Nurulhuda Gumay Riswandi BA Philosophy and Politics joins us to discuss their research project "How can we explore and compare health infrastructures and delivery of healthcare services of two regions affected by conflict and political instability?".

This research explores and compares the health infrastructures and healthcare delivery systems of four post-conflict countries: Rwanda and Liberia in Sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq and Kuwait in the Middle East. By using a comparative case study methodology, the research investigates how conflict and political instability shape healthcare recovery. It focuses on governance capacity, international aid and gender equity to evaluate factors that support or hinder long-term health system resilience and inclusivity. The research directly aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, by analysing how conflict-affected states rebuild healthcare services to promote universal health coverage and improve health outcomes. It also supports SDG 5: Gender Equality, through its gender-sensitive analysis of health governance and the inclusion of women in post-conflict healthcare delivery. Additionally, the study engages with SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by evaluating how institutional coherence and governance reform contribute to equitable and sustainable recovery in fragile contexts.

Episode guest: Nurulhuda Gumay Riswandi BA Philosophy and Politics

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp

Episode producer and editor: Jack Dinham

Joelle Foster BSc Psychology joins us to discuss her research project titled "An investigation into music engagement in adults in the UK and its relationship with general levels of nostalgia and mental well-being".

Research on music listening is vast in showing the mental health benefits of such a practice. Nostalgia has also shown great effect in eliciting positive emotions. Emerging research looks at music-evoked nostalgia but not much research has been conducted on music composers in this area. This research project investigated this population with regards to general levels of nostalgia and well-being, important for tackling SDG3 'Good Health and Well-being'.

Episode guest: Joelle Foster, BSc Psychology

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp

Episode producer and editor: Jack Dinham

We’re joined by three of our students - Jack Carter and Shaska Nicholson, who are studying BSc Biology, and Montasir Ahmed, who is studying BSc Pharmacology to discuss their research project ‘The Use of GenAI in Higher Education’

Over the past 6 months, they have been working on their Capstone Research Project as part of their School of Biological Sciences ‘Science Communication’ module. They investigated how students in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton are using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for learning purposes.

In this episode, they discuss how widely GenAI is being used by students, which AI platforms are most popular, and student opinions on whether GenAI has improved their learning experience and academic performance. They also explore how education might adapt in the future, either by integrating GenAI more fully into everyday learning or by finding ways to mitigate its potential negative impacts through changes to assessment.

Recommended papers:

Exploring the integration of ChatGPT in education: adapting for the future – (Elbanna et al., 2024).https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/msar-03-2023-0016/full/html

Leadership is needed for ethical ChatGPT: Character, assessment, and learning using artificial intelligence (AI) – (Crawford et al., 2023) https://open-publishing.org/journals/index.php/jutlp/article/view/645

Ethical principles for artificial intelligence in education - (Nguen et al., 2022). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10639-022-11316-w

Episode guests: Jack Carter and Shaska Nicholson, who are studying BSc Biology, and Montasir Ahmed, BSc Pharmacology

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp

Episode producers: Libby Kale and Ellie Howell

Episode editor: Ellie Howell

Joseph Gray, BA Geography, joins us to discuss his research project 'Exploring how international visitors perceive the sustainability of transport at Milford Sound & the role of COVID-19 in reimagining travel at the site.'

Abstract: Environmental sustainability contradictions are at the heart of national park tourism. Increased transport accessibility allows tourists to experience the natural character but causes environmental degradation. COVID-19 was an unprecedented moment that catalysed a rethink of tourism transport, as reduced tourism activity saw the renaissance of the natural environment.

This study used Milford Sound to explore the overlooked perspectives of international visitors. The study’s inquiry aimed to understand their engagement with transport, their perception of environmental sustainability, and their vision of tourism transport post-COVID-19. Inspired by the researcher’s visit, the research adopted a qualitative methodology. It took a novel approach, supplementing semi-structured interviews with photo-elicitation and a reflective visual autoethnography to deeply understand participants' lived experiences at Milford Sound, with the data combined for thematic analysis.

The study uncovered participants’ complex perceptions of environmental sustainability, and they supported new transport policies post-COVID-19 to safeguard the site's long-term natural integrity. Milford Sound requires participatory transport policymaking that combines visitor preferences and overcomes structural barriers at the site.

The study's outcomes appeal to audiences concerned with sustainable tourism transport and national park policymakers, where fresh insights from international visitors can resolve the current policy deadlock plaguing the industry’s environmental sustainability ambitions post-COVID-19.

Section of my Introduction: Increasing international tourism is contributing to tourism’s growing contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, which recently stood at 8% (Lenzen et al., 2018). Under current trajectories, carbon dioxide emissions from tourism transport will rise 25% by 2030 compared with 2016 (UNWTO and ITF, 2019). Therefore, it is a significant obstacle in achieving tourism’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, especially goal 13, ‘Climate Action’ (UNWTO, n.d.). National Park tourism destinations are both climate change contributors and victims through transport. In New Zealand, transport accounts for 90% of the overall carbon footprint of tourism (Tourism Industry Aotearoa, 2023), 18% higher than the global average (Peeters and Dubois, 2010).

Episode guest: Joseph Gray, BA Geography

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp

Episode editor: Ellie Howell

James Machay, BA Geography, joins us to discuss his research project 'The Catalyst for change - exploring sustainability and pressures in non-league football'.

Abstract - Attentiveness towards sustainability has expeditiously intensified due to the evolving climate emergency. Yet non-league football remains neglected in academic and media discourse regarding its capacity to become more sustainable. With non-league clubs at the heart of communities and climate change posing an imminent threat to society, this contemporary area warrants further exploration. Therefore, the aim of this project is to investigate sustainable practices and challenges restricting implementation across non-league football clubs in the South of England.

Adopting a qualitative approach, this study employs semi-structured interviews with 12 club representatives, alongside observations of club facilities. Analysis of these results conveys a prominent enthusiasm from clubs in improving their sustainability, with observations highlighting efforts in revenue diversification and a strong social sustainability focus. However, clubs encounter significant financial constraints and weak governance, hindering efforts.

Despite these obstacles, this study concludes by identifying several opportunities for improving sustainability, including enhanced education, financial interventions, and increased regulatory support from the Football Association. Aligning with existing research on football’s financial disparities, this study challenges elite football’s resource-intensive operations and commercialisation. This is effectively achieved by elucidating the potential for non-league football to be a catalyst for positive sustainable change.

Episode guest: James Machay

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp

Episode producer and editor: Jack Dinham

Sophie Vokes, BSc Geography joins us to discuss her research project "Does Crymlyn Bog follow the traditional theory of hydrosphere wetlands?"

Abstract

This study employed macrofossil analysis to investigate environmental changes in Crymlyn Bog (Swansea) and assessed the site's compliance with the conventional hydrosphere hypothesis of wetland succession. Based on distribution and abundance, macrofossil remains from the peat cores were identified and documented, with a particular emphasis on Sphagnum species. With a delayed decline in Sphagnum austinii and drier conditions near the margin mires, the results indicate a departure from earlier studies. The results further contradict Walker's (1970) hydrosphere theory by indicating a reversal in the predicted successional trajectory. The results have significant ecological implications, as peatlands are crucial hotspots for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Natural succession changes may result from external factors, such as climate change or internal factors such as hydrological alterations. For the preservation of peatlands and the long-term resilience of ecosystems, these dynamics are crucial. These results relate to the UNSDGs: SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation: through the preservation of wetland health and an analysis of hydrological processes. SGD13: Climate Action: Understanding Peatlands' Capacity to Store Carbon and Adapt to Changing Climates. SDG15: Life on Land can be applied to understand wetland degradation, biodiversity loss, and habitat resilience by examining how it affects biodiversity and ecologically important plant habitats.

Episode Guest: Sophie Votes, BSc Geography

Episode Host: Prof Simon Kemp

Producer and Editor: Ellie Howell

Eleanor Toppin, BA Geography, joins us to discuss her research project 'A Comparative Study: Exploring Student Consumer Perspectives on the Transition from Non-Ethical to Ethical Fashion Purchases'.

Despite many students having an ethical mindset, they often fail to translate their intentions and attitudes into ethical purchases. This study aims to understand whether sustainability- based education can bridge these behavioural gaps in ethical fashion consumption. It examines students’ desire to shift towards ethical consumption, the challenges they encounter during this transition, and potential strategies to facilitate this change. To assess knowledge’s role, a total of 10 qualitative interviews were conducted and analysed. The interviewees were reached through stratified sampling. The average age of the participants was 20 years ranging from 20-21. Five participants were female and five were male.

The results show that completing the USOM2043 Global Sustainability Challenges module enhanced students’ commitment to ethical fashion consumption by deepening sustainability- based knowledge and equipping them with the skills to assess ethical claims. Completers faced post-intentional barriers, while non-completers struggled with foundational uncertainties. Solutions differed, emphasizing the need for both awareness-building and systemic changes to support ethical consumption.

Future research should use in-person or hybrid formats to encourage more reflective discussions on ethical consumption. Practical implications emphasise bridging knowledge gaps and raising awareness of consumer impacts.

Episode guest: Eleanor Toppin, BA Geography

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp

Episode producer and editor: Libby Kale

Sam Atkinson, BSc Geography, joins us to discuss his research project "Is the Siberian Boreal Forest nearing a Tipping Point?"

Abstract

Increasing air temperatures, drought and wildfire is impacting the health of the Siberian Boreal Forest, with the boreal biome being predicted to be replaced by grasslands/steppe. Multiple scholars have referred to this transition as a 'tipping point' however few studies have tested whether any signals of a tipping point are present. Using remote sensing, the health of vegetation in the Siberian Boreal Forest, over the past 30 Summers was assessed. Statistics were calculated from quantitative data to determine whether the early warning signals of a tipping point were present. The results suggested that the state of the system in Eastern Siberia is closer to tipping than in the West and Central Siberian Boreal forest, with minimal early warning signals present in West and Central Siberia.

However, these indicators cannot be used to predict a timeframe for tipping or quantify a likelihood of tipping, yet simply give indications of 'the state of play', they would be useful to be used (subjectively) alongside modelled predictions. With regards to the SDGs, the potential for the system to collapse and change state, has implications for Goal 15, and the release of terrestrial carbon which is currently stored in boreal forests has implications for Goal 13 and knock on impacts for Goal 15. There is the potential for a decline in species richness, as a changing climate causes competition between species to decline, with the Siberian Larch becoming unable to survive with warmer, wetter conditions. In addition to this, if conditions become too wet for the other main species, Siberian Pine, this is where the system will be replaced by non-boreal vegetation.

Episode Guest: Sam Atkinson, BSc Geography

Episode Host: Prof Simon Kemp

Producer and Editor: Libby Kale