In the first episode of Series 2 of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we speak to Max Dixon, a doctoral researcher from the University of Portsmouth. Max’s research explores the intersection of foreign policy and the economy, focusing on Taiwan’s pivotal role in global supply chains.

As tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific, Max examines how Taiwan’s economic significance has become a growing concern within British foreign policy. His work reveals how anxieties about potential conflict between China and Taiwan are shaping the UK’s approach to economic security - from increased defence spending and Royal Navy expeditions to a renewed emphasis on supporting democratic allies like Taiwan and Hong Kong.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk 

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Max Dixon, University of Portsmouth

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the tenth, and final episode of Series 1 of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Toby Meredith, a doctoral researcher from the University of Portsmouth, who is exploring the complex and rapidly evolving role of drone technology in search and rescue operations and sea border surveillance in the English Channel.

Drawing on six years of experience in disaster management - including collaborations with the World Food Program and the UK Coast Guard - Toby examines how drone use intersects with humanitarian efforts and border control, with a particular focus on its impact on asylum seekers and refugees.

Toby aims to inform policy and practice, while also fostering international partnerships to broaden the reach and relevance of his findings. His research raises vital questions about ethics, technology, and the future of border management.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk 

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Toby Meredith, University of Portsmouth

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the ninth episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Isaac Thornton, a doctoral researcher from the University of Brighton. Isaac is researching the experiences of international students in the UK - a group 600,000 strong, whose presence brings vital financial and societal value.

Combining insights from social policy and psychology, Isaac explores how visa restrictions, housing challenges, and soaring tuition fees contribute to social exclusion. His research also reframes resilience not as an individual trait, but as a socially embedded process - one shaped by access to supportive communities and institutional resources.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Isaac Thornton, University of Brighton

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the eighth episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Elspeth Clark, a doctoral researcher from the University of Southampton. Elspeth’s research explores the relationship between meaningful occupation and a sense of belonging for young people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.

Drawing on her background as an occupational therapist, Elspeth works collaboratively with students in a special school setting, using sensory and embodied methods to co-construct understanding. Her research challenges the idea that people who don’t use words to communicate can’t meaningfully engage in research, and she makes a strong case for more inclusive and participatory approaches.

Elspeth shares how she builds trusting relationships, how innovative audio-visual tools are amplifying student voices, and how her findings could inform better practices across education, health, and social care. This episode is a powerful reminder of the importance of recognising agency, promoting belonging, and designing research that centres those who are often left out.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here. 

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Elspeth Clark, University of Southampton

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the seventh episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we hear from Max Dixon, a doctoral researcher from the University of Portsmouth, about his work exploring British foreign policy toward Taiwan since its first democratic election in 1996. Drawing on a poststructuralist discourse analysis, Max unpacks how parliamentary language and historical legacies—particularly those rooted in Britain’s colonial past—shape the UK’s diplomatic stance on Taiwan.

Max reflects on how his time living in Hong Kong sparked his research interest, and how he’s using interpretive methods to reveal the often-overlooked narratives that influence foreign policy decisions. He also shares how he's ensuring impact beyond academia—through writing for policy blogs, contributing to public debate, and engaging directly with policymakers and diplomats.

This conversation explores how language, history, and power intersect in international relations—and why these perspectives matter more than ever.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here. 

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Max Dixon, University of Portsmouth

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the sixth episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership Charlotte Booker - a doctoral researcher from the University of Portsmouth - talks about her critical work on deliberate fire settings.

Charlotte explains that deliberate fires - including arson and self-reported incidents - make up around half of all fires in England and cost the UK economy an estimated £1.3 billion each year. Her qualitative research, grounded in critical realism, seeks to understand the underlying causes and contexts of fire-setting behaviour in order to improve fire safety education and develop more effective, targeted interventions to reduce re-offending.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Charlotte Booker, University of Portsmouth

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fifth episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we talk to Yifan Ge, a doctoral researcher from the University of Southampton, about the far-reaching effects of the UK's state pension age increase on women born in the 1950s.

Yifan’s research, funded by Administrative Data Research UK, uses advanced quantitative methods and administrative data to uncover how these policy changes have disproportionately affected certain groups. Their work identifies the most disadvantaged among them, with the goal of informing more targeted compensation strategies and improving public communication for future pension reforms.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here. 

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Yifan Ge, University of Southampton

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fourth episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Kezia Pugh, a doctoral researcher from the University of Brighton whose work explores the experiences of migrant care workers in the UK. Kezia sheds light on how labour exploitation unfolds within the social care sector — from insecure contracts and low pay to more severe forms of abuse — and the crucial role that community groups, campaigners, and trade unions play in resisting these injustices.

We discuss the shift in her methodology toward using existing testimonies and third-sector evidence, the importance of building lasting relationships with practitioners, and how her research aims to support meaningful change both within policy and on the ground.

Tune in to hear how Kezia plans to make her research accessible and actionable — from toolkits for campaign groups to forging global connections for lasting impact.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here. 

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Kezia Pugh, University of Brighton

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Katie Munday, a doctoral researcher from the University of Portsmouth. We speak with Katie about their PhD research on the healthcare inequities experienced by trans and autistic individuals.

Drawing from both personal and professional experience, Katie uses participatory action research to center the voices of those most affected—working alongside a co-researcher group of four other trans and autistic adults.

Katie’s research goes beyond gender identity, addressing intersecting challenges such as accessibility, chronic illness, and systemic barriers within healthcare systems. They also share their concerns about the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling on identity groups, and how it may further limit healthcare access for marginalised communities. Committed to making a real-world impact, Katie discusses their plans to use networks and social media to push for meaningful policy change and raise public awareness.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here. 

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Katie Munday, University of Portsmouth

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second episode of Speaking of Research, a podcast from the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership, we meet Nishit Srivastava, a doctoral researcher from the University of Portsmouth to talk about his cutting-edge research on sustainability transitions in the UK heritage sector.

Nishit unpacks the complex challenge of decarbonising historical buildings and artefacts—essential components of the nation’s cultural fabric and economy. Using Cumberland Lodge as an example, he explores how policies can be designed to help this traditionally fragmented sector move toward Net Zero.

Nishit’s interdisciplinary approach includes a problematizing literature review, semi-structured interviews, and social network analysis to understand policy dynamics and stakeholder relationships.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

* Episode correction at 2:04 Nishit meant to say "1 in every 4 UK homes is a historical home"

Find out more about the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership at southcoastdtp.ac.uk

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Credits:

Presenter: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Guest: Nishit Srivastava, University of Portsmouth

Producer: Krissie Brighty-Glover, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Transcripts: Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.