University of Warwick Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Helen Thorne
University of Warwick Podcasts allow you to hear from University experts commenting on important issues, their research and events.
Professors Kate Purcell and Peter Elias, from the Institute of Employment Research, discuss the value of a degree.
In the second of a series of podcasts on graduates and employability, Professor Kate Purcell and Professor Peter Elias discuss what employers are really looking for in today's graduates
Exploring the theory that Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, wrote the plays that we attribute to Shakespeare. Roland Emmerich's new film Anonymous has re-opened the Shakespeare authorship debate. In this video, Prof Carol Rutter and Prof Stanley Wells discuss their reactions to the film and address some of the claims made by it.
Anno domini. Today we use the system devised by the sixth-century monk, Dionysius Exiguus, as a way of synchronising events, and associate its origin with the nativity of Jesus and the 'first Christmas'. But did Dionysius get his dates right? Professor Kevin Butcher from the Department of Classics explores how a coin issued by Herod Antipas suggests not...
Warwick Medical School's Professor Donald Singer and Associate Professor Michael Hulse, English, chat about the hugely successful international poetry and medical Hippocrates Prize
The University of Warwick's Professor Shaun Breslin and Boston University's Professor Adil Najam, Director, Frederick S Pardee Centre discuss the strategic partnership between the two universities particularly in the field of Globalisation.
Prof Graham Wilson, Department for Political science, Boston University & Prof Wyn Grant, Department of Politics, The University of Warwick, discuss their joint political workshops and how the strategic partnerships between the two universities is progressing. Part of a series of conversation pieces that demonstrates the strategic partnership between the University of Warwick and Boston University.
Part of a series of conversation pieces that demonstrates the strategic partnership between the University of Warwick and Boston University.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
Part of the 2nd Joint Boston/Warwick Politics and International Studies Workshop on Aspects of the Post Financial Crisis.
First-class sporting facilities and award-winning conference venues are making the University of Warwick the preferred option for top-flight sports clubs.
This year celebrates 30 years of WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group) - an international multi-disciplinary group that was established by Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya in 1980 in order to reinvigorate UK manufacturing, through the application of cutting edge research and effective knowledge transfer.
The group started small - just an office, the Professor and his secretary - but has since grown into an international group, with collaborative centres in the UK, India, China, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore and Thailand.
This video looks back over the history of WMG and some of the headlines it has made over the past 30 years
Two leading economists, Professor Andrew Sentance and Paul Fisher, both Members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee discussed the UK economy and the work of the MPC at the University of Warwick's Business School on 20th October.
The event was introduced by Professor Mark Taylor, Dean of WBS and chaired by Professor Andrew Oswald.
Warwick Medical School (WMS), originally established as part of a partnership with Leicester Medical School, celebrated 10 years of achievement in September. A celebratory event took place at the University on 30 September, attended by invited guests, providing an opportunity to reflect back on the past ten years and to look forward to the future. This video, celebrating the School’s ten years, was shown at the event.
A little green van called ELVIN is whizzing around the University of Warwick as part of a major research project aimed at tackling the safety issues linked to the lack of sound from electric vehicles.
Professor of Social and Community Psychiatry at Warwick Medical School, Professor Swaran Singh discusses his contribution to a special issue of Prospect magazine on race and mental health
Dr Rodger Charlton Associate Clinical Professor in Medical Education and Lead for GP Specialty Teaching at WMS and Dr Chris Andry from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine explore the issues surrounding End of Life Care and how patients, families and medical staff cope with events during the stressful and often traumatic time when a loved one dies.
Dr Chris Andry came to Warwick during 2010 as an IAS Visiting Fellow.
Bart Sheehan and Elizabeth Burton from the University of Warwick discuss their latest paper on care homes and the built environment
Early Career Fellow Sorcha Gunne talks about her work on South African post-apartheid literature and whether revealing the 'brutal truth' can heal the troubles of the past
Professor of English, Professor Peter Mack discusses his new role as Director of the Warburg Institute
Hilary Pilkington talks about her new book Russia's Skinheads: Exploring and rethinking subcultural lives
PVCIT (Premium Vehicle Customer Interface Technologies) is a Centre of Excellence part funded by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to provide support to industry based within the region.
The centre is a unique research and development facility that provides companies direct access to the latest product evaluation technologies and processes along with the expertise to identify solutions appropriate to real world engineering problems.
Along with project partners, the aim is to build a facility that will stimulate the local economy and help to sustain the technical capability of the region.
A medieval system of marking stone in building work could be a cheap and effective way of ending the modern day frustration of constructing ‘flat-pack’ furniture, according to a University of Warwick academic. Mason’s Marks refer to marks made on the blocks of walling stone and on moulded stone as part of the construction process, and have been in use for centuries. Academics studying the use of the marks at the University of Warwick claim self-assembly furniture manufacturers could learn a lot from the ancient system and save thousands of pounds in production costs.
Professor Erica Carter from the University of Warwick’s Department of German Studies talks about the release of her new book Béla Balázs: Early Film Theory, the first English translation of the Hungarian's work, and the accompanying exhibition
IAS Visiting Fellow Prof Cathie Jo Martin, Professor of Political Science at Boston University and chair of the Council for European Studies talks to the University of Warwick's Professor Wyn Grant about her research and new book which focuses on the origins of coordinated capitalism and the circumstances under which employers are persuaded to endorse social policies, promoting economic productivity and social solidarity.
Warwick PhD students Andrew Hammond and Ben Jacoby from the Department of Politics and International Studies interview IAS Visiting Fellow Professor Vivien Schmidt about her research in political theory, the role of the state and democracy in Europe. Professor Schmidt also explains her search for better methodological approaches to studying politics focussing on the interactive processes of discourse.
