ResearchPod

The pandemic disrupted leaders on every level. It forced them to re-examine their assumptions about their organisation’s purpose and place in society. It impacted their perceptions and their actions around responsible business, and their leadership attitudes and practices. The worst of the pandemic is now firmly behind us – although we remain in the depths of an economic and cost-of-living crisis, with the war in Ukraine ongoing. In this first episode, Veronica and Katie are joined by Andrea Winfield, general manager for HR across the western Europe region for Microsoft, to explore what being a responsible business means in a post-pandemic world. Find out more: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/campaigns/responsible-business/

Modern life can feel like one of constant crisis, through exposure on social media feeds, local news or even your personal life. Recovering from the physical and emotional toll of these is hard, but also essential. Doctor Sara Spowart from the University of South Florida, is a researcher specialising in the psychology of support around survival. Her framework of integrative happiness sets out a vital tool for all those affected by trauma to find happiness and stability in their lives again. Read her original work at : https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107413 This interview includes discussion of war, natural disasters, poverty, assault and the pandemic. Listener discretion is advised.

While data science can transform public sector policy-making, places like Lebanon lack the data infrastructure and governance rules needed to support public sector data analysis. Professor Lama Moussawi and Raghda Kawass at the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut, examine how Lebanon can promote data analytics to improve policy-making and service delivery. Read more in Research Features Read the original research: doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2017.1313045

Many of us first experience the concept of learning in formal school settings, but how do we learn in non-formal settings like museums and zoos? This is a question that Professor Joe E Heimlich and colleagues at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), a science museum in Columbus, Ohio, USA are working to answer. Read more in Research Outreach Read the original research: doi.org/10.1080/10598650.2022.2135353

In this episode of the Transforming Society podcast, Jess Miles speaks with Julia Mortimer, Journals Director and Head of Open Access at Bristol University Press. They discuss recent developments in Open Access, including funder mandates, community-led models and the direction Bristol University Press are heading in. In addition, they offer advice for authors, and potential authors, for navigating this fast-moving publishing landscape. Find out more about Open Access on the Bristol University Press website. Bristol University Press/Policy Press newsletter subscribers receive a 25% discount – sign up here.

Robots play an important part in our everyday lives. Non-autonomous systems can be found in industry, surgical theatres, and even our homes, and more autonomous robots are integral to space and deep-sea exploration. Dr Sirko Straube and Professor Dr Frank Kirchner from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) are seeking to translate this greater autonomy of space and maritime applications to the human sphere. Read the original research: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11447-2_4 Read more in Research Outreach: doi.org/10.32907/RO-140-6297744387

Communication and consent are key in doctor-patient relationships. Doctors need to know what’s expected of them, and patients have the right to receive adequate information about diagnosis and treatment, and seek damages if things go wrong. If that patient has mental health issues, how are their rights around informed consent and court challenges impacted? Professor Gary Chan Kok Yew from Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University, has researched on the legal standards for ‘medical advice’ under Singapore’s legal system. His work covers how the rights of patients with mental health problems, who may be especially vulnerable to problems and challenges relating to doctor-patient communications, can be protected. Read the original research: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/4309/

In this episode of the Transforming Society podcast, Richard Kemp speaks with Ed Atkins, author of A Just Energy Transition: Getting Decarbonisation Right in a Time of Crisis, about what is needed for an energy transition to be just. They discuss the need to ensure decarbonisation doesn’t come at the expense of already marginalised communities, the role that green jobs will play and the importance of acknowledging that while an energy transition will change our everyday lives, it has the potential to change them for the better. A Just Energy Transition by Ed Atkins is available on the Bristol University Press website. Order here for £26.99. Bristol University Press/Policy Press newsletter subscribers receive a 25% discount – sign up here.

What are the spatial factors influencing health inequalities within a socio-economically homogeneous country? Dana Hübelová, Alice Kozumplíková, and colleagues from Mendel University in Brno investigate health disparities across different regions of the Czech Republic. The team explore how economic conditions, social care access, and regional characteristics impact health, and why urban areas don't always have better health indicators than rural regions. Read the original research: doi.org/10.1186/s12939-023-01996-2

In this episode, Oscar Berglund and Elizabeth A. Koebele, Co-Editors of the Policy & Politics journal, talk to Jess Miles about the latest special issue – ‘Transformational change through public policy’. They discuss what transformational change is, how public policy academia needs to adapt to bring it about and their hope to inspire a new generation of scholars by setting out the structure for a research program. Read the special issue of Policy & Politics, ‘Transformational change through public policy’, on Bristol University Press Digital.

How can social annotation transform traditional reading into a collaborative learning experience? Damijana Keržič and Vida Zorko from the University of Ljubljana delve into this question through their research on Diigo, a social annotation tool. They investigate its impact on student motivation, comprehension, and the correlation between learning approaches and online activity. Read the original research: doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2269043

When decisions need to be made in politics, business or daily life, it's worth giving all due care to The Problem to be solved, and The Action to be taken. This is also the foundation of classical philosophy - but when was the last time politics seem philosophical to you? Professor John Martin Gillroy of Lehigh University speaks with us today about how philosophical frameworks can teach us about practical policy. From understanding motivations, actions and decisions, he considers how todays dilemmas can be approached with a fully considered view of the politics, and the people, involved. Read more about his work in Research Features Find his original work at: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108100045.006 Read the Matrix of Paradigms here. Read his paper "Refining Our Understanding of Law and Policy Through Philosophical Method, Philosophical-policy and Legal Design" here Read "Navigating Through the ‘jungle’ and Relaxing the ‘Dead Hand ’ of Philosophy in Legal and Policy Studies" here. Read his draft chapter "Ecosystem Policy & Law : a Philosophical Argument for the Anticipatory Regulation of Environmental Risk" here. Music source : Symphony No. 83 In G Minor "La Poule", Joseph Haydn; Collegium Musicum, Vienna; Anton Heiller, Haydn Society (HSLP-1015), via Archive.org

In this episode, Alison Shaw, Chief Executive of Bristol University Press, talks about 25 years of publishing with a purpose to mark the end of the Press’ anniversary celebration year. Alison speaks to Jess Miles about the past, present and future of the press and its mission to address global social challenges, support positive social change and to be a top-tier University Press recognised for the quality of its contribution. Click here to watch the Bristol University Press 2021 round up video and read the brochure celebrating its anniversary year. Bristol University Press/Policy Press newsletter subscribers receive a 35% discount – sign up here.

What are the risks versus rewards when challenging norms and pushing new boundaries in the quest for scientific discovery? Dr Alan Herbert, President and Founder of InsideOutBio, gives an honest account of his journey in the discovery of left-handed DNA in his latest book, and how the way we view DNA and genetics has evolved from old to new thinking. Read more in Research Features Read Dr Herbert's book: Flipons: The Discovery of Z-DNA and Soft-Wired Genomes Purchase the book: amazon.co.uk/Flipons-Discovery-Z-DNA-Soft-Wired-Genomes

In this episode, Richard Kemp speaks with Dan McQuillan, author of Resisting AI: An Anti-fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence, about what artificial intelligence really is. They discuss how artificial intelligence damages society in ways that are not easily fixed and why it needs to be restructured from the ground up, as well as how these fundamental changes to AI can help create a better society for everyone. Resisting AI: An Anti-fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence by Dan McQuillan is available on the Bristol University Press website. Order here for £19.99. Bristol University Press/Policy Press newsletter subscribers receive a 25% discount – sign up here.

Stefan Brunnhuber is a medical director, chief medical officer and professor in Germany, and takes an evolutionary, human-centric approach to economics and psychology and looks towards a sustainable future in a new way. In this exciting interview, we find out more about Brunnhuber’s concept of an artificial intelligence-driven ‘third culture’; science and politics; the UN Sustainable development Goals; and the power of trans-disciplinary thinking. Read more in Research Outreach Visit the World Academy of Arts and Science website: worldacademy.org

In this episode of the Transforming Society podcast, Jess Miles speaks with Malcolm Evans, former Chair of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture and author of Tackling Torture: Prevention in Practice. They discuss the traps we fall into when talking about torture, including the disturbing normalisation of torture in television and film, why the distinction between torture and inhuman treatment is a sensitive area, and what could be done to help prevent torture more effectively. Tackling Torture by Malcolm D. Evans is available on the Bristol University Press website. Order here for £19.99. Bristol University Press/Policy Press newsletter subscribers receive a 25% discount – sign up here.

While the sciences naturally evoke complex philosophical questions, the philosophy of science itself remains a relatively new discipline. José Antonio Chamizo, an esteemed researcher in organometallic chemistry, is now dedicated to the philosophy of chemistry. Today, we explore the evolution of chemistry from its early days in 18th-century Europe, the intriguing C60 diffraction experiment, and the deep philosophical questions about the nature of chemical substances. Read the original research: philpapers.org/rec/CHAELM To learn more, visit: joseantoniochamizo.com

Oxygen is activated quantum-mechanically in the body to act against bacterial infections. Professor Robert C Allen shows that the antibacterial action of oxygen can be monitored by measuring the light emitted as the immune system responds to pathogen attacks. He has developed techniques based on the use of chemiluminigenicmolecules which provide unprecedented insight into the neutrophil activity and afford powerful point of care diagnostic tools for immune system monitoring. Read more in Research Features: doi.org/10.26904/RF-151-6124846326 Read the original research: doi.org/10.3390/antiox11030518

Language – be it spoken, written, or signed – is a fundamental part of how we interact with the world and each other. It’s also an important developmental milestone for children as they grow. Dr. Vittorio Tantucci from Lancaster University works on linguistic development, focussing on children from China and other cultures. His research examines the reasons and impact of how autistic children struggle to imitate and creatively reformulate others’ speech - an ability called resonance. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1515/ip-2023-4001