Jason Lee, an associate professor in the College of Engineering at UConn, has wanted to travel into space since he was a child. He got a chance to do that for 45 days – without ever leaving earth! For 45 days, Lee, lived in NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog habitat at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, participating in a simulated journey to Ma…

UConn is known around the country for great academics, championship basketball and the greatest ice cream you can find. Now, award-winning cheese can be added to that list! Cheeses produced at UConn’s Creamery have recently won major awards in national and regional contests, including winning a first prize at the American Cheese Society Annual Judg…

Coach Tom Moore is entering his 20th season (during two stints) on the UConn men’s basketball coach staff and has been part of four national championships with the Huskies. He has been involved in college basketball at every level – a head coach in Division I and III and an assistant coach in Division I and II. He talks to us about the similarities…

Alan Marcus is a professor in UConn’s Neag School of Education and among his areas of focus is global education with an emphasis on the Holocaust and teaching difficult history. Last year, he led a program at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs that Taught lessons about the Holocaust and larger issues of identity. The program, which was also offered t…

Fany DeJesus Hannon serves as the Dean of Students and absolutely loves her job…and UConn students. A native of Honduras, she embraces her Latino heritage and applies it to how she and her office help Huskies succeed. The Dean of Students office works with virtually every area of campus to help undergraduates get the most of their college experienc…

It’s the second week of classes on all of UConn campuses and our guest on this week’s UConn 360 podcast is busier than ever. Vin Moscardelli is the director of the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships, which helps identify students for such honors as the Rhodes, Fulbright, Truman and Udall programs. Moscaredelli’s office guides students th…

Neal Glaviano is an assistant professor at UConn in the Department of Kinesiology and serves as the clinical education coordinator for the master’s in athletic training program. He works with a number of areas on campus ranging from athletics to ROTC. Neal joins us in this episode and talks about treatments for knee pain for everyone from college a…

UConn Deputy Fire Chief Chris Renshaw is involved in virtually every aspect of campus life. He is a key part of the Division of University Safety whose mission is to make sure the entire campus community is safe on a day-to-day basis. Chris is also heavily involved in special occasions like a Presidential visit and sporting events. When he’s not ke…

UConn faculty have performed research all over the globe, but few have gone to a more remote place than professor of marine science Penny Vlahos. Vlahos, along with two other UConn researchers, travelled to the Arctic in May of 2023 to gather samples from sea ice that is expected to be extinct by 2040 and gather clues about our future without it. S…

UConn golf coach Dave Pezzino has been on campus for 17 seasons and has led the elevation of the program to the national scene. He joins us on the latest version of the UConn 360 podcast to talk about that climb and what it is like to be part of the overall Husky culture. Coach Pezzino also gives us some insight on his experience playing alongside …

The UConn 360 podcast is back…with some new co-hosts. Izzy Harris and Mike Enright of University Communications have taken over the reins of UConn 360 and hope to live up the high standards of information and entertainment provided by colleagues Tom Breen and Julie Bartucca. In this first (or 116th) episode, Izzy and Mike introduce themselves to th…

After six years, 115 episodes, two national awards, and countless memories that will last a lifetime, UConn 360 is going on indefinite hiatus. Does this mean you'll never again hear from the only podcast known to science that covers the University of Connecticut from every conceivable angle? Probably not! Who knows? The future is unwritten, as Tom'…

From raging wildfires in Canada to record rainfall in New York City to an out-of-nowhere hurricane slamming into Mexico, 2023 has been yet another year with abundant evidence that our weather is getting harder to predict - and disasters harder to manage - as the planet continues to heat. Talbot Andrews, assistant professor of political science, foc…

This year marks the 50th anniversary of hip hop, which emerged from block parties in the South Bronx to become the dominant form of popular music in the United States and beyond. How did this unlikely underdog story happen? What kind of changes to the music and culture have taken place over five decades? What do you do when Chuck D from Public Enem…

Once upon a time, UConn was home to abundant orchards - where Gampel Pavilion sits now, and later at the Cold Spring Orchard not too far away. It's been many years since UConn grew its own apples, pears, and other tree fruit, but that's about to change. The Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture, Health…

It may seem hard to believe, as we bask in the glow of a fifth national championship, but there was a time when the UConn men's basketball team was little more than an afterthought. The Huskies had joined the newly created Big East Conference in 1979, which coincidentally would be the last time they'd play in the NCAA tournament for more than a dec…

