Contributor(s): Stephen Wordsworth, Latefa Guemar, Sierra Williams | In this podcast, we look at what happens when academics turn enemy of the state. Stephen Wordsworth, Executive Director of the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA), talks about the beginnings of the charity first created to assist Jewish academic escaping the Holocaust, and how, 80 years later, academics in harm’s way from Zimbabwe to Syria, still rely on CARA’s support. Refugees from Algeria (Latefa Guemar) and Uzbekistan also discuss their journey from academics to exiles and how CARA helped them to rebuild their professional lives in the UK. Presented by Sierra Williams. Produced and Edited by Cheryl Brumley. Music and sound came courtesy of: The Free Music Archive: Podington Bear (By Grace); Chris Zabriskie (Readers Do You Read and What True Self Feels Bogus Let’s Watch); Coma Stereo (Sleep Invaders); and from Freesound.org: Suonho (fire noise); benboncan (airport announcement); ikbenraar (landing announcement); inchadney (Heathrow sound); hoscalgeek (passenger plane landing); and from Fasli Navbahor (Tavakkal Qodirov). Podcast logo: headphones: gcg2009 (Sennheiser) via Flickr.

Contributor(s): Professor Patrick Dunleavy, Sierra Williams | In this podcast, Professor Patrick Dunleavy talks about how big data will affect the future of the social sciences. Say goodbye to academic siloes as we enter into a new age of cross/multi/and inter-disciplines. In this changing landscape, the old boundaries between physical, social and data science disintegrate. Here Professor Dunleavy talks about the Social Science of Human-Dominated and Human-Influenced Systems given as part of the Annual Lecture series at the Academy of Social Sciences. Presented by Sierra Williams. Produced by Ewen MacArthur and Cheryl Brumley. Music and sound came courtesy of Podington Bear (By Grace). Podcast logo: headphones: gcg2009 (Sennheiser) via Flickr.

Contributor(s): Steve Cross, Alex Hall, Chiara Ambrosio, Sarah Wiseman | Have you heard the one about university lecturers and researchers doing stand-up? This podcast looks at how academic minutiae can be a vehicle not only for gut-busting laughter but a strategy for public engagement. Bright Club, a self-styled ‘thinking person’s variety night’ started first and foremost as a comedy night – but with one twist - the comedians were also university researchers. Bright Club co-founder Steve Cross and comedians Alex Hall, Chiara Ambrosio, and Sarah Wiseman show us what’s so funny about academic research. Presented by Sierra Williams. Produced by Cheryl Brumley. Contributors: Steve Cross, Alex Hall, Chiara Ambrosio, Sarah Wiseman. Music and sound came courtesy of the following users at the Free Music Archive: Podington Bear (Happytime, Boop and Twinkie ) and the following user at Freesound.org: Raconoanimator (cue-scratch). Podcast logo: gcg2009 (Sennheiser).

Contributor(s): Joel Suss, Mark Blyth | Joel Suss, Managing Editor of our sister blog, LSE British Politics and Policy, spoke to Mark Blyth, Professor of Political Science at Brown University and author of Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea about what social scientists and humanities academics can do to improve the accessibility and impact of their work. Presented by Sierra Williams. Produced by Cheryl Brumley. Contributors: Joel Suss, Mark Blyth. Music and sound came courtesy of the following user at the Free Music Archive: Tozo (Halluzination).

Contributor(s): Adam Grant, Sierra Williams | Adam Grant, Professor of Organizational Psychology at Wharton Business School, discusses his latest book Give and Take: A revolutionary approach to success. Adam tells us why nice ‘guys’ don’t necessarily finish last and what the 19th century chemist, Louis Pasteur, has to say about the impact of academic research. Produced by Cheryl Brumley. Music and sound came courtesy of the following users at freesound.org: transitking (telephone ring); benboncan (telephone ring UK 2); keybit2 (ring-ring) and regenpak (alcohol survey); and the following user from the FreeMusicArchive.org: Podington Bear (By Grace and Light in Branches).Podcast logo: headphones: gcg2009 (Sennheiser) via Flickr.