Sydney Ideas

Hear from global leader Dr Kakenya Ntaiya, scholar, social activist and 2021/2022 Senior Fellow at Brown University. Kakenya is the founder of Kakenya's Dream, an international nonprofit organisation that seeks to educate girls, end harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, and transform her community. This Sydney Ideas event also features: – Peyian Kortom, final year Bachelor of Science and Liberal Arts student at the University of Sydney – Cynthia Naiyoma, first year Bachelor of Nursing student at UTS – Lisa McIntyre, Founder of Women for Change – Professor Renae Ryan (host), Academic Director of Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Program at the University of Sydney. This event was held on 19 May 2022. For more information, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3wOLeD7

In the lead up to the federal election, as the parties vie for voter’s attention, Sydney Ideas brings together a panel of experts to examine some of the key policy issues that are shaping this election, such as the economy, climate change, and more. FEATURING: – Professor Anika Gauja, Australian politics specialist – Antony Green, ABC's Chief Election Analyst – Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill, political economist – Professor Duncan Ivison, political philosopher – Kishor Napier-Raman, politics reporter for Crikey – Moderator: Fran Kelly, journalist and political correspondent The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas event, presented in collaboration with School of Social and Political Sciences, on Thursday 28 April, 2022. This event is the first part of our 2022 federal election series. Stayed tuned for Part 2, after the election. For more information and resources, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3LFO3v1

In the aftermath of devastating climate disasters like Australia’s recent east-coast floods, how do communities – those at the centre of the crisis and those on the periphery – support each other emotionally during times of climate distress? Hear from climate emotions experts and residents of Lismore. – Maddy Braddon, community organiser – Professor James Bennett-Levy, mental health expert – Aidan Ricketts, academic and environmental activist – Samuel Savage, emergency services coordinator – Jeanti St Clair, journalism lecturer and storycatcher – Moderator: Dr Blanche Verlie, social scientist The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas online event, presented in collaboration with Sydney Environment Institute, held on Thursday 21 April, 2022. For more information and resources, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/395MYOC To connect with research, news or join upcoming events at the Sydney Environment Institute, visit https://sei.sydney.edu.au/

How can artificial intelligence help us solve tough mathematical problems? Delve into the surprising ways that AI can enhance our human intuition with esteemed Australian mathematician Professor Geordie Williamson and MC Adam Spencer. To see the beautiful images and graphs Geordie refers to in his talk, watch the video here: https://bit.ly/3qcTKrE The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas event that was held on Tuesday 15 March, 2022. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: www.sydney.edu.au/sydney-ideas

Hear from young people and academic experts, including a leading US researcher, who are driving research that is changing the out-of-home care system, using creative methods for social change. FEATURING: – Billy Black, Fostering Lifelong Connections Advisory Group – Expert by Experience – Professor Amy Conley Wright, University of Sydney – Bobby Hendry, Fostering Lifelong Connections Advisory Group – Expert by Experience – Professor Peter J. Pecora, University of Washington – Tegan Whittaker, Fostering Lifelong Connections Advisory Group – Expert by Experience – Host: Professor Judith Cashmore AO, University of Sydney The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas public talks event that was held virtually on Thursday 10 March, 2022. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3CMnCjP

What can the 24 hour economy look like and how might it help future proof the city? FEATURING: – Michael Rodrigues, 24 Hour Economy Commissioner – Sara Saleh, writer and poet – Jess Scully, author, curator and City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor – Carla Theunissen, Senior Manager, Place Activation and Strategy for Sydney Olympic Park – Steph Harmon (host), Culture Editor of Guardian Australia The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas public talks event that was held virtually on Wednesday 2 March, 2022. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3tffsNG

2022. It's a new year yet the same-old. Off the back of the pandemic, there was talk of a Great Reset, a chance to turn a crisis into an opportunity. But looking at the state of play today – in politics, human rights, climate action and widening inequality – has this vision for a paradigm shift fizzled? To get some perspective, we bring together leading thinkers from a range of fields to share their take on how the world might change – or could change – for the better, by the end of year. FEATURING – Dr Arianna Brambilla, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Co-chair of the cluster Building Efficiencies of the Smart Sustainable Building Network – Associate Professor Melody Ding, epidemiologist and population behavioural scientist working at the intersection of physical activity, epidemiology and chronic disease prevention – Dr Arunima Malik, Senior Lecturer in the Integrated Sustainability. Her expertise is in big-data modelling to quantify sustainability impacts at local, national and global scales – Jananie Janarthana, community organiser and campaigner – Dr Sandra Peter, Director of Sydney Business Insights at the University of Sydney Business School – Fenella Kernebone, Head of Programming for Sydney Ideas, hosts this conversation. For further links and resources, including a transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3p47p3G This public talks event was recorded on 17 February, 2022.

Hear from researchers at the University of Sydney Nano Institute (Sydney Nano), who are working at the cutting-edge of nanoscience. Professor Zdenka Kuncic shares how the research team is delivering cures for neurological diseases by rethinking interventions in the nervous system. Dr Shelley Wickham is working on a project building autonomous, programmable robots that can detect disease early for treatment and prevention. Professor Chiara Neto talks about developing a low-cost method to capture water in the air, to tackle the impacts of drought. Associate Professor, chemist and science communicator Alice Motion is our host, with opening remarks from Sydney Nano Director, Professor Benjamin Eggleton. This recording was from a live event on 25 November, 2021. For links to further resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3li5Zk7

How adaptable are our big city birds to the urban environment and what impact we humans are having on them? Discover some significant citizen science projects and how you can get involved. Drawing on the latest research, in this Sydney Ideas event you will hear powerful short talks about our local birdlife. Featuring: – Professor Dieter Hochuli, ecologist at the University of Sydney, on the brush turkey; – Dr Holly Parsons from BirdLife Australia on the powerful owl; – Dr John Martin, research scientist at Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, on the much-maligned ibis; – Professor David Phalen (University of Sydney), who talks about a new study that aims to identify the causes of a devastating disease affecting Rainbow Lorikeets; – Dr Lucy Aplin from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behaviour, explains the unique bin-opening behaviour of clever sulphur-crested cockatoos, and; – Associate Professor Kurt Iveson, urban geographer from the University of Sydney, moderates this event. Visit the Sydney Ideas website for more info, audio transcript and links to citizen science projects mentioned in the podcast: https://bit.ly/3mwkGRX The talks were recorded from a live virtual event on 28 October, 2021.

As Australia looks to reopen, and in the week NSW emerges from lockdown, we examine the path to reopening and how we can rebuild Australian society looking forward. Drawing upon the work of the Open Society, Common Purpose taskforce hosted at the University of Sydney, we ask: What do we need to get right? Featuring: – Professor Catherine Bennett, epidemiologist, Deakin University – Dr Nick Coatsworth, infectious disease physician, ANU – Dr Luara Ferracioli, Senior Lecturer in Political Philosophy, The University of Sydney – Professor Adam Guastella, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney – Professor Fiona Russell, paediatrician and epidemiologist, The University of Melbourne – Mark Rigotti, Senior Adviser at Herbert Smith Freehills and Chair of the Open Society, Common Purpose taskforce – Professor Tim Soutphommasane, political theorist, The University of Sydney – Professor Marc Stears, Director of Sydney Policy Lab, The University of Sydney This conversation was recorded on 13 October, 2021. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit our website: https://bit.ly/2YKLWme