Challenge of Predicting Floods, K-12 Education, Pokemon Proxy

Why Predicting Floods Is So Hard Guest: Jim Nelson, PhD, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at BYU The flooding in Louisiana that killed 13 and damaged or destroyed more than 60,000 homes is the “worst natural disaster” to strike the nation since Hurricane Sandy, according to emergency response officials. As President Obama visits the region today and tens of thousands work to rebuild their lives, we’re asking what it will take to better predict flood threats. With better prediction, state and local officials could be more precise in evacuating and responding to flood threats. Homeowners might be more inclined to get flood insurance in certain areas. Black Lives Matter and K-12 Education Guest: Jonathan Stith, Founding Member and National Coordinator for the Alliance for Educational Justice Black Lives Matter activists have focused a spotlight on racial inequities in the criminal justice system. Now they’re broadening the focus to include K-12 education, which is where they say the discrimination often starts. Some of what they’re calling for might surprise you: a moratorium on opening charter schools is on the list and so is abolishing Teach for America, an institution whose self-proclaimed purpose is to “disrupt inequality.” Pokemon GO Proxies Guests: Jeff Sheets, Advertising Professor at BYU; Pokemon Go isn’t as big in the US as it was earlier this summer, but it’s still the most popular mobile game in history. Players use their smartphones to locate Pokemon creatures hiding all over town – including places where playing is inappropriate or unsafe, like a war memorial or a hospital. Such places have struggled to manage the disruptions the game causes, even banning it on their property. But some BYU advertising students turned the disruption on its ear at Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah: They developed a way for sick kids to play Pokemon Go without leaving the hospital and without interfering with hospital staff and regulations. Therapy by Text Message Helps Crack Counseling Code Guest: Jure Leskovec, PhD, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University The latest development in crisis hotlines is texting. Now, if you’re of a certain age, that probably sounds strange to reach out for help and not even hear a friendly voice on the other end of the line. But for the people from the emoji-era of communication, texting is a perfectly natural way to express themselves and get support. And there’s an added benefit researchers are discovering – those text-message counseling sessions yield a wealth of data on what works and what doesn’t in counseling. What Folktales Teach About Grief Guest: Kim Bateman, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and Author of “Crossing the Owl’s Bridge: A Guide for Grieving People Who Still Love” You know the stages:  denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. But isn’t grief more complicated than just five words? Sometimes, it is quiet. Other times, it tears apart homes and families, spawns unhealthy habits and creates lifelong problems. So how can we learn to better deal with grief? Worlds Awaiting: Easy Readers Guest: Rachel Wadham, Host of Worlds Awaiting on BYUradio Time now to talk about books with the host of Worlds Awaiting, a show for grownups who want to help the kids in our lives discover great literature and to learn to think critically about the world around them. Worlds Awaiting airs weekly on Saturdays at 1:30 pm ET here on BYUradio, Sirius XM Radio channel 143.