Podcasts about Public engagement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeOVh7ck3D821 Paul Hill, Ralph Wilkins and Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard host.  Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. From Dec 28, 2021. Our chat with Dr. Chris North from our live show to ease the boredom of covid lockdowns.  We ask Chris astronomy questions from our listeners: • Why are astronomers so sure that the recent interstellar comet came from outside the solar system • Which is going to be the most exciting telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope or the Square Kilometer Array? • What is the most exciting discovery we can expect from the James Webb Space Telescope and the Square Kilometer Array? • How the James Webb Space Telescope and Square Kilometer Array will work.   Chris North is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University and host of the Pythagorean Astronomy podcast at pythagastro.uk. Chris is Director of Recruitment and Admissions and the Head of Public Engagement. Working on public engagement in print and TV, education and data visualization for a range of projects, most notably the Gravity Exploration Institute.   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.

What if everyday Singaporeans could help solve public challenges—using tech? On Good Tech, we spotlight Build for Good, a civic innovation initiative by GovTech Singapore's Open Government Products. Through hackathons, accelerators, and community engagement, Build for Good empowers citizens to co-create tech solutions that tackle real societal issues—from healthcare to caregiving to sustainability. We speak with Yi Han Liao and Jael Teh, Managers of Public Engagement, about how this grassroots movement is shifting mindsets—from waiting for change to building it. Tune in for inspiring stories of nurses, caregivers, and everyday citizens who’ve turned ideas into impactful solutions—and how you can be part of the next wave of civic innovation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Humanity Episode #65: Kevin Roose on AGI, AI Risk, and What Comes Next

Joining Africa Melane is Matthew Parks, COSATU’s Parliamentary Coordinator, who says the DA's move is not only legally flimsy but politically reckless in a year already charged with populist rhetoric. Follow us on:CapeTalk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapeTalkCapeTalk on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capetalkCapeTalk on Instagram: www.instagram.com/capetalkzaCapeTalk on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567CapeTalk on X: www.x.com/CapeTalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 19 touches on the bizarre reasons why the City of Winnipeg isn't advertising a Public Works Committee event, more federal election campaign news and views, and more evidence Elections Canada is trying to deceive the public that their "preventative measures" stop non-citizens from getting a ballot and voting.Part 1- Late on Wednesday, a City of Winnipeg representative emailed Marty Gold about his Sun column, Public Works presentation on Bike Lanes, Lower Speed Limits Kept Hush-Hush.The column revealed that while the Saturday morning event is framed as a “robust presentation” about the $96 Million councillors intend to spend on “Active Transportation and Road Safety in the next 6 years,” the people running the show seem to only want to hear from supporters and beneficiaries of their plans. Case in point- Committee Chair Janice Lukes specifically invited the bike lobby, but not WiseUP Winnipeg that represents 14,000 drivers. As Todd Dube suggested, that's one way politicians can use tax dollars to set up a robust echo chamber."It is not a Public Service-led event, and we do not promote information sessions organized and led by an elected official," explained the email. If you think that doesn't make sense, wait till you hear the rest of the explanation of how "there is no component of public engagement or feedback-seeking at this event" and how Marty responded. 20.15 Part 2 starts off with some reaction to Sun columns. Hear comments on the Public Works info session, the injection site Town Hall held by Point Douglas residents, and the passing of Con Lynch, a venerated North Kildonan teacher with a deep connection to Marty's family.27.15 - Listeners and readers contribute tips and observations about the state of the federal campaign. Prospects for the NDP are looking bleak while the Conservatives are finally allowing local candidates to speak for themselves. Meanwhile, the Jew-haters have made their presence felt in Tuxedo, targeting Jewish Tory incumbent Marty Morantz. 34.10 Part 3 - A recent correspondence from Elections Canada revealed how the agency tries to fool Canadians into believing their lax ID practices don't open the door to non-citizens being handed a ballot. Listen to the Elections Canada memo sent to encourage tax preparers to add clients to the voting list. You'll wonder if the agency is only interested in padding voter rolls and not in protecting our democracy. We will continue to stand up for you.****The TGCTS podcasts and reports on ActionLine.ca and our columns and community reports with the Winnipeg Sun, are made possible because of the support of listeners and readers like you. There is no trust fund behind our work and no government subsidies. This is as grassroots as it gets. We need your help to keep the funding campaign on track.The budget for Season Six is $10,000 and thus far generous donors have chipped in $860.00. That's a great start!Please use our Donate Page to contribute towards our costs for web hosting and features, transportation, and being your watchdog!E-transfers, sponsor inquiries, comments, news tips- email martygoldlive@gmail.com***** Coming up Sunday in the WinnipegSun- an investigation into the tolerance of another 'anti-Zionist not antisemitic' incident in youth sports, this involving a family from River Heights with a couple of unexpected twists to the tale.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre La Autoridad de Cristo Sobre las Naciones en la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo al capítulo seis titulado "Christ's Political Government: Early Formulations" del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 228-254. El podcast analiza la evolución de la teología política de Juan Calvino, siguiendo su desarrollo desde su temprano y relativamente secular énfasis en el papel del gobierno en el mantenimiento del orden y la justicia, como se ve en sus Instituciones de 1536 y en su comentario sobre Romanos de 1540, hasta su visión posterior, más teológicamente impregnada, que defiende la responsabilidad del magistrado de promover y defender la verdadera religión. Este cambio, influenciado por sus interacciones con los anabaptistas y su desarrollo de la teología bíblica, se evidencia en su Tratado contra los anabaptistas de 1544 y sus exhortaciones posteriores a los magistrados civiles. El análisis destaca la aplicación constante de Calvino de la doctrina de los «dos reinos», diferenciando entre los reinos espiritual y político, al tiempo que explora la compleja interacción entre ellos. A lo largo de su obra, Calvino mantiene la importancia tanto de la obediencia a la autoridad legítima como de la resistencia a la tiranía, aunque con diferentes matices para los ciudadanos particulares y los magistrados. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

Guest: Dr. Ian Patton, Director of Advocacy and Public Engagement at Obesity Canada.

In this special live recording of Hey History! host Axel Clark asks historians Clare Wright, Anna Clark and Kiera Lindsey what historical objects can tell us about the past? What can a piece of ochre tell us about Australia’s Deep Time History? Can an old gold pan help us to hear the past? And what about a pair of South Australian pink shorts? We ask kids what objects are special to them, and play guessing games with objects - including one that's in the Guinness Book of World Records! This episode of Hey History! was recorded on Kaurna Country for the 2025 Schools Day of Adelaide Writers Week. Many thanks to Adelaide Festival, especially Suzanne Critchley, and Tahlia Greco. Many thanks to the History Trust of South Australia for the use of an image of Don Dunstan's shorts, and the National Museum of Australia for kindly granting permission and usage of images from their collection including: The water bottle of Robert O'Hara Bourke A gold panning dish Chris the sheep Voices Anna Clark is a Professor of History at the University of Technology, Sydney. Clare Wright is a Professor of History and Public Engagement at La Trobe University. Kiera Lindsey is South Australia's History Advocate and an award-winning historian. Episode image Photo of Hey History on stage live in front of primary school students in the Women's Pioneer Memorial Garden in Adelaide, South Australia. Credits Hosted by Axel Clark. Produced on Gadigal Country by Anna Clark, Clare Wright and Jane Curtis. Executive producers are Clare Wright and Anna Clark. Podcast concept, design and development by Anna Clark. Thanks to all the students whose voices you hear in this episode and their schools and teachers. Hey History! is produced by the Australian Centre for Public History at UTS and UTS Impact Studios. Impact Studios' executive producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre El Reino Espiritual de Cristo en la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo al capítulo cinco titulado "Christ's Spiritual Government" del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 182-227. El podcast explora la teología política de Juan Calvino, centrándose en su concepto de la Iglesia como el reino espiritual de Cristo. Calvino distingue este reino espiritual de las estructuras políticas terrenales, argumentando que la autoridad de la Iglesia se deriva únicamente de la Palabra de Dios, rechazando las pretensiones papales de poder magisterial. Identifica los elementos clave del gobierno de la Iglesia (predicación, sacramentos y disciplina) como parte integral del gobierno espiritual de Cristo, al tiempo que reconoce la necesidad de la Iglesia de un orden interno y de una interacción con las autoridades civiles en asuntos no espirituales. Calvino contrasta su punto de vista con el de otros reformadores y el de la Iglesia Católica Romana, destacando el papel crucial de la Palabra y el Espíritu en el ministerio de la Iglesia y rechazando la fusión de los reinos espiritual y temporal. En última instancia, el autor examina cómo la comprensión de Calvino del gobierno espiritual de la Iglesia da forma a su eclesiología y a su crítica del papado. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, and Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, have announced a €6.5 million investment in 40 projects?designed to enhance public engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Research Ireland Discover Programme focuses on creating meaningful public engagement with STEM, emphasising collaboration with communities. The programme seeks to drive innovation in STEM education and public engagement, contributing to Ireland's industry, enterprise, and societal progress. Announcing the funding, Minister Lawless highlighted the importance of the initiatives: "These Discover-funded projects are crucial for triggering curiosity and encouraging greater participation in STEM across all education levels and within our communities. In particular, this investment will help foster a deeper understanding of STEM among underrepresented voices and inspire many of them to potentially become more involved in studies and careers in these fields. This will empower future generations to tackle societal challenges and share innovative solutions." Welcoming her department's co-funding of eight Discover projects, Minister for Education and Youth McEntee said: "In today's world, STEM stretches far beyond the classroom and lecture halls, and the projects we are supporting today will help bring the learnings and theories students are working on to real-world application. "Promoting awareness and appreciation of STEM in all communities is vital in inspiring students of all ages. I am proud that the Department of Education will partner again with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science through this Research Ireland Discover Programme" Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO at Research Ireland, welcomed the announcement, stating: "The Research Ireland Discover Programme is a cornerstone of our education and public engagement strategy. We are so pleased to be supporting these 40 projects and look forward to seeing them strengthen STEM engagement across Ireland and encourage more inclusive participation in shaping the future of science and innovation in Ireland." Professor Maggie Cusack, President at Munster Technological University, commented: "At Munster Technological University, we are proud to be part of a national effort that recognises the power of STEM to transform lives and communities. This significant investment in public engagement through the Research Ireland Discover Programme will help ensure that science and innovation are accessible, inclusive, and inspiring for all. By reaching underrepresented voices and creating real-world connections, these projects will shape a more equitable and dynamic future for STEM in Ireland" Among the 40 projects supported through the research Ireland Discover Programme are: All-Ireland STEM Passport for Inclusion 2025-2027, which partners with universities and industry to support 5,350 students through university-accredited qualifications, industry mentoring, and industry work experience to explore STEM education and employment opportunities. A Brush with Climate, which develops workshops and training material which empowers hairdressers to steer conversations toward climate action, using small talk as a tool for change. Rooted: Building Connections to Nature in our Communities through Theatre, which brings together scientists, dancers, theatre-makers, students, and rural communities through public performances, expert talks, and an evening-length dance theatre production to explore our connection to nature and inspire action against the climate crisis. Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for the next generation of innovators. The goal of this project is to embed AI knowledge and skills in the learning approach of schools and youth services. ?It is inclusion focused and aims to enhance the capacity of teachers and youth workers to support young people ...

