UNSW Centre for Ideas

Mar 05 2025 100 ep. 46 mins 1k
UNSW Centre for Ideas Podcast artwork

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas is a thought-provoking program of events and digital content from the globe's leading thinkers, authors and artists.

  Arts  Education
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Nevena Krups | The Hidden Power of Friendship

Mar 05 2025 32 mins  
Despite the rush of technological breakthroughs, we find ourselves drifting into a crisis of connection—profound loneliness and division. Nevena Krups takes us on a heartfelt journey, revealing how the ancient and seemingly simple art of friendship can serve as a powerful source to bridge divides and heal a fragmented society. Drawing from her poignant experiences in former Yugos

Matt O’Kane | Cyber Education: Progress or Peril?

Feb 26 2025 30 mins  
Cyberattacks are fast becoming our biggest global threat - so why aren’t we better prepared? Matt O’Kane takes us on an inspiring journey from overcoming blindness to leading a cybersecurity business, shining a light on the evolving landscape of cyber threats. He critiques current cyber education methods, revealing how they often prepare students for calm seas rather than the t

Kate Brady | Disasters are Awful: What Comes After Doesn't Have To Be

Feb 19 2025 28 mins  
In a world increasingly besieged by disasters, Kate Brady addresses whether we are ready for what comes after. She paints a stark picture of the escalating frequency and intensity of calamities, from bushfires to cyclones. Brady challenges us to consider whether our current strategies are sufficient and calls for a radical shift in how we approach disaster recovery. She emphasises

Kate Poole | How Can We Better Prepare Our Astronauts For Space Travel?

Feb 12 2025 25 mins  
Have you ever wondered why astronauts return from the space station weak and struggling to walk? Kate Poole dives into the physiological challenges faced by astronauts during and after their missions. She explores the effects of microgravity on the human body, including muscle atrophy and bone density loss. Poole highlights the cutting-edge research and innovative solutions being d

Sebastian Sequoiah-Grayson | Australia and Asia: Working Together for a Prosperous Future

Feb 06 2025 26 mins  
In a reflection that spans centuries, Sebastian Sequoiah-Grayson recounts the tumultuous history and promising future of Australia. He draws us into the dramatic events of the Lambing Flat Riots and their lasting impact on anti-Chinese sentiment, weaving in personal anecdotes of his great-grandfather’s compassionate actions. Sequoiah-Grayson challenges us to imagine a different p

Jennifer Doudna: The Gene Editing Revolution

Dec 16 2024 84 mins  
Join a full house at the Sydney Opera House with Nobel winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell to discuss the huge social, ethical, and scientific implications of the CRISPR gene editing revolution. From curative therapies to gene edited babies - will we use it to hack our own evolution?  Presented by Sydney Opera House, BQI, 

Democracy Reimagined: New Thinking for the 21st Century

Dec 11 2024 42 mins  
Cooperation is our superpower, and democracy is a foundation of human progress. But we take them for granted at our peril. In some of the strongest democracies, democratic principles are being undermined while many voices are ignored. In this conversation Nobel Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman tells her story of her determination to bring peace and democracy in the Middle East. Tawak

Facts, Fictions and Critical Thinking

Dec 04 2024 41 mins  
Facts matter. The scientific process matters. The ability to think critically is essential to navigate our world, to make good decisions and to solve some of the world’s most intractable problems. Nobel Prize laureate Saul Perlmutter believes everyone can learn the skills scientists use to think critically so that they don’t fool themselves. Saul is joined by Tim Minchin, a wri

The Generation Gulf

Dec 02 2024 60 mins  
Breakneck cultural change means growing up today is a completely different experience from growing up in the 1950s, or the 1980s, or even the 2000s. Psychologist and author of Generations and iGen Jean Twenge, researcher and geriatrician expert on ABC’s Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds and Teenagers Stephanie Ward, and co-founder of youth media platform The Daily Aus Sam Koslows

Fragile Democracy

Nov 27 2024 49 mins  
Australia has been a close ally of the United States since 1940, but what does this mean for contemporary politics when democracy is more fragile than ever?Chaired by Festival favourite Barrie Cassidy, one of Australia’s most experienced political correspondents and analysts, this expert panel features former BBC foreign correspondent Nick Bryant (The Forever War: America’s Une