Happy Friday, North Texas!

After all the excitement of the eclipse we’ve got some tips to get through Tax Day and ways to celebrate Earth Day!

In this episode:

It’s an eclipse-isode! In anticipation of the solar eclipse coming up April 8, we’re talking about how eclipses can help researchers prepare for natural disasters and how ancient civilizations tracked and interpreted eclipses. Plus, as we’re relaunching our own podcast, we talked to an alum who’s been podcasting for 10 years to get some pro tips!

In this episode:

Happy Friday, North Texas! Welcome to the official podcast of the University of North Texas. Every episode we’ll bring you the stories that make UNT so unique. Whether you’re a future or current student, an alumni, a faculty or staff member, or just a general UNT enthusiast, we’ll have something for you. Don’t miss our premiere episode coming to a podcast player near you on Friday, March 29!

Helpful links:

Recently, UNT launched a campaign called VolUNTary Consent, meant to address trends surrounding consent that UNT’s Title IX staff often noted in the reports they received. The first step was to define exactly what voluntary consent is — words or actions that show an active, knowing, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. Housed under UNT’s Division of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access, the VolUNTary Consent campaign educates the public about common lingo related to consent, along with local and national resources for sexual assault survivors and tips for what to do if you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault.

In this episode, we discuss:

● What consent it

● Common misconceptions about consent

● How the campaign will define its success

● How rhetoric surrounding consent has changed over the years

● Resources for sexual assault survivors

Featured in this episode are:

● Eve Shatteen Bell, Assistant Vice President and Director of Title IX/ADA Coordinator, Equal Opportunity & Title IX

● Kayleigh Garcia, Survivor Advocate in UNT’s Division of Student Affairs

Helpful links:

Even if new year’s resolutions aren’t your thing, there’s something about closing the book on the previous 365 days that brings new aspirations into focus. For many, those aspirations center on improved fitness, and while it sounds simple enough, the reality can be a little more confusing: After all, fitness can mean different things to different people, and deciding where and how to start can be a challenge. That’s where experts like Dr. Elizabeth Hubbard come in. An exercise psychophysiologist in UNT’s Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation, she teaches exercise testing and prescription, as well as behavioral change strategies and health promotion. The co-director of the Behavioral Neuroscience Research Lab, her research expertise is in developing physiologically potent interventions to improve fitness, neurological function and brain health in clinical and aging populations. In this episode of UNT Pod, Dr. Hubbard discusses how to start – or restart – a fitness routine, how to best set yourself up for success, and how to reap the mental and physical benefits of whatever activity you find most appealing.

In this episode, we discuss:

● How to start, or restart, a fitness routine

● How to set SMART goals

● How to think about fitness in a more inclusive way

● The importance of recovery

● Breaking through mental barriers in exercise

● Fitness interventions for those with neurological disorders like MS and for older adults

● The mental/emotional benefits of exercise

Featured in this episode is:

● Dr. Elizabeth Hubbard, an exercise psychophysiologist in UNT’s Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation and co-director of the Behavioral Neuroscience Research Lab

Helpful links:

Dentonpalooza, set for Dec. 3, is a festival meant to celebrate the people, places and things that make Denton … well … far from normal. The idea started as a random conversation between local musicians and UNT alums Joey Liechty and Eric Michener before evolving into a meme and then a full-fledged event. The lineup features local characters like Tiger Head Keyboard Dude, Denton Spider-Man, Frenchy and Shaun from Midway Mart, musicians like Paul Slavens and Brave Combo, and events like a flat earth pinata party and a Rose Costumes contest. “It just popped into my head, just these Denton fringe characters,” says Liechty. “What if they were all together for no other reason than we all love Denton?”

