ResearchPod

This is the first of three podcasts exploring ‘Claiming Tomorrow – Sociodigital Futures in the Making.’  We are addressing the research question ‘ What sociodigital futures are being claimed and made, and how, by which actors, across key areas of social life?’ Each of the three podcasts will address What, How and Who. In this episode we hear from Debbie Watson, David Evans, Bridget Anderson and Ri...

This second of three podcasts exploring ‘Claiming Tomorrow – Sociodigital Futures in the Making' is asking 'How are sociodigital futures being claimed?' Claims about the future shape government policies, shape investments that are made by companies, and how all of us think about our lives. But how are these claims being made? Listen to Susan Halford, Jessica Pykett, Debbie Watson, P...

Littering is a global issue with serious environmental and economic impacts. But, what drives people to act responsibly? Sonny Rosenthal from Singapore Management University and Pengya Ai, a PhD student from Nanyang Technological University are interested in how social norms shape pro-environmental behaviour. Their research reveals how descriptive norms (what people do) and injunctive norms (what...

Green innovation is often seen as the key to sustainable growth. But, not all eco-technologies deliver the same results. Cheng Qiang from Singapore Management University examines how pollution prevention and pollution control impact firms’ profitability and environmental performance, revealing why prevention strategies offer greater financial and environmental returns. Read the original research:...

Can CRISPR help build a unified platform for biological discovery? Dr Kaivalya Shevade from the Laboratory for Genomics Research (UCSF) is developing new CRISPR-based screening methods to map gene networks, understand drug resistance, and track neuronal activity in disease.  The research team’s innovations, including the CAT-ATAC assay and the Plexus machine learning model, show how combining biol...

How does financial transparency affect how CEO’s themselves are paid? Young Jun Cho and Hojun Seo investigate how the introduction of SFAS 131, requiring companies to report performance by business segments, impacts equity-based compensation. Their research reveals that more granular disclosure reduces the need for stock-based incentives, especially in firms with weak internal oversight, but stron...

10 years is a long time in politics. In 2015, Javier Milei was a professor of economics making occasional appearances on Argentinian TV programmes. Today, he is more commonly seen wielding prop chainsaws as Argentina's Libertarian president. Dr Sara Garcia Santamaria of the University of Bristol speaks with as again about masculinity, memeability, and Milei's version of and populism thro...

Changing political tides across the globe are inextricably linked to the use of social media and internet based messaging. But something as simple as a photo of your lunch can't be part of the same spin... Right? Dr Sara Garcia Santa Maria from the University of Bristol joins us to discuss her research into diet, culture and social media among populist politicians. Read the original article:...

It is increasingly proclaimed that the world is in a polycrisis, a term and set of assumptions which have become a moniker for our times; a moment where multiple crises converge, requiring urgent attention and a future-focused solution. For influential organisations the polycrisis concept makes problems of uncertainty accessible to foresight-informed solutions . Yet foresight frames frequently for...

Professor Marcus du Sautoy, Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford, has been long credited for his efforts to popularise science – particularly mathematics and related subjects. Here, he discusses his motivation for popularising mathematics and the balance between his academic research and public engagement, and explores the challenges and goals of de...

In trying times, we all look for leadership. But leadership skills have to come from somewhere. Understanding how, where and why these skills develop is an important part of the continuing journey to more inclusive and collaborative leadership practice.     Dr Nicola Patterson, Dr Amy Stabler and Professor Sharon Mavin discuss the programme they lead at Newcastle University Business School. The MS...

How do analysts respond to company forecasts during mergers? Dr Ahmad Ismail from the American University of Beirut analyses over 2,000 U.S. takeovers to find out. His research shows that analysts are more likely to revise earnings upwards when companies forecast large cost-saving synergies, and when led by level-headed CEOs. These revisions often predict real market gains, pointing to a clear inv...

What can film reviews tell us about gender bias in the movie industry? Dr Wael Khreich from the American University of Beirut explores this question with Genderly , a custom-built AI tool that analyses the language of 17,000 professional reviews. His findings reveal that female-led films are far more likely to be judged through a biased lens—subtly and overtly reinforcing stereotypes. This researc...

