Shows
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Bridging Behavioural Science, Research, and Human Experience in ActionElla Howes is a writer, podcaster, and grief communicator who has recently embarked on a PhD journey. Before her doctoral studies, she worked on translational behavioural science projects at the Human Behaviour-Change Project at University College London, focusing on understanding and sharing insights from complex behaviour change interventions. Her current research examines how complex interventions adapted during COVID-19–affected trials, with a particular focus on how changes in delivery — for example, moving interventions online — influence critical elements such as fidelity, participant engagement, and overall outcomes.Alongside her academic work, Ella continues to work as a freelance behavioural scienc...
2025-11-1848 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Students as Critical EducatorsWelcome to Half Time Scholars, on this episode our guest is Dr. Mariam Parvez Sheikh from the International Education program at the College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. Her research employs ethnographic and critical youth research methods to explore how young students in Pakistan’s higher education produce alternative forms of knowledge in social action while articulating struggles related to climate justice, feminism, and anti-capitalism. She also examines the transnational connections between these movements and global youth struggles, highlighting how students challenge gender, ethnic, and class inequities in their pursuit of social justice. Mariam holds a master’s in...
2025-08-2639 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Language Textbooks in Early Grades Aren’t Working— Let’s Reimagine ThemEpisode Summary:In this episode of Half Time Scholars, we sit down with Shruti Sheshadri, a doctoral candidate in International and Multicultural Education at the University of San Francisco, to discuss a critical yet often overlooked issue in global education: the persistent mismatch between early-grade language textbooks and the real learning needs of children in the Global South.Drawing from her research, Dismantling the Hierarchy of Skills: A Comparative Study of the Development of Language Textbooks in the Global South, Shruti explores how standardized textbook design fails to reflect contemporary pedagogy or meet...
2025-05-2827 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - We are trading our humanity for convenience.On this episode, our guest is Brittany Currenti is a final year PhD student at University of Adelaide focused on the philosophical critique of current understandings of convenience, and the conceptualisation of ‘overconvenience’—when too much convenience leads to negative outcomes for people, profit and planet. She is also one of the creators of Challenges and Changelings, the imaginal serious game for behaviour change, and the Director of Behavioural Research at Australian law firm MinterEllison. Please follow Brittany's work @ https://www.brittanycurrenti.com/
2025-02-2431 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Cultural Connections: Autism Diagnosis and Support Across BordersIn this episode, we’re joined by Meredith Bryan, a dedicated researcher, educator, and advocate whose work is transforming the way we understand and support autistic individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We also have a special guest host Carolyn Wade for this episode.
Meredith Bryan trained as a secondary school teacher and has worked in schools in Sydney’s inner and western suburbs. She is the proud mother of four sons. For the past decade she has primarily been supporting her youngest autistic son. As his needs have changed, she has had the privilege of returning to work and...
2024-12-2235 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - You'll Never Laugh Alone: The Serious Business of HumourWelcome to Half Time Scholars - On this episode we’re joined by Nicholas Hugman, a PhD researcher at the University of Queensland, whose work explores the nuances of conversational humour—the kind of humour that arises naturally in conversation, distinct from pre-prepared jokes.
While much empirical research has examined conversational humour practices and their functions, there’s been relatively little theoretical work conceptualizing this form of humour.
Nicholas is addressing this gap by theorizing one of humour’s essential features: incongruity. Traditionally studied in linguistic or cognitive terms, incongruity refers to deviations from default expectat...
2024-11-2827 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Bridging Generations: Intergenerational Dialogue and Youth Activism in Latin AmericaWelcome to Half Time Scholars. On this episode our guest is Ingrid Valladares is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Justice, Queensland University of Technology. She holds a Dual Bachelor of Economics from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and Université Pierre-Mendès-France, a Bachelor of Education from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), and a Master of International Relations from the University of Queensland.
Ingrid has primarily worked within the Ecuadorian government as an Electoral Officer and Policy Analyst. She has also served as an Office Coordinator for AIIA Victoria and is currently a boar...
2024-10-2537 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Teacher Preparation for Remote Indigenous SchoolsWelcome to Half Time Scholars. In this episode, we explore the reality of Indigenous education in northern Chile, where high rates of teacher turnover have disrupted the learning process for Indigenous students. Drawing from a qualitative study, we examine the skills and knowledge teachers need to succeed in rural, isolated Indigenous schools. Dr. Angela Baeza Peña, a lecturer at the Carumba Institute at Queensland University of Technology and a member of the Diaguita First Nation, leads the conversation. Her PhD research delved into the lived experiences of non-Indigenous teachers and the perspectives of Indigenous community members, revealing a g...