In this episode, we discuss:

● Dentonpalooza’s origins

● The festival lineup

● Denton’s quirkiest people, places and things

Featured in this episode are:

● Joey Liechty, UNT alum, local DJ, computer programmer and creator of Dentonpalooza

● Eric Michener, UNT alum and staff member, local musician and performer at Dentonpalooza

● Carl Finch, UNT alum and member of the “nuclear polka” band Brave Combo, which will perform at Dentonpalooza

● Paul Slavens, UNT alum and coordinator of dance musicians, host of the Paul Slavens Show on KXT 91.7, and musician who will perform at Dentonpalooza

Helpful links:

Dr. Aleshia Hayes is an assistant professor in UNT’s Department of Learning Technologies and director of the SURGE XR Lab, which is dedicated to advancing research in virtual, augmented, mixed and extended realities. As a kid, a desire to be better at Ms. Pac-Man – and an unexpected Christmas gift from her parents – jumpstarted her love of technology. “If you get the sense that you can explore technology without any fear, then you can do all kinds of things,” she says. And that’s exactly what she does in her lab, where she investigates not just emerging technologies, but human-computer interactions. One of her biggest questions centers around user experience and design thinking: Is a particular digital tool an engaging and effective device for learning, and if not, can it be reconfigured to become one? On this episode, we delve into Hayes’ research, as well as her commitment to diversifying the STEM field through her Girls SURGE into STEM XR camp, which introduces underrepresented female students in grades 6-12 to design thinking.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The differences between AR/XR/MR/VR

● Emerging technologies as learning tools and vehicles for empathy

● Representation in avatars

● Diversifying the STEM field

Featured in this episode is:

● Dr. Aleshia Hayes, assistant professor of learning technologies

Helpful links:

Just because something isn’t easy to see doesn’t mean it can’t have significant impacts on our environment — and our well-being. Dr. Alexandra Ponette-González, a biophysical geographer and associate professor in UNT’s Department of Geography and the Environment, has been bringing the invisible to light for years through her research that examines human-atmosphere-biosphere interactions, including projects that have investigated the use of trees as natural urban air filters, the influence of drought-induced dust on nutrient and pollutant inputs to ecosystems in Texas, and the accumulation of black carbon on bird feathers.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The importance of biophysical geography

● Ponette-González’s research, which includes examining the effects of global environmental change on atmospheric deposition (which consists of materials that enter ecosystems from the atmosphere), as well as terrestrial ecosystems spanning tropical forests to urban areas

● How she sees science having an impact in these areas moving forward.

Featured in this episode is:

Dr. Alexandra Ponette-González, a biophysical geographer and associate professor in UNT’s Department of Geography and the Environment

Helpful links:

● Read more about Dr. Ponette-González and her work:

Great professors can serve as guiding lights — teachers whose passion, dedication and support help students see what’s possible, and set them on a path to making the world a better place. A couple of months ago, we put out a call asking students and alumni to tell us about current UNT professors who have done just that — and the response, unsurprisingly, was staggering. While there were nearly 100 professors who were nominated, on this episode of UNT Pod, we shine a spotlight on the seven finalists, who we’re calling our first-ever “North Stars” — the kind of mentors who steadfastly illuminate the way to a brighter future.

Featured in this episode are:

· Dr. Kimi King, professor, Political Science — Segment begins at 00:10

· Paho Mann, associate professor, Studio Art — Segment begins at 12:36

· Dr. Katsura Aoyama, associate professor, Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology — Segment begins at 16:36

· Brittany McElroy, lecturer, Broadcast Journalism— Segment begins at 21:32

· Dr. John Quintanilla, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Mathematics — Segment begins at 26:39

· Dr. Angie Cartwright, associate professor, Counseling and Higher Education — Segment begins at 31:32

· Dr. Rick Reidy, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Materials Science and Engineering — Segment begins at 37:12

Helpful links:

· Learn more about the UNT professors featured in this episode:

In flipping the pages of a book, you can be transported anywhere and introduced to people and cultures you’ve never experienced before. For kids, the content in books can be especially impactful, encouraging a sense of wonder and curiosity as well as nurturing their development and understanding of the world. On this episode of UNT Pod, we talk with UNT History Associate Professor Kathryne Beebe and Assistant Professor of Bilingual Education Dan Heiman about the origins of children’s literature, the role books can play in meaningful conversations with our kids inside and outside the classroom and the efforts to bring more diversity and inclusion to the genre. We’ll also learn about how they are applying their academic expertise to their own children’s book projects.

