- 52 minutes 24 secondsEpisode 7: Electric Futures Live! Everything You Need to Know About Data Centers
Recorded live in USC’s Wallis Annenberg Hall in April 2026, this special episode focuses on the key issues surrounding data centers, the focus of Season 3. What exactly are data centers? Who benefits from their development? What are the drawbacks? Experts will answer those questions – and yours – alongside host Chip Zukoski, USC’s Robert E. Vivian Professor in Energy Resources and Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering.
Featured panelists include:
Shaolei Ren, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Riverside
Kelly Twomley Sanders, Professor, Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Sean Wilcock, Vice President of Business Development & Services at Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. Our live episode was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, Ray Barkley, Victor Figueroa and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg.
Rhysea Argawal, Nadia Lozano Murphy, Anahita Mehra, Avidha Raha, and Lina Rehbein provided live event support.
With special thanks to Leslie Berestein Rojas, Edward Lifson, Jim Yoder, and Pawan Ahuja.
All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
23 April 2026, 1:00 pm - 1 hour 1 minuteThe Data Center Next Door | Episode 6: The AI Data Center Pushback
In our Season 3 finale, we explore what it is about data centers that has been creating animosity across the country. Is it the pushback against what powers artificial intelligence…or is it something else?
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. This episode was directed and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg. With special thanks to USC professors Leslie Berestein Rojas and Edward Lifson.
Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
15 April 2026, 9:37 pm - 43 minutes 13 secondsThe Data Center Next Door | Episode 5: Will AI Bring Jobs to the Valley?
In this episode, we explore how communities think about jobs when a data center comes knocking. When a data center comes to town, will it bring high paying jobs to a community? Could this be the main benefit of hosting a data center in your community?
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. This episode was directed and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg. With special thanks to USC professors Leslie Berestein Rojas and Edward Lifson.
Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
15 April 2026, 9:36 pm - 1 hour 3 minutesThe Data Center Next Door | Episode 4: Not in My Backyard
When a hyperscale data center comes to a place like Imperial Valley, communities have questions and concerns. Billions of dollars of investment — and profit – are at stake. Community members have questions. But rather than excitement, there’s community pushback. Why? We dive into the resistance in Imperial Valley and beyond.
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. This episode was directed and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg. With special thanks to USC professors Leslie Berestein Rojas and Edward Lifson.
Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
15 April 2026, 9:35 pm - 45 minutes 5 secondsThe Data Center Next Door | Episode 3: Water is for Fighting Over
In this episode, we look how the proposed data center in the Imperial Valley would use water, then explore similarities and differences with data centers around the nation. How much water is really needed for a data center — and why?
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. This episode was directed by Mallory Carra and Natalie Lopez and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg. With special thanks to USC professors Leslie Berestein Rojas and Edward Lifson.
Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
15 April 2026, 9:34 pm - 59 minutes 20 secondsThe Data Center Next Door | Episode 2: The Tech Behind an AI Data Center
We take a deep dive into the AI data center planned for California’s Imperial Valley and talk to the developers themselves about how the project came about. Then, we explore the mathematics of AI and how exactly a data center works.
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. This episode was directed by Spencer Cline and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg. With special thanks to USC professors Leslie Berestein Rojas and Edward Lifson.
Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
15 April 2026, 9:33 pm - 50 minutes 48 secondsThe Data Center Next Door | Episode 1: Back to the Imperial Valley
Have you ever wondered what might happen if you crossed an agricultural community with the highest form of human technology?
We went to the Valley to find out! In this season of Electric Futures, we describe how the demand for AI is altering the fabric of not only California’s Imperial Valley but of communities across the country.
In this first episode, we catch you up on what’s happening in the Valley and discover the most amazing coincidence that sharpens our interest and brings this season closer to home…
This is Season 3 of Electric Futures: The Data Center Next Door.
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures.
Additional resources from USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication:
- The Data Center Next Door, Key Considerations for Communities Navigating Data Center Development
- How to Create a Climate Podcast
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Imperial Valley College student Tahjah Fortune is our production assistant. This episode was directed by Spencer Cline and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.
