Interviews

Long View Interviews

We’ve been talking with experts across an array of disciplines about discoveries we think will transform our future in ways most of us can’t imagine. Our conversations are broad, covering subjects ranging from artificial intelligence and education to transportation, energy, and more.

In our hour-long chats, we learn about what’s going on behind the scenes now. We also uncover cutting-edge research and transformative trends with the potential to reshape our world 10, 20, or 100 years from now.

A More Breathable Raleigh: Muggy, but Not Miserable

Extreme heat can go from uncomfortable to deadly. But if you look at the city as an organism that needs to breathe, surprising ways to beat the heat emerge in nature and design. Celen Pasalar, Steve Frank, and Ginger Krieg Dosier share ideas from design, history, forestry, and technology to help us imagine how we might thrive in a warmer world.

Saving Earth’s Starry Cathedral

JoAnna Klein spoke with ecologist Caren Cooper, space environmentalist Lindsay DeMarchi, and photographer MJ Sharp about the cultural significance of the stars, the alarming effects of light pollution on planetary health and the innovative – sometimes, quite simple – ways we might preserve this natural wonder for centuries to come.

AI-generated image of person in bathroom looking at green cityscape.

What’s on Tap? Maybe One Day Your Wastewater

JoAnna Klein spoke with environmental historian Matthew Booker and engineer Francis de los Reyes about the problem of urban wastewater. The answer, it seems, is a lesson in history – and a call to challenge our assumptions about what we consider waste.

Can We Reach Green Goals by 2050? Yes, But It’s Complicated

In the future, green energy could leave zero carbon footprint. We could store it for years and transfer it from coast to coast, delivering energy at low cost to anyone who needs it. It’s possible, say Jordan Kern and Harrison Fell. It’s even likely. But it won’t be easy.

Collage depicting a hand holding a train extending toward a cityscape.

Will We Build Cities for Humans or Machines?

JoAnna Klein spoke with research ecologist Adam Terando, drone expert Evan Arnold, and public transportation systems researcher Kai Monast about the future of transportation.

photo of girl laying left hand on white digital robot

Will Our Best Teachers Be Robots?

JoAnna Klein spoke with James Lester, Goodnight Distinguished University Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and Noboru Matsuda, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, about the future of AI in education.

The Future of Antimicrobial Resistance

Rob Dunn spoke with Muhammad Zaman, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering and International Health at Boston University.

The Future of Geospatial Analytics

Rob Dunn spoke with Director Ross Meentemeyer and six other members of NC State’s Center for Geospatial Analytics.