Communication shapes the mediation process, influencing trust, negotiation dynamics, and dispute resolution outcomes. Associate Professor Dorcas Quek Anderson from Singapore Management University explores how different communication modes – face-to-face meetings, video-conferencing, audio communication, and text messaging – affect mediation effectiveness. Her research highlights the strengths and...

What makes open societies more resilient in the face of global crises like climate change and artificial intelligence? Stefan Brunnhuber of the World Academy of Art and Science unpacks why open societies—rooted in critical thinking, civic freedom, and institutional balance—hold the key to thriving in the 21st century, while autocracies remain reliant on the very systems they oppose. Visit the Worl...

Heating and cooling our homes, workplaces and public spaces is a source of constant effort, and expense. What can new technologies offer to help hold warmth, or aid air circulation? What if one solution could do both? Dr Miren Juaristi Gutierrez from Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy, joins us to discuss innovative architectural features that could save energy, money, and carbon in future designs....

What impact does artificial intelligence have on the evolution of consciousness, and could it mark the beginning of a new form of awareness beyond the human? Stefan Brunnhuber of the World Academy of Art and Science explores how AI, as a transformative technology, reshapes not only society but the filters through which we perceive modern life — bridging biology, cognition, and cosmic consciousness...

Space is a key feature of social life. But does the digitalisation of society affect its spatial dimensions, and if so, how?  In this podcast, Leverhulme Visiting Professor Theodore Schatzki discusses his work exploring digitality, different types of space and notions of virtual realities, such as cyber space. With Dale Southerton and Leverhulme Visiting Professor Theordore Schatzki. This podcast...

Economic forecasting is particularly challenging during global crises, with predictions often hampered by uncertainty and external factors. Hwee Kwan Chow and Keen Meng Choy from Singapore Management University examine Singapore’s GDP and inflation forecasts during the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19 pandemic, uncovering the influence of government projections and herding behaviour that affec...

The first podcast for the TRUUD (Tackling the Root Causes Upstream of Unhealthy Urban Development) research programme explores how we value health and the opportunities to shape urban environments for healthier lives.  Host Andrew Kelly interviews Daniel Black, TRUUD Research Co-Director and Professor Jim McManus, Public Health Wales, about the TRUUD programme, which examines the interplay between...

The second podcast in the series from the TRUUD research programme explores the challenges of translating urban health research into effective government policy and action.  Host Andrew Kelly is in conversation with Professor Sarah Ayres, University of Bristol, and Dr Geoff Bates, University of Bath, about their work on the TRUUD project, specifically examining how to make government take notice o...

The third podcast episode from TRUUD explores the complexity of achieving long-term, lasting change within urban development to foster healthier lives. Host Andres Kelly discusses with Dr Krista Bondy, University of Stirling, and Dr Neil Carhart, University of Bristol, how current systems struggle to address interconnected challenges, often leaving practitioners feeling powerless.  The conversatio...

The fourth podcast episode from the TRUUD programme explores public engagement in shaping healthier urban environments. Hosted by Andrew Kelly in conversation with Dr Andy Gibson, University of the West of England and Dr Miriam Khan, GP and member of the TRUUD Public Advisory Board, they explore the importance of involving communities and listening to their lived experiences in policy creation.  T...

The fifth and final TRUUD podcast explores the future of urban development and the necessary investments for creating healthier places. Host Andrew Kelly with experts Daniel Black, TRUUD Research Co-Director and Thomas Aubrey, Credit Capital Advisory, discuss the issue of short-termism in planning and the importance of long-term vision, drawing parallels with historical and European examples.  The...

Crowd management is key to evacuation safety. Yet, evacuation simulation programmes often lack experimental verification due to the inadequacy of benchmarks with real-world experiments. Ilias Panagiotopoulus, Jens Starke, and Wolfram Just from the University of Rostock, Germany, have developed a model-free approach to analyse field experiments. This innovative method provides quantitative benchmar...