Technical supervision was provided by Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S-R Meredith. Video interviews were directed by Makayla Idelburg. With special thanks to USC professors Leslie Berestein Rojas and Edward Lifson.
Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects are used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
9 April 2026, 1:00 pm - 2 minutes 18 secondsSeason 3 Trailer | The Data Center Next Door
Season three of Electric Futures, the USC energy transition podcast, takes listeners back to California’s Imperial Valley, a region explored throughout season one in connection with the county’s potential for lithium extraction. A lot has changed since then.
Plans for lithium extraction are stalled due to lawsuits and a new set of developers has come to town: hyperscalers. Host Charles Zukoski, the Robert E. Vivian Professor in Energy Resources and Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering, has been tracking the news since last summer, when word began to circulate that one of the largest data centers in the country might tap into the region’s rich geothermal resources.
Demand for data centers—the physical embodiment of AI —is growing so rapidly that their global electricity consumption will more than double by 2030. But pushback from communities is also growing. Concerned residents worry about rising electricity bills, environmental degradation, and AI itself. Does the benefit of data center development in places like Imperial Valley outweigh the costs?
30 March 2026, 1:00 pm - 37 minutes 2 secondsSpecial | My Story Is A Climate Story: 2025 LA Wildfires | Episode 1: January 7th
This special three-episode season takes an intimate look at the impact of the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires on the USC community. We’ll get to know five USC professors who were displaced as a result of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires over the course of nine months.
In this first episode, we go back to the first few nights, when the fires raged all across Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California. This special season is hosted and executive-produced by Allison Agsten, director of USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Rhysea Agrawal and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. This episode was written and directed by Rhysea Agrawal and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline. Additional interviews were conducted by Grace Galante and Yana Savitsky.
Victor Figueroa, Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S.R. Meredith provided technical supervision.
Our cover art is by Rhysea Agrawal with photography by Malcolm Caminero. All music and sound effects used with express permission under an unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
4 February 2026, 2:00 pm - 31 minutes 28 secondsSpecial | My Story Is A Climate Story: 2025 LA Wildfires | Episode 2: The Emotional Impact of Loss
Climate-amplified extreme weather events are rising in frequency and intensity all over the world; yet the emotional impacts of these events, the loss and grief they bring, and the long-lasting impacts they cause for affected people are still understudied and underreported.
In the second episode of this special season, our five USC professors share their emotional journey months after their losses in the 2025 LA wildfires.
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California. This special season is hosted and executive-produced by Allison Agsten, director of USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Rhysea Agrawal and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. This episode was written and directed by Rhysea Agrawal and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline. Additional interviews were conducted by Grace Galante and Yana Savitsky.
Victor Figueroa, Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S.R. Meredith provided technical supervision.
Our cover art is by Rhysea Agrawal with photography by Malcolm Caminero. All music and sound effects used with express permission under an unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
4 February 2026, 2:00 pm - 37 minutes 13 secondsSpecial | My Story Is A Climate Story: 2025 LA Wildfires | Episode 3: One Year Later
It has been a year since the fires, and some of the impacts are only now starting to come into play. Despite efforts from the government and community groups to provide speedy disaster recovery, the road towards recovery appears to be long.
In our final episode, our USC professors catch us up with their lives a year after the disaster. They share with us what recovery has looked like for them and how they are finding ways to approach the rebuilding process as an opportunity.
You can follow us on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures
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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California. This special season is hosted and executive-produced by Allison Agsten, director of USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.
USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our supervising producer. Rhysea Agrawal and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. This episode was written and directed by Rhysea Agrawal and story edited by Mallory Carra. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline. Additional interviews were conducted by Grace Galante and Yana Savitsky.
Victor Figueroa, Sebastian Grubaugh, Tom Norris, and S.R. Meredith provided technical supervision.
Our cover art is by Rhysea Agrawal with photography by Malcolm Caminero. All music and sound effects used with express permission under an unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.
4 February 2026, 2:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App