Gay Marriage, Women's Sports, 3D Prosthetic Hands

Gay Marriage, Women's Sports, 3D Prosthetic Hands

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

  • Jun 29, 2015 9:00 pm
  • 1:44:02 mins

Same-Sex Marriage Ruling (1:04) Guests: Lynn Wardle, Ph. D., Professor of Law at BYU; James Phillips, Ph. D., Professor of Law at BYU Since the court’s divided opinion came down on Friday, making gay marriage legal in all 50 states, there have been jubilant celebrations, courthouse weddings and foiled attempts to marry. Attorneys general in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas have all told county clerks either not to issue same-sex marriage licenses or given them that option if marrying a gay couple would violate the clerk’s religious beliefs. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell vs. Hodges is being hailed as groundbreaking – a seminal moment in the gay and lesbian fight for equal rights – but it does not end the legal battles. In his dissenting opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts predicts a new wave of lawsuits involving religious institutions and individuals who refuse to serve or accommodate same-sex couples as they do heterosexual couples. Lynn Wardle and James Phillips of BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School spoke with us on the implications of the SCOTUS ruling. Lynn Wardle is a national expert on family law and has been involved in drafting and defending federal and state marriage laws. James Phillips is a Supreme Court scholar. Women's Sports Coverage (38:05) Guest: Cheryl Cooky, Ph. D., Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Purdue University Germany, Japan, the US and England are the finalists in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The winning US matches have delivered a surge of viewers – even breaking some records – for TV broadcaster Fox. But don’t be fooled: when it comes to the news and highlight shows wrapping up the sports world at the end of the day, women are still virtually absent from the mix. The title of a new report summarizing 25 years of women’s sports coverage in TV news sums up the situation: "It’s Dude Time!" Purdue University women’s studies professor Cheryl Cooky is one of the study’s co-authors and spoke to us about the spotty coverage of women’s sports. Talent and Dedication (51:53) Guest: Kenneth Kiewra, Ph. D., Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln When a young star bursts onto the stage in sports or academics or the arts, there are always the initial comments about what a great talent the kid has—what a natural they are. But Educational Psychologist Kenneth Kiewra says that behind every young standout are parents so devoted to their child’s success they’re willing to uproot their careers, mortgage their homes, and move their families across the country. They spend their own lives in practice facilities alongside their kids. Kiewra is a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He recently interviewed parents of 24 talented youth with national or world-class standings to discover their role in their child’s success. 3D Printed Prosthetic Hands (1:14:03) Guest: Jeff Powell, Senior in BioEngineering at the University North Carolina at Chapel Hill The price tag for a prosthetic hand can run into the tens of thousands of dollars – making the option prohibitive for some people with an amputation or physical disability. But a senior in biomedical engineering at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill has figured out a way to make one for about $20 using a 3D printer. Tech Transfer: Lithium Ion Batteries (1:27:58) Guests: Mike Adler, Tech Transfer at BYU; Dean Wheeler, Ph. D., Chemical Engineering at BYU; Brian Mazzeo, Ph. D., Electrical and Computer Engineering at BYU Think about the latest electronic device you’ve got your eye on. Chances are, it’s slimmer and more powerful than the previous model, with a smaller, more robust battery. Smaller and smaller batteries present challenges for manufacturers who need to know that all the tiny components inside these batteries meet their product specifications. Lithium ion batteries are a favorite in the industry. Until recently, it’s been difficult to test their effectiveness during the manufacturing process. Producer Tennery Taylor spoke with Mike Alder, our colleague from Tech Transfer here at BYU, along with Dr. Dean Wheeler of the Chemical Engineering Department and Dr. Brian Mazzeo of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at BYU to discuss a device they’ve invented to test the conductivity of lithium ion batteries.