Impact Talks at UTS

What does it mean to belong in the water?

How can we get more women surfing? How can we create more inclusive line-ups? 

What challenges do Australian women surfers still face? 

Hear how surfing is changing in Australia - from the rise of women’s participation to equal pay, and find out why barriers like intimidation, unequal access, and outdated norms persist. 

How has media representation shaped these changes? What role does sponsorship play in supporting or sidelining women surfers? How can women's surfing competitions grow in Australia?

Hosts

Dr Ece Kaya: is the Associate Head of Engagement of the Management Department and Senior Lecturer in Management at the UTS Business School.

Dr Leila Khanjaninejad: Lecturer in Creative Intelligence and Innovation in Transdisciplinary (TD) School, UTS.

Panelists

Tyler Wright: Australian Surfing Royalty, two times World Champion and Paris 2024 Australian Olympian.

Rebecca Olive: Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT University.

Ashika Kanhai: Senior lawyer who leads the Climate Justice Legal Project  and Chair of the Surf Coast Women's Boardriders Club.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, a podcast studio that unlocks academic research through engaging and accessible podcasts.

Sound engineering is by Alison Zhuang. Episode image photo of surfer Tyler Wright from her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tylerwright/

With the advent of generative AI, manipulation of information and data is taking a new turn. Deepfakes and AI generated and propagated misinformation and disinformation are proliferating online.

These trends are already undermining the reliability of news, disrupting elections, challenging democratic processes, and infringing rights globally. As automation rapidly expands the reach and scale of this phenomenon, policy and regulation are often held back by a lack of agreed principles and priorities.

Host

Hamish Macdonald: Australian broadcaster and journalist. He is co-host of Global Roaming on ABC Radio National and ‘The Project’ on Channel Ten.

Panelists

Monica Attard: Australian journalist and Director of the UTS Centre for Media Transition, best known for hosting ABC’s PM, The World Today, and Media Watch.

Creina Chapman: Former Deputy Chair and CEO of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) charged with powers to combat online misinformation and disinformation. Creina has held senior executive and strategic adviser roles at Southern Cross Austereo, News Corp, Publishing and Broadcasting Limited, and the Nine Network.

Michael Davis: UTS research expert on information integrity, generative AI, and the news based in the UTS Centre for Media Transition.

Cullen Jennings: Chief Technology Officer of American multinational digital communications giant, Cisco Systems

 Sophie Farthing: Head of Policy Lab at the Human Technology Institute, UTS.

About Global Gamechangers

Global Gamechangers is presented by the UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, as a series of public conversations about the issues that matter. Find out more at uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/events/global-game-changers

Watch the video recording of this talk on YouTube.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, a podcast studio that unlocks academic research through engaging and accessible podcasts.

Sound engineering is by Alison Zhuang. 

How can carbon be remade into stuff that we want and use every day?

Imagine a world where all the products we want and interact with become 'carbon sinks' and reduce atmospheric carbon emissions. 

In this world, when you buy a product, you'd decarbonise the atmosphere, make sure that the carbon stays out of the atmosphere and is repurposed in innovative ways. 

Production and consumption would be sustainable and have a positive impact.

How can carbon help us fight climate change?

Craig Reucassel: Australian writer, comedian, and TV presenter, best known for his work on the Australian TV programs, The Chaser and The War on Waste, televised on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (the ABC). (Australia)

Alex Thomson: Marine ecologist, Science and Technology Australia ‘Superstar of STEM’, leading science communicator and industry engagement manager in the UTS Faculty of Science, and a big fan of algae and how it can change our planet! (Australia)

Gunter Beitinger: Industrial engineering and project leader at multinational technology company Siemens – striving towards net zero with SVP Manufacturing, Factory Digitisation, and Decarbonisation Platform SiGREEN. (Germany)

Julia Reisser: co-founder of innovative climate-positive Australian company Uluu, leading production of a natural material derived from oceans able to replace plastics at scale. (Australia)

Peter Ralph: Leading international researcher in the fields of algae bio-systems and biotechnology, seagrasses, and the adaption of aquatic plants to warming and acidifying oceans; and Executive Director of the UTS Climate Change Cluster in the Faculty of Science. (Australia)

Amy Low: Director of brand and marketing for iconic Australian surf-wear company, Piping Hot, delivering sustainable and affordable material and product production for clothing, swimwear, footwear, and accessories. (Australia)

Global Gamechangers is presented by the UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, as a series of public conversations about the issues that matter. Find out more at uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/events/global-game-changers

Watch the video recording of this talk on YouTube.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, a podcast studio that unlocks academic research through engaging and accessible podcasts.

Sound engineering is by Alison Zhuang. 

World cities are home to the vast bulk of humanity.

Urban environments are also responsible for 75% of global emissions. 

