Season 5 - 2025

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Southern Cross University? Our student hosts take a deeper dive into life at Southern Cross, chatting with students, lecturers and researchers about their studies, work, and inspiration.

We acknowledge and pay respect to the ancestors, Elders and descendants of the lands on which this podcast is produced. We are mindful these lands always were and always will be Aboriginal Land.

Check out Season 1, 2, 3 and 4 for more.

SCU Buzz | The Southern Cross University Podcast | Season 5

Podcasts

A new scholarship program for Honours and PhD students will enable students to learn skills in artificial intelligence (AI) and solve problems for businesses in implementing circular economy principles. 

The AI-Powered Digital Transformation for the Smart Circular Economy Scholarships are available for students to study Southern Cross University’s Bachelor of Innovation with Honours or a Doctor of Philosophy.

Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering and Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO, Dr Aaron Thornton speaks with Co-Founders of CSENS.io, Oliver and Malcolm Robertson, and CEO and Founder of Revolve Your World, Luke McConell, on this episode of SCU Buzz.

Learn more about the Honours scholarship here: https://www.scu.edu.au/scholarships/ai-smart-circular-economy-scholarship/
Learn more about the PhD scholarship here: https://www.scu.edu.au/graduate-school/scholarships/

The musical introduction to this podcast was written and performed by Alako Myles.

Hack the future: Learn AI to boost sustainable business

In the lead-up to the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon, Southern Cross University held the webinar 'The Road to Success: Building Mental and Physical Endurance'.

Speakers include: 
. Dr Chris Stevens, Chair of Discipline, Human Sciences and Rehabilitation - Faculty of Health
. Dr Melanie Clarke, Post Doctoral Research Fellow - Faculty of Health
. Dr Gabriel Fernandes, Senior Physiotherapist and Lecturer in Physiotherapy - Faculty of Health
. Keegan Hipgrave, former NRL player and host of the 'Keegan & Company' podcast.

This webinar discusses endurance training, overcoming mental blocks, training with an injury and much more.

The musical introduction to this podcast was written and performed by Alako Myles.


The road to success: Building mental and physical endurance

How can businesses innovate and utilise artificial intelligence to stay ahead? And how is Southern Cross University's 2026 Bachelor of Business preparing students to meet industry demand?

In this episode, Associate Professor John Haw sits down with Gold Coast Innovation Hub (GCIH) Founder and CEO Sharon Hunneybell and GCIH Workplace and Program Coordinator Josh Smith to discuss the new degree, the need for business 'all-rounders' and global study opportunities. 

2026 Bachelor of Business: https://www.scu.edu.au/study/courses/bachelor-of-business-3007255/

Gold Coast Innovation Hub: https://www.gchub.com.au/

The musical introduction to this podcast was written and performed by Alako Myles.

Back to business: New business degree launching in 2026

Southern Cross University’s Early Offer program is designed to make the process of applying for university as a Year 12 student easy and cost-free. Future Students Officers Jaci and Gabi explain what is and how to apply in this episode of the SCU Buzz podcast.

Plus, student Sienna talks about her experience applying through the Early Offer program and receiving a generous scholarship.

Apply now: https://www.scu.edu.au/study/high-school-students/entry-pathways/early-offer/

The musical introduction to this podcast was written and performed by Alako Myles.

What is an Early Offer for Year 12 students?

 It's no secret that Australians love coffee. We consume more than 6 billion cups of it each year. Yet less than 1% of this coffee is grown in Australia. Researchers from Southern Cross University, Dr Simon Williams, Dr Ben Liu and Professor Tobias Kretzschmar, speak on the SCU Buzz podcast about their research project that is looking to boost Aussie beans by developing a more suitable variety of coffee planet for the Australian climate, as well as a unique way to describe it.

Learn more about Southern Cross University’s coffee research project: https://www.scu.edu.au/news/2023/its-coffee-time--who-ordered-the-fresh-bread-flat-white/#d.en.514489

This research is part of the Harvest to Health Research Impact Cluster: https://www.scu.edu.au/research/harvest-to-health/

The musical introduction to this podcast was written and performed by Alako Myles.


Coffee: The science behind the perfect sip

With the rise of smartphones and social media, bullying has evolved far beyond the schoolyard, creating additional challenges for school communities to protect young people. 

In this episode of the SCU Buzz podcast, Dr Vanessa Miller and Dr Tony Yeigh from Southern Cross University’s Faculty of Education explore the growing issue of cyberbullying and share their expert recommendations for addressing this national problem. 

Learn more about research in the Faculty of Education: https://www.scu.edu.au/education/research/

The musical introduction to this podcast was written and performed by Alako Myles.

How do we tackle bullying beyond the school gates?

Southern Cross University is a multi-campus university on Australia's east coast, with campuses in southeast Queensland adjacent to the Gold Coast Airport, in New South Wales at Lismore and in Coffs Harbour, where the University’s National Marine Science Centre is also located. We have metro and the Hotel School campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth and Brisbane.