In this series Tony Watkins, Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House, will be sharing how we can make sense of the books of the prophets, and providing helpful tips for how to read them for ourselves. In this first episode, Tony Watkins and Francie Cornes discuss why we often find the prophetic books more difficult to read than other parts of the Bible, as well as who the prophets actually were and what their role was.Tony has put together a timeline of Old Testament history so you can visually see where the prophets came in Israel's history. Click here to view it: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/old-testament-timelines/13583150 Find out more about the host and guest here: Tony Watkins: https://tyndalehouse.com/about/staff/tony-watkins/Francie Cornes: https://tyndalehouse.com/about/staff/francie-cornes/Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Discussions around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their role in public health have gained significant traction in recent years. While some advocate for categorizing and regulating these foods due to their potential negative health effects, others argue that such classifications can oversimplify the issue and detract from more actionable dietary changes. In this episode, Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and researcher, joins us to explore the complexities of the UPF debate. Rather than dismissing the concept outright, Dr. Mellor emphasizes the importance of nuanced discussion, bridging the gap between research findings and practical, evidence-based dietary guidance. Throughout this conversation, we unpack the broader implications of ultra-processed foods in the food system, consider how added fat, salt, and sugar contribute to public health challenges, and explore realistic approaches for dietary improvements. Guest Information Dr. Duane Mellor, PhD is a registered dietitian, academic researcher and science communicator. Dr. Mellor is currently working in clinical dietetics, working to support people, families and carers living with diabetes. Previously Dr. Mellor worked in medical education at Aston University, holding the position of Associate Dean for Public Engagement in the College of Health and Life Sciences. After initially working in the areas of clinical trials, Dr. Mellor's other research interests focused on improving nutrition and health by working with communities to celebrate their heritage through food and help tackle barriers resulting from societal inequalities. Timestamps [03:02] Interview start [06:39] Understanding the NOVA classification [09:53] Potential pitfalls and policy implications [14:52] Food science and technology perspectives [20:47] Challenges in food classification [26:13] Health equity and policy considerations [42:31] Communication and public perception [50:30] Final thoughts and advice [51:15] Key ideas segment (Premium-only) Related Resources Join the Sigma email newsletter for free Subscribe to Sigma Nutrition Premium Enroll in the next cohort of our Applied Nutrition Literacy course Paper: Mellor, 2024 – The role of food science and technology in navigating the health issues of ultra-processed foods Go to sigmanutrition.com

National Vietnam Veterans Day is observed on March 29. March 29, 1973 was the day the  US Military Assistance Command – Vietnam stood down. This year has a bit of added significance; it is the 50th anniversary of the war. The Department of Veteran's Affairs estimates there are still 7 million Americans who served on active duty during the Vietnam war still living. Commander Brian Wierzbiki, Chief of Public Engagement for the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration joins us to talk about their initiatives and support programs for the 50th Anniversary. The mission of the Vietnam War Commemoration is to thank and honor Veterans of the Vietnam War. They also include personnel of federal agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations who served in support as well as our allies and persons supporting on the home front. The organization went active in 2012. Brian's office provides support to any organizations organizing 50th anniversary recognition events. So far they have supported 28,574 events with 13,539 partners. A calendar of all the events are listed at their website. Any group interested in receiving support or listing their event with the Vietnam War Commemoration can visit their website and submit the information. Brian says that even though the anniversary is March 29, they will support programming through November 11, 2025. Their website has several interesting elements including an in depth history page with timelines oral histories and even a virtual tour of the Pentagon exhibit. Other support elements provided include Veteran lapel pins, certificates of honor and commemorative flags. Eligible Veterans include anyone who served between November 1, 1955 and May 5, 1975. Surviving spouses are also eligible for a pin. Brian says that his role in support of the commemoration has significantly informed him about Vietnam Veterans role. He deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. When he returned from Afghanistan, the first people to greet him were Vietnam Veterans.  

Guest: Daniel SwainWinds are howling outside Los Angeles, California on a dry January day. The hillsides north and east of the city erupt in flames. A wall of fire begins to consume neighborhoods faster than firefighters can keep up. As wind-driven embers continue to fly down hill - a thousand miles away, Daniel Swain's phone begins to light up. Journalists, companies, officials - all want answers to California's extreme weather and the impact of climate change. On this week's episode of Weather Geeks we learn how one high schooler, with a blog, ignited his career to become one of the leading communicators on climate change and the Weather out West.Chapters:00:00 California's Wildfires and Climate Change10:08 Daniel Swain: The Weather Geek's Journey19:52 The Importance of Effective Communication27:05 Linking Climate Change to Extreme Weather40:05 Understanding the Complexity of Weather EventsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre El Debate sobre los Dos Reinos en la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo al capítulo cuatro titulado "Two Kingdoms" del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 140-181. El podcast explora la teología de los «dos reinos» de Juan Calvino, distinguiendo entre el reino espiritual de Cristo (centrado en la rectitud espiritual interior y la iglesia) y su reino político (relacionado con el orden exterior y el gobierno civil). Analiza cómo este marco da forma a las opiniones de Calvino sobre la libertad cristiana, las instituciones sociales como la esclavitud y los roles de género, y la relación entre la autoridad civil y espiritual. Tuininga examina el uso que hace Calvino de términos clave y contrasta su enfoque con el de otros pensadores de la Reforma. El podcast también aborda posibles malas interpretaciones de las ideas de Calvino, en particular en lo que respecta a la tensión entre la libertad cristiana y las obligaciones sociales. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

Overview: In this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome Stacy Romero, Executive Director of Louisiana Economic Alliance for Development ("LEAD"), the leading organization for economic development professionals in Louisiana. Stacy is dedicated to equipping professionals with the knowledge, connections, and resources needed to drive meaningful community impact through high-impact education, strategic advocacy, and collaborative networking. Background and Experience: Stacy holds a degree from UL Lafayette and has completed multiple leadership programs, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Institute for Organization Management, the Business Leaders Fellowship Program, and the Council for a Better Louisiana's Leadership Louisiana program. In 2024, she was honored with the Junior Achievement of Acadiana Richard E. Beaudoin Friend of Business Award. Journey into Economic Development: Stacy began her career as an elementary school teacher and later worked at the Department of Education, mentoring new teachers. She transitioned into running education programs at United Way of Acadiana before serving as Executive Director of the Broussard Chamber of Commerce. Her diverse experience in education and business leadership helped her recognize the workforce development gaps in Louisiana. Key Topics Discussed: Workforce Development Challenges: Stacy's personal experience as a mother witnessing her son's initial plans to leave Louisiana highlighted the need for workforce retention efforts. The importance of preparing students and professionals for career opportunities within the state. The Role of LEAD: LEAD was formerly LIDEA and underwent a major restructuring to better serve economic development professionals. LEAD provides networking opportunities, professional development, and advocacy for economic development professionals. Supporting Economic Development Professionals: LEAD's focus on emerging professionals and bridging the knowledge gap as seasoned professionals retire. Collaborating with universities to create a pipeline for students into economic development careers. Economic Development and Small Businesses: Economic development includes attracting new businesses and supporting small, long-established local businesses. Quality of life, supported by small businesses, is a key factor in attracting major corporations to Louisiana. Available Resources for Businesses: Many business owners are unaware of available support, such as LEDA's traffic count data to help businesses choose locations. Economic development professionals play a crucial role in connecting businesses with resources. Upcoming LEAD Events & Initiatives: Spring Legislative Event (May 5-6, 2024): Opportunity for economic development professionals to engage with legislators in Baton Rouge. Professional Development Courses: A four-day Basic Economic Developers Training Course is held annually, with additional specialized courses such as Real Estate Development & Reuse. Annual Conference (October 2024): Featuring guest speakers, panels, and professional development opportunities. Membership in LEAD: Affordable membership tiers, including a $25 student membership and higher levels up to $350. Open to professionals working in economic development at least 50% of their time, including those in municipal roles, power companies, and regional organizations. Public Engagement & Outreach: LEAD is enhancing its social media presence on Facebook and LinkedIn to engage members and share resources. Stacy actively travels across the state to build relationships and raise awareness about LEAD's mission. Get Involved with LEAD: Visit LouisianaLEAD.org for more information. Follow LEAD on Facebook and LinkedIn to stay updated on events and resources. Conclusion: Stacy Romero's passion for workforce development and economic strategy shines through in he...

In this episode, we sit down with Carri Twigg, co-founder and Head of Development at Culture House Media, a Black, Brown, and women-owned production company specializing in storytelling that addresses pressing cultural questions. Carri shares her transition from a decade-long career in politics—including roles as Special Assistant to President Obama and Director of Public Engagement for Vice President Biden—to becoming a pivotal figure in media production.  Carri also discusses the founding principles of Culture House, aiming to challenge traditional media narratives and enhance cultural understanding. Join us for an insightful conversation on the intersection of media, politics, and culture, and how storytelling can drive societal change. 

In part 2 of our collaboration, Zofia guest-hosts the Visualising War and Peace Podcast to interview project founder, Dr. Alice König. In this conversation, Alice she unveils the groundbreaking Ancient Peace Studies Network—the first of its kind dedicated to examining how peace was understood, experienced, and represented across different ancient cultures.Discover why peace narratives have received far less scholarly attention than war stories, and how Dr. König's team is working to change that by investigating whose voices and experiences are reflected in ancient accounts of peace and reconciliation.What can ancient approaches to conflict resolution teach us about modern peacebuilding? In this thought-provoking special episode, we explore how elite-centered peace narratives shaped societal attitudes in antiquity and continue to influence our understanding of peace today. Dr. König reveals how her interdisciplinary network is "reading against the grain" of ancient sources to uncover ordinary people's lived experiences of peace—voices that have been historically marginalized but might offer valuable insights for contemporary peace literacy.Don't miss our conversation about bridging academic research with creative outreach, as Dr. König shares details about the network's collaboration with a professional theater company, NMT Automatics, and the upcoming multi-authored publication, "New Visions of Ancient Peace." This episode offers a perfect blend of historical scholarship and practical application, demonstrating how ancient wisdom might help us visualize and build more effective paths to peace in our modern world. We hope you enjoy this collab episode!If you would like to get in touch with Alice regarding her work, please visit the University of St Andrews' Visualising War website and the Visualising Peace Project.The music for the episode was composed by Jonathan Young, and Zofia Guertin mixed the episode. To get in touch and find out more about Two Friends Talk History:Find us on Instagram & TwitterSupport us through PatreonBuy our merch on RedbubbleExplore more resources and topics about the ancient world on ArchaeoArtistIllustration by Zofia GuertinIf you'd like to get in touch, email at twofriendstalkhistory@gmail.com. 

