The Los Angeles wildfires were one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, killing dozens of people and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. As catastrophes like this one become more common, we are joined by Research Professor Adam Rose, a leading expert in the economics of disasters. We discuss how these estimates are calculated and what can be done to make disasters less costly.

The opioid epidemic has killed roughly 900,000 Americans since the year 1999 – and one of the factors that fueled the crisis was doctors overprescribing opioids to patients. Jason Doctor, a USC Price School Professor, has been researching a way to curb overprescribing: notifying doctors when their patients fatally overdose. In this episode, we’ll discuss his studies and how they can help policymakers combat this health crisis.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs – commonly known as DEI – have become a hot-button issue in U.S. politics. Many organizations launched or expanded DEI programs in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a police officer. Now, a backlash against DEI has turned into policymaking, with federal, state and local governments aiming to restrict or ban DEI programs. Shaun Harper, a University and Provost Professor at the USC Price School, joins the show to discuss policymakers’ actions against DEI and the potential consequences.