In this episode, we discuss:

● Origins of children’s literature and how the genre has evolved

● The role books can play in meaningful conversations with our kids both inside and outside the classroom

● The efforts to bring more diversity and inclusion to the genre

● Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ decision to stop printing some of the famed children’s author’s books that contain racist and insensitive imagery

● Children’s books in the Gustine Courson Weaver Collection in UNT Special Collections

● Dr. Beebe’s children’s books including Brother Hugo and the Bear; Nile Crossing; Thunder Trucks; Good Morning, Harry, Good Night, Daddy and her forthcoming books, The Pilgrimage of Friar Felix and The Very Nosy Babies

● Behind My Mask: Detras de mi cubrebocas, a book Dr. Heiman developed with his wife and an art education graduate student Martha Samaniego Calderón to talk with kids about mask wearing, identity and the emotions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic

A few children’s book recommendations from Drs. Beebe and Heiman:

● A Different Pondby Bao Phi

● Black is a Rainbow of Color by Angela Joy

● Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard

● Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

● We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

● When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff

● When We Love Someone, We Sing to Them by Ernesto Javier Martínez

● Under My Hijab by Hena Khan

Featured in this episode are:

● Dr. Kathryne Beebe, associate professor in the Department of History in UNT’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

● Dr. Dan Heiman, assistant professor of bilingual education in UNT’s College of Education

Helpful links:

For decades, the data on health inequity has been startling — and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made those disparities more evident. That’s where UNT’s new Center for Racial and Ethnic Equity in Health and Society — initiated by Dr. Chandra Carey, associate dean in UNT’s College of Health and Public Service and associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services, and Dr. Tony Carey, associate chair and associate professor in UNT’s Department of Political Science — comes in. Through their research, more than 40 UNT faculty members are addressing inequities in how people in Texas live, work, learn and interact socially — factors that the Centers for Disease Control cite as contributions to overall health considerations and outcomes.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The health disparities that exist

● The contributing factors to health inequity

● UNT’s interdisciplinary approach to addressing health inequity

● How COVID-19 has further highlighted inequities at the state and national levels, and the policies that could potentially ameliorate the inequities that exist

● The historical reasons behind vaccine hesitancy

● The goals of CREEHS in addressing health inequity

Featured in this episode are:

● Dr. Chandra Carey, associate dean in UNT’s College of Health and Public Service and associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services

● Dr. Tony Carey, associate chair and associate professor in UNT’s Department of Political Science

Helpful links:

Conspiracy theories aren’t new, but they've never been more consequential than in 2021. We spoke to communication studies assistant professor Joseph McGlynn and psychology professor Rex Wright to learn more about how conspiracy theories take root, the role social media plays in their spread, and how to identify and avoid misinformation. We also discussed how to approach conversations in a constructive way with loved ones who believe in conspiracy theories to keep them from falling further down the rabbit hole.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The appeal of conspiracy theories

● How conspiracy theories have evolved due to the internet and social media

● Ways to identify misinformation

● How to approach loved ones who believe in conspiracy theories

Featured in this episode is:

● Dr. Joseph McGlynn, an assistant professor in UNT’s Department of Communication Studies

● Dr. Rex Wright, a professor in UNT’s Department of Psychology

Helpful links:

2020 was unprecedented for a lot of reasons, including the number of climate-related events that marred an already challenging year. So, considering that, how do we even begin addressing the intersection of society and climate change? That’s where experts like Courtney Cecale come in. An environmental anthropologist and UNT assistant professor, she specializes in areas including the Peruvian Andes and California, and along with climate change, studies science and technology and how the two converge. On this episode, Dr. Cecale discusses what her research has revealed about the effects of climate change on people and societies – and the best ways to come together to salvage the future.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The environmental effects of climate change

● How climate change affects culture

● How anthropology can help guide climate science in various regions

● The policies that could help slow climate change moving forward

Featured in this episode is:

● Dr. Courtney Cecale, an assistant professor in UNT’s Department of Anthropology

Helpful links:

When it comes to love, there are plenty of things to fear: commitment, rejection, not purchasing the perfect Valentine’s gift. For centuries, love and fear have been increasingly intermingled when it comes to literature and pop culture, as the public has become more and more enamored by stories of ghosts, vampires, zombies and other undead creatures. On this episode of UNT Pod, UNT Associate Professor of English Stephanie Hawkins discusses how that fascination has manifested — and some of the best works of literature for those looking for a good scare.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The public’s fascination with ghost stories

