Rachel Hopkin
KGOU Host-ProducerRachel is a British-born and U.S.-based radio producer and folklorist. She began her career as a radio producer in various music departments at the BBC in the United Kingdom. She then moved to Argentina and continued to work on an independent basis for broadcasters around the world.
In 2010 she settled in the U.S. and in 2013 was awarded a rare “National Interest Waiver” Green Card in recognition of her work as a folklorist/radio producer with a special focus on U.S. traditional culture. She became a naturalized American citizen in 2019. Rachel has earned an M.A. in Folk Studies from Western Kentucky University, and a doctorate in English and Folklore from The Ohio State University.
Rachel is passionate about sound and storytelling and how one can be harnessed to enhance the power of the other. At KGOU, she brings her talents and passion to the How Curious podcast; she’s also responsible for initiating and overseeing various special projects.
Send Rachel your questions and curiosities about anything related to Oklahoma at curious@kgou.org.
-
Animal shelters and rescues across Oklahoma are regularly transporting thousands of adoptable animals in need of homes out of state. In this episode, host Rachel Hopkin learns more about why Oklahoma has an overpopulation of cats and dogs and what is being done to alleviate it. -
For a brief period from 1929-1930, the small town of Waynoka, Oklahoma, became the center of a pioneering coast-to-coast air transport service for the ultra-wealthy. -
If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know that How Curious is typically a documentary strand that explores interesting Oklahoma stories. But we’ve had a number of listeners asking how How Curious is made. So this month, KGOU managing editor, Logan Layden, turns the tables on How Curious host/producer Rachel Hopkin to find out a little about her production process as well as what’s in the works currently. -
The Prairie House - which stands a few miles outside of Norman, OK - was the creation of architect Herb Greene and was completed in 1961. It's been variously likened to a bird, a bison, a steeple, a shed, a boat, a haystack, among other things. It's also been hailed as “an excellent example of organic architecture”, an embodiment of the American School of Architecture, and a masterpiece. It's been in private hands and largely hidden for many years, but now it's in the process of being restored. How Curious host Rachel Hopkin went to find out more. -
In this month’s How Curious, host Rachel Hopkin looks into how, when, and why the parking meter was invented here in Oklahoma City back in the 1930s. In the course of her investigation she learns about the polymath behind it, inventive reactions to its installation such as tying a horse to the meter post and paying for the metered spot for a game of bridge, and some beautiful women in golden bikinis. -
Every year, the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America puts out an Allergy Capital report which ranks the top 100 large US cities if you suffer from pollen-based seasonal allergies. Oklahoma City and Tulsa regularly make the top ten. In this episode, Rachel Hopkin looks into what makes the Sooner State so challenging for the seasonal allergy afflicted. -
Nestled in the heart of Bricktown is a remarkable tribute to some of the most innovative and influential figures -- and instruments -- in music history. Join How Curious host and producer Rachel Hopkin in her exploration of the world-class American Banjo Museum. -
How Curious host/producer Rachel Hopkin the world's largest institution that’s solely dedicated to revealing and exploring the form and function of the skeletal system and which is based right here in OKC. -
Which Oklahoman Got a Hippopotamus for Christmas? Today’s story features a local girl with a belter of a voice, several hippopotamuses, some zoo history, and a hit song. -
Kendall’s Restaurant in downtown Noble, Okla., is famous for chicken-fried steaks, cinnamon rolls, and GHOSTS. Rachel Hopkin explores some strange goings-on under its roof.
