Hey, Did You Know? - An AUT Podcast

AUT Associate Professor Terri-Ann Berry talks asbestos in kids' play sand, the dangers of DIY and how her childhood dream of becoming a dancer was dashed when she lost the use of her legs. As an environmental engineer at AUT's School of Future Environments, Terri-Ann's work focuses on finding practical solutions to issues relating to construction waste management, sustainability, envir...

Dr Karen Lansdown , Head of AUT’s Department of Oral Health and Deputy Head of School Academic for Acute and Primary Health talks to host Mike Kilpatrick about oral healthcare. Karen explains the role of oral health therapists, the importance of prevention, and why dentistry needs to be seen as part of the wider healthcare system. She also touches on the links between oral health and wider wellbei...

Brigitte Viljoen ⁠ , Lecturer and Course Lead in the Department of Mental Health and Wellbeing and registered practising psychotherapist, talks to host Mike Kilpatrick⁠ about the growing use of AI chatbots for mental health advice and emotional support. They talk about what psychotherapy is, why the therapeutic relationship matters, and how AI chatbots can create dependency, reinforce false belief...

Dr Marta Ribó⁠ , Senior Lecturer in Marine Geosciences, talks to host ⁠Mike Kilpatrick⁠ about her career mapping the ocean floor across the Mediterranean, Aotearoa New Zealand and Tonga. They talk about how just 30 percent of the sea floor has been mapped, while covering the impact of ship anchors on the seabed, microplastics in Queen Charlotte Sound, and the role of the sea floor on climate chang...

Pacific immunologist  Dr Chris Puli'uvea talks inflammation, immunity, genetics and He-Man with host Susan Strongman. Chris is a senior lecturer at AUT’s School of Biomedical, Chemical & Food Sciences. His research investigates how unique genetic variants in Māori and Pacific populations can influence immune function, as well as responses to disease and medication. He is also looking at Pa...

Dr Amy Errmann explains how mindfulness and attention shape consumer decisions - from time perception and short meditation to charity appeals and luxury tourism in the Faroe Islands. Amy is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and International Business at AUT, and her research explores how even brief mindfulness exercises change the way consumers experience time and respond to brand messaging. She and...

With Professor Regan Potangaroa . In this episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, AUT Professor Regan Potangaroa (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa) chats to host Susan Strongman about creating a refugee camp from scratch, being taken hostage twice, his new-found love for drone fishing, and more. Professor Potangaroa is a recognised global expert in humanitarian engineering and Māori-centered res...

With  Dr Mel Johnston .  In this episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Mel Johnston, Head of Department, Sports Leadership and Management at AUT, chats to host  Mike Kilpatrick  about major sporting events, the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the changing role of sport in Aotearoa New Zealand.  They discuss whether the Commonwealth Games are still relevant, why they matter for athlete devel...

With Professor Caryn Zinn . In the thirteenth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Professor Caryn Zinn from AUT's School of Sport, Exercise and Health, chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about differing aspects of food and how they relate to health. As well as ultra-processed foods, they talk about the new inverted food pyramid, carbohydrates and the importance of protein - as well as the...

Spiders with  Dr Leilani Walker .  In the twelfth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Leilani Walker chats to host Susan Strongman about why she once had 30 giant-jawed spiders living in her garage, sexual cannibalism in praying mantises, necrophiliac penguins... and why we should care about any of these things. Dr Walker (Te Whakatōhea) is a senior lecturer in environmental science a...

Romantasy with  Dr Yael Cameron .  In the eleventh episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Yael Cameron chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about romantasy, the book genre that’s taken the world by storm.  During their chat Yael explains what romantasy is and talks about popular romantasy author Sarah J Maas’s popularity. She also discusses the idea that because romantasy books tend to be queer...

Science with  Professor Allan Blackman .  Summary In the tenth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Professor Allan Blackman chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about science and chemistry and just how important it is in today’s world.  During their chat, Allan reveals which television show got the science correct and why one lab incident he witnessed ended with an emergency hospital trip.   He...

Theatre, professional wrestling and Donald Trump with  Professor Emerita Sharon Mazer .  In the ninth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Professor Emerita Sharon Mazer chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about her background in theatre and how US President Donald Trump’s rise to power has a connection to professional wrestling.    They also speak about performance and whether it teaches us wh...

The moral panic of novels and video games with Dr Tof Eklund . In the eighth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Tof Eklund chats to host Susan Strongman about moral panic, what parents and caregivers should actually worry about if their kids are into video games, and whether the hype around generative AI is just that; hype. In between, they discuss Dungeons and Dragons, Dr Eklund’s m...

The workplace and its impact with Associate Professor Rachel Morrison . In the seventh episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Rachel Morrison chats to host Susan Strongman about the impact of toxic masculinity on future workplaces, how open plan offices affect women and minority groups differently, and whether a plastic plant can make you feel better.    An associate professor at AUT’s Busi...

Journalism and its future with  Dr Greg Treadwell .  In episode six of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Greg chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about journalism, how media has become a tool for the powerful, and the impact AI and social media are having on both journalism and then next generation of journalists. They also speak about the importance of what Greg has coined ‘the new community journalis...

Christmas movies from an academic (and non-academic) point of view with Dr Rebecca Trelease. It’s tiiiiime for a Christmas special! Love them or hate them, Christmas movies are everywhere you turn at the moment. We welcome back Rebecca for a Christmas Special of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast. Rebecca (Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi) chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about the characteristics of Christm...

AI and its impact, authenticity and bias with Senior Lecturer Justin Matthews. In the fourth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast,  Justin chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it’s having on our lives.  After a random fact that gives context to how short our lives are, they begin chatting about one of Justin's earlier publications on Judge Dredd a...

New Zealand infrastructure and the future with Professor John Tookey. In the third episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, John chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about infrastructure and what Aotearoa should be doing to ensure the best bang for our buck in infrastructure builds.  They talk about new houses on floodplains, the need for housing intensification, the importance of Auckland’s Harbour...

International law, Palestinian statehood and the UN with Dr Myra Williamson. Note: This episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast was recorded on 8 October 2025.   In the second episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast , public international law expert Dr Myra Williamson chats to host Susan Strongman about Palestinian statehood, the role of the United Nations, New Zealand’s foreign policy,...

Reality television and sexist critiques of entertainment with Dr Rebecca Trelease. In the first episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Rebecca (Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi) chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about television and particularly Rebecca's experience on reality TV, when she appeared on season two of The Bachelor NZ. They also speak about sexism inherent in critiques of entertainment an...