She said the best parts of producing the podcast are talking to researchers who are excited to tell their story and helping them get the word out about the research they’re doing.
“Things I’ve never heard of, things I’ve never read about before, we get to shine a light on through The Vandal Theory. So, that’s the best part. The best part is getting these researchers to tell their stories,” Cooper said.
Currently the Vandal Theory podcast can be listened to on UI’s website, Google Play, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Soundcloud.
Nicole Hindberg can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @HindbergNicole