This podcast series from the Public Engagement Network (PEN) at Oxford Brookes University is a platform for academics, across all faculties, to informally share, discuss and contemplate their research with the wider community
In this episode, we dive into Banking on Health – a project empowering young people and their families to cook nutritious, affordable meals while building essential life skills. Led by Dr Shelly Coe and Dr Sarah-Louise Mitchell, researchers at Oxford Brookes University, the initiative tackles the growing challenge of food insecurity and low nutritional literacy by delivering hands-on workshops in schools. We hear how the project is helping children understand the connections between food, health, and sustainability, and why practical, community-based education is key to long-term change. Tune in for inspiring stories, valuable insights, and a fresh perspective on what it means to bank on health. You can explore Shelly’s and Sarah’s wider work on their staff pages: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/profiles/staff/shelly-coe and https://www.brookes.ac.uk/profiles/staff/sarah-louise-mitchell
The role of sustainability practitioners is evolving—so how can education and industry keep up? In this episode, we explore the shifting skill sets required for sustainability careers and what this means for workplace training and higher education. We discuss the importance of education-industry partnerships and how research informs both organisational strategies and teaching approaches. Speaking with Dr Karen Cripps, Senior Lecturer in Responsible Management and Leadership in the Oxford Brookes Business School, and Charly Cox, founder of Climate Change Coaches and Entrepreneur in Residence at Oxford Brookes Business School, we examine how institutions can align with the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) to prepare future sustainability leaders. You can explore this work wider by visiting: https://climatechangecoaches.com/sustainabilitys-new-skills-research/
This episode features a conversation with Maurice Riordan, whose Selected Poems has just been published by Faber. The poems were chosen by the poet Jack Underwood, who also provides an introduction to the book, explaining his choices. Maurice Riordan is an Irish poet, translator, teacher, and editor who was born in County Cork in Ireland. The Selected Poems features work from his first book, A Word from the Loki (published in 1995), which was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize, and runs through to his most recent collection from 2021, Shoulder Tap. It includes poems from four other books, as well as a previously uncollected poem. Maurice’s collection Floods, published in 2000, was a Book of the Year in the Sunday Times and Irish Times, whilst The Holy Land (from 2007) won the Michael Hartnett Award. The Water Stealer (2013) was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize. Maurice’s interest in science and the environment, whilst evident in his own writing, is also clear in a number of the anthologies he h…
The Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre podcast focusses upon the work of one poet or features discussion about poetry with poets and academics. The theme music for podcast episodes 1-24 is entitled Leaving for the North, and was composed by Aneurin Rees, and played by Aneurin Rees (guitar) and Rosalie Tribe (violin). The theme music for episode 25 onwards is Sun Over Water by Ketsa. For more information about the Poetry Centre, look up our website or find us on social media @brookespoetry
Dr Giulia Rossetti is a Lecturer in Events Management in the Business School, Oxford Brookes University. She teaches modules related to events, festivals, and marketing at Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels. Giulia's areas of expertise are: understanding festival and event experiences using cultural sociology and serious leisure theories; festival socio-cultural impacts; and the educational value of festivals and events. Her PhD at the Technological University Dublin explored cultural capital development at literary festivals in Ireland and in Italy (URL: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/tourdoc/32/).
In this episode of Oxford Brookes Unscripted, Dr Syahirah Abdul Rahman (Shera), Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, explores the transformative potential of commercialising SHAPE research - Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts for People and the Economy. She challenges misconceptions around commercialisation, explaining how it’s not just about profit but about creating sustainable, real-world impact. We discuss how SHAPE and STEM can work together, why a cultural shift in academia is needed, and how universities can support researchers in turning knowledge into practical solutions. With inspiring examples of successful SHAPE ventures, this episode highlights commercialisation as a powerful vehicle for research impact and long-term societal change. You can explore Shera’s wider research by visiting her staff profile: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/profiles/staff/syahirah-abdul-rahman https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mark-mann-aa83467_tto-shape-socialenterprise-activity-7289677022618943489-UWKN?utm_…
Dr Zoë Jordan, Senior Lecture in the School of Architecture at Oxford Brookes, and Dr Cathrine Talleraas, Senior Researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Institute talk with us about the intricate relationship between European migration policies and their impact on countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Our discussion centers on the paradox of EU efforts to reduce migration flows and increase returns, while migration is a crucial driver of economic development in these regions. Join us as we explore the findings of the ""Effects of Externalisation"" project, focusing on the experiences of Jordan and Ghana. We'll unpack how EU migration management strategies have influenced local policies and practices, and how these countries are navigating and adapting to these external pressures. Zoe and Cathrine share insights into the incentives, challenges, and broader consequences of these policies, and compare the unique impacts in Jordan and Ghana. Tune in to understand the compl…
In October 2024, the writers Helen Calcutt and Hannah Copley visited Oxford Brookes and gave a terrific reading from their latest poetry collections: Feeling All the Kills and Lapwing. We took advantage of their being here to interview them about their work - an interview that was conducted by our two current Poetry Centre Interns, Ruby McKie and Marie Kennedy, who are both in their second year at Brookes studying English Literature with Creative Writing. So in this episode you’ll first hear Ruby quizzing Helen, then Marie asking Hannah about her collection, and then some general discussion about the two collections’ shared interests. The episode concludes with Ruby and Marie reflecting on their own writing and how their reading of Helen and Hannah’s work has inspired them. Helen Calcutt is a poet, dance artist, and choreographer. She is the author of collections ‘Somehow’ (Verve Poetry Press) a PBS Winter Bulletin Pamphlet & Poetry School Book of the Year (2020), ‘Unable Mother’ (V. Press, 2018) and ‘Feeli…
Who really pays for policing football matches? In this episode, Oxford Brookes Lecturer in Criminology, Dr Rich Hester explores the complex world of special police services, cost recovery, and the ongoing tensions between football clubs and law enforcement. From high-risk fixtures to legal battles over policing costs, we dive into the challenges of keeping the game safe—and who should foot the bill. You can explore Rich’s wonder work on his staff page: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/profiles/staff/Richard-Hester