Following our first podcast where we dispelled some Myths about apprenticeships and spoke about why growing talent within is important, we now take a look at two factors that will help apprentices succeed during their training: the importance of a Growth Mindset and making the most of networking. Join UCL Apprenticeship Managers Paula and Uzma as they have a chat over a cuppa and provide some hints and tips during National Apprenticeship Week 2025.

Date of episode recording: 2025-02-11T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:16:42

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Uzma Sadiq; Paula Sandamas

Welcome to the first of our five daily podcasts to celebrate National Apprenticeship week 2025. UCL Apprenticeship Managers Paula Sandamas and Uzma Sadiq chat about apprenticeships, who they are for, the positive impact they can have and dispel all the myths. Thought you know about apprenticeships – think again! Find out how apprenticeships are relevant to you no matter who you are and what you do and why its important to grow our talent within.

Date of episode recording: 2025-02-10T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:20:23

Language of episode: English

Presenter: Uzma Sadiq; Paula Sandamas

Today we are continuing our discussion on gene therapy, with Dr Rajvinder Karda, hosted by Olivia. Raj is both a researcher and professor at the UCL Institute for Women's Health, with her role as an associate professor of Gene Therapy, as well as leading a team of research focussing on developing pre-clinical gene therapy and RNA editing treatments for childhood epilepsy, including Dravet Syndrome. Listen in to learn more about Raj's work in the field of gene therapy, as she explains more about how gene therapies are being researched and developed for pre-clinical trials, including in her lab where her team is working on the development of gene therapies for treating Dravet Syndrome.

Date of episode recording: 2025-01-22T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:30:16

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Olivia Moir

Guests: Dr Rajvinder Karda

Producer: Olivia, UCL Institute for Women's Health, UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences

How are we improving dental health so we don't have to keep going back to the dentist? Anastasios Koulogiannis is a Post Graduate Researcher at UCL. He's looking at engineering applications in healthcare in the department of Mechanical Engineering and so whilst he's not a dentist (although he does have a lot of dental knowledge after spending a lot of time with dentists), Anastasios speaks to us about his research using ultrasound technology and the way its changing dental care. We cover the 'basis' like what root canal treatments are (did anyone else just think that teeth were inanimate objects?) and how Anastasios and his team are working on a treatment device that will make sure you get the treatment you need, won't have to keep going back to the dentist with tooth pains and ultimately save the NHS money.

Date of episode recording: 2024-05-22T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:15:40

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter

Guests: Anastasios Koulogiannis

Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

In today’s episode, we delve into the complex and often misunderstood world of autocratic leadership. At first glance, it might seem like authoritarian rulers wield unchallenged power, free to govern without opposition. After all, the term "autocrat" stems from the Greek for "self-rule." But is that really how it works in practice?

A fantastic new book, 'Autocrats Can't Always Get What They Want', challenges this simplistic view. It reveals how modern autocratic leaders operate within a web of constraints that can shape, and sometimes even limit, their power. Intriguingly, these constraints aren’t always by design. Instead, they often emerge from circumstances that are outside the ruler's control—yet they still influence the way states function under authoritarian rule.

To unpack these fascinating insights, I’m joined by two of the book’s authors:

- Dr Samer Anabtawi, Lecturer in Comparative Politics at UCL’s Department of Political Science, brings his expertise in comparative governance to the discussion.

- Professor Nathan Brown, a leading scholar of political science and international affairs from George Washington University, offers a global perspective on the nuanced realities of authoritarian regimes.

Together, we explore a thought-provoking conversation that examines the mechanisms of modern authoritarianism and its implications for politics worldwide.

Transcript: https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/are-there-limits-on-autocratic-power/transcript

We all know that meat production emits a substantial amount of greenhouse gases, nearly 60% by some estimates, and so we need to do something about it. Darren Player, Associate Professor in Musculoskeletal Bioengineering, discusses the development of lab-grown meat, why he's working on engineering new, sustainable sources of meat and how he's doing it. We're also joined by Beren Fidan, a Colotaruna Soprano, who is vegan and shares her thoughts on the ethics of lab-grown meat and whether it's a viable option for her.

