Episodes
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Lionel Barber discusses the changing media landscape, the impact of social media, and how the award-winning Financial Times continues to respond to the digital age. The FT's editor warns about fake news and refers to past propaganda - subjects he will address on Saturday 16 September 2017 at the Alumni Weekend in Oxford (book online to secure your place at this session).
In this wide-ranging podcast interview, Barber gives his perspective on current affairs, from the Europeans having the upper hand in Brexit negotiations to the theatre of Donald Trump's presidency. He explains how studying German and Modern History at Oxford prepared him for his international career in journalism. Barber also describes the highlight of his student days - playing rugby alongside Blues rugby players during Cuppers. -
Dr Desirée Cox describes her extraordinary journey from growing up in a tough urban area in the Bahamas to becoming a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. She focuses on her medical studies at Oxford and her pioneering work to establish a regulatory framework for stem cell research in her home country. In this podcast interview, Dr Cox also explains her love of painting, and her efforts to ensure others reach their potential. Referring to advice she shared at a lecture at Pembroke in June 2017, she highlights the importance of hope, resilience, authentic conversations and harnessing your own personal story in an age of short attention spans and technological disruption.
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Missing episodes?
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Dr Tom Crawford, also known as the Naked Mathematician, shares his love of Maths and describes how he is dispelling stereotypes to explain Maths to teenagers. Dr Tom Crawford, also known as the Naked Mathematician, shares his love of Maths and describes how he is dispelling stereotypes to explain Maths to teenagers. He speaks about his new Naked Maths video series, in which he explores mathematical patterns in an entertaining and hands-on way, from the formation of ocean waves to hexagonal honeycombs. Dr Crawford talks about how his mission to popularise Maths began with his work for The Naked Scientists - a weekly podcast with about one million listeners. He also explains his own mathematical tattoos, his undergraduate days studying Maths at Oxford, and the creative insights gained from completing his PhD in Maths at Cambridge about fluid dynamics.
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Sir Roger Bannister relives running the first sub-four-minute mile in a special podcast to mark the anniversary of his extraordinary achievement in May 1954. Sir Roger Bannister relives running the first sub-four-minute mile in a special podcast to mark the anniversary of his extraordinary achievement in May 1954. He describes his training and how the record-breaking run (3 minutes 59.4 seconds) unfolded at the Iffley Road track in Oxford. Sir Roger mentions other highlights from his athletic career, and explains how he developed as a runner while studying at Oxford, where he read medicine at Exeter and Merton.
After retiring from running, Sir Roger focussed on his medical and academic career. He talks about his research interests and varied experiences, including his pioneering work on the autonomic nervous system, and focusing on heat illness when he was on army service in Aden. From 1985 to 1993, Sir Roger was Master of Pembroke in Oxford.
As well as inspiring generations of runners, Sir Roger has also had a wider impact upon sport. When he was chairman of the Sports Council in the 1970s he introduced the first anabolic steroid tests for athletes. In 2017, Sir Roger was made a Companion of Honour for his services to sport. -
Leading businesswoman Grace Sai describes how disruptive technology, including virtual and augmented reality, are changing how consumers interact with products. She also explains how the millennial generation is re-shaping the world of work because of its idealism, global connections and impatience. In this podcast, Sai shares examples from the Impact Hub – a co-working space and community she co-founded to develop start-ups and entrepreneurs in Singapore. Her success is in part due to what she learned at Oxford, where she won a Skoll scholarship to study an MBA at the Saïd Business School. This interview was recorded in Singapore during the Alumni Weekend in Asia in March 2017. Series: Alumni Voices People: Grace Sai Oxford Unit: Alumni Office Keywords: Entrepreneurship, technology, business, MBA, Saïd Business School, Singapore [Grace Sai has approved the recording over email. I will forward her signed podcast contribution form to you as soon as I receive it. Many thanks].
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David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (Corpus Christi, 1984) David Miliband talks about the unprecedented global refugee crisis, its long-term characteristics and efforts to address the challenges ahead in this podcast. The President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee describes how the international NGO he leads is transforming lives through its humanitarian and resettlement work. The former Labour politician also discusses working at the highest levels in the UK Government, including as Foreign Secretary and Environment Secretary. He explains how he was taught to present an argument from reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford in the 1980s, and he reminisces about his enthusiasm for sport at Corpus Christi College.
This podcast was recorded before Miliband delivered the 2017 James Martin Memorial lecture in Oxford on 22 February 2017. Watch the video of the lecture here;
http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/oxford-martin-school-public-lectures-and-seminars
Interviewer: Guy Collender, Head of Alumni Communications and Marketing Music by Setuniman http://www.freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/241138/ from www.freesound.org -
Zoe de Toledo shares her extraordinary experiences of coxing at the highest levels, and her love of studying at Oxford in this podcast. She describes her part in the thrilling race that led to the GB women’s eight coming second in last year’s Olympics in Rio. The Olympian was also the cox during the dramatic Boat Race of 2012, when a swimmer disrupted the contest between Oxford and Cambridge on the Tideway. De Toledo continues by talking about Oxford’s academic strengths and why she continues to study here. She is now reading Medicine at Harris Manchester College – her third degree at Oxford. She previously completed Master’s degrees in Psychological Research, and Criminology and Criminal Justice when she studied at St Catherine’s College.
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Celebrated writer, broadcaster, performer and former politician, Gyles Brandreth, talks about his extraordinary career and varied interests in this podcast. Celebrated writer, broadcaster, performer and former politician, Gyles Brandreth, talks about his extraordinary career and varied interests in this podcast. He describes his busy undergraduate years during the Swinging Sixties and highlights how his experiences at Oxford laid the foundations for his successful working life.
Brandreth speaks about being president of the Oxford Union, directing the Oxford University Dramatic Society, and even meeting Paul McCartney, Jane Asher and Tony Benn. He also refers to studying Modern History and Modern Languages at New College, and advises students to make the most of their youth.
The interview explores a range of diverse topics, from Brandreth’s role as a government whip during John Major’s administration to his appearances on Radio 4’s Just a Minute, and from writing about the secrets of happiness to his admiration for Noel Coward.
Interviewed by Guy Collender -
Menswear designer, Patrick Grant, shares his experiences studying for an Executive MBA at Oxford’s Said Business School, and talks about how he became an award-winning designer. Patrick Grant, menswear designer and judge on the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee, shares his experiences studying for an Executive MBA at Oxford’s Said Business School, and talks about how he became an award-winning designer.
During his MBA studies, Patrick bought Saville Row bespoke tailor Norton & Sons, quickly turning the business around into a successful company. In 2010, he was awarded the British Fashion Council’s Menswear Designer of the Year award after relaunching E. Tautz & Sons, and was a recipient of the 2015 BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund. He is also Creative Director for Hammond & Co., a diffusion line available at Debenhams.
In this podcast, he discusses his career as a designer and his new social venture, Community Clothing, which aims to help Britain’s ailing manufacturing industry by using spare capacity for a new affordable clothing range, as well as offering advice to prospects and students who are considering a career as an entrepreneur. -
Miles Young, newly-installed Warden of New College, Oxford, shares his experiences studying history as an undergraduate and talks about how he transitioned into a career in PR and advertising. Miles Young, newly-installed Warden of New College, Oxford, shares his experiences studying history as an undergraduate and talks about how he transitioned into a career in PR and advertising.
Young was the Chairman and CEO of the international advertising, marketing and public relations agency Ogilvy & Mather. He started his career at Lintas and Allen Brady & Marsh, before joining Ogilvy and Mather in 1982 and becoming CEO in 2008. In October 2016 he stepped down from this position and was installed as the Warden at New College.
In this podcast, he discusses his time as CEO of one the world’s biggest PR and advertising agencies, why he came back to Oxford to become the Warden of New College, as well as offering advice to prospects and students who are considering a career in advertising. -
Director of Modern Art Oxford, Paul Hobson, shares his experiences studying Modern History at Brasenose College and talks about how he transitioned into a career in contemporary art. Director of Modern Art Oxford, Paul Hobson, shares his experiences studying Modern History at Brasenose College and talks about how he transitioned into a career in contemporary art.
As well as reading Modern History at Oxford University, Paul also completed post-graduate studies in aesthetics and contemporary visual theory. Since then he has worked for more than twenty years in the art world in senior roles for the Contemporary Art Society, The Showroom, the Serpentine Gallery, and Royal Academy of Arts in London. He has been Director of Modern Art Oxford since 2013.
In this podcast, he discusses his time as Director of Modern Art as well as other well-known galleries, why he came back to the city after being an undergraduate here, as well as offering advice to prospects and students who are considering a career in arts management. -
Ruth Hunt discusses her current role at Stonewall and offers advice to students who are considering Oxford as a LGBT-friendly university Chief Executive of Stonewall, Ruth Hunt, shares her experiences studying English Language and Literature at St. Hilda’s and offers an insight into what it was like to be an LGBT student and President of the Student Union at Oxford.
Hunt first joined Stonewall in 2005 as the Senior Policy Officer leading on research into homophobic bullying in schools. In 2014, she succeeded Ben Summerskill as Chief Executive. In 2015, she was voted the third most influential LGBT person in Britain in the Independent’s Rainbow List.
In this podcast, she discusses her current role at Stonewall and her commitment to transgender equality, as well as reflecting on the recent Olympics at Rio and how LGBT athletes were treated, as well as offering advice to students who are considering Oxford as a LGBT-friendly university. -
Dr Oliver Cox shares his passion for England’s greatest landscape designer, Capability Brown, in an interview recorded for the tercentenary celebrations of Brown’s birth. In discussing Brown’s achievements and how he has been perceived over the generations Dr Cox offers a preview of his talk on 18 September during the tenth Alumni Weekend in Oxford. Dr Cox continues by explaining his love of Oxford, where he has completed three History degrees and is now employed as the inaugural Heritage Engagement Fellow at TORCH | The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities. He describes the Thames Valley Country House Partnership – an organisation he created to link entrepreneurs in the heritage sector with researchers at Oxford – and even talks about appreciating Brown’s landscaping while competing in the Blenheim Palace triathlon.
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Recorded only days after the EU referendum, this wide-ranging interview focuses on uncertainty in British politics and the transformative nature of an Oxford education. Baroness Shephard - a Remain voter - discusses the implications of Brexit and what the future might hold, as well as her own political career at the heart of John Major's Conservative government in the 1990s.
An alumna of St Hilda's College, where she read French and Latin, Baroness Shephard emphasises how studying at Oxford changed her life by broadening her horizons after her upbringing in rural Norfolk. She also praises Oxford University's outreach work, and the Alumni Weekend - an event she knows well from her position as the outgoing chair of the Alumni Board. -
Freelance journalist and broadcaster Henry Bonsu shares his experiences studying Modern Languages at Magdalen College and offers an insight into what it was like to be a black student at Oxford in the late eighties. Bonsu started his career as a journalist with BBC radio in 1990, working on programmes such as Today, World at One, Public Eye, and Black Britain, before establishing himself as the anchor of the Drivetime programme on BBC London 94.9 FM where he would interview prominent celebrities and politicians. After famously being axed from the BBC for being “too intellectual”, Bonsu went on to be director and presenter of Colourful Radio, a digital station aimed at Europe's African and Caribbean communities. He has also written for The Times, The Mail on Sunday, Daily Express, and the London Evening Standard.
In this podcast, Bonsu reflects on his time at Oxford and why he wrote an article during his studies on ‘being black in the ivory tower,’ as well as offering advice to black students who might not think that Oxford is for them. -
Kathleen Sullivan praises the tutorial system and her Oxford education, explaining how it has contributed to her successful career in academia and the courtroom. She shares her experiences as the former Dean of Stanford Law School, and refers to her work representing major companies in the US Supreme Court.
A Marshall scholar, Sullivan read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Wadham College in Oxford, where she developed her love of constitutional law, as well as interests in rowing and acting. She talks about the ‘enduring bond’ between alumni and their alma mater, describes becoming a named partner at the major law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, and speaks of her faith in US political institutions ahead of the presidential race for the White House. This interview was recorded in Washington DC before the Alumni Weekend in North America in April 2016. -
Comedian and broadcaster Ruby Wax shares her experiences of studying mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy and why she taken on a mission to save the world’s mental health. Wax started her career as a comic interviewer with shows such as Don’t Miss Wax, The Full Wax, and Ruby Wax Meets, and was also a script-editor for the popular TV series, Absolutely Fabulous. Since studying Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at Kellogg College, she has written two books about her interest in mental health and her own struggles with depression and anxiety; Sane New World, which became a number one best-seller, and her latest book, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled. She has also received an OBE in the Special Honours for Services to Mental Health.
For this podcast interview, Ruby talks about her experiences at Oxford and how her studies in mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy have shaped the latter half of her career, as well as giving us a taster of what we can expect at the Alumni Weekend in Oxford in September 2016. -
Multi-talented alumnus Tom McMillen describes his extraordinary life as a professional basketball player, scholar, politician and businessman. At 6’ 11’’ and from a sporty family, the American was always destined for basketball, and he played at the highest levels, including in the controversial final between the US and USSR at the Olympic Games in 1972.
A Rhodes scholarship to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at University College in Oxford followed, and he juggled his studies simultaneously with a professional basketball career. After 11 years playing in the NBA, McMillen embarked on his political career, serving three consecutive terms as a Democratic Congressman for Maryland.
In this interview, McMillen also reflects upon his ‘multiple career disorder’, discusses US politics, and predicts victory for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race for the White House. The interview was recorded at the Alumni Weekend in North America in Washington DC in April 2016. -
Interview with Olympic athlete and public speaker Mara Yamauchi as part of the Alumni Voices Podcast series. Olympic athlete and public speaker Mara Yamauchi shares her experiences training for competitive sports and offers an insight into what it takes to become a world-class long distance runner.
Studying PPE at St. Anne’s College, Mara started her career as a diplomat with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and was posted to Tokyo for four years, before returning to her dream of becoming a full-time athlete at the age of 33. Her career highlights include winning the bronze medal in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games 10,000m, winning the 2008 Osaka Ladies’ Marathon, finishing runner-up in the 2009 London Marathon, and finishing sixth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (the joint best performance ever by a British woman in the Olympic marathon).
For this podcast interview, Mara talks about her career in sport and more recently as a coach and public speaker. Mara has an impressive athletic record as the UK’s second fastest female marathon runner of all time and has worked with BBC Sport, British Athletics, and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
Olympic athlete and public speaker Mara Yamauchi shares her experiences training for competitive sports and offers an insight into what it takes to become a world-class long distance runner.
Studying PPE at St. Anne’s College, Mara started her career as a diplomat with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and was posted to Tokyo for four years, before returning to her dream of becoming a full-time athlete at the age of 33. Her career highlights include winning the bronze medal in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games 10,000m, winning the 2008 Osaka Ladies’ Marathon, finishing runner-up in the 2009 London Marathon, and finishing sixth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (the joint best performance ever by a British woman in the Olympic marathon).
For this podcast interview, Mara talks about her career in sport and more recently as a coach and public speaker. Mara has an impressive athletic record as the UK’s second fastest female marathon runner of all time and has worked with BBC Sport, British Athletics, and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. -
Tim Harford shares his prize-winning economic insights, explaining why you can’t buy a decent used car and why you should exercise caution with big data. The author of the million-selling The Undercover Economist talks about the numbers of everyday life and his journalistic career, including writing for the Financial Times and presenting More or Less on BBC Radio 4.
In this podcast interview, the Economics Commentator of the Year for 2014 describes how his interest in economics developed unexpectedly. After his state school education, Harford studied PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) at Brasenose College in Oxford due to a timetabling clash at an Open Day. Harford later wanted to drop Economics, but continued with the subject because of advice from his tutor. A Master’s in Economics followed, and today he maintains his links with the University of Oxford as he is a Visiting Fellow at Nuffield College. - Show more