● Hawkins’ class “Undead: Ghosts, Vampires and Zombies in American Literature”

● The origins of ghost stories

● The best ghost stories to read

Featured in this episode is:

● Dr. Stephanie Hawkins, associate professor in UNT’s Department of English

Helpful links:

With January comes the dreaded New Year’s resolution — but what if we all focused on more realistic, attainable goal setting instead? On this episode of UNT Pod, Dr. Michael Savoie — a clinical professor of operations, logistics and supply chain management in UNT’s G. Brint Ryan College of Business who also has served as a certified trainer in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Brian Tracy’s Phoenix Seminar on the Psychology of Achievement for more than three decades — walks us through the best approaches to goal setting.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The difference between resolutions and goals

● The best ways to track and measure your goals

● The importance of setting goals based on the present, not the past

● How to develop SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals

Featured in this episode is:

● Dr. Michael Savoie, clinical professor of operations, logistics and supply chain management in UNT’s G. Brint Ryan College of Business and a certified trainer in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Brian Tracy’s Phoenix Seminar on the Psychology of Achievement

Helpful links:

UNT’s annual Equity and Diversity Conference is one of the university’s most popular events, bringing together hundreds of students, educators and professionals who are committed to equity, access and inclusion in higher education, as well as corporations and community members interested in diversity and inclusion topics. The theme of this year’s conference is “Facing the Future Together: Allies, Accomplices and Action,” and will feature keynote speaker Jeff Chang, who has written extensively on the intersection of race, art and civil rights, and the socio-political forces that guided the hip-hop generation.

In this episode, we discuss:

● How the conference has evolved over the years

● This year’s academic and corporate track topics

● Past speakers and this year’s speaker Jeff Chang

● What attendees can expect in the virtual environment

Featured in this episode are:

● Shani Barrax Moore, director of diversity and inclusion in UNT’s Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity

● James Jackson, communications strategist in UNT’s Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity

Helpful links:

UNT students, staff, faculty and alumni come from every walk of life, but they have one thing in common: They frequently step into the role of hero in their own communities and beyond. That’s why, to close out an exceedingly difficult year, we wanted to highlight those in our community who invariably show us the path to a better future. On this episode of UNT Pod, join us as we discuss the Eagles, past and present, who assume the mantle of hero each and every day.

In this episode, we discuss:

● A variety of UNT heroes, from everyday heroes to real-deal lifesavers

● Our unique history of military heroes

● Our gratitude to our alumni in the medical community who have sacrificed so much during the COVID-19 pandemic

Featured in this episode are:

● UNT Spider-Man (version 2.0)

● Travis Monk, an alum and Collin County deputy sheriff who saved a family of six on Lake Lavon

● Brian Richardson, former chair of UNT’s Department of Communication Studies who has implemented programs to help students and alumni achieve the careers of their dreams

● Lauren Taylor, a current grad student, Miss Wheelchair Texas 2019 and volunteer with the Dallas-based nonprofit To Be Like Me, which uses interactive experiences to build awareness and compassion in children when it comes to differences and disabilities

● Steven Pettit, a kinesiology alum and Mean Green super fan, who at age 39 was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer and given only a year to live

● Lehi Tollestrup, a grad student in rehabilitation counseling and Army veteran, who after surviving his own battle with PTSD and addiction strives to help support active-duty military and veterans struggling with mental health issues

● Mentions of our historic military heroes, our healthcare heroes, and other heroes including alums Lilyan Prado Carrillo, Given Kachepa, Kia Davis, Jackie Davis and Krystal Hamilton.

Helpful links:

● Read our previous stories about many of the heroes featured in this episode:

Who made Santa a superstar? Yes, Virginia, it was advertisers. On this episode of UNT Pod, Bill Ford — a lecturer in UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism and director of UNT’s student-led advertising and PR agency SWOOP — discusses how modern advertising has affected the way the public sees and celebrates Christmas.