As of February 2025, the Generation Study has recruited over 3,000 participants. In this episode of Behind the Genes, we explore what we have learnt so far from running the study and how it continues to evolve in response to emerging challenges. The conversation delves into key lessons from early recruitment, the challenges of ensuring diverse representation, and the ethical considerations surrounding the storage of genomic data. Our guests discuss how ongoing dialogue with communities is helping to refine recruitment strategies, improve equity in access, and enhance the diversity of genomic data.  Our host Vivienne Parry, Head of Public Engagement at Genomics England, is joined by Alice Tuff-Lacey, Program Director for the Generation Study; Dalia Kasperaviciute, Scientific Director for Human Genomics at Genomics England; and Kerry Leeson Bevers, CEO of Alström Syndrome UK. For more information on the study, visit the Generation Study website, or see below for some of our top blogs and podcasts on the topic: Podcast: What do parents want to know about the Generation Study? Podcast: How has design research shaped the Generation Study? Blog: What is the Generation Study? "We always have to remember, don't we, that if people say no to these things, it's not a failure to on our part, or a failure on their part. It's just something they've thought about and they don't want to do, and for all sorts of different reasons. And the other reflection I have about different communities is the ‘different' bit, is that what approach works for one community may not work for another, and I think that that's something that's going to have to evolve over length of the study, is finding the things that are the right way, the most helpful way to approach people." You can download the transcript, or read it below.   Vivienne: Hello and welcome to Behind the Genes.    Alice: “And this is quite an exciting shift in how we use whole genome sequencing, because what we are talking about is using it in a much more preventative way. Traditionally, where we've been using it is diagnostically where we know someone is sick and they've got symptoms of a rare condition, and we're looking to see what they might have. What we're actually talking about is screening babies from birth using their genome, to see if they are at risk of a particular condition, and what this means is this raising quite a lot of complex ethical, operational, and scientific and clinical questions.”    Vivienne: My name's Vivienne Parry, and I'm Head of Public Engagement here at Genomics England, and I'm your host on this episode of Behind the Genes.      Now, if you are a fan of this podcast, and of course you're a fan of this podcast, you may have already heard us talking about the Generation Study, the very exciting Genomics England research project which aims to screen 100,000 newborn babies for over 200 genetic conditions using whole genome sequencing.      Well, we've got more on the study for you now. What we're doing to make it both accessible and equitable for all parents-to-be, and our plans to ensure that we continue to listen to parents, and perhaps in future, the babies as they grow up. We'll chat, too, about emerging challenges and how we might deal with them.    I'm joined in our studio by Alice Tuff-Lacey, the Programme Director for the Generation Study, and Dalia Kasperaviciute, Scientific Director for Human Genomics, both from Genomics England, and we're delighted to welcome Kerry Leeson-Bevers, Chief Executive of Alström Syndrome UK. And I'm just going to quickly ask Kerry, just tell us about Alström Syndrome and how you're involved.    Kerry: Yes, so Alström Syndrome is an ultra-rare genetic condition. My son has the condition and that's how I got involved. So, the charity has been around now since 1998, so quite a well-established charity, but as part of our work we developed Breaking Down Barriers, which is a network of organisations working to improving engagement and involvement from diverse, marginalised and under-served communities as well.    Vivienne: And you wear another hat as well?  Kerry: I do. So, I'm also a member of the research team working on the process and impact evaluation for the Generation Study. So, I'm Chair of the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Advisory Group there.    Vivienne: Well, the multiply hatted Kerry, we're delighted to welcome you. Thank you so much for being with us.      So, first of all, let's just have a sense from Alice Tuff-Lacey about this project. In a nutshell, what's it all about, Alice?  Alice: Thanks Viv. So, I think in the last few years we've seen some really big advances in the diagnoses of rare diseases through things the Genomic Medicine Service. But we know it takes about 5 years often to diagnose most of these rare conditions. What we also know is that there are several hundred of them that are treatable, and actually there can be massive benefits to the child's health from diagnosing and treating them earlier. I think a really good example of this which is often talked about is spinal muscular atrophy, which is a particular condition where there is a genetic treatment available and there is a really big difference in families from those babies where the condition was identified later on, versus their brothers and sisters where they were identified early because they knew there was a sibling that had it and they were given that treatment.     What we think there is a huge potential opportunity to identify these children from their genome before they get ill, and this is quite an exciting shift in how we use whole genome sequencing, because what we are talking about is using it in a much more preventative way.  But this is a really different approach to how we've been using it so far, because traditionally where we have been using it is diagnostically where we know someone is sick and they've got symptoms of a rare condition and we are looking to see what they might have, what we are actually talking about is screening babies from birth using their genome to see if they are at risk of a particular condition. And what this means is, this raises quite a lot of complex ethical, operational and scientific and clinical questions.      So the aim of the Generation Study is really to understand if we can and should use whole genome sequencing in this way to screen for rare conditions in newborn babies. We've been funded by the Department of Health and Social Care to do this over the following years, and the way we'll be doing this is by a national study across a network of trusts in England where we are aiming to recruit about 100,000 babies and screen them for rare treatable conditions that we know present in childhood. And really the aim of this is to understand if this will work and how it will work, and to generate the evidence to allow the NHS and the National Screening Committee to decide if this could become a clinical service, and that's very much the primary goal of the study.      Beyond that, however, there are some other aims of the study, and we also consent mothers to ask permission to retain their genomic data and to link it to the baby's clinical data over their childhood, and we'll be providing access to this to researchers in the de-identified way in our trusted research environment. And this is to really understand if that data can also be used to further generate information around other discovery research, but also critically understand that the motivations for parents involved will be very different, and we need to think very carefully about how we engage and work with the parents of the babies going forward about how we use their data.    Vivienne: And the super exciting thing is we've started recruiting. How many mothers have we recruited?  Alice: So, we've recruited over 3,000 to date, and it's building every day and every week really. And it's really exciting because we see more and more trusts coming online and the study building and really starting to learn from the experience. And every week and every month, we're learning much more about how this process works, what the impact it's having, and kind of what we need to do over the coming few months and years to deliver it.    Vivienne: And we did a huge about of work at Genomics England before the study even started, to try and find out what people wanted. So, we found out, for instance, that people didn't want to know about late onset conditions, they did want to know about conditions where there was a treatment, and they wanted things that could be done for their babies in childhood. So, we had a really clear steer from the public about this project before we even started. So, how are we continuing to learn from the people who are involved in the study and the public? I mean Kerry, you've been involved in this aspect. We need to listen, don't we, to find out what's going on?    Kerry: We do, we do, and I think it's really encouraging to see the public dialogue and the amount of engagement work that was done there to kind of identify what some of those areas were, but it's really important that we don't stop that engagement there. It's really important to continue that, and I know that we've got quite a diverse group for our Patient and Public Involvement Advisory Group and the Evaluation Team, and one of the things they're really interested in is how we're going out there to speak with communities. You know, we can't just be reliant on the media, and press releases about the study. We need to actually go to communities and have these conversations so that people can have a conversation within an environment that they feel safe and confident with the people that they feel supported by as well.    So I think it's really key that we continue to ask those questions but also learning from the evaluation and, as we go through the process, of speaking to the patient organisations as well who support families that suffer from some conditions that we plan to identify through this study, and learn what some of their challenges are as well. You know, do they feel equipped to be able to support parents that are getting a diagnosis? As well as obviously their participants and the general public, to make sure that we're aware of attitudes and perceptions as the study goes along.    Vivienne: Because there's always a danger with this kind of study that it's people who are health literate who end up being involved. Whereas some of the people on whom the burden of rare disease is greatest may not either feel that they can access, or would want to access, this study. So, what are we doing there? How are we listening to people?  Kerry: When we are looking at recruitment as well, like you say, you know this is a research study and when we look at history and when we look at participants in research studies, we very rarely do you get a diverse representation of people in these types of studies. So, it's really important that those extra efforts are made really in terms of recruitment to get the right sample of people involved. And I know at Genomics England, that they have invested their time and money in terms of interpreters and translating materials and things, but actually it's the sites and recruiting people that need to be well resourced in order to use recruitment strategies, because if we're just looking at posters in waiting rooms, for instance, you're going to get a particular demographic of people that will respond to those kind of posters, such as people who don't speak English as a first language, it would be really difficult sometimes to read those kinds of posters and then to ask questions about that.     We need skilled people within sites that are recruiting who have got cultural competence who can have those conversations, address some of those areas, some of those concerns so that we can get that diverse representation.    Vivienne: So, there's a whole piece about equity of access for everybody and Dalia, perhaps you can explain why this is so important, scientifically as well as ethically? There's another piece about making sure that we get a full diversity represented.    Dalia: We know that some of the conditions are more common in certain populations or certain communities. We also know that some of the conditions are caused by certain variants in one population but not in the others. And these genetic causes even of the same condition can vary between different communities and different genetic ancestors.  On the other hand, our knowledge about the conditions and the genes, and the variants which cause them, come a lot from what we've seen before. Where we've seen those variants in the patients with the disease, and importantly where we've seen those variants in control populations where these individuals which don't have conditions.      Therefore, if we lack the diversity in our datasets, we would not know about all the diverse reasons of why conditions can be caused, or how it progresses, or what it might mean for individuals. And we would not be able to have equitable testing, or we wouldn't know whether the test works for everyone. If that happened, we might be in the territory where we can't detect or don't detect as well all the conditions across different individuals. But also, we may be having more false positive results and create more anxiety for families as well as burden for healthcare system.    Vivienne: So, are you saying, Dalia, that actually sometimes we might get a false positive, or indeed a false negative, simply because in that person, the condition which we think is usually caused by a particular change, they've got a slightly different change and so therefore we're not picking it up.  Dalia: Indeed, but it's one of the possibilities. If, let's say, all our knowledge about certain genes came from a limited number of individuals, seeing a new variant in another individual might seem that it's something really rare and never seen before and it's potentially changes how the gene functions, we would say; “oh that's maybe something which causes the disease,” when actually it can be that it is a benign variant, just a normal variation which is very common in another part of the world, it's just that we don't have enough data to know about it. So, we need to be aware of those risks and take it into account when we interpret the variants.      And, we also need to be transparent when operating in the environment. There was historical and investment in the diversity in research and our data sets still are not as diverse as we would like to be. It's shifting, the balance is definitely shifting in the last few years. A lot of effort is being done but the only way to shift the balance forever and make that genomic medicine work for everyone is to really actively engage those individuals and involve them in the research, and taking all the effort that Kerry was talking about.    Advert: The Genomics England Research Summit is fast approaching and registration is now open! Join us for this one day in-person event on Tuesday 17 June 2025. This year's agenda dives into rare condition diagnosis, cancer genomics, pharmacogenomics, therapeutic trials, and the impact of emerging technologies. Hear from leading experts and inspirational speakers as we explore the present and future of genomics and the latest research and technology from the Genomics England research community. Keep an eye on the website, genomicsresearchsummit.co.uk for all the details and to secure your spot. Spaces are limited, so don't miss out. We'll see you at the summit!  Vivienne: Alice, that goes back to this thing about holding the genomic data, because you need to hold the genomic data because the thing about genomics as always, you need to know what happens next. So, for instance, if somebody had a negative result and then later developed a condition, you need to be able to go back that data in order to find out what the problem was.  Kerry: That's right. You know, as Dalia talked about, we know that there is a risk within the study and we try and be clear about that in our participant information that there are some babies where they may have a genetic condition that we will need not find it, and others where we might find something that doesn't go on to be the actual condition. And we need to kind of monitor those in different ways.      So in particular in the cases where, if we've returned a result where we don't think we suspect a condition and a baby goes on to develop a condition, it's quite complex how we monitor that, and we're trying to go for a multi-track approach, and I think a lot of the benefits is some of the infrastructure that Genomic England already has that we can utilise.  So, some of the foundational things we've put into the study to help support the approach are things like the ability to contact parents regularly so we can actually work with them to find out over time if their babies develop conditions.    As you say, ability and consent to access the clinical data about the baby so that we can then access national data sets, and then we can then potentially monitor to see if babies seem to be showing signs of developing a condition. And also, really continuing to work with a network of clinical specialists where we've work quite hard over the last couple of years to build that kind of network and engage with them about the study, because they'll be the ones who the babies will come to if they develop those conditions. So, they are a really good route to us finding out, whether or not there are babies who have been part of the study who then go on to develop a condition.     And I think the reality is that this is a really complex process and it's something that even traditional screening programmes really struggle with, and that's why this multi-pronged approach is really important, and why also we see that this approach will evolve over time, and at the moment, the important thing is we've worked hard to put the right foundations in to allow us to do this type of monitoring, and to really evolve that approach as things develop and as more things come along potentially where we can invest in.    Vivienne: So, it's interesting, isn't it, because I guess that some parents would think that if you get a false positive or false negative, that it means that the test is at fault. And actually the accuracy of the test is good, but what we may have an issue with is that there is something else causing the problem that we don't yet know about. So, a big part of this project is giving much, much more information about the causes of conditions.    Alice: Yes, and I think that's also why the discovery research aspect is really important, the fact that we consent for that ability to hold the baby's data. So not only will we want to use it for the evaluation, but as I mentioned at the beginning, we have asked for parents to be able to allow us to link it to clinical data which then allows us to track over time and find out more information, because it's always the quality of the information we know that will help us in the future to identify these conditions, so the more we can generate potential information, you know, the more we will learn as a society.    And so it's actually quite an altruistic thing we're asking of parents, and that's something we recognise and that's why it's also important we think about, how we continue to engage with the parents and the baby over their lifetime to remind them that we're holding this data, but also to understand what their concerns and feelings are about us holding that data and how we're using it for that broader research.  Vivienne: And that's very much what you're involved in, isn't it Kerry?  Kerry: Yes, and I think sometimes in some ways that may offer some reassurance to parents as well, to know that's there as a reference point if things do develop over time, but I know that one of the things we're looking at as part of the evaluation, and the PPI Group we're involved in, is looking at the experiences of patients through this journey because actually it will create quite a lot of uncertainty.      As a parent of a child with a genetic condition, that uncertainty really is one of the hardest things to learn to live with. So at that early stage, one of the things we're looking at is that experience, how much support people have received, whether that has an impact on the parent and their child and their on bonding and their experiences and things like that, and I think it is important that we do that, but I think also having those references, where you're able to go back and ask those questions, that's really important that the support is in place, and that pathway really for parents to know where to go to. Because sometimes, although we may arrange to have calls at regular intervals and things, sometimes the questions of parents don't necessarily come at the time when they are having a telephone call. They come really late at night when there's nobody to pick up the phone, so having as much information as we can available, and those support structures in place, is really key.    Vivienne: We all start off these projects thinking that they are going to go in a particular way, but actually there's a lot of flexibility in this study, isn't there, Alice?  For instance, we will be looking at all those false positives, false negatives because we need to learn from that. We will be, perhaps, changing our approach as we go on if there is something that isn't working out. Is that what we're doing?  Alice: Yes, I think what we have recognise is it is a study and therefore that involves learning by it's very nature, and that's why partly we're working with external evaluation partners that Kerry's involved with, but also why we invest in a lot of things internally. Like we do a lot of user research with our midwives and our participants, and also potential participants. Because, actually we don't know the answer to this. No one's done this before, and so this is about all of us really learning, and learning in the right way and continuing to do that throughout the study, but also more importantly capturing that information and making sure that at the end of it, we then have some understanding of if we were to see that it's right to deliver this as a clinical service, what that might actually involve.      But also, even if we get to that point, I think beyond that we will still continue to learn over time and that's again why that long enduring consent is quite important, because we can then continue to maintain that long term evaluation and continue to maintain that long term potential to help further further research. And so that's the thing where actually we'll be learning for the next 10-15 years, really what the Generational Study has learnt, and actually what we have achieved through it.  Vivienne: I just want to move back to something that you mentioned, Kerry, about conditions that we're looking for, and there were a lot of very specific things. I've said that what parents wanted, but there's also some scientific things, and Dalia might want to come in here, that these are conditions that we pretty sure that if you've got the particular genetic change, that you will get the condition – something called penetrance. So, you know, we're not leaving people with a lot of uncertainty. But, how will we go about assessing new conditions as part of this study, or are we just on the ones that we're on at the moment?  Dalia: So, we started from the things we understand the best and we know how to detect them and we know how to confirm them because the tests that we are doing in Genomics England is a screening test, it will not be a definitive answer whether you have or you don't have a condition. Anyone which will get a positive result will be referred to an NHS specialist clinician for further assessment. And some of those positive results turn out not to have the conditions and some of them will have, and they will have their treatment pathways. So, we're started to very cautiously, and that's what came from public dialogue, everyone was saying that; “you need to be really cautious, we need to see that it works for the conditions that we understand well”.     But as a starting point, as we learn more, we're learning of how could we expand that list.  What would be acceptable for public. Maybe some conditions will have an experimental treatment, which currently would not be included in screening but as treatments evolve, at some stages maybe there will be opportunities to include some conditions in the future.      As our science evolves, we keep assessing the new conditions and seeing can we include them, would it be acceptable to parents, would it be acceptable to the healthcare system, and one of the things about screening it's really important not to cause harm. There are a lot of benefits in screening but if we didn't do it cautiously, it also has some risks, and we need to be very careful about it.    Vivienne: Now Kerry, there are lots of parent groups who will come along to us and say; “oh you must include this condition,” but perhaps there isn't yet a treatment, or there isn't a pathway in the NHS that will help people get what they need. And I guess if we try to include too many conditions, we would actually undermine trust.    Kerry: So, the patient organisation, our condition, Alström Syndrome, isn't included in the list. For our condition, there is no specific treatment although we do have a highly specialised service, and it is very important to get early diagnosis because children can develop heart failure and there are symptom-specific treatments available there. But I get the reasoning why there needs to be a specific treatment and the need to include just a smaller group at the beginning, but our hope as with I'm sure a lot of other patient organisations, is that our condition will be added at a later time if it is found that this is something that would be acceptable in routine care.    Advert: If you're enjoying what you've heard today and you'd like to hear some more great tales from the genomics coalface, why don't you join us on the Road to Genome podcast, where our host, Helen Bethell, chats to the professionals, experts and patients involved in genomics today. In our new series, Helen talks to a fantastic array of guests including the rapping consultant, clinical geneticist Professor Julian Barwell about Fragile X Syndrome, cancer genomics and the holistic approach to his practice. A genuine mic-drop of an interview. The Road to Genome is available wherever you get your podcasts.  Vivienne: Let me move on to another aspect of this study. These are babies, and we are holding their genomic information but at 16, they will be able to decide whether they want us to continue holding their genomic information. Alice, is that very much part of this programme to think about what we're going to say and how we're going to engage those 16-year-olds?  Alice: Yes, it very much is. What I always say, because I get asked this question a lot, is that I don't think we can pre-judge what that looks like. Because I look at my children, and certainly their lives are very different from my childhood, and I don't think we can imagine exactly what our babies will look in 16 years and what that world looks like. I think the important thing is many of things we are trying to do is that we lay the right foundations in place, and part of that is ensuring that we continue to think about how we engage with young people as the study evolves and over time, so that we understand what the world is looking like from their perspective.      But also, how do we equip the parents to talk about the fact that these babies are part of the study to them? What does that look like? How can we support them? And that's very much something we want to be looking at in the next year, really working with parents from the Generation Study to understand how best we can do that so that they can have some of that conversation for themselves as well. I think we can't pre-judge exactly how we need to talk about them and also not think it's just one thing. We need to evolve and work with the children as they grow up, and work with their parents to equip them because, as I said, we don't really know how they're going to access information in the future. You know certainly TikTok didn't exist when I was a child, and so that's what we've got to think about is what's the best avenues or forums to really engage properly with them as they grow.  Vivienne: Kerry, what other concerns to parents have that we're learning now?    Kerry: I think the concern is that when treatments are being developed, that they are not necessarily being developed for the whole population. They're often being developed for sub-sets of population because we don't have a complete dataset. And when you think about people being involved in research, people feel that they are being left behind because their data is not necessarily represented within there, it doesn't reflect their community, and it's not being discussed within communities, the different research opportunities and things have been available, I think it's the fact that we're not investing enough in community engagement and dialogue to explain more about genetics.   I think technology has advanced at pace. As a parent of a child with a genetic condition, that is very encouraging to see that, but I think sometimes the support and the information is not necessarily keeping up, so we're not having those open conversations really about genetics and genomics, and I think that's one of the things I hope that this study will really lead to, that it will now become much more part of everyday conversation.   Because often, when you have a child with a genetic condition, you first hear about a condition, the way you take in that information and ask questions is very different than having a conversation with the general public about genetics. When you're concerned that your child may have a condition or you may have a condition yourself, you're in a completely different mindset. So, the hope is that that dialogue will open so that people will be able to ask questions to learn more about the projects and things that are out there and available so that people are included and can take part in research if they want to. But it's important to remember that not everybody will want to. It's about being given informed choices and to do that we need to make sure that the support and the information is appropriate, inclusive and accessible.    Vivienne: We always have to remember, don't we, that if people say no to these things, it's not a failure to on our part, or a failure on their part. It's just something they've thought about and they don't want to do, and for all sorts of different reasons. And the other reflection I have about different communities is the ‘different' bit, is that what approach works for one community may not work for another, and I think that that's something that's going to have to evolve over length of the study, is finding the things that are the right way, the most helpful way to approach people.   Kerry: I completely agree. I think it's like you say, if people say no, that is completely their right to do so as long as they're saying no when they've been given the information to be able to really take that on board, think through, consider it and then make an informed decision. I think often people say no because they've not been given the right information to be able to understand what is expected, so they've not necessarily been given the opportunity. And I think we all want good outcomes for everybody. That doesn't mean delivering the services in the same way. Sometimes we need to deliver services in different ways because often services aren't very accessible for some communities to be able to access. So sometimes we need to make changes, adapt, to make sure that everybody has the same opportunities to the same outcomes.  Vivienne: We are constantly re-evaluating, rethinking, re-engaging to try and make it the best we can. Whether it's with different communities and different approaches. Whether it's with constantly assessing people who've had false positives, false negatives and finding out why that is the case. And in the future, I think this will have some really major effect.  Dalia, you're the scientist amongst us today. Tell us what you're hoping for from this study in science terms.  Dalia: So, first of all, we want to find the babies which we can treat before we develop symptoms, before we get ill, so that we can have more fulfilling lives. That's the bottom line. But we're doing that, we also will learn about the conditions. We'll learn a lot about the natural history of the conditions. What happens when you detect it before baby gets ill, then you start treatment, and how does it work in the diverse communities and diverse populations that we've talked about. Are there are any differences based on people's ancestry, but not just ancestry, about their lifestyle, about anything else which can affect how disease develops, or how the care or treatment goes.      So, that's kind of the bottom line. The top line and now our ultimate aim, probably many years from now, would be that we can detect variants of genes or conditions before they develop, and we can create treatments for them before our children get their conditions.  That's something that the science community is very excited about. I think we're quite a few years from that, but that's where we hope all this will be heading in the future.    Vivienne: It's really becoming a possibility, but the science is only the first part of it. It's the human interaction. It's the how it lands with people. It's how they feel about it. It's how they trust it. And these are all the things that we're really working on at Genomics England to make this study not just a scientific success, not just a success for the NHS, but also something that is really meaningful and important and valuable and trusted for people having babies. Would you agree?  Alice: Yes, 100%. I think, just to come in there, Viv, I think we've talked a bit about the importance of public trust and being the foundations of what we do, and I think that's something that Genomics England's always held true to itself, but I think for the purpose of the Generation Study, it's been one of kind of the foundational principles from the beginning, and I think Kerry and you have touched upon some really important themes today about how it's not a ‘one size fits all' approach. And I think very much that piece that we touched on a bit about, kind of, how do we make this accessible to everybody, we see it very much as not a ‘one size fits all', and so we've been trying lots of different things to really tackle that, and evolving the approaches which, as you said, that's where the flexibility comes in.      My hope for the next 12 months is that we can really, now that we've got the study up and running, work a lot with the some of the regional networks, the Genomic Medicine Service alliances who are working at the regional level, and the recruiting trusts, to really explore different approaches and work out how we can support them to engage with the communities in their areas, because they're the ones who will understand who they are, and our role is to really try and provide, as Kerry highlighted, the tools of support to allow them to do that, and to try and make sure that we can make this as equitable as possible in terms of people being able to at least understand the studies here, get the information in the appropriate way, and then as we have also talked about, making their own minds up about whether this is the right thing for them to be part of.    Vivienne: So, the final question for you all is if I'm a mother-to-be, where can I find out more information. Let's start with you, Kerry.  Kerry: Well, from the Generation Study website, there's information there. Midwives, GP practices, obviously they're often going to be your first port of call, so I'm hoping that they feel equipped to be able to answer those questions and to signpost people to one of the trusts that are involved.    Vivienne: And we've also got a Genomics 101 episode where we answer some of the frequently asked questions, and I think there are at least 2 or if not 3 separate episodes from Behind the Genes, which people can look for which look at different aspects of the project. Anything else, Alice, that we need to know?  Alice: So, Kerry highlighted it, the Generation Study website is a really good starting point, but that's a good place to also find out what trusts are involved because it's also important to know that this is not available in all trusts in England at the moment. We have a network and it's growing, and it is all around England, but the first place to start is, kind of, is it in your local trust?  And then from there, it's then engaging with your trust and hospitals where there will be information, and the midwives are prepared to kind of talk to people.  So those are, kind of, the good first places to start.    Vivienne: Well, we're going to wrap up there. It's been so good talking to you all. So, thank you to our guests Alice Tuff-Lacey, Kerry Leeson-Bevers, and Dalia Kasperaviciute for joining me as we talked through how the Generation Study is continuing to evolve as it responds to emerging challenges. Now, if you would like to hear more about this, then please subscribe to Behind the Genes on your favourite podcast app and, of course, we hope that you would like to rate this.  Because, if you rate it, it allows more people to see it and more people to get enthused about Behind the Genes, which we love. It's available through your normal podcast apps. I've been your host, Vivienne Parry. The podcast was edited by Bill Griffin at Ventoux Digital, and produced by Naimah Callachand at Genomics England. Thank you so much for listening. Bye for now.  