The Department of Politics and International Studies hosted the third annual Warwick RIPE Debate in IPE in collaboration with the Review of International Political Economy. The main speaker at the 2010 debate was Professor Vivien Schmidt of Boston University. She spoke on the theme of 'The Fall, Rise, Fall and Rise of the State within Modern Capitalism - and how to explain it'.
The debate was chaired by the Head of PaIS, Professor Ben Rosamond. Additional speakers were two other hugely influential political economy scholars, Professor Colin Hay (University of Sheffield) and Professor Colin Crouch (Warwick Business School), speaking on the same theme. The event took the form of a roundtable discussion about the state and global capitalism.
Professor Charles Sheppard from the Department of Biological Sciences talks to Peter Dunn about his research into the biogeography and biodiversity of Indo-Pacific coral reefs, including the development of wide scale reef monitoring programmes. He discusses how important these government protected areas and their wildlife are to sustaining the lives of millions of people living around the Indian Ocean rim. Part of a team of international environmental marine researchers Professor Sheppard aims to preserve a fragile but healthy network of islands that make up the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The team are confident that this special remote area of the world will now avoid the threat of overfishing, pollution and climate change that threatens the life of coral reefs across the world.
Author of the new book “Football management” Dr Sue Bridgewater from Warwick Business School discusses the high pressure world of Football Management drawing on her own research and management development work working directly with football managers.
Author of the new book “Football Brands ” Dr Sue Bridgewater from Warwick Business School draws on her dual expertise in Branding and the business of football to explore how concepts such as loyalty, affiliation, emotional ties with football clubs seem to parallel the relationship between consumer and brand in the broader world of marketing and brands.
Two new publications from the School of Health and Social Studies tackle the issue of domestic violence. Ravi Thiara talks about her book 'Violence Against Women in South Asian Communities' and Donna Chung discusses her book, 'Domestic Violence: Working with Men'
Research led by the University of Warwick has found a way to use doughnut shaped by-products of quantum dots to slow and even freeze light, opening up a wide range of possibilities from reliable and effective light based computing to the possibility of "slow glass".
Rob Carpenter (TNS Magasin) presents on the high tech methods used by TNS Magasin, a pioneer in the field of shopper behavioural research. One of a range of research techniques demonstrated included "eye tracking". Eye Tracking utilises an infra-red beam, shone into the back of the retina to track the wearer's eye movements and fixations, offering far superior data on shoppers' attention than cameras that merely record field-of-view. Marketers can benefit from analysing exactly what the eye is drawn to on shelves, packaging and at point of sale.
Professor Paul Jennings, WMG presents on the neuroscientific research his Experiential Engineering team undertake to analyse the end users experience of products within key public sectors. The automotive industry, looking at sound quality in vehicles including hybrids, public places, Civic Engineering, looking at city centre design and the quality of public environments and the newer area of Healthcare looking at improving the experience within hospitals and care homes.
Professor Gemma Calvert, Chair of Applied Neuroimaging presents on the methods and technology that is enabling science to help marketers eliminate much of the risk in new product development. Demonstrating the potential to accurately predict and steer success in branding, advertising and packaging. Neuroimaging is about mapping brain responses to multi-sensory stimuli. It is one of the powerful neurosciences that are just about to revolutionize the way we market.
During a visit to the university to present a lecture, David Willetts MP, Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills, spoke to Peter Dunn about his new book "The Pinch: How the baby boomers took their children's future - and why they should give it back" which looks at intergenerational relations in Britain and argues that the baby boomer generation born between 1945 and 1965 have thrived at the expense of their children.
Afghan social activist Wazhma Frogh discusses women's rights and the future of her country
Warwick's Professor Wyn Grant and Boston University's Professor Graham Wilson discuss Politics and the Financial Crisis along with the research collaboration and partnership between the two institutions.
In the year of a General Election, Professor Wyn Grant from the Department of Politics and International Studies discusses the complexities of UK election politics
Historian Professor Bernard Capp reveals how a ban on Christmas sparked a second Civil War in England
The University of Warwick announces a new international medical poetry prize to be judged by poet Dannie Abse, NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh and broadcaster and James Naughtie
Professor of Developmental Psychology Dieter Wolke discusses his research into bullying to mark Anti-bullying Week
Dr Angie Hobbs discusses her new role as the first ever UK “Senior Fellow in the Public Understanding of Philosophy”, charged with bringing philosophy to as wide an audience as possible in Britain and beyond.
Theatre researcher Tony Howard discusses what the newly-released MI5 archives reveal about American actor Sam Wanamaker
The former trade unionist and pensions campaigner speaks ahead of receiving his honorary Doctor of Laws.
Val Gooding, non-executive director to the BBC's executive board, speaks to the University ahead of receiving her honorary degree.
Professor Joseph Roach of Yale University, lead of the World Performance Project, who receives an honorary Doctor of Letters.
Ms Brenda King, Chief Executive of ACDiversity, speaks to the University ahead of receiving her Honorary Degree.
Cambridge Professor, David MacKay, talks about what is required for the UK to be self sufficient on renewable energy.
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Professor Erica Carter and Christina Achinger of the German Studies department speak to IAS visiting fellow, Geoff Eley (University of Michigan) about interdisciplinarity.
A Politics and International Studies department debate on IPE with Mark Blyth, Shirin M Rai, Dr Matthew Watson and Dr Jeffrey Chwieroth.
A Politics and International Studies department debate on IPE with Mark Blyth, Shirin M Rai, Dr Matthew Watson and Dr Jeffrey Chwieroth.
Listen to Part Two
Professor Matt Keeling on his research mapping social interaction in order to better predict the spread of infection.
Professor Nigel Dimmock talks about the threat of Swine Flu and how we might respond to a global pandemic.
Associate Professor of Psychology Kimberley Wade talks about why people develop false memories
Professor Mark Harrison discusses the military-industrial complex in the final part of his series on his book Guns and Rubles
Professor Colin Crouch explains how a model of privatised Keynesianism has lead to financial meltdown and considers what changes are needed to resolve weaknesses in the global economy.
Professor Mark Harrison discusses Stalin and secrecy in the second of a three-part series on his book Guns and Rubles
Professor Mark Harrison discusses Stalin, the Great Terror, and how defense was at the core of Stalin’s system of rule.
How have writers attempted to articulate the impact of the Arts in society? Oliver Bennett and Eleanora Belfiore discuss what an understanding of this history of ideas brings to contemporary debates on Arts policy and the value of the Arts.
Sir Donald Irvine, another of our honorary graduates, was the first GP to be elected President of the General Medical Council and changed the way medicine is practised in the UK. Here, he reflects on his links with Warwick Medical School.
Dr Rajendra Pachauri, one of this year's honorary graduates, is chair of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and one of the world's leading figures in the science of climate change. In 2007 he received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the IPCC, alongside co-recipient, Al Gore. Here, Dr Pachauri talks about today's fight against climate change.
Honorary graduate and gold medal-winning Paralympic athlete Melanie Easter talks to us about her sporting career.
Dr Matthew Sorell, Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study, explores the problems and opportunities of the emerging approach to 'Digital Forensics'.
Award-winning TV and film producer Vadim Jean talks about his years at Warwick University, his recent work on Terry Pratchett's adaptation of ‘Hogfather’ for Sky One, and gives invaluable advice for any budding film producers.
A psychological phenomenon called ‘anchoring’ can determine the amount you pay on your credit card bill. Dr Neil Stewart from the Department of Psychology at Warwick University sheds light on how we can be more ‘credit savvy’ when making credit card repayments.
Scientists at Warwick University have helped discover the secret behind a new bioglass that will change the way we treat broken bones. Professor Mark Smith talks about this new research and the benefits of the collaborative effort between Warwick University, Imperial College London, and the University of Kent.
Stephen Gundle from the Department of Film and Television Studies at Warwick has published the first ever history of Glamour. Here he demystifies the mystery behind one of mankind’s most elusive concepts.
Professor Stanley Wells discusses his life's experiences studying the works of William Shakespeare.
As we bid a fond farewell to Coventry Working Men's Club, the oldest in the UK, Dr Ruth Cherrington from the Centre for Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies talks about the gradual decline of the Social Club, and how they have impacted on our society.
In response to the ongoing sub-prime crisis, the recently published Crosby Report recommends that the Government uses public money to swap bank’s seriously damaged mortgage-backed securities for pristine government bonds. Matthew Watson from the Department of Politics and International Studies at Warwick University talks about these recommendations, and how the global ‘credit crunch’ is affecting Labour’s popularity with the electorate.
Dr. Rebecca Earle from the Department of Comparative American Studies talks about the importance of diet in creating the Indian and Spanish identities in the early modern era, and how the foods that the Spanish once avoided in the New World are now ingrained in many cultures.
Globally, the honey bee population is in decline. This has serious implications for the cross pollination of commercial crops and wild plants. One of the major causes of this decline is the “Varroa Destructor” mite. However, researchers at Warwick University may have found a natural solution to this problem. Dr Dave Chandler from Warwick HRI explains how.
Novelist and academic Eva Hoffman has been awarded an honorary degree at Warwick. Here, she talks about her life experiences and the inspirations behind her best selling memoir ‘Lost in Translation’ and her new novel ‘Illuminations’.
Dr George Kanyeihamba, one of this year’s honorary graduates, helped establish democracy and the independent judicial system in Uganda, and is considered the ‘Founding Father’ of human rights in Africa. Here, he talks about his experiences, and the need for peaceful resolution of events in Zimbabwe.
Economist Professor Stephen Nickell, a former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee and one of this year’s honorary graduates at Warwick, says the UK could see a severe recession but that will depend on the action of the Bank of England and other central banks around the world.
Chair of the first Warwick Commission Pierre Pettigrew, one of this year’s honorary graduates at Warwick, says the commission report into the future of world trade is set to have an even bigger impact after the completion of the Doha round of negotiations of the World Trade Organisation.
Business leader John Edwards, the former chief executive of the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands and one of this year’s honorary graduates at Warwick, talks about the continuing importance of the university’s links with business.
Yesu Persaud is a leading Guyanese businessman and philanthropist. He is renowned for his support of human rights and democracy, and has also been honored for his outstanding contributions in business and Indian history and culture. Here, he talks about how helping people to help themselves is the most effective way of eradicating poverty.
Professor Denis Noble, who was a pioneer in the field of systems biology building the first working mathematical model of the heart and has been given an honorary degree at Warwick, talks about how the future study of biology will change in the 21st Century.
The Postgraduate Award for Teaching Shakespeare was launched in 2007 by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the CAPTIAL Centre at the University of Warwick. RSC actor Miles Richardson and Professor Jonathan Neelands talk about the course’s success.
Co-ordinator of Warwick's car sharing scheme Joy Warren explains the advantages of sharing your drive to work with a colleague.
Warwick students Casper ter Kuile and Emma Beirmann return from their WWF Arctic ‘Voyage for the Future’ to help raise awareness of the effects of climate change.
Veteran Chinese TV and film director Zhang Ji Zhong, on his first visit to the UK, talks about his new film, The Monkey King, and his aim to promote Chinese culture in the West, during a talk at Warwick Arts Centre.
A study by Franco Cappuccio, Professor of cardiovascular medicine and epidemiology at Warwick Medical School, has shown for the first time that the planned reduction in junior doctors’ hours will not compromise patient safety and suggests the reduction will actually improve patient care.
Maqsood Ahmed, the government’s senior advisor on Muslim communities, talks about being the first student on the MA course in Islam in contemporary societies.
Researchers at Warwick HRI describe a project which could help to prevent the disappearance of UK grown strawberries due to changes in the weather by helping farmers combat the effects of climate change.
New ways of fostering collaboration between the university and the students' union was discussed at an innovation summit.
Dr Jackie Sturt, from the Health Sciences Research Institute at Warwick Medical School, talks about the trial of the Diabetes Manual, the first one-to-one structured education programme for people with type 2 diabetes in the UK. Alongside her is Debbie Durk the practice nurse at a GP practice in Birmingham, who was part of the trial, and Angela Jones, a person with diabetes, who has been helped by the Diabetes Manual.
Sociology Professor Zlatko Skrbis from the University of Queensland in Australia, a visiting fellow to Warwick, considers the effect of a loss of a sense of belonging for some groups in society particularly since 9/11.
The sixth Warwick Symposium on Parish Research, held in the humanities research centre on May 17, 2008, drew together scholars from the UK, Europe and North America to consider religious devotion in late medieval and early modern parishes. Here the organisers, speakers and postgraduates talk about the symposium and different approaches to the theme of parish pieties.
Justin St John, Professor of reproductive biology at Warwick Medical School, explains some of the details of planned legislation that would permit for the first time in the UK the wide scale creation of hybrid human embryos for research, containing human and animal elements.
Professor Chris McConville, from the department of physics, talks about his work on the semiconductor indium nitride which could make the conversion of solar energy more efficient. Professor McConville won the John Yarwood Memorial Medal for his work in this area.
Dr Steve Strand from the Warwick Institute of Education talks about his report which shows that white British children from working class backgrounds make the least progress compared to other ethnic groups at secondary school.
The director of the Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Germany, Professor Klaus Kern, talks about collaboration with Warwick as he completes the first of a programme of visits by academics from across the world aimed at promoting international research across institutions and disciplines.
Dr Roger Gadsby from the institute of education at Warwick Medical School talks about a study in to how women with diabetes plan for pregnancy which could have major implications for care in this area.
The newly appointed dean of the school of engineering Professor Jonathan Seville talks about how his area of expertise, positron emission imaging, is set to develop and what lies ahead for the whole discipline of engineering.
Professor of reproductive biology at Warwick Medical School Justin St John explains why his proposed work into using very early stage hybrid human-animal embryos for research is necessary.
For more details see www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/research/csri/reproductive_biology/
How improvisational theatre is providing a new insight into the history of capital punishment.
Prof Shirin Rai talks about a joint study into how honour crimes are dealt with by the legal systems in India and Pakistan.
Polly Teale, the co-director of a production Tolstoy's War and Peace being staged at Warwick Arts Centre, talks to Prof Michael Bell from the English department.
The Shared Experience production runs at Warwick Arts Centre from Thursday March 13 to Sunday March 16, for more information see www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/home
One of the co-inventors of a type of brain improving drug, and leading neuroscientist, Prof Gary Lynch talks about the implications of mind enhancing drugs.
Professor Shaheen Ali talks about Dr Rowan Williams' recent comments regarding Sharia and English law.
Director of the Health Science Research Institute and chair of public health Professor Sarah Stuart-Brown talks about some of the fundamentals of Chinese medicine and her own experience of the practice.
Economist Professor Andrew Oswald talks about the chances of an economic recession and what consumers could do if it happens.
Psychologist Alex Wood talks about how gratitude could be the key to happiness and how our Christmas gifts can best generate gratitude.
Pierre Pettigrew, Chair of the Warwick Commission, talks about the Commissions' report on the future of the multilateral trade system.
The launch of the equal pay archive at Warwick’s Modern Records Centre is discussed by three figures who have played a central role in the battle for equal pay for women.
They are Jo Morris, senior equality and employment rights officer of the Trades Union Congress, Sue Hastings, an independent pay and employment adviser, along with Rodney Bickerstaffe, the former general secretary of the public sector union Unison and chairman of the Modern Records Centre’s Advisory Board.
Dr Peter Ferdinand, director of the Centre for Studies in Democratisation, discusses the future of democracy in Burma after the violent put down of protests in the country.
At the height of their popularity there were more than 4,000 working men's clubs across the UK. Now there are just over half that number. Dr Ruth Cherrington, lecturer in cultural studies, talks about her research into how the club movement started and why it has declined.
Dr Ann Adams, principal research fellow at the Health Sciences Research Institute, talks about her work which shows that women family doctors are not picking up on an important risk factor in the diagnosis of heart disease.
Li Wang, from The University of Warwick Computer Science Department, talks about new technology which would make fingerprint recognition more accurate by "unwarping" distorted fingerprints.
Professor Swaran Singh talks about research which shows that claims of racism in psychiatric services cannot be supported by evidence. He discusses a new study aimed at tackling some of the social factors that make people from an ethnic minority background more likely to suffer psychosis.
Postgraduate researcher Robert Wicks talks about how a tool to analyse swarming could be used to analyse plasma in the solar wind and movements in financial markets.
Matthew Vernon discusses his work modelling the spread of infections such as foot and mouth in cattle and how these models can inform the response to an outbreak.
Dr Stefan Bon discusses how his team have developed a process for reinforcing pickering emulsions with laponite clay.
Professor Sander Gilman of Emory University continues our discussion on the culture and science of genetics.
Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown looks at the recent statements on the obesity gene, food supplements and lifestyle changes and asks which is the most effective for tackling obesity.
Chris Moran discusses the Spooked: Cultures of Intelligence in Britain conference hosted by the University of Warwick
Professor Jonathan Bate discusses editing a new edition of the Complete Works of Shakespeare.
Length: 20 minutes
Professor Franco Cappuccio from Warwick Medical School talks about his recent research into the effects of cholesterol busting statins on blood pressure.
Length: 27 minutes
Bill Crofts and student, Kennith Leong, talk about the project they are involved in to design and build power supply systems for a moon orbiting satellite planned for launch by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2011.
Length: 26 minutes
On the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade Cecily Jones discusses the legacy of the trade and why an apology is necessary.
Length: 18 minutes
PhD student, Adair Richards, and Professor Alison Rodger from the Molecular Organisation and Assembly in Cells Doctoral Training Centre (MOAC) talk about their work and recent article about binding metal-containing molecules to DNA.
Length: 20 minutes
Professor Mike Stillings talks about the history and uses of Aspirin.
Length: 20 minutes
Pierre Pettigrew discusses the work of the 2007 Warwick Commission analysing the future of Multilateral Trade Agreements.
Length: 12 minutes
Karen Throsby from The University of Warwick's Sociology Department talks about the relationships between gender and body image as well as cosmetic and weight loss surgery in the light of the recent Radio 1 survey on the topic.
Length: 18 minutes
Chris Meir talks about the Marketing the Movies Conference and how academics are analysing the way films are promoted.
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Professor Roger Trigg talks about the relationship between faith, religion and public office. Should we make a clear distintion between public office and private belief?
Length:25 minutes
Professor James Clark from The University of York's Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence talks about sustainable chemistry, current areas of research and how it impacts on our day to day lives and the environment.
Length: 26 minutes
Tony Howard talks about his research looking at the women who have played Hamlet and the influence they have had on both the play and society.
Length: 29 minutes
Dr Rob Johnson talks about the implications of President Bush's recent announcement that an additional 20,000 troops will be heading to Iraq.
Length: 26 minutes
Dr Manu Vatish discusses his work on developing a test for Pre-eclampsia
Length: 11 minutes
Dr Boris Gänsicke and Professor Tom Marsh from The University of Warwick's Astronomy and Astrophysics Group within the Department of Physics talk about their recent discovery of a metal rich gas disc around a white dwarf in the Virgo constellation.
Length: 16 minutes
Professor Peter Marshall discusses how the protestant reformation nearly removed Angels from our culture and how they managed to survive into the modern era.
Length: 27 minutes
Dr. Lorenzo Frigerio from Warwick's Biological Sciences Department talks about the Wellcome Trust Translation Award he has received to enable him to validate his lab based work on increased yield of antibody production within plant cells using complete plants in order to show industrial scale manufacture is possible.
Length: 19 minutes
Dr Andrew Roberts asks whether the National DNA Database infringes on our civil liberties and the dangers of a compulsory system.
Length: 16 minutes
Dr Sean Neill discusses a recent report highlighting the issue of pupils using sexually abusive language in schools.
Length: 21 minutes
Dr Andrew Sentance from the Centre for Globalisation and Regionalisation talks about carbon trading, how it works, how it affects us and the potential benefits.
Length: 14 minutes
Professor David Smith from The University of York talks about nanotechnology and its application to modern medicine. Topics covered include delivery of cancer drugs, tissue engineering and gene therapy.
Length: 25 minutes
Munira Mirza argues that current arts policy in the UK may be damaging to the long term health of the arts.
Munira Mirza is a writer and researcher on issues related to cultural policy and identity
Professor Christopher Read examines the current state of Russia and its changing political and economic position.
Length: 22 minutes
Dr H A Hellyer discusses the recent controversy surrounding the wearing of the veil by muslim women. Length: 28 minutes
France seems to be undergoing a period of intense political instability. Dramatic images of demonstrations and riots on the street parallel rumours and scandal in the corridors of power.
To what extent do the current events represent a real upheaval in the French political environment and what is the likely impact on the forthcoming Presidential elections?
Ben Clift is a Senior Lecturer in Warwick's Department of Politics and International Studies and is an expert on the politics of France.
Length: 22 mins
Tension between Iran and the international community is increasing with negotiations over Iran's nuclear capability at the heart of a growing diplomatic crisis. With the likely recommdendation that Iran be referred to the UN Security Council for supposed breaches of its nuclear obligations the next few weeks will be crucial in determining the outcomes of this latest confrontation.
The current crisis is the culmination of years of Iranian nuclear development and diplomatic efforts on the part of the EU, the US and the UN. The history of the crisis and its implications for the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty are complex and go to the heart of the future ability of the international community to regulate and monitor nuclear activity.
Dr Daniel Joyner is a Lecturer in International Law at the Warwick Law School. Dr Joyner is an expert in public international law in the security context, with particular interest in the area of proliferation studies, including non-proliferation treaties and regimes, issues of international trade and export control law, use of force law, and international legal theory.
Length: 23 minutes
New research by Dr Sue Bridgewater from Warwick Business School has revealed that over 500 managers from the four top English divisions have been dismissed from their post since 1992 bringing damaging instability to the game. However she also outlines how a new professionalism in the post of manager is already achieving results on the pitch and could thus help managers stay post longer.
Dr Bridgewater looked at the 678 managerial changes in the four football leagues from August 1992 to December 2005. During that period she found 94 were still in post, 48 resigned for personal, advancement or other reasons but a staggering 536 of those managers were dismissed from their post. These changes of management have involved 360 different managers.
Dr Bridgewater is a Lecturer in Marketing & Strategy at Warwick Business School.
Length: 17 minutes
Maureen Freely discusses her work translating the books of Orhan Pamuk and how his work reflects on the political situation in Turkey.
Length: 22 minutes
The Science of Discworld series weaves together a Discworld story by Terry Pratchett which examines what happens when wizards meddle with history in a battle against the elves for the future of humanity, with scientific commentary by two University of Warwick researchers (mathematician and chaos theory expert Professor Ian Stewart and reproductive Biologist Dr Jack Cohen) on the evolution and development of the human mind, culture, language, art, and science.
Professor Ian Stewart is a member of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, but is also an honorary Wizard of the Unseen University. In our current podcast, Professor Stewart discusses the history of the Science of the Discworld books and explains why a leading mathematician is dabbling in the world of magic and fantasy.
Length: 16 minutes
How relevant are business schools for today's managers and companies? How can schools provide practical support for industry whilst maintaining standards of academic rigour in their research. Are business schools effective in managing the demands of students, government, business and the research sector?
The University of Warwick recently hosted a Future of Business School Forum which explored how the business school model needs to develop to meet the demands of the business and academic worlds. We invited two of the speakers, Professor Jone Pearce and Professor Ken Starkey, to discuss the future for business schools.
Professor Starkey is Professor of Management & Organisational Learning at Nottingham University Business School.
Professor Joan Pearce is Professor of Organization & Strategy at The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine.
Length: 18 minutes
According to new research there is a significant difference in the way that the British and French prison systems treat Muslim prisoners. Taking the prison experience as a microcosm of both French and British society, Professor Joly explores the issues of national identity, multiculturalism and ethnic or regligous tensions within both countries and how the state has responded to the challenges. Touching on the recent riots across France, Professor Joly raises serious concers about the ability of the French Government to respond effectively to the crisis and questions some of the fundamental assumptions about what it is to be French.
Professor Danièle Joly is a Director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations at the University of Warwick and has published on Muslim populations in Britain, on ethnic relations and on refugees.
Length: 21 minutes
Drunkeness, celebrity gossip, murder and the sex lives of politicians and royalty - commentators in the early modern period were just as concerned about these issues as their contemporary counterparts. A new conference at the University of Warwick, "Wanton nights and riotous feasts": Early Modern Representations of Virtue and Vice, will examine how these concerns were expressed and the role that Vice and Virtue had in shaping people's lives and the politics and society of the time.
Rebecca Hayes is a Postgraduate student of the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies. Rebecca will be presenting a paper at the conference on Women and Seventeenth Century English Pornography.
Length: 15 minutes
After analysing the outcomes of 4500 international games Henry Stott gives his guide to the likely World Cup champions.
Length: 11 mins
Does the UK's current immigration policy cause us problems or does it provide us with opportunities for economic growth? Are we experiencing a new immigration phenomenon or is the flow of people from country to country something that has always been with us?
Professor Zig Layton-Henry, Politics and International Studies, is an expert in the patterns and policy of migration.
Length: 22 minutes
The streets of Nepal have been filled over the last few weeks with people protesting at the rule of authoritarian King Gyanendra. The protests have resulted in the King reinstating a democratic parliament in the face of calls for an end to the monarchy.
Anuj Mishra, a Warwick student from Nepal, gives an insight into the pro-democracy movement and the history of the protests.
14minutes
As the Creative Industries become a more important part of the global economy does the stereotype of the creative genius still persist? Do we need to rethink our ideas on creativity and understand how it works more clearly?
Dr Chris Bilton, Centre for Cultural Policy Studies, argues that organisations need to start thinking about creativity as a process and begin adapting traditional business strategies to develop a creative approach to management.
Length: 25 minutes
With a UN ceasefire in place in the Lebanon attention now moves to finding a long lasting solution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
What is the background to the conflict and how can an understanding of the history of both sides help develop a resolution to the crisis?
Dr Rob Johnson has written about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, terrorism and counter-terrorism.
Length: 23 Minutes
Why does technology matter? How often do we thing about the implications of our choices of one tool over another? What were the decisions that brought us to our current technological world?
In his new book Technology Matters, Professor David Nye of Warwick's School of Comparative American Studies poses a series of questions challenging us to think a little deeper about the tools and technology surrounding us. From the use (or non-use) of the wheel in North Africa to IMAX theatres at the Grand Canyon, Professor Nye asks how the relationship between us and technology shapes our history and our future?
Professor David Nye was recently awarded the 2005 Leonardo Da Vinci Medal presented by the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT). The medal is the highest recognition from the Society for the History of Technology and is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the history of technology, through research, teaching, publications, and other activities.
Recent research has highlighted the problems of growing rates of diabetes and obesity in the UK's South Asian communities. A number of factors, including diet, lifestyle and genetics, means that there is increased exposure to these conditions and the associated risk of heart disease, strokes and other problems.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have been working closely with South Asian communities in Leamington Spa and Coventry to develop strategies for tackling the obesity time bomb. Working with community groups, restaurants and local retailers the researchers are encouraging healthier lifestyles and new approaches to diet and exercise.
Professor Sudhesh Kumar is a Professor of Medicine, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Warwick Medical School. Professor Kumar works with a multi-disciplinary research team including basic scientists and clinicians to investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of obesity and its metabolic and cardiovascular complications.
Length: 16 Minutes
Growers in the UK are having to get used to managing with less water. Changing climate patterns mean that techniques long established in Southern Europe are now being adapted for use further north.
Dr Jim Monaghan (Harper Adams University College) is leading research at Warwick HRI on Dynamic Fertigation, an irrigation system that not only saves water and fertilizer but also automatically respond to five day weather forecasts.
Length: 15 minutes
The announcement of a national register of gifted and talented pupils has raised questions over how we provide for the most able children. Commentators have raised concerns over elitism, how we select people for the register and even whether this is the most effective approach to dealing with gifted provision in schools.
Professor Deborah Eyre is the Director of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth, based at the University of Warwick. NAGTY is tasked with identifying the top 5% performers in our schools and supporting teachers in providing the resources and opportunities to enable students to reach their full potential. In this interview Professor Eyre describes the benefits that membership of NAGTY and the register can bring and how the work of the Academy is helping students to achieve academic success.
Length: 19 minutes
Following on from our previous World Cup discussion with Henry Stott of Warwick's Psychology Deparment and Decision Technology, we examine how the tournament predictions have performed so far and look forward to the knockout phase of the tournament.
Who has performed better than predicted? Who are the underperformers and are Brazil still favourites to lift the trophy. Have the England performances affected our chances of winning the tournament and what is the impact of the injury to Michael Owen. Does it really matter what formation Sven picks?
Length: 9 mins
The growth of China in recent years has been described as an economic miracle with Western companies and governments rushing to build partnerships with the new power in the East.
The opening up of the Chinese market and the expansion of industry, technology and production within the country has, however, had a profound effect on the people of China, its political leaders and the rest of the world. This impact can be seen in the growing inequalities within China, the loss of jobs in the west and the effect on the price of key resources such as oil. The ability of both China and other nations to successfully manage these changing relationships will influence the lives of billions of people.
Professor Shaun Breslin is a member of the Department of Politics and International Studies. Professor Breslin has written extensively on China and its global relationships.
Length: 29 minutes
With oil prices hitting record highs, questions are being asked as to how long the global economy can survive the rising cost of one of its most fundamental resources. Are low oil prices necessary for prosperity or will the high price of oil force economies to diversify their energy supply and address the issues of global warming?
Professor Andrew Oswald is an expert on the economics of Oil and its influence on global trade and employment.
Length: 16 minutes
Length: 25 minutes
The publication of cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten has triggered violent protests across the world. The cartoons, which have been reprinted in a number of European papers, have angered Muslims and focussed attention on the fragile relationships between Islamic countries and the West.
Do the cartoons represent a fundamental difference in the religious and cultural values of the two communities or is the current crisis the latest manifestation of a more earthly tribalism between national and regional interests? Does our shared cultural and philosophical heritage mean we actually have more in common than might be immediately apparant?
Dr. Hisham Hellyer is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick. After completing degrees in Law and International Political Economy, he completed a doctoral study of the European Union and its Muslim populations that was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK), and due to be published in 2006 under the title of "The European 'Other'". A research consultant and social policy analyst, Dr Hellyer is presently engaged in research on contemporary Muslim communities.
The concept of 'City Regions' has been picked up by political leaders in the UK at both a national and local level. The concept has been used as the basis for a number of policy initiatives, but what lies behind the idea of a 'City Region' and what are the implications for governance and local identity if we start to think in these terms.
Professor Colin Crouch, Professor of Governance and Public Management at Warwick Business School, has studied City Regions for the OECD.
Length: 29 mins
Research led by Professor Nigel Dimmock at the University of Warwick is developing an entirely new method of protecting against flu.
Length: 26 minutes
According to Professor Stephen Hawking the future of the Human race is dependent on our ability to begin colonising other planets - within 100 years!
Is this a realistic goal and if it is achievable, is it desirable? How might mankind go about building new homes amongst the stars?
Professor Ian Stewart, Department of Mathematics, is an expert on the parallels between science and science fiction.
Length: 22 minutes
Dr Angie Hobbs discusses the nature of heroism and whether we should consider our sporting men and women as 'heroes'.
Length: 27 mins
David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, recently announced that we should focus on happiness and general well being rather than economic growth. The statement raised questions about how we live our lives, the culture of consumerism and whether 'more stuff' actually leads to better lives.
Research by Professor Andrew Oswald has questioned the supposed link between economic growth and happiness and indicated that it may not be in our national interest to continue our focus on increased consumption.
Length: 15 minutes
Iran has issued its response to UN Security Council demands that it stop its uranium enrichment programme by August 31st.
Whilst offering to join 'serious talks' on the issue Iranian officials have been clear in their refusal to back down to international pressure to end their vision of a nuclear Iran.
How do the latest developments change the diplomatic picture for both Iran and the UN? Does the passing of a UN resolution change the legal position of those involved and what lies behind the strategies of Tehran and the Security Council.
Daniel Joyner is an Associate Professor in International Law at the Warwick Law School. He is an expert in public international law in the security context, with particular interest in the area of proliferation studies, including non-proliferation treaties and regimes, issues of international trade and export control law, use of force law, and international legal theory.
Length: 25 minutes
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2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Beckett. From the cells of San Quentin Prison to the streets of Prague, Beckett is one of the 20th Century's most influential writers.
In order to understand his legacy, Dr Liz Barry, English and Comparative Literary Studies, guides us through his early influences and explores the major themes in his plays and fiction.
Length: 24 minutes
Our lives are getting busier and busier and it can often seem that there is not enough time in the day to get everything done. For many of us this means we are cutting down on the amount of time we are asleep. There is plenty of evidence, however, that in doing so we are increasing the risk of serious health problems, such as obesity and heart disease, as well as the problems associated with daytime sleepiness.
Professor Franco Cappuccio, Chair of Warwick Medical School's sleep research group, has examined the problems associated with a lack of sleep and explains how you can improve your chances of a good night's sleep.
Length: 24 min
How can we resolve the tensions between the different communities in Europe in the light of the growing threat from Islamic extremists, sometimes dubbed the 'Enemy Within'?
Hisham Hellyer is a policy analyst, academic and commentator, based at the University of Warwick as an Associate Fellow, the American University in Cairo as a Visiting Professor and Trinity College in Dublin as a Senior Research Fellow. His research interests include European Muslim communities, the interplay between Islam and modernity, European social policy and political philosophy. In his latest book on European Muslims (due to be published by IB Tauris in March 2007 under the title of ''Islam in Europe: Multiculturalism and the European 'Other'), he argues that Europe must come to terms with all of her history, past and present, and that Muslim communities should work to be integral to, rather than simply 'integrated' parts of, Europe. His new website will be at www.europeanother.com.
Note: Hisham was recorded down the phone from Cairo - you may need to turn up your volume a bit.
Length: 25 minutes
Most research in political economy starts with the presumption that institutions persist and shape the political-economic interactions of different groups and agents. Many societies, however, experience frequent changes in their political institutions. Certain economic institutions also change. In the face of this picture of frequently changing institutions, do such institutions really persist?
Professor James Robinson, Harvard University, discusses the nature of institutional persistence and examines the mechanisms whereby elite minorities are able to manage the distribution of economic and political authority.
Length: 20 mins
Professor Daniele Joly discusses the controversy surrounding Jack Straw's comments about Muslim women wearing the veil.
Length: 21 minutes
The controversial issue of whether intelligent design should be taught in American Schools is creating much debate in scientific and religous communities across the world.
The latest battleground in the argument has been in the Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District case currently being heard in Pennsylvania. The case is attracting a great deal of attention and generating much discussion of the relationship between the theories of intelligent design and the established theories of evolution.
The following programme is a debate between Jack Cohen and Steve Fuller, two professors of the University of Warwick exploring the issues involved in the debate between intelligent design and evolutionary theory.
Length: 1 hour 8 minutes
Dr Sue Bridgewater talks about a programme to professionalise the role of Football Manager and looks at the future for the national job.
Length: 12 min
In the face of both increasing concern about climate change and questions as to the security of our gas and oil supplies the Government is undertaking a major review examining the future options for energy provision in the UK. Much of the debate surrounding the issue of energy policy is focussed on the possible role of nuclear power in supplying the UK's energy needs.
In a new report Dr Catherine Mitchell and Dr Bridget Woodman from the University of Warwick's Centre for Management Under Regulation argue that investing in nuclear energy would actually undermine the development and future effectiveness of more sustainable energy sources as well as leaving the UK with financial and ecological problems for decades to come. They suggest that building new nuclear power stations will not help the Government meet its stated aims for tackling climate change, ensuring the security of our energy supplies or building a sustainable energy infrastructure to meet the UK's energy requirements.
Dr Mitchell is a Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Management under Regulation. Her research interests include energy policy; sustainable development; economic regulation. Dr Woodman is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Management under Regulation with research interests in energy policy and regulation, in particular renewable energy and nuclear power; environmental equity and justice.
North Korea's announcement of a nuclear test has triggered an diplomatic crisis. Chris Hughes, Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, and Dan Joyner, School of Law, discuss the history of the crisis and how events may unfold.
China and India are the two burgeoning economic giants of the globalising economy. Dr Simon Collinson of Warwick Business School discusses their comparative positions and looks to the future for these to would-be superpowers.
Length: 18 minutes
Sam Howarth of Warwick's Development and Alumni Relations Office talks to Tony Wheeler, Warwick Alumnus and Co-founder of the Lonely Planet Travel Guides and publishers.
Dr Andrew Parker discusses the role of the World Cup in producing sporting icons and talks about the case of David Beckham's transition from national disgrace to international superstar.
Length: 17 min
The recent resumption of violence in Sri Lanka between the Tamil Tigers and Government forces has set back hopes that a peaceful settlement could be established in this long running conflict.
Miranda Alison of Warwick's Department of Politics and International Studies provides an insight into the history of the conflict and examines whether a resolution is likely in the near future.
Length: 23 minutes
Ever since Tony Blair announced he was to stand down as party leader controversy has raged about both when he will go and who his successor will be. Whilst Gordon Brown has been the annointed heir for some time, there is some debate as to whether this is a desirable state of affairs for the Labour Party and challengers to Brown have begun to emerge.
Professor Wynn Grant is an expert on British Politics and has examined the current leadership debate in the Labour Party.
Length: 21 minutes
Length: 25 minutes
Since its establishment in 1993 the UK's Child Support Agency has faced mounting criticsm about its ability to administer a support system often labeled as inneffective and unfair. Despite revisions to the processes and methods of calculating liabilty the CSA finds itself facing yet another review as Government ministers try and untangle the child support problem.
In a recent report Professor Ian Walker from the University of Warwick and Dr Yu Zhu from Kent University have proposed a radical new approach to child support, arguing that the CSA itself should carry the liability for payments as an incentive for chasing 'dead-beat dads'.
Professor Ian Walker is a member of the Economics Department at the University of Warwick. His research interests include the econometrics of the labour market and applied aspects of public policy issues, such as taxation and work incentives, social security issues, the analysis of risk aversion, and the relationship between parental incomes and child outcomes.at the Warwick Medical School.