2024-09-2725 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Beyond Rankings: Reimagining Global Competitiveness in Pacific Island UniversitiesIn this episode of Half Time Scholars, our guest is Mr. Ben Levy, a scholar-practitioner with over 24 years of experience in higher education internationalisation, decolonisation, and indigeneity. Ben's career has spanned six continents, where he has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering equitable and sustainable partnerships across diverse contexts and cultures. As a Senior International Officer at a U.S. public tertiary institution, he played a pivotal role in advancing comprehensive internationalisation strategies and securing federal grants to support these initiatives.
Currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Waikato, Ben's research focuses...
2024-08-2232 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Activism in Action: A Journey to Social Justice through PedagogyWelcome to Half Time Scholars, out guest on this episode is Dr Carla Tapia Parada a post-doctoral researcher whose project explored the relationship between teacher activist and pedagogic work in pursuing social justice in Chile. This qualitative study received the Award of Excellence in a Research thesis as well as best thesis award from the Association of Iberian and Latin American Studies of Australasia (AILASA). Carla’s research interests include activism, gender, social justice, and critical pedagogies.
2024-07-2922 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Resisting Extractivism: Environmental Movements in Developing StatesIn this episode, our guest is Catherine Viens, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Development Studies in Sussex, UK, also serving as the scientific coordinator of the Canadian Research Institute on Humanitarian Crises and Aid (OCCAH), and the Risk and Safety Management training program coordinator at the same institute. Her research focuses on social movements against extractivism, fossil neoliberalism, environmental politics, and socioenvironmental conflicts, particularly in federal states such as India and South Africa. Catherine's specific focus lies in exploring questions related to access, control, and use of natural resources such as water, land, food, and energy, and...
2024-06-3035 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Unseen Barriers: Insights on European External Migration PoliciesOn this episode we feature, Agnese Pacciardi a PhD researcher at the Department of Political Science, where she focuses on borders, mobility, and security through critical lenses. Her research primarily delves into European external migration management in North and West Africa, exploring the impacts and implications of these policies. Additionally, Agnese is an active member of the feminist collective Fundación Luvo, dedicated to promoting emancipatory pedagogies and anti-racism through writing and educational initiatives.
Agnese's current research project examines how individuals in Senegal encounter and navigate imposed restrictions on their mobility. Recognizing that African m...
2024-05-2847 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - The People's Voice: Exploring New Frontiers in Democratic ParticipationOn this episode we welcome, Dr. Markus Holdo an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at Lund University, where he is deeply engaged in exploring possibilities for equality, inclusion, and solidarity. With a Ph.D. from Uppsala University in 2014, Dr. Holdo brings a wealth of experience from prestigious institutions like NYU and Harvard Kennedy School, where he served as a Visiting Democracy Fellow. His research spans a diverse range of topics, including protests, inequality, antiracism, and feminist ethics.
Passionate about democratic innovation and social movements, Dr. Holdo frequently contributes to academic debates and publications, shedding light on pressing...
2024-04-2932 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Beyond Boarding: Understanding Social Interactions in Cabin Crew Training
Maria F. Larrea is a PhD candidate at Griffith University in Australia with extensive practical experience in aviation training, hospitality, and higher education, which underpins her research endeavours. She is interested in exploring the learning process and competence development in service-sector jobs, with a particular focus on the aviation and hospitality sectors.
Maria's doctoral project offers a holistic perspective on learning beyond formal training to enhance the competence of cabin crew members. She contends that their learning process transcends structured curricula as it evolves through the friction and negotiations of knowledge, values, and id...
2024-03-2929 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Beyond the Blackboard:School Leaders in a Consumer-Driven CultureWelcome to this episode of Half Time Scholars. In this episode, we're joined by Carolyn Wade, an Educational Leader with over twenty years of experience in curriculum design and school-community partnerships. Carolyn began her career in primary education before advancing to senior leadership roles.
Recently, she embarked on a research project during a 12-month sabbatical to explore the impact of parent engagement on school leadership, culminating in her MEPSR study presented at education conferences from the Gold Coast to Toronto. Now pursuing a PhD at Griffith University, Carolyn is focused on enhancing educational practices...
