Farha Guerrero’s smile was the first thing I noticed when her face appeared on my screen.
Despite dialling into our call from snowy Whistler, the UBC alumna radiated warmth from the very second she began talking.
The Blue Hour, her new podcast, marries academia with art. It’s remodelled from her former CITR show called “Prof Talk” from which she took a hiatus nearly eight years ago.
“The name is the one thing that has changed,” said Guerrero.
“But the idea hasn't really changed. I'm still interviewing primarily professors. The reason is [that] I'm interested in people's research. If you look at past episodes, I've probably touched most departments at UBC, [is] it's really interdisciplinary.”
From research in AIDS to experts on Russian literature and Indigenous studies, Guerrero’s podcast boasts of a variety of different academic voices. Amongst others, professors from the University of Toronto, Harvard and Montana State University have made appearances on Guerrero’s evening show.
“It’s fun conversations with interesting people. With COVID, what I'm doing now [is] I'm sending invitations all over the world,” said Guerrero.
When I asked her how she chooses the people she interviews, Guerrero had a little laugh.
“In the past, what I did was really smart. I first went for the big names at UBC... if I was able to land the big names then I could get anyone. And it worked!” said Guerrero
Having explored the grapevine earlier, Guerrero now chooses people whose area of specialization is of unique interest to her. According to her, since it’s a volunteer position, it gives her an opportunity to explore her own interests. But she also adds a personal touch to each interview with a new auditory element.
“They have two songs they can choose. I ask them to ...tell me two songs that mean something to [them], because I do think that music and memory are a big part of our lives.,” said Guerrero.
Guerrero, who wrote for The Ubyssey during her time as an undergraduate at UBC, calls herself a lifelong learner.
I’ve never stopped studying,” she said with a smile. “I'm not aiming for anything anymore. At my age, I just really love learning.”