Tom and Julie get a break this week from their hectic podcast production schedule when colleague Elaina Hancock interviews Professor of Earth Sciences Robert Thorson - known far and wide as "Thor" - whose expertise runs from Henry David Thoreau to New England stone walls to cutting-edge geology. In this interview, Elaina and Prof. Thorson talk abou…

Nationally, about 12% of children live with a parent who abuses alcohol or other drugs, and about 80% of parents in the child welfare system have substance use disorder. Margaret Lloyd Sieger is an Assistant Professor in the UConn School of Social Work who teaches courses in substance use disorder, research, program evaluation, and social policy. H…

Dimitris Xygalatas is an anthropologist and cognitive scientist who studies some of the more peculiar aspects of what it means to be human: ritual, music, sports fandom, and other things that help people connect with each other and make sense of their lives. He is an associated professor in anthropology and psychological sciences at UConn, and the …

Hey! Have you heard that the UConn Huskies men's basketball team are YOUR 2023 NCAA national champions? OF COURSE YOU HAVE. In this episode, recorded hours after the final game, Julie and Tom talk about it in a very sleep-deprived way that will either capture the lingering excitement of the moment or make you wonder if the fumes from the soundproof…

This week, we sit down with UConn School of Law Dean Eboni S. Nelson for a wide-ranging discussion on everything from the U.S. Supreme Court to the future of legal education. Dean Nelson, who arrived at UConn in July 2020, says that the growing public impression of the nation's top court as essentially a political body doesn't bode well for its abi…

“Neurodiversity” has become a familiar term across American society, but mere awareness of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, and other neurological differences doesn’t mean much for the people who live with these – especially when it comes to finding work. Studies differ on exact numbers, but the unemployment rate among ne…

If you've ever looked at a copy of UConn Magazine, visited the UConn Today website, or received any UConn-related material in the mail, you've probably seen the work of Peter Morenus. University photographer for nearly three decades, Morenus has photographed everyone from first-year students on their first day moving in to U.S. presidents. Here, he…

In this episode, we sit down (finally in our real studio!) with Leo Lachut '89, Director of Academic Support and Assistant Director of First Year Programs and Learning Communities. A first-generation college student himself, Leo talks about how, while student needs have remained roughly the same since his undergraduate days, the resources to help t…

We're joined by Michael Willig, executive director of the Institute of the Environment and a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, who talks about why he doesn't lose hope even in the face of grim news about the climate and environment. One of the things that encourages him is the work that UConn is doing on…

In this episode, Dr. Loneke Blackman Carr discusses the multiple caregiver role experienced by many Black women. She describes this as "The Black Superwoman Phenomenon,” which essentially means they keep their families and communities afloat, but to the detriment of their own health. Her research is the first study to examne this role specifically …

It's been a little over four years since UConn 360's humble origins in a conference room on North Eagleville Road, and now we have 100 episodes under our award-winning belts. Join us for a star-studded celebration that includes such beloved characters from the UConn 360 Cinematic Universe as co-founder Ken Best, who tells us about an exhibit he's w…

Many people probably think they know exactly what's in the dietary supplements and even prescription medications they take. Many people are WRONG. Professor C. Michael White, head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, drops by to tell us about flaws in the FDA oversight process when it comes to medications, counterfeit drugs, and how dietary supp…

Hartford native Frederick Law Olmsted is famous for his work in designing Central Park, but he was also a driving force behind human-shaped landscapes from Niagara Falls State Park to Smith College to the Institute of Living. Sohyun Park, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture…

Stuart Miller, a professor of Hebrew, History, and Judaic Studies and Academic Director of the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life, has been a force at UConn since 1982. Professor Miller is an expert in the history and literature of the Jews of Roman and Late Antique Palestine and throughout his career has worked closely with arc…

Preston Green is a professor of educational leadership and law at the University of Connecticut and the John and Maria Neag Professor of Urban Education at the Neag School of Education. He's a nationally recognized expert on school choice, charter schools, and the complex legal landscape of American public education. He's also a great follow on Twi…

John Bell is an associate professor in the Department of Dramatic Arts, the director of the Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry, and one of the most fun guests we've ever had. He stopped by to tell us about the astonishing diversity of puppeteering traditions, the everyday objects that serve as puppets without being thought of that way, and even…

This week we return to the fabled UConn 360 Studio for a talk with Victoria Kostour '22, a first-generation Ukrainian-American and the president of the Ukrainian Student Association. She tells us what it's been like to watch the war in Ukraine from here in the United States, how she and her fellow students have responded with activism and organizin…

