A New Angle

The Max S. Baucus Institute at the University of Montana’s Alexander Blewett III School of Law is a one of a kind public service institution offering a one of a kind student experience. In this episode Professor of Law and Institute Director Sam Panarella and Professor and Director UM’s Masters in Public Administration program Sara Rinfret are joined by Montana’s legendary Max Baucus, former US Senator and Ambassador to China. We discuss why the Baucus Institute is uniquely positioned to create transformative learning experiences focused on public service.

SuzAnne Miller is an unlikely tech entrepreneur. Shortly after she began live-streaming an osprey nest at her family ranch, Dunrovin, she slowly discovered and cultivated an amazing online community. Days@Dunrovin is a "digital front porch" and an interactive window to life on a Bitterroot ranch that brings joy and community to many in need.

In this special episode we introduce S.E.A. Change, a University of Montana initiative to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities facing our society as we seek equity for all women. March 2020 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment. We chat with Chelsea and Seth Bodnar about the significance of this centennial and what to expect from S.E.A Change. We then pivot to a conversation with UM Regents Professor of History Anya Jabour and historian and Montana public radio legend, Beth Judy, about the history of women’s suffrage here in Montana and beyond.

Jeremy Smith’s recent book “Breaking & Entering: The Extraordinary Story of a Hacker Called Alien” is a riveting narrative account of a dark world that touches us all. This is Jeremy’s third book and his writing has also appeared in The Atlantic, Discover and The New York Times. He lives in Missoula and is a graduate of the UM Masters of Fine Arts program.

Winona LaDuke is an economist, environmentalist, tribal leader, and two-time vice-presidential candidate. Although she resists the term activist, Winona spends her life fighting “stupid ideas.” In this conversation, she explains how unsustainable economic systems provide an excellent opportunity to build something greener, more community-oriented, more successful, and maybe even happier. Her prescription: “Make a living, not a killing.” Winona visited the University of Montana earlier this year to give the Presidential Lecture Series address.

This week's “A New Angle,” produced by marketing University of Montana Professor Justin Angle, features a conversation with UM head football coach Bobby Hauck. They pull the lens back a bit and talk about some of the larger issues facing UM, Grizzly football and the sport in general. Coach Hauck's passion for football and what it can do for young men is on display in this engaging conversation. The podcast is supported by First Security Bank and Blackfoot Communications.

Emily Graslie (2011 UM College of the Arts and Media graduate) is creator and host of the hugely successful Brain Scoop youtube channel and the Chief Curiosity Correspondent at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History. Emily recently visited UM to be honored at this year’s Odyssey of the Stars and was kind enough to stop by Studio 49. We talk about her experience in digital media, her time as an unpaid intern, and her confrontation of gender inequities in both entertainment and education.

Athena Pack is a leadership conference bringing together women in the Rocky Mountain West to learn, share, and grow. Founders Kim Shappee (RBC Financial), Nicole Hagerman-Miller (Biomimicry 3.8), and Jen Euell (Women’s Foundation of Montana) tell us why and how they joined forces, along with Sara Close (Hello Soul) to create a transformative event built around understanding personal story and making real connection.

As Executive Director of the Zootown Arts Community Center, Kia Liszak is a critical driving force in the Missoula arts community. The ZACC fills a growing void in our education system by encouraging creativity, self-identification, and personal connection through art. Kia appropriately asks: “What else is there besides finding ways to deeply relate to one another and ourselves?”

In 1994, Wilmot Collins fled civil war in Liberia and somehow landed in Montana. Learn more about his amazing journey, his dedication to public service, and his inspiring rise to Mayor of his adopted home of Helena. Mayor Collins gives us hope that it is indeed possible to bring people together in this fraught political time.

Mark Synnott is a world class big wall climber whose writing has appeared in Outside, Men’s Journal and National Geographic. Mark’s new book “The Impossible Climb: Alex Honnold, El Capitan, and the climbing life,” covers his dangerously precocious introduction to climbing and the journey that led him to climb alongside Alex Honnold and document his amazing free solo of El Capitan. The book is available beginning today, wherever you buy your books.

Chris Wright, 2002 University of Montana College of Business graduate, has worked at Google for over 15 years and worn many hats, most recently serving as head of awareness for Google Cloud. In this free-wheeling episode we discuss Chris’s undergraduate shenanigans, his efforts to digitize the entire New York Times photo archive, and his new podcast – Try: the Podcast

Dr. Rich Willy is one of the world’s leading experts in running injuries. Learn why this professor of physical therapy chose to build his career at the University of Montana and how his research can help both clinicians and every day athletes develop strength, stay healthy and keep moving. Rich has some common sense advice that runs counter to many popular narratives about running shoes, injuries, and stretching.

The speed of technological innovation has seemingly compressed time. Peter Coffee, VP of Strategic Research at Salesforce.com, has the job of predicting what’s next in technology, what forces we should be afraid of, what issues we are wasting our time on, and how we should prepare for all of it. This conversation has broad implications for education, business, public health and every-day life.

Our digital footprints now influence nearly all of the information we see, making the question of ethics in business and marketing much more salient. To wrestle with this fraught topic, Justin enlists the help of two UM colleagues – Dr. John Chandler, marketing professor and data science practitioner, and Dr. Christopher Preston, philosophy professor and ethicist. Together they open up about thirty doors in a wide-ranging conversation.