On the Air with KWVH’s Rural Genius

When you tune into KWVH’s program, Rural Genius, on Mondays from 2 to 3 p.m., it’s likely you’ll come away a little smarter and a lot more informed. Hosts Hilda Carpenter and Dixie Newnam focus on “S.T.E.A.M” topics, subjects in the worlds of science, technology, engineering, arts and math, because they like to know how things work.

They seek out guests from the Wimberley area who have worked or distinguished themselves in a particular area. Listeners can learn how finance, astronomy, law, health technology, aeronautical engineering and those constantly evolving computer programs impact us. It’s like Wimberley’s very own TED Talk with a moderator who asks all the right questions.

The program is named after a series of books written by Dr. Hilda. Raised in west Texas, she is well aware that “rural” can sometimes be code for “not very bright.” But that’s not the case at all, she told me. Her father, a natural engineer and certified genius, designed and patented implements that allowed farmers to become more efficient. She worked in high tech, helped Netscape evolve and became an executive with Apple. She continues to lead coaching seminars.

Her co-host is attorney Dixie Newnam who shares a law practice in Wimberley with husband, Bob Land. The daughter of a retired judge, she specializes in estate planning, probate and business law.

Not only does Rural Genius give visibility to topics that might otherwise escape us, the hosts seek out anything that’s “hot and happening,” like Rodney Bursiel’s upcoming Antarctica trip, the latest in artificial intelligence, electric cars and robots — a subject, according to Hilda, that Dixie loves.

In addition to sharing similar interests, the two women share a deep friendship. Their warm onair style and thoughtful questions make hearing about new subjects effortless. One of their favorite shows, they said, explored strange, tech-flavored Christmas gifts. Whatever the topic, the hour spent listening to the Rural Genius hosts and their guests, is guaranteed to be time well spent.