Practical History

episodes

Practical History is an NBN Special Series that explores the practical uses of historical knowledge in all realms of life, but especially in business and tech. We examine the power of historical understanding to solve real problems in the here and now. Your host is Patryk Babiracki is historian, researcher and writer; professor & MA student advisor at the University of Texas at Arlington. PhD from Johns Hopkins. Promoter of #AppliedHistory: using historical concepts, frameworks, and methodologies to solve real-world organizational problems.


The Rewards (and Challenges) of Running One's Own Historical Consulting Firm (with Scot McFarlane)

October 3, 2024

The Rewards (and Challenges) of Running One's Own Historical Consulting Firm

Scot McFarlane
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

I talked to the river historian Scot McFarlane who runs his own historical consulting firm, the Oxbow History Company. My guest shared how he transla…

Futurism, Brand Strategy, and the Magic Ingredient of Time (with Jasmine Bina)

September 5, 2024

Futurism, Brand Strategy, and the Magic Ingredient of Time

Jasmine Bina
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

I talked to the CEO of Concept Bureau Jasmine Bina about her work in cultural consulting, futurism, and brand strategy. Jasmine studied English liter…

History and Digital Media: A Discussion with Allison Tourville

July 3, 2024

History and Digital Media

Allison Tourville
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

After she earned her BA and MA in history, Allison Tourville decided to pursue a career in social media strategy. For nearly a decade, she worked for…

Using History to Better Finance and Build Social Wealth

June 6, 2024

Using History to Better Finance and Build Social Wealth

Paul Katz
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

Esoteric and frequently disinterested in the public good, financial institutions can be hard to navigate for those seeking to advance social welfare. …

History, Data Science and Journeys of Discovery with Francisco Ramos

May 2, 2024

History, Data Science and Journeys of Discovery

Francisco Ramos
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

I had the pleasure of talking to Francisco Ramos about how his study of history shaped his approach to data science, and public policy, and his effort…

Cultural Insights, Historical Perspectives and Business Strategy

April 5, 2024

Cultural Insights, Historical Perspectives and Business Strategy

Charles Halvorson
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

On this episode of "Practical History," I talk with Charles Halvorson, a history PhD, author, and business strategist. With experience that spans wor…

Searching for Future STEM Leaders to Address the World's Greatest Challenges

March 7, 2024

Searching for Future STEM Leaders to Address the World's Greatest Challenges

Nick Cohen
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

On Episode 7 of "Practical History" I chat with Nick Cohen of the philanthropic organization Schmidt Futures. Nick's graduate training in history ha…

The Historian as a Detective (History & Consulting, Part 1)

February 1, 2024

The Historian as a Detective (History & Consulting, Part 1)

Jackie Gonzales
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

Being a historical consultant is like being a detective. In Ep. 6 of "Practical History" I talk to Jackie Gonzales about how her work as a historical…

Applying Historical Perspectives to Finance (with Daniel Peris)

January 4, 2024

Applying Historical Perspectives to Finance

Daniel Peris
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

Before becoming a financial analyst and then a portfolio manager in New York, Daniel Peris worked as a tenure-track professor of Soviet history. I sa…

Using History For User Research (UX): A Discussion with Larry McGrath

December 7, 2023

Using History For User Research (UX)

Larry McGrath
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

In Episode 4 of "Practical History" I talk to Larry McGrath, a user researcher at Amazon (and author of Making Spirit Matter Neurology, Psychology, an…

How Company Leaders Can Move Forward By Taking a Step Back

November 8, 2023

How Company Leaders Can Move Forward By Taking a Step Back

Rishi Jaitly
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki

I chat with the social entrepreneur and former Google & Twitter executive Rishi Jaitly about how his deep passion for history has shaped his career as…

The Power of Stories and the Levi's Brand (with Tracey Panek)

November 7, 2023

The Power of Stories and the Levi's Brand

Tracey Panek
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki
Listen:

Levi Strauss & Co. historian Tracey Panek talks about her fascination with storytelling, her journey from academic to corporate history, and her adven…

The Superpowers of a Historian in the Business World

November 6, 2023

The Superpowers of a Historian in the Business World

Jim Cortada
Hosted by Patryk Babiracki
Listen:

Prolific historian, former IBM executive (and energetic impresario for "Applied History") Jim Cortada discusses his journey from being a freshly minte…