Get to Know Center for Healthy Minds Experts in 5 Recent Podcast Episodes
November 28, 2025
This year, experts at the Center for Healthy Minds continue to forward innovative developments in the science of wellbeing. Their work, captured in these recent podcast episodes, ranges from topics such as studying wellbeing for justice-impacted individuals to the post-death meditative state, known as Tukdam.
Catch up with the experts at the Center with these podcasts featuring five of our scholars as they discuss their latest research on promoting wellbeing, meditative practices, Buddhist frameworks and more.
1. WPR's University of the Air with Dr. Dan Grupe: ‘Promoting Healing During and After Incarceration’
Featured: Dr. Dan Grupe, Research Assistant Professor
Podcast: University of the Air
About this episode: The prison system is grounded in punishment and results in those incarcerated remaining in cycles of harm and trauma. In this interview, Dr. Dan Grupe and CHM community research partner Deborah Mejchar discuss how mindfulness techniques can promote healing during and after incarceration, transforming lives in prison and facilitating reentry.
Where to listen: Go here!
2. AI mind: The Artificial Intelligence Search for Machine Consciousness, featuring Dr. John Dunne
Featured: Dr. John Dunne, Core Faculty
Podcast: The Kind Heartfulness Podcast
About this episode: Dr. John Dunne discusses questions of machine consciousness and whether AI is capable of it. AI is a growing technology that can be found everywhere today. It’s getting smarter every day, so are machines closer to being considered conscious?
3. The Energizing Force of Compassion, with Dr. Cortland Dahl
Featured: Dr. Cortland Dahl, Contemplative Scientist
Podcast: Insights of the Edge
About this episode: Dr. Cortland Dahl brings our attention to how everyday actions of generosity and care make all the difference. He provides insights on the power of attuning to the intelligence of your heart. With compassion, we can create change in the world, and it all starts with individual actions.
4. Dr. Melissa Rosenkranz - Mind, Body, World
Featured: Dr. Melissa Rosenkranz, Core Faculty
Podcast: Mind & Life
About this episode: Dr. Melissa Rosekranz explores the connections between the mind and the body, and how contemplative practices can help ease harmful physiological reactions to stress. A bidirectional relationship between our emotions and inflammation in the body occurs to protect us from sensed danger. Meditation and compassion are tools that can help us regulate and ease inflammatory reactions in the body, to improve physical and mental wellbeing.
5. Tukdam: The Practice of Awakening at the Moment of Death, featuring Dr. Tawni Tidwell
Featured: Dr. Tawni Tidwell, Research Assistant Professor
Podcast: The Kind Heartfulness Podcast
About this episode: Tawni Tidwell shares the latest research on Tukdam, the practice of realizing the mind’s innermost essence at the moment of death. Practitioners who die in the Tukdam state exhibit minimal signs of bodily decomposition, sometimes for weeks. Through collaboration with Tibetan monastics, she and a team of scientists have been able to collect data and research this practice. Listen here to learn more about this phenomenon.
Want to learn even more?
Last year, we talked about 5 more podcasts to learn more about Center for Healthy Minds experts and their work. Check out these podcast playlists featuring Center for Healthy Minds experts and follow the CHM Spotify account!
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