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Berkeley Talks

UC Berkeley
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A Berkeley News podcast that features lectures and conversations at UC Berkeley

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes254Founded8 years ago
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EducationSociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

As Halle Stanford drove through Topanga Canyon in Southern California, with Dolly Parton blasting from the car speakers, she was struck by a moment of inspiration. 

“I had this vision of a little hedgehog on the side of the road in her little pink h... more

Across the American West Coast in the 1980s, the burgeoning punk rock and skinhead scenes were much more than just raw music and counterculture fashion — they quickly became contested ground in an ideological battle against white supremacy. Neo-Nazi ... more

It was the morning after the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and pianist Lara Downes was catching a flight from California to Kentucky, where she was set to perform later in the evening. “It was a very weird day to be anywhere,” she recalls.

That n... more

While preparing his lectures for UC Berkeley, Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber spent hours poring over the memoirs and writings of former University of California President Clark Kerr, seeking wisdom from the architect of Californ... more

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Recent Guests

Jacob Kornbluth
Emmy-winning filmmaker and founder of Inequality Media
Inequality Media
Episode: What punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate
Eric Ward
Executive Vice President of Race Forward
Race Forward
Episode: What punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate
Dion Garcia
Music director and musician with roots in punk and skinhead scenes
Independent artist/Music industry
Episode: What punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate
Erin Yankee
Podcaster and co-creator of It Did Happen Here
It Did Happen Here
Episode: What punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate
Lara Downes
Pianist and advocate behind The Declaration Project
Free movement of American music, Lincoln Center commission projects
Episode: Musician Lara Downes celebrates the sound of America
Christopher Eisgruber
President of Princeton University
Princeton University
Episode: How the American university’s success led to its modern challenges
Alison Gopnik
Professor of Psychology, Affiliate Professor of Philosophy at UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: Alison Gopnik on why AI is no match for a 4-year-old
Hany Farid
Professor at UC Berkeley, School of Information; CSO at Get Real Security
University of California, Berkeley; Get Real Security
Episode: Hany Farid on the erosion of shared reality in the age of deepfakes
Julia Fawcett
Faculty member in English and Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, author of Moveable Londons
UC Berkeley / University of Michigan (as per discussion)
Episode: First a plague, then a fire: How a changing city rebuilt the modern stage

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 43 ratings
  • The best of the best at Berkeley

    The University of California at Berkeley was recently named, by Forbes, the best university in the United States. It stands to reason that it would be the stage for amazing talks by some of the world’s great thinkers. Berkeley Talks allows listeners to hear the best of them, a diverse mix of events with excellent production quality. Check it out.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Southside Eddie 777
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Excellent guests and rigorous interviewing.
Thoughtful discussions that connect research to real-world impact.
High production quality and diverse ideas from Berkeley scholars.
Clever integration of historical context with modern tech challenges.

Top Education Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How the American university’s success led to its modern challenges
Q: What about DEI values in the face of government pressure, and why hasn't there been a unified vocal defense of higher education?
Leaders must continue to champion diversity and inclusion while respecting legal boundaries, and engage in proactive advocacy, including coordinated efforts among associations like the AAU to present a united stance on academic freedom and the value of higher education.
How the American university’s success led to its modern challenges
Q: You emphasized how much people hate debt and how it may be worthwhile, but it's politically costly. Is it sustainable to have universities be ever more selective and subsidized relative to others?
Part of the answer will come from policy changes, but we need to better explain the benefits of investment in higher education and fix policy issues while acknowledging cost concerns. Completion rates and targeted financial aid can help make the system more affordable in practice.
Hany Farid on the erosion of shared reality in the age of deepfakes
Q: Is there a solution in the near future to this attributable warfare or are we just screwed?
He argues we are not completely helpless and highlights active forensics like content provenance initiatives (C2PA) and the potential role of device-level signing and blockchains to authenticate content, though widespread adoption remains a hurdle due to infrastructure scale and incentives.
Hany Farid on the erosion of shared reality in the age of deepfakes
Q: How easy would it be to fix the images to overcome detection methods?
He explains that while improvements could occur, achieving perfect realism at scale is extremely hard due to the need to model 3D physics and multiple frames in real time, making it unlikely consumer-grade tools will catch up quickly; the focus is on scalable, upstream verification and collaboration with major outlets.
Alison Gopnik on why AI is no match for a 4-year-old
Q: Given your critique of the 'general intelligence' myth, how should we rethink AI progress and expectations in education and policy?
The speaker argues for viewing AI as a powerful but specialized set of techniques that excel in certain tasks when paired with exploration and data-rich environments; progress should be framed around robust, diverse data use, human oversight, and recognizing the limits of transfer learning across domains.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Berkeley Talks

What is Berkeley Talks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thought-provoking, academically linked series that brings UC Berkeley scholars and practitioners to the fore across topics like AI, media, law, climate, and the humanities. Episodes often pair leading researchers with moderators to unpack complex ideas—ranging from the ethics of AI and deepfakes to judicial courage, innovation ecosystems at Berkeley, and environmental challenges. The format tends to combine accessible storytelling with rigorous analysis, frequently drawing on historical context and real-world implications, making it a strong fit for listeners who want depth, credibility, and practical insights for policy, strategy, and innovation. Noteworthy traits include high-quality production, guest diversity across disciplines, and a... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Berkeley Talks:

1. East Bay Yesterday
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. Bay Curious
4. Up First from NPR
5. Radio Atlantic

How many episodes of Berkeley Talks are there?

Berkeley Talks launched 8 years ago and published 254 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Berkeley Talks?

Recent guests on Berkeley Talks include:

1. Jacob Kornbluth
2. Eric Ward
3. Dion Garcia
4. Erin Yankee
5. Lara Downes
6. Christopher Eisgruber
7. Alison Gopnik
8. Hany Farid

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