In our final new episode of the year, we have the privilege to speak with visionary architect and activist, Pascale Sablan. Only the 315th living African American woman registered architect in the United States and the youngest African American ever to be inducted into the AIA (American Institute of Architects) College of Fellows, Pascale is currently the President of Adjaye Associates NYC studio and author of the forthcoming book by Oro Editions, ‘GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture’. Tune in for a truly GREAT S6 E7.

Digital has become such a part of our lives, intertwined with everything we do, that most of us- personally or professionally- never pause to think about the environmental impact of our online interactions. Our guest this week is an expert in digital strategy with an eye towards people and planet. In the Future of Digitality, we are provoked to think differently about our digital engagement and resulting carbon footprints. For anyone interested in sustainability topics, this is a don’t miss episode.

Our guest this week may have the world (or universe’s?) coolest job! As Creative Director at NASA, David Rager oversees the agency's visual brand. From changing iconic logos to elevating design language on extraterrestrial transports, creating useful artifacts with high-profile artists to producing creative tools for public learning- his team is responsible for “communicating the value of NASA’s [amazing] work”.

Want to learn about circularity, but not sure what it is? Few people are better poised to talk about maximizing systemic change and collective action than this week’s guest Joe Iles from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Tune in to learn about efforts being undertaken to inspire and empower the world’s designers to create products, services, and systems that address the root cause of global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution- and help regenerate nature's bounty.

Marcus G. Miller is a musical virtuoso who tours with Jon Batiste and serves as musical director of the Grace Farms Foundation. From the role of music in family, culture and tradition to the impact of technology on the music industry, especially in the 20th century, this is a sincere and profound exploration of what music really is, where it intersects with so many other creative disciplines, what it offers us as humans and how we can hopefully ensure a beautiful future.

What other topic would we discuss in our 125th overall episode and kickoff to a new season, with our new presenting sponsor iF Design and now as part of the Sandow SURROUND Podcast Network - than the Future of DESIGN!? Our three guests represent an incredible knowledge base covering cross-disciplinary design from cars & tech, to furniture & sound. Together, we dive deep on industry trends & challenges, and of course, the importance of good design & educating the next generation of designers.

“We are a species of curiosity and survival; I’m convinced that exploration is embedded in our human DNA.” Chris Rainier is the son of an explorer and an artist who started his career as Ansel Adams’ assistant, going on to become one of this generation’s most well-respected documentary photographers and filmmakers, and a National Geographic Society Explorer.

Wondering what our future looks like - literally? Well, it's all here in this fascinating conversation with Jay Silvas. We talk about how emerging technologies will lift us off the screen and into the real world. Tune in to learn all about metadata, spatial computing, immersive experiences, machine learning and social gaming.

"Failures are fossils” and “life replicates things that work”: For this Earth Day episode, we’re talking about the ‘Future of Biomimicry’ with guest Colin Mangham. Instead of just learning ABOUT nature, we have to learn FROM it: How can we survive and prevail despite our circumstances?

In this rich discussion about the ‘Future of Design Education’, our guest Natasha Jen- award-winning graphic designer and Partner at iconic design studio Pentagram, describes what graphic design is and what a design education is all about (deep, broad, iterative, and hands-on). She calls out elitism in current design education, argues for inclusivity, rallies for “modern day apprenticeships”, and pushes designers to make time to slow down to set the stage for exceptional work.

Veronique Gabai-Pinsky joins us to explore the 'Future of Fragrance'. Veronique is the former President of Vera Wang and Global President of Estée Lauder fragrances. Now the CEO & Founder of her own eponymous perfume brand, Veronique knows a thing or two about fragrance. We explore the timelessness of fragrance - its role in ritual and seduction, and how the future of its production, craft, and ingredients are evolving to elevate the artistry to something more akin to the past.