University of Cambridge

In this episode, Iona Warne interviews Dr Jo, of Dr Jo Science, to investigate some surprising facts about the human body, as well as looking into how science can best be communicated to children.

Facebook.com/DrJoScience

Produced by Claire Watt.

In this podcast, Soraya Shakibi talks to Clare Wilkes about her work with temperature scarves, exploring this unique blend of crafts and environmental consciousness.

Produced by Claire Watt.

In this episode, Catalina Taylor chats with Dr Brian Ferguson, an immunologist and Associate Professor of Immunology at the University of Cambridge, about how vaccines work and why we need them.

Produced by Claire Watt.

This episode sees Joanne Yau get to grips with the basics of nuclear energy, as well as taking a good look at their green potential. Featuring PhD researchers from the Nuclear Energy Futures CDT (Hannah Tipping, Martin Gillet, Will Thomas, Jason Lee and Parth Kulkarni).

Produced by Claire Watt.

In this podcast, Claire Watt talks to Chris Wakefield, one of the archaeologists working on Must Farm, a Bronze Age settlement near Peterborough which has been described as ‘Britain’s Pompei’.

Produced by Claire Watt.

Best-selling author Tara Westover, researcher Aliya Khalid and Thabo Msibi Deputy Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, tackle the issue of what education should be for. They stress the idea that small actions can have a significant impact on making a difference in the world and emphasise the power of individuals to create change within their own sphere of influence.

We explore their own perspectives and discuss their own powerful personal stories, highlighting the importance of diverse stories in education, the impact of education on women and gender and the power of education to challenge norms and beliefs. They also emphasise the role of education as a journey of self-discovery and unlearning, as well as a tool for social justice and empowerment. In addition, the episode discusses the need for curriculum reform and inclusivity, the role of technology in education and personal stories of overcoming educational challenges.

Takeaways

Education as a lifelong journey of learning and personal growth.

Education has the power to empower individuals, promote social justice, and transform communities.

Listening to and learning from communities is crucial in developing effective educational practices.

Small acts of support and encouragement can make a significant difference in education.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:31 The purpose of education

01:13 Guest introductions

05:24 Education and gender

06:24 Education as empowerment

08:21 The value of questioning and doubt in education

10:10 Education as a tool for social justice

12:56 Education in disadvantaged communities

15:17 The importance of listening and learning from communities

19:19 Personal teachable moments

20:14 Motivation for education

23:05 The transformative power of education

25:59 Unlearning and overcoming challenges in education

29:30 Curriculum reform and empowerment

31:40 Moving forward: Taking action in education

37:12 So, now what?

Bios

Tara Westover @tarawestover is a memoirist and historian. Her first book, Educated (2018), debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and was a finalist for a number of awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award, the LA Times Book Prize, and the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award. The American Booksellers Association named it the Nonfiction Book of the Year, and to date, the book has been translated into 47 languages. For her staggering impact, TIME magazine named Westover one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2019, and in 2023, she was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden.

Thabo Msibi is the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning and a professor of Curriculum Studies in the School of Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Msibi has published research in South African and international journals and books and is author of the book Hidden sexualities of South African Teachers: Black male educators and same-sex desire. He has also co-edited a book entitled Gender, Sexuality and Violence in South African Educational Spaces, with Deevia Bhana and Shakila Singh.

Aliya Khalid @khalidaliya1 is a Lecturer in Comparative and International Education in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, UK. She works on issues of educational equity with a focus on gender. Her areas of interest include the capability approach, negative capability, epistemic paradoxicality and justice, Southern epistemologies, politics of representation and knowledge production.

Matthew Agarwala, Stefan Lamp and Alessio Terzi talk to Rory Cellan-Jones about the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental protection, the policies and legislations needed to achieve green growth, and the challenges associated with implementing such measures.

This episode unpacks the possibility of green growth. Leading experts discuss the unsustainability of current growth paths, the need for a new economic model and measures of wealth, and the types of policies needed to deliver both economic growth and environmental protection.

This episode is hosted by Rory Cellan-Jones (former technology correspondent for the BBC), and features guest experts Matthew Agarwala (Bennett Institute), Stefan Lamp (TSE) and Alessio Terzi (Bennett Institute).

