The Israel-Hamas war has intensified debate over free speech on college campuses. And we’ll speak with an internationally-known advocate for human rights in the West Bank.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: The Vermont State Colleges system, which is transforming into the Vermont State University, has selected a new chancellor. We’ll learn about an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated during the winter solstice. And the race is on to establish a national semiconductor technology center.

Many educators will say teaching can be a thankless job. A new app aims to help the entire school community share praise. We’ll speak with the CEO of company HiLight.

The College of Saint Rose, a private liberal arts college in New York, recently announced it would close at the end of the academic year.

As American students are facing more than $1.7 trillion dollars in student loan debt, some private sector companies are now exploring their own student loan repayment programs.

President Biden in October issued an executive order on artificial intelligence. We’ll unpack the order meant to mitigate the risks of the technology. And more!

An invasive insect, the Emerald Ash Borer poses threats to America’s forests. A federally-supported study is using parasitoid wasps to control the arboreal pasts. And we’ll visit an environmental science professor in the field, as students collect trail cameras as part of a national study on mammal populations.

We’ll join researchers collecting ticks during the fall peak of arachnid activity. And after a smoky summer, wildfire smoke detectors have been installed across New York state.

This week, we’ll attend a demonstration of an experimental instrument – one that when installed can take up an entire concert stage. And a new music school gives more than just guitar and piano lessons.

The home of Gilded Age writer Edith Wharton celebrates the supernatural. The largest donation ever made to one public university will support its efforts to improve literacy. And we’ll learn more about the New York Air National Guard’s mission to support research in Antarctica.