Exploring Global Problems

In this episode, in discussion with Elin Rhys, Dr Rhian Meara, Senior Lecturer in Geography discusses the eruption of the Eldfell volcano in 1973, on the island of Heimaey, Iceland. The eruption itself is famous as the small town was saved by spraying cold sea water onto approaching lavas.Although the story of the eruption is well-known to many, the stark realities of life during this unexpected eruption and the on-going impacts 50 years on are often not widely discussed. Interviews, surveys, archival research and field work have allowed some of these stories to be shared, often for the first time in English. Understanding these long-term impacts is essential, not only to support the residents of Heimaey, but also to support others in similar situations such as the residents of Grindavík, south Iceland, who have been driven from their homes after volcanic activity began near the town after an 800 year hiatus.

Yn y bennod hon, mewn trafodaeth ag Elin Rhys, mae Dr Rhian Meara, Uwch-ddarlithydd Daearyddiaeth, yn trafod echdoriad llosgfynydd Eldfell ym 1973 ar Ynys Heimaey, Gwlad yr Iâ. Mae'r echdoriad ei hun yn enwog oherwydd achubwyd y dref fach drwy chwistrellu dŵr oer y môr ar y lafâu wrth iddynt nesáu.   Er bod hanes y echdoriad yn adnabyddus i lawer o bobl, nid yw gwirioneddau llym bywyd yn ystod y echdoriad annisgwyl hwn, na'r effeithiau parhaus 50 mlynedd yn ddiweddarach, yn cael eu trafod yn eang. Mae cyfweliadau, arolygon, ymchwil archifol a gwaith maes wedi caniatáu i rai o'r straeon hyn gael eu rhannu, yn aml am y tro cyntaf yn Saesneg. Mae'n hanfodol deall yr effeithiau hirdymor hyn er mwyn cefnogi trigolion Heimaey ond hefyd er mwyn cefnogi pobl eraill sydd mewn sefyllfaoedd tebyg, megis trigolion Grindavík, yn ne Gwlad yr Iâ, sydd wedi gorfod ffoi o'u cartrefi ar ôl i weithgarwch folcanig ddechrau'n agos at y dref ar ôl bwlch o 800 o flynyddoedd.

Dr Gulzat Botoeva takes listeners on a journey into the intricate socio-economic landscape of small-scale gold mining in Kyrgyzstan's Naryn region, exploring local communities' involvement in protests against and in support of official mining companies.   Through insightful research and analysis, Dr. Botoeva uncovers the broader socio-economic conditions that shape individuals' stances towards gold mining, beyond mere criminality or economic opportunism. By hearing the stories and perspectives of various stakeholders, including former illegal miners, villagers dependent on mining-related benefits, and workers at official mines, Dr Botoeva discloses the diverse array of interests and concerns at play.

The debate surrounding the inclusion of transgender and Difference in Sex Development (DSD) athletes in the female category has sparked significant controversy, particularly in elite sport and considering factors like inherent advantage and biological differences. So to maintain fair competition should we retain sex-based categorisations or adopt more inclusivity focused policies? In this episode, host Dr Sam Blaxland and Dr Shane Heffernan, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering talk about how we can openly discuss these complex issues. Dr Heffernan talks about the DATES project (The DSD and Transgender Elite Sports Study), which examines eligibility criteria in elite sports from the perspective of athlete opinions. Dr Heffernan also discusses the OMNIPLaNT study (Omnivorous & Non-meat eater Integrative PhysioLogy and NutriTion), which is investigating the impact of plant-based diets on human physiology, including muscle, bone, cardiovascular health, and exercise performance.

Wales has a long history of welcoming those fleeing persecution. It is estimated that there are 10,000 refugees in Wales, which is about 0.3% of the population. Barriers to accessing healthcare can arise from immigration status. It is important to understand the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. As defined by Amnesty International, ‘an asylum seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country, but who hasn't yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim’. In this podcast episode, Dr Ashra Khanom talks about her work which aims to address the needs of people seeking sanctuary, including how they access healthcare services.

As the world population continues to grow, the demand for increased food production similarly rises. Crop pests pose a serious threat to food production and climate change is contributing to insect prevalence and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Chemical pesticides cause direct damage to human and animal health such as cancer and other diseases, but also indirectly through polluted water and impacted plant health. These pesticides have been banned in many countries, so there is an urgency to develop safe pesticides to safeguard food security for the future. In this episode, in discussion with our host, Dr Sam Blaxland, Dr Farooq Shah explores the need to trial and develop safe alternatives to harmful pesticides using living organisms such as fungi. ABOUT OUR EXPERT Dr Farooq Shah is Co-Lead and Manager of the Natural Products Biohub, a Swansea  University collaboration with Swansea Council. He is also founder and CEO of Razbio limited, a biotech company specialising in the development of Biopesticides and smart insect pest monitoring. Dr Shah has diverse fundamental and applied research experience of biological control of insect pests and the development of novel solutions and products for environmentally friendly insect pest control.  Dr Shah is also leading a consortium of UK and Pakistan based academia, industry and policy makers to establish a biopesticide hub in Pakistan to support capacity building and biopesticide uptake in Pakistan.

Dr Gabriela Jiga-Boy explores the concept of trust. With the danger posed by disinformation during societal crises (such as the pandemic or climate change), trust in facts and science seems more important now than ever. Does the public trust politicians and scientific experts? Conversely how much does the public feel trusted by those in power?   Dr Gabriela Jiga-Boy gained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. After studying at Université Grenoble Alpes in France as an Erasmus exchange student, she fell in love with social psychology. Gabriela went on to gain a master’s degree and then a PhD degree in 2008 in experimental social psychology at Université Grenoble Alpes.Gabriela worked as a Research Assistant at Cardiff University before developing as a 3-year Postdoctoral Researcher at Swansea University in 2009, then becoming a Lecturer at Swansea University in 2012, promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016.

Joanne Davies discusses how highly trained educators and sim technologies; high-tech mannequins and the world's largest installation of immersive wall technology simulation are advancing healthcare education.

In this episode Professor Brian Garrod in conversation with Dr Sam Blaxland, sheds light on the hurdles faced by neurodivergent children and their families on holiday and delves into how the tourism industry could adapt to be more accessible and welcoming. Brian Garrod is a tourism marketing and management expert and professor at Swansea University. His teaching focus is on sustainable tourism. He is the author of eight textbooks and more than 50 research articles. Professor Garrod’s most recent research has focused on neurodiversity: a topic familiar to him as the father of an autistic son. Generally, research on this topic has focused on schooling or the workplace, and little attention has been focused on leisure activities, such as a family holiday.

In this episode, in discussion with host Dr Sam Blaxland, Dr Luca Trenta uncovers states’ use of covert action, with a spotlight on the US Governments involvement in state-sponsored assassinations. Spanning the time period from the Cold War through to contemporary times, Dr Trenta unearths the intricate dimensions of these clandestine operations. Dr Luca Trenta is an Associate Professor in International Relations at Swansea University. Luca moved to the UK in 2009 to study a Master’s in International Studies at Durham University, followed by a PhD, that led him to a chance encounter to cook dinner for former US President Jimmy Carter. Dr Luca Trenta’s research centres around two main areas: the degree of state secrecy and state-sponsored assassinations. This research relies heavily on history and international relations scholarship on norms. It evaluates the US government’s degree of involvement in state-sponsored assassinations and the way in which these were debated, decided upon, and justified over the last 70 years.