The Being Unconventional Podcast: Recent Episodes

Being Unconventional Podcast

This podcast series sees the Equality and Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of students and staff to get their perspective.

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of staff and students to get their perspective.

Episode 8 features Shruti Ganesh and Harriet Fuller, two inspiring women talking to Audrey Palosse, an Equality and Inclusion Student Champion from the School of Geography, about their experiences with STEM careers.

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of students and staff to share their perspective.

Episode 7 of the podcast series features staff and student members from working-class backgrounds discussing their experiences of attending University, balancing employment and family support. Naomi Rumley, an Equality and Inclusion Student Champion for the School of Earth and Environment, talks to Jake Coote, a second-year Geography and Transport Studies student, and Paul Adams, a Facilities Officer in the Transport Studies Institute. Our two guests discuss the pressures faced by students from working-class backgrounds. 

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of students and staff to get their perspective.

Episode 6 of the podcast series features Food Science and Nutrition PHD student Liam Morris, who was diagnosed with ADHD in late higher education. Tom Cockbain, an Equality and Inclusion Champion from the School of Earth and Environment, discusses Liam's journey through Academia both prior to and following the diagnosis. 

Liam has kindly offered to answer any questions listeners may have about ADHD, his experience and diagnosis. To get in touch with him, email at: fs13lm@leeds.ac.uk

More information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/

Student Support: https://students.leeds.ac.uk/info/1000046/lifelong_learning_centre/1271/specialist_support_for_learning_differences

Assessment Centre: https://students.leeds.ac.uk/info/10710/disability_services/724/leeds_assessment_centre

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of students and staff to share their perspective. 

Episode 5 of the podcast series features staff and student members identifying as LGBTQ+ discussing their experiences of time at University, fieldwork and international student experience. Naomi Rumley, an Equality and Inclusion Student Champion for the School of Earth and Environment, talks to Vicente Merida, a PhD student in the School of Food Science and Nutrition, and Ben Pickering, a Research Fellow in the School of Earth and Environment.

Additional Links

LGBT+ Society https://www.luu.org.uk/clubs-and-societies/browse-clubs-and-societies/lgbt/

LGBT+ Staff Network https://equality.leeds.ac.uk/staff-networks/lgbt-network/ 

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of students and staff to get their perspective.

Lujain interviews Dr. Maria Seijo Richart who is a University of Leeds alumna and current staff member. Dr Maria currently works at disability services and the Institute for Transport Studies.

In this episode they discuss life as a migrant student; everything from the application process to her current role as a staff member. Dr Maria shares her insight on homesickness, COVID and the road to a pHD; sharing advice for staff members and students alike.

To follow Dr. Maria:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/maria-seijo-richart-318875127

YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCNTPTNhS-NQkGD44t2dAcA

Blog:

https://blog.jobs.ac.uk/author/maria-seijo-richart/

Recent publications:

  • “A race against time: Ray Bradbury’s “Frost and Fire (1946)”/ “After 1984”, at Science Fiction for Survival. An Archive for Mars. Terra Two Anthology: Volume One, Liesl King and Robert Edgar (eds.), 2019. Scarborough. Valley Press, p. 113 – 117/ p. 213.
  • “An Exercise in Archaeology: Researching the Silent Film Transposition of Wuthering Heights”, Brontë Studies, July 2018, 43:3, 248-259.
  • “The pleasure of repetition: The Bombay cinema and the South American telenovela”, at New Cinemas, 14:2, [2016] 2017, pp. 157–64.

Additional Resources:

Feeling at home in Leeds: https://students.leeds.ac.uk/info/10101/welcome/1155/feeling_at_home_in_leeds

International Students: https://students.leeds.ac.uk/#International-students

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In this episode, we interview a Plus Programme student from the School of Food Science and Nutrition, Savannah Sygrove. During the interview, Savannah shares her own experiences of being from a single-parent family, and sadly her mother passed away during the third year of her undergraduate degree. Now studying as a postgraduate at the University of Leeds, we discuss the issues she faced as well as Savannah providing some insights into how best to support students who are going through similar difficulties.

We would like to thank Savannah for opening up about such a personal loss and we hope the conversation is useful to any staff members or fellow students listening in.

Information on The Plus Programme at the University of Leeds

A support scheme for students who come from backgrounds that are less represented at university. We are here to make sure you have access to all the opportunities at Leeds and to help you achieve everything you want while you’re here.

Eligible students include students entering University from an area of low participation, care leavers, students studying without parental support, means-tested scholars as well as students eligible for contextual admissions schemes. For more information, follow this link

Additional Resources

Leeds Uni Bereavement Support including Student Wellbeing and Counselling Service

https://ses.leeds.ac.uk/info/21830/changing_personal_circumstances/810/bereavement

The LUU Bereaved Student Network – Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/125342941506112

Money buddies

https://moneybuddies.org.uk/ - are a charity who help with money struggles from debt to other financial worries, this may help someone who is struggling to get back on their feet after a loss of a parent.

NHS sleep advice

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/how-to-get-to-sleep/ - tips and advice on self-care as grief can interrupt a lot of day to day activities including your sleeping pattern.

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of staff and students to get their perspective.

Episode 2 of the Being Unconventional Podcast features Working Class Students and Staff discussing their experiences of under-representation, the Access to Leeds scheme, opportunities and advice for fellow working class students and staff. Susan Preston, Equality and Inclusion Student Champion for the School of Geography talks to Olivia Dawson, a first-year Undergraduate student from the School of Earth and Environment (SEE), Ben Kew, a PhD student from Food Science and Nutrition and Dr Mark Thomas a lecturer from SEE. 

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This podcast series sees the Equality & Inclusion Student Champions for the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, interview different demographics of staff and students to get their perspective. 

This week, Audrey Palosse interviews Susan Preston, a commuting student who founded the Commuters Society and is advocating for change.