GCU Common Good Podcast

As we approach International Women's Day 2022, the GCU Common Good Podcast focuses on its success in Graduate Apprenticeships and how it is supporting girls and young women in STEAM. Sarah Speirs, a graduate apprenticeship in Environmental Civil Engineering, is joined by Dr Andrew Cowell, the Programme Leader for the Graduate Apprenticeship in Engineering, Design and Manufacture, to share their experiences in both areas.

Annamae Burrows, a PhD student in the School of Health and Life Sciences, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her forthcoming study into the impact of gender and masculinity on male loneliness and social isolation. Annamae outlines the project, which aims to talk to men aged between 18 and 30, and how we define terms like "loneliness" and "masculinity". She also discusses the role alcohol plays within this community and how it helps people communicate their feelings.

Adrian Lui, GCU's Equality and Diversity Advisor, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about the University's Call It Racism campaign, a new initiative designed to tackle racism on our campuses. Adrian discusses racism within the higher education sector, why we need this new campaign, how our students and staff can benefit from it.

Dr Zoe Tieges, a SMART Technology Research Centre Research Fellow, joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to discuss a new study that's found people living close to canals can cut their risk of chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease, stroke or hypertension by 15 per cent. Dr Tieges explains the regeneration of canals and their impact on areas like the north of Glasgow, how she and her team carried out their research, and how it can be applied in a practical context.

Nathan Tagg joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about the work of the Caledonian Club, GCU's multi-award winning widening participation and community engagement initiative that works across our local communities in Glasgow and beyond. Nathan, the manager of the Caledonian Club, discusses its genesis, how it works with a wide spectrum of children, from nursery age to high-school leavers, and the challenges of working throughout the global pandemic.

Simon Hunter, a Professor of Applied Psychology at GCU, joins the first Common Good Podcast of 2022 to talk about the launch of a new survey that will allow people with experience of complex mental illnesses to share their views and experiences of stigma and discrimination to help shape policy, support and services in Scotland.

Professor Hunter outlines the kind of stigmas people with mental health problems can face, why this survey is needed and how its findings can be put into practice.

GCU Sports Historian Dr Fiona Skillen and Richard McBrearty, a curator at the Scottish Football Museum, join the Common Good Podcast to talk about a new exhibition celebrating Rutherglen Ladies FC, a trailblazing women's football side from the 1920s and 1930s who paved the way for today's superstars. Dr Skillen and Richard discuss how Rutherglen Ladies FC's story had been forgotten until very recently, the rise and fall of the club, and how and why this discovery has "rewritten the history books" about women's football.

Stephanie Pitticas, the Director of Recruitment and Admissions, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about the admissions process at Glasgow Caledonian University. Stephanie discusses how she and her team have processed 11,000 applications from potential students and the challenges involved in dealing with such a large volume. She also talks about how her team have made a positive impact on hundreds of students as they start their journey with GCU, before looking back on her long association with the University.

Dr Elaine Ritch, a Senior Lecturer in Marketing, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about hew new book, New Perspectives in Critical Marketing and Consumer Society, and how it ties in with GCU's mission. She talks about how the book is based on her own teachings and how the concept of sustainability is embedded within her programme and lectures. Dr Ritch also talks about concepts such as "wokewashing" and "greenwashing" and where her own interest in sustainability comes from.

In the final instalment of our COP26 Podcast Series, we are delighted to bring you this special episode with Glasgow Caledonian University's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pamela Gillies CBE FRSE, Dr Annie Lennox OBE, humanitarian, singer-songwriter and Chancellor of GCU, and social activist Dr Satish Kumar about education and the role it can play in tackling climate change.

Led by Professor Gillies, Dr Lennox and Dr Kumar talk about the importance of education and how it can inspire younger generations to take a serious interest in tackling the climate emergency. They also touch on the moment that sparked their own activism and how they successfully advocate for climate change in their everyday lives.

The discussion closes with Dr Lennox and Dr Kumar talking about their own aspirations for COP26.

Watch a video of this discussion on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA0n9ylXfJw