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

Season 3 Episode 5 transcript

For more information about the podcast and the work of the institutes, visit our websites at https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/

Tweet us with your thoughts at @BennettInst and @IASToulouse

With thanks to:

• Audio production by Steve Hankey

• Associate production by Stella Erker

• Visuals by Tiffany Naylor

Relevant links

• Alessio Terzi (2022) ‘Growth for Good: Reshaping Capitalism to Save Humanity from Climate Catastrophe’ (Harvard University Press)

• Coyle, D., Zenghelis, D., Agarwala, M., Wdowin, J., Lu, S. and Felici, M. (2019) ‘Measuring wealth, delivering prosperity: The Wealth Economy Project on Natural and Social Capital, Interim Report to LetterOne’ (Bennett Institute for Public Policy)

• Agarwala, M., Cinamon Nair, Y., Cordonier Segger, M.C., Coyle, D., Felici, M., Goodair, B., Leam, R., Lu, S., Manley, A., Wdowin, J., Zenghelis, D. (2020). ‘Building Forward: Investing in a Resilient Recovery. Wealth Economy Report to LetterOne’ (Bennett Institute for Public Policy)

• Diane Coyle ‘GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History’, March 2014, Princeton University Press, revised edition 2015

More information about our host and guests:

Rory Cellan-Jones was a technology correspondent for the BBC. His 40 years in journalism have seen him take a particular interest in the impact of the internet and digital technology on society and business. He has also written multiple books, including “Always On” (2021) and his latest “Ruskin Park: Sylvia, Me and the BBC” which was published in 2023. @ruskin147

Matthew Agarwala is an economist interested in measuring and delivering sustainability, wellbeing, and productivity. His research is motivated by the belief that 21st century progress cannot be described by 20th century statistics. Matthew leads the Bennett Institute’s Wealth Economy project, which seeks to transform economic measurement to better reflect sustainability, inequality, and human wellbeing. @MatthewAgarwala

Stefan Lamp is a Research Fellow at the Toulouse School of Economics. His research focuses mainly on the ongoing energy transition from a fossil-fuel economy towards renewable energy sources. Stefan is interested in three broad topics. First, the impact of climate change policies on individuals and firms. Second, the diffusion and adoption of new green technologies, such as solar photovoltaic panels. Third, the impact of the energy transition on electricity markets.

Alessio Terzi is an Assistant Professor in Public Policy at the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of Growth for Good (Harvard University Press, 2022). He is also an Economist at DG ECFIN of the European Commission, and an Adjunct Professor at Sciences Po and at HEC Paris. Prior to this, he was Affiliate Fellow at Bruegel, the leading European economics think-tank, and Fulbright Scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School. @terzibus

In this episode, we explore how we can build back better after a crisis. What are the challenges and opportunities of addressing the climate crisis, including the need for climate justice, the costs of inaction, and the importance of green innovation. We consider the roles of governments, multilateral institutions, and grassroots movements play in driving change. And we conclude with a call to action, So, now what? Where we emphasise the need for coordinated international efforts and a just and equitable transition to a sustainable future.

Takeaways

Building back better after a crisis requires addressing climate justice and the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities.

The costs of climate change, both economic and social, are substantial and require urgent action.

Investment in clean energy and good jobs can drive economic growth and reduce carbon emissions.

Leveraging people power and social media can help raise awareness and drive change.

Green innovation and regulation are key to building a sustainable and equitable society.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

04:21 Expertise and perspectives

06:50 The challenge of building back better

10:10 Understanding the costs and risks of climate change

14:25 Building back better in the United States

17:15 Building back better in Africa

19:25 The Need for collaboration and connectivity. Who needs to be in the same room?

25:45 Leveraging people power and innovation. How can we talk about green innovation and change the narrative? What does a better society look like?

31:00. So, now what? Moving Forward: Political will and financing.

Bios

Kamiar Mohaddes @KamiarMohaddes is an Associate Professor in Economics & Policy at the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. His main areas of research include climate change, economics of the Middle East, energy economics and applied macroeconomics. He is currently a consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank and has previously served as a Departmental Special Advisor at the Bank of Canada, a consultant at the United Nations, a consultant at the Asian Development Bank and a regular visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund to name a few.

Todd N. Tucker @toddntucker is a political scientist and director of Industrial Policy and Trade at the Roosevelt Institute, where he helps lead research on global governance, democracy, and the administrative state. A recognised expert on trade and political economy, Dr Tucker has testified before legislatures and expert committees around the world. He is author of Judge Knot: Politics and Development in International Investment Law (Anthem Press, 2018). He has authored over 70 major reports, including Fixing the Senate: Equitable and Full Representation for the 21st Century and Industrial Policy and Planning: What It Is and How to Do It Better.