2024-02-2132 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Farianas and Maoists: Stories of Female Ex-Combatants in Post-Peace Societal Transitions
Priscyll Anctil Avoine is an Associate Senior Lecturer at the Department of War Studies at the Swedish Defence University, specializing in Feminist Security Studies. Holding a Ph.D. in Political Science and Feminist Studies from the Université du Québec à Montréal (Canada), she was a Vinnova/Marie Curie/SSHRC postdoctoral fellow at Lund University’s Department of Political Science (Sweden). Actively engaged with the Fundación Lüvo collective (Colombia, Canada), she contributes to feminist and anti-racist projects, including the publication of Revista Lüvo.
Her research, spanning over a decade, concentrates on embodied and emotional processes...
2023-12-2238 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars : Platforms, policy and principals: Exploring data technologies in educational leadership.On this epsiode we speak with Sarah Langman is a Ph.D. candidate at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne Australia. Prior to academia, she worked as a primary school teacher and leader in regional Victorian government schools, and holds a MEd in Educational Leadership and Management.
Sarah’s Ph.D. project examines datafication in spaces of educational leadership, with a specific focus on the digital data techniques and technologies utilised by those in positions of leadership. Her research uses poststructuralist theory, particularly assemblage theory (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987), to cr...
2023-12-0427 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Unlocking Language Fluency: Plurilingual Pedagogies in ActionOn this episode our guest is Lana F. Zeaiter is a PhD candidate in Educational Studies at McGill University. Her research interests revolve around plurilingualism, language pedagogy, teacher education, and learners' identities. Lana's current doctoral research focuses on the integration of technology-mediated plurilingual pedagogy into language teacher training programs. Her work aims to develop sustainable teaching practices and promote plurilingualism.
With extensive teaching experience in Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada, Lana has gained valuable insights into diverse educational contexts. These experiences have shaped her understanding of the challenges and opportunities in language education. Currently, she is a lecturer...
2023-09-3029 min
FreshEdFreshEd #332 – Research Tensions in Post-Conflict Sri Lanka (Suren Ladd)Today we look at the research process in post-conflict Sri Lanka. My Guest is Suren Ladd, a PhD student at the University of Sydney.
Suren Ladd has recently published the article “Virtual Qualitative Inquiry: Tensions of Research in Post-conflict Sir Lanka, which was published in Globalisation, Societies and education.
freshedpodcast.com/ladd
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2023-09-1835 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Balancing Boundaries: Examining Free Speech in Higher EducationDr. Nora Devlin grew up in Pennsylvania, lived in NJ from 2011-2022 and in 2022 returned to Pennsylvania. In early 2023, Nora completed her Ph.D. in higher education in the Higher Education department at Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Nora worked under the advisement of Dr. Barbara A. Lee studying higher education law. Her dissertation was a study of over 150 faculty free speech cases filed between 2006 and 2020. Nora is an expert on higher education law, especially faculty free speech and faculty discrimination cases. She is also a trained mediator and is a skilled resolver of conflicts. As an expert on conflict...
2023-08-3030 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Navigating Indigenous Laws and Ecological Governance
Priscylla Joca, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Law at the University of Toronto, is deeply engaged in researching Indigenous Laws and Ecological Governance. Her academic journey includes a Doctorate in Law from the Université de Montréal and a Master's in Constitutional Law from the Federal University of Ceara, Brazil. As a lecturer at both the Université de Montréal and the École d’études autochtones, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Priscylla's expertise spans Indigenous Laws, International Indigenous Rights, Human Rights, Climate Justice, Environmental Justice, and more. Her work centers on the complexities of implementing autonomous consultation and consent...
2023-07-3043 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Rural Renaissance: Igniting Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for Local DevelopmentIn today's episode, we delve into the emerging sector of rural entrepreneurship and the creation of entrepreneurial ecosystems in low-density territories.
Our guest today is João Almeida, a researcher and entrepreneur dedicated to exploring the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and rural development. João holds a BA degree in Languages and Business Relations, an MSc. in Management, and is currently a PhD candidate in Business and Economics at the University of Aveiro. He is also a research fellow at the Research Unit in Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy (GOVCOPP).
João's research focuses on entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the...
2023-06-2823 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Forgotten Histories: Uncovering the roots of intolerance in Sri LankaIn this episode, we shine a spotlight on Dr. Shamara Wettimuny, a distinguished historian and specialist in ethno-religious conflict and discrimination, in Sri Lanka. Dr. Wettimuny's extensive research and unique perspective have shed new light on the 1915 anti-Moor pogrom, a pivotal episode in Ceylon's history.
