Eye on Harvard

Eye on Harvard is an Internet talk show “for and about Harvard people” that appears on InTimeTV.com. The subject matter is broad—topics so far have ranged from stem cells and evolutionary biology to adventure travel and North Korean politics. But the aim is specific: to “bring together like-minded individuals who share a background, certain interests, and a history,” says Chicago-based host Ogan Gurel ’86. “It’s not just another TV show. It really represents a confluence of important social and technological trends.”

A medical doctor, Gurel also hosts Insights in Medicine, another InTimeTV show that targets physicians. On the Web, he says, “You have to build shows around specific niches, rather than for mass appeal.” Eye on Harvard’s guests have included Gurel’s classmate, Paul Kent ’86, assistant professor of pediatric hematology/oncology at Rush University Medical Center, who discussed the politics and ethics of research on stem cells and cord blood; evolutionary biologist Neil Shubin, Ph.D. ’87, now at the University of Chicago; and Nancy Collins, M.B.A. ’99, CEO of Global Adrenaline Inc., who talked about her transition from investment banking to travel entrepreneurship.

The show’s audience has grown steadily, from a few hundred to a few thousand viewers during the last several months. If the increasing popularity of Internet TV is any indication, the trend will continue. “Graduating from Harvard,” Gurel explains, “you always want to do the next best thing, and really make a mark.”