Queen Chinyere Quinn is a Co-Founder and Partner at Kupanda Capital, an investment platform established to create, capitalise and scale pan-African companies. In this capacity, Queen has worked to provide tailored advice and support to entrepreneurs, project developers, fund managers and corporations operating in Africa. She has worked on deals in various sectors across Africa, including those in media, consumer and energy; and leads the platform on issues related to impact investing. Queen has helped to found several new companies and ventures, including Fraym, a geospatial data company and Nithio, an AI powered energy finance platform for the off-grid solar sector in Africa.

So, now what? the new podcast from Gates Cambridge, a leading scholarship programme for outstanding international postgraduates at the University of Cambridge.

Our guests are the scholars themselves - big thinkers from a range of different backgrounds and disciplines - who are out there finding solutions to some of our most wicked problems from the global economy and the environment, to technology, politics and universal healthcare.

They'll share their optimism and their experience, and give us a peek at their 'to do' lists too. But they'll also be inviting the rest of us to join them - sharing 'So, now what?' actions that we can all apply today.

Join me, Catherine Galloway, and a panel of Gates Cambridge scholars for conversations that lead to positive change.

So, now what? with Gates Cambridge. Available monthly on all your favourite podcast platforms.

Rory Cellan-Jones talks to Jean-Paul Azam, Diane Coyle and Andy Westwood about the potential of universal basic income to tackle regional inequalities, boost economic growth in ‘left behind’ and growing places, and rebuilding democracy.

This episode unpacks why current policies are failing to tackle regional inequalities and how a universal basic infrastructure might boost productivity across all places. Leading experts examine the value of infrastructure in different country contexts and how different levels of various departments and government could work together to deliver a universal basic infrastructure in all places.

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

Season 3 Episode 4 transcript

For more information about the podcast and the work of the institutes, visit our websites at www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk and www.iast.fr

Tweet us with your thoughts at @BennettInst and @IASToulouse

With thanks to:

Audio production by Steve Hankey

Associate production by Stella Erker

Visuals by Tiffany Naylor

Relevant links:

Townscapes: A Universal Basic Infrastructure for the UK by Coyle, D., Erker, S. and Westwood, A. Bennett Institute (2023).

A Universal Basic Infrastructure in the UK by Coyle, D., Erker, S. and Westwood, A. Bennett Institute (2023).

To Fight Populism, Invest in Left-Behind Communities by Coyle, D. Project Syndicate (2023).

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform https://pod.fo/e/20fb17

Season 3 Episode 4 transcript https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CC-S3E4-Transcript.docx.pdf

More information about our host and guests:

Rory Cellan-Jones was a technology correspondent for the BBC. His 40 years in journalism have seen him take a particular interest in the impact of the internet and digital technology on society and business. He has also written multiple books, including “Always On” (2021) and his latest “Ruskin Park: Sylvia, Me and the BBC” which was published in 2023. @ruskin147

Jean-Paul Azam is a professor of economics Emeritus at the Toulouse School of Economics, University of Toulouse and a member of IAST. After publishing mainly on the macroeconomics of Africa, he has focused since the mid-1990s on explaining violent conflict and its prevention, with application to foreign aid, civil war, and transnational terrorism.

Diane Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Diane co-directs the Bennett Institute where she heads research under the themes of progress and productivity. Her latest book is ‘Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be‘ on how economics needs to change to keep pace with the twenty-first century and the digital economy. Diane is also a Director of the Productivity Institute, a Fellow of the Office for National Statistics, an expert adviser to the National Infrastructure Commission, and Senior Independent Member of the ESRC Council. She was awarded a DBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2023 for her invaluable contributions to economic policy and practice, as well as her unwavering commitment to public service. @DianeCoyle1859

Andy Westwood is Professor of Government Practice at the University of Manchester and a Director of the ESRC funded Productivity Institute. He has worked as an expert adviser to the EU, the OECD and the IMF, as well as a specialist adviser to the Select Committees on Economic Affairs and Digital Skills in the House of Lords. Andy was previously a special adviser in the last Labour Government on Further and Higher Education, Science and Local Government. @AndyWWestwood