This week we're joined by Jason Oliver Chang, Associate Professor of History and Asian American Studies, to talk about the pop-up course on anti-Asian racism he helped create for UConn; the increase in anti-Asian racist incidents and attacks since the start of the pandemic; and the role of scholarship in maintaining a strong democracy. We also take…

This week, we sit down with Tanya Rhodes Smith, director of the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work in the UConn School of Social Work. She tells us about how social work is inherently political, how social workers can help make positive changes for individuals and society, and how research indicates that higher rates of voter pa…

This week, we talk with Milton Levin '04 Ph.D., Associate Research Professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, about his research work, but also about the thing UConn's roughly 90,000 Instagram followers will recognize instantly: his breathtaking pictures of campus locations, especially Horsebarn Hill. Professor Levin tells …

This week, we welcome Fany Hannon, Director of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center, which is celebrating its golden anniversary this year. Fany talks about how the Center emerged from the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, what it's been like trying to keep a student-oriented organization running during a global pandemic, and…

In this episode, Matt Necci '03 (CLAS), an attorney and UConn Twitter all-star, talks about what it means to be really involved with a community, his work with the Husky Ticket Project, why he's optimistic about Hartford, and more. He also talks about what it was like to be in the scalding, vinegary center of the Hot Sauce Challenge phenomenon of s…

Every year, UConn sends out a video celebrating the arrival of the holiday season - creative, funny, moving, and surprising, these videos are produced by the talented team at University Communications. On this week's episode, we interview videographer Angelina Reyes, the producer of the 2021 holiday video, to learn about what goes into turning a ba…

It's been a minute! But now your favorite UConn-centric podcast is back-ish! Join Tom and Julie as we catch you up on what's been happening at UConn over the last six months, and talk about what comes next for UConn 360.Door UConn 360

In our last episode before the big summer hiatus, we talk with Prof. Bart Roccoberton Jr. about his work using the puppet arts to build bridges between artists in the US and China; we hear from Sage Phillips '22 about her activism and scholarship on behalf of her fellow Native American students; and we go all the way back to 1881 to experience what…

This week, our colleague Courtney Chandler talks with Dr. Sarita Arteaga, the associate dean for students at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, about the challenge of recruiting a diverse group of future dentists; newly-hired assistant men's basketball coach Luke Murray talks about what makes a successful recruiter; and we learn the strange saga …

This week, Allison Lombardi, an associate professor in the Department of Education Psychology, tells us about College and Career Readiness for Transition (CCR4T), a five-year measurement study that aims to evaluate high school students' preparation for their next steps; Stuart Brown, campus director of student services at UConn Waterbury, describes…

This week, we talk with Ben Shaiken '10 (CLAS), who was elected to the Mansfield Town Council in 2015 and is now deputy mayor, about his work in the nonprofit world and the challenges faced by elected officials; and we head back to the 1940s to learn how long it takes, once committees get involved, for a good idea to reach fruition (hint: a long ti…

This week, we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Joni Mitchell's album "Blue" with music professor Peter Kaminsky, who has organized a virtual conference at UConn to explore the legacy of the landmark recording; we're talking with Aswad Thomas '15 MSW, national director of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, about how his experience as a vi…

This week, Crystal Maldonado '10 (CLAS) stops by to talk about how bleak times helped inspired her critically-acclaimed YA novel "Fat Chance, Charlie Vega"; we speak with History Professor Alexis Dudden about attempts to discredit the experience of women who were forced into sexual slavery during World War II; and we learn about the brief period in…

This week, we talk with distinguished political commentator Stu Rothenberg '77 Ph.D. about the latest happenings in a sleepy little town called Washington, D.C.; in the latest installment of our Brave Space series, Political Science Prof. Christine Sylvester interviews Timothy Bussey '18 Ph.D. about their work in the diversity, equity, inclusion an…

This week, we talk to Ryan Allred '20 Ph.D. about "phubbing": the act of being too distracted by your phone to give your full attention to the person right in front of you. We also talk with Professor Nathanael Okpych about his book "Climbing a Broken Ladder," which provides insight into how children in foster care can be provided with better oppor…

This week, we hear from a voice that's very familiar to Husky fans - John Tuite, the PA announcer whose booming tones are an inseparable part of the gameday experience. We also talk with Professor Sandra Chafouleas about ways parents can support their kids during the uncertainty and stress of pandemic-era schooling, and we learn about a member of t…

This week, we speak with School of Fine Arts faculty members Cora Lynn Deibler and Earl MacDonald about the new collaborative work of animation "By Our Love"; student Tomaso Scotti tells us about what it's like to host the My First Year Story podcast; and we learn about a bygone student tradition that is probably best left in the past.…