In this episode, we discuss:

● Santa’s role in advertising

● The most influential (and emotional) Christmas ads

● How Christmas advertising has evolved over time

● Christmas advertising during a pandemic

Featured in this episode is:

● Bill Ford, lecturer in UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism and director of UNT’s student-led advertising and PR agency SWOOP

Helpful links:

● Links to the commercials mentioned in this episode:

Michael Wise, an associate professor in UNT’s Department of History whose expertise includes the histories of food, agriculture and animal-human relationships, has long studied Native American food traditions, especially that of the Blackfeet tribe of Montana. On this episode of UNT Pod, Dr. Wise discusses the mythology surrounding Thanksgiving, the history of Native American hunting and farming, and how the Anglo-American approach to meat distribution affected tribes like the Blackfeet, as well as the larger cultural attitude toward food production.

In this episode, we discuss:

● Thanksgiving myths

● The Blackfeet tradition of hunting and farming

● How restricted access to meat was used as a tool for assimilation and forced labor

● The evolution of slaughterhouses and their effect on attitudes about meat preparation and consumption

● Native American food staples

Featured in this episode is:

● Michael Wise, associate professor of history

Helpful links:

The 2018 Campus Inclusion Climate Survey was UNT’s first, with Shani Barrax Moore — the director of diversity and inclusion in UNT’s Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity — leading the effort, and master’s student Zahra Khalaf analyzing and providing context to the data and determining the best way to use it to facilitate intentional inclusion. An overview of the results was presented via webinar on Oct. 12, in which Moore and Vice President of Institutional Equity and Diversity Joanne Woodard delved into some of the key takeaways. As a result of the survey, which will likely be administered again in another three years, divisions and colleges across UNT have formed diversity and inclusion councils to create action plans based on the data specific to their unit. Moore also is working with divisions and organizations across the university to create focus groups to better understand what led to the responses.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The results of the survey, including the biggest surprises and how the data compares to that of other institutions.

● How UNT is working to meet the vast array of experiences and expectations of students and faculty/staff on campus in areas including race, gender, sexuality, religion, disability and military status.

● How the results of the survey will inform initiatives moving forward.

Featured in this episode are:

● Shani Barrax Moore, director of diversity and inclusion in UNT’s Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity

● Zahra Khalaf, who has a Ph.D. in psychology and is earning a master’s in women’s and gender studies at UNT, and works as a graduate student assistant in the Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity

Helpful links:

There are plenty of highs and lows when it comes to diabetes, which is exactly what National Diabetes Awareness Month aims to spotlight. Each November, communities across the country team up to bring attention to the chronic illness through events and resources. With 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes each year, that need for increased awareness is becoming more and more urgent. This episode of UNT Pod focuses on students, alums and faculty who are helping to create that awareness through research and outreach – and who are potentially creating a brighter future for nearly 35 million Americans in the process.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The increasing prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the onset of Type 1 diagnosis

● The challenges and needs inherent in dealing with Type 1

● The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s research and advocacy initiatives

● The research happening in the lab of Dr. Pamela Padilla, associate vice president of research and innovation, who is using a genetic model system to study the effects of hyperglycemia, a leading indicator of Type 2 diabetes.

Featured in this episode are:

● Bri Zaeske, a senior in UNT’s department of psychology who has Type 1 diabetes

● Courtney Garvey, Community Outreach Manager for JDRF of Fort Worth and a Type 1 diabetic

● Pamela Padilla, UNT associate vice president of research and innovation

● Saifun “Ripa” Nahar, Jose Robledo and Manuel Ruiz, Ph.D. students in Padilla’s lab

Helpful links:

In advance of National Novel Writing Month, we talk to UNT associate professor of creative writing Bonnie Friedman about envy, fear, and distraction, the benefits of writing, and how persistence is the key to growing one’s writing abilities. Friedman is the author of Writing Past Dark, which the Center for Fiction has called one of the essential books for writing, and Poets & Writers literary magazine called one of the best books for writers.

