ISC Presents

Barbadian writer Karen Lord is an award-winning author of Redemption in Indigo, The Best of All Possible Worlds, and The Galaxy Game. Her latest book, The Blue, Beautiful World, was published in August 2023. We hear from her the lessons from the COVID pandemic, short-termism, and the power of literature to reach through time.

In this first episode, we speak to Kim Stanley Robinson, a New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. He is the author of more than twenty books, including The Ministry for the Future. Listen to our conversation that covers many topics including the dangers of escapism, climate grief, and the myth of scientific objectivity.

In the last episode, we spoke about the many ways that distrust in science is expressed and the need for scientists to consider their own positions, including who they speak to and for. Which leads us neatly into today’s episode, where we focus on the link between communicating science and building knowledge. We need to look at how people process information and their own experiences to make knowledge that they can base decisions on. And the question is, what should science communication be doing about that?

This  is a rerun of our 4-part podcast series 'Unlocking Science', where we discuss everything from social media and trust to identity and knowledge, seeking to discover how we can unlock science for everyone.

In this episode, we explore different ways that distrust can be expressed and what drives that historically, situationally, even structurally. We will also look at how competing narratives can mean making sense of the science is an often difficult, complicated task.

This  is a rerun of our 4-part podcast series 'Unlocking Science', where we discuss everything from social media and trust to identity and knowledge, seeking to discover how we can unlock science for everyone.

In this episode, we explore how our sense of identity affects our willingness to trust certain sources of information. We look at why the authority of traditional gatekeepers of expertise, like science academies, seems to be eroding. Have we misunderstood what social media can do and what might this have to do with the rise of identity politics? And of course, we will also reflect on what should be done by the science community for all of this.

This  is a rerun of our 4-part podcast series 'Unlocking Science', where we discuss everything from social media and trust to identity and knowledge, seeking to discover how we can unlock science for everyone.

In this episode we explore how uncertainties play a role in the process of scientific discovery and why this is such a challenge for the way we need to talk about science – with Courtney Radsch and Felix Bast.

This  is a rerun of our 4-part podcast series 'Unlocking Science', where we discuss everything from social media and trust to identity and knowledge, seeking to discover how we can unlock science for everyone.

 How can we combat malpractice and misconduct in research? And how do we promote trust in scientists and the work they do? 

This final episode explores the topics of trust, malpractice, and misconduct in scientific research.  Guests, Elisabeth Bik and Soumya Swaminathan, discuss publication fraud and the importance of instilling scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills in children.

In this fifth episode, Professor Françoise Baylis (philosopher and bioethicist at Dalhousie University) and Ocean Mercier (Associate Professor at the School of Māori Studies at Victoria University of Wellington) explore new technologies, the associated risks and benefits they bring in science, considering ethical implications and insights from an indigenous perspective.

What do developments in fields like gene editing, machine learning or climate engineering mean for scientific responsibility? Tune in as our guests discuss discusses the need for limits and regulation in the use and development of technologies, highlighting the importance of indigenous perspectives and values in considering the impacts of new technologies and the need to protect indigenous knowledge and rights.

In this fourth episode, Sir Peter Gluckman (ISC President and former and former chief scientific advisor to Prime Ministers in New Zealand) and Saja Al Zoubi (Development economist at St Mary’s University in Canada) explore the role of science in resolving conflicts and the respective responsibilities of states and scientists.

How do political tensions or wars affect the integrity of science and the lives of scientists? Should countries in conflict collaborate scientifically? Tune in as our guests discuss scientific collaboration, the challenges faced by scientists in war-torn countries, and the importance of support from global scientific bodies to preserve academic identity and promote peace.

 How can we convey accurate scientific information in a world of disinformation, information overload, and politicization? Tune in as our guests, Guy Berger (Professor Emeritus at Rhodes University) and Courtney C. Radsch (Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UCLA) discuss how scientists tackle complexity, combat falsehoods, and navigate online harassment while exploring the vital role of collaboration with journalists.