Author name: Places and Profiles Podcast

Dr. Bill Barry joins host Adam Camac to discuss the history of NASA and the US space program, including the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs, and the future of NASA and space travel. Bill is former NASA Chief Historian.

Dr. Chris Merritt joins host Adam Camac to discuss the legacy of Chinese railroad workers on the transcontinental railroad in Utah and what we are learning about their work through archaeological investigation.  Chris is an archaeologist who is Utah’s historic preservation officer.

Kainoa Daines joins host Adam Camac to discuss Hawaiian history and culture with a focus on Maui.
Kainoa is the Senior Director, Destination Education at the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

John Dinges joins host Adam Camac to discuss the illegality, torture, secret prisons, and tragedies of Operation Condor in Chile and across South America.  We also discuss Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA involvement in Operation Condor and across the Southern Cone of South America, and Peronism and the legacy of the Peron family in Argentina, among other topics.

Geoff Schumacher joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures, issues, and events from the history and culture of Las Vegas. Geoff is the vice president of exhibits and programs at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas.  He is the author of Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia, and Palace Intrigue and Sun, Sin, and Suburbia: A History of Modern Las Vegas.

Tony Payan joins host Adam Camac to discuss key figures and issues in Mexican politics in recent decades, key issues in US-Mexico relations and how relations have been affected by Mexican politics, and the 2024 Mexican presidential election. Tony is the Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Jeevan Vasagar joins host Adam Camac to discuss key events in the historical and cultural development of Singapore, how Singapore became so successful economically, and some of the issues and challenges faced by modern Singapore.  Jeevan is Climate Editor at Tortoise Media and the author of Lion City: Singapore and the Invention of Modern Asia.

Robert Mann joins host Adam Camac to discuss the life and legacy of Huey Long and his influence on the state of Louisiana and in particular on LSU. Bob holds the Manship Chair in Journalism at the Manship School of Mass Communication at LSU, and he is the author of the recently published book Kingfish U: Huey Long and LSU.

Jeremy Black joins host Adam Camac to discuss the history of the British monarchy and the role of the British monarchy today. Jeremy is a prolific lecturer and writer, and he is the author of over 100 books, including A Brief History of the British Monarchy.

Patrick Novecosky joins host Adam Camac to discuss the life and legacy of Pope St. John Paul II.  Patrick is an award-winning author, journalist, and speaker with a passion for the New Evangelization and Pope St. John Paul II, whom he met five times.  He is an international public speaker, runs Nova Media, and is the author of 100 Ways John Paul II Changed the World.