January 2005
The Creative Universe - Exploring Space and Time in the Here and Now
Once upon a time there was nothing. Then, kaboom, suddenly there was something and our universe was born. Eventually, as time passed (a really, really, really long time) life emerged on planet Earth. Now what could be more creative than that? The creative universe is exactly what astrophysicist Fred C. Adams explores in conversation with host Jan Nichols.
Dr. Adams, a professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Michigan, has a knack for making the complex comprehensible. This program takes you on a journey through time and space. From big bangs to cosmic collisions, fiery infernos and chemical stews, we look at how life emerged in the universe.
As the author of Origins of Existence: How Life Emerged in the Universe and the co-author, with Greg Laughlin, of The Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity, Dr. Adams is uniquely prepared to be our guide for an imaginative journey through the creative universe.
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February 2005
Can You Make it in the Market and still be Moral?
You have something to sell that someone else wants to buy. That’s the market place. The question is, can you make it in the market and still be moral? In other words, how do you balance self-interested behavior with a concern for the well-being of others?
Rebecca M. Blank, dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and a professor of economics at the University of Michigan, joins host Jan Nichols to explore these questions. Senior staff economist with the Council of Economic Advisers during the first Bush administration, Professor Blank was appointed to the Council under President Clinton. With William McGurn, the Wall Street Journal’s chief editorial writer, she is the co-author of Is the Market Moral? A Dialogue on Religion, Economics & Justice.
Examining virtue and its role in our economic structure, Professor Blank describes the complex relationship between commerce and compassion.
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March 2005
When You’re Just Not Sure! How Uncertainty acts as a catalyst for Creativity
Doubt can cause paralysis, the inability to act or make decisions. That’s the problem with uncertainty; it’s just not a sure thing. Henry Pollack, Professor of Geophysics at the University of Michigan, explores the nature of uncertainty and its role in creativity, problem-solving and scientific progress.
A lively conversationalist, Professor Pollack shares his observations with host Jan Nichols on the popular perception of science as exact and certain. As demonstrated in his book, Uncertain Science…Uncertain World, Professor Pollack reveals that scientists have simply learned to be comfortable in an uncertain universe.
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April 2005
How to Make a Living with Murder, Mayhem and a Dash of Lethal Wit
Prize-winning author Lev Raphael discusses his writing career and the uncommon ability to blend satire and humor, often with murderous results.
Successful creator of the Nick Hoffman mystery series, Raphael explores the rough and tumble world of academia with a satiric wit that stops just short of lethal, particularly when skewering the under-functioning faculty at his fictional university. Set at the nonexistent State University of Michigan in Michiganapolis, he creates a weirdly funny world where English professor Nick Hoffman discovers that the tenure track can be hazardous to your health.
With host Jan Nichols, Raphael outlines a lively, literate and laugh-out-loud look at the world of writing, publishing and the unexpected perils of academic life.
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May 2005
Creativity Forum Play Date Features Build-a-Brand Sitcom Game
Forget what Mom said. This time goofing off will actually help you get something done. Especially if you’re ready to play the Build–a-Brand sitcom game with host Jan Nichols.
Whether you grew up with the originals or caught re-runs on Nick @ Nite, sitcoms are part of our cultural consciousness. In mere minutes their theme songs establish a context, introduce characters, reveal conflict and set the stage for a continuing story.
Put those years of TV viewing to work and prepare for a battle of the brand. Assuming the roles of classic sitcom clans, participants discover how certain stories and songs get inside our collective heads and refuse to let go. If you’re stuck and you want to create a brand that sticks, maybe you need a play date. C’mon. Join Granny, Jed, Gilligan, The Skipper, The Bradys; even The Professor and Marianne at the Build-a-Brand sitcom game!
Caution: Play Date delivers an intense burst of creative juice that’s sure to keep your mind tingling, your thoughts humming and your brain bouncing off the wall with possibilities long after the session is through.
