Research Matters’ video podcast debuts, translating ideas into impact

When Cornell researchers set out to solve problems, they rarely stay confined to the lab.

Their work shows up in courtrooms and cornfields, emergency call centers and construction sites, insect collections and robotics workshops. "Research Matters," a new video podcast series from Cornell University Relations, will make those connections visible, and accessible, to a broad public audience.

Launching Jan. 27 with three episodes, "Research Matters" spotlights Cornell scholars whose research directly engages with real-world challenges, from climate change and public safety to mental health, food systems and the future of technology. Hosted by Cornell Chronicle staff writer Laura Reiley and produced by Garth Avery, broadcast studio specialist in Media Relations, the series translates complex scholarship into casual conversations that can be understood by listeners of all backgrounds.

"This series is about showing why research matters on campus and beyond," said Monica Yant Kinney, associate vice president for university relations. "Cornell's researchers are deeply engaged with the world as it is - and as it could be. 'Research Matters' gives them space to explain not just what they're studying, but why it matters now."

Early episodes reflect the breadth of Cornell's research enterprise. In one installment, psychologist Jessica Salerno, associate professor in the College of Human Ecology and Cornell Law School, discusses how subtle cues like tone or emotional expression can affect whether 911 callers are treated as victims or suspects. Her work has implications for policing, bias and emergency response systems nationwide.

In another episode, biomedical scientist Dr. Glenn E. Simmons Jr., assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, reveals how fats and inflammation can fuel cancer - and why some communities face worse outcomes than others. And David Rand, professor in the Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences, describes how AI can sway how we think - and even how we vote.

"Research Matters" will be distributed on Tuesdays through the spring semester on the Cornell Chronicle website and major podcast platforms, with video versions available for viewers who prefer to watch.

What unites the episodes is not a single discipline, but a shared emphasis on impact.

"If you've ever wondered how academic research connects to the choices you make, the systems you rely on, or the future you're inheriting - this podcast is for you," Reiley said.