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Connections

Coming up on Connections: Monday, January 3, 2022

Adam J. Fenster (Beckford)
/
University of Rochester (Beckford); Town of Henrietta (Barley)
Kevin Beckford and Robert Barley

First hour: Kevin Beckford and Robert Barley on their experiences in elected office

Second hour: Discussing the themes in the film, "Don't Look Up"

Pittsford Town Board Member Kevin Beckford has decided not to run for a second term. He says he has decided to focus instead on inner-city equity-related issues like education, housing, food, and poverty. Meanwhile, Henrietta Town Councilman Robert Barley lost his bid for a second term. This hour, we're joined by both Beckford and Barley to discuss their experiences as first-time elected officials who served in offices where candidates of color have not been elected in the past. Our guests:

  • Kevin Beckford, former member of the Pittsford Town Board
  • Robert Barley, former member of Henrietta Town Council

Then in our second hour, the Netflix film, "Don't Look Up," is a satirical look at how people would respond to the news that a massive comet will destroy all life on Earth. It's also a look at the frustration scientists feel with members of the public who won't listen to the advice of experts. This hour, we explore the film from various angles: the science of near-Earth objects, what we can take away from the film's message about the dangers of climate change, and our guests' views on how scientific communication is discussed and received. Our guests:

  • Sue Hughes-Smith, Monroe County Legislator (District 14), vice chair of Monroe County's Climate Action Plan Advisory Committee, and member of Roctricity
  • Roger Dube, experimental physicist and professor emeritus at RIT
  • Brian Koberlein, astrophysicist and science writer with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Emmarae Stein is the production assistant for "Connections with Evan Dawson."