Imperial Business Podcast

We often hear about the negative effects of smartphones on young people’s mental health. But what if they could also help improve it?  In this bonus episode, Aglaia Freccero, a President’s PhD scholar in the Division of Psychiatry at Imperial, joins Lok Yee Liu to discuss MindCraft: a digital tool designed to track young people’s mental health and provide just-in-time support. Hear about how it’s being tested in schools and how it could transform the way students manage their wellbeing.  Find out more about MindCraft from the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial.   

Is there a wellbeing crisis across universities? Is technology helping or hindering students’ mental health? In the final episode of this series, Anna Goodwin and Sophie Cutforth, Student Wellbeing Advisors at Imperial Business School, check in with Lok Yee Liu to explore the impact of technology, AI and apps on students’ wellbeing and the support they receive. We also hear from students at Imperial who tell us whether they’ve ever asked AI for advice. If you are affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode or would benefit from wellbeing support, you may find the following links helpful: Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing NHS Mental Health Support For Imperial students, visit the Student Support Zone Students at other universities should check the Student Services web pages at their institution for guidance. The articles referenced in the episode are: Beyond the Student Mental Health Crisis: A Collaborative Transatlantic Symposium by Advanced HE, and Student Wellbeing in the AI Era: Stress, Confidence, and Connection – A Global Snapshot by the Higher Education Policy Institute. Follow the IDEA Lab at Imperial Business School on LinkedIn for further insights into innovative educational technologies and experiences. You can also check out the IDEA Lab website.  

By now, most universities across the UK have implemented guidance on AI usage. But do students actually know what it says? This week, Jay DesLauriers, a Teaching Fellow and an AI Futurist in Education at Imperial, and Heather Mack, Director of Strategy and Operations at the IDEA Lab, join Lok Yee Liu to dissect current and future guidance around AI in higher education. Plus, Jay and Heather use Imperial Business School’s traffic light system to challenge students’ perceptions of when they can and can’t use generative AI. Follow the IDEA Lab at Imperial Business School on LinkedIn for further insights into innovative educational technologies and experiences. You can also check out the IDEA Lab website. Episode links: For staff and students at Imperial, the university’s AI Principles, Generative AI guidance and Generative AI and Study Guidance Hub. JISC’s Student perceptions of AI 2025 HEPI’s Student Generative AI Survey 2025 The Digital Education Council’s The Next Era of Assessment: A Global Review of AI in Assessment Design

This week, we ask whether technology is accelerating or solving the climate crisis.  Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Undaunted and Director of Innovation at Imperial’s Grantham Institute, sits down with Lok Yee Liu to discuss the launch of EarthScale, a nationwide, university-led programme providing vital scaling support to climate tech startups in that tricky ‘missing middle’. Alyssa also responds to students’ anxiety around the impact of their tech use on the planet. EarthScale is announcing its first cohort of ventures in October 2025. Follow their journeys and stay updated on when applications open for Cohort 2: EarthScale website EarthScale LinkedIn EarthScale newsletter Find out more about Imperial’s Grantham Institute and Undaunted, and visit the Notpla website to find out more about its biodegradable, plastic-free packaging. Follow the IDEA Lab at Imperial Business School on LinkedIn for further insights into innovative educational technologies and experiences. You can also check out the IDEA Lab website.  

This week, we want to know what higher education would look like if attending lectures were as simple as putting on a VR headset. And whether this could become a reality. Adrian Cowell, Innovation Lead for the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial, and Stephen Vaz, the IDEA Lab’s Director of Learning Innovation, sit down with Lok Yee Liu to explore virtual reality’s place in the future of higher education. Plus, students from Imperial give us their take on wearing headsets instead of attending classes. Follow the IDEA Lab at Imperial Business School on LinkedIn for further insights into innovative educational technologies and experiences. You can also check out the IDEA Lab website. Episode links: Imperial’s Virtual Reality Student Experience (ViRSE) Imperial School of Medicine LinkedIn 

In the first episode of IDEAs Rewired, the team wants to know whether students (and teachers) are becoming too reliant on AI. Cloda Jenkins, Associate Dean (Education, Pedagogy and Innovation) at Imperial Business School, and Sean O’Grady, Lead Learning Designer at the IDEA Lab, catch up with Lok Yee Liu to discuss the current impact of AI on teaching and learning in higher education. We also hear from a few of our students, who tell us whether they think AI is making them lazy. Follow the IDEA Lab at Imperial Business School on LinkedIn for further insights into innovative educational technologies and experiences. You can also check out the IDEA Lab website. Find out more about Imperial’s StudentShapers programme referenced in the episode.  

Welcome to another episode featuring JJ Irukwu. In this episode, he opens up about his personal setbacks and the mindset shift that helped him overcome them, helping him empower empowering others today. He also shares his bold take on where the sports industry is headed and what it needs to thrive.

Want to know what it’s like working in one of the biggest names in the sports industry, In this episode we are joined with JJ Irukwu, Strategy and Business Development Manager at Sky Sports, to bring us on his career journey and unique insight on the sports industry today. Trust me, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

In this episode, host Frédérique welcomes Antoine Poincaré, Head of Axa Climate School, to explore the role of education in climate action, the unexpected business models transformation of transitioning sectors and the imperative to prioritize adaptation. In his current role, Antoine translates complex climate science into actionable strategies that foster awareness and drive impact across the organizations he supports. Tune in for insights on the adaptation of industries through enhanced awareness and capabilities.  Have suggestions for future guests or themes you’d like us to explore? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email at [email protected].     As referred in the podcast: Trois degrés newsletter (https://troisdegres.net/)   

Host Rajan Sangha is joined by Lisa Sachs (Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment & Columbia Climate School MS in Climate Finance) to unpack the impact of tariffs and trade tensions on clean energy, the failures of ESG investing, and the urgent need for political will in climate finance. They discuss the global cost of capital divide, critical minerals governance, adaptation challenges, rising protectionism and why international cooperation is essential for a just and effective energy transition.  Have suggestions for future guests or themes you’d like us to explore? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email at [email protected].