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Sitting down with host Andy Spinoza to talk all things digital and AI are , Senior Lecturer in Text Mining at the University; , Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning; and , Research Associate here at Ұ������, Assistant Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland, and Lecturer at the European New School of Digital Studies.

Our experts discuss Ұ������ technological innovation from the Industrial Revolution to present day, including the development of the Ұ������ ‘Baby’ – the world’s first electric stored-program computer – and Alan Turing’s pioneering work in AI.

They size up the ethical and political implications of AI and digital advancements and evaluate the University’s current position as a leading centre for progress in this field – aiming to drive innovation and leverage these powerful technologies for the greater good.

This podcast episode was recorded on 27 June 2024. Listen to the audio version on:

Find out more on:

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• – five-year, cross-national EU-funded project
• – enabling brain-inspired AI
• – Alumni Association panel discussion on the future of AI technology

Host Andy Spinoza is joined by , Director of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute and the Bicentennial Turing Chair in Computational Medicine at The University of Ұ������; , a Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology Gastroenterology; and Raluca-Elena Valcescu, Executive Officer for the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at The University of Ұ������ Students’ Union.

The group discuss Ұ������’s storied history of medical and health-related breakthroughs and how these led to the city remaining at the forefront of medical innovations for over two centuries, and consider the University’s role today in advancing medical knowledge, driving positive healthcare and tackling global health challenges.

They also look to what the future might bring – and what impact digital technologies, AI and advanced materials could have on positive healthcare outcomes.

This podcast episode was recorded on 27 June 2024. Listen to the audio version on:

Find out more on:

• The University’s
• Our Cancer research beacon
• One in Two: a Ұ������ cancer research podcast
• The Christabel Pankhurst Institute’s podcast

Joining host Andy Spinoza are , the University’s Vice-President for Research and responsible for leading our research and doctoral training strategy; , University of Ұ������ Students’ Union Wellbeing and Liberation Officer; and , a final year MBChB Medicine student at Ұ������ and award-winning social entrepreneur, leader, builder and public speaker.

They discuss fairness, equality, equity and the role of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plans in higher education for students and staff, and more widely in society. They highlight how the University has advanced equality and fairness through the impact of its research – from the past, through to the present and into the future.

From Ұ������’s role in the Industrial Revolution and its ties to the global cotton trade, through to key figures in the University’s radical history, such as Christabel Pankhurst, Alan Turing and Arthur Lewis, the group chart the University’s EDI journey, examine our institutional commitment to EDI, and discuss how our research produces evidence and solutions to advance equality and fairness across the globe, as well as in our local community.

This podcast episode was recorded on 23 May 2024. Listen to the audio version on:

Find out more on:

• The University’s global inequalities research beacon
• Our EDI strategy
• Our EDI accreditations
• Creating a more equal world – case studies

, Professor of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy and Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, and , Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation in the , join host Andy Spinoza to talk innovation, economy and commercialisation at the University and across Ұ������ – and discuss how we’re converting ideas into impact.

The group dive into the University’s remarkable history of path-breaking research delivering truly radical solutions – from world-changing nuclear breakthroughs at the beginning of the last century to kickstarting the computer revolution and artificial intelligence research around its middle, to the isolation of graphene at the start of the 21st century.

They consider how at Ұ������ today we bring together expertise across economics, politics, sociology, education, innovation and beyond to address the myriad of challenges that exist on a local, national and international scale; and how through our work in areas such as digital and AI, advanced materials and biotechnology – and the positive benefits delivered for the environment and health – our commitment to innovation and delivering real-world impact continues.

This podcast episode was recorded on 24 April 2024. Listen to the audio version on:

Find out more about the University’s innovative work and partnerships:

• Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC)
• Innovation District (ID) Ұ������

Host Andy Spinoza is joined by , Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy from the in The University of Ұ������’s ; of the University’s , and Research Fellow in Nuclear Fusion in the School of Engineering; and Aidan Rhode, a Ұ������ third-year BSc Geography with Professional Placement Year student, currently on placement at the US Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington DC. He joins on a screen attached to a robot provided by the Autonomy and Verification Group from Ұ������’s .

The group discuss the past, present and future of energy challenges and the crucial, ongoing interdisciplinary work at Ұ������ to provide the solutions needed to deliver rapid carbon emission reductions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

At Ұ������, our commitment to addressing global energy challenges is unwavering. As one of the world’s leading research institutions, we’re at the forefront of providing innovative solutions to mitigate climate change while transforming our energy systems – to enable a just and prosperous future for all.

Our research and engagement work extends across the whole energy system, from technological innovation through to societal interventions that tackle inequalities, health and environmental sustainability.

This podcast episode was recorded on 11 March 2024. Listen to the audio version on:

Find out more about the work of:

Watch Professor Alice Larkin’s 2015 TED Talk:

Watch Dr Aneeqa Khan discuss on Sky News.

This lecture was recorded on Friday, 7 June 2024 at the Martin Harris Centre as part of Universally Ұ������ Festival. It is the second live instalment of the Talk 200 lecture and podcast series.

Nazir Afzal, Chancellor of the University and former Chief Crown Prosecutor for north-west England, discusses inequalities in access to justice and a vision for fairer treatment across the legal service.

During his legal career, Afzal prosecuted some of the highest profile criminal cases in the UK. Here he talks about limits to equality and the many issues that exist within our current legal system. Cutting across ethnicity, gender, economic status, age and health, he explores what is being done – and what more should be done – to combat these challenges.

The event also included a panel discussion, chaired by , Professor of Legal Education at Ұ������ and a National and Principal Fellow of the HEA. Against the backdrop of recent injustices both in the UK and globally, including the ongoing Post Office scandal, the panel considered disparities in access to justice and how we might chart a path towards fairer treatment within the legal sphere.

She was joined by Tom Hedges, sub-postmaster at Hogsthorpe Post Office near Skegness from 1994 until he was unjustly sacked in 2010, aged 57, after being wrongfully accused of false accounting; barrister and advocate Thalia Maragh; and Suzanne Gower, PhD researcher, lecturer in Law and former Managing Director of legal charity APPEAL.

Listen to the audio version of this lecture on:

Find out more about:

• The University’s research in global inequalities
• research
• on the Westminster Commission on Miscarriages of Justice report

This lecture was recorded on Tuesday, 13 February 2024 at the Whitworth and marked the launch of the Talk 200 lecture and podcast series.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, the UK government’s Chief Medical Adviser, and head of the public health profession, discusses how as a society we face the hard truth that the more socio-economically disadvantaged someone is, the higher their risk of poor health. The world’s greatest killer is not any one individual disease, but the unequal way in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.

In Greater Ұ������, our unique health and social care ecosystem means we can rapidly drive innovation and translate breakthroughs into real-world solutions – which can be scaled-up and replicated across the globe. We have the opportunity to create real and lasting change.

The event also included a question-and-answer session with members of the audience and those joining online, as well as a panel discussion led by the University’s then President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell and including Professor of Nursing Dame Nicky Cullum and Jane Pilkington, Director of Population Health NHS Greater Ұ������ Integrated Care Partnership.

Listen to the audio version of this lecture on:

• Find out more about how The University of Ұ������ is addressing health inequalities – creating fairer healthcare systems and healthier lifestyles.