With a background in International Relations and History from the London School of Economics, as well as a D.Phil from the University of Oxford, Dr. Wettimuny possesses a wealth of knowledge and academic expertise. As a Beit Scholar, she has honed her understanding of identity formation across majority and minority communities...
2023-05-2924 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Exploring the Rise of Non-Human and Virtual Influencers in Tourism MarketingWelcome to Half Time Scholars, the podcast series that features the interesting work of independent and emerging researchers, who share their research, interests, and experiences. In this episode, we are joined by Li Xie-Carson, a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland Business School in Australia. Li's current research focuses on non-human influencer, virtual influencer, and influencer marketing in tourism. With over eight years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, Li brings a unique perspective to her research.
During her PhD, Li has been actively engaged in research, receiving numerous awards, including the Best Graduate 3...
2023-04-2821 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Digitalisation and Circular Economy: A Path to Sustainable DevelopmentWelcome to this episode of Half Time Scholars, where we delve into the world of circular economy and digitalisation with PhD candidate Agnes Toth-Peter. Joining us from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, Agnes is a recipient of the QUT Postgraduate Research Award scholarship and is a part of the QUT ACE Centre and the QUT Centre for a Waste-Free World.
In this episode, Agnes shares her expertise on the link between digitalisation and circular economy, highlighting potential solutions for sustainable development through new business models. Specifically, she discusses the benefits and opportunities of Industry 4.0...
2023-03-3034 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Cultural Considerations in Managing PCOS: The Role of Ayurveda and YogaVibhuti Rao, a PhD candidate from Western Sydney University, is researching Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a complex disorder affecting Indian women. She's exploring the potential of Ayurvedic diet and yoga therapy to manage the condition and provide alternative, sustainable, and effective lifestyle options. Her study focuses on assessing the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a standard Ayurvedic lifestyle program for overweight/obese ethnic Indian women with PCOS. PCOS has no cure and there is a need for alternative, sustainable, and effective lifestyle options. Lifestyle modification is the first-line treatment of PCOS, however has limited research.
Ayurveda and y...
2023-02-2737 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Eyeing the Future: The Impact of Eye Tracking on Adaptive Retail PricingRyan Payne, a Ph.D. candidate from Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia. Ryan's thesis looks at how biometrically tracking customers in real-time can be used to adapt the price of goods. His research also develops new privacy concepts such as individuals' collective privacy, privacy variance, and the novel use of eye tracking technology. Ryan is excited to be a part of the BEST Centre while completing his doctoral research and his broader research focuses on how adaptive technology can disrupt current consumer behavior literature. So, join us as we dive into the world of biometrics, privacy, online profiling, and...
2023-01-2834 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars: Determining the neuro-cognitive changes in heart patients put on statins to improve cardiovascular healthRubina Mulchandani is a graduate in Life Sciences and post graduate in Clinical Research, currently a PhD scholar in Clinical Research at the Indian Institute of Public Health, Public Health Foundation of India. Her research area is interdisciplinary and combines the fields of cardiovascular epidemiology and pharmacovigilance. Rubina is actively involved in teaching post graduate students and health professionals in the ongoing academic programmes and short-term training at the institute.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for a third of all global deaths a majority of which occur due to heart attacks and stroke. About 80% of these deaths...
2022-12-3030 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - How media contributes to the silencing and stereotyping of marginalized groupsOn this episode we speak with Isabella Gonçalves, a Brazilian second-year doctoral candidate at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany, and a recipient of a DAAD Scholarship. Isabella currently researches the stereotypical framing of migrants and refugees in media coverage comparing Brazil and the United Kingdom (UK). Isabella is also the head of the Brazilian team on the Digiworld scientific network.
Isabella’s interests focus on the interactions between ingroups and outgroups, media framing of marginalized groups, political communication, and comparative approaches, including countries from the Global South and Global North. Follow Isabella’s interesting work on Twitt...
2022-11-2927 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Engineering Employee WelfareEnas Aref is a board-certified Ergonomist, researcher and instructor with experience in the areas of Ergonomics, Occupational Safety, Human Factors, Usability, Statistics Product Design, and Project Management. An Ergonomist designs or modifies the work to fit the worker, not the other way around.
2022-10-2822 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars – The Rise of Deepfakes: A new hope or a phantom menaceLucas Whittaker is a PhD Candidate at the Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology (BEST Centre) at the Queensland University of Technology. His research focuses on the application of synthetic media such as ‘deepfakes’ within marketing contexts and psychological factors which may influence consumer appraisal of such media.
Recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have given rise to the deepfake, a method of creating highly realistic yet inauthentic digital audio, images, and videos. For marketers, deepfakes present new opportunities for customer value creation and engagement, but factors such as the level of realism inherent in t...
2022-10-2829 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Engineering Employee WelfareEnas Aref is a board-certified Ergonomist, researcher and instructor with experience in the areas of Ergonomics, Occupational Safety, Human Factors, Usability, Statistics Product Design, and Project Management. An Ergonomist designs or modifies the work to fit the worker, not the other way around. The goal is to eliminate discomfort and risk of injury due to work. Ergonomics can roughly be defined as the study of people in their working environment. Enas has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Master’s in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management, and is Enas has over 10 years of experience in s...
2022-09-2722 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Creating Majoritarian National Identity through a Regional LensDr. Pradyumna Jairam’s research is placed within the broader domain of how the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party constructs its idea of Indian history through an identity-centric rubric. Using history textbooks, the party prescribed in the north-western state of Rajasthan in 2017. His research uncovers how in order to branch out its national ideology of Hindutva to suit a regional context, the party regionalises the history of the nation, in order to satisfy a state-oriented narrative.
Dr. Pradyumna Jairam completed his PhD in Politics and Education from King’s College, London in 2022. His research examines how the Bhar...
2022-08-2839 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Understanding the social and economic impact of Incubators and AcceleratorsMassimiliano Zanotto is completing a Ph.D. programme at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) on Entrepreneurship and Innovation. I am working along with Prof. Teresa O'Hara, Prof. Paolo Landoni and Prof. Paul Liston and the title of my project is "Understanding Incubators and Accelerators: analysis of their social and economic impact on innovation and entrepreneurship.
It is estimated that more than 7000 incubators exist across the globe. Both governments and the private sector are increasingly using incubators as an entrepreneurship development tool for economic and social development, both at a regional and national level.
A tool able to solve...
2022-07-2927 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars- Nation building: The role of education in states emerging from conflict.On this episode we speak with Arnela Colic who is a doctoral fellow (PhD) in International and Comparative Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She examines education’s role in nation building in multiethnic, post-conflict contexts and the influence of international organizations on national education policies and systems. Her current work is focused on countries of the former Yugoslavia in Eastern Europe. The intent of her research is to explore how political and social forces shape education and contribute to or hinder the peacebuilding and nation (re)building efforts in states emerging from conflict. Arnela’s broader research interests include educ...
2022-06-2928 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Entrepreneurial Spirit: Supporting the next generation of start-ups to solve global issuesOn this episode we speak with Giuliano Sansone who holds a PhD in Management from Politecnico di Torino. He has been visiting Ph.D. Student at the MIT Sloan School of Management under the supervision of Fiona Murray in 2018. Broadly, Guiliano's work focuses on working on Entrepreneurship in three distinct areas:
1. Organizations that support the creation and the development of startups (e.g., Incubators, Accelerators, Startup Studios, Science Parks, etc)
2. Social entrepreneurship (e.g., for-profit organizations with strong positive social/environmental aims)
3. Entrepreneurship education and student entrepreneurship.
Currently, Guiliano is a post-doc researcher at Pra...
2022-05-3134 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Open innovation and Dynamic capabilities: Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to better prepare, navigate and recover from economic crises.Melissa Vasi is a doctoral candidate in Business Administration at Uninettuno University under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Vincent English.
Her research focuses on the influence of open innovation and dynamic capabilities on the resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involves the implementation of a practical framework that supports firms in preparing for, during and recovering from an economic crisis caused by exogenous factors like pandemics, climate emergency, trade wars.
Melissa received her B.Sc. in Computer Science in 2015 from University of Milano-Bicocca with a thesis on IT architectures that e...
2022-04-3023 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars: Attacks on education as a potential driver of migration during times of conflictOn this episode we feature the work of Myuri Komaragiri (she/her) who is a first-generation Canadian, who is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). From field experience in Guatemala, Morocco, and Jordan, as well as her MA dissertation on higher education pathways for refugees, Myuri is interested in the intersections between forced migration, higher education, conflict and peace. Though previously focusing on access to quality higher education for forcibly displaced populations, she is now increasingly interested in how targeted attacks on education during times of conflict act as dr...
2022-03-3034 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Using genetics to improve the treatment of common human diseasesChronic respiratory disorders like asthma affect around 600 million people worldwide. although these illnesses are widespread, they can have several different underlying causes, making them difficult to treat. On this episode we chat with William Reay a researcher from the University of Newcastle, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, whose work focuses on integrating statistical genetics with systems biology to further our knowledge of the biological processes involved in complex disorders and how this could be leveraged for treatment in the future.
William is particularly passionate about the application of this approach to psychiatry, as novel interventions remain urgently required to...
2022-02-0232 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Optimal Deployment: The Race for Artificial Intelligence SupremacyOn this episode we explore how recently, governments have shown significant interest in disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). For example, recently launched national strategic AI plans. However, AI adoption in the public sector is an emerging trend, hence, there is enormous ambiguity about the optimal deployment.
Our guest is Samar Fatima is a Ph.D. scholar in the Queensland University of Technology Business School. Her research interest focuses on exploring the role of artificial intelligence in the public sector. Through her research, she aspires to explain the role of technology in societal development initiatives. The...
2021-12-2039 min
Half Time ScholarsHalf Time Scholars - Rethinking Violence: Religious Freedoms for Minorities in IndiaOn this episode we speak with Sudhir Selvaraj of King’s College London about his research study looking at religious freedoms for minorities in India. Article 25 of the Indian Constitution provides for the 'Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion'. However, in the recent past there has been an increase of violence against religious minorities.
Sudhir’s study adopts Norwegian political scientist Johan Galtung's framework which advocates for a broad conception of violence which includes direct, structural and cultural factors. Galtung also suggests a causal flow of violence from its cultural forms to its...
2021-11-2723 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Through a Dark Glass, clearly: Ethical Consequences of Emerging TechnologiesOn this episode we explore how emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence offer great opportunities, but also pose existential threats to humanity and the natural world.
Our guest is Rebecca Johnson a PhD researcher from the University of Sydney, Faculty of Sciences. Rebecca’s work specifically looks at the ethics of artificial neural networks; the deep learning side of AI with a view to contribute to experts making better choices when deploying these new technologies into our world.
Tools such as AI have no capacity for a sense of morality and values, yet we increasingly pe...
2021-10-2829 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Get up, Stand Up: Performativity and Resistance in Zimbabwean Stand-up ComedyIn this episode we speak with Dr Amanda Källstig who did her PhD in Politics at the University of Manchester, whose research explored what stand-up comedy in Zimbabwe can tell us about resistance and subjectivity. Amanda's research interests include comedy, postcolonial international relations theory, resistance, and subjectivity particularly in the context of the African continent.
Amanda’s research deals with what stand-up comedy in Zimbabwe can tell us about resistance and subjectivity. Through a fieldwork-based approach she looks at how stand-up comedy intervenes politically exploring how the genre interrupts the way both state and society constructs 'Zi...
2021-09-2939 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Exploring the role of flexible education in supporting notions of self-fulfillment for women in Chennai, IndiaIn this episode, we explore how women pursuing flexible education frame their narratives of self-fulfillment in Chennai, India. My guest is researcher Meenakshi Krishnaraj from the University of Sydney, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Meenakshi’s study explores the relationship between women’s pursuit of flexible education frames their narratives of self-fulfillment and analyzes the perceived efficacy of flexible education in supporting the roles, aspirations, and capacities of women. The education of women in India has focussed on collective identities, resulting in the marginalization of individual identities, beliefs, and notions of fulfillment.
The study acknowledges the diversity of lived expe...
2021-08-2939 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - The critical role of sources of efficacy information in a mandatory teacher professional development program: Implementation in a less privileged region of Indonesia.In this episode, we discuss the concerns of government-mandated teacher professional development programs of Indonesia on teacher self-efficacy beliefs. Where evidence indicates the minimum impact on teacher practices. These concerns are more apparent in mandatory professional development programs implemented in less privileged regions. My Guest is Dr. Ria Asih, from the School of Education @ UNSW Australia. Ria’s study explores the relationship between teacher perceptions of mandatory professional development and teacher self-efficacy beliefs.
Ria graduated from the School of Education of UNSW with the focus of study in teacher mandatory professional development programs in Indonesia's less privileged regions. Her research ex...
2021-07-3028 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - The Environmental Sublime, Nature as the Other.The sublime is an ancient concept, one that constantly poses questions about humanity's relationship to nature. Nanda's thesis charts the development of the sublime from Kant's eighteenth-century theory in the Critique of the Power of Judgment to its presence within the field of contemporary environmental aesthetics in the form of the “environmental sublime.” Developments in the natural sciences have led to changes in the ways that people perceive and respond to the natural world. Biology tells us that human beings are but one species among others on earth.
Technological leaps in the field of geology have confirmed the relatively short span...
2021-06-2645 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Science for development, STEM education and rural young people’s aspirations: A comparative case study in MalaysiaDevelopment’ discourse in the mainstream, is often defined in terms of economic growth that privileges modernity, urbanization, and scientific expertise. Across the Global South, this model has been internalized and reflected in a national focus on science—and recently STEM—education.
Our guest today is Aizuddin Anuar a researcher from the University of Oxford Department of Education specializing in Comparative and International Studies.
In this episode, we explore and focus on rural young people’s aspirations related to development, as they engage with (STEM) education as the state’s instrument for national development in Malaysia. Please fol...
2021-05-2248 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars – Enrollment Change: Higher Education Policy and TransformationIn this episode, we examine how the Australian and Taiwan governments produced higher education enrolment policies between 2005 to 2009.
These policies transformed both country's higher education systems in an endeavor to meet the national priorities. My guest is Leo Ren-Hao Xu a researcher from the University of Sydney, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
Their enrolment policies include the 2008 Bradley review and the Labor government’s response, 2009 Transforming Australia’s Higher Education System (colloquially called the demand-driven system), in Australia; and the 2009 Conditional Standards of Developmental Enrolment and Resources for Tertiary Education and the amended University Act...
2021-04-2835 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Sport Psychology, Mental Health Skills Training and Empowering Disadvantaged YouthGrace Tidmarsh is a Researcher at the University of Birmingham, UK. The PhD is a collaborative project with St Basils’ housing support service for youth (16-25 years) experiencing homelessness.
Grace’s PhD research is part of a wider project in which a mental skills training programme (MST4Life) is delivered to service users. Outcomes from the programme include improved mental health, improved life skills and re-engagement in education, employment or training.
The research itself focusses on process evaluations to develop a deeper understanding of mechanisms that work or do not work with regards to 1. Delivering posi...
2021-03-0750 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Cognitive and Motor learning for the ElderlyIndividualised Cognitive and Motor learning for the Elderly (ICOME)
Motor sequence learning in the elderly is crucial to improve their motor function after serious health conditions such as strokes. Existing motor learning programmes neglect individual cognitive and motor differences, resulting in significantly varied improvements in motor function.
An EU-funded project aims to offer a management solution to the ageing demographic in the EU. It hopes to create an efficient method to provide a personalised approach to motor sequence learning in the elderly.
With goals to contribute to improving health management policies and future applications of advanced brain-computer interfaces.
On this...
2021-02-0141 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Respons-abilidad o la capacidad de responder. Response-able Spanish languaging practices: A social media discourse analysis in AustraliaOver the past 30 years, shifts in language-in-education policies have resulted in the marginalisation and exclusion of world languages in the Australian education system. This has resulted in an English-for-all literacy mindset. These policy shifts have reduced access to world languages education in Australia. On this episode, we speak with Danielle Heinrichs from the Faculty of Education at the University of Queensland. Who draws on disciplines such as sociolinguistics, and critical theories to explore the notion of response-able language practices with relation to Spanish as a world language in the Australian education system?.. Please follow Danielle's work at @danielle_uq...
2021-01-0247 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars-Conflict, Popular Photography, and its socio-political articulation in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka's experience of war and the tensions in its aftermath were actively narrated by way of photography. Since the 1980s, the island's visual identity has been framed as a paradise-under-siege. What does popular photography reveal about experiences of conflict and post-war political articulation? On this episode, we speak with Dr. Vindhya Buthpitiya, from the University College London, whose research explores popular photographic practices among members of the Northern Tamil community, by examining the relationship between photography, conflict, and the expression of political sentiments in the post-war context. Please follow Dr Buthpitiya at @vindib_ to learn more about her inte...
2020-12-0458 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - 'Dar la Cara’: How the Colombian government communicated the peace process. Colombia has a long complex history of conflict. The government of President Juan Manuel Santos signed a peace agreement in 2016 with the guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army, which sought to end fifty years of war. The Santos government spent great efforts negotiating with the guerrilla group but failed to communicate the value of lasting peace to the Colombian people. On this episode, we talk with author, filmmaker and researcher Dr Gwen Burnyeat from the University College London on her ethnographic study of the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace, the government department responsible for peace neg...
2020-11-041h 01Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Applicability of Robotic and Autonomous Systems.Accross many domains, the limits to current human-centric boundaries like speed, knowledge and flexibility are being pushed forward by the use of Robotic and Autonomous Systems.
However, with the use of these Systems brings many opportunities and significant challenges, both in terms of ethical and practical issues within the military and non-military settings.
On this episode we discuss the public perceptions, challenges and vulnerabilities to the application of Robotic and Autonomous Systems with Bianca Torossian, a Strategic Analyst with the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies.
Bianca Torossian is a Strategic Analyst at HCSS. Her studies at The University of Sydney...
2020-10-0444 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Challenging a sacrosanct tradition?Challenging a sacrosanct tradition? Depathologisation and policy representations of 'care' for people seeking access to gender-affirming medical technologies.
This episode discusses the utility of a critical approach to policy analysis as methodology for enquiry into the social production of mental health and illness. Situated within the complexities of work to depathologise trans, gender diverse, and non-binary people, this presentation offers a critical analysis of policies that guide healthcare practices for people seeking access to medical gender affirmations. It investigates representations of “care”, offering an overview of a comparative analysis of a policy whose proposed care-practices pivot around DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for “Ge...
2020-10-0435 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Applicability of Robotic and Autonomous Systems.Across many domains, the limits to current human-centric boundaries like speed, knowledge and flexibility are being pushed forward by the use of Robotic and Autonomous Systems.
However, with the use of these Systems brings many opportunities and significant challenges, both in terms of ethical and practical issues within the military and non-military settings.
On this episode we discuss the public perceptions, challenges and vulnerabilities to the application of Robotic and Autonomous Systems with Bianca Torossian, a Strategic Analyst with the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies.
Bianca Torossian is a Strategic Analyst at HCSS. Her studies at The University of Sydney...
2020-10-0400 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Hybrid Conflict: Neither war nor peace.There are emerging security trends and risks worldwide. The international security environment is gradually characterized by hybrid conflict strategies that fall under military, political, economic, information, and cyber domains. Hybrid threats are complex, ambiguous and multidimensional in nature, and have gradual impacts, making them difficult for states to effectively respond and pose a significant challenge to long term security. On this episode, we discuss why hybrid conflict constitutes an increasingly desirable strategy to achieve political goals with Bianca Torossian, a strategic analyst with the Hauge Centre for Strategic Studies.
Her studies at The University of Sydney, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and L...
2020-07-2544 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars- Indonesian Diaspora across the Celebes Sea: Citizenship, Negotiation and IdentityOn this episode of Halftime Scholars, we speak with Amorisa Wiratri from the University of Western Australia
Whose research focuses on the dynamics of the Indonesian diaspora.
Who have been living for generations in the southern Philippines?
These communities have been officially recognised as (new) Indonesian citizens since December 2017.
This is the first time that the Indonesian government granted citizenship to a subpopulation in its diaspora.
Join us to listen to her insights as she embarks on her fieldwork.
2020-06-2022 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars- Community-based medical education in a post-disaster areas.Natural disasters may have perplexing effects on the lives of those who live through them, in physical, mental and emotional ways.
For years researchers have explored the long-term health impact of disasters, which can include anxiety, depression.
How do medical practitioners deal with potential problems related to patients in these specific conditions?
Greater awareness of these potential problems and solutions are vital for medical practitioners to work with patients from disaster-affected areas.
On this episode, we discuss these issues and solutions with Dr Rosaria Indah from The University of Sydney, join us today to listen to her insights from her...
2020-06-1533 minHalf Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - on this episode we talk with Dr. Jeremy Cunningham.What are the root causes of modern conflicts? How does ideology, policy and history contribute to them?. And what role does education play in fostering peace? We discuss these roots and some possible solutions to modern conflicts with Dr Jeremy Cunningham. Education consultant and independent researcher.An alumni of the University College London. Author of the book Conflict Transformation Through School. Dr Cunningham is an experienced school headteacher and has a background in history, peace, human rights, democracy and citizenship education. Join us on this episode to hear his insights from his research journey
2020-05-2127 min
Half Time ScholarsHalftime Scholars - Identifying global trends in screen-based behaviours of Children and Adolescents : An interview with scholar George Thomas.Identifying global trends in screen-based behaviours of Children and Adolescents : An interview with scholar George Thomas.
Halftime Scholars is a podcast series which features the work of independent and emerging scholars to share their research and practice. Created by Suren Ladd, a PhD candidate in Education at the University of Sydney. In collaboration with series editor Miljiana Miljevic.
The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast series does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.
2019-12-0232 min