Leeds Voices

This week we're coming to the end of Pride Month. The month of June is a time when we celebrate and commemorate the LGBT community. We celebrate how far we’ve come from the time of the Stonewall riots of 1969, but we also reflect on the issues that continue to face LGBT people globally. 

And that’s something that we want to address at the University of Leeds. To mark the end of Pride month, we have a very special announcement. Leeds intends to establish up to 25 PhD Pride scholarships exploring global issues that impact the LGBT community. 

It marks a significant investment for the University in the LGBT community, and its ambitions to become a world leader on LGBT research. 

And to explain more we’re joined by Professor of Sociology and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Paul Johnson OBE.

Prof Johnson’s own work was fundamental in bringing about ‘Turing’s Law’ in the UK. 

You can read more on the plans for the Pride Scholarships here: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news-alumni/news/article/5333/leeds-announces-plans-to-fund-25-phd-pride-scholarships

This week the University is celebrating its staff and alumni who have been named in the King’s Birthday Honours, and Biomedical scientist and Leeds alum Professor Steve Jackson is among them. He received a knighthood as part of the King's Birthday Honours List. 

Steve is both a researcher and entrepreneur, and heads up the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, and is a professor of biology at the University.

Alongside his research, he’s a successful entrepreneur and has founded several biomedical sciences startups, one of which developed the so-called cancer wonder drug olaparib, which has been used to treat 75,000 people worldwide. 

The synthetic lethality drug exploits the genetic weakness to kill certain cancer cells, while leaving normal sells unharmed. 

It was our pleasure to interview him in the place where it all started, at the University of Leeds.

After struggling with a debilitating combination of fatigue and burnout during her career as an HR leader, Karina decided to take matters into her own hands. She retrained as a nutritionist, and now runs her own clinic, providing support to people with fatigue, stress and burnout.

This year, she released her bestselling book, Fix Your Fatigue. Karina recently starred on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch, as well as The Chris Evan’s Breakfast Show.

She talks us through her experience of fatigue and how she came to recognise that tiredness isn’t normal. We learn how to make simple adjustments to everyday favourites – from jam on toast to spaghetti bolognaise – and talk through the five steps people can take to fix their fatigue.

Crime writer and Leeds alumnus Peter Robinson is one of the University's most well-known former students. The Leeds-born novelist's DCI Banks series has sold nine million copies worldwide, and been translated into multiple languages.

Peter died last year after a short illness, but his legacy at the University continues in the literary archive he gifted to the University, and the annual scholarship that bears his name.

On the day of the publication of his final novel, we speak to some of Peter's closest colleagues about the crime writer who helped define a genre.

To read more about Peter's contribution to the University, follow the link below:

https://spotlight.leeds.ac.uk/author-creates-a-lasting-story/index.html

This week on Leeds Voices we're talking to Hind Hassan (Medicinal Chemisty 2007). She broadcasts from the most hostile environments in the world – but last year Hind found herself at the centre of an armed bank raid. She spent 16 hours reporting the siege in Lebanon to thousands of followers online, filming the antagonists with guns, Molotov cocktails, and gasoline.

The difference between this raid and others was the armed depositors were not stealing, they were trying to get their own money out of the bank. 

As a result of the 2019 financial crisis in Lebanon, banks began prohibiting normal people from withdrawing more than $400 (£336) a month. This has caused untold anguish to families with medical bills, school fees, and issues just making ends meet. 

She spoke to us about reporting from warzones, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises, and how Leeds inspired her to get into journalism.

This week we’re joined by Leeds alum and triathlete Jonny Brownlee MBE. Jonny has completed the set – he’s won Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals. He’s been world champion, and he’s won countless European and Commonwealth medals over a 14-year career.

In 2012, as well as winning Olympic bronze at the London Olympics, he also graduated from Leeds with a degree in history. He was subsequently awarded an honorary degree in recognition of his achievements in 2013.

Jonny’s impact extends beyond the competitive arena. Together with brother and fellow alum Alistair, Jonny founded the Brownlee Foundation in 2014. The foundation inspires children from all backgrounds to enjoy sport, encouraging them to lead active lifestyles and benefit from the opportunities sport provides.

In May, the Brownlee Foundation celebrated a huge milestone achievement when it welcomed its 50,000th child to participate in their free triathlon events.

Jonny spoke about the foundation, his career, and his key to success.

At a time of escalating food prices and a deepening climate crisis, Jamie Crummie has created a global phenomenon that protects bank balances and the planet. The Too Good To Go app helps customers rescue unsold food from shops and restaurants, saving it from going to waste. 

With the help of Spark funding from the University of Leeds, he co-founded the app in the UK with fellow student Christopher Wilson. It allows businesses and restaurants to sell their surplus food in surprise bags at a significantly reduced rate.

Jamie's journey to becoming an entrepreneur was never set in stone. As a law student he intended on becoming a solicitor or barrister. But he was inspired after seeing vast amounts of food waste during a year abroad in Australia.

Listen to his fascinating story of going from food waste activist to entrepreneur.

Eurovision fever has gripped the globe and for the first time since 1997 the UK is hosting the contest, on behalf of Ukraine. Weirdly these two worlds collide for BBC Russia Editor, and song contest superfan Steve Rosenberg. The Leeds alum is known for his love of the contest and away from reporting on the war in Ukraine, he escapes from the world of Kremlin politics by learning to play 300 Eurovision entries off by heart on his piano. We spoke to him last year about his enduring love for Eurovision.

In this episode you'll also hear from BBC producer Joe Mason. He worked on last year's UK entry, which reversed the countries decade-long misfortunes in the contest, and several dreaded nil point. He talks about last year's campaign, and what it will take for Liverpool to host this year's event.

You can listen to and read the full interview with Steve Rosenberg here: https://spotlight.leeds.ac.uk/moscow-calling/index.html

Camilla Tominey's journey to becoming a royal journalist started at Tetley Hall, studying Law at the University of Leeds. In this candid interview she discusses preparing for the King's Coronation, reporting on the Queen's death, and reporting on royal births outside hospital while she was also heavily pregnant.

Leeds Voices is brought to by the University of Leeds Advancement Team. Follow us on social media @leedsalumni or email us at [email protected].

Food broadcaster Jay Rayner tells us about how his path to becoming the UK’s most famous restaurant critic started with the Leeds Student newspaper. 2:15

Professor Anwesha Sakar explains how her research in oral tribology can make chocolate healthier without losing its taste. 11:59

Katy Richardson, Musical Supervisor of the stage phenomenon SIX, discusses waving the baton in Riley Smith Hall and West End stardom. 18:44

Our roving reporter Tom Davy saw campus through a rainbow of colour in March when he joined our students for Holi Festival celebrations. 25:08