In this international discussion, experts explore the transformative power of Green Infrastructure (GI) in urban landscapes and examine innovative ways to make cities smarter, greener, and more communal - places where people can live for generations to come.   

• The transformation of 'concrete jungles' into liveable green hubs does not happen overnight nor by accident.  It needs tremendous imagination, willpower, and collective effort. How can we do this?
• How can we deeply rethink resources, their value, and the concepts of ‘scarcity’ and ‘abundance’ to make a sustainable, habitable world?
• How can we integrate nature, infrastructure, and technology?  
• What are some of the most innovative green tech solutions leading to change for the better? 

Anthony Bourke: Professor of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney and TV Presenter; Australian host of the popular TV series Grand Designs Transformations, Restoration Australia, and Grand Designs Australia (all on ABC TV)

Remy Sietchiping: Internationally recognised expert and UN strategist on Urban Planning and Geographic Information Systems; Chief of Policy at UN-HABITAT, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.

Germain Briand: Owner and director of the internationally acclaimed company, The Urban Canopee, on a bold mission to accelerate our cities’ greening through innovation to fight climate change and re-connect people with nature.

Jua Cilliers: Recognised global leader in urban planning and green infrastructure solutions, 'A Defender of the Future', Head of the School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney.

Rob Stokes: Leading Australian spokesperson on city planning and the importance of Net Zero Cities; former New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces.

Global Gamechangers is presented by the UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, as a series of public conversations about the issues that matter. Find out more at uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/events/global-game-changers

Watch the video recording of this talk on YouTube.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, a podcast studio that unlocks academic research through engaging and accessible podcasts.

Sound engineering is by Alison Zhuang. 

Six problems. Six solutions. 

• Natural disasters and local communities.
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• Sustainable building on a large scale.
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• A carbon tax and climate economics.
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• Engaging the public on climate change.
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• The potential of algae to replace common materials.
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• Recycling glass in new ways.

Hear three minute presentations from leading UTS experts and industry practitioners on solutions related to rethinking disaster recovery, new materials to drive a circular economy, climate-adapted businesses, and ways our cultural institutions are addressing the climate crisis. 

Speakers 

Professor Elizabeth Mossop, Creative Industries Strategic Lead and Academic Director, Northern Rivers Living Lab, UTS 

Associate Professor Stefan Lie, Co-Director, Material Ecologies Design Lab, UTS 

Dr Mona Mashhadi Rajabi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience, UTS Business School 

Dr Unnikrishnan Kuzhiumparambil, Senior Research Fellow, Climate Change Cluster (C3), UTS 

Dr Jenny Newell, Curator for Climate Change, Climate Solutions Centre, Australian Museum 

Carmel Reyes, Climate Action and Sustainability Manager, Powerhouse  

Sam Kernaghan, Director of Resilience at the Committee for Sydney offers a response to the climate solutions discussed. 

This event was part of Climate Action Week Sydney, supported by City of Sydney. 

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang. 

In this extraordinary 'year of elections', voters in many parts of the world are being asked, not just to choose between parties and candidates, but to decide whether they still believe in the democratic system itself?

Fintan O'Toole asks why systems and values that had been taken for granted for so long are now in such peril. He argues that a central part of the problem is the distortion of the sense of victimhood.

There are profound injustices but the rising far-right movements have little interest in remedying them, Instead, they take the language of resistance to oppression and distort it into a self-pity in which even those who are highly privileged can feel sorry for themselves -- and imagine themselves to be victims of some other group.

The result is a politics of tribalism in which defeating the Other is much more important than gaining anything tangible.

How can we combat this drift into tribalism and restore the sense of common purpose without which democracy becomes hollow?

Fintan O'Toole (keynote speaker) is one of Ireland's leading political and cultural commentators. Fintan is a columnist with The Irish Times and Leonard L. Milberg visiting lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton University.

He is the winner of both the Orwell Prize and the European Press Prize, and the author of more than 25 books. His most recent book, We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958, was named 2021 Book of the Year by the Irish Book Awards and as one of the ten best books of 2022 by the New York Times.

Dr Anna Funder (moderator) is an award-winning author and UTS Luminary.  Anna is the author of Stasiland, All That I Am, Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life and the novella The Girl With the Dogs. Anna’s novel Wifedom was a Sunday Times Bestseller and New York Times Notable Book of 2023.

Roy Green AM  (moderator) is an Emeritus Professor and Special Innovation Advisor at UTS. Roy is on the Board of CSIRO and the SmartSat CRC, and he is a member of the CSU Council and Australian Design Council and Committee for Sydney Economics Advisory Council. 

The Vice-Chancellor's Democracy Forum (VCDF) is UTS’s premier public lecture series. This is the second of the 2024 forum series, held on 26 September 2024.

Each year, the Vice-Chancellor invites significant thinkers across various fields to engage in open dialogue on topics crucial to today's society and its advancement.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang.

