The Curiosity Conversation

Join Matt and Eilidh as they speak with Dr Peter Mackay, School of English, to discuss the cultural importance of a tiny island off the west coast of Scotland. What can history tell us about the ways communities develop in relation to place? Find out more in this exciting episode.

Today, Matt and Eilidh ask Dr Manon Schweinfurth from the School of Psychology and Neuroscience some of your questions from the What Makes Us Human? exhibition. How much of our DNA is shared with potatoes? And are cats smarter than dogs? All answered in this exciting episode.

In this Episode, Eilidh and Matt speak to Dr Cat Hobaiter, Reader in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience, about whether communication in chimps might mean that humans aren’t as unique as we might like to think Check out the Great Ape Dictionary: https://greatapedictionary.ac.uk/ Learn more about the exhibition: https://what-makes-us-human.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/

In this episode of the Curiosity Conversation, Eilidh and Matt speak to Dr Ellen Garland, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Biology. 'You tell me that it's evolution, well you know we all want to change the world' - so said the Beatles. But do whales have cultural revolutions? And if so, does this mean that humans aren't as unique as we might like to think?

In this episode of The Curiosity Conversation, Eilidh and Matt speak to Dr Alice König, Senior Lecturer in the School of Classics. Find out about the stories museums can tell about war and peace through different artistic mediums, and follow Anna and Diana's story through to the creation of the exhibition 'Somewhere to Stay'. Explore 'Visualising Forced Migration' here: https:/...

Today, Matt and Eilidh speak to Dr Manon Schweinfurth, who is working with the Museums on their upcoming exhibition, What Makes Us Human? which opens on 28 May 2023. The exhibition examines whether humans are really as unique as we like to think - and if we're not, what impact does this have on our relationship with the rest of the animal kingdom? This episode gets to the heart of this questio...

In this episode, Dr Euridice Honorio will speak with Eilidh and Matt about making sustainable choices and having an impact, especially around peatland areas. Find out about the relationship Peruvian communities have with their environment, the government, and other external organisations, as well as the work researchers do to support sustainable practices. Visit the Tropical Wetland Consortium Web...

In this episode of The Curiosity Conversation, Eilidh and Matt speak to Dr Christopher Schulz, Lecturer in the School of Geography and Sustainable Development.  Find out about myths and legends of Peruvian peatlands and their importance to the culture of the Urarina indigenous people.  You can find out more at - For Peatlands' Sake – Vital for the planet, intertwined with communities, explore...

In this episode of The Curiosity Conversation, Eilidh and Matt speak to Sophie Gerrard, a Scottish documentary photographer whose work focuses on environmental and social themes. Sophie is a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University, as well as a member of the board of trustees for Impressions Gallery in Bradford, and a co-founder member of Document Scotland.  Some of sophies work is currently...

In this episode of The Curiosity Conversation, Eilidh and Matt speak to Dr Katy Roucoux, Senior Lecturer in the School of Geography and Sustainable Development. Dr Roucoux specialises in long-term ecology and palaeoclimatology, and is working with the Museums of the University of St Andrews on the exhibition 'For Peatlands' Sake'. Find out why peatlands are one of our most valuable resources, as t...

In this episode Matt and Eilidh talk to Anita Corbin, a photographer whose works include Visible Girls and First Women UK.  First Women UK is on display at the Wardlaw Museum and Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews University until 8th Jan 2023.  First Women comprises a unique collection of 100 portraits capturing women in the UK who were “first” in their field of achievement. This was comp...

In this episode Eilidh talks to Matt Ylitalo, a PHD student in the School of Modern History at the University of St Andrews. Matt's PHD research is called 'Huntin Whales and Making Knowledge'. He is also interested in Dundee’s nineteenth-century trade in Arctic animals particularly the history of the Dundee Whaling trade. Today's podcast looks in particular at the role of peoples who have long bee...

In this episode Matt and Eilidh talk to Dr Anindya Raychaudhuri, in the School of English at the University of St Andrews.  Anindya's primary research interest is in the cultural representation and collective memory of war and conflict. He is also interested in postcolonial and diasporic identities and cultures. Anindya contributed to the Museums of the University of St Andrews exhibition cal...