In this episode, we discuss:

● Dilemmas in the writing experience such as envy, fear and distraction

● Tips for how to dive into the writing process

● The benefits of writing

● Friedman’s favorite works

Featured in this episode is:

● Bonnie Friedman, associate professor of creative writing

Helpful links:

In spring, three words burst through a news cycle otherwise laser-focused on COVID-19: “I can’t breathe.” George Floyd’s brutal death broke through the greater American consciousness, particularly that of white Americans, in a way the other questionable fatalities that have occurred over the years did not — and out of that horrific incident, deeper conversations about the lack of equity in modern society have risen to the surface. This episode of UNT Pod explores where we are, how we got here, and how we all can — and should — move forward together to build a stronger, more equitable world.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The modern Black Lives Matter movement and the classical period of civil rights

● How the transatlantic slave trade marked African Americans as existing outside of the social compact, and the effects of those biases on modern race relations

● How popular media shapes impressions of the African American community

● Equity and diversity in higher education

● How Americans from all backgrounds can help build a more equitable society

Featured in this episode are:

• Dr. J. Anthony Guillory, lecturer and advisor to the African American Studies minor in UNT’s Department of History
  
• Dr. Todd Moye, professor in UNT’s Department of History
  
• Dr. Christopher Todd, assistant professor in UNT’s Department of History

Helpful links:

In celebration of UNT’s 130th anniversary, we take a deep dive into UNT’s Special Collections with archivist Rachael Zipperer, exploring some of the most unusual pieces of history contained within — and to see how the university is always working to preserve its exceedingly unique spirit.

In this episode, we discuss:

● Eppy subreddits

● The miniature books collection and the reemergence of "The Hobbit" first edition

● UNT’s digital Memory Collection

● Other unique items found in Special Collections, including a hamster skull and KXAS footage of chickens clucking to Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood.”

Featured in this episode is:

· Rachael Zipperer, UNT archivist

Helpful links:

In this episode of UNT POD, UNT professor of psychology Patricia Kaminski discusses parent-child relationships, child abuse and eating disorders related to COVID-19.

In this episode, we discuss:

● How to cope with stress to build healthier parent-child relationships

● How to identify and prevent child abuse

● The pressures COVID-19 places on those with eating disorders and how to best cope

Featured in this episode is:

● Patricia Kaminski, professor in UNT’s Department of Psychology

Helpful links:

● Healthy parent-child relationships

In this episode of UNT POD, our University of North Texas staff and alumni experts discuss their own experiences with mental health, as well as how to identify if and where one should seek out mental health resources for themselves or others.

In this episode, we discuss:

● The stigma that sometimes surrounds mental health and how to dispel it

● Common chronic mental health symptoms

● Preventative mental health treatment, including positive psychology

● Campus and online mental health resources

Featured in this episode are:

● Madison “Rudi” Clary-Wortham (’16, ’18 M.S.), a communications studies alum who battled anxiety and depression as a teenager and college student

● Rebecca Werts (’13, '19 M.S.), an advisor in the College of Science and a recent master’s graduate in counseling

● Rachita Sharma, Ph.D., LPC-S, CRC, a senior lecturer in UNT’s College of Health and Public Service and the clinical coordinator for UNT’s Well Clinic

● Tamara Knapp-Grosz, Ph.D., senior director of UNT’s Counseling and Testing Center

In this episode of UNT POD, we sit down with counseling doctoral student Damien McClintock to breakdown the five stages of grief and how each is portrayed by Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame.

In this episode, we discuss:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Superheroes

Featured in this episode:

Damien McClintock, doctoral student in the counseling program at the University of North Texas

In this episode of UNT POD, our University of North Texas faculty experts -- along with some student superfans -- take a look at the impact of Game of Thrones as the series finale looms. “They’re gonna break our hearts,” UNT student Macie Alberth says. “That’s the whole point, I guess.”

In this episode, we discuss:

• How GoT embraced universe-building, big-budget storytelling
• Favorite scenes and characters
• Its depiction of zombies
• Its political storytelling
• Its characterization of Daenerys Targaryen
•  Predictions headed into the final episode

Featured in this episode are:

• Harry Benshoff, professor of media arts
• Ashley English, assistant professor of political science and expert in gender in politics
• Brian Lain, associate professor of communication studies, director of debate, and award-winning instructor of UNT’s “Zombies in Rhetoric” course
• Macie Alberth, UNT student and organizer of the Legends Hall-based Game of Thrones watch parties
• Celeste Kelly, UNT student and GoT fan
• Christina Jone, UNT student and GoT fan