UNSW Centre for Ideas
UNSW Centre for Ideas
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An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas presents a thought-provoking program of events and digital content. It features leading thinkers, authors, and artists from around the world, exploring a wide range of contemporary issues and ideas. The podcast brings these conversations to a global audience, offering insightful discussions and diverse perspectives.
Afleveringen
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We built this thing Ep2: The competitive edge as a first-time founder in your 40s with Janet Salem 12.08.2026 30minAfter 17 years at the United Nations, Janet Salem was growing frustrated with the gap between the sustainability data she was gathering, and the information businesses were using to make investment decisions. She saw an opportunity to give business’s crucial insight into their resource consumption and environmental impact to make more informed decisions, the same way food packaging provides nutritional information so that consumers can make more informed decisions. Now, she’s co-founded a start-up to help get sustainable investment a green thumbs up from the CFO. Her journey from UNSW environmental engineering graduate to UN advisor to start-up co-founder sounds like a perfectly executed career path, but none of it was planned. On this episode of We built this thing, Janet chats with host Justine Rogers about being a first-time founder in her 40s. From getting over imposter syndrome in the tech-bro universe to the benefits of breaking the mould from the traditional ideas of what a fintech founder, UN advisor or engineer should be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
We built this thing Ep1: When solving the water crisis comes from thin air with Shannon Lemanski 05.08.2026 37minOn this episode, Shannon chats about pivoting your start-up after funding failure, committing to your mission and transforming lives in the process. -
Human vs Machine: Joel Pearson on staying optimistic about the intelligence revolution 29.07.2026 21minThe development of AI has brought humanity to the cusp of a seismic change the likes of which has never been seen before. Workforces of the future will be dramatically different, as some jobs become obsolete and people scramble to learn new skills and ways of working. But just as this intelligence revolution has called into question the role of humans, could it be the catalyst for more purposeful leadership and smarter working? Could the very essence of being human – empathy, creativity and collaboration – become skills more important than ever as AI increasingly takes over dull, dirty, difficult and dangerous tasks? Join the world’s first neuro-futurist, Joel Pearson, in this masterclass exploring how AI is rapidly disrupting work, trust, relationships and our sense of certainty. He offers practical strategies for managing uncertainty, protecting our critical-thinking skills and keeping human wellbeing at the centre of the transition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Human vs Machine: Barbara Wilby and Joel Pearson in conversation 23.07.2026 51minThe development of AI has brought humanity to the cusp of a seismic change the likes of which has never been seen before. Workforces of the future will be dramatically different, as some jobs become obsolete and people scramble to learn new skills and ways of working. But just as this intelligence revolution has called into question the role of humans, could it be the catalyst for more purposeful leadership and smarter working? Could the very essence of being human – empathy, creativity and collaboration – become skills more important than ever as AI increasingly takes over dull, dirty, difficult and dangerous tasks? Join the world’s first neuro-futurist, Joel Pearson, in conversation with leadership coach and transformation expert, Barbara Wilby. Hosted by the ABC’s Tegan Taylor, Wilby and Pearson will examine how we can respond to AI by actively using it to enhance decision-making, amplify human strengths and lead through uncertainty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Women on Top 13.07.2026 1u 14minStatistics can sometimes paint a rosy picture. Women now make up half of federal parliamentarians in Australia, more women graduate from university than men, and over 60% of Australia’s Winter Olympic team in 2026 were women. But the reality of gender equality and progress is disappointingly stagnant if not downright regressive and concerning. From the alarmingly high prevalence of gendered violence online and in relationships, to the burden of the mental load in household chores, to the uneven playing field in which women are promoted and paid. When even the most accomplished women are exposed to everyday misogyny and double standards, the question must be asked: is this the kind of progress the feminist foremothers had in mind? Join authors and leading women’s advocates, Hannah Ferguson and Jane Caro alongside journalist Farhana Dawood as they explore the reality of gender equality. Women on Top will be a candid conversation about feminism in the age of the manosphere, the real and perceived gains and losses in Australia and globally, and how we can confront the truth. Explore more events from the UNSW Centre for Ideas 👉 unsw.to/cfiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Whistleblowers: In defence of truth 09.07.2026 55minMost whistleblowers are unknown and ordinary people shedding light on corruption and misconduct. They rarely make the front page; many pay a devastating personal price. Australia’s whistleblowing protections are failing them. Hear two of the foremost experts in Australia on protecting and defending the rights of whistleblowers, Kieran Pender and Gabriel Shipton alongside leading commentator and former editor of Guardian Australia, Lenore Taylor. The event also includes an account from a whistleblower on a harrowing case of wrongdoing they exposed in the prison system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Sue-Anne Hunter: Our kids deserve better 01.07.2026 1u 4minFollowing the historic appointment of Sue-Anne Hunter as the inaugural National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, Australia finds itself on a new journey but an old and critical road to mend. From the over-representation of Indigenous kids in child protection and youth detention systems to the inordinately high rates of incarceration, family separation and suicide, there has been an ongoing failure to address their health and wellbeing, justice and education. Commissioner Hunter has been clear - First Peoples’ children and young people deserve better. In an evening of reflection and hope, Sue-Anne Hunter shares her vision for uplifting the lives and voices of Indigenous Youth in Australia. She discusses how this new agency, now given statutory powers to do its important work, will help to realise international and domestic commitments to human rights, address systemic failures in federal and state institutions, and enhance the safety, wellbeing and life chances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. Sue-Anne Hunter was joined in conversation by Isabella Higgins, host of ABC News' AM radio program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Nalini Prasad on global oil and the Aussie wallet 03.06.2026 8minThe ongoing conflict between Iran, the US and Israel has not only led to the deaths of many thousands of people, it has destabilised the global world order. As a middle power, Australia is being drawn into the conflict amid global pressures and strategic resource dependencies. Closer to home, the conflict is having a destabilising impact on Australia’s economy and enhancing other ongoing issues, such as rising inflation and concerns of higher unemployment. UNSW’s Nalini Prasad explains how global and domestic trends in the economy are impacting the Aussie wallet, and your standard of living. She will explain how these trends are threatening an economic situation called ‘stagflation’, unseen since the 1970s and difficult to solve through traditional policy levers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Nila Ibrahimi: Song of Rebellion (Re-release) 28.05.2026 1uWhen Nila Ibrahimi posted a video of herself online, singing proudly in protest of the ban on girls over 12 singing in public, she hoped the music would inspire young girls to continue their education. It was 2021 and the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan had come down swiftly on women's freedom. The video went viral and the ban was reversed, sending a powerful message across social media – women of Afghanistan would not be erased from public life. The Taliban would, however, go on to prohibit female education and Nila and her family would have to flee her homeland. Undeterred, Nila continues to advocate for Afghan girls from Canada.Listen in to winner of the 2024 International Children’s Peace Prize Nila Ibrahimi in her first ever visit to Australia. In conversation with UNSW’s Verity Firth, they’ll unpack how peaceful grassroots activism can empower people of all ages to challenge authority and the importance of a right to education.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Guardians of the future: Māori knowledge in the age of AI 07.05.2026 26minDr Karaitiana Taiuru is a leading global voice at the forefront of Māori data sovereignty and AI ethics. His practice draws on tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori to facilitate conversations about the ways emerging technologies must uplift, protect and empower Indigenous knowledge, culture and communities. Hear him in conversation with Dr Sue Keay, where he explores why protecting Māori knowledge as a living treasure is one of the most exciting and urgent challenges of our tech future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Meditation on Country: Professor Angie Abdilla 06.05.2026 25minAngie Abdilla creates video installations interrogating Indigenous deeptime knowledges, automation and AI, focusing on technology as cultural practice. Her research, artworks and films have been exhibited at premier cultural institutions, including the current Data Dreams: Art and AI exhibition at the MCA, and previously, the United Nations; Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria; the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam; the Museum of Old and New Art, nipaluna/Hobart; and the Goethe-Institut, Sydney. Her pioneering research on cultural governance for AI has influenced governments globally. She is the founder and director of Old Ways, New; co-founder of the Indigenous Protocols for AI working group; has won the inaugural Women in AI Award for Creative Industries; and is a Professor at the School of Cybernetics at the Australian National University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Look Again: Why AI images don’t tell the whole picture 06.05.2026 12minEvery day, generative AI is pumping millions of new pictures into existence. Researcher and UNSW lecturer Dr Charu Maithani is redefining how we think about the images flooding our world, exposing how they capture only the narrowest sliver of human experience. Her work reveals how reimagining the way AI is trained – what it sees, learns, and absorbs from culture – defines our visual vocabulary and reshapes our collective imagination. Sometimes, what we don’t see is just as important as what we do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
The Housing Crisis with Alan Kohler (Re-release) 30.04.2026 46minRichard Holden | Alan Kohler Australia, a land of sweeping plains, has one of the lowest population densities on the planet. So, how did we end up with a housing shortage? In conversation with economist and author Richard Holden, veteran finance journalist Alan Kohler’s new Quarterly Essay, The Great Divide: Australia’s Housing Crisis and How to Fix It, investigates where things went wrong at the start of the 21st century with escalating property prices leading to a rental crisis, a dearth of public housing and a mortgage crunch. This event is presented by the Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Sydney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Laurie Woolever: The gluttony of life 22.04.2026 1uSince its 2025 publication, Laurie Woolever’s Care and Feeding was an immediate New York Times bestseller, tracing her path from small-town childhood to working with two of the most powerful men in the food business, chefs Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain. The book’s success is no surprise. Laurie doesn't sugarcoat the consequences of a life where desire has been met with opportunity in equal measure. She weaves her story deftly, capturing the essence of New York city during the golden era of the 1990s and 2000s food celebrity without downplaying the darker side of indulgence and the treatment of women in the male-dominated food industry. Hear Laurie alongside Good Weekend senior writer and former editor Katrina Strickland as they discuss the love language of food, living life without guardrails and learning to curb her appetites.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
6 things you need to know about AI with Toby Walsh (Re-release) 15.04.2026 24minAs one of the world’s leading researchers in artificial intelligence, Toby Walsh has been awarded the Humbolt Research Award and elected as a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of AI. In The Shortest History of AI, Toby outlines the six key ideas for understanding artificial intelligence today. Hear Toby trace the origins of artificial intelligence in science and culture and predict where the technology is heading in the future. This event was presented by the Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Sydney.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Karen Hao: Empire of AI (Re-release) 09.04.2026 1u 27minPrograms like ChatGPT have become ubiquitous with AI, promising to kick start the next industrial evolution. But the scale of resources needed to support AI are staggering, with the cost largely being levied on the marginalised. From energy demands eclipsing whole cities, to labour exploitation in the global south, this behaviour bodes poorly for an equitable future. In Empire of AI, award-winning investigative journalist Karen Hao unpacks the rise of OpenAI and their race for global dominance – prompting the question, what will it take to reign in this laissez-faire approach to growth? Answers are needed and UNSW legal expert Mimi Zou is exploring the possibilities surrounding the regulation of AI, along with UNSW neuroscientist Joel Pearson who is scrutinising the human impact of AI at an individual and societal level. Hear Chief Scientist of UNSW AI Toby Walsh in conversation with Karen Hao and then Mimi Zou and Joel Pearson on what it will take to usher in a sustainable, equitable AI revolution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Yael Stone: Giving to gain 02.04.2026 1u 3minMany people would recognise Australian actress Yael Stone from her breakout role as the red-lipped Lorna Morello in TV series Orange is the New Black. But, in 2020 she gave up her green card, and her acting career in the United States, unable to reconcile the carbon emissions of the jet-setting lifestyle with her own climate conscience. Since then, Yael has channelled her focus into a new career path in climate advocacy, going back to university and co-founding the not-for-profit renewables and clean energy organisation, Hi Neighbour. In celebration of International Women’s Day 2026, hear actress, entrepreneur and climate advocate Yael Stone alongside writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law as they explore what we have to give up to gain a life living in alignment with our personal values.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Who's the Man? (Re-release) 20.03.2026 1u 9minWithin today's social media landscape, a finely tuned content algorithm is serving up often unhealthy and sometimes extreme views on masculinity. For boys, in particular, the injection of vitriol into playgrounds, classrooms, backyards and wider society has turned the question of what it means to be a man on its head. This is also having far-reaching consequences for young girls and women. So what do we do when influencers co-opt masculinity for clout? Hear ABC presenter Siobhan Marin as she explores this topic with award-winning author, human rights advocate and Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo, former Aussie Rules player and Chief Operating Officer for the AFL, Tom Harley. Originally recorded on 18 November 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New 11.03.2026 1u 6minHear acclaimed political biographer Troy Bramston in conversation with UNSW’s Verity Firth and delve into his latest book Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New. From Whitlam’s rise through the Labor party to Prime Minister, to his family, upbringing and life after politics, Troy lifts the lid on new revelations behind the man and his polices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Lesbians are Lovely! 04.03.2026 1u 25minWe’ve come a long way since references to lesbians could potentially land you jail-time and lesbian culture was less visible in literature and the arts, social commentary and public life. From anthemic pop icons Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish to commercially successful flicks like Bottoms and Love Lies Bleeding, lesbian culture is having a moment. In the fifty years since the rallying cry “Lesbians are Lovely!” was sprawled across walls, bodies and picket boards in the fight for recognition and liberation, there have been many developments in queer identity and culture. But are we making space for all lesbians and how can we celebrate every part of our community? Hosted by Walkley Award-winning journalist, presenter and producer Mon Schafter and featuring a trailblazing lineup of panellist, including Kate Rowe, an activist and advocate ‘78er who marched in the original Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras; Kath Ebbs queer actor, presenter and content creator; and Jackie Turner, trans woman, social justice and climate organiser, and Director of Trans Justice Project. This event is co-presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas (in collaboration with Dr Yves Rees) and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