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Can Christians faithfully engage in politics without compromising their convictions? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Jesse Covington, Dr. Brian T. McGraw, and Dr. Micah Watson, co-authors of Hopeful Realism: Evangelical Natural Law and Democratic Politics. Together, they explore how natural law provides a foundation for engaging in the public square while maintaining theological integrity.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre Ley Natural, Gracia y Política en la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo al capítulo tres titulado "The Kingdom of Christ" del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 92-139. El podcast explora la teología política de Juan Calvino, específicamente su doctrina de los «dos reinos». Refuta las afirmaciones de que la teología de Calvino es neoplatónica, argumentando en cambio que su marco es fundamentalmente bíblico y escatológico, arraigado en el «ya» y el «todavía no» del reino de Cristo. El podcast examina los puntos de vista de Calvino sobre la creación, la antropología, el pecado, la ley natural y la restauración del mundo, destacando el papel del Espíritu Santo en la regeneración espiritual. Por último, analiza la naturaleza de la esperanza como virtud que guía a los cristianos a través de la tensión entre los aspectos presentes y futuros del reino. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

This week Tim Wong sits down with Richard Lee, Global Senior Officer of Public Engagement at the International Justice Mission, to further unpack how IJM is carrying the message of ending injustice on the global stage. Find out more about IJM here: https://www.ijm.org/

In a new effort to enhance communications in the Catskills, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is partnering with New York's ConnectALL initiative to expand wireless and broadband access throughout the New York City watershed. The initiative was motivated by operational challenges faced by DEP staff due to poor cell coverage, and a recent Request for Information (RFI) seeks input from telecommunications providers and other stakeholders on how to eliminate cell phone dead zones. In this episode, DEP Commissioner Rohit "Rit" Aggarwala and Water Supply Deputy Commissioner Paul Rush join host Brett Barry for a discussion about the RFI; why a robust communications network is increasingly crucial; and how a network could be built to benefit everyone in the region.To put the complicated NYC/Catskills relationship into context, we check in with Lize Mogel––producer of the podcast series, Views from the Watershed––for a fascinating historical perspective. We also hear from local Town Clerk Joyce Grant, whose anecdotal evidence illustrates just how dangerous cellular dead zones can be in the remote Catskills, where land lines and cable internet can also be scarce. Grant is frustrated by what she characterizes as a minority of residents who are opposed to cell towers marring the mountain landscape. Referring to a proposal for a tower to be built in Shandaken, she says, "It's going to be a pole that's 85 feet tall, and it may be viewable above the trees... but it's a pole... that could save lives. We have to look at it like that."For more than a century, the Catskills have provided New York City with billions of gallons of clean drinking water. Will NYC be the unlikely partner that –– finally –– brings wireless coverage to the Catskills? 00:00 Intro00:26 NYC DEP's Wireless Communication Initiative01:44 Joyce Grant's Pursuit for Better Communication07:17 Challenges of Cell Service in the Catskills10:34 Community Efforts and Future Plans15:12 The Catskills and NYC Water Connection16:15 The "Takings" and Eminent Domain19:06 The 1990s MOA and Water Quality23:29 Controversial Land Acquisition Program24:24 City's Land Ownership and Broadband Infrastructure24:56 New York City's Evolving Relationship with the Catskills25:37 DEP's Land Purchase Strategy27:46 Recreation and Utility Easements on City Land29:11 Challenges and Opportunities for Broadband Expansion32:06 Future of Wireless Communications in the Catskills34:41 Funding and Implementation of Broadband Project36:22 Historical Context and Technological Evolution38:50 Public Engagement and Relationship Building43:42 Climate Change and Water Supply45:36 Personal Reflections and Memories of the Catskills49:37 Conclusion and Podcast Information

