We all love to talk. Some like to listen, too. But language is far more than just a tool we use to communicate; it can impact democracy, identity and access. In this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Akshya Saxena, associate professor of English at Vanderbilt. Saxena’s work sits at the intersection of literature, media and political thought. She studies how English operates in multilingual societies like India—not just as a language, but as a force shaping democracy, identity and access.

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

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This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com.

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series.

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

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What defines happiness? And how does that impact the pursuit of achievement, success and a meaningful life? These are some powerful questions no matter where you are in life. On this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with bestselling author, scholar and thought leader Arthur Brooks, who has spent his career examining the science around our pursuit of happiness.

Brooks is joining Vanderbilt’s faculty as an endowed professor in the Department of Medicine, Health and Society in the College of Arts and Science beginning July 1.

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

· Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter

· Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com.

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series.

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media

Remember during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were hoarding everything from toilet paper to potato chips? Or when the desire for a “must have” item drives buyers into strategic chaos to make that purchase? That type of psychological panic-buying is the economic power of scarcity.

On this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost C. Cybele Raver talks with Kelly Goldsmith, E. Bronson Ingram Chair and Professor of Marketing at the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management and a leading behavioral scientist. Goldsmith’s research explores how people respond psychologically and behaviorally to goals and threats related to resource scarcity.

Listen and subscribe to the Quantum Potential podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Quantum Potential, go to vanderbilt.edu/quantumpotential.

Note: Certain brands are referenced in this conversation for informational and comparative purposes only. Such references do not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or official association with those brands unless explicitly stated otherwise.

· Sign up for the Vanderbilt Research newsletter

· Read the stories behind the innovators and problem-solvers making waves across disciplines

This episode was produced by Vanderbilt University and created through the collaboration of Randolph Infinger, Sydney Jones-Wright, Amber Palmer-Halma, Patrick Sams, Jennifer Stevens, Maisie Wilson, and Amy Wolf, with original music by Steven Matthew Carter.

This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On // Sound Off. You can learn more about their work at SoundOnSoundOff.com.

Special thanks to Jad Abumrad, Vanderbilt University Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology and the executive producer of the Quantum Potential podcast and video series.

Copyright 2026, Vanderbilt University.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Vanderbilt University.

Follow Vanderbilt on Social Media