Shaping the Future

If you did a home Covid-test at any point during the pandemic, and waited nervously for blue lines to materialise – you’ve already got insight into our topic for this episode. Maïwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas is Professor in Microfluidic Engineering in Heriot-Watt University's School of Engineering and Physical Sciences.She’s one of the two academic leads at the Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies.This is Shaping the Future, a podcast from Heriot-Watt University, hosted by chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan.  This time, we're Shaping the Future of Healthcare Technologies.Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

Brewing and distilling - the production of drinks like beer and whisky - is both an ancient craft and a large-scale manufacturing process. It is also a vital part of Scotland's economy and identity. Whisky makes up nearly 30% of total UK food and drink exports.This time on Shaping The Future, chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Prof Nicholas Willoughby, Heriot-Watt University's professor of sustainable bio-processing. We’re Shaping the Future of Sustainable Brewing and Distilling. Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

It is the single greatest priority of our age: cutting carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere, and ending global warming. This time on Shaping the Future, Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is joined by Prof Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Heriot-Watt University's Deputy Principal for Global Sustainability, and – in a wider role – the UK’s Industrial Decarbonisation Champion.We’re Shaping the Future of Decarbonisation.Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

Machines, computers, and artificial intelligence are increasingly becoming part of our daily lives, and at an astounding rate. At Heriot-Watt University, we have teams working at the cutting edge of robotics and AI - developing humanoid naturally-conversing robots for use in settings from disaster relief and healthcare, to agriculture and industry. This time on Shaping The Future, chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Prof Oliver Lemon, a former visiting scientist at NASA, and co-academic Lead at The National Robotarium on our Edinburgh campus. We’re Shaping the Future of Robotics. Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

Adam Smith - often called 'The Father of Capitalism' - lived in Scotland from 1723 to 1790, and spent his last years at Panmure House, on Edinburgh's Royal Mile.Today at Panmure House, a Heriot-Watt University team is working to repurpose it as a home for debates and dialogues, on everything from climate change and the energy transition, to the roles of the state and the financial services sector.Prof Adam Dixon is leading those efforts, as part of his role as the university's Adam Smith Chair in Sustainable Capitalism. For this edition, we are Shaping the Future of Green Finance. Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

What is the role for design in helping to address increasingly complex global issues?How do we support today's learners to develop skillsets and attributes that will help them to flourish as the designers of tomorrow? For this episode of Shaping The Future, Heriot Watt University's chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Louise Valentine, Professor of Design Leadership on our Dubai campus.We are Shaping the Future of Design.  Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

What are the processes and forces that go into shaping our future skills, technologies, and workforces? In this episode of Shaping The Future, we’re lifting the curtain on how what's come to be known as the 'triple helix model' - in which universities, governments and industries work together, to shape, influence, and develop each other over time.Chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Prof Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal of Business and Enterprise. Together, they are Shaping the Future of Industry.Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

The building sector is thought to contribute around a tenth of global carbon emissions, and require an estimated 50 billion tonnes of sand and gravel annually. That is enough material to build a wall 27 metres wide, and 27 metres high, around the entire planet.This time on Shaping the Future, Heriot-Watt University chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Professor Gabriela Medero. Alongside her role as Associate Principal for Enterprise, Gabriela is the inventor of K-Briq, a low-carbon building brick made almost entirely of construction waste. This time, we are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Buildings.  Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

'Wicked problem' is a systems engineer term for something that everybody feels needs to change, but that is also stubbornly complex and multi-faceted.One clear example of an urgent and intractable 'wicked problem' is tackling climate change, and the global transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner forms of energy.For this edition of Shaping The Future, Heriot-Watt University chief scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Prof Susan Krumdieck.Susan is chair and professor in Energy Transition Engineering at our Orkney campus, and uses the term 'wicked problems' in her book Transition Engineering: Building a Sustainable Future. This time, we are Shaping the Future of Energy.  Find Heriot-Watt University online here.

How can global universities better foster key attributes like innovation, collaboration, and community?And how does higher education continue to evolve and adapt, to support in solving the world’s most pressing problems like climate change? For this edition of Shaping The Future from Heriot-Watt University, Chief Scientist Prof Tadhg O'Donovan is with Principal and Vice Chancellor Prof Richard Williams, and Prof Mushtak Al-Atabi, Provost and Chief Executive of our Malaysia campus.Together, they are Shaping the Future of Global Education. Find Heriot-Watt University online here.