ResearchPod

In conflict zones, businesses are widely seen as a positive force that promotes peace.Dr Jay Joseph at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and colleagues have studied micro and small enterprises, identifying their often contradictory impact on a conflict zone.Read more in Research FeaturesRead the original research: doi.org/10.1177/00076503221084638

10/2/24 • 12:11

Kicking off this extraordinary series, we hear first-hand from Mohamedou Ould Slahi who exposed the use of torture at Guantánamo, smuggling out facts about his experience in letters to his lawyer, Nancy Hollander. Nancy joins with Professor Sir Malcolm Evans to extend the conversation and discuss her role in sharing the story, the first and only memoir by a still-imprisoned Guantánamo detainee, that helped secure his freedom.For further reading: "Guantanamo, Torture and Mechanisms for Change."If you're interested in related study or research, please have a look at our LLM Human Rights Law and our PhD in Law.

9/30/24 • 21:42

Have you ever wondered what representing someone detained in a facility synonymous with secrecy and deception would be like? In the second episode of this series, we delve into the realities of striving for truth as a Guantánamo lawyer. Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, former chair of the UNs Subcommittee for Prevention of Torture, joins Nancy Hollander, the Guantánamo lawyer who represented Mohamedou Ould Slahi whilst he was detained there for 14 years without charge.For further reading: "Guantanamo, Torture and Mechanisms for Change."If you're interested in related study or research, please have a look at our LLM Human Rights Law and PhD Law.

9/30/24 • 20:12

As we mark the shameful 20th anniversary of Guantánamo Bay, the third episode in this series asks if torture works. We hear, first hand, from Mohamedou Ould Slahi who reflects on what pain and fear meant to his perception of truth. His criminal defence lawyer, Nancy Hollander, and Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, former chair of the UNs Subcommittee for Prevention of Torture, extend the conversation to discuss how such a barbaric approach was possible in Guantánamo, in the 21st Century.For further reading: "Guantanamo, Torture and Mechanisms for Change."If you're interested in related study or research, please have a look at our LLM Human Rights Law and our PhD in Law.

9/30/24 • 24:56

To wrap up this extraordinary series, we look at the prospects for closing Guantánamo, the need for mechanisms that hold States accountable for their crimes - and what the facility’s legacy means for international human rights. For the last time, criminal defence lawyer, Nancy Hollander, and Professor Sir Malcolm Evans come together to discuss how the United States of America ignored international human rights treaties – and what can be learnt from the role the University of Bristol's Human Rights implementation Centre already plays in reducing incidence of torture around the world.For further reading: "Guantanamo, Torture and Mechanisms for Change."If you're interested in related study or research, please have a look at our LLM Human Rights Law and our PhD in Law.

9/30/24 • 25:24

What does the future of work look like? And how do we make it sustainable, yet progressive? In this fascinating first episode, host Ruby Lott-Lavigna poses these questions and more with Dr Rutvica Andrijasevic, an associate professor in International Labour Migration, and Dr Huw Thomas, a lecturer in Management. Together with student Mekhala Laud they delve into what the future of work might look like, the right to decent work, and the impact of the digital economy on the workplace.Find out more about our MSc Human Resource Management and the Future of Work programme

9/30/24 • 24:10

Mental health and educational psychology often go hand in hand, but our understanding is often rudimentary. In this second episode host Ruby Lott-Lavigna is joined by Dr Felicity Sedgewick, lecturer and lead researcher at the University of Bristol who specialises in the areas of mental health and autism, and Sarah Boon, a recent alumna of the MSc Psychology of Education programme. Together they discuss the need to adapt education settings to allow for different learning styles with a focus specifically on the needs of autistic students at university.Find out more about our MSc Psychology of Education programme

9/30/24 • 26:08

This episode focuses on the environment, specifically understanding urbanisation. Our host Ruby Lott-Lavigna is joined by Dr Felix Agyemang, Research Associate at the School of Geographical Sciences and Stephen Pearson, a student currently studying an MSc in Climate Change Science and Policy. Together they discuss the dynamics and processes of cities in the Global South, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, through the application of urban modelling techniques.Find out more about our MSc Geographic Data Science and Spatial Analytics programme

9/30/24 • 19:34

Does the law always protect workers from their employers? Our host Ruby Lott-Lavigna is joined by Professor Alan Bogg, a professor of Labour Law at the University of Bristol, and Stuart Hurst, a student currently studying a master’s in Employment, Work and Equality Law. Together they discuss the relationship between workers’ rights and the law, the loopholes that have appeared over time, and what the future of employment could look like for workers in the UK.Find out more about our LLM Law - Employment, Work and Equality and LLM Law - Labour Law and Corporate Governance programmes

