In this episode, host Ethne James Souch speaks with Professor Mette Louise Berg, Dr Judith Spirig, Faith Nyamakanga, and Nelson Gomez about the lived realities of asylum housing in the UK, and the wider political and policy landscape that shapes them. Drawing from a Grand Challenges-funded participatory research project focused on asylum dispersal areas in Yorkshire, the episode explores how narratives of "deservingness," local resource pressures, and privatised housing systems intersect with the everyday experiences of people seeking sanctuary in the UK. With co-researchers Faith and Nelson sharing their experiences navigating the asylum process and housing insecurity, this conversation amplifies voices that are often left out of public discourse while also offering concrete insights into how policy and public attitudes might change. 

 Date of episode recording: 2025-08-25
 Duration: 00:31:00
 Language of episode: English
 Presenter: Ethne James Souch
 Guests: Professor Mette Louise Berg; Dr. Judith Spirig, Faith Nyamakanga and Nelson Gomez
 Producer: Annabelle Buckland
 Podcast Owners:  Annabelle Buckland; Daisy Harvey, Ethne James Souch and Siobhan Morris

Transcript Link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/grand-challenges/disruptive-voices-podcast/asylum-housing-and-community

Asylum, Housing, and Community

As the number of children diagnosed with ADHD and autism rises, Professor Philip Schofield sits down with Dr Emily Midouhas, Associate Professor in Psychology, to explore how best to support neurodivergent children. Dr Midohas highlights the emotional and behavioural challenges neurodivergent children face, and offers fresh ideas on how to support neurodivergent students. About the series How much do we understand the human mind? This question is at the heart of Beautiful Minds- The Greatest Good. Uncover facts about the mind as our expert speakers challenge misconceptions of autism, clear up common myths about Tourette's Syndrome and propose strategies for making our society more inclusive.


Credits:
Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 22:06
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield 
Guests: Dr Emily Midouhas 
Producer: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL) D     Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL) Producer: Stevie Doran
Podcast owner: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL) 

Transcript Link: https://otter.ai/u/hPS8c0xZkW5XMvGmSdzGJ3fB8Eg











Season 2, Episode 5 - Supporting Neurodiverse Children, featuring Dr Emily Midouhas

In this deeply personal and refreshingly honest episode, hosts Zhitong Li and Phoebe Chen sit down with pianist and UCL Management Science student Kaito Mizukoshi for a conversation that flows between introspection, culture, and the unexpected rhythms of life with ADHD. 

Kaito opens up about receiving his ADHD diagnosis in London, years after growing up in Japan where the condition is often overlooked—or even quietly associated with success. He shares how this new understanding reshaped the way he studies, practices music, and takes care of himself, revealing the strategies, struggles, and surprising gifts that come with a restless mind. 

From five-hour piano practice sessions to battling distraction during coursework, from navigating UCL as an international student to finding connection across cultural gaps, Kaito reflects on identity, belonging, and the power of self-knowledge. 

The trio dive into stigma, romanticisation of mental health, friendship, and the small but meaningful ways we learn to work with—not against—our own nature. Set to the delicate beauty of Debussy performed by Kaito himself, this episode is an intimate look at how one student turns introspection into empowerment and transforms challenge into creativity.


Credits:
Date of episode recording: 2024-07-04
Duration: 00:40:58
Language of episode: english
Presenter: Zhitong Li, Phoebe Chen
Guests: Kaito Mizukoshi
Producer: takoua jendoubi
Podcast Owner: Takoua Jendoubi

Episode 4 - Living Between Tempos — ADHD, Music, and the International Student Journey with Kaito Mizukoshi

In this episode, we are unpacking how effective COP30 really was, did the promises match the expectations and  where did world leaders deliver or fall short . COP 30 was held in Belém, the gateway to the Amazon. From extreme heat and climate-driven floods and fires to the political symbolism of choosing the Amazon over Rio, the setting shaped everything. 

The expectations were high this year. Brazil promised a ‘forest-first COP,’ with more youth engagement, significant inclusion of indigenous communities and major moves on finance and fossil fuels. Our host Simon Chin Yee, from UCL’s School of Public Policy and one of our guest Elena, Climate Reality Project Central and Eastern Europe, both of whom attended COP30 shares their biggest takeaways from Belem.

Our other guest, Susannah Fisher, is a leading researcher and author whose new book on climate adaptation, Sink or Swim, was published in August (Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sink-Swim-world-changing-climate/dp/1399414054/). In this episode, she explains why adaptation is a crucial part of the COP agenda and why it can’t be overlooked.

The episode also features the recent National Emergency Briefing on climate, and its important call to action to sign their petition to ask the government and all public service broadcasters to hold an urgent televised briefing so that everyone understands the profound risks this crisis poses to themselves and their families.
https://www.nebriefing.org/open-letter-keir
 
Credits:
Date of episode recording: 28th Nov 2026
Duration: 39:38
Language of episode: English 
Presenter: Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Producer: Adam Batstone

Guests:
Susannah Fisher – Author and Principal Research Fellow at Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, UCL.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sink-Swim-world-changing-climate/dp/1399414054/
Elena-Alexandra Miron – Central and Eastern Europe Regional Organiser, Climate Reality Project.

Season 5, Episode 12 - The COP Verdict: What Went Right and Wrong

Vision impairment affects millions of people worldwide. Dr Michael Crossland, a Senior Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology, joins Professor Philip Schofield to discuss his research on how cutting-edge AI technologies can offer immediate support for those with low vision. They also explore how art, such as the work of visually impaired artist Luka Kille, provides a powerful way to express the lived experience of vision loss. 


Credits:
Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 00:16:02
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Dr Michael Crossland 
Producer: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL) Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL) Producer: Stevie Doran

Season 2, Episode 7 - Vision Impairment: Science, Art and Lived Experience by Dr Michael Crossland

Night Train to Lisboa pt. V

Hear the rest of this instrumental at http://www.myflashstore.net/iqmusic!

This an original beat by IQ MUSIC.

Timeless

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