GCU Common Good Podcast

The first Common Good Podcast of 2021 sees Professor Lesley Price talk about her work with the SHIP research group at GCU. SHIP - which stands for Safeguarding Health through Infection Prevention - is a multidisciplinary team made up of nurses, microbiologists and health psychologists that work to improve the quality of patient care and awareness of good hand hygiene.

Professor Price outlines the history of the team, their public engagement work across Glasgow and how they came to hold two Guinness World Records.

Professor Claudia Estcourt joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to discuss her research into a new NHS digital revolution for people with sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) using a new automated online consultation giving patients 24-hour access to care. Professor Estcourt outlines how prevalent STIs are in the UK, existing NHS provisions and how this new app can transform the way they’re diagnosed and treated.

Dr Nicola Roberts joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss her research into how the coronavirus pandemic has affected frontline NHS nurses. Dr Roberts explains how some nurses have been unable to support their families, both emotionally and financially, and how some younger nurses are experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety.

In advance of his Professorial Lecture, Slobodan Mickovski, a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Management, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about how the natural world can provide the solutions to civil-engineering challenges. Professor Mickovski outlines the content of his lecture, discussing his background in industry and academia across Europe, as well as why engineering needs "new thinking".

Susan Grant joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to talk about her role as GCU's Community and Public Engagement Co-ordinator and how she links the University to the wider community. Susan discusses why it's important universities work with the communities they serve, some of the 200-odd projects she's work on over the past eight years, and how her role has changed during the global pandemic.

Dr Fiona Kennedy joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about teaching teachers and her role in training the next generation of academics at GCU. Dr Kennedy discusses her passion for the classroom, her teaching philosophies and the common challenges facing early-career academics. She also reflects on her own academic journey at the University.

GCU is providing essential training to support the mental health and wellbeing of its students. With financial support from Santander Universities, GCU is working alongside the Students’ Association and SAMH (the Scottish Association of Mental Health) to train around 400 members of staff who work directly with students.

Dr Helen Gallagher, Assistant Vice-Principal of Health and Wellbeing, and Keir McKechnie of SAMH join the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to discuss this important project.

Tabitha Nyariki, the Vice-President for the School of Health and Life Sciences with the GCU Students' Association, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about how the University has celebrated Black History month across October. Tabitha explains the origins of Black History Month and places it in context of the the Black Lives Matter movement and the killing of George Floyd, before discussing the table of events at GCU. She also discusses her role within the Students' Association.

Professor Suzanne Hagen joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her research into urinary incontinence in women, a condition that affects one in three women across the UK. She discusses a recent study carried out by GCU and other universities into whether or not biofeedback devices make any difference in treating urinary incontinence, as well as her career in academia.

Professor Alastair Robertson joins the Common Good Podcast to explore GCU's transition from face-to-face teaching to online learning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Professor Robertson discusses how online learning can revolutionise how GCU delivers degrees and whether or not large in-person lectures are a thing of the past, as well as his own 25-year career in academia.