9/30/24 • 24:47

This episode focusses on the crucial role that data and research plays in international decision-making to combat the many crises the world faces today, such as climate change. Our host, Ruby Lott-Lavigna speaks with Jess Epsey, a lecturer in the School of Geographical Sciences and a Senior Adviser to the UN Sustainable Development and Solutions Network, and Nina Cunningham, a student currently studying for a Master’s in Environmental Policy and Management. Together they discuss the importance of understanding and analysing data, as well as being able to use your conclusions to support important arguments in front of policy makers and governance.Find out more about our MSc Global Development and Environment programme

9/30/24 • 26:03

How can technology enhance all kinds of performance? For the last episode of the series, host Ruby Lott-Lavigna is joined by Dr Paul Clarke, a Senior Lecturer in Performance Studies at the University of Bristol. Together they discuss what augmented reality has to offer the world from a performance perspective, the benefits this could have on the development of societies, and the possibilities these new technologies can unlock for the future.Find out more about our new MA Immersive Arts (Virtual and Augmented Reality) programme

9/30/24 • 23:28

Cabot Institute for the Environment experts Dame Julia Slingo and Professor Dann Mitchell discuss "What is the Climate Emergency?" while artist Chi-Yien Snow shares a powerful artistic interpretation of the conversation.What exactly is the climate emergency and why is it so important? This conversation covers not just the science but their experiences of different generations working in climate science, how we'll need adaptive adaptation to address the climate crisis, and much more!

9/30/24 • 60:07

Storyteller and writer, Zakiya Mackenzie and Climate Justice Researcher Dr Alix Dietzel discuss "Why climate justice matters for all". Artist Rosa ter Kuile (RTiiiKA) highlights the importance of valuing all voices in an illustration inspired by the conversation.

9/30/24 • 52:12

Cabot Institute for the Environment experts Dr Daniel Haines and Dr Max Werner discuss Earthquakes and the Environment. Contemporary digital illustrator Parys Gardener creates an artistic interpretation of the conversation.

9/30/24 • 69:36

Cabot Institute for the Environment experts Professor Jane Memmott and Dr Tommaso Jucker discuss the true value of ecosystem services. Bristol artist Sophie Long shares an artistic interpretation of the conversation.

9/30/24 • 47:06

Cabot Institute for the Environment climate scientist Dr Eunice Lo and medical statistics Professor Richard Morris discuss Heatwaves and Health. The conversation looks at the implications of heat on our health and the links between rising temperatures from climate change, increased occurrence of heatwaves and increased hospitalisations and deaths, and how many lives could be saved through climate change mitigation. 

9/30/24 • 49:18

Cabot Institute for the Environment experts Professor Dale Southerton and Professor Valeska Ting discuss "a whole systems approach to net zero".Engineer Dr Valeska Ting and social scientist Professor Dale Southerton are two academics from completely different disciplines, both working on net zero. In this episode they meet each other for the first time to discuss their net zero research problems and learn quite quickly the benefits of interdisciplinary working and how they can work together to solve them. 

9/30/24 • 51:58

Cabot Institute for the Environment experts Dr Kate Hendry and Dr Laurence Publicover discuss "the Ocean Floor: An alien commons?" Geochemist Dr Kate Hendry and Dr Laurence Publicover, a senior lecturer in English, have been working closely together on ocean floor research. Listen to this fascinating conversation on how their two differing forms of research can come together to help understand more about our ocean floor and it's important relationship to the climate crisis. In this podcast, we gain their expertise on the subject and hear about their research journeys.Read their collaborative pieces here:The Invisibility of the Sea – Brigstow Institute (bristol.ac.uk)Unless we regain our historic awe of the deep ocean, it will be plundered (theconversation.com)Kate's current project links:Isotope CYcling in the LABrador Sea (wordpress.com)BIOPOLE – Biogeochemical processes and ecosystem function in changing polar systems and their global impactsLaurence's research:https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/699622Shipboard Literary Cultures | SpringerLinkLaurence's up-and-coming play:https://www.re-versetheatre.com/hamlet-voyage.

9/30/24 • 49:59

Cabot Institute for the Environment's Professor Rich Pancost and Roger Griffith MBE discuss "Power of People in climate action". Rapper and songwriter Consensus share a captivating interpretation of the conversation.This discussion covers the power of people, words and cultural change in the climate crisis and how community engagement and empowering communities will help us all. 

9/30/24 • 62:18

Professor Susan Parnell, who researches the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in African cities, talks to Bristol City Council's Allan Macleod about how the SDGs are implemented in the city of Bristol and what can be learned at the local scale in order to make global progress on the Goals.

9/30/24 • 33:17

Cabot Institute for the Environment scientists, Dr Gemma Coxon and Dr Ross Woods, highlight some surprising facts about the water system and how nature based solutions to drought and floods may not serve the purpose we want, especially if implemented without sufficient prior research.

9/30/24 • 44:26

The psychological contract has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic, with the balance of power swinging towards the employee.In this episode, Professor Veronica Hope Hailey and her guest, Jane Cathrall, Executive Director, People Directorate at the Bank of England, discuss how leaders should respond to the new challenges of engaging employees and creating a sense of ‘community’ around work.Find out more:  https://www.bristol.ac.uk/campaigns/responsible-business/

9/30/24 • 25:23

Trust, from employees, customers and other stakeholders, is core to responsible business. And since the pandemic, people expect even more from businesses, which are – according to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer -- the only institution trusted by the global public.In this episode Veronica and her guest, Brad Greve, Chief Financial Officer at BAE Systems, discuss what the pandemic has taught us about building and maintaining trust.Find out more: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/campaigns/responsible-business/

9/30/24 • 24:03

As the rate of climate events increases, how do businesses respond, adapt and keep their staff safe?In this episode of Responsible Business: Leading the Way, Professor Veronica Hope Hailey, Dean of the University of Bristol Business School is joined by Sarah Kenny, CEO of BMT to discuss how businesses rise to modern challenges.Find out more - https://www.bristol.ac.uk/campaigns/responsible-business

9/30/24 • 25:59

Malaysia welcomes far more international students than any other country in SE Asia, yet it is losing talent faster than most with its brightest minds leaving the country to pursue careers overseas. With Malaysia’s Higher Education Plan due to expire in 2025, this episode sets the scene for a series of podcasts that will explore how universities could turn the situation around – particularly the role supercomputers, spin outs and a more porous campus could play in reshaping the sector to position the country as an attractive option for students, researchers, workers and business. Featuring Prof Evelyn Welch (University of Bristol) and Andrew Sheng.Find out more about the 'Open for Business' podcast series. 

9/30/24 • 29:27

The government of Malaysia has set a target of making Malaysia a regional hub for startups by 2025. As of 2022, there were approximately 3,000 active startups in Malaysia, a stark increase from around 300 in 2013. However, whilst 30% of Malaysian startups have displayed consistent growth and profitability, about 1,800 startups struggle, with a 60% failure rate, especially within the first three years. The failure is majorly attributed to lack of market need affecting 42% or approximately 756 startups. How can universities provide a more robust route to market and accelerate a culture of research incubation and support for entrepreneurs?Featuring Ts. Mohd Roydean Osman (Taylors University) and Simon Bond (University of Bristol) Find out more about the 'Open for Business' podcast series. 

9/30/24 • 41:01

It is believed that being more porous in nature will enable universities to create a talent pool of graduates with en entrepreneurial mindset and access to the very latest thinking, technology and innovation.But is this enough to stem the tide of talent leaving Malaysia for opportunities elsewhere?Featuring Professor Datuk Dr Paul Chan (HELP University), Professor Veronica Hope-Hailey and Professor Brian Squire (University of Bristol Business School)Find out more about the 'Open for Business' podcast series. 

9/30/24 • 50:43

What is community tech, and why do communities care about it? We discuss examples of community tech we’ve seen through our research to explore how communities are creating their own sociodigital futures and discover what can be learnt from community alternatives to big tech solutions. With Anna Dent, Matt Dowse, Helen Manchester and Martin Parker.Find out more about our work with communities and their sociodigital futures. This podcast is brought to you by the Centre for Sociodigital Futures – a flagship research centre, funded by the ESRC and led by the University of Bristol in collaboration with 12 other Universities in the UK and globally.  The support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is gratefully acknowledged.

9/27/24 • 29:50

A circular carbon economy – where carbon released from the Earth is captured and repurposed – is a promising concept, and CO2 conversion to sustainable products has been at the forefront of research. Dr Gary Grim at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, USA, provides a detailed comparison of available conversion processes with direct or indirect use of renewable electricity.Read more in Research OutreachRead the original research: doi.org/10.1039/C9EE02410G

9/25/24 • 11:29

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR-Cas12a), discovered a few years ago, is a method that detects even small levels of pathogens.Professor Kevin J Zwezdaryk and researchers at the Tulane University School of Medicine, USA, are working on a cost-effective, CRISPR-Cas12a-based pathogen detection tool aiming to upgrade patient care. Read more in Research Features Read the original research: doi.org/10.1016/j.bmt.2023.03.004

9/18/24 • 12:00