Up For Research Podcast

Do you want to know more about what type of research is happening at Western?

Are you interested in the latest updates in science?

Would you like to be surprised to learn what your colleagues are doing?

If your answer is YES to any question, then you've found the right site. The Up For Research podcast gives you:

• Cutting-edge science
• Fresh ideas
• New links
• Knowledge
• A good time

Hosted by Professor Sebastian Pfautsch, each episode provides a unique and accessible insight into financing, planning and executing research – from early career researchers to senior University executives.

Both informative and fun, you can learn more about the fascinating and important work of researchers at Western Sydney University. Episodes can be downloaded or streamed directly.

Subscribe to get the latest episodes for free in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify. New episodes will be released on the first of each month via your preferred subscription service.

Episodes

Climate Change and the World of Arts [Ep1]

Dr Rachael Jacobs, School of Education

Climate Change is the most pressing environmental issue we are facing in the 21st Century. Rachael Jacobs is a senior lecturer in creative arts education, former secondary teacher, and primary arts specialist. Her research centres around how embodied learning can result in deeper and lasting change. Rachael explores Dr Seuss’ work around The Lorax and how it can be used in drama to achieve deep learning and change of your own behaviour.

22m:48s

Men's Health [Ep2]

A/Prof Emma George, School of Health Sciences

Sebastian and Emma discuss the issues and barriers around men’s health and Emma’s research program, Active Breed. They also talk about the importance of men having a regular GP and regular health checks and normalising the conversations around men’s health.

28m:58s

Gerontology – How to create age-friendly environments [Ep3]

Dr Jed Montayre, School of Nursing & Midwifery

Jed received the New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation (NZNO) Young Nurse of the Year Award, in recognition of his early-career contribution to gerontology nursing and research. It is a broad field of study that looks into ageing from multiple angles, which include biological and physiological as well as social aspects of what influences and drives ageing as a social process. He continues his outstanding research at Western where he uses Go-Pro cameras for ‘walking interviews’ with elderly participants.

24m:07s

Resolving latency in online music-making [Ep4]

Dr Allison Fuller, School of Humanities & Communications Arts; Registered Music Therapist

Dr Allison Fuller explores how music therapy can be a tool to help many different groups of people and ages, from infants in NICU to elderly struggling with dementia. Prior to COVID-19, music therapy was done face-to-face, but the pandemic required shifting to online delivery. But how can you make music together when audio and video is delayed? This problem of transmission of signals is called
latency. Allison explains how her research resolves this problem.

24m:43s

Scaling from nano to global impacts: mechanisms of tree mortality [Ep5]

Prof Brendan Choat, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

Brendan is a world leader in plant water relations and interested in how plants, especially trees, cope with water stress. Brendan works on plants from the nanometer to continental scales, piecing together how native and also crop species cope with environmental stresses like drought and fire. Brendan explains in a great and easy to understand way how climate change is impacting our forested landscapes in Australia and how his work is helping conservation management. He also explains what cavitation is and how it leads to ‘popping’ sounds in trees.

27m:13s

Strategic insights into managing research [Ep6]

Prof Deborah Sweeney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research, Enterprise and International)

Prof Kevin Dunn, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research

In this episode you will hear from the leaders of research at Western Sydney University. Professors Deborah Sweeney and Kevin Dunn talk about their own careers in research and passion for discovery and change. Contact lenses for Deborah, prevention of racism for Kevin. Very different career trajectories have led Deborah and Kevin to the positions they are in today. Both share valuable advice about research partnerships internally and externally. Listen carefully to learn where both see the positive developments from now until 2030 at Western.

29m:55s

Heat treatments to combat neurodegenerative diseases [Ep7]

Dr Rossana R. Porto, School of Medicine; Translational Health Research Institute

Rossana studies heat shock proteins (HSP) and how they can help patients who suffer from Alzheimer's, Dementia, Parkinson's and other diseases. In 2023, she received a Hands-on Research Grant from the Research Theme Program and in this episode, Rossana explains what she did with the grant. A highly engaged conversation about the human brain, sauna and mice.

29m:21s