Date of episode recording: 2024-04-22T00:00:00Z

Duration: 35:08

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter

Guests: Darren Player; Beren Fidan

Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

Existing commercial buildings in the UK are being converted to create new housing, circumventing the planning system through permitted development. But what could be the impact of those conversions, especially from a health perspective?

Julia Thrift, Director, Healthier Place-making at the Town and Country Planning Association, joins expert researchers Professor Lauren Andres and Professor Ben Clifford from The Bartlett School of Planning to discuss how there is a wider cost to society that we can’t ignore in this pursuit of solving the housing situation in the UK.

Date of episode recording: 2024-11-25T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:31:44

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Professor Lauren Andres

Guests: Professor Ben Clifford; Julia Thrift

Producer: Adam Batstone & Chizoba Onyiuke

In the final episode of series 2 of The Life of PIE, we explore the unique challenges social enterprises face as they balance growth with their mission. How can social enterprises expand while staying true to their core purpose?

Onya and Jacob McMahon, a Life of PIE alum from the 22-23 cohort, discuss external pressures, such as securing funding and managing customer expectations, alongside internal struggles like aligning diverse activities and maintaining focus. Jacob shares strategies organisations use to manage these tensions, including creating flexible structures, monitoring staff and stakeholder engagement, and fostering collaboration within networks. How can growth both ease and create challenges for social enterprises? Why is it important to share knowledge instead of trying to own everything?

We invite you to join us as we explore valuable lessons for leaders in social enterprises on how to grow sustainably and impactfully, while offering thought-provoking insights for anyone interested in the balance between ambition and purpose in any organisation. Since graduating from the PIE programme, Jacob has gone on to work as a Program Manager at Impact Hub London, Impact & Operations Manager at Cambio Consultancy, and Strategic Partnerships Lead at ZNotes, applying his expertise in strategy, innovation, and organisational design to drive sustainable growth and social impact.

Date of episode recording: 2024-12-05T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:34:53

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Onya Idoko

Guests: Jacob McMahon

Producer: Juan Manuel Castillo

Genetic discovery in inflammatory bowel disease has been incredibly successful. This provides a unique opportunity to understand what goes wrong when people develop disease, which in turn could identify better treatment targets. Yet most of this potential remains unrealised, as moving from where genetic associations lie to an understanding of how they drive disease is a formidable challenge. James Lee will discuss recent efforts to address this challenge and how his research has revealed a central orchestrator of inflammation, which could be targeted therapeutically.

We’re familiar with the idea that history shapes contemporary politics, but what about the reverse? How do today’s political dynamics influence the way we remember the past?

In this episode, we explore a compelling study that examines this question in the context of Ukraine—a country caught between conflicting historical narratives from Russia and the West.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the nation has endured not only a devastating war but also an intense battle over history, identity, and legitimacy. Yet, these struggles are deeply rooted in Ukraine’s complex past.

The study we discuss was conducted in 2019, offering a snapshot from before the war. It investigates how Ukrainians recall their families’ experiences of victimisation during the Second World War and whether these memories are shaped by their present-day political beliefs.

Joining us to discuss these findings is Kristin Bakke, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at UCL and co-author of the study.

Mentioned in this episode:

Bakke, K. M., Rickard, K., O’Loughlin, J., & Toal, G. (2024). Politicizing Memory: Evidence from Ukraine. Problems of Post-Communism, 1–20. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10758216.2024.2316037

The study in The Conversation.

https://theconversation.com/growing-number-of-war-weary-ukrainians-would-reluctantly-give-up-territory-to-save-lives-suggests-recent-survey-238285

UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.

Show Contributors

Kristin Bakke

Alan Renwick

https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/politicising-memory-evidence-from-ukraine/transcript