The fourth season of Why Not Change the World? The RPI Podcast launched today with an episode focused on research efforts to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from spreading and infecting humans.

Each episode of Why Not Change the World? brings together multiple experts from different backgrounds to explore big ideas and pressing global challenges. In this way, the podcast highlights the interdisciplinary model for research and education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The first episode of the new season features Jonathan Dordick, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Rensselaer, discussing his work to trap and neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus using a decoy strategy. This research is part of a collaboration with Robert Linhardt, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rensselaer.

In the second part of the episode, Lucy Zhang, a professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering at Rensselaer, explains how her research on particle flow is being used to combat the virus.

The projects discussed by Dordick and Zhang represent just two of the many ways Rensselaer researchers have risen to the challenges presented by COVID-19.

In addition to progress being made in addressing the ongoing pandemic, the upcoming season of the Why Not Change the World? podcast will examine innovative approaches to studying the stock market, tumor growth, decision-making, and biosensors, among other topics. A new episode will be released each Wednesday for the next two months.

The latest episode, as well as the previous three seasons, are available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, or TuneIn.