GCU Common Good Podcast

Douglas Little joins the Common Good Podcast for the final time to look back over his remarkable 35 years at Glasgow Caledonian University. The Director of Estates, who announced he will retire from GCU at the end of April 2021, reflects on joining the Queens College, Glasgow in 1986 as a joiner, how the University was founded in 1993, the rapid transformation of the Glasgow campus and his role in...

The importance of positive mental health has never before been so important, and GCU is always looking to improve its support for students and staff. Rachel Simpson, the Project Officer for Student Mental Health, and Helen Gallagher, Assistant Vice-Principal of Health and Wellbeing, join the Common Good Podcast to outline the University's mental health provision, how students and staff can access...

Dr Angela O'Hagan, the Deputy Director of the WISE Centre for Economic Justice at Glasgow Caledonian University, joins the Common Good Podcast to examine the theory behind feminist economics and the importance of gender budgeting. She also outlines the work of the WISE Centre and their role in influencing Scottish government policy, before talking about the launch of the new MSc in Human Rights at...

Elanor Cormack, a final-year student on the University's DPsych Sport and Exercise programme, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her research into gender stereotyping in sport and the harmful effects it can have on boys and girls. Elanor discusses how gender stereotyping can happen, which sports are more susceptible to it, and how teachers and coaches can prevent it from happening. She al...

Melissa Pettigrew, a Recruitment and Events Administrative Assistant at GCU, joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss the importance of student recruitment to the University. She talks about how the global pandemic has changed the way her and her team work and the challenges in bringing in new students. Melissa also talks about her own journey, from a GCU student to a member of staff.

Peter Yetton, the Head of Visas, Immigration Support and Advice, returns to the Common Good Podcast to talk about how the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit will impact on GCU’s ability to recruit students. In this wide-ranging podcast, Peter sets out the challenges posed by the pandemic and how the University can respond to it, and how it will usher in new ways of working. He also examines Brexit an...

Dr Kate McAulay from the Department of Applied Science joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss her research into developing a gel that can clean micropollutants from water. Dr McAulay talks about the science behind her theory, how it will work in practice and the benefits it could bring to the pharmaceutical industry. She also discusses her background in chemistry and science and some of the barr...

The University Archivist, Carole McCallum, joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss the veritable treasure trove stored inside our archives. Carole talks about the various items stored within the archives, including some high-profile collections, the history of GCU, and why it's important we document and preserve items from the past. Learn more about the Archive Centre at GCU by visiting the websi...

Professor John McKendrick returns to the Common Good Podcast to discuss child poverty in Scotland and the steps being taken to alleviate the issue. Professor McKendrick talks about his research with the Scottish Poverty and Information Research Unit has informed a grab-and-go scheme designed to give schoolchildren a free breakfast.

Professor Babakalli Alkali joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss his research into making our nation's railways safer and more efficient. He talks about the current issues facing railway operators and how his work is helping improve customer satisfaction and the move towards decarbonisation. Professor Alkali also reflects on a successful KTP with ScotRail in 2014 that looked to improve the effi...

Dr Christopher Hand returns to the Common Good Podcast to discuss a new study that examines the behaviour of Twitter users - and how a quarter of participants displayed psychopathic tendencies. Dr Hand talks in depth about his research, discussing why people behave in certain ways online, and explores what social-media companies can do to crackdown on abuse.

Dr David Farrell joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about the Global Game Jam, one of the highlights of the year for GCU's video games department. Dr Farrell discusses the evolution of the event and what it will look like in the current climate. He also reflects on his own background in video games before looking at some of the key issues facing the industry, including crunch and microtransacti...

Patrick Quinn, a Senior Lecturer in Audio Technology, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about Celtic Connections on Campus, one of the most celebrated events in the GCU calendar. Patrick discusses its genesis and evolution, and what shape it will take this year in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He also looks back on his journey in academia and the challenges of working in the current c...

Professor Natascha Radclyffe-Thomas from the British School of Fashion joins the Common Good Podcast to examine how the fashion industry can be both sustainable and responsible. She outlines how the discussion around where our clothes come from is changing, how businesses can be sustainable while turning a profit, and good and bad examples from the industry.

The first Common Good Podcast of 2021 sees Professor Lesley Price talk about her work with the SHIP research group at GCU. SHIP - which stands for Safeguarding Health through Infection Prevention - is a multidisciplinary team made up of nurses, microbiologists and health psychologists that work to improve the quality of patient care and awareness of good hand hygiene. Professor Price outlines the...

Professor Claudia Estcourt joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to discuss her research into a new NHS digital revolution for people with sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) using a new automated online consultation giving patients 24-hour access to care. Professor Estcourt outlines how prevalent STIs are in the UK, existing NHS provisions and how this new app can transform the w...

Dr Nicola Roberts joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss her research into how the coronavirus pandemic has affected frontline NHS nurses. Dr Roberts explains how some nurses have been unable to support their families, both emotionally and financially, and how some younger nurses are experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety.

In advance of his Professorial Lecture, Slobodan Mickovski, a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Management, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about how the natural world can provide the solutions to civil-engineering challenges. Professor Mickovski outlines the content of his lecture, discussing his background in industry and academia across Europe, as well as...

Susan Grant joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to talk about her role as GCU's Community and Public Engagement Co-ordinator and how she links the University to the wider community. Susan discusses why it's important universities work with the communities they serve, some of the 200-odd projects she's work on over the past eight years, and how her role has changed during the global...

Dr Fiona Kennedy joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about teaching teachers and her role in training the next generation of academics at GCU. Dr Kennedy discusses her passion for the classroom, her teaching philosophies and the common challenges facing early-career academics. She also reflects on her own academic journey at the University.

GCU is providing essential training to support the mental health and wellbeing of its students. With financial support from Santander Universities, GCU is working alongside the Students’ Association and SAMH (the Scottish Association of Mental Health) to train around 400 members of staff who work directly with students. Dr Helen Gallagher, Assistant Vice-Principal of Health and Wellbeing, and Keir...

Tabitha Nyariki, the Vice-President for the School of Health and Life Sciences with the GCU Students' Association, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about how the University has celebrated Black History month across October. Tabitha explains the origins of Black History Month and places it in context of the the Black Lives Matter movement and the killing of George Floyd, before discussing the...

Professor Suzanne Hagen joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her research into urinary incontinence in women, a condition that affects one in three women across the UK. She discusses a recent study carried out by GCU and other universities into whether or not biofeedback devices make any difference in treating urinary incontinence, as well as her career in academia.

Professor Alastair Robertson joins the Common Good Podcast to explore GCU's transition from face-to-face teaching to online learning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Professor Robertson discusses how online learning can revolutionise how GCU delivers degrees and whether or not large in-person lectures are a thing of the past, as well as his own 25-year career in academia.

Jill Watt, the Director of the GCU Foundation, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about the role her department has in raising money for the University, supporting our students, and working with our alumni community. She also discusses how she and her team have helped our students throughout the coronavirus pandemic and working with GCU's most notable honorary graduate: legendary football manag...