
FEATURED
Season 2 episode 9: krazy for case
Driven, smart, creative. That’s Franco “Krais” Kraiselburd, a student so atypical, he typifies today’s Case student. The third-year biomedical engineering major is CEO of his own startup, a guitarist in a rock band, and the founder of a new student group. Hailing from Argentina, he speaks four languages, which is why he can order his pizza in Italian in Little Italy.
Welcome to think[box] Radio, a monthly podcast inspired by Sears think[box], the innovation center at Case Western Reserve University, the largest maker space on an American college campus. We hope to share with you some of the magic that happens here and inspire your own innovations and dreams.
Your host, Robert Smith, is the former innovation economy reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The show is produced by Abbie Murphy for the Case Alumni Association in cooperation with the Case School of Engineering.
Every episode features an innovator connected to Case Western Reserve University, one of the nation’s leading research universities. We let them tell us what drives them, where they get their ideas, and what tools seem to work best. So sit back, listen in, and learn why the CWRU motto is “Think beyond the possible.”

Season 2 EP. 9: Krazy for Case
Driven, smart, creative. That’s Franco “Krais” Kraiselburd, a student so atypical, he typifies today’s Case student.

Season 2 EP. 8: Bold science, new blood
Anirban Sen Gupta, a professor of biomedical engineering, has spent much of his career seeking a substitute for whole blood, which is always in short supply. Suddenly, his quest looks a lot more attainable.

Season 2 EP. 7: Research Catalyst
Joy Ward is a biologist, a climate scientist, and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. She’s also a research catalyst who has clearly made her mark since arriving from the University of Kansas three years ago

Season 2 EP. 6: A Lighthanded touch
While most popular with students, Sears think[box] is open to all. That includes alumni like Steve Burns ’11, MEM ’11, Brecken Blackburn, PhD ’21, and Matt McPheeters ’12, MS ’13, PhD ’21. The trio tapped the resources of the campus
innovation center to launch their company, Lighthanded, and to develop a promising medical device.

Season 2 EP. 5: Thinking about think[box] at 10
MAKE A GIFT Featured Thinking about think[box] at 10 Sears think[box] began a decade ago as a basement maker space in an engineering building. Today

Season 2 EP. 4: A CLEANR Wash
We’re back for the fourth episode of season 2 of think[box] Radio. In this episode, we sit down with three young Case engineers as they aim to clean up microplastics in our drinking water. The number one source of this problem may surprise you!

Season 2. EP 3: An Engineer’s Vision: A conversation with CWRU President Eric Kaler
Eric Kaler, the first engineer to lead Case Western Reserve University in 20 years, is going to make Case a busy place. He wants to grow enrollment, expand the research enterprise, and build a $300 million science and engineering flagship on Case Quad. Meanwhile, he and his wife, Karen, have introduced a new lord of the manor at Harcourt House, a beloved rescue dog named Adelbert—whom you will meet in this podcast.

Season 2 EP. 2: Climate Changer
In the Energy Lab on Case Quad, Burcu Gurkan is leading a team trying to solve some of society’s biggest challenges.

Season 2 EP. 1: The Music Makers of think[box]
Young alumni Matt Canel and Ben Kaufman think they have an idea that can open up the music industry to a whole new world of young players.

EP. 15: Master maker
YouTube personality and NASA engineer Alex Schepelmann ’09, MS ’10, would like nothing better than to show you how to Super Make Something!

EP. 14 Covid Sleuths
When the pandemic struck, researchers Fanny Ye and Ken Loparo used data science to map a way through it. Their Alpha Satellite can guide you to the safest places to be.

EP. 13: The rebuilder
Biomedical engineer Dustin Tyler, PhD ’99, is at the cutting edge of neural engineering—what some call “human fusion”—bringing new hope and sensations to people with paralysis.

EP. 12: Star power
Astronaut Don Thomas ’77, PhD, flew 17 million miles in space and is now trying to recruit the “Mars generation” to follow him.

EP. 11: The new music man
With his music editing software, think[box] staffer Ricky Graham is opening up a new world of sound.

EP. 10: Eating smarter with AI
Bingying “Judy” Feng ’16 and her company, AntX Technologies, is developing a “smart scale” that weighs the nutritional value of your meal.

EP. 9: Keeper of the keys
Everykey may have the solution to the problem virtually everyone has today: How do we remember all those changing passwords?

EP. 8: Building robots with heart
Get ready for the age of “social robots,” friendly-looking machines that can read your mood. Robotics expert Kiju Lee, PhD, is at the vanguard.

EP. 7: Why Case robotics rocks
Robotics clubs are booming at high schools and colleges. The team at Sears think[box], CWRUbotix, has soared faster and higher than most.

EP. 6: He beat the meter reader
There’s a reason the meter reader stopped coming to your house and its name is Larry Sears.

EP. 5: Galaxy spotter
What does a watcher of the skies know that we don’t? Let astronomy phenom Chris Carr show you the heavens.

EP. 4: CWRU at CES 2019
Remember your first time in Vegas? Many Case innovators will never forget. We reprise CES 2019.

EP. 3: The startup generation
Students like Prince Ghosh, asks, Why would anyone go to a school like CWRU without starting a company?

EP. 2: Rocket woman
A rocket competition starts in the maker space. That’s where aspiring aerospace engineers like Sarah Ryan direct a team toward new heights.

EP. 1: Maestro of the makers
Every orchestra has a conductor and so does an innovation center. Meet the maestro of the maker scene at Case Western Reserve.