At UTS, our diversity is our strength, with half of our staff and students born overseas and over 40 per cent coming from non-English language backgrounds. Despite this, universities can still be places where racist conduct and practices occur.  

Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman delivers a compelling keynote on the higher education sector's role in combating racism, and discusses the Australian Human Rights Commission's historic anti-racism study at universities. 

Following his keynote, he joins Larissa Behrendt, Kylie Readman, Salma Elmubasher, Glen Babington, Michael Blumenstein and Elaine Laforteza (moderator) to explore how UTS is driving anti-racism efforts and the necessary steps universities must take to foster an environment of pride and belonging for all. 

Giridharan Sivaraman is Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner whose role is to promote equality between people of different backgrounds, conduct research and educational programs to combat racial discrimination and protect people from unfair treatment or vilification based on their race, colour, descent, visa status, or national or ethnic origin. 

Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO is a Laureate Fellow at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at UTS. Larissa has a legal background with a strong track record in the areas of Indigenous law, policy, creative arts, education and research.  

Salma Elmubasher is the Ethnocultural Officer at the Ethnocultural Collective, a part of the UTS Students Association, advocating for spaces for UTS students who identify as Black, Indigenous or as a Person of Colour to connect and organise together.   

Professor Kylie Readman is UTS's Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education and Students). She is responsible for overseeing UTS's key priorities in teaching, learning and the student experience.  

Glen Babington is UTS’s Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President and is responsible for the university’s finance, marketing, communications, property, IT, HR and legal functions, as well as the Data Analytics and Insights Unit. 

Professor Michael Blumenstein is currently the Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) in the UTS Faculty of Engineering & IT. UTS’s largest and most culturally diverse faculty.  

This public lecture was presented by UTS Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion on 21 August 2024, as part of the Centre’s Inclusion Festival. 

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang. 

What is the role of the state in tackling climate change, boosting productivity, and creating the jobs of the future through industrial policy?

Professor Stiglitz (keynote speaker) is a Nobel Laureate, former World Bank Chief Economist, best-selling author and professor at Columbia University. 

Professor Kathy Walsh (moderator) is a Finance Professor and the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) at the UTS Business School and has a critical role in fostering a vibrant research culture of rigorous, relevant and impactful research.

This sold out public lecture was presented by UTS Business School on 30 July 2024.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang.

How do technology, ethics, and responsible AI development intersect and how do they impact on our shared future?

Meredith Whittaker (keynote speaker) has over 17 years of experience in tech, spanning industry, academia, and government. Before joining Signal as President, she was the Minderoo Research Professor at NYU, and served as the Faculty Director of the AI Now Institute which she co-founded. Her research and scholarly work helped shape global AI policy and shift the public narrative on AI to better recognize the surveillance business practices and concentration of industrial resources that modern AI requires. 

Professor Edward Santow (moderator) is the Co-Founder and Director - Policy & Governance at the Human Technology Institute, and is leading a number of major initiatives to promote human-centered artificial intelligence. From 2016-2021, Ed was Australia's Human Rights Commissioner, where he led the Commission's work on artificial intelligence & new technology; refugees and migration; human rights issues affecting LGBTI people; national security; and implementing the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT).

Associate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa (panel speaker) is Director of the Juris Doctor Program at UTS, and is one of the leading global scholars on gender-responsive legislation. Ramona is Chief Investigator behind the Gender Legislative Index (GLI), an online tool that uses human evaluators and machine learning to assess whether domestic laws meet global women's rights standards.

Professor Peta Wyeth (panel speaker) is Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at UTS. Peta is internationally recognised in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and is at the forefront of research into emerging tangible, mobile and embedded technology for education and entertainment. Peta is at the forefront of research into emerging tangible, mobile and embedded technology for education and entertainment. Her research career is typified by interdisciplinary collaborations addressing real world problems.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang.

Relive the glory days of Sydney’s iconic Hopetoun Hotel, the legendary Sydney music venue with musicians Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann and Clyde Bramley of the Hoodoo Gurus, and music photographer Tony Mott, in a Vivid Festival talk hosted by Liz Giuffre and Gregory Ferris.

The Hoey shut its doors suddenly in 2009 and has remained empty ever since. Relive the music scene of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s in this love letter to Sydney’s iconic live music venue.

Speakers

• Dr Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, Music and Sound Design, UTS
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• Dr Gregory Ferris, Senior Lecturer, Media Arts & Production Program, UTS
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• Sally Seltmann, Award winning Australian singer and songwriter
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• Sarah Blasko, Admired Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer
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• Clyde Bramley, Much-loved bassist and vocalist

This event was part of UTS @ Vivid 2024. 

Photo of Combat Wombat's debut performance at the Hopetoun Hotel in May 2005 by James O'Brien.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang.