Professor Valerie Webster joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about the Aurora Programme, a leadership development initiative for women and people who identify as women working in higher education. Professor Webster discusses the importance of Aurora and how it has led to systematic changes at GCU, as well as how it can enhance and develop the careers of our female members of staff.

The Aurora Programme at GCU with Professor Valerie Webster

Student Events Co-ordinator Jessica Walker joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about one of the most important events of every new student's time at university: Freshers' Week.

Jessica explains what Freshers' Week will look like as lockdown restrictions lift, the logistics and planning involved in such a high-profile event, and how her own role at GCU has changed over the last 18 months.

Freshers' Week 2021 with Jessica Walker

Tabita Kristel, a final-year student on the Health Psychology programme, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her work with Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and how she provided remote psychological support to stroke survivors and their carers over the lockdown.

She also talks about her journey in academia and her hopes and aspirations for the future.

Helping Stroke Survivors and their Carers Online with Tabita Kristel

Shirley Tulloch and Melanie Armstrong join the Common Good Podcast to talk about GCU's Menopause Cafe, a space where students and staff from across the University can talk about their experiences of the menopause. The pair discuss the genesis of the cafe, how they have both benefitted from participating in it, and where they see it going in the future.

The Menopause Cafe at GCU

Annamae Burrows, a PhD student in the School of Health and Life Sciences, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her forthcoming study into the impact of gender and masculinity on male loneliness and social isolation. Annamae outlines the project, which aims to talk to men aged between 18 and 30, and how we define terms like "loneliness" and "masculinity". She also discusses the role alcohol plays within this community and how it helps people communicate their feelings.

The impact of gender and masculinity on male loneliness and social isolation with Annamae Burrows

Adil Rahoo, the outgoing Student President at the GCU Students' Association, joins the Common Good Podcast to look back on his 12 months in office. Adil discusses how he and his team supported the transition from remote learning to face-to-face teaching back on campus, as well as their other successes during his time in office. He also looks to the future and outlines his next steps.

The GCU Students' Association Student President with Adil Rahoo

Dr Chioma Nwafor, a lecturer in financial services, joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to discuss The Paradox of Educational Attainment and Income/Poverty: Has the Nexus Broken?, a new study that examines why there is a disparity between the calibre of education and income amongst Scottish Africans. Dr Nawfor discusses the project and why previous studies into this area have been flawed. She outlines how she carried out the research and how its findings - including the requirement of a new term to replace "BAME" - can be put into practice.

The paradox of educational attainment and income and poverty with Dr Chioma Nwafor

Mandy Abbott, a lecturer in podiatry at GCU, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her recent experience volunteering at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, providing foot healthcare for hundreds of elite athletes. Mandy reveals how the opportunity came about, the camaraderie amongst her colleagues and how the spending 10 nights in student accommodation.

Volunteering at the Commonwealth Games with Mandy Abbott

Points of Pride is GCU's flagship event that celebrates staff success and achievement. As nominations close on Friday 7 October 2022, Claire Currie, a lecturer in diagnostic imaging, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her experiences of being nominated and why she's "paid it forward" for this year's event.

The Points of Pride nominations with Claire Currie

This special episode of the Common Good podcast, released to coincide with Black History Month, focuses on the subjects or racism, language and self-identity.

Hosted by Adrian Lui, Glasgow Caledonian University's Equality and Diversity Advisor, the podcast brings together members of the GCU community to discuss how they identify themselves and the evolution of language in relation to race.

Adrian is joined by Professor Tuleen Boutaleb, the Head of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Dr Davena Rankin, Student Mobility and International Partnership Administration; and Tabitha Nyariki, Race Equality Charter Project Officer.

Racism, language and self-identity

Michail Georgiou, a PhD researcher at the University, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about how living near a blue space can reduce the risk of mental health conditions derived from socio-economic deprivation by 6 per cent. Michail discusses the importance of this project, how it was carried out, and how its findings can be put into a practical context.

How living near a blue space can reduce mental health conditions with Michail Georgiou

Professor Pamela Gillies CBE FRSE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, joins the Common Good Podcast to look back on her 17 years at Glasgow Caledonian University. The Principal discusses how GCU has changed under her leadership, the challenges she faced along the way, and what the future holds when she steps down at the end of December.

Reflections from our Principal and Vice-Chancellor on her GCU journey with Professor Pamela Gillies

Dr Liza Morton, a Lecturer in Applied Psychology, joins the first Common Good Podcast of 2023 to talk about her new book Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease. Dr Morton talks about her own experiences of living with congenital heart disease and how it inspired her to write the book, as well as how she hopes it can be used to help and support other people condition, their families and health professionals.

Healing Hearts and Minds with Dr Liza Morton

The second of our special podcasts celebrating International Women's Day 2023 sees Dr Yvonne Dempsie, a lecturer in pharmacology, joining the show. Dr Dempsie looks over her career, from her undergraduate degree to working at Glasgow Caledonian University. She discusses the challenges of academia, her experiences on the Aurora Programme, and what International Women's Day means to her.

International Women's Day 2023 || An interview with Dr Yvonne Dempsie

Jimi Mitchell, a Senior Library Administrator at the Sir Alex Ferguson Library, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about a brand new recording facility on our Glasgow campus. Jimi talks about the genesis of the snappily titled Recording Studio, his hopes and ambitions for it, and how it can become and important facility for students, staff and the wider GCU community. He also talks about his own background in podcasting and his career at the University.

The Recording Studio with Jimi Mitchell

Alan Jack, a lecturer in the Department of Applied Video Games, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about his experiences of living with ADHD. Alan, who was diagnosed with ADHD with autistic traits in his late thirties, describes what his life was like before and after his diagnosis, and how he supports students with similar neurodivergent traits. He also talks about games design and how GCU is developing the next generation of video games developers.

Living with ADHD with Alan Jack

Dr Karen Lorimer joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about her research examining working-class women's experiences of sexual violence. Dr Lorimer explains why this is a first-of-its-kind study, how we define "working class" and how this research can be used in a practical context. She also discusses other research projects, her methodology, and her background in sexual health and wellbeing.

Working-class women's experiences of sexual violence with Dr Karen Lorimer

Dr Azam Nekahi, a Senior Lecturer in Electrical Power Engineering, and Gail McEwen, a member of the University's Suite of Assessment team, join the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to talk about Women in Engineering Day 2023. The pair discuss why events like this are important, the barriers that prevent girls and young women from studying STEM subjects, and what needs to be done to change this. They also talk about a new piece of research that explores the harm of gender-coded language and the obstacles in can create.

Women in Engineering Day 2023 with Dr Azam Nekahi and Gail McEwen

Josh Roberts, the Acting Head Student Recruitment (UK) at Glasgow Caledonian University, joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to talk about clearing. Clearing opens for students who received their SQA qualifications on Tuesday 8 August. Josh discusses what it means, how the process works, and how any potential students can get involved. He also provides some hints and tips and dos and don'ts.

Find out more about clearing at Glasgow Caledonian University by visiting gcu.ac.uk/study.clearing or by phoning us on 0800 027 9171.

Clearing at Glasgow Caledonian University with Josh Roberts

Oscar Mendoza, a former political prisoner and Chilean refugee who has lived in Scotland since 1975, joins the Common Good Podcast to reflect on the 50th anniversary of the Chilean coup d'état where the democratically elected President Salvador Allende  was overthrown and replaced by a military junta led by General Augusto Pinochet. Speaking with host Craig G Telfer and University Archivist Carole McCallum, Oscar talks about his early life in Chile and the events that led up to 11 September 1973, the day itself, and the immediate aftermath. He then goes on to discuss his 20-month detention under the regime, his exile to Scotland and his time at the Glasgow College of Technology, one of the founding institutions of Glasgow Caledonian University.

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Chilean coup d'état with Oscar Mendoza

Professor Katrina Bannigan joins the latest Common Good Podcast to share her experiences of taking part in Points of Pride, one of the most important events that takes place at GCU and gives our staff the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the success and the achievements of their peers and colleagues. Professor Bannigan talks about receiving a nomination, why she nominated others, and what it meant to her both professionally and personally.

Points of Pride 2023 with Professor Katrina Bannigan

Dr Ruth Barn joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about a new approach to tackling diabetes-related foot ulcers in Scotland. Dr Barn and her team have received a grant of almost £300,000 from the Scottish Government's Chief Scientist Office to develop a research project exploring "motivational interviewing", which can empower patients to adopt new lifestyle changes and ultimately reduce ulceration, amputation and death rates among people with diabetes.

Tackling foot ulcers in Scotland with Dr Ruth Barn

Dr Salaheddin Hosseinzadeh, a lecturer in the Department of Cyber Security and Networks, and Dionysios Voutos, a fourth-year student on the programme, join the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to discuss the development of a cutting-edge cybersecurity project that could be key to safeguarding our critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks – a cyber test bed that has taken the form of a model trainset.

The Cyber Test Playground with Dr Salaheddin Hosseinzadeh and Dionysios Voutos

Dr Patrick Ring, a Reader in Financial Services at Glasgow Caledonian University, and Jack Stanbury, a Senior Project Manager at the University of Bristol, join the Common Good Podcast to discuss Future Finance, a new initiative that aims to enhance innovation and productivity in the sector and help organisations adapt to challenges, ranging from AI and data to changes in regulation and widening access to services. The £1.8million initiative, funded by Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council, is initially being rolled out as a pilot in Scotland today. The pair discuss the genesis of Future Finance, how business can benefit from it, and how it can grow and develop in the future.

Future Finance with Dr Patrick Ring and Jack Stanbury

Professor Carol Emslie joins the second episode of The Common Good Podcast to discuss her research into the relationship between alcohol and gender. Speaking with Craig G Telfer, Professor Emslie examines the differences between men's and women's alcohol consumption, problem drinking within the older community, and how Glasgow Caledonian University's research has played a part in shaping Scottish Government policy.

The Relationship between Alcohol and Gender with Professor Carol Emslie

The first Common Good Podcast of 2020 stars Dr Nancy Lombard, a Reader in Sociology and Social Policy at Glasgow Caledonian University, to talk about her research into violence against women. She discusses her work with schoolchildren and their understanding of violence, as well as her study into the links between football and domestic abuse. Dr Lombard also talks about her son, Dylan, who lives with mandibular dysplasia, a rare condition that affects just 13 people worldwide.

Violence Against Women with Dr Nancy Lombard

Scotland's drug problem has become a "public health emergency", with 2018 seeing the highest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in the country. Kirsten Trayner, a PhD researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University, joins the Common Good Podcast to discuss the crisis, outlining the prevalence of drugs in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, as well as the rise in numbers of people who inject drugs. She then goes on to look at the available interventions, including drug consumption rooms.

Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem with Kirsten Trayner

Professor John McKendrick joins the latest episode of the Common Good Podcast to talk about his research into poverty. He gives a definition of the term and examines its prevalence in modern Scottish society, before looking at how the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the situation for people living in poverty. Professor McKendrick also speaks about research conducted by the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit at the GCU, which he co-directs, as well as his career as a professional football referee.

Understanding Poverty in Scotland with Professor John McKendrick

Alan O'Neill, Glasgow Caledonian University's Director of IT, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about how he and his team successfully transitioned GCU to remote learning and teaching at the start of the lockdown. Alan talks about how quickly the IT department reacted to the coronavirus pandemic, how they tackled any issues and what the future holds for working from home.

How GCU Transitioned to Remote Learning with Alan O'Neill

Patrick Quinn, a Senior Lecturer in Audio Technology, joins the Common Good Podcast to talk about Celtic Connections on Campus, one of the most celebrated events in the GCU calendar. Patrick discusses its genesis and evolution, and what shape it will take this year in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He also looks back on his journey in academia and the challenges of working in the current climate.

Celebrating Celtic Connections on Campus with Patrick Quinn

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