The Matt Townsend Show

Matt Townsend specializes in energizing and involving audiences with his unique approach to building and maintaining successful relationships. Known as one of America’s top presenters in the field of Human Relations and Development, Matt blends humor and story telling with interactive, real-life solutions that motivate and inspire his listeners.

Latest Episodes:

Finance and Business, Talk To Your Kids About Weight Aug 25, 2018

Show notes

Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business (14:58) Rana Foroohar is the Assistant managing editor at Time and the magazine’s economics columnist. She is the author of Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business.The presidential race has brought to light the country’s frustration with the current economic state. While wages are up and the slow growth of the economy looks promising, many are still feeling left behind. Rana Foroohar tells us more about our nation’s trend towards financialization and the damage it has caused. This Is The Worst Way To Talk To Your Children About Weight (1:02:37) Dr. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer is Mayo Professor and Head of the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, both at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on adolescent nutrition and the prevention of weight-related problems including eating disorders, unhealthy weight control behaviors, body dissatisfaction and obesity. A recent article about the link between parents’ weight comments and a child’s body dissatisfaction and weight gain sparked a major debate among The Huffington Post readers. Disagreement centered over the balance between concern for a child’s health and the psychological and physical damage that can result from cruel or clueless comments about weight. One theme, however, kept popping up over and over again in readers’ comments: People who had been hurt in childhood by cruel weight comments are now resolved to spare their own children from the self-loathing and disordered eating struggles that they had to deal with as kids. Dr. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer shares her findings.

Blame Lying on the Brain, Love Your Life, Screen Cleaning Aug 24, 2018

Show notes

Why you shouldn’t blame lying on the brain (16:26) Dr. Richard Gunderman is Chancellor's Professor of Radiology, Pediatrics, Medical Education, Philosophy, Liberal Arts, Philanthropy, and Medical Humanities and Health Studies at Indiana University. A recent study from the University College of London has resulted in some news outlets claiming ‘You can blame lying on your brain’. These misleading headlines has our next guest concerned. Dr. Richard Gunderman sets the record straight on what role the blame plays in lying is. Love Your Life, Not Theirs (59:22) Rachel Cruze is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and seasoned communicator. She helps Americans learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. Rachel Cruze has authored two best-selling books: Love Your Life, Not Theirs and Smart Money Smart Kids. The daughter of Dave Ramsey, she joined Ramsey Solutions in 2010 and uses the knowledge and experiences from growing up in the Ramsey household to educate others. When we look at everyone else’s lives we might think, “Why is everything in my life such a mess?” We look at their bigger house, nicer car, and put together family and put ourselves down for not being more like them. Are we really living the lives we want, or are we chasing someone else's dream, just trying to keep up appearances on social media, at church, and in our community? Rachel Cruze teaches us more about who we can become happy in our own financial circumstances. Screen Cleaning (1:32:34) Jeff Simpson talks about movies and TV, helping you find family-friendly options. It's the time of year when kids are going back to school, so Jeff and Cole decided to go back to movie school. There are lots of lessons parents and kids can learn together from these movies about new kids, new teachers, or even trying on each other's shoes. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:16:26 - Why you shouldn't blame lying on the brain 00:59:22 - Love Your Life, Not Theirs 01:92:34 - Screen Cleaning

Smartphones and Teen Weight, Sports Villains Aug 23, 2018

Show notes

Smartphones and Teen Weight Control (12:08) Dr. Chad Jensen is a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University, he earned his PhD. From the University of Kansas. Dr. Johnson program of research addresses prevention of and intervention for childhood and adolescent obesity and related disorders. Teens use smartphones successfully to do almost anything: learn new skills, communicate with friends, do research and catch Pokémon. But are smartphones useful for helping teens maintaining weight loss? Dr. Johnson conducted a study to see if smartphones might help adolescents lose weight and share his findings. Why Sports Fans Need Villains (1:02:24) Vassilis Dalakas, Ph.D., is a professor of marketing at Cal State University San Marcos and also a visiting professor of sports marketing at the Sports MBA program at San Diego State University. His research examines social identity and sports fandom including a focus on topics relevant to rivalries, Schadenfreude, and sponsorships. November is a sports fan’s dream. The baseball season is wrapping up, basketball is starting up, football is in mid-season form, and hockey is ready to go. With every sport comes the favorite to win the title, and most recently, the villain. Dr. Vassilis Dalakas shares what makes a sports team a villain, and if that a title that can be passed around from team to team. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:12:08 - Smartphones and Teen Weight Control 01:62:24 - Why Sports Fans Need Villains

Depression and Gender, Grade-Skipping Kids Aug 22, 2018

Show notes

Depression and Gender (18:57) Dr. Shervin Assari is a research investigator of psychiatry and public health at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more women are affected by depression than men. This pattern is seen in countries around the world, including the United States. Cross-national and cross-cultural studies have indicated that the prevalence of depression among women is higher at any given time than among men. This pattern does not seem to have many exceptions. However, research is also shedding light into the fact that men might be more vulnerable to depression caused by stressful events. Dr. Shervin Assari shares his thoughts. Should I grade-skip my gifted child? (59:33) Susan G. Assouline, Ph.D., is the director of the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. Dr. Assouline earned her PhD in Education at the University of Iowa where she is currently a Professor of Psychology. The American school system puts students in grades based on age. However, for a some students, being with same-age peers in the classroom might not be the best option. Dr. Susan Assouline discuss her work as an expert in ‘academic acceleration.’ 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:18:57 - Depression and Gender 00:59:33 - Should I grade-skip my gifted child?

How to Not Be Fooled by Jerks, Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

How to Not Be Fooled by Jerks. Or Become One (12:02) Jeremy Sherman, Ph.D., is a founding member of an 18 year old research project founded by Harvard/Berkeley biologist Terrence Deacon. He received his PhD in decision theory he has written over 475 articles for Psychology Today. Do you have a friend who just can’t seem to recognize they’re being duped? They don’t realize that the door-to-door salesman fooled them, or that Facebook is never going to give away free money when they copy and paste a status. But how can you recognize it and they miss it? For that matter are you being duped and you can’t see it? Dr. Sherman explains how to avoid being a sucker or a jerk. Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (1:03:43) Dr. Valerie J. Harwood, Professor of Biology and Chair at University of South Florida. Dr. Harwood’s laboratory focuses on water quality and is best known for its work on microbial source tracking. One of Dr. Harwood’s major areas of expertise is microbial source tracking (MST), which endeavors to determine the source(s) of fecal pollution in water. Each year, scientist and doctors change flu vaccinations in order to protect people from the newest mutated strands of the flu. The Flu and Cold season is in full swing and is expected to peak early in the New Year. Bacteria, like viruses become more resistant to the medicine and treatments that we have today. How does bacteria and viruses become resistant and how are they introduced to the environment? Dr. Valerie J. Harwood explains. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:12:02 - How to Not Be Fooled by Jerks. Or Become One 01:63:43 - Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

The Beauty of the Unexpected, Smartphones and The Law Aug 20, 2018

Show notes

The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected (15:58) Marcelo Gleiser, Ph.D., is a professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College. He specializes in cosmology, nonlinear physics, and astrobiology. His main research interests fall into two general areas. The first is the interface between cosmology (which studies the universe as a whole) and particle physics (which studies the smallest material constituents of the universe). Fishing is a sport of leisure. You might go out early in the morning alone, and wait hours until you have a bite. In those hours, many people sit in silent reflection, but few people spend their time pondering about particle cosmology. But Dr. Marcelo Gleiser does just that, his book “The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected” describes how he travels the world to attend scientific conferences, fishing wherever he goes. At each stop, he considers how physics and his hobby inform each other. Smartphones and The Law (1:01:32) Tim Holbrook is a professor of law at Emory University School of Law. He is one of the nation's leading patent law experts, with commentary appearing in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, Scientific American and Science on the patent system and on the Apple v. Samsung smartphone wars. On October 11th, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over a $400 million verdict against Samsung for infringing several Apple iPhone design patents like the smartphone’s ability to create links automatically to webpages and phone numbers, and the “slide to unlock” screen function. The key to this case is that the Supreme Court case is about design patents, not utility patents. But what’s the difference, and why is that important? Tim Holbrook explains. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:15:58 - The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected 01:61:32 - Smartphones and The Law

Health Care, Overwhelmed: When No One Has Time Aug 18, 2018

Show notes

Where do you go when you suddenly need health care? (17:48) Dr. Keith Kocher is an emergency physician and health services researcher studying the delivery and performance of acute care, and has written extensively on the value of the emergency department as a setting of care within the health system. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan. If you get a runny nose or suddenly don’t feel well where do you go? Do you go to a health center, urgent care, a clinic, or even the emergency room at the hospital? Depending on the symptoms and the time of day, where to go can be confusing. Professor Keith Kocher sheds some light on this topic. Overwhelmed: When No One Has Time (1:00:44) Brigid Schulte is the author of the New York Times bestselling book on time pressure, Overwhelmed: Work, Love & Play when No One has the Time, which named one of the notable books of the year by the Washington Post and NPR. She has spoken all over the world about the causes and consequences of our unsustainable, always-on culture, and how to make time for “The Good Life.” According to the Leisure Studies Department at the University of Iowa, true leisure is "that place in which we realize our humanity." If that’s true then we're doing dangerously little in realizing of our humanity. Brigid Schulte talks more about why leisure time is important and how we can be sure to make it a larger priority in our lives. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:17:48 - Where do you go when you suddenly need health care? 01:60:44 - Overwhelmed: When No One Has Time

Clean Energy Economy, Value of Exercise, Screen Cleaning Aug 17, 2018

Show notes

Clean Energy Economy (16:41) Heidi Garrett-Peltier, Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor in the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her main area of research is the employment impacts of the transition to a low-carbon economy. Some politicians say that clean energy will generate jobs. Dr. Heidi Garrett-Peltier explains why this may or may not be true. Value of Exercise (1:01:23) Dr. Carson Smith is from the University of Maryland school of Public Health and is focused on understanding how exercise and physical activity affect human brain function and mental health. It is estimated that 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, and as the baby boomers continue to age that number is expected to rise. Currently the disease has no cure. Dr. Smith shares his research. Screen Cleaning (1:33:56) Jeff Simpson talks about movies and TV, helping you find family-friendly options. It's still hot outside, but school will be starting soon and the summer blockbuster season is over. Today Jeff and Cole give a Summer Movie Recap, talking about films that made them laugh, made them cry, and all-in-all made a lot of money. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:16:41 - Clean Energy Economy 01:61:23 - Value of Exercise 01:93:56 - Screen Cleaning

Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human, Making Choices Aug 16, 2018

Show notes

Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human (15:32) Dr. Daniel J. Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. His most recent book, titled Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human was released on October 18th. The mind is an interesting subject, but it’s also a hard thing to research. There’s no real, clear cut standard definition of the mind. Wouldn’t it just be nice to take a trip through the mind and then know exactly how everything works? While that seems almost impossible, Dr. Daniel J. Siegel does all he can to help us take that trip. How Uncomfortable We Are Making Choices for Others (1:05:17) Mary Steffel, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of marketing at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University. Her research examines social judgment and decision making, including when people recruit others to help them make decisions, what are the barriers to choosing effectively on behalf of others, and how to help people make better decisions for themselves and others. Often, we may even find ourselves hesitant to delegate tasks and decision making to others, even when they would benefit from doing so. Yet anyone who has worked in a large organization will tell you that, just as often, decisions can get passed from person to person, making it difficult for everyone to get work done. So how do we encourage delegating when it’s beneficial and reduce it when it’s not? Dr. Steffel shares her research. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:15:32 - Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human 01:65:17 - How Uncomfortable We Are Making Choices for Others

Future Teaching of CyberSecurity, School Start Times Aug 15, 2018

Show notes

The Future Teaching of CyberSecurity (11:25) Nasir Memon, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at NYU Tandon. His research interests include digital forensics, biometrics, data compression, network security, security, and human behavior. In 2008, Cyber Security Awareness Week, also called (C-SAW), was founded with goal to draw engineering students into cybersecurity. This 13th Annual Conference, over 20,000 students from around the world will participate in CSAW, and is the largest student ran cybersecurity event in the world. The cyber security industry will need 1.5 million more workers than will be qualified for jobs by the year 2020. It is more crucial than ever to educate the next generation of cyber security professionals. Program founder Dr. Memon explains CSAW and the future of cyber security. Why Teen Brains Need Later School Start Time (1:05:38) Kyla Wahlstrom, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Minnesota. Her research work over the past 25 years has examined school and district leadership and the outcomes that result from educational policy initiatives. She has been researching later high school start times for the past 20 years, including her recently completed 3-year study for the CDC. The results of that research were used by the American Academy of Pediatrics to inform their national policy statement in 2014 about the need for later high school starting times. Dr. Wahlstrom shares the research. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:11:25 - The Future Teaching of CyberSecurity 01:65:38 - Why Teen Brains Need Later School Start Time

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