Erica Loewe was Recognized as one of The Root 100's Most Influential Black Americans, Essence Magazine's Power 40, ColorComm's 28 Black Women in Communications Making History Now, the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.'s 50 Under 40 and the Washington Association of Black Journalists Excellence in Communications recipients, Erica Loewe has over a decade of experience at the intersection of media, politics and entertainment. Erica recently served as Special Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff in the White House Office of Public Engagement, where she was responsible for making the White House accessible to as many Americans as possible. She was previously President Biden's Director of African American Media. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, she was Deputy Communications Director to House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) and a key advisor to Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), serving as Press Secretary on the House Financial Services Committee. Before working in Congress, Erica served as Director at one of Washington's top government and public relations firms where she worked closely with clients to develop and execute strategic messaging that advanced their priorities. In 2024, she was featured in “The Sixth”, a documentary produced by A24 and Change Content that chronicled her experience in the United States Capitol during the January 6th attack. Erica joins us on The Vault to discuss how to cope with stressful times in a world where things feel out of control. We talk about how to reclaim joy through advocacy. What is advocacy? How can you reclaim joy through advocacy and action? What are ways to stay connected through advocacy work? What are the tools to cope with stressful situations? What are the signs of High Functioning Depression? How to Cope with High Functioning Depression.Follow Erica Loewe: Erica Loewe Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ericaploewe/ Erica Loewe LinkedIN  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericaloewe/ Erica Loewe Website https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/ope/meet-the-team/erica-loewe/Follow Dr. Judith:Instagram: https://instagram.com/drjudithjoseph TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjudithjoseph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjudithjoseph Website: https://www.drjudithjoseph.com/Sign up for my newsletter here: https://www.drjudithjoseph.com/newsletter-sign-upDisclaimer: You may want to consider your individual mental health needs with a licensed medical professional. This page is not medical advice.

Gen Z and millennials throw food away before its best before date. That is according to a new study from Harvard University. We discuss this further with Angela Rutledge, Head of Public Engagement at Food Cloud.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre El Laboratorio Político de la Reforma en la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo al capítulo dos titulado "Calvin, Geneva, and the French Reformed Churches" del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 61-91. El podcast explora la influencia de Juan Calvino en el panorama político y eclesiástico de la Ginebra y Francia del siglo 16. Examina las luchas de Calvino para establecer una iglesia autónoma, independiente pero no separada del Estado, detallando sus conflictos con las autoridades ginebrinas y su evolución teológica en la comprensión del gobierno de la iglesia. El texto ilustra además cómo el modelo de Calvino, en particular su doctrina de los «dos reinos», dio forma de manera significativa al desarrollo del protestantismo francés, especialmente a su estructura sinodal y al establecimiento de iglesias independientes que operaban en condiciones de persecución. El autor destaca la interacción entre las opiniones teológicas de Calvino, su participación práctica en los asuntos políticos de Ginebra y el impacto resultante en las iglesias reformadas francesas. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

In this week's episode of The Astro Ben Podcast (sponsored by SkyFi), we dive into the cosmos with the legendary Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer known for his extensive work in cataloging space objects and his invaluable contributions to the space community. Ben and Jonathan discuss his journey, the importance of space tracking, and his monumental effort to transition his private space library to the UK, for which he's currently seeking support through a GoFundMe campaign (link below). Tune in to learn about the significance of his work, the future of space cataloging, and how you can contribute to preserving space history! This weeks episode is sponsored by Sky Fi. Check them out: https://skyfi.com/ OUTLINE: Here's approximate timestamps for the episode. 00:00 Intro and thanks SkyFi! 00:52 Intro to Jonathan Mc Dowell and journey to Jonathan's Space Report 02:48 Educational foundation 04:57 Chandra X-ray Center (X-ray cousin of the Hubble!) 07:10 AI and effect on Astrophysics 08:45 Space tracking 10:58 UFO Misinterpretations 13:15 Most unusual item catalogued 15:16 Space Junk 17:09 Public Engagement 18:16 Favourite era of space history 22:14 Jonathans library 26:48 Moving the library! 27:47 Book recommendations 30:30 Space culture 33:10 Final thoughts 34:44 Wrap Up and Socials Follow Jonathan on Socials: Website: https://planet4589.org/ X: https://x.com/planet4589 Fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-jonathans-space-report-library-transition Stay connected with us! Use #Astroben across various social media platforms to engage with us! Youtube: www.youtube.com/@astrobenpodcast Website: www.astroben.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrobenpodcast/ X: https://x.com/Gambleonit Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astrobenpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/astrobenpodcast/

In this episode, Tony Watkins (Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House) hears from Dirk Jongkind (Academic Vice Principal at Tyndale House) and Nelson Hsieh (Research Associate in New Testament Text and Language) about the role of textual criticism in the reformation. Find out more about the host and guests here: Tony Watkins: https://tyndalehouse.com/about/staff/tony-watkins/Dirk Jongkind: https://tyndalehouse.com/about/staff/dirk-jongkind/Nelson Hsieh: https://tyndalehouse.com/about/staff/nelson-hsieh/Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre el El Reino de Dios vs. El Reino del Hombre en la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo al capítulo uno titulado "Two Swords, Two Powers, or Two Kingdoms" del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 23-60. El podcast explora la compleja interacción entre la autoridad espiritual y temporal en los inicios de la Reforma, centrándose en las perspectivas teológicas en evolución de los reformadores clave. La doctrina de «dos reinos» de Lutero, que inicialmente abogaba por una separación clara, más tarde dio cabida a una mayor participación magisterial en asuntos religiosos. El modelo de «corpus Christianum» de Zwinglio enfatizaba la unidad de la iglesia y el estado, otorgando un poder significativo al magistrado civil. Martín Bucero, que en un principio se alineó con Zwinglio, defendió progresivamente una disciplina eclesiástica distinta, lo que influyó en Juan Calvino, quien finalmente articuló una sólida teología de los «dos reinos» que daba prioridad a la autonomía espiritual de la iglesia. El podcast también examinan el desafío anabaptista al control magisterial y el enfoque pactante de Heinrich Bullinger, que integraba los ámbitos temporal y espiritual. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

Really Interesting Women - the podcastEpisode 143Professor Clare WrightClare is an award-winning historian, author, broadcaster and public commentator who has worked in politics, academia and the media. She holds a PhD in Australian Studies from the University of Melbourne and an MA in Public History from Monash University and is currently Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement at La Trobe University. She is the author of five works of history and hosts the ABC Radio National history series, Shooting the Past. Her latest book Näku Dhäruk: The Bark Petitions (2024) (Text Publishing) is described as ‘‘An impossibly important book', that traces the story of a founding document of Australian democracy and the trailblazers who made it. This is the final chapter in Clare's best-selling Democracy Trilogy, and follows the land rights movement led by Australia's first people.This was quite a wide ranging and important conversation as we discussed this country's history and how the teaching of history has changed so dramatically in the last 10 years in particular to ensure that we 'recover the lost and forgotten pages of Australian history'.Follow the link in my bio and head to the podcast for a listen....Clare's books can be found here:https://www.clarewright.com.au/authorHer publisher is Text PublishingVisit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history. Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friendshttps://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

In this episode of Regulation Matters: a CLEAR conversation, host Line Dempsey speaks with Brian Tobias, Director of the Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform, and Katie O'Donnell, Director of Communications and Public Engagement for the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. They explore Colorado's sunrise review process through the case study of funeral service professionals and discuss how the state navigated media scrutiny following tragic events in Penrose, Colorado. The conversation highlights best practices for evaluating the need for professional regulation, responding to media coverage, engaging stakeholders to maintain public trust, and educating licensees and the public about regulatory changes. Transcript: http://clearweb.drivehq.com/podcast_transcripts/CLEAR_podcast_episode86_Sunrise_Media_0211255_transcript.pdf

Northfield area Chamber of Commerce Director of Public Engagement stops by in lieu of President Jane Bartho to discuss her job and upcoming Chamber of Commerce Events.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre la teología política de Juan Calvino (1509-1564), de acuerdo a la introducción del libro "Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church Christ's Two Kingdoms" por Matthew J. Tuininga. Ver aquí: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/law/jurisprudence/calvins-political-theology-and-public-engagement-church-christs-two-kingdoms?format=HB . Páginas: 1-22. El podcast explora la teología política de Juan Calvino, argumentando que su doctrina de los «dos reinos» —que distingue entre el reino espiritual de Dios y el reino temporal— ofrece un valioso marco para el compromiso cristiano en las democracias liberales modernas. Tuininga cuestiona las interpretaciones erróneas comunes de Calvino como un tirano teocrático o un defensor de la transformación social, y destaca en su lugar su énfasis en la razón, la ley natural y el gobierno limitado. El podcast analiza varias interpretaciones académicas de la obra de Calvino, comparando y contrastando perspectivas sobre la influencia de Calvino en la modernidad, su enfoque de la transformación social y el papel de su experiencia pastoral en la configuración de su teología. En última instancia, el autor pretende demostrar la relevancia perdurable del pensamiento de Calvino para navegar por las complejidades de la fe y la política en un mundo pluralista. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

In this episode, Tony Watkins, Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House, asks Dirk Jongkind and Nelson Hsieh, members of our New Testament team, about how the early church handled differences between Bible manuscripts. At 28:59 Dirk and Nelson are trying to remember a name, they incorrectly say Martianan, they meant Marcellum.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Tony Watkins, Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House talks to David Armitage, Academic Administrator at Tyndale House about the Tyndale Bulletin, which is the Academic Journal published by Tyndale House. David shares how the Bulletin has developed since it first began in the 1940s.Visit the Tyndale Bulletin website: https://www.tyndalebulletin.org/Follow Tyndale Bulletin on X: https://x.com/TyndaleBulletinSupport the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Dr. Amarachi Paschaline Onyena is a dedicated Lecturer and Marine Science Researcher with a deep passion for tackling critical global challenges in water and environmental management. Specializing in the investigation of water and environmental contamination, her work focuses on understanding and mitigating the impact of emerging contaminants using cutting-edge research techniques. With a commitment to fostering sustainable solutions and advancing knowledge in her field, Dr. Onyena also mentors and inspires the next generation of scientists to address pressing environmental issues through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative approaches. Find more podcast episodes here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://access2perspectives.org/conversations/⁠⁠ Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr Jo Havemann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ORCID iD ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠0000-0002-6157-1494 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Editing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ebuka Ezeike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Alex Lustig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kitty Kat ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ License:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ At Access 2 Perspectives, we guide you in your complete research workflow toward state-of-the-art research practices and in full compliance with funding and publishing requirements. Leverage your research projects to higher efficiency and increased collaboration opportunities while fostering your explorative spirit and joy. Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://access2perspectives.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode Tony Watkins, Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House, talks to Dirk Jongkind, Academic Vice Principal of Tyndale House, about what a manuscript actually looks like, and what features scholars look out for when studying them. At 4:05 Dirk misspoke when he said P52 has John 19 on the back, it actually has John 18:37–38 on the back.At 31:14 Dirk mistakenly said there are 70 names in the genealogy in Luke's Gospel, there are actually 77.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Sol Ortega's life experience and career is a testament to hard work, taking brave steps, and the sacrifice of a loving family. Having immigrated from Peru at the age of seven, Sol focused on school, attended college, pursued internships, and launched her career in Washington, DC. After her internship as a CHLI Global Leader, Sol worked as a staffer on Capitol Hill, and then served at the White House as Advisor for Public Engagement. Sol is currently a Public Engagement Advisor, NASA. Listen to Sol Ortega share her experiences and explore how to support and mentor the next generation of talented Hispanic graduates.

On this very important episode of Walk in Faith, I'm joined by Ethan Forhetz, Vice President of Public Engagement for Convoy of Hope, to discuss how Convoy of Hope has been responding to these horrific wildfires in LA.  Support Convoy of Hope and help those in need suffering from these horrific wildfires. Visit their website for more information and assist our brothers and sisters in LA; 91 cents of every dollar goes directly to those in need. 

Industrial Talk is onsite at FABTECH and talking to Stacey Jaeger and Josh Erickson with FlexTrades about "On-demand workforce manufacturing solutions". Scott MacKenzie hosts the Industrial Talk podcast, celebrating industrial professionals at the FABTECH conference in Orlando, Florida. Stacy, Director of Marketing, and Josh, Public Engagement and PR, from Flex Trades, discuss their company's role in bridging manufacturing workforce gaps. Flex Trades deploys skilled technicians across the U.S. to fill temporary needs, offering a consultative approach to understand client requirements and provide the best fit. They emphasize the importance of character, commitment, and continuous training for their technicians. The company, celebrating its 20th anniversary, has not yet ventured into international markets but focuses on capturing more U.S. market share. Contact information for Flex Trades is available on their website and social media platforms. Action Items [ ] Explore opportunities for international expansion of Flex Trades' services. [ ] Promote Flex Trades' services and connect with the company through their website, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Outline Introduction and Welcome to Industrial Talk Podcast Scott MacKenzie introduces the Industrial Talk Podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry professionals and their innovations. Scott welcomes listeners and highlights the importance of celebrating industrial professionals who solve problems and make the world a better place. The podcast is recorded at FABTECH in Orlando, Florida, with Scott noting the event's massive scale and its significance for the manufacturing industry. Scott mentions the event's location is expected to shift to Chicago next year, encouraging listeners to attend and meet industry leaders. Introduction of Stacy and Josh from Flex Trades Scott introduces Stacey and Josh from Flex Trades, a company specializing in manufacturing workforce solutions. Stacey provides a brief background, mentioning her role as the Director of Marketing at Flex Trades for about eight years. Josh describes his role in public engagement and public relations, emphasizing his passion for the manufacturing industry and his involvement in media activities. Both Stacey and Josh express their enthusiasm for the conference and the importance of showcasing the cool and innovative aspects of the manufacturing industry. Overview of Flex Trades and Its Unique Offerings Stacey explains that Flex Trades specializes in manufacturing workforce solutions, deploying highly skilled technicians across the US. The company bridges production gaps for manufacturers, providing technicians who can hit the ground running and work for as long as needed. Flex Trades has a national footprint, allowing them to deploy technicians from various locations to projects anywhere in the US. The company's unique model allows manufacturers to fill temporary needs without relying solely on local talent. Consultancy Process and Client Engagement Josh describes the consultancy process Flex Trades uses to understand client needs and match them with the right technicians. The process involves a detailed interview with the client to identify specific technical requirements and the type of technician needed. Flex Trades then matches these requirements with their bench of technicians, ensuring a good fit for...

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter  or Bluesky for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcast.Competition ends on 22nd January 2025. The winner will be contacted via Twitter or Bluesky.  Show references:https://litlablondon.wixsite.com/lit-laboratoryhttps://www.instagram.com/litlablondon/https://www.threads.net/@litlablondonhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/litlablondon/https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Lit-Lab/100090991921959/ Abi Fafolu has a Master's degree in Bioengineering from Imperial College, and over 7 years' experience in public engagement with science. She spent her early career in science engagement, including on the Science Desk of The Guardian Observer and promoting open-access publishing at the European Medical Journal and Springer Nature.Since joining the UK government in 2015, she's worked in strategy, policy and programmes across four government departments including the Office of the Government's Chief Scientific Advisor, Lord Patrick Valance, upholding the role of science and evidence in decision making, and promoting developments in science as a Press Officer to the UK Science Minister. Abi is currently a government policy and strategy maker, and runs the Lit Laboratory (Lab), a "Science and Sip” experience reconnecting underrepresented audiences aged 21 to 40 with science. Transcription:  Paul Marden:  Welcome to Skip the Queue. A podcast for people working in and working with visitor attractions. I'm your host, Paul Marden. Paul Marden:  In today's episode I'm joined by Abi Fafolu, Founder of The Lit Lab. Abi has a Master's degree in Bioengineering from Imperial College, and over 7 years' experience in public engagement with science.Since joining the UK government in 2015, she's worked in strategy, policy and programmes across four government departments. She currently a government policy and strategy maker, and runs the Lit Laboratory, a "Science and Sip” experience reconnecting underrepresented audiences aged 21 to 40 with science.Unfortunately the internet wasn't kind to us when we recorded this conversation, and so the audio quality isn't great, but the conversation definitely was.Paul Marden:Welcome, Abi. Welcome to Skip the Queue.Abi Fafolu: Thanks, Paul. Thanks for having me. Paul Marden: Lovely to have you. Today's a little bit weird because we're recording this just before Christmas, but it's not actually going to go out until the new year. So what I'm going to say is happy New Year to you. I hope you've had a lovely Christmas, but the reality is we haven't had it yet. So strange. Abi Fafolu: Thank you and likewise. Paul Marden:So we always start our interviews with some icebreaker questions which you're never prepared for. So here goes nothing. I've got a couple for you. I think they're quite nice ones actually. What's your go to coffee order when you go to a coffee shop of your choice? Abi Fafolu: Embarrassingly, I saw a skit about this recently where I thought that I had a unique choice, but clearly I've been very moth by the Internet. It is a skinny flat white and the skit that I saw actually was people ordering hot chocolate, which has gone extinct in coffee shops. I think there were a few people doing kind of hot chocolate watching. They were seeing where the people would order hot chocolates and have the binoculars out to watch those people as they made that rare order in the shop. But no, mine is very common. It's a skinny flat white. Paul Marden: Yeah. So mine is just a normal straight up flat white. No nonsense, no fuss, just give me coffee. I just want a nice coffee. My daughter, her order, she's only 11, but she's taken to iced hot chocolate. But what do you call it? Is it iced chocolate like an iced coffee or is it iced hot chocolate? I always stumble over the order and it's never up on the menu. So I always feel a bit awkward asking for whatever it is that she wants. Abi Fafolu: I like that. Paul Marden: Yeah. Okay, next one. What animal do you think best represents your personality? Abi Fafolu: Oh, gosh, I'm probably like a reliable owl or something like that. Yeah. Kind of cosy in my tree when I feel like it, being a bit nosy and flying out to have a look at what's going on. Paul Marden: And every now and again savage on little animals. Abi Fafolu: Oh. I mean, maybe a bit of that, probably. But yeah, I think something like that. Paul Marden: Okay. I think mine would have to be one of those, one of those dogs that is really annoying and full of energy because I'm just, I'm always at like full power. I'm one of two extremes. I'm going full at it. Yeah, I'm just zonked out, shattered at the end. Yeah. Abi Fafolu: Okay. Paul Marden: So I'd probably be like a springer spaniel where loads of walking is necessary to get rid of all the energy. Otherwise I'll be really annoyed.Abi Fafolu: Got you. A little dog who doesn't know that they're little and springs out into the world. Paul Marden:I'm sure there's something Freudian about that. I'm not sure. So we are talking a little bit about your project called the Lit Lab today which as listeners will know I always have a little chat with people before we do the interview and you know, I'm really interested in this concept, the tagline that you talked about which was the idea of getting adults to drink in a Science lab. We first met at the Association of Science and Discovery Centres and you know, we had a lovely conversation whilst were at the ASDC conference and I found out a little bit more about Lit Lab. But I think before we get to that point let's just talk a little bit about you and your background. So tell us about you. Tell us about your background and maybe a little bit about day job. Abi Fafolu: Yes, of course. So I am a Scientist by training. I have a Master's degree in Bioengineering from Imperial College and about 7 years experience in public engagement with Science. So that has looked like working on the Science desk of the observer newspaper, publishing medical research at Spring and Nature, working with the Chief Scientific Advisor and in government and with the Science Minister as well doing kind of comms and press releases. At the moment I work in strategies by working thinking about where my organisation wants to get to and how we do that. And for me I think it probably brings together a lot of the skills and interests I have. Abi Fafolu: It's really about kind of seeing that bigger picture and wondering how things come together and wondering what things will be different and kind of looking at the evidence and friends and things that are going on that help to paint a picture actually of kind of what the options are and gives you a sense of what's possible. So I think there's a thread really through my kind of career history which is a lot about being nosy and having that kind of owl sand view of the world. And yeah, I think my kind of interest and passion in and Science has also kind of given me a lot as well in the subject and things that have piqued my interest. Paul Marden: I think it's such an interesting opportunity for you to being in public policy and Science within government over the last few years. It's a really interesting perspective and it's the kind of career that no kid at school would ever dream is a career. Yeah. You know, kids at school can imagine being a chemist or a biologist, they can relate to that. But the idea that Science exists at the heart of government and influences everything the government does is not something that your average kid would think about doing. So how do you end up falling into a role like that? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, well, I mean, I suppose my reflection on what you've just said is sort of. So I think for me, you know, I'm currently the only person in my network who has a background in Science, so I didn't really have a clear picture of what it would look like to be a Lab Scientist. You know, you do those practicals at school, you meet teachers and, you know, lab assistants who are, you know, models of that for you. But I didn't know anyone that did that sort of work and I wasn't sure if I was good at it. I just knew that I enjoyed it. Abi Fafolu: And I think when I stumbled across the idea that actually there's a whole strand of Science that's about communicating with people, what's going on, about bridging that gap, really, between the doing and the using of Science, that, for me, opened up a whole new world. And a lot of the kind of journey I suppose I've been on in my career is thinking about how to really help people see the impact of the Science in their everyday life. So I think, you know, in publishing, you're at the forefront of all the developments, you see everything that's going on and it's really interesting. But the average person on the street, you know, has no idea how to apply bioengineering techniques that are, you know, novel and coming out of the lab for their everyday life. Abi Fafolu: But then when we have a situation like Covid, where we're starting to look for novel ways to make vaccines, you know, that's the sort of application, I suppose, of the work that people are doing and the interest that drives them. So for me, I think following that curiosity into this kind of world of Science engagement has been a bit of a journey. Paul Marden: So that leads nicely to the association of Science and Discovery Centres, how we met at their conference. There was a lot of talk at the conference, wasn't there, about public engagement? How do we enrich people's lives with Science and help people to feel that Science is part of their them and that they can influence the Science decision making and the direction that Science takes over the next decades. You're a trustee of ASDC, so what does that involve? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, you've said it really. But ASDC's mission is absolutely that, to make Science accessible and inclusive for more people and to be seen as a valuable part of everyday life. So their role broadly is to kind of bring together and support Science engagement centres, discovery centres and other spaces like that together. And I know you've had probably doing a wonderful job of explaining what ASDC does and the value it brings. I won't go too much into that, but as a trustee, I suppose the core of that role is to give support and challenge to the CEO. I suppose you think of it as, you know, a CEO doesn't really have colleagues or peers and so, you know, we're head trusted advisors in her, in this case. Shaaron ASDC. Abi Fafolu: We are the people that help the sense tech decisions and make sure the organisation is living up to its purpose. Paul Marden: Absolutely. So that's a little bit of background. Let's talk about the Lit Lab. Explain to our listeners who know nothing about the Lit Lab. What is it? Let's start with the broad picture of what it does. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, yeah, sure. So the Lit Lab is the UK's first Science and bit. It is a laboratory or Science themed social event where people do fun homestyle Science experiments, make drinks and take part in kind of friendly challenges. It's a social event that is something I do alongside my day job, as I mentioned. And so it runs quarterly at the moment. But essentially people arrive or kind of pop up Science lab, usually in the basement of a bar or a pub. We've done bigger venues like box parking spaces like that as well. But when they arrive they will find kind of their own lab coat and goggles waiting for them. They might get a drink at the bar while they settle in and then we have a host and lab assistant who will walk them through three experiments and two games. Abi Fafolu: So we always start with a drink, we make a drink. We call that our kind of molecular mythology series. So anything from kind of dry ice cocktails, cool kind of layered drinks and then we end with an explosion. So yeah, some of our more popular ones tend to be ones that involve a bit of cleanup at the end. So that's kind of the model for the event and it's really about helping adults to reconnect with Science and have a good time doing it. Paul Marden: Excellent. So you're taking this out into pubs and bars. It sounds like a Science centre in the back of a van or something. So what sort of kit are you taking with you into the event spaces? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, I mean you're not far off with the kind of back of a van analogy. I have a garage full of labware.  But my neighbours always look at me a bit suspiciously when I start to pile up my pipettes and bits of lab coats and that sort of thing. Paul Marden: Awkward conversations with the neighbours as they're watching what you're taking out the garage. Abi Fafolu: I mean, if I suddenly see flashing lights at my door, I'll probably have a sense and someone's got the wrong end of the stick. But no, we, as I said, you know, kind of a small pop up and so really it's a startup and it's got all of the kind of all that comes with that. So, you know, storing lots of kit in my garage means that the event is intimate because there's only so much, you know, test tubes and beepers and chronicle class I can fit in one space. And then we're on the day, kind of a group of lab assistants and me who will set up the stations for guests. So, you know, for different experiments where we're really trying to replicate, you know, the type of materials and tools that you would use to explore the same sort of things. Abi Fafolu: So one of the things that we do in the lab is DNA extraction with home style ingredients, things that you can find in your skin do with skids. But we're using, you know, conical glass and pipettes and syringes so that we're really being accurate with our measurements and people have that chance to get stuck in. Abi Fafolu: But we don't do any tutorials. It's not, it's not a lesson. It's really for people to get hands on and try things out for themselves. So we give them a QR code that they scan for instructions and it will tell them kind of what the stats are. But you can take that all either, you know, you've got all this in front of you and if you want to mix some things together and see how it goes, then that's the, you know, that's the spirit of Science. They're more than happy for people to do that too. Paul Marden: Excellent. So where did the idea come from? How did, how did you come up with the idea for the lit lab? Abi Fafolu: So it's like a lot of people thinking about kind of, you know, what they want to do with themselves and kind of what skills they have and things they're passionate about. Particularly kind of post lockdown where, you know, you had a lot of time to reflect and think about whether you were making the most of, you know, your skills and abilities. I was seeing a lot of kind of social events come out that were particularly focused around sort of activities. People, I think, wanting a bit more purpose as well when they do leave the house, because that was a luxury. We didn't take for granted that when we step out, we're spending time and that means so much. So a lot of activities that people were doing were things like pains and sips. Abi Fafolu: So this is the model, really, that I've reprised, where people buy tickets to an event and they create art and have drinks and really, it's a model that's really growing globally. So I think that the market in America is in the millions, if not billions, as a kind of global event concept, and definitely picking up here as well, but you see it kind of taking off in different formats. So there are pottery and sips and D Day and sips and all sorts of things like this. And so for me, I kind of. I looked at that and I thought, I think I should do something like this, too. And so I spoke to kind of friends and family and I said, I kind of wanted to try out this thing. I think I could make something similar here. Abi Fafolu: And so I got together a group of friends at my mum's church hall, bought some lab coats from Amazon and spent absolutely ages writing loads of Excel sheets about the experiments that we could do and what I need to buy to kind of get that together, and had them for far too long for an evening after work, doing all sorts of great experiments. And they loved it. Abi Fafolu: They thought it was. It was great and really fun. And so, yeah, it kind of took off from there. I thought, you know, this maybe might be something that we can bring to more people. And so since then, with, I think, about 300 guests, we've got, I think, sort of a thousand or so followers on social media. We've been in timeout London and Secret London magazines and that sort of thing. So, yeah, I think it's reaching some of the right people, but I think you could do more. Paul Marden: So for me, I think there's something about it that really attracts me. I'm an extroverted introvert, so I like to be around other people, but it can be challenging going into a new social situation. For me, I might not feel comfortable. What makes me feel comfortable is being in the context of having a shared mission with people. Paul Marden: So the idea of, you know, having these experiments to conduct with people, there's something to focus on rather than just the people that are around you. And you know, I need to speak to everybody. I need to be the life and soul of the party. No, no, I'm focusing on this thing. And the social element of just being with other people happens around you when it's done at its best because it's not taking all your conscious effort. Your conscious effort is focused on this thing that's in front of you. You and the rest of it is just blossoming around you. Abi Fafolu: So yeah, no, absolutely. I think the other part of that is that you're in a room with people with similar interests. Right. You're creating community. There are people there that are really excited and curious about kind of rekindling that passion that they had for Science or that interest that they had. And so there's a real energy of people kind of wanting to get stuck in and being excited kind of for every thing that we bring out. And yeah, it absolutely is, you know, part of my plan for it to be able to build a bigger community around it. And we have some of that online. Abi Fafolu: So there's a lab Patreon site where we share Science news, blogs about kind of running a pop up Science lab, you know, behind the scenes and really helping people to reconnect with Science, even if they're not in that space with people, but also just to find that community with that said interest. Paul Marden: So you come up with these spreadsheets at the beginning. You tracked all your mates in a church hall for the first evening. Was there a lot of experimentation involved in. I'm a meta level here. Yeah, experimentation around the experiments that you want to run. Were there some that you did that just weren't successful? Abi Fafolu: Oh yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So I do have a mega spreadsheet of kind of experiments like I could do a lot of the ones with fior. I've had to rule out the various disappointingly. But we'll see how we can get around that in future. But no, absolutely, there's the constraints of, you know, the idea of this is that a lot of the Science is home style and you could absolutely kind of go home and replicate that. One of the things that we do online is created tutorial videos used to try some of the experiments from the lab. And so what I don't want is to have to find kind of lab grade chemicals because that's not homestyle Science. Paul Marden: No. Abi Fafolu: And so I really want it to be accessible in the truest sense. And so that's a, you know, a philtre for me when it comes to thinking about what sorts of things we could do as much as possible as well. You know, having experiments that have real world kind of application or implication. I talked about the kind of DNA one, you know, the method that we use for that at home is really similar to what we do in the lab. It just has, you know, different types of reagents, you know, more specialised or more tailored to doing that. But yeah, I think being able to really kind of illustrate kind of core concepts in Science as well as do them with materials and things like that are accessible is a strong philtre for me. Abi Fafolu: But thinking about some of the ones, I suppose that haven't made the cut. And as I say that actually I should say that we do have a kind of core set of experiments as well as seasonal ones. So the most recent event was Halloween and we started by making blood transfusion cocktails. So we had blood bags with grenadine in them. We did a kind of gruesome DNA extraction with picking livers, we made potions that are wrapped to finish off the session, that sort of thing. But yeah, a lot of the ones that are kind of more temperamental, I guess, and not so resilient for people who are not going to read the instructions are the types that don't quite make it in. And they can be things like, you know, dry ice doesn't last forever, it eliminates, it evaporates quite quickly. Abi Fafolu: And so there are things like that where, you know, over the course of the kind of two hour event maybe is not the best type of experiment to try and do because by the end of it some people will still have dry ice and some people won't. And I'm not, you know, I'm not in a degree where I can, you know, just turn the corner and get some more. So yeah, some of them are just kind of practical, why they don't quite make the part. But yeah, definitely a longer list of things I try with more opportunities to do. Paul Marden: I talked a little bit about why it piques my interest. But who is the audience that you're seeing coming along to events? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, so I think both from kind of attendance at events and you know, the feedback that we get and the kind of data from that, but also our insights from social media and things like that. We can see that the audience is largely women. So about 70% women age between 21, maybe 45. Interest really in Science culture, trying new things, meeting new people. And I'm especially interested actually as well in targeting minority audiences. So the women, but also black and ethnic minority people who are underrepresented in Science, who maybe, you know, don't have access to Science and that sort of discourse and really just to change perceptions about who Science is for. So I think the idea that you can do Science outside of a classic setting, outside of a lab, outside of research, outside of academia is really important to me. Abi Fafolu: So, yeah, I think it's a broad audience and I think Science is absolutely for everyone. But part of my mission is also to make sure we're reaching some audiences who aren't really. Paul Marden: That's the audience. Are you doing, is this a solo effort for you or have you got teams of lab rats that come along and help you? Abi Fafolu: And so I'm a solo entrepreneur, I am the founder, one of those hats. But on the day of the event I do have a team, we call them lab assistants rather than lab rats. But I do have a team of people who are amazing at preparing the experiments. People so they can get stuck right in troubleshooting any kind of niggling issues, you know, with the experiments on the day and making sure that people kind of know what they're doing. And for me, actually it's been really important to open those opportunities up to up and coming Science communicators. So, you know, people who want that experience really in practising and engaging the public directly with Science. Abi Fafolu: And again, you know, there's nothing quite like this at the moment, so I'm hoping, you know, that's a good opportunity for them as well to kind of pick off those sorts of careers. Paul Marden: Yeah, it's quite nerve wracking, isn't it, doing what you're doing, stepping into a sector where. Or creating your own segment. Yes, you're taking inspiration from things that already exist, but nobody else is doing this. And you've got. It's at the core of being entrepreneurial, isn't it? You've got to test the market and experiment to see where it goes. But that can be quite nerve wracking. So having that team of lab assistants, those people that are helping you on the day, you know, it's invaluable because you can't have eyes in the back of your head when you're at the event, it's really, you know, it's really hard, I guess, to be able to run one of these events, keep it all flowing, solve the problems and be a gracious host at the same time. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, absolutely. And I should say, actually I'm not the host, so I am very much kind of in the background for the events themselves, they are hosted by. I have a few different people that kind of tap into this role, but essentially they're presenters and people whose job it is that have that sort of MC role to keep the crowd engaged and enthused. And again, like I said, they don't teach, they don't set out. Kind of made the story of what we're going to do, but they encourage and, you know, prod and make jokes with the group and that sort of thing. One of the elements of it that I think works well as well is that we try to introduce kind of competition. Abi Fafolu: So if we have, you know, two or three tables, depending where we're doing it, you know, each table is a group that competes and they choose a table name which is made up of a range of things that might be for that month, elements in the periodic table, their favourite horror movie and their favourite brand of alcohol. So they get kind of wacky table names and earn points as they go along. And we actually, for most events, compete for spots or fleets. So if you're a winning table, you'll find a rap of spots coming your way. So, yeah, it's definitely a social event I think we major on as well as Science in our event. Paul Marden: Of course, it does sound a little bit like a kind of classic Science communicator role at the Science Centre, doesn't it? You know, that job to engage people in Science. But you're hiding. You're hiding the vegetables, aren't you? They're learning a little bit about Science, but at the same time they're enjoying themselves and you've got to major on the enjoyment and engagement, otherwise they're never going to learn something. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, no, I absolutely agree with that. And we provide some of that background to people that want it. So, you know, in the same way that you can scan the QR and find out what the instructions are, you can also scan and find out kind of what the Science is behind what you're doing. Because I think, you know, if people are particularly curious, you want to make sure that they have the opportunity to follow up. Paul Marden: Yeah. So you're taking this out to pubs and bars. Have you got future plans to try other types of spaces or to take this to other places? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, so I know that you we're alluding to as well, the kind of theme of this. So, you know, absolutely, we're doing Science, but this is. This is culture, this is creativity, this is all of the things that, you know, make Science real and enjoyable for people as well. So Absolutely. I see it as a kind of creative cultural endeavour. I've done a few events in sort of different contexts. I, for example, was just running a winter fair event called University of East London. And that, I think, gives us the opportunity to have people kind of zip in and out from what we're doing and see it in the context of other things as well. And I think this brings to the forefront even more that, you know, this is something that's for entertainment. Abi Fafolu: You know, like, there's education here, that this is an entertainment concept. So, yeah, I think it really has a place in lots of different spaces and I think there's lots of opportunity, really, to see where it can go. Yeah, absolutely. Would love to work with different types of venues, so universities. But also there are these other cultural institutes, talking museums and places like that, where I think there could be a really nice partnership opportunities there. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. There's an element of. And it was something that somebody said at the ASDC conference. It was one of the questions that got asked at the Skip the Queue episode was all about getting the A into STEAM. So getting. Getting the Art into STEAM. Subjects. There's an element of if you could take this into a bar and a pub, you can take this into art institutions, to galleries, to museums, other cultural institutions. All these sorts of institutions are looking for ways in which they can extend their reach, that they can. Can serve different audiences, generate revenue for themselves at times when the institution is quiet. And this is just a lovely concept to be able to pop the things in the back of the van and take it to institutions and help them to do those things. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, thank you. And I think, just to add to that, I think we're definitely seeing a rise of that with the kind of museum lakes. It's a theme across lots of different venues completely. And. And it's absolutely that. It's about the kind of adult market and recognising, I think that, you know, just because you're an adult doesn't mean that you can't still have fun with the things that you were interested in as a younger person or, you know, hobbies that you don't have the opportunity to do. So, yeah, Science is a hobby, definitely something I'm all the way behind. And I think the kind of adult space is a really good opportunity for that. Yeah. Paul Marden: Oh, completely. I get to masquerade behind my daughter. I'm taking her to Science centres for her benefit. But the reality is I have a whale of a time and I love going to the Science central, Science museum And I'd feel a bit odd going as a single bloke wandering around some of these institutions on your own during the daytime. It might not feel quite right. But a Science late event, I could totally, you know, I've done enough ASDC events at Science centres where we've had the evening meal in a Science centre in the evening and it's been delightful to wander around these places in the evenings. There's a huge amount of opportunity at your local Science centre to find things that engage adults as well as kids. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, absolutely. Paul Marden: What are your goals? Where do you want to take the Lit Lab for the future? Abi Fafolu: Yeah. So, I mean, again, this concept of kind of popping things in the van and kind of rocking up wherever is definitely a perk of the current model, but it still sort of means that at the moment, you know, the little ad is in London big as I am, you know, I don't want that to be a kind of barrier for it and I definitely don't want it to stop the right people from reaching it. So for me it would absolutely be that to be able to reach more parts of the country and particularly, you know, like the cities of culture. I'm thinking that, you know, the Bristols and the Manchesters and the Bradfords next year as the 2025 or this year. Paul Marden: That was slickly done. Well done. Abi Fafolu: Yeah, I think, you know, being able to meet people where they're already exploring these interests and then hopefully see that Philtre out as well would be wonderful. Paul Marden: Okay, so is that partnership model or is that a kind of a franchise model or are you open to conversations with people about how you could deliver this? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, no, absolutely open. I think that's, you know, a perk of being. Being the first, isn't it? But, yeah, all things are on the table and I think that's a wonderful thing. You know, I'm probably still in the. It's my baby face. I can imagine. I can imagine that there's probably a bit of hand holding that would. Would come before any. But yes, I think absolutely open. Paul Marden: Yeah, that's interesting. Well, look, it's been lovely talking to you, finding out a little bit more about you and finding out more about The Lit Lab. I think it's such a wonderful concept. I feel a team rubber cheese evening event coming along soon where I think we bring the team and we do a little bit of Science together. I think that might be a nice idea. Abi Fafolu: Idea more than welcome. I'd love that. Paul Marden: So we always ask our guests to give us a book recommendation. So Abi, what's your recommendation for the listeners today? Abi Fafolu: Yeah, I had a good think about this and you know, in all that I've talked about, I think there's probably also something about reclaiming this kind of nerd label. I think my recommendation is probably going to fall in that space, but I'm happy with that and I own it. But mine is in the genre of sort of mythology, magical realism, fantasy, and I really love Greek mythology. But I'm actually also getting into African mythology, of which there are loads of kind of classic but also kind of up and coming writers. And one that I'm really enjoying now is called She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore. And it's a story of basically the kind of creation of a new space in Liberia during the kind of transatlantic slave trade. Abi Fafolu: And it basically imagines the stories of the three different people in a sort of anthology way, who get powers as they go through the real horrible and inhumane kind of trials of, you know, being part of that. So from America to Jamaica to West Africa, you know, these three people go through different experiences of that and they all get powers that help them to cope with that. And it draws on the types of powers that you might see in African mythology. So it's a really beautiful book and a really inspiring and kind of educational one too. I think there's a lot of, you know, factor accuracy in terms of, you know, what happened and the types of experiences that people accounted. Yeah, that's one of my definite recommendations and I'm actually rereading it at the moment. Paul Marden: Wowzers, listeners. So if you'd like a copy of the book that Abi recommends, normally I'd say get over to X and repost the show announcement on X, but you can do that on bluesky now. So go find us. We are @skipthequeue.fm on Bluesky and do whatever you do to repost a notice on bluesky and say I want Abby's book. And the first person that does that will get a copy of Abi's book sent to them as a gift from us. And I'll be very excited because we'll have more followers on Bluesky. X is a bit of a dumpster fire now, so we are moving rapidly to Bluesky. Abi, it has been delightful to meet you. Paul Marden: If listeners would like to find out more about the Lit Lab, all of your links and your socials and the website will all be posted in the show notes. So listeners, you'll be able to go and find out about where the next Lit Lab events are all on Abi's website. It's been lovely to meet you. Thank you ever so much for coming on the podcast. Happy New Year. Abi Fafolu: Thank you so much. Paul. Thanks so much for having me. And Happy New Year to you too. Paul Marden: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more over on our website, SkiptheQueue.fm. The 2024 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsDownload the 2024 Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

About one million Californians face persistent challenges accessing safe, affordable drinking water, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. California's SAFER program, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, takes a holistic and proactive approach to address these inequities, providing funding, technical assistance, and regulatory tools to ensure clean water for all. In this episode, Adriana Renteria, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, Equity, and Tribal Affairs, shares insights into her journey from a childhood shaped by water inequities to her leadership in driving solutions.She discusses the SAFER program's unique model, which prioritizes failing water systems through needs assessments, funds community engagement, and enforces solutions like water system consolidation. Adriana highlights the role of tribal partnerships, including innovative collaborations to fill gaps in federal funding and resources. She also emphasizes the importance of rebuilding trust and transparency with communities historically left out of water decision-making. waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Color of Water series, a collaboration between waterloop and the Water Hub.

This week, we're rebroadcasting an episode from the Resources Radio archive while the team is on a break through the rest of December. We'll be back with new episodes in the new year; in the meantime, enjoy this throwback and poke around the archive at Resources.org for more topics you might be interested in. In this week's episode rerun, host Kristin Hayes talks with Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, a senior fellow at Resources for the Future (RFF) who coauthored a journal article with RFF scholars Alexandra Thompson and Tyler Treakle about the role of the public in detecting invasive species. Pointing to a recent incident in which a member of the public spotted an Asian giant hornet in Washington State, Epanchin-Niell describes how more than a quarter of detections of invasive species—and possibly more—stem from these citizen scientists. Recognizing the essential role of the public, policymakers can make it easier to alert authorities about the presence of unusual species. References and recommendations: “Public contributions to early detection of new invasive pests” by Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, Alexandra L. Thompson, and Tyler Treakle; https://www.rff.org/publications/journal-articles/public-contributions-to-early-detection-of-new-invasive-pests/ “Hidden Brain” podcast; https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain “The Endangereds” by Philippe Cousteau and Austin Aslan; https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/childrens-the-endangereds

Rebuilding fisheries requires information on fisheries stock assessments for each species. Collecting that data is not easy; it takes time and money to do. The Canadian Government is mandated to gather information on the 200 commercially fished species, but it's lacking. Not to worry. Ocean Canada has taken on the burden to collect and presenting the fisheries information in their Annual Fisheries Audit.  In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin interviews Rebecca Schijns, a fisheries scientist with Oceana Canada, to discuss the findings of the 8th Annual Fisheries Audit. The audit aims to assess the health of Canadian fish populations and the effectiveness of fisheries management. Key Highlights from the Audit: Current Status of Fish Populations: Just over one-third (35%) of Canadian fish populations are assessed as healthy, an improvement from less than a third in the previous year. Approximately 34.5% of fish stocks are in an uncertain status, lacking defined benchmarks for sustainable fishing. The remaining stocks are categorized as follows: 13% in the cautious zone 17% in the critically depleted zone Importance of Audits: Oceana Canada began conducting these audits in 2017 due to a lack of clear data on fishery health. The audits compile publicly available government documents, stock assessments, and management plans to create a comprehensive overview of fishery status. Positive Developments: High-quality rebuilding plans have been developed for several critically depleted stocks, including mackerel and cod, with timelines for recovery. Increased consideration of climate change impacts in scientific advice and management decisions. A slight decrease in the number of stocks in the critical zone, indicating progress in stock assessments. Concerns and Challenges: Despite the positive developments, there is a slow rollout of the Fisheries Act regulations, with only 30 out of nearly 200 fish stocks currently covered. The reopening of the cod fishery and increased quotas for capelin have raised concerns about overfishing, especially given the stocks' precarious status. The episode highlights the need for stronger leadership and accountability in fisheries management to ensure sustainable practices. Call to Action: Rebecca emphasizes the importance of citizen engagement in fisheries management, encouraging listeners to stay informed and advocate for sustainable practices. Oceana Canada aims to depoliticize fisheries management by promoting strong laws and regulations that can withstand political changes. The episode concludes with a hopeful outlook for the future of Canadian fisheries, stressing the importance of collaboration and informed decision-making to achieve sustainable fish populations. Link to the Report: https://oceana.ca/en/reports/fishery-audit-2024/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow a career in conservation: https://www.conservation-careers.com/online-training/ Use the code SUFB to get 33% off courses and the careers program.   Do you want to join my Ocean Community? Sign Up for Updates on the process: www.speakupforblue.com/oceanapp   Sign up for our Newsletter: http://www.speakupforblue.com/newsletter   Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3NmYvsI Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

On the show today: Lisa Simms Booth is Executive Director at The Smith Center for the Healing Arts and former Senior Director for Patient and Public Engagement at The Biden Cancer Initiative. She is such an extraordinary human being who've I've wanted her on my show for such a long time and, well, here she is. Lisa has this extraordinary way to define and extoll the virtues of cancer survivorship, how far we've come in the last half-century, lessons learned from the pandemic for Nonprofit Leadership, cancer screenings, prevention, and more.FUN FACT: The Smith Center occupies a unique place in my life as they hosted one of the very first Stupid Cancer Happy Hour events in DC in 2007. It's a great place, so if you live in the DC area, be sure to check them out.SIDENOTE: For the cheap seats in the back, many of you may recognize The Smith Center from Episode 81 with my guest, Dr. Julia Rowland, who serves as their Senior Strategic Advisor. (Julia is also the Founding Director of The National Cancer Institute's Office of Cancer Survivorship. You can hear her share her story as one of the contributors to The Cancer Mavericks, our eight-part docu-series about the history of cancer survivorship.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Lisa and political commentator Monica Crowley discuss the aftermath of Donald Trump's re-election as President. Lisa expresses feelings of exhaustion but also renewed hope for America's future under Trump's leadership. Crowley reflects on her long-standing support for Trump, emphasizing the significance of his victory and its implications for American values and patriotism. They highlight early positive changes, such as shifts in international relations and domestic policies, and anticipate transformative outcomes during Trump's second term. The Truth with Lisa Boothe is part of the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Podcast Network - new episodes debut every Monday & Thursday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin interviews Dr. Ayla Hodgson, a marine social scientist and science communicator for the Save Our Seas Foundation. The focus of the conversation is on Isla's experience attending two significant conferences back-to-back: the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) in Cape Town, South Africa, and the European Elasmobranch Society (EAS) conference in Greece. IMCC Experience Purpose of Attendance: Isla attended IMCC to present her research on the management and governance of marine protected areas, as well as to connect with colleagues and project leaders funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation. The conference provided a platform for networking and collaboration. Presentation: Isla presented her research for the first time, which was nerve-wracking due to the high-profile audience. She described the experience as intense but rewarding, with valuable discussions following her presentation. Networking and Team Building: The conference allowed Isla to meet with over 30 colleagues from the Save Our Seas Foundation, fostering team spirit through activities like a foraging and freediving experience. She emphasized the importance of human dimensions in marine conservation discussions, particularly in the context of social justice and equity. EAS Conference Experience Focus on Elasmobranchs: The EAS conference was smaller and specifically focused on sharks and rays in Europe. Isla's role was primarily to support the Save Our Seas Foundation and engage with project leaders. Panel Participation: Isla was invited to be part of a panel on science communication, discussing the importance of public engagement in marine conservation. This panel included diverse perspectives from various fields of science communication. Learning Opportunities: Unlike IMCC, where multiple sessions ran concurrently, EAS allowed attendees to stay in one room for all talks, providing a broader understanding of elasmobranch research and conservation efforts. Overall Reflections Emotional and Physical Toll: Isla acknowledged the exhaustion that comes with attending back-to-back conferences but highlighted the uplifting and inspiring nature of these events. They reignited her passion for marine conservation and provided a sense of community among like-minded individuals. Advice for Future Attendees: Isla encouraged attendees to take breaks when needed and to seek out safe spaces for conversation, especially for those who may feel overwhelmed. In summary, Isla's journey through these two conferences was marked by professional growth, networking opportunities, and a renewed sense of purpose in her work for marine conservation. Connect with Isla: University of Stirling: https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/1458424 Save Our Seas: https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/isla-hodgson/ World of Sharks Podcast:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/world-of-sharks/id1578217405 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/464Xkx160AJUvaov7osKtY?si=4f9457e852084727 Follow a career in conservation: https://www.conservation-careers.com/online-training/ Use the code SUFB to get 33% off courses and the careers program.   Do you want to join my Ocean Community? Sign Up for Updates on the process: www.speakupforblue.com/oceanapp   Sign up for our Newsletter: http://www.speakupforblue.com/newsletter   Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3NmYvsI Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins Todd Purdum (author; former New York Times Washington Correspondent), David Simas (former CEO of the Obama Foundation), and Carissa Smith (former Senior Public Engagement Advisor in the White House Office of Public Engagement) for a discussion on the 2024 election campaign strategies and what to expect on Election Night. They discuss the candidates' closing messages, how the race looks according to the polling data, and how each candidate will likely close their campaign.   Featuring:  - Todd Purdum: Author; Former New York Times Washington Correspondent; Former National Editor for Vanity Fair; Spring 2022 CPF Fellow  - David Simas: Former CEO of the Obama Foundation; Former Director of the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach under the Obama Administration - Carissa Smith: Former Senior Public Engagement Advisor in the White House Office of Public Engagement; Fall 2024 CPF Fellow - Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

In this episode, Lisa and Congressman Byron Donalds discuss the political implications of Hurricane Milton in Florida. Lisa criticizes Vice President Kamala Harris for her perceived lack of genuine involvement in disaster response, accusing her of using the situation for political gain and photo opportunities. Congressman Donalds shares his frustrations, highlighting the impact of the hurricane on his district and critiquing Harris's media strategy. The conversation also touches on Donald Trump's campaign strategy, emphasizing the importance of reaching out to voters in traditionally Democratic areas and the shifting dynamics in battleground states as the election approaches. The Truth with Lisa Boothe is part of the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Podcast Network - new episodes debut every Monday & Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.