TikTok, the short-video app has taken the social media world by storm, with many people using it to build start-ups and personal brands. So are we clocking an easy way to build a successful business and if not, what other benefits does being an entrepreneur on Tik Tok bring at a time of global change? In this episode, we discuss this and more with Raphael Dennett, the Deputy Director at our Centre for Entrepreneurship.

When it comes to trying to reduce our carbon footprint and make changes in the face of the climate emergency, local knowledge from communities is vital, according to Professor Patrick Devine-Wright. It's something he knows about on a practical level as well as an academic one, as he talks about his role as Chair of the Devon Carbon Plan and the actions needed to reach net zero in the county. We also discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on climate policy and changes in recent years to the narrative.

Spending time in nature can boost our mental health but can experiencing nature digitally have a similar impact? This is one of the ideas which PhD student, Alex Smalley, has been exploring alongside the BBC in the ‘Virtual Nature’ experiment. In this episode we catch up with Alex to talk about how technology can combine with nature to improve wellbeing. 

If you want to take part in the Virtual Nature experiment you can do so at https://www.bbc.co.uk/soundscapesforwellbeing

In this episode of Exeplore, we celebrate International Women’s Day! Colleagues across the University have been nominating inspirational women that they work with for recognition. We couldn't speak to everyone (unfortunately), so we caught up with three women with different recent experiences - Associate Professor Victoria Tischler who’s new to the University, Shades Chaudhary who has been a student, Guild President and now works in our Equality Diversity and Inclusion team and Cath Ashenden who works in IT for our Cornwall campus and has changed roles during lockdown.

You can check out all the inspirational nominees here and our International Women’s Day events here.

What is it like to be the Presidents of a Students' Union in the middle of a pandemic? How do you support students while the country is in lockdown? In this episode, we’re joined by Cara Chittenden, Students’ Union President Exeter, and Charlotte Agnew, SU President Welfare and Inclusivity, who share their views on becoming Presidents during COVID-19. They also talk about some of the initiatives they've been using this year to help everyone stay connected in an online world.

The University of Exeter has two campuses in Cornwall: Penryn and Truro. Our Penryn campus is shared with Falmouth University, so our students in Cornwall are represented by the Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union. You can find out more about the Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union here, and access student wellbeing resources here. 

A good or bad reputation used to be something that only celebrities or politicians had to worry about, but with the advent of social media, the way we’re regarded can now have an impact on any one of us. Businesses too are ever-mindful of how their actions might be viewed by their customers. So how important a role does reputation play in our lives, and what should we do about it if things go wrong? 

The USA has gone through one of the most tumultuous times in its history. As Joe Biden takes the reins as the 46th President, what challenges does the country face? How split is the nation and what might the future hold?

In this episode we chat to the President of the Students’ Guild in Exeter, Sunday Blake. She shares her hopes for term 2, advice for anyone thinking of running in the Students’ Guild elections and why she loves working with students. We also explored the challenges of working during COVID-19, her passion for student wellbeing and why the Students’ Guild have been reaching out on social media and by phone. You can find more info on the Students’ Guild here, and University of Exeter Wellbeing resources here. 

Trigger warning: suicide 

Due to our students' amazing fundraising efforts, the University of Exeter has managed to raise more than £200,000 for the Movember Foundation in 2020, the highest total for any university in the UK.

In this week’s episode we talk to a few of the Exeter Movember Ambassadors about their experiences with the Foundation and their motives for getting involved. We also spoke with Ozzie and Ronnie, two of the fundraising managers at UK Movember, to get their personal reflections on the campaign this year and find out how the money raised goes towards supporting men’s health.