The workings of the human brain — from decision-making and dealing with stress to analyzing and improving certain cognitive functions — are the focus of a new episode of Why Not Change the World? The RPI Podcast.

Two researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with very different backgrounds and perspectives offer their unique insights into the brain.

“Understanding how the brain behaves is something that is fundamental to us as humans,” Suvranu De, head of the Rensselaer Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, says during the episode. He discusses his work to assess and improve the performance of surgeons in training by imaging and stimulating their brains.

Alicia Walf, neuroscientist and senior lecturer in the Rensselaer Department of Cognitive Science, also talks about her work to understand how brains handle stress and decision-making processes. “We really need to understand that interaction between brain health in general as well as the body’s health,” she says.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, or TuneIn.