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September 2005
Industrial Strength Imagination and the Improbable Cork Boat
John Pollack fulfilled a childhood dream by building a 22-foot Viking ship from wine corks and sailing it down Portugal’s Douro River. In conversation with host Jan Nichols, Pollack recounts the odyssey in his book Cork Boat, discussing the pursuit of dreams, the joys of whimsy and the power of imagination.
If you have a lifelong dream that’s been sitting on the shelf, Pollack’s engaging adventure will inspire you to action. Though he grew up, he never grew out of the idea to build and sail a boat made entirely of wine corks. Even while working as a speechwriter at the Clinton White House, he persuaded other staffers to collect corks for his unlikely project.
Despite skeptics, Pollack pursues his dream with passion and determination. He cajoles bartenders into saving their corks, corrals a brilliant but headstrong partner and persuades over 100 volunteers to help build the boat. From the corridors of power to a fantastic voyage through Portuguese wine country, this conversation stirs the imagination and reawakens dreams.
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October 2005
Self Starter Reveals Secret of Rising Fast at Domino’s Pizza
It’s okay to play with your food. In fact, the art of pushing peas around on your plate can be preparation for a rewarding career. Trisha Drueke, Vice-President Brand Marketing and R&D at Domino’s Pizza, joins host Jan Nichols to discuss her fascination with food that can be held in your hand.
Drueke and her fellow foodies are the creative force behind new products like Domino’s Philly Cheese Steak pizza. When not cooking up cool ideas like the 555 Deal (that’s three medium pizzas for $5.00 each) Drueke finds herself in situations that are the professional equivalent of leaping out of the frying pan directly into the fire. How else could you describe working with Donald Trump and the fiercely competitive corporate climbers on “The Apprentice?” While Drueke’s footage hit the cutting room floor, she shares the back-story about Domino’s incredibly successful appearance on The Donald’s program.
Enjoy lunch, complements of Domino’s Pizza, with a side order of great conversation on the creative process of product development.
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November 2005
Creativity Forum Reveals How to Pull Your Own Strings
Are you in touch with your inner sock puppet? If not, you’re missing an opportunity to use the power of this alter ego to pull your own strings. Naia Venturi, a biotech process development engineer by day and a puppeteer by night, joins host Jan Nichols to discuss her fascination with puppets and the creation of characters that shine a high-intensity light on the quirky and occasionally dark underbelly of humanity.
Venturi is the founder of Dreamland Theater, a multi-media performance space and gallery in Ypsilanti, MI. When not fulfilling her destiny as a writer, lyricist and producer of puppet shows, Venturi is a one-woman patron of the avant-garde, giving artists a place to present their work. If you’re ready to set aside real world constraints, this program is a journey of the imagination where flying frogs help little boys rescue their best friend from the evil grasp of Dr. Darkula and his dubious sidekick, Lawyer Numbreaster.
If you’ve ever wondered why puppets are charming but ventriloquist’s dummies are really scary, this is your chance to find out. This conversation explores an ancient art, as we consider how puppetry informs and illuminates what it means to be human.
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December 2005
Unexpected Entrepreneurs: Bolcom and Morris on a Life in Music
Mezzo-soprano Joan Morris and composer/pianist William Bolcom are the ultimate, if somewhat unexpected, entrepreneurs. They have created successful and enduring careers in the competitive world of music. This dynamic duo joins host Jan Nichols to discuss their remarkable ability to make a life and a living as internationally acclaimed musicians.
Before iPod and downloadable tunes, Bolcom and Morris successfully identified a niche market – late 19th and early 20th century American popular song. Their very first album together won a Grammy nomination for Ms. Morris. Not to be out done, Mr. Bolcom’s Fourth Symphony (featuring Morris as soloist and the composer at the piano) also received a Grammy nomination, followed by multiple grammy awards for his setting of Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience.
They have performed together for over 30 years throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to the dozens of recordings they have done together, each has an active solo career. To name a very few of their appearances, they’ve been guest soloists with the Boston Pops, taped programs for NPR, PBS and CBS Sunday Morning. Experience a stimulating conversation with these remarkable artists who have redefined what it means to be an entrepreneur.
About William Bolcom
About Joan Morris
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