In this episode Matt and Eilidh talk to Dr Emma Bond, Reader in Italian and Comparative Literature in the School of Modern Languages at the University of St Andrews. Emma works on the circulation of people, texts, objects and cultural artefacts across nations, touching on issues of colonialism, empire, slavery and migration. She is working with the Museums of the University of St Andrews on a proj...

In this episode Eilidh and Matt talk to Magda Keaney, Senior Curator of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery in London. They discuss the recent photographs taken of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, to celebrate her 40th birthday. The conversation touches on the work of the photographer, Paolo Roversi, the history of photography and what we can learn about attitudes to royalty and society b...

Today Eilidh and Matt talk to Dr Paula Miles, a specialist in educational psychology in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews. She's been working with the Museums of the University of St Andrews on a Cultural Prescription programme, aimed at improving wellbeing in the local community.  The conversation explores the impact of culture on mental health and how...

In this episode, Matt and Eilidh talk to Professor Susannah Thompson, an art historian, writer, and curator. Thompson is the Head of Doctoral Studies and Professor of Contemporary Art and Criticism at Glasgow School of Art. Thompson has previously worked on an exhibition entitled ‘Speak English’ by Lubaina Himid and Maud Sulter, as an exhibitions assistant at the same institution in 2002. They ref...

In this episode Eilidh and Matt talk to Pip Mitchell and Willow Loy, students of the MLitt in Museum and Gallery Studies students. Willow and Pip are co-curators of the intervention 'Following Her Footsteps: Discovering Women in Natural Science' at the Bell Pettigrew Museum of Natural History, running from 4th - 15th April 2022. Find out more - following-her-footsteps.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk They disc...

In this episode Eilidh and Matt talk to Professor Michael Brown and Dr Bess Rhodes. Michael and Bess are the curators of the exhibition 'Cult, Church, City: Medieval St Andrews' at the Wardlaw Museum, running from 20th February - 3rd July 2022. Find out more - https://medieval-standrews.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/ They discuss the differences between the St Andrews of the medieval period and today, the i...

The Curiosity Conversation speaks with a different expert every month to explore the world through the unexpected, ground-breaking or contested aspects of the stories museums tell.  This month, Eilidh and Matt talk to renowned artist Alberta Whittle, who will represent Scotland at the 2022 Venice Biennale. Alberta’s work explores the legacy of colonialsm, and they will discuss...

This month, Eilidh and Matt talk to Dr Laura Roe, a postdoctoral researcher in Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. Laura studies drug use in Scotland and the relationship between usage and social and cultural change.  They discuss the relationship between de-industrialisation and drug use, the importance of community, and what the future looks like in Scotland. Laura recommen...

This month, Eilidh and Matt talk to Dr Adam Corner, a behaviour change expert working on the Dive In project at the Museums of the University of St Andrews. They discuss the importance of sustainable behaviour, the impact of the ocean on our lives and how museums can impact human behaviour for the better. Visit the Dive In! website and discover more about the exhibition at https://divein.wp.st-and...

In this episode Eilidh talks to Dr Luke Gartlan from the School of Art History at the University of St Andrews. Luke's research and teaching concerns modern visual practices in the global nineteenth century, particularly with regard to histories and theories of photography.  Luke is currently pursuing a new research project, which concerns early photography in St Andrews within the conte...

In this episode Matt and Eilidh talk to Dr Richard Bates from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of St Andrews. Richard specialises in geophysical survey techniques, coastal communities, archaeology and climate change. He is involved in protecting the cultural heritage of Kilwa Kisiwani, off the coast of Tanzania.  Richard is advising the Museums of the Universit...

Leonie Leeder and Nicola Law guest present this discussion with Dr Susan Manly, Reader in English at the University of St Andrews. Susan's research focuses on two 18th century female writers, Maria Edgeworth and Mary Wollstonecraft, early feminists who explored ideas of identity, sexuality and the female body. Leonie, Nicola and Susan discuss how these writers fought back against the oppression wo...