Café Connect

Café Connect brings you the latest research from the University of Aberdeen. In this podcast series we meet different researchers who will talk about their work and its relevance to our everyday lives.

Indiscriminate use of antimicrobials affects not just the bugs that cause disease but also our friendly resident microbes and contributes to antimicrobial resistance. How can we develop new therapies for effective treatment of infections without causing resistance? What is stopping new antimicrobial development? Speakers: Dr Karen Scott (Senior Research Fellow, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen) and Dr Soumya Palliyil (Head of Scottish Biologics Facility)

With research suggesting that the average cost of a school uniform for one child at £337 per year, schools and Government are coming under pressure to limit the cost parents face. But why is it that schools in Scotland and wider UK are so tied to having school uniforms? This discussion with Dr Rachel Shanks from the university’s School of Education will examine the history of school uniforms in Scotland, discuss her research on school uniform policies and her work influencing policy makers and education officials about how this significant cost on parents can be addressed.

A transcript for this episode can be found online, here. Speakers: Professor Paul McNamee (Health Economics Research Unit, University of Aberdeen) and Lucie Giles (Public Health Intelligence Principal, Public Health Scotland) Alcohol Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) was introduced in Scotland in May 2018 as part of the Scottish Government’s strategy to reduce the health and social harms associated with alcohol misuse. In this conversation we will look at the research trying to understand whether household food spending was reduced following the introduction of MUP and the effect that this has on diet quality. We will also discuss whether these changes to diet quality have consequences for people’s health.

A conversation with Dr Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager with Professor Keith Bender, SIRE Professor of Economics. In this episode we discuss the role of Sir Thomas Jaffrey in the history of Aberdeen in the early twentieth century. He was a banker and major philanthropist who helped shape Aberdeen Art Gallery building and collections as we know then today as well as establishing the chair of Political Economy at the University of Aberdeen.

An transcript for this episode can be found online, here. A conversation with Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager with Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Barney Crocket. This conversation looks at the lives of two children who came to Aberdeen, from Nazi Germany, through the Kindertransport of the 1930s.

A transcript for this episode can be found online here. Speakers: Professor J. Ignacio Canales (Chair in Strategic Management, University of Aberdeen) and Mauricio Quiroga (Owner and CEO, Gran Vista Management Partners) In business management, strategy is the way companies compete with one another. The growth of the internet giants is restricting how companies can compete, so is this the end of strategy? Find out how the British fox and the Andean condor can teach us how to face the internet giants.

Transcript for this episode is available online, here. Speakers: Dr Kathryn Martin (Lecturer at the Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen) and Marjory D’Arcy (Chair of Grampian 50+ Network). We discuss the benefits of walking and how walking groups such as Grampian 50+ Network can have a positive impact on the physical and mental health of older people. We will also look at how the social aspect of walking has been affected by Covid-19 lock down rules.

A conversation with Dr Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager and Dr Malcolm Harvey, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations. In this episode the discussion is around events after the recent US Presidential election and the inauguration of Joe Biden as 46th President of the United States of America. The discussion touches on the election process, the events of 6 January, the future of the Republican Party and the second impeachment of Donald Trump. Transcript available online here.

A conversation with Dr Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager with Dr John McKenzie, Research Fellow, Rowett Institute. In this John discusses his latest research into food insecurity in Scotland and proposed policies for a right to food. Transcript available online, here.

A conversation with Dr Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager with Marylee Anderson, Chaplain to the University and Dr Louise Page, Lecturer. The discussion ranges over the unique and fascinating history of Kings College Chapel as well as the special place that the Chapel has in the hearts and minds of the community of the University of Aberdeen.

Speakers: Professor Corri Black (Director of the Centre for Health Data Science, University of Aberdeen), Dr Nick Fluck (Medical Director for NHS Grampian), Dr Graham Osler (Health intelligence Analyst, NHS Grampian) and Dr Dimitra Blana (Lecturer in Health Data Science, University of Aberdeen). Leading figures from the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian discuss and reflect on how they combined their expertise and worked together to analyse emerging Covid-19 data and define NHS Grampian response to the pandemic.

Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager and Professor Donald Hislop, chair in the Sociology of Work and Technology discuss the future of work. Work has been constantly changing with new technology and home or teleworking has been revolutionised recently. This podcast will look at how this has happened and examine the impact of Covid-19 on homeworking. Download the transcript for this episode at: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/engage/podcasts/cafe-connect-transcripts.php

A conversation with Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager with Neil Curtis, Head of Museums and Special Collections. This episode looks at research which has been done on aspects of the rich museum collections held by the University of Aberdeen. Recent research projects have engaged with pre-historic beakers, skeletal evidence and more to offer tantalising glimpses into life in the north east of Scotland 4000 years ago.

A conversation with Chris Croly, Public Engagement Manager and Dr Claire Hawes. Aberdeen has some of the most important archives and the City’s Burgh Records are UNESCO recognised because of their completeness. The Burgh Records Project sought to transcribe these archives and learn about life in medieval Aberdeen.

Speakers

This project celebrates the accomplishments of the University of Aberdeen’s alumni across the world and in many different walks of life. 2020 is the University’s 525th anniversary and we are seeking the names of 525 alumni of achievement to celebrate. There is a chance for everyone to get involved and make nominations at: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/alumni/our-alumni/525alumni.php

Speakers: Professor Zosia Miedzybrodzka (Chair in Medical Genetics and Clinical Geneticist), Dr Jonathan Pettitt (Reader in Genetics) and Dr Lynne Mennie (Project Manager for Genome Sequencing in NHS Scotland), University of Aberdeen. The NHS in Scotland is deciding whether and how to adopt whole-genome sequencing as a routine test to diagnose genetic conditions. In this podcast, our guests examine the science underlying whole-genome testing, discuss the challenges and limitations of this approach and address some of the questions that still remain.