TuneFM

Join Cass as she sits down with Carol Mudford from Shedway, the recipient of AgriFuture's 2025 Rural Woman of the Year Award.  Carol is the founder of Shedway, an organisation that promotes mental health support in shearing sheds across Australia, and her work in this space has been recognised by AgriFuture.  Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener f...

New research from the University of New South Wales has called for a $14 billion USD investment in order to protect kelp forests. These marine ecosystems are important carbon sinks, helping to promote ocean health, and they also play a role in many marine-based industries. BUT they're in danger of vanishing due to warming oceans. We caught up with Dr Aaron Eger, the founder and program director of...

For the second year in a row, the ABC is holding it's Australian Insect of the Year competition, with six bugs competing for the crown of Australia's favourite. We catch up with UNE's very own Dr Anna Probert to discuss insects, bugs, and why people should care about them. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Hao Chen and Iser Pena from the Stevens Institute of Technology ran a simulation assessing how different groups performed, depending on the different types of personality traits represented in those groups. We caught up with Dr Chen to discuss this research, and its implications. For anyone interested in the study, it's available to read through the open access journal, PLOS: https://doi.org/10...

The Australian Conservation Foundation is challenging a decision by Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Murray Watt, to approve an extension of the North West Shelf Project until 2070. We spoke with ACF General Counsel, Adam Beeson, about the proceedings. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now in it's 4th year, the Platy Project is recording sightings of platypus across east Australia to help collect population data. We catch up with National Nature Campaigner Jess Abrahams from the Australian Conservation Foundation to talk about the Platy Project and how people can get involved. The Platy Project Interactive Map can be found here: https://platy-project.acf.org.au/   Support t...

New research from Curtin University and published in Physical Review Research, has found that the chemistry of zircons found in Earth’s crust contained a geological archive of Earth’s interaction with the Milky Way. To learn more about these findings and how this new line of research connects geology and astrophysics, we caught up with lead study author Professor Chris Kirkland. For an...

Thanks to Murawin, the Young Tiddas on Country program will see First Nations girls in Armidale, Uralla, and Guyra, supported culturally through years 4 to 9, starting in 2026.  We sat down with Cassie Strong, a consultant for Murawin and Armidale local, to talk about the project and what opportunities it will give these girls.  Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnys...

What's the difference between being literate and having literacy? That's just one of many questions we explore with UNE Senior Lecturer in English, Literacies and  Language in the School of Education, Dr Nathan Lowien. September 8th is World Literacy day, so to celebrate we're discussing the different ways we approach literacy. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio....

What is Climate Change Criminology, and how does it impact the way we engage with crime and harm? We caught up with Professor Rob White to discuss these topics and more. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cartograph is a solo journaling-based RPG that sees you take on the role of a cartographer uncovering new lands. Created by Brandon Lee from Ravensridge Emporium, it's a fantastic lightweight solo rpg that can be used to create worlds and maps for games or fun. We caught up with Brandon to talk about the birth of Cartograph, his experience with game design, and what the future might hold for the g...

In a landmark decision, the Australian Medical Association unanimously voted at their National Conference in August to recognise intersex traits as natural variations in sex characteristics. We caught up with Dr Aileen Kennedy from UTS, who is also a Director at InterAction for Health and Human Rights (formerly Intersex Human Rights Australia) about the change and what it means for the intersex co...

The 4 day work week is a hot topic at the moment, with the Australian Council for Trade Unions pushing to see it introduced across a variety of sectors. We caught up with New England local, Michael Bramford, whose business model recently introduced a 4 day work week, and how it's impacted both workers and clients alike. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener...

Associate Professor Rebecca Carey from the University of Tasmania and a crew of over 40 people have embarked on a 54 day long scientific voyage to learn more about the driving forces behind the 2022 eruption of the Hunga Volcano. Ash catches up with her from the CSIRO research vessel, RV Investigator to learn more. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

In today's episode, Ash catches up with Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolle, Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management at the University of South Australia. Dr Higgins-Desbiolle explains the need for responsible tourism, and what it looks like in practice alongside the complexities of the tourism industry; how it can help or harm communities. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com...

For National Science Week, Ash sits down with Senior Lecturer in Philosophy of Science, Dr Sandy Boucher, to talk about how philosophical thinking underpins scientific thought, and the schism between the two. They talk everything from science's origins in early Greek philosophy, to the differentiation that we see between the two in the modern era, and whether or not philosophy can make you a bette...

To celebrate National Science Week, Ash sits down with UNE physics lecturer, Dr Stephen Bosi, to talk about the this year's theme of 'decoding the universe.' With lighthearted humour, Stephen addresses some of the latest news in cosmology and astronomy, and talks about his own area of expertise in medical physics and nuclear medicine.  Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omn...

PhD student and TuneFM volunteer, Goodness Adebo, sits down with Dr Mahen Sabampillai to discuss the new varieties of pigeon pea that may soon be growing in Australian soil. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on TuneFM, Ash is joined by Incognito Art Show co-founder, Dave Liston. Bringing together artists across the country - from beginner to award-winner - the Incognito Art Show is a yearly initiative that aims to make art accessible. By selling original, anonymous artworks, the non-profit raises money to support organisations like Studio A that support artists living and working with disability...

The act of lying seems to be an inherently human trait at times, but when we dig a bit deeper beneath the surface we see that nature practices deception all the time. As part of the 2025 Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour conference and ahead of the release of his latest book, we caught up with James to chat about his work, and the incredible ways that animals deceive us and ot...

Last week Taylor Swift made an announcement that many fans have long been waiting for: she now owns the master recordings of all six of her early albums.  To learn why this is a big deal, we sat down with copyright and IP expert and Taylor Swift fan, Dr Wellett Potter from the University of New England. Dr Potter has also written a Conversation article on the topic, which you can read here: h...

Fossils play an important part in how we interact with and understand our environment - including those environments long past.  There's a wealth of fossils in Lightning Ridge, which can teach us much about the mid-Cretaceous, and that's exactly what today's guest, Sherri Donaldson, is working on. We caught up with Sherri for World Environment Day to talk about how these ancient creatures can...

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that this episode discusses heavy topics surrounding the Myall Creek Massacre of 1838, and may contain the names of people who have died. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Myall Creek Memorial in it's current form. Over 180 years ago, settlers murdered at least 28 Aboriginal people who had taken refuge from colonial violence at...

This episode contains discussions of domestic and family violence that may be triggering to some listeners. If you or a loved one are struggling, know there there is help available: 1800 RESPECT 13 YARN LifeLine 13 11 14 For Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, Ash sits down with Lili Greer - the founder of the Tina Greer Project which honours her late mother.  Support the show: htt...

Ash sits down with Dr Marianne Moen to discuss the importance of taking an intersectional approach to archaeology. Drawing on Dr Moen's research areas of gender archaeology and mortuary practices, the two have an in-depth discussion of the role that gender plays in our understanding of the past, and the narratives we tell ourselves. Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/tunefm See omnystudio....