How can academics make their ideas easier to find, more engaging, and harder to misrepresent?

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen dig into the podcast, Archaeology Books for Fun with hosts Tristan Harrenstein and Barbara Clark. Barbara and Tristan excavate the ways they've used their podcast to reach an audience segment they were missing in their other public education programs, using a book club format, non-academic texts, playful branding, and eye-catching artwork. Take a listen to unearth practical tips on building a niche podcast, making expert knowledge approachable, and giving academics a clearer voice in the public conversation.

Episode Links:

• Listen to Archaeology Books Are Fun
• Follow Archaeology Books Are Fun
• Connect with Barbara
• Connect with Tristan

Connect with Us:

• Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com
• Learn More: Continuing Studies Podcast
• Follow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn Page
• Join LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters Network
• Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or jpodcreations@gmail.com
• Connect w/ Neil: LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.com
• Twitter: @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastco
• Youtube
• HigherEdPods

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:35) - Meet Barbara Clark and Tristan Harrenstein
• (03:04) - How Archaeology Books for Fun got started
• (05:28) - Finding the audience public outreach often misses
• (06:37) - Why archaeologists need a seat at the media table
• (07:48) - Making a “dry” subject feel inviting
• (08:51) - Turning non-academic books into podcast conversations
• (11:00) - A different path beyond guest interviews
• (13:30) - Reading with a critical archaeological lens
• (14:08) - What strong branding does for a niche show
• (18:13) - Small changes that helped the show grow
• (21:01) - Letting audience data guide the next dig
• (23:38) - Podcasting as long-term public education
• (26:37) - Conclusion

Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026
Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

After 300+ interviews with Stanford experts, Russ Altman knows how to turn complex ideas into conversations people actually want to follow.

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Russ, host of The Future of Everything, about the craft behind engaging expert interviews. Russ shares how he keeps highly technical conversations clear and fun, why he sees himself as the “jargon police,” and how curiosity can be more useful than trying to know everything in the room. They also get into his practical interview strategies, from preparing “emergency topics”, to using a mid-interview break to refocus, check in with the guest, and steer the episode toward a strong ending. A smart, fun, and practical listen for anyone trying to make expert knowledge more accessible.

Episode Links:

• Connect with Russ
• The Future of Everything

Connect with Us:

• Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com
• Learn More: Continuing Studies Podcast
• Follow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn Page
• Join LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters Network
• Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or jpodcreations@gmail.com
• Connect w/ Neil: LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.com
• Twitter: @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastco
• Youtube
• HigherEdPods

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (03:33) - From SiriusXM to podcasting
• (05:02) - Returning to the show’s original purpose
• (07:20) - Making science relatable
• (08:47) - Interviewing beyond your expertise
• (11:38) - Why not knowing everything can help
• (14:17) - The no pre-interview rule
• (17:43) - Emergency topics and interview prep
• (19:21) - The mid-interview break
• (24:59) - Video, shorts, and audience reach
• (28:31) - Advice after 300+ episodes
• (31:06) - Conclusion

Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026
Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

How can podcasting become more than a way to share research—and actually become part of the research itself?

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Abigail Harrison Moore from the University of Leeds about Whose Power, a podcast project created with the Preservative Party, a group of young curators at Leeds City Museum. Abigail shares how the project uses podcasting as a participatory research space—one built around trust, consent, listening, and shared authorship.

The conversation explores how podcasting can help break down gatekeeping in museums and academia, why audio can capture things that written research often misses, and what it takes to create a safe space where young people can lead the conversation. Abigail also explains why the project is staying audio-only, how voice, accents, pauses, and emotion became part of the research, and why participatory work requires much more preparation than simply turning on the mics.

It’s a thoughtful look at how podcasting can open doors, shift power, and help researchers learn with communities—not just speak about them.

Episode Links:

• Listen to Whose Power?
• Professor Abigail Harrison Moore
• Learn more about The Preservative Party
• Research Podcasts

Connect with Us:

• Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com
• Learn More: Continuing Studies Podcast
• Follow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn Page
• Join LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters Network
• Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or jpodcreations@gmail.com
• Connect w/ Neil: LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.com
• Twitter: @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastco
• Youtube
• HigherEdPods

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:01) - Abigail Harrison Moore and Whose Power
• (03:04) - The origins of Whose Power
• (06:14) - Gatekeeping, museums, and youth voice
• (08:16) - Why podcasting became part of the project
• (10:00) - Podcasting as participatory research
• (10:58) - The podcast studio as a participatory space
• (12:37) - Trust, safety, and preparing the space
• (14:11) - Accents, pauses, and what audio reveals
• (15:38) - The emotional work of participatory research
• (17:05) - Why this project stays audio-only
• (19:08) - Non-negotiables before recording
• (21:49) - History, power, and who gets represented
• (24:18) - Podcasting as a research method
• (26:31) - What’s next: Research Podcasts and EPOD
• (27:23) - Conclusion

Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026
Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing