We Are STS

Students come into university with strong visions of activism and improvement. They know the planet needs their help. But how? What can STS (in the form of degrees like “Sociology and Politics of Science BSc” and “History and Philosophy of Science BSc”) add that isn't already available and easy to reach?In this episode, we talk with two STS first-year students about their experiences in the degree thus far. How has it helped to sharpen their ideas of where to where to act and why. We asked them to discuss one of the first-year projects that made them approach activism better. Both chose work from our “Big Problems in Science and Technology Studies” module, which is designed for just this purpose. Our focus this year was on Oceans.Fatima philosophises an experimental geoengineering project by Russ George, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who, in 2012, sold carbon credits for dumping 100 tonnes of iron sulfate into international waters to trigger an algal bloom. She questions whether this ‘experiment' was scientific or just pseudoscience, as well as the ethics of George's near-unilateral venture in the no-man's-land of the open ocean.JJ considers the idea of “building with blue biomass,” an idea promoted by an international network of architects, engineers, and academics (some at UCL!) who are imagining new ways to use marine micro-organisms for sustainable Net-Zero construction. The building sector produces approximately 40 percent of carbon emissions today. But how to connect the vision to action? JJ considers the challenges keeping this kind of initiative from connecting with the public, the tyranny of the techno-market, and the role of sociotechnical imaginaries in driving change. For the papers discussed, search "profjoecain WeAreSTS 205" FeaturingEpisode producerCapri Huffman, MSc Science, Technology and SocietyIntervieweesFatima Ismail, BSc Sociology and Politics of Science coursehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/fatima-ismail-164b88292 and Instagram (@fatima.activist).JJ Laws is a first-year student in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS).HostProfessor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biologyhttps://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Sweeter Vermouth” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth Podcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Standard rule over us. We're affected every day by decisions someone has made about standards. They determine the shape of our electrical plugs, the quality of our water, the signals used by our phones, and so much more. Standards don't just happen. They're decided. Sometimes one company does that. Sometimes it's done by international deliberation, argument, and eventual compromise.Talking about standards is classic work in STS. Standards create the scaffolding on which science and technology builds. They constrain and they enable. It matters who gets to decide these things. Standards setting can affect our lives for generations, and they can cost us (or profit us) to the tune of many trillions of pounds.Luckily, here in STS we have an expert on standards. Dr Saheli Datta Burton is Lecturer in Science Policy. She's recently co-authored some research trying to build a risk assessment for the way standards are being set these days across a huge range to subjects. She's looking for patterns, trends, and general themes. The conclusions she reaches are, I'd say, profoundly worrying from the British perspective. Simply put: we do not have our act together in this area, and this is going to come back to bite.Saheli's article is co-authored work:Nicholas Zúñiga, Saheli Datta Burton, Filippo Blancato, Madeline Carr, The geopolitics of technology standards: historical context for US, EU and Chinese approaches, International Affairs, Volume 100, Issue 4, July 2024, Pages 1635–1652, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae124To summarise the piece, it explores how the US, China, and the EU are shaping global technology standards with different approaches. The US traditionally favoured a hands-off strategy, leaving standard setting largely to the private sector. China, historically top-down, is now blending private and government involvement to set tech standards globally. The EU seeks a balance between competition and cooperation to protect wider socio-cultural values. All three regions are increasing government involvement in standard-setting due to technology's growing geopolitical importance. The article emphasizes how control over standards can lead to economic benefits and power. The EU's newest strategy focuses on gaining a competitive edge while ensuring cooperation and preserving values like interoperability.FeaturingIntervieweeDr Saheli Datta Burton is a Lecturer (teaching) in Science Policy (Responsible Research and Innovation) at UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/77672-saheli-datta-burtonHostProfessor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic creditsMusic credits“Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5“Spy Glass” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4410-spy-glassPodcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Children as young as eight are targeted by influencers and advertisers towards anti-aging products, from skin creams and anti-wrinkle devices to “baby botox”. Maddy Ross (Human Sciences '25) investigates how influencers and social media algorithms drive anti-aging anxiety to ever increasing levels while industry advertising markets solutions to ever younger people, especially girls. She identifies increasing concerns over risks that are physical, psychological, and social. Are young people being exploited without even knowing it? Influencers play a key role in these processes, especially impacting children's consumption behaviours. Algorithms on social media platforms seek engagement by moving to increasingly extreme representations – anything to keep us connected and scrolling. Should we be worried about “baby botox” and its promotion? Yes, Ross argues. Its increase in popularity is only symptom of powerful industries who are constantly looking to sell you something. It seems such products have no serious resistance, regulation, or consumer protection and growing evidence suggests hidden costs and runaway risks. This is a report from the STSNewsRoom 2024. Featuring Interviewer and researcher Maddy Ross (Human Sciences BSc) https://uk.linkedin.com/in/madeline-ross-4188b2287 Interviewees Dr Caitlin Shaughnessy (Researcher at UCL Department of Information Studies) Professor Afshin Mosahebi (Professor at UCL Department of Surgical Biotechnology and Consultant Plastic Surgeon) Host Professor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Ian Urbina's 2019 book, Outlaw Ocean, brilliantly investigates hidden worlds of human activity on the high seas. From modern day pirates and traffickers to gargantuan fishing fleets to “freedom-loving” recluses and entrepreneurs, his stories build on the idea of oceans as lawless spaces well beyond the awareness of most people. He documents extremes of human behaviour. He also describes the extraordinary scale of extraction and exploitation that takes place off shore. In this world, who's “free” and what are the consequences of “lawless” spaces? Outlaw Ocean is this year's selection for the STS1Book programme. In this episode, Dr Michel Wahome talks about why she recommended the book for our community. She points to some of the many ways it can be used to explore key concepts in STS, such as actor-network theory and social-technical imaginaries. She also considers the relationship between lawlessness and entrepreneurship as a key theme in innovation studies and science policy. For more about the STS1Book programme: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme   Featuring Interviewee Dr Michel Wahome, UCL Lecturer in Science and Technology Studies https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/86440 Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Ecossaise in E-flat by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86-   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast  

What is dark matter? Mary Westover investigates, featuring insights from Dr. Joe McLaughlin and Dr. Marcello Messina. She visits the Gran Sasso Laboratory in Italy to understand how a research lab sunk deep into a mountain and holding a giant tank of liquid Xenon holds the promise of evidence for this most elusive substance. From the lab's mountain setting to the complex physics involved, this episode provides a deep dive into one of physics' most perplexing questions. This episode is a practical project submitted by Mary Westover as part of her UCL degree, MSc Science Communication. She wrote, researched, produced, and starred in the production. For more about UCL's Science Communication MSc, visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/science-communication-msc   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Mary Westover https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mary-westover   Interviewees Joseph McLaughlin https://www.hep.ucl.ac.uk/people/mugshot.shtml?id=joemcl   Marcello Messina https://www.gssi.it/people/professors/lectures-physics/item/12461-messina-marcello   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Mary used copyright-free music from Pixabay.   WeAreSTS Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast  

Well, the wait is over. The time has come. Season 2 of WeAreSTS is on its way. This season we'll feature some cracking projects from STS students. And we'll have conversations with all sorts of folks here in the department. I'm gonna sneak in a few bonuses too, just to add that tiny bit of sparkle. WeAreSTS is your window into science and technology studies. You know that science and technology don't live inside isolated bubbles. You know they're shaped by all sorts of forces and constraints. STS explores that interplay between science and context. For some, it's money and politics. For others, it's geography and imagination. For others still maybe it's social and cultural biases; the role of age, class and gender; or the way ideas give us certain world views that can be hard to shake. It's a complex subject “science in context”. That gives us huge amounts to explore. WeAreSTS is designed to help you join us in what we do. Maybe that's science policy, innovation studies, or communication. Maybe it's the hunt for social justice. Maybe you're fascinated with history, or philosophy, or sociology and you're looking for big themes to give it all some focus. For me, what works is “Darwin and Dinosaurs” but my-oh-my the big themes are changing fast, and let me tell you, some of those new ideas are mind-blowing. Season 2 of WeAreSTS begins soon. Listen out for the first episode in early September. Now's the time to charge your batteries. To tap that subscribe button. And to tell your friends. Hey, even tell your mum: WeAreSTS Season 2 is on its way.

Hollywood chooses to portray experts in particular – sometimes peculiar – ways. Those choices have profound impacts on how audiences think about subjects as diverse as dinosaurs, robots, and climate catastrophes. But do those portrayals also change the way we think about the experts themselves and the process of expertise? Does Hollywood play some kind of under-the-table role in teaching us which experts to trust? That's the theme for today's podcast. Today, we listen in on a conversation between three experts here in STS who study science policy making as a process. They talk about a couple of films in which experts play starring roles. To get things going, they concentrate on two films: “Films like Don't Look Up,” the star-studded 2021 Netflix film directed by Adam McKay. And, “2012,” the 2009 Sony Pictures apocalypse film directed by Roland Emmerich. In some ways, these films are very different. But in key ways, they're remarkably similar. The conversation you'll hear was organised and led by Haes Seung Chung, one of the students in this year's STSNewsRoom. She keeps things moving, and she keeps our panellists on their toes. In fact, she's ready to go. So, I'm just hand the microphone over to her, and I'll see you on the other side.   Featuring   Interviewer and researcher Haes Seung Chung, STS 2023 student in our integrated BSc programme   Interviewees Professor Jack Stilgoe, UCL Professor of Science and Technology Policy Dr Saheli Datta Burton, UCL Lecturer (Teaching) in Science Policy (Responsible Research and Innovation) Dr Stephen Hughes, UCL Lecturer in Science, Technology and Society   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits   Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Music within the episode Endless Dessert- Steven Beddall: Endless Desert by Steven Bedlam | Artlist.io   Podcast information   WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Ever heard of climate change comedy? Here's the idea. The climate crisis dominates our news. But more and more, messages about action are ignored. Fatalism is growing. People seem frozen with the scale of the problem. It's clear we need new ways to tackle these tough conversations. In this episode, STS's very own Grace Tyrrell explores the growing niche of climate change comedy. With her guest Dr Matt Winning, an environmental researcher and comedian, Grace shows us how climate change comedy works and she explores the question of how these two ideas can fit together. Grace is finishing her master's degree in science communication with us. After interviewing Matt Winning about the theory, Grace asks a set of fellow students about the practice. Does climate change comedy work? Do it inform the head? Does it engage the heart? Does it lead keep up momentum in climate action? Thanks to her guest, Dr Matt Winning and to fellow STS students Joe Woof, Steph Hawes, Megan Thomas, Gusti Ayu Ismayanti, Annabel Bourne for their time. Grace completed this podcast episode as part of the Podcast Sprint 2023, run by Professor Joe Cain for STS students.   Further information on climate change comedy Is climate change a laughing matter? (Carroll-Monteil 2021) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13504622.2022.2113764 Climate Strange - Dr Matt Winning, TEDx Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPCEqPdEY1A&t=281s   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Grace Tyrrell, UCL Science Communication MSc Class of 2023 https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracetyrrell/ @gracescicomm   Interviewees Dr Matt Winning, Senior Research Fellow at UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/sustainable/people/mr-matthew-winning https://mattwinning.com/about/   Science Communication MSc Class of 2023 Joe Woof, Steph Hawes, Megan Thomas, Gusti Ayu Ismayanti, Annabel Bourne   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits (show) “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Music credits (within the episode) “Accralate,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3336-accralate License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Editing by Grace Tyrrell Post production by Professor Joe Cain   Listen to Science Refresh Science Refresh is a bi-weekly podcast bringing you a fresh take on the latest in science and technology. Join hosts Grace, Meg and Dom as they take you through the stories that you won't have seen in the headlines. https://open.spotify.com/show/0aS44BehxWXfFLpm5FgrcM?si=fe84b76444ce45d2&nd=1

Mandy dives optimistically into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on education as we know it. Think ChatGPT and all those related tools called generative AI. Along the way, we touch on some fundamental and relevant concepts from science and technology studies - including the Turing Test and technological determinism - that can help us gain a more nuanced understanding of emerging technology and big tech. With insights from UCL experts and others in Silicon Valley, we explore the incredible potential of AI to enhance university education, plus we dip into some of the challenges AI ultimately poses to human value. This is an episode from the STSNewsRoom 2023.   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Mandy Huynh https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhuy/   Interviewee Dr Rich Osborne https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mathematical-physical-sciences/education/meet-team/richard-osborne   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Resources Designing assessment for an AI-enabled world (latest assessment modification suggestions from UCL) What if… we really wanted to prepare young people for the age of artificial intelligence?(Rose Luckin, UCL IOE, speaks on a panel) AI in the Classroom | Greylock (Reid Hoffman's interview with ChatGPT) Inside OpenAI, the Architect of ChatGPT | The Circuit (Emily Chang interview with Reid Hoffman) How AI Could Save (Not Destroy) Education | Sal Khan | TED Is AI Our Future Teacher? | AI IRL   Music credits (episode) Chasing by NEFFEX Lawrence by TrackTribe From the YouTube Music Library   Music credits (show) Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast   Correction Mandy said she took Professor Agar's module in 2023. In fact, she took it in 2022.  

The assignments students do in STS modules today are nothing like what they used to be. These days, they build portfolios with all sorts of things: short writing, long writing, posters, blogs, in-class presentations. Add to these, projects like podcasts, film clips, campaign strategies, briefing papers, debates, and full-on project proposals. Research of different kinds. They all require hard work, creativity, and rising to the challenge. We diversify our curriculum because we know the future holds work as varied as we do ourselves each day. We want our students skilled up, practiced, and ready to go. Today's episode samples from this year's student-made podcasts. You'll hear projects from our undergraduate science journalism module, run by Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon. The assignment is straightforward: create a three-minute news feature about a recent piece of research at UCL. The piece must be suitable for use on as a news segment for radio or podcast. Students start with a recent press release, and they go from there. The piece must include a short interview segment with a researcher. They have a tight deadline, and they have to work pretty much with the tools they have through a laptop and their phone. This is real world work and pace as a freelance journalist. For you, I've brought together eight of the ones I like a lot. They're varied, and they deliver the assignment is different ways. We'll take a quick break in the middle, but I want to leave the students to deliver their work as they presented it. Links to all the detail are in the show notes. The whole syllabus for HPSC0107 Science Journalism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/sites/sts/files/hpsc0107-science_journalism-syllabus_2022-23.pdf Tracks TRACK 1. People Over 50 Often Sleep Better | Lydia Yallop TRACK 2. Natural Language Modelled and Printed in 3D | Daphne Sarkany TRACK 3. Link Between Daily Active Movement and Better Cognition in Mid-life | Emile Stuglyte TRACK 4. We're Ignoring Impact of Long Covid | Mandy Huynh TRACK 5. Importance of Breastmilk Bacteria for Healthy Gut in Babies | Omar Al Hashimi TRACK 6. Time in Nature Can Improve Wellbeing | Isobel Hutt TRACK 7. Fast-lived Invasive Species Pose Greatest Challenge | Federico Citterich TRACK 8. Doctors of the Earth: Seismologists Sense the Earth's Pulse | Andrea Lekare Details about each track are available on the episode page: https://profjoecain.net/27-top-stories-in-science-journalism-from-sts-students-wearests Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain/ Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro Both are available on the website: filmmusic.IO Music in intervals is a loop created in GarageBand. Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Women in the History of Science brings together primary sources that highlight women's involvement in scientific knowledge production around the world. Drawing on texts, images and objects, each primary source is accompanied by an explanatory text, questions to prompt discussion, and a bibliography to aid further research. Arranged by time period, covering 1200 BCE to the twenty-first century, and across 12 inclusive and far-reaching themes, this book is an invaluable companion to students and lecturers alike in exploring women's history in the fields of science, technology, mathematics, and medicine. While women are too often excluded from traditional narratives of the history of science, this book centres on the voices and experiences of women across a range of domains of knowledge. By questioning our understanding of what science is, where it happens, and who produces scientific knowledge, this reader is an aid to liberating the curriculum within schools and universities. In this episode, Professor Joe Cain talks with the sourcebook's FIVE co-editors. Each recently completed a PhD in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies. We talk about the book, how readers might use it in teaching, what their favourite chapters are, and how they're using their own skills to improve the subject of history for everyone.   Book information Women in the History of Science: A sourcebook Edited by Hannah Wills, Sadie Harrison, Erika Jones, Rebecca Martin, and Farrah Lawrence-Mackey 2023 UCL Press ISBN 9781800084155 Open Access PDF Free Download; Print also available https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/211143   Featuring Interviewees Hannah Wills is R&D Producer at Royal Holloway, University of London. https://royalholloway.academia.edu/HannahWills   Sadie Harrison is Honorary Research Associate at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, UCL and works in the environment sector.   Erika Lynn Jones is Curator of Navigation and Oceanography at Royal Museums, Greenwich.  https://erika-jones.org   Farrah Lawrence-Mackey is re-training to practice law.   Rebecca Martin has been Research Fellow in the Centre for History in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Caird Research Fellow at National Maritime Museum, Royal Museums Greenwich. https://dr-rebecca-martin.com   Each also is an Honorary Research Associate in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS).   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast  

Chances are you've had something to do with “mindfulness” recently. Maybe you've been sent to “mindfulness” training. Or, perhaps you've been listening to a mindfulness podcast. Or, perhaps you're using a “mindfulness” app, such as HeadSpace. In this episode, Franziska Link investigates the growing use of mindfulness therapies at universities, such as UCL, in their provision for student support and welfare. What good are they? What do they involve? What are the pros – and the cons – of this approach. Franziska interviews four people with quite different relationships to mindfulness therapies. She works to separate the hype from the research. This episode is part of the STSNewsRoom 2021. Franziska also contributed to STSAlchemy2021. Additional sources on mindfulness UCL Student Support and Wellbeing UCL self-guided materials on mindfulness Ronan Mccoy (2022). Mindfulness. UCL School of Management Mindful Society, Student's Union UCL UCL Hospital NHS has mindfulness advice For UCL staff: UCL HR has mindfulness advice and training Featuring Interviewer and researcher Franziska Link, UCL Class of 2023 https://www.linkedin.com/in/franziska-link-0701b1171 Interviewees Bodhilila Young, Chair of the West London Buddist Centre https://westlondonbuddhistcentre.com/teachers/bodhilila/ Professor Andrew Steptoe, Professor of Psychology and Head of the Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health https://www.ucl.ac.uk/obesity-policy-research-unit/andrew-steptoe Professor Miguel Farias, Associate Professor Experimental Psychology, Coventry University https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en/persons/miguel-farias https://miguelfarias.co.uk David “Davy” Tennison, doctoral student, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) https://www.linkedin.com/in/avy-tennison Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin McLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Ecossaise in E-flat,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86- Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Alex Hancock explores how research about museum collections is helping to connect British museums with more of the publics they claim to support. His emphasis is on decolonisation, engagement, and white European power. Ultimately, how do structural inequalities manifest in our museums, and how do we move to a new set of relationships? Alex undertook this project for the STSNewsRoom in summer 2021. His reporting focused on two specific events. First, Alex discusses with Tannis Davidson the “Displays of Power” exhibition at UCL Grant Museum of Zoology, which explores legacy of empire through objects in the museum and other natural history collections. Objects in these collections have complex histories of collection and ownership. We need to move past merely celebrating the collector and collecting, the exhibition argues, and instead highlight issues of power and control, removal and appropriation, privilege and the ability to ignore. Second, Alex discusses critiques of representation and engagement in museums with Professor Emily Dawson in light of Black Lives Matter campaigning. Professor Dawson has a long history working with groups from many communities to explore what museums mean to them and how museums serve different groups. For some people, museums just aren't welcoming places, Professor Dawson explains. Alex asks the straightforward question: where are these movements leading the future of museums? Is change likely in the near future?   Featuring Presenter and researcher Alex Hancock, UCL Class 0f 2021 Alex also contributed to STS Alchemy 2021   Interviewees Tannis Davidson, Curator of UCL Grant Museum of Zoology Professor Emily Dawson, UCL Professor of Education, Science and Society   In the break, you heard Jasmine Charkravarty, also part of the STSNewsRoom2021.   Additional materials   Professor Dawson's papers regarding the social exclusion of groups in museum spaces include: Dawson, E. (2014). “Not Designed for Us”: How Science Museums and Science Centers Socially Exclude Low-Income, Minority Ethnic Groups. Science Education, 98(6), 981-1008. Dawson, E. (2018). Reimagining publics and (non)participation: Exploring exclusion from science communication through the experiences of low-income, minority ethnic groups. Public Understanding of Science, 27(7), 772-786. The study mentioned by Dr. Dawson regarding Indigenous curatorial practices and how their artefacts and artwork are cared for in museums: Nagam, J., Lane, C., and Tamati-Quennell, M. (Eds.). (2020). Becoming our future: global indigenous curatorial practice (Winnipeg, Canada: ARP Books)   Host: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Ecossaise in E-flat,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86-   In the episode, Alex also uses this music: Young Logos, “Papov”, YouTube Audio Library Bad Snacks, “Wallflowers”, YouTube Audio Library   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS  

We sampled undergraduate projects in a previous episode. Now, it time for the Master's students. Today's episode offers a sampler of student-made podcasts. These were created by Master's students in our science journalism module, run by Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon. The assignment was straightforward: imagine you're working for a news magazine. Create a three-minute feature about a recent piece of research at UCL. The piece must include a short interview segment, and it must make sense within the context of the show. They have a tight deadline, and they have to work pretty much with the tools they have through a laptop and phone. The goal is to mimic real-world work as a freelance journalist. The assignments students do in STS modules today are nothing like what they used to be. These days, they build portfolios with all sorts of things: short writing, long writing, posters, blogs, in-class presentations. Add to these, projects like podcasts, film clips, campaign strategies, briefing papers, debates, and proposals. Research of different kinds. Creativity. And Challenge. We diversify our curriculum because we're training for a flexible future: a world of work that is as varied as we can imagine. For today, I've brought together eight of the student projects that appeal to me. They're varied, and they deliver the assignment is different ways. Think of this as a sampler. Details about each track are in the show notes. The whole syllabus for HPSC0122 Science Journalism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/testing/postgraduate-modules-draft/science-journalism-hpsc0122 Tracks Track 1. Tackling Far-Right Extremism Online, Thorin Bristow For this newscast I interviewed CianO'Donovan on his recent research published in the Journal of Peer Production titled “Collective Capabilities For Resisting Far-Right Extremism Online And In The Real World”. We discuss the problem of far-right extremism in the digital sphere, and Cian's associated work with the Far Right Observatory in Ireland. The intersections of digital technologies, tech firms, and society are explored, following Cian's harms-first approach to research. Track 2. Planetary bodies observed for the first time in habitable zone of a dead star, Bharadwaj Vangipuram The podcast gives the audience a brief introduction of what white dwarf stars is and how relevant their study is to our solar system and the universe. With the stage set with what white dwarfs are and the research mentioned, the podcast dives into the procedure of the discovery which included: Identifying recurring patterns, Habitable zone, Inference from debris to planets. The podcast also gives the audience an insight into what are the difficulties faced by the team during the discovery which included constrained resources (Telescope time) and the luck involved in it. Track 3. Is it healthy for children to follow plant based diets?, Sophie Reich-Michalik This podcast is framed as a weekly occurring feature about sustainable living, targeted primarily at families. This week's episode is about the health effects of plant based diets for children. Professor Jonathan Wells is interviewed about his recent study “Growth, body composition, and cardiovascular and nutritional risk of 5- to 10-y-old children consuming vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore diets.” In the episode, he explains how his study was conducted, his findings and his suggestions for parents with children interested in following a plant based diet. Track 4. New research in UCL on sex differences reveals the urgency of mental health gendered medicine, Eve Barro The newscast highlights the implications of a new paper Freya Pentice published a few months ago about sex differences in cardiac interception, the ability to feel internal cardiac signals. We explore together what impact such research can have on personalised mental health intervention and the importance of conducting and communicating properly about gendered medicine related topics given the particularly sensitive topics sex and gender currently are in our society. Track 5. Covid-19: Misery for Care Home Residents and Staff Continued, Qitian Mao Although our communities have paid much attention to the pandemic, there is much less importance placed on those most vulnerable populations living and working in care homes. Led by UCL Professor Laura Shallcross at the Institute of Health Informatics, a national study, VIVALDI, is launched to investigate COVID-19 infections in care homes. Professor Laura Shallcross is invited and interviewed online; and she indicates a much higher Covid infection risk for people in care homes and a continued efforts to protect them. The background music used in this podcast is the Newsroom Intro. Details to come. Track 6. Impact of climate change on global food production and the role this plays in widening the inequality gap, Hania Tayara ‘The Climate Society' podcast explores the role of climate change in exacerbating existing social inequalities. I speak to UCL's Professor Paul Ekins about his research on the impact of climate change on global food production, and the role this plays in widening the inequality gap. We discuss how localised food shortages due to weather events have disproportionately impacted poor countries and poorer people in rich countries, and whose responsibility it is to mitigate this as the climate crisis worsens. Track 7. UCL's COVID-19 Social Study is the largest scientific research on the psychological and social impact of the pandemic in the UK, Paula Munoz Arriaza This episode highlights the UCL COVID-19 Social Study, the largest scientific research on the psychological and social impact of the pandemic in the UK. Therefore, it analyses why mental health has become a concern for research, the most vulnerable social groups during the pandemic, how much mental health rates have changed in the UK, and what actions could address this issue. Track 8. The neurodevelopmental condition known as stammering, along with the mental health of children and young adults who have a stammer, Flo Cornish I explore the relationship between stammering and symptoms of anxiety. The positive correlation between the two may not be an inherent result of the stammering condition, but rather a result of how society perceives those who stammer. This in turn affects the lives of stammering people, both in terms of human relationships and the treatment they receive. I spoke with clinical speech therapist and UCL PhD candidate Ria Bernard to gain some valuable insights. Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Interval music “Laconic Granny,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3960-laconic-granny Both are available on the website: filmmusic.IO Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

It's one of those fundamental tenets taught to every student: science is international; it's the same everywhere, it respects no borders; the work is the same no matter where or when you are. Assessing this idea is a core task in STS. Our philosophers, historians, and sociologists work overtime on case studies to explore internationality. Our policy and communication experts grapple with variations and work to understand where there is consensus and where there's consensus.   In this episode, Beatrice Han (BSc Sociology and Politics of Science student) investigates science and internationality. As an international student, Beatrice is very familiar with borders and different systems in different places. She brings together three others in STS with similar experiences to talk about internationality and science: Dr Tiago Mata (Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies), Isabel Lim (UCL Class of 2022), and Andrea Lekare (UCL Class of 2023, and another member of the STSNewsRoom2022). They each bring an international background when they talk about their experiences of scientific policies and knowledge in different countries. The conversation considers possible explanations for these differences. They also discuss whether its better to keep or eliminate outside factors. Is there value in preserving variety?   This is another contribution from the STSNewsRoom2022. Here in STS we want to give students work experience in science communication, so each summer we set up as many paid internships as we can, and we work with students to create content for publications, like our annual magazine, STS Alchemy. We also ask them to create a podcast episode. On any subject they choose. We want about 30 minutes. We want interviews. We want something STS. But most of all, we want ideas and creativity.   Featuring   Reporter and original research Beatrice Han   Interviewees Dr Tiago Mata, Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies Isabel Lim, UCL Class of 2022 Andrea Lekare, UCL Class of 2023   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits   Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Interval music Midnite Dialog Short   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Is AI sentient? Do machines have souls? I've got an even better question: are these questions the most important ones we should be asking? Headlines claiming machines could be alive are definitely eye-catching. But hype does not come unaccompanied: misinformation, fear, and fake news are close friends with sensationalism. They target audiences who probably know enough about the topic, but not enough to critically analyse the information fed to them. Understanding the role the media plays in opinion-making about new science and technology is vital when we are dealing our own decision making over risk, harm, and benefit. Further information on Hype, Chatbots, and AI Gemma Milne, 2020. Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How To See Past It (listen to our episode interviewing Gemma) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/world/siri-alexa-ai-gender-bias.html https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2022/06/dangerous-fallacy-sentient-ai The full conversation between Google engineers and LaMDA is available online. Featuring Reporter and researcher Andréa Lekare Kun Interviewees Dr Stephen Hughes, Lecturer in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) Dr Amanda Rees, Professor in the Sociology Department at the University of York Dr Nina Seppala, Deputy Director (Academic Affairs) of the School of Management at University College London Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Interval music “Andréa's theme” by Michael Sansbury Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Did you know that in March 1967, the British government bombed an oil tanker stranded on rocks off Cornwall? Dan Sharpe certainly didn't when he began to dig into the life and career of the Britain's first Chief Scientific Adviser, Lord Solly Zuckerman. He advised prime minister Harold Wilson during this environmental catastrophe and recommended the bombing. Join Dan as he traces the life and career of one of the most influential British science advisers of the 20th century from arriving in the United Kingdom as a young adult, to observing primates at ZSL London Zoo, to pioneering a novel approach to science policy advice in government via the second world war and much more. Along the way he hopes to answer the question of how science came into the heart of government and what STS scholars can learn by looking back at the history of science about its use in policy decisions. Dan thanks Jonathan Burt, Professor Jon Agar and Dr Elliot Honeybun-Arnolda who generously provided their time. This episode was a project in the STSNewsRoom2022.   Want to learn more? These articles provide more depth: News report about SS Torrey Canyon disaster: https://www.britishpathe.com/video/seven-stones-oil-tanker-disaster-aka-torrey-canyon Journal article by Jonathan Burt about Solly Zuckerman's primatology career: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369848606000203 Book by Professor Jon Agar including Solly Zuckerman as Government Chief Scientific Adviser: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/109467   Featuring Reporter and researcher Dan Sharpe, UCL Class of 2022 Interviewees Professor Jon Agar, UCL Professor of Science and Technology Studies Elliot Honeybun-Arnolda, University of East Anglia Jonathan Burt, author and historian Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology Additional voices Andrea Lekare, UCL Class of 2023   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Ecossaise in E flat 86,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86-   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Scientific knowledge has evolved over the past few centuries in various political and socio-cultural contexts. There is seen to be a substantially disproportionate legacy of European thought in scientific education. How the fingerprints of colonialism continue to shape the way academic institutions function and teach science is a question of utmost value in the process of ensuring diversified knowledge sharing. While the subject of decolonising raises several questions on institutional privilege and power, it is worth noting that this is also a subject deeply personal and resonant amongst the respective members of a community. Here we explore the meaning it holds for different members of the STS family at UCL. We speak to an undergraduate student, a PhD candidate, an early career lecturer, and one of the co-heads of department for STSUCL. This episode of WeAreSTS was created by Roha Ali Khan, a Master's student, as part of the STSNewsRoom2022.   Featuring Reporter and researcher Roha Ali Khan Interviewees  Stephanie, Undergraduate Student, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Dr Michel Wahome, Lecturer in Science, Technology and Society, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Dr Benjamin Weil, formerly a PhD Candidate now complete, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Prof Emma Tobin, Professor of Philosophy of Science and co-Head of Department (with Professor Jon Agar), UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Music within the episode “Serious Documentary” by AShamaleuvMusic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x9xVwpWo7k&t=66s   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Most of us have heard of peer review, but how does it actually work? After more than a century, is it still fit for purpose? This episode explores the state of peer review in academic publishing. With guests from within the field, we hear what it means for researchers, publishers, and institutions like UCL. As the tide of open access publishing gains momentum and more research is made freely accessible, what will peer review look like in the future? How will academic publishing evolve more widely? In the future, can we still value anonymity over acknowledgement of reviewers? In this episode, Olivia Kehoe explores the peer review process with a critical eye, discussing how other trends in publishing, such as open access and data publishing, soon might re-shape activities such as peer review. She highlights two alternatives to the current system: UCL Press's open peer review system and a user-organised initiative called “Peer Community In” founded by scientists, for scientists. Understanding what's inside the “black box” of peer review is of huge value to STS. Can we trust the process? How could we improve it? Thanks to her guests, Sunbul Akhtar, Denis Bourguet, and Catherine Sharp for their time, patience and expertise in helping Olivia tackle some of these questions. Olivia completed this podcast episode as part of a summer studentship project with Professor Joe Cain. This project was funded by UCL Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MAPS) as a careers-building initiative. Thanks Olivia! Great work.   Featuring Reporter and researcher Olivia Kehoe, 4th Year UCL Natural Sciences and summer intern for ‘Science and the Publishing Industry' project in STS Interviewees Sunbul Akhtar, UCL Press Journals Coordinator Denis Bourguet, Director of Research at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment in France (INRAE) Catherine Sharp, Head of UCL Open Access Services   WeAreSTS Host Professor Joe Cain, Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Music within the episode “Accralate,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3336-accralate License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing by Olivia Kehoe Post-production by Professor Joe Cain. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

The assignments students do in STS modules today are nothing like what they used to be. These days, they build portfolios with all sorts of things: short writing, long writing, posters, blogs, in-class presentations. Add to these, projects like podcasts, film clips, campaign strategies, briefing papers, debates, and proposals. Research of different kinds. Creativity. And Challenge. We diversify our curriculum because we know the future for our students holds work as varied as we can imagine. Today's episode offers a sampler of student-made podcasts. These were created by year 3 undergraduates in our science journalism module, run by Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon. The assignment is straightforward: create a three-minute news feature about a recent piece of research at UCL. The piece must be suitable for use on as a news segment for radio or podcast. Students start with a recent press release from the UCL Press Office, and they go from there. The piece must include a short interview segment with a researcher. They have a tight deadline, and they have to work pretty much with the tools they have through a laptop and phone. This is real world work as a freelance journalist. For today, I've brought together eight of the ones I like a lot. They're varied, and they deliver the assignment is different ways. Think of it as a sampler. The whole syllabus for HPSC0107 Science Journalism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/sites/sts/files/hpsc0107-science_journalism-syllabus_2022-23.pdf   Tracks   TRACK 1. New X-ray Tech Promises Better Diagnostics for Heart Disease, Gracie Enticknap This newscast introduces a new-to-research x-ray technology called HiP-CT which images organs at multiple scales with better clarity than previously achievable. I discuss HiP-CT with a researcher who is using it to study the evolution of congenital heart disease in blue baby syndrome and children with one heart ventricle. We discuss the aims of his research, and eventual clinical application and hospital usage of this technology, which could have revolutionary benefit to the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases. Interviewee: Professor Andrew Cook, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Zayed Centre for Research Credits: Stock Media provided by baldwinphilly / Pond5   TRACK 2. Covid-19 Impact on Gut Microbiome, Marcus Chow It is well established that the digestive system, its microbiota, and the immune system are linked and influence each other. With COVID-19 coming to an endemic, much of the research interest now lies in how it can shape the microbiota and how the microbiota can influence the patients' symptoms and long term effects. Wong et has investigated how COVID-19 interact with and in the gastrointestinal tract to better understand the implications of disease management, transmission, and infection control. In this article, we review the important gastrointestinal aspects of the disease. Interviewee: Sunny H Wong, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Credits: None   TRACK 3. Marketing Infant Formula against Breast Feeding, Nadya Rauch Let's take a critical look at infant formula marketing, which the WHO recently condemned for misleading parents and undermining breastfeeding. Breastmilk has key benefits for infants that can't be replicated in formula milk, such as stems cells and antibodies that help protect infants from infection. We talk to infant formula expert Dr. Fewtrell from UCL's Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health to debunk some myths on whether infant formula can improve cognitive outcomes for children. Interviewee: Dr. Mary Fewtrell, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health Credits: Intro/outro music produced by Leo Daiji Waltmann  “The Wonder of Baby SMA PRO Follow on Milk," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RDGFnermSc&ab_channel=LacaraChildModelandTalentAgency   TRACK 4. New guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, Sofia Sancho The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology have recently released 200 pages of new, comprehensive guidelines for the diagnosis of endometriosis. A major change in the new version is that laparoscopy is no longer deemed the gold standard for diagnosis, which will lead to more patients being accommodated for, and hopefully the long wait for diagnosis being decreased. I speak to Dr Ertan Saridogan, who co-authored the new guidelines, about their significance and how they can lead to improvements in endometriosis research. Interviewee: Dr Ertan Saridogan, UCL Hospital and UCL Institute for Women's Health Credits: Cool Jazzy Brass & Vibraphone by M33 Project, licensed under CC BY 4.0   TRACK 5. Minimally invasive image-guided ablation (MINIMA), Yingnan Chen Proof-of-concept for MINIMA is recently published. Compare to traditional ways of removing tumours, MINIMA is not as invasive and has fewer side effects, hence, the patients can recover quicker. Moreover, MINIMA can preserve the function of infected organ as much as possible. I have invited the lead author, Rebecca Baker, to talk about how MINIMA works and its potential as a cancer treatment. She also discussed the limitations and what needs to be done before moving on to clinical trials. Interviewee: Rebecca Baker (PhD Student at UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging) Credits: Inspiring Electronic https://elements.envato.com/inspiring-electronic-BHYUADP. License Code: 9WXPUERVK7   TRACK 6. Covid's impact on student experience at UCL, Juwairiyah Aftab The podcast explores a research study conducted by Dr Waugh, alongside other individuals, titled ‘Impacts of the Covid‐19 pandemic on the health of university students'. The study, based at University College London (UCL), explores the physical and mental health consequences of the pandemic on students, with mention of the importance of this study and its relevance. Furthermore, the study mentions cases of racism and discrimination, followed by an evaluation of how trustworthy the research is and brief future recommendations. Interviewee: Dr Mark Waugh, UCL Department of Education, Division of Medicine, UCL Faculty of Medical Sciences Credits: Statistics from the National Student Survey (NSS) https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/1480/insight-brief-10-nss-finalforweb.pdf Background music (no copyright) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ6gUSJARIA   TRACK 7. How Do We Slow Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Eloise Jarvis Dr Toryn Poolman talks about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), leading cause of liver transplants that effecting up to one-third of the British population. It's a medical condition that's on the rise owing to changes in diet: more sugar, more alcohol, and more processed foods. He explains what NAFLD is, what it can progress to, what the causes are, and how it can be avoided or reversed. Interviewee: Dr Toryn Poolman, Department: Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL Division of Biosciences Credits: Bensound.com   TRACK 8. Applied Linguistics studying pain descriptions associated with endometriosis, Dan Sharpe Listening more carefully to the words patients choose to describe their symptoms can help doctors identify more complex medical conditions, says Zsófia Demjén. She reports on new research into specific patterns of words patients use to describe their symptoms. This might lead to earlier diagnosis of endometriosis and other serious chronic conditions. Just listening more carefully can make all the difference. Interviewee: Zsófia Demjén, Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics Credits: Details to come   Host Professor Joe Cain Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Both are available on the website: filmmusic.IO   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

You've heard of Plato. He's one of those philosophers from Ancient Greece. Think in the time range 400-350 BCE and you're in the right range. Plato wrote core works in the Western canon: The Republic, The Timaeus, and so much more. One of his lesser known texts is The Gorgias. That's this year's STS1Book. It's a work massively relevant today. At its heart is a key question for communication: should we prefer people who are truth tellers in society, or should we prefer sweet-talking rhetoricians? This is a question that cuts right to the heart of so much in politics, society, and the way we talk with each other. If you're a regular listener to the podcast, you'll know about the STS1Book programme. Each year, we chose one book for all students and staff to read and talk about. It's something that helps glue us together as a community. Last year, we had Gemma Milne's book, Smoke and Mirrors, about hype in the the tech and innovation industries. This year, it's Plato's Gorgias. Here in STS we have an expert on Plato and his philosophy, Professor Andy Gregory. I put in a call to Andy to ask him about this book. I wanted to know what I should be looking out for, and what he thought was important. Who are the main characters? What are the main themes? For me, Gorgias reads like a play about some of the political characters we all know and watch today. The words in this book sound as though they're coming from today's headlines. Amazing and eye-opening.   Featuring Interviewees Professor Andrew Gregory Professor of History of Science https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/gregory Professor Gregory also is the organiser of the long-running London Ancient Science Conference: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/people/sts-academics/gregory-andrew/london-ancient-science-conference Host Professor Joe Cain Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Interval music “Busted Flat Blues,” by anonymous GarageBand public domain   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Will robots steal my job? Will gene editing cure my cancer? HYPE is a fundamental part of science communication, the development of new technologies, and the crucially important interface between business, investment, and new technology. How does HYPE work? Can it be used for good? In this conversation at the 2022 STS1Book celebration at University College London, Gemma Milne discusses her book, SMOKE AND MIRRORS, with Jack Stilgoe. They discuss her interest in HYPE as an ever-present phenomenon in our society, and how it affects thinking about technology today. Gemma and Jack reflect on the importance of hype-awareness in society. It's not always a bad thing, Gemma says, but we need to be alert to how hype skews the conversation. Gemma Milne. 2020. Smoke and Mirrors. How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It (London: Robinson). ISBN: 9781472143662. SMOKE AND MIRRORS was the STS1Book for 2021-22. Each year, the Department asks all staff and students to read one book in common during the summer, then arrive for the new session ready to discuss both its substance and its broader value. Incoming students should read this prescribed book. It will be the subject of activities during induction week and will be used in Year 1 courses. Titles are selected for inclusion by the STS Undergraduate Programme Tutor from suggested offered by students and staff. For more information: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme   Want more? Gemma talks about SMOKE AND MIRRORS in WeAreSTS episode #8.   Also Gemma Milne also is co-host of the fabulous “Radical Science” podcast. https://radicalsciencepodcast.com She creates a newsletter, “Brain Reel”: https://brainreel.substack.com Website: https://gemmamilne.co.uk Twitter: @gemmamilne Professor Jack Stilgoe is co-host of the podcast, “The Received Wisdom,” with Shobita Parthasarathy https://shobitap.org/the-received-wisdom   Featuring Interviewee: Gemma Milne, Science and Technology Writer https://gemmamilne.co.uk Interviewer: Professor Jack Stilgoe, UCL Professor of Science and Technology Studies https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/stilgoe   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Yue Zhu recorded this episode live at the STS1Book celebration in May 2022. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

As someone who prides herself on being interested in women's health and progress related to it, Sofia Sancho still had no idea what “menstrual leave” was when it suddenly was all over the news earlier this spring. Menstruation is a regular physiological phenomenon, happening to the vast majority of people with uteruses. Many people manage their periods just fine, but for some they can be extremely debilitating. For them, being able to take some extra days off work every month to manage symptoms can be a big relief. However, the policies have received a lot of critique. They can be difficult for companies to adopt in a viable way, and researchers worry that the sociocultural norms and stigmas that exist surrounding menstruation will lead to the policies doing more harm than good.  In the episode, Sofia invites you to join her on a deep dive into the world of menstrual health policies, as she explores the debate surrounding them. Why are they important? Why are they so controversial and debated? And how is any of this related to STS? Sofia dearly thanks her guests Ms Lorren Rea and Dr Shema Tariq for helping her on this quest. This episode is created as part of the STSNewsRoom 2022.   Want to learn more? Literature cited in the episode: https://profjoecain.net/14-period-policies-exploring-the-debate-on-menstrual-leave-wearests/   Featuring Reporter and original research Sofia Sancho   Interviewees Ms Lorren Rea Head of Employment Policy at UCL Dr Shema Tariq Clinical Research Fellow/ Honorary Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV Host Professor Joe Cain Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Music within the episode “Cool Jazzy Brass & Vibraphone” by M33 Project https://freemusicarchive.org/music/m33-project/single/cool-jazzy-bass-vibraphone/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Natural history documentaries are hugely popular on British television. They offer great examples of science communication, and they have a long history, stretching back to the early days of broadcasting by the BBC, and more. As luck would have it, here in STS, we have an expert in these programmes and the people who create them. Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon is Associate Professor of Science Communication in the department. He teaches science journalism, sociology of science, and lots more. He also is co-director of our new MSc in Science Communication. A few years ago, Jean-Baptiste published a book on the history of British natural history documentaries, BBC Wildlife Documentaries in the Age of Attenborough (Palgrave). And yes, while research it he met and interviewed the one and only, David Attenborough. In this episode, Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon discusses his recent book, BBC Wildlife Documentaries in the Age of Attenborough. This is a history of British natural history filmmaking across the twentieth century. It also is an analysis of how filmmakers establish their identity and authority, such as through “making-of” segments added to their films. Crucial to Jean-Baptiste's analysis is the work of Sir David Attenborough, whose career as a broadcaster and natural history filmmaker has profoundly influenced British wildlife television. In researching his book, Jean-Baptiste interviewed Sir David. We talk about his experiences meeting the master of natural history of television. The book we discussed was: Gouyon, Jean-Baptiste. 2019. BBC Wildlife Documentaries in the Age of Attenborough (Palgrave). ISBN 9783030199814. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-19982-1   Featuring Interviewees Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon Associate Professor of Science Communication https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/people/dr-jean-baptiste-gouyon   Host Professor Joe Cain, Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Additional voices Jasmine Chakravary, UCL Class of 2021, spoke about our STS master's degrees Pierre-Elie Balsan, UCL Class of 2023, spoke about STS   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Interval music “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Professor Sarah Edwards and Professor Phyllis Illari discuss their contributions the STS's impact in philosophy of science and medicine. They were lead contributors to two top-rated “impact cases” in UCL's 2021 entry to the REF assessment, the UK's research excellence framework. That's a national review of university research productivity. Sarah's project involves policy-making about emerging diseases. Phyllis's project involves policy-making when evidence in conflicting and incomplete. Simply put, “impact” is a measure of how much a influence an academic university research project has had on non-academic communities, such as business, media, schools, and medicine.   Summary of Professor Edwards's project Edwards' research informed the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Ethics Guidance and a Training Manual for clinical research during epidemics of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, for which no effective treatments or vaccines are known. The ethics guidance applied to 4955 studies undertaken into WHO's priority infectious diseases and pathogens with over 88 million participants globally. Edwards' research has benefited individuals participating in clinical research by promoting wider access to new and repurposed medicines and by protecting the rights and interests of current patients. Edwards initiated the development of an Afrocentric ethics framework for clinical research during epidemics across Africa and supervised a project for the African Union Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC), involving wide consultation, engagement, and training. Her expertise has been consulted over clinical research for COVID-19 by organisations such as WHO, Africa CDC, and the US FDA which issued new guidelines leading to >370 early approvals of medicines and medical products with surveillance for research.   Full impact case study https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/999f7328-c0ea-441f-8808-bee2281a2c27?page=1   Summary of Professor Illari's project Public bodies, such as health boards or government departments, must reliably interpret evidence to properly inform their decision-making. Illari and Clarke's work explores the diverse types of evidence obtained from biological and social mechanisms and systems, and how these are used for multiple purposes. This has impacted on 1) international methodologies for evidence assessment in health by increasing the plurality of evidence they use, particularly evidence of mechanisms (NICE, IARC), and on 2) UK ethical frameworks for AI and data science by improving their evidence use, particularly their attention to anticipating and monitoring how systems including populations react to new ethics frameworks (Cabinet Office, DCMS, West Midlands Police, the NHS). The beneficiaries are patients who need high quality medical advice both in England and Wales and internationally, and all people in the UK affected by government and NHS data projects such as the UK Cabinet Office Framework for Data Ethics and the NHS Code of conduct for data-driven health and care technology.   Full impact case study https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/716079e1-ae40-478d-a477-ba7ef89b5383?page=1   More about REF REF is a complex administrative process. For more about UCL's work across all REF categories: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research/evaluation/research-excellence-framework/ref-2021 For more about REF from its organisers: https://www.ref.ac.uk/   Featuring   Interviewees   Professor Sarah Edwards UCL Professor of Bioethics https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=SJLED13   Professor Phyllis Illari UCL Professor of Philosophy of Science https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/illari   Interviewer   Professor Joe Cain UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits   Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Interval music “Silly intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Podcast information   “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.

Dr Michel Wahome presents a wide-ranging critique of the “research for development” (R4D) model in science and technology policy, with special emphasis on its assumptions about innovation and progress. The deepest concerns we should have with this widely used model, she argues, is its deep faith the ability of science alone to solve social problems. The over-emphasis on science and technology alone is misguided. Alternatives - grounded in meaningful engagement, transdisciplinarity and decolonial practice - are available that deliver positive results. Michel researches technoscientific knowledge and research production in Global South contexts, and the interaction with prevailing ideas about development and technoscientific progress. This episode is the audio from a talk in the STS Research Seminar series from December 2021. It was recorded via Zoom, and this recording features only the speaker's presentation. Powerpoint slides are available for download separately.   Featuring Speaker: Dr Michel Wahome, Lecturer in Science, Technology, and Society https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=MWAHO83 Host: Professor Jack Stilgoe, Professor in Science Policy https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/stilgoe Host: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ecossaise in E-flat (WoO 86) by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

The lack of representation on screen is a political issue on everybody's lips. I investigate how popular streaming platforms, Netflix and Disney+, portray scientists in terms of gender, race, sexuality, neurodivergency, and socio-economic background. Is representation of the scientist moving away from being presented as white, straight, and male? If not, why do big corporations like Netflix and Disney+ continue to present this image of scientists, and what can we do to improve representation as individuals? The research mentioned in the episode is available as a supplement to the podcast. Depending on your listening platform, you can download the pdf directly or from our website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/file/13005   Featuring Presenter: Chelsea K. Tripp She is profiled in “UCL Scholarship Stories” https://www.ucl.ac.uk/advancement/case-studies/2021/oct/scholarship-stories-how-deepmind-helped-chelsea-tripp-realise-her-potential She's also featured in our annual magazine, STS Alchemy 2021 https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/alchemy   Interviewees: 1. Dr Stephen Hughes, Lecturer (Teaching) in Public Engagement https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=SCLEM77 2. Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, Associate Professor in Science Communication https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/gouyon 3. Gemma Milne, science broadcaster, writer, and journalist https://www.gemmamilne.co.uk 4. Jasmine Chakravarty featured in the break. WeAreSTS Host: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Music in the show's introduction and conclusion: “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   In the break we heard: Silly Intro by Alexander Nakarada Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Inside the episode, Chelsea uses this music: -Introductory and end music- “A happy smile on your face” by Music L Files -Suspense sound effect- “Under investigation” by Iconics Music Production and Composition -Clock sound effect- “Grandfather clock ticks” by Videvo -Applause- “Number 1 sound effect” by Soundjay.com   Production information Editing and post-production of the episode by Chelsea Tripp. Show editing and production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

“What is STS?” This is a question all STS students are asked on a regular basis – when travelling, joining a new sports club, at parties or family reunions, and when being interviewed for jobs. I find the question isn't as straightforward as most people want. I study Science and Society at University College London. In this episode, I explore what Science and Technology Studies (STS) is really all about. To do this, I interview three of my tutors about three ordinary things: the fruit fly Drosophila, the car and the idea of standard time. Each of these examples tells fascinating stories about science, technology, and society. Each displays the value of STS as a research skill or technique for investigation. When we ask the right questions, we can get underneath the subjects we study and engage fundamental questions. For example, how is science made? Why did a particular scientific development happen at the precise place and time that it did? How do technologies become established in our societies and how do they have the power to change our lives? Who benefits and who loses with innovation and discovery? How do the ways we imagine emerging technologies shape our future? Further material For an influential STS paper written about the fruit fly, see: For more about the example Dr Martin discussed (fruit fly): Robert E. Kohler, “Moral economy, material culture, and community in Drosophila Genetics” in Mario Biagioli, ed., The Science Studies Reader (NY: Routledge, 1999), pp. 243-257. For more about the example Professor Agar discussed (standard time): Peter Galison. 2000. “Einstein's Clocks: The Place of Time,” Critical Inquiry 26: 355-389. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1344127 For more about the example Professor Stilgoe discussed (the car): Jack Stilgoe. 2020. Who's Driving Innovation?: New Technologies and the Collaborative State (Palgrave). ISBN: ISBN: 978-3-030-32320-2 https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030323196    Featuring Presenter: Ms Odile Lehnen https://www.linkedin.com/in/odile-lehnen-326130188/ Interviewees: Dr Rebecca Martin, Research Fellow at LSHTM and Research Associate at Inter-change Research Ltd https://ucl.academia.edu/RebeccaMartin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamartin386 Professor Jon Agar, Professor of Science and Technology Studies https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/agar Professor Jack Stilgoe, Professor in Science Policy https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/stilgoe Show host Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Inside the episode, Odile uses this music: “Particles” by Rafael Krux https://filmmusic.io/song/5696-particles- “Sugar Fairies” by Rafael Krux https://filmmusic.io/song/5429-sugar-fairies- “Sneaky Snitch” by Kevin Macleod https://filmmusic.io/song/4384-sneaky-snitch “Garden Music” by Kevin Macleod https://filmmusic.io/song/3796-garden-music All music is available on https://filmmusic.io   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS  

In this episode, Dr Carina Fearnley, Associate Professor of Science Communication, talks about warning research and disaster preparedness. Carina is an expert in disaster warning and public engagement. Her research focuses on ways to improve the effectiveness of warning systems. She's contributed a lot to communication around risk and warning in the pandemic. Her long-term research focuses on volcano and tsunami warning systems around the world. Her projects involve cases in Iceland, South America, the Middle East, and across Europe. This is real world, life-saving public engagement. https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/fearnley Carina has been the leader in organising UCL's Warning Research Centre, which is now running strong. The Centre brings academic and industry people together to focus on specific cases and on fundamentals. This is a relatively new part of STS and it's making quite an impression. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/warning-research-centre I spoke with Carina earlier this year, just after she gave testimony to the UK House of Lords on how the country might prepare for extreme risks in the future. The Select Committee's report has just been published, so it's a good time to hear Carina talk about her work, the new Centre, and her experience at the House of Lords. “Select Committee on Risk Assessment and Risk Planning: Preparing for Extreme Risks: Building a Resilient Society” Final report https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5802/ldselect/ldrisk/110/110.pdf Watch select committee hearing: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/da07ba0d-2ee1-4d93-b645-23c9dadfd07d Read select committee hearing: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5802/ldselect/ldrisk/110/11002.htm   Featuring Interviewee: Dr Carina Fearnley, Associate Professor of Science Communication https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/fearnley Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Sweeter Vermouth," by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Today, we're talking CAREERS. Here in STS, careers thinking is at the core of our degree programmes. Every tutor has something important to say about careers, we have our “flexible futures” agenda underpinning the degrees, and we make big use of the resources offered by services across all of UCL. In short, we work hard at career development and we work with the pros. Students are keen to connect their studies with possible jobs, and they're keen to build up portfolios that help them stand out in a crowd when it comes to job hunting. To help us all learn more about the resources available, I've asked Catherine Casale onto the show. Catherine is a Careers Counsellor with UCL Careers Service. Catherine has massive experience listening to students talk about how they see the future. She knows how to help people see the possibilities ahead, then start deciding on what needs to be done to reach those goals. She's been doing this for many years, both at UCL and elsewhere. And in lots of different types of environments. Catherine has professional degrees from several parts of the University of London. She also has been a professional coach who helps people write, present, and communicate more effectively. And here's a top networking tip! When you meet Catherine, ask her about “Toastmasters”. What is it, and how might it help you build key skills for the future. This episode is part 1 of our conversation. When we start talking careers, there's always a lot to say. You'll see. We'll have part 2 of our conversation in a few weeks. For more about UCL Careers Service: https://ucl.ac.uk/careers And check out their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVFCAOjbf4P1b06HAcYssBg For more about careers information related to STS: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/careers In the interview, we discussed other resources offered by UCL, for example: Volunteering Service through Students' Union UCL: https://studentsunionucl.org/volunteering We also discussed the following books: The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures by Erin Meyer The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently by Richard E. Nisbett   Featuring Interviewee: Catherine Casale, UCL Careers Service

In this episode, ProfJoeCain talks with Dr. Melanie Smallman and Dr. Jean-Baptiste Gouyon about UCL's new Master's in Science Communication (MSc). They discuss the philosophy behind the degree, some of its key modules, and how it is designed to balance practical skill development with foundational theory in communications. There also is discussion about how they plan to give this degree global relevance, careers thinking, and how activities in the degree will tie into other activities around UCL and around London. Our discussion also identifies some key information for prospective applicants. If you think you might want to join us, this episode will give a smooth introduction to the new degree. More information is available on the STS website: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/msc For questions about admissions, email: sts-admissions@ucl.ac.uk In the interview, we discussed several examples of excellent science communication. These examples were: Falling Walls Engage for the project “Aquí Nos Cuidamos”. The ePOP Concept for the project “The ePOPers Network”   Featuring Interviewees: Dr Melanie Smallman, Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies . Melanie also appears on WeAreSTS episode #6. Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, Associate Professor in Science Communication . Jean-Baptiste also appears on WeAreSTS episode #2. Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Sweeter Vermouth," by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

As of November 2021, more than 46.4 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the biggest mass-immunization programme the country has ever run. Most of us rushed to book our appointments as soon as we received a message, keen to protect ourselves from the virus. However, not everyone has been quite so confident in the vaccine. In this episode, Jasmine Chakravarty speaks to four UCL academics to learn more about vaccine hesitancy and the evolution of public messaging. She wants to know: what it is, which groups are hesitant and why, and how this hesitancy can best be approached Listen to leading researchers from the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and other UCL departments who talk about hesitancy as a process and who try to better understand how engagement around this topic should work. Jasmine would like to thank her fantastic guests Professor Helen Bedford @HelenEBedford, Dr Stephen Hughes @stephenhues, Dr Katherine Woolf, and Professor Sarah Edwards. For more information on vaccine hesitancy visit: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/immunisation-vaccines/vaccine-hesitancy For more advice on how to talk to those who are hesitant, see: https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/08/16/1032001/how-to-talk-to-unvaccinated-people To read Dr Katherine Woolf's research paper ‘Dispel myths and build trust to combat vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority health workers', follow the link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776221001575?via%3Dihub Find out more about vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority groups in the UK: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-vaccines-f-%20idUSKBN2A925Q https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n513 To learn more about the ‘COVID-19 Wellbeing Study' with which Professor Sarah Edwards is involved, follow: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/1/e043418.long For more information about UCL's Master's in Science Communication (MSc) https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/msc We also mentioned our annual newsletter, STS Alchemy. For your free copy, visit:  https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/alchemy   Featuring Interviewer and episode creator: Jasmine Chakravarty (UCL 2021) Host: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Sweeter Vermouth,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Jasmine edited and produced the main segments of this episode. The balance of editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Will robots steal my job? Will gene editing cure my cancer? HYPE is a fundamental part of science communication, the development of new technologies, and the crucially important interface between business, investment, and new technology. How does HYPE work? Can it be used for good? In this interview, Gemma Milne discusses her book, SMOKE AND MIRRORS, and her interest in HYPE as an ever-present phenomenon in our society. Gemma also discusses how she became interested in studying sociology of technology and innovation research, beginning with her first degree in mathematics, and her later journey through the finance and tech start-up industries, then science journalism. Gemma's book: Milne, Gemma. 2020. Smoke and Mirrors. How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It (London: Robinson). ISBN: 978-1-4721-4366-2. SMOKE AND MIRRORS has been selected as the STS1Book for 2021-22. Each year, the Department asks all staff and students to read one book in common during the summer, then arrive for the new session ready to discuss both its substance and its broader value. Incoming students should read this prescribed book. It will be the subject of activities during induction week and will be used in Year 1 courses. Titles are selected for inclusion by the STS Undergraduate Programme Tutor from suggested offered by students and staff. For more information: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme Gemma Milne also is co-host of the “Radical Science” podcast. https://radicalsciencepodcast.com And she is a PhD researcher in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). She creates a newsletter, “Brain Reel” https://brainreel.substack.com Website: gemmamilne.co.uk https://gemmamilne.co.uk Twitter: @gemmamilne   Featuring Interviewee: Gemma Milne, Science and Technology Writer; also PhD student in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies https://gemmamilne.co.uk Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Sweeter Vermouth," by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

We're back about a summer break. When we say “break,” we mean we've been working hard for most of the summer to create new episodes. WeAreSTS is a podcast dedicated to showcasing research, teaching, and success in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). Our core audience is teachers and those considering a degree in our programme. We answer the question, “What is STS?” through dozens of examples. WeAreSTS creates three types of episodes: (1) regular episodes feature staff and students in the department discussing their research, (2) careers episodes feature interviews with alumni about paths taken after graduation, and (3) bonus episodes feature surprises we develop for our listeners.   Featuring Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

#7 Professor Simon Werrett (UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Science) talks about his award-winning book, THRIFTY SCIENCE. In Britain of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the practices of reuse, re-purpose, and recycle were core to the work of what became science. More important, if you follow the trails left by these activities, you'll find ideas that reorganise how we should think about the way science was done, where it was done, and who did the work. Professor Werrett also resurrects the old word “oeconomy,” putting it to work to help us understand why reuse was understood to be virtuous. And he explains how industrialisation in the nineteenth century substituted ideas related to consumption and specialisation. In this interview, Professor Werrett discusses the main ideas of his book, plus how he hopes to extend his analysis to histories of thrifty science in Russia and elsewhere. He also talks about other projects he has underway and some of the joys that come from a focus on material culture in the history of science and technology. In our age of recycling, is thrifty science making a comeback? Professor Werrett argues it never went away. It simply is something we tend to let drift out of focus. Simon's book: Simon Werrett. 2019. Making the Most of Materials in the History of Experiment (University of Chicago Press), ISBN 978-0-226-61025-2. It was awarded the 2020 Paul Bunge Prize from the German Chemical Society and the German Society for Physical Chemistry. Simon talks about some of the main ideas from his book in a series of short films produced by STS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqDGBZHFcMlnaTbR1vS266tWaCnnCaCjK The project described by Simon at The Institute of Making was the 2014 “Emotions, Transformations, and Restorations”: https://emotionstransformationsrestorations.wordpress.com   Featuring Interviewee: Professor Simon Werrett, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Dr Melanie Smallman talks about her meta-study of attitudes across 10 emerging technologies by public, government, and politicians. Her conclusion: we talk quite differently about innovation. Smallman argues those differences matter for how we respond to the changes taking place around us. Science communication and public engagement needs to be smarter about the public it serves. Dr Melanie Smallman is Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). She's an expert in science policy and science communication. She's worked in the UK government, run a consultancy business in policy and communication, and is an experienced researcher of public engagement of science and innovation. More on Melanie Smallman: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/smallman In this interview, Melanie talks about the research behind her popular paper: Smallman, Melanie. 2018. “Science to the rescue or contingent progress? Comparing 10 years of public, expert, and policy discourses on new and emerging science and technology in the United Kingdom,” Public Understanding of Science, volume 27, issue 6, pp. 655-673. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662517706452 We also talk about the module Melanie teaches at UCL, “Science in Government”. Details are available: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/study-here/undergraduate-bsc-degrees/undergraduate-modules/hpsc0124 This interview was recorded in 2021.   Featuring Interviewee: Dr Melanie Smallman, UCL Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/smallman | Tw: @melaniesmallman   Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain | Tw: @profjoecain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Students and staff in STS also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. Tw: @stsucl #WeAreSTS “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain.

For April Fool's Day, we talk about a famous joke in the history of biology. Dr Rebecca Martin interviews Professor Joe Cain about the Snouters. It's a joke that began with publication of a book in 1961 that told the story of an unusual group of mammals discovered on a remote archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It was a fiction; a prank; a joke. That joke took on a life of its own as other people retold the joke, embellished it, and translated it into new environments. Joe has done the historian's job of tracing these paths. He's also done the sociologist's job of drawing a lesson about communities and tribes. “Jokes help groups draw boundaries,” he says. “They do social work, and they do intellectual work.” Joe talks about the project in this interview. He also talks more widely about science and technology studies and its value for interpreting science as the work of people like us. The research paper Joe discusses is: Joe Cain. (2018). In My Tribe: What the Snouters (and Other Jokes) Reveal About Tribes in Science. Endeavour. Volume 43, Issues 1-2, March-June 2019, Pages 2-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endeavour.2018.12.001 If access is blocked, read the preprint version (same paper, different format): https://tinyurl.com/snouter-preprint   Abstract for the Paper This paper tells the history of this famous joke in science: Gerolf Steiner's invention of the Rhinogradentia using the pseudonym Harald Stümpke. It follows this story from this joke's creation in the 1940s, to the relabelling of Rhinogradentia as “snouters” in the 1960s, to later use as an inside joke within zoology and taxonomy. Steiner's original monograph for these imaginary creatures followed standard conventions in taxonomy and did not disclose its fictitious nature. It was a tall tale for specialists to cherish. Later, Steiner's joke took on a life of its own as his monograph functioned to identify communities of shared understanding and to spot lapses in expertise. This study places Steiner's story within “jokelore,” arguing the rhinograde narrative has been repeated, shared, extended, and mimicked by diverse groups so they may accomplish either social work or intellectual work within the context of particular tribes and intellectual traditions. For more examples of jokes in science, including Equus pantomimus and Eoornis petrovylox gobiensis, visit Joe's site: https://profjoecain.net/rhinogradentia/   Featuring Interviewee: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain | Tw: @profjoecain   Interviewer: Dr Rebecca Martin, Honorary Research Fellow, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) https://theanatomyofaphd.wordpress.com | Tw: @Rebecca_Martin_   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Students and staff in STS also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

James Lighthill, UCL Provost (1979-1989), was the author of a highly influential report to the UK government about artificial intelligence (AI). It questioned what AI was and what it could achieve. Its impact was profound. It was the cause, say some, of the first “AI winter” of the 1970s. Lighthill was one of the leading mathematicians of the 20th century. His work nevertheless was highly engaging, asking questions such as “how do fish swim?” and “how do birds fly?”. His answers led him to firm convictions about what makes good science policy, not least concerning how science might pay close attention to the world's problems. The bonus episode excerpts from the audio of Professor Agar's “lunchtime lecture” at UCL in March 2021, with his permission. About the lecture, Professor Agar explains, “I will explore the resonances between Lighthill's approach and our recent return to grand challenges and a problem-oriented industrial strategy for science….I will present my discoveries made in the Lighthill papers held in UCL Special Collections and the National Archives at Kew that reveal the reasons for this intervention. Given the resurgent importance of AI, we can learn from the past fortunes of the subject.” The original title of Professor Agar's talk was, “Why Did a Former UCL Provost think Research in AI Should be Stopped?”   UCL Minds Lunch Hour Lectures UCL's Lunch Hour Lecture series has been running at UCL since 1942 and showcases the exceptional research work being undertaken across UCL. Lectures are free and open to all. The full version of this lecture, with formal introduction and moderated questions and answers, is available on the UCLLHL YouTube channel. #ucllhl​ Twitter: @UCLLHL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/UCLLHL​   About the Speaker Professor Jon Agar is Professor and Co-Head of UCL Department at Science and Technology Studies (STS). He is a historian of modern science and technology, and he is the author of many books, including: - Science Policy under Thatcher (2019) - Constant Touch: a Global History of the Mobile Phone (Icon, second edition, 2013) - Science in the Twentieth Century and Beyond (Polity, 2012) - The Government Machine: A Revolutionary History of the Computer (MIT Press, 2003) He is also co-editor of the volume: - Histories of Technology, the Environment and Modern Britain (co-edited with Jacob Ward, 2018) In 2016 Professor Agar was the recipient of the Royal Society's Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal and Lecture.   Featuring Speaker: Professor Jon Agar, UCL Professor in Science and Technology Studies https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/agar (@jon_agar) Host: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain (@profjoecain)   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Production information Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Students and staff in STS also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Episode #4: Professor Charlotte Sleigh talks about the STS1Book for 2021, a book she has co-written with Professor Amanda Rees. It's called "Humans". In our conversation, we talk about the book and some of its main ideas. We also talk about the book as one in a long series of projects Charlotte has undertaken in the general area of “animal studies,” a research topic in STS that has evolved in important ways in the past ten years. For example, Charlotte is an highly praised expert on the cultural history of ants, both in terms of scientific research and in terms of different cultures around the world. She's also currently president of The British Society for the History of Science, one of the top global organisations supporting research, writing, and discussion in this area. One of the projects Charlotte mentioned was: Stone, Christopher D. “Should Trees Have Standing?–Towards Legal. Rights for Natural Objects.” Southern California Law Review 45. (1972): 450-501 This was later developed into a book: Stone, Christopher D. Should Trees Have Standing? Law, Morality, and the Environment. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Our interview was recorded in 2021 just after Charlotte arrived in STS as Lecturer (Teaching) in Social Studies of Science. This appointment is in addition to her role as an Honorary Professor. For more about Charlotte: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/people/charlotte-sleigh Also, check out the book's co-author, Dr Amanda Rees: https://www.york.ac.uk/sociology/our-staff/academic/amanda-rees The book we discussed: Amanda Rees and Charlotte Sleigh. 2020. Humans (Reaktion Books). ISBN 978-1-78914-214-3. The STS1Book programme is an initiative by UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) that asks all students and staff to read one book in common during the year. This serves as a foundation for interdisciplinary conversations and debate within our community. Each year we try to bring the authors into the department to work with our students to interpret the work and also simply to meet important practitioners in the subject. Find out more about the STS1Book programme: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme For more about the British Society for the History of Science: https://www.bshs.org.uk   Featuring Interviewee: Professor Charlotte Sleigh, STS Honorary Professor and Lecturer (Teaching) in Social Studies of Science. Twitter: @KentCHOTS https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/people/charlotte-sleigh Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology. Twitter: @profjoecain https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod This music is available free via the service FilmMusic.io https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 The license is available: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production for this episode by Professor Joe Cain. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Talk about us on social media. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS STS students and staff can get involved with our podcast in quite a number of different ways: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/wearests-five-ways-students-can-be-involved

BONUS: We pay tribute to our friend and colleague, Dr William Fleming Maclehose (1967-2020). Bill was a historian of medieval medicine and an important part of STS. He was an expert in theories of sleep and sleeping. Bill loved the history of medicine in all its forms and across all the world's great cultures. This episode is an interview with Bill. Students in STS sometimes interview staff for projects in science communication. A few years ago, one of our master's students, Deirdre Dinneen, did just that with Bill. After Deirdre heard of Bill's death, she very kindly offered us this recording. We thought broadcasting it would be a small tribute to someone we miss. An obituary notice for Dr Maclehose are available: Participants Interviewee: Dr William Maclehose Interviewer: Deirdre Dinneen Music credits Intro music is “Stylish Background Classical Waltz Piano” by MusicLFiles available . License: Exit music is “Feather Waltz” by Kevin MacLeod available . License: Production information Nuzhah Miah, a current STS student, edited the interview and fine-tuned the audio. Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Students and staff in STS also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

What are the similarities between the COVID-19 pandemic and the 1918 ‘Spanish Flu' pandemic? What can we learn by a comparison? How does history help us understand what's happening today? One of our experts in science communication, Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, interviews one of our historians of science and medicine, Dr Cristiano Turbil, to answer these questions, and more. Did you know the 1918 ‘Spanish Flu' pandemic probably started in the US state of Kansas? Do you know why the 1918 pandemic is called the ‘Spanish Flu'? This interview was recorded in 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Featuring Interviewee: Dr Cristiano Turbil, STS Teaching Fellow in History of Medicine (@cristianoturbil) Interviewer: Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, UCL Associate Professor of Science Communication  (@jbgouyon) Host: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology (@profjoecain)   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Production information Editing and post-production by Gouyon, Chalmers, and Cain. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Students and staff in STS also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Episode #2: Every university student has "careers" on the mind, even if they're not sure what they should be thinking about. I talk with the STS Careers Tutor, Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon about this subject. He talks about the new STS student-led Careers Task Force. We also talk about many ideas under the title, “careers thinking,” including the philosophy of flexible futures. As a careers tutor, Dr Gouyon is a specialist in thinking about how students might look ahead to find specific career paths. If they're not sure how to start, Jean-Baptiste is an expert in helping people get started. For more information about careers associated with STS: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/careers STS also works with UCL Careers Service, which offers a fantastic range of activities and expertise for our students. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/ Personal tutors also can help guide students through the process.   Featuring Interviewee: Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, Associate Professor of Science Communication Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in history and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Show information Editing and postproduction by Professor Joe Cain. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

BONUS EPISODE: Why study STS at the postgraduate level? What are some of the benefits and key qualities of the programme? What are your options at UCL? Dr Jenny Bulstrode describes our Master's level programmes in conversation with the show's host, Professor Joe Cain. She offers guidance on choosing the right subject path, how to choose a referee, and what she seeks in a personal statement. STS offers two Master's Degrees: 1. History and Philosophy of Science MSc 2. Science, Technology, and Society MSc These are available for full-time and part-time study. We also have options to study these subjects while seeking a degree, diploma, or a certificate-level qualification. This interview was recorded in 2021 and is relevant for applicants considering admission to study in the 2021-22 academic year. For more information, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/msc   Featuring Interviewee: Dr Jenny Bulstrode, Lecturer in History of Science and Technology Interviewer: Professor Joe Cain, Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Plain Loafer,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4223-plain-loafer License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Show information “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain.   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Students and staff in STS also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Episode #1. STS student, Nuzhah Miah, interviews Dr Jack Stilgoe about Evgeny Morozov's 2014 book, To Save Everything Click Here, asking him why it's recommended reading for new students coming into UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). The book they are discussing is Evgeny Morozov (2014) To Save Everything Click Here: Technology, Solutionism, and the urge to fix problems that don't exist (Penguin). The publisher's description reads: “Our gadgets are getting smarter. Technology can log what we buy, customize what we consume and enable us to save and share every aspect of our existence. In the future, we're told, it will even make public life - from how we're governed to how we record crime - better. But can the digital age fix everything? Should it? By quantifying our behaviour, Evgeny Morozov argues, we are profoundly reshaping society - and risk losing the opacity and imperfection that make us human.”   Featuring Interviewee: Dr Jack Stilgoe, Associate Professor of Social Studies of Science at UCL. Interviewer: Nuzhah Miah, student in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). She also is host of "The Spilled Milk" podcast.   This interview took place in August 2020.   Show credits The host was Professor Joe Cain. Editing and postproduction by Miah and Cain. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain.   Music credits With apologies, Cain neglected to mention our use of the lovely, “Sweeter Vermouth,” in the episode's end credits. 1. “Sweeter Vermouth,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4450-sweeter-vermouth License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 2. “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

TRAILER. We're introducing “WeAreSTS," a new podcast from the Department of Science and Technology Studies at University College London (UCL). We talk about what we hope to accomplish with the podcast and what listeners can expect to learn. We have a lot planned, and SUBSCRIBE now before you forget. The show host is Professor Joe Cain.   Music credits Music used in this episode includes: Plain Loafer by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4223-plain-loafer License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Podcast information "WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave feedback about the show, visit us online: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS