Welcome to Not Alone: Leaders in conversation — a collaboration between Elsevier and Prof Rafael Bras. We bring unfiltered perspectives on global issues by research and academic leaders.
Join us for fascinating insights from our esteemed guests, selected for their prominence and influence in higher education and related fields. Experts from MIT, Harvard, UCLA and beyond bring their conviction and passion to a wide range of topics, ensuring that our content remains relevant and impactful.
Every two months, we release a new episode — thought-provoking dialogues that inspire and spark meaningful conversation while illuminating the paths of academic leadership and innovation and fostering a community that thrives on shared knowledge and transformative ideas.
Follow our channel for fresh content!
Learn more about Not Alone:
https://www.elsevier.com/connect/collection/not-alone (https://www.elsevier.com/connect/collection/not-alone)
To complement the podcast, we issue a monthly email newsletter. Interested in more topics? Sign up here:
https://www.elsevier.com/connect/collection/not-alone#8-not-alone-newsletter (https://www.elsevier.com/connect/collection/not-alone#8-not-alone-newsletter)
In conversation with ... Dr. Karin Markides, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras talks to Professor Karin Markides about what university leaders can learn by choosing hard institutions in very different countries, then using those lessons to build stronger research cultures and real societal impact. We explore why trust in higher education is slipping, how sustainability needs systems thinking, and what AI and other disruptive knowledge mean for the university mission. Topics include: Transition...
5 Aug 2026
In conversation with ... Andrew Hamilton
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, Rafael interviews chemist and university leader Andrew Hamilton, whose career moved from Exeter and Cambridge to UBC, a postdoc in Strasbourg, and faculty roles at Princeton, Pittsburgh, and Yale, before senior leadership as Yale provost, Oxford vice chancellor, and NYU president (2016–2023). Hamilton describes how setbacks and “sliding door” moments shaped his path, and why he maintained an organic chemistry lab during leadership roles f...
3 Jun 2026
In conversation with ... Lily Kong
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras sits with President Lily Kong to probe trust, purpose, and the future of universities through the lens of Singapore’s model and global headwinds. From neutrality to rankings and the 100-year life, we explore how institutions can rebuild relevance without losing their soul. Topics include: • Singapore’s planning state and education-led growth • first-generation academic journey and gender in leadership • causes of trust er...
1 Apr 2026
In conversation with ... Robert A. Brown
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, we trace how university leadership split between internal stewardship and external politics, and what that means for mission, trust, and culture. Robert A. Brown lays out why research finance is fragile, how immigration and AI shape the future, and where focus and courage will be required. Topics include: • Growth of constituencies and the provost–president divide • Declining public confidence driven by cost, access and politics • Resear...
4 Feb 2026
In conversation with ... Tony Chan
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in Conversation, host Rafael Bras speaks with Tony Chan about building a Western-style research university inside a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia, the rising political pressure on US academia, and what AI can and cannot do. The through line is leadership that protects the university’s soul while adapting to new realities. Topics include: • Why KAUST adopted US-style research culture and governance • Vision 2030 expectations and national impact pressures •...
1 Dec 2025
In conversation with ... Ana Mari Cauce
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in Conversation, Prof. Ana Mari Cauce reflects on her decade-long presidency at the University of Washington, exploring how authenticity, values, and a commitment to both diversity and free speech guided her leadership through turbulent times. Topics include: • The journey from "reluctant administrator" to transformative university president • Why diversity is not the enemy of excellence and the importance of remaining authentic in leadership roles • Nav...
28 Sept 2025
In conversation with ... Dawn Freshwater
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in Conversation, host Rafael Bras speaks with Prof Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, Australia. The conversation covers Prof Freshwater’s unique journey, from leaving school early to becoming a prominent academic leader across multiple continents. They delve into the challenges of higher education; the importance of fairness and justice; the effects of politicization on research; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); the rol...
2 Sept 2025
In conversation at Elsevier's Impact Conference, Chicago - Part 1
Academic leaders gather at Elsevier's 2025 Impact Conference to discuss how higher education can respond to global disruption and inspire hope through evidence-based solutions. • Judy Verses (Elsevier) discusses rebuilding trust in academia through open conversations and finding alignment on shared goals • Trust erosion patterns differ between US and European higher education systems due to structural differences in access and affordability • Cyril Oberlander (Cal Poly Humboldt) reframes lib...
2 Sept 2025
In conversation at Elsevier's Impact Conference, Chicago - Part 2
Academic leaders engage in a candid exploration of higher education's role in society, examining how universities can better articulate their value while staying true to their missions amidst rapid technological and social change. • The relationship between academia and private industry through the lens of Jurassic Park, where university research prioritizes public good over profit • Universities as places where humanity is remembered through the integration of sciences, arts, and humanities...
3 Aug 2025
In conversation with... Tim Killeen
In this episode of Not Alone Leaders in Conversation, hosted by Rafael Bras, Dr. Timothy Killeen, President of the University of Illinois System, shares his vast experience and insights from an extensive career spanning physics, geophysics, and academic leadership. Dr. Killeen discusses his early life in Cardiff, his shift from pure physics to atmospheric sciences, and the various leadership roles he has held in prominent academic and research institutions. The conversation covers crit...
29 May 2025
In conversation with ... Marcia McNutt
Marcia McNutt recounts her career in science and research policy, from MIT to the US Academy of Sciences, in a conversation about her life, challenges, and achievements.
28 Mar 2025
In conversation with ... Julio Frenk
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in Conversation, host Rafael Bras discusses higher education, public health, and leadership with Julio Frenk, the incoming chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles. Frenk, a former president of the University of Miami, shares his rich background—from his family's escape from Nazi Germany to his groundbreaking reforms as Mexico's Minister of Health. He delves into his decision to shift from clinical medicine to public health, his influential...
31 Jan 2025
In conversation with ... Larry Bacow
In the latest episode of Not Alone: Leaders in Conversation, host Rafael Bras engages in an in-depth discussion with Prof Larry Bacow, one of America’s most esteemed academic leaders, having held prestigious positions at MIT, Tufts and Harvard. The conversation, recorded on Oct 16, 2024, covers a wide range of topics including Prof Bacow’s aversion to titles, his career shaped by mentorship and serendipity, the role of parental influence, addressing public perception of higher education, mana...
26 Nov 2024
In conversation with ... Robert Langer
Rafael Bras converses with Prof Robert Langer about his pioneering career, entrepreneurship, and groundbreaking contributions to medicine, emphasizing the balance between academia and real-world application.
30 Sept 2024
In conversation with... John Hennessy
Navigating Leadership in Academia: An In-Depth Conversation with John HennessyIn the inaugural episode of 'Not Alone, Leaders in Conversation,' host Rafael Bras engages in a profound discussion with John Hennessy, esteemed academic leader and Chairman of Alphabet. Hennessy shares his insights on shaping Higher Education, his journey from Stanford's President to an influential entrepreneur, and the pivotal experiences that shaped his career. The conversation touches on the importance of m...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.5 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 21 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
