Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton we have a lovely, fascinating chat with another of our most wonderful and high-impact alumni - the amazing Stephanie Todd, Strategic Operational Lead for Sustainability at Kingston University.Our relaxed chat covers Stephanie's background, how and why she became dedicated to sustainability, her ridiculously impressive impact as a young college student, her excellent university contributions, and why it's so important to grab every opportunity that happens to come your way. We then move to discuss her time at Qinetiq, followed by her exceptional work leading operational sustainability at Kingston University and how she approaches collaborative sustainability work with her excellent education colleagues.Stephanie is a total star, someone I have always enjoyed working with, spending time with, and look forward to continuing to collaborate with. We hope you enjoy this episode!Episode guest: Stephanie ToddEpisode host: Prof Simon KempEpisode editor: Libby KaleEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI) at the University of Southampton we explore the intersections between theatre and sustainability.  We are joined by Victoria Briggs to discuss the development of her ambitious and exciting new theatre project, Earth Mother.  This is an eye-opening discussion addressing an area of critical importance in how we tackle sustainability challenges through a lesser-explored lens.  Some of the most exciting work in the sustainability sector is happening through the arts so we hope you will enjoy this episode. To book a ticket to the work in progress show and panel discussion please click here: https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/earth-mother-shout-2024/# Episode guest: Victoria BriggsEpisode host: Prof Simon Kemp (SRI Deputy Director)Episode editor: Libby Kale (SRI Intern)

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI) at the University of Southampton we (virtually) travel to Ghana for a discussion on Climate Change and Health research, collaboration, community engagement, and outcomes with Dr Michael Head and Jessica Boxall.  This is a fascinating discussion with many lightbulb moments that are only possible through the engagement, support and personal stories approach taken by Michael and Jessica over their many years of working in Ghana.Episode guests: Dr Michael Head & Jessica BoxallEpisode host: Prof Simon Kemp (SRI Deputy Director)Episode editor: Libby Kale (SRI Intern)Engage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this student episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI) at the University of Southampton we explore the work of the University of Southampton Environmental Science Student Society (EnvSoc) with the President and Committee members.  Through this episode, six of the committee members discuss the society, its current goals and potential goals for the future. EnvSoc is a society for all Environmental Science students or Students interested in the environment. The society works to emphasise sustainability within the university while also creating a safe space for students to interact with one another and help their local communities through conservation and other environmental work. Host: Jack DinhamGuests: Tejal HariharFinlay LillaywhiteToby PhoenixDaisy PowellBethany Seaman(The host and all guests are Environmental Science students at the University of Southampton).Episode editor: Jack DinhamEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI) at the University of Southampton we have a big panel discussion about the SRI visit to the 2024 Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Assembly at the University of Manchester, UK.The Tyndall Centre is "a partnership of universities bringing together researchers from the social and natural sciences and engineering to develop sustainable responses to climate change. We work with leaders from the public and private sectors to promote informed decisions on mitigating and adapting to climate change." (Tyndall Centre, 2024).In this episode you can listen to the thoughts, expectations, experiences, outcomes, and dancing activities of the SRI representation of staff, early career researchers and an undergraduate student, as well as a little dive into the impressive partnership work conducted by the Tyndall Centre.Hear from our episode guests: Prof Craig Hutton (SRI Director), Prof Lindsay-Marie Armstrong (SRI Deputy Director), Dr Alice Brock (SRI SDG Project Officer), Grace Compton (SRI Policy Officer), Early Career Researchers Laurence Cannings (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oxford), Gracie Horton (SCDTP), Chloé Combs (INSPIRE), and Ruby Fox (BSc Biomedical Sciences student).Thanks to Jack Dinham for managing to turn by far the largest number of guests on our podcast into the usual brilliantly edited episode! Also, apologies for my mic levels - due to the number of guests we had to make some adjustments to equipment and rightly sacrificed my mic-stand!Episode guests listed aboveEpisode host: Prof Simon Kemp (SRI Deputy Director)Episode editor: Jack Dinham (SRI Intern)Engage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton we have a lovely, relaxed chat with another of our most wonderful and entertaining alumni, the amazing Bitsy Pout.Our chat covers Bitsy's background, how and why she became dedicated to nature and wider sustainability issues, how she decided to become an Environmental Scientist, her brilliant work as a student leader at university level, Bitsy's contributions to the national Education for Sustainable Development Guidance and subsequent Earth and Environmental Science Subject Benchmark Statement,  her conservation volunteering work in the UK and overseas, and we conclude with her graduate role as an Ecologist at BSG Ecology. Bitsy is a real star, someone I always enjoy working with and spending time with, and we hope you enjoy this episode!Episode guest: Bitsy PoutEpisode host: Prof Simon KempEpisode editor: Jack DinhamEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

Welcome to Season 4 of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton.  In this first episode of the season we return to 'Careers in Sustainability' with a great chat with Kate Otto and Samantha James, two inspirational sustainability advocates, teachers and leaders at the largest Sixth-Form College in the UK, Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh, Hampshire. Kate is a Chartered Geographer, the Royal Geography Society Ordnance Survey Award for Excellence in Geographical Teaching at Secondary Level, and Geography A-level teacher at Barton Peveril College.  Samantha is the College Sustainability Lead, creator and lead of the brilliant 'Big Barton Give Back Day' and Director of Curriculum – Media, Film, and Technology.Our chat covers the importance of engaging sixth-form students in sustainability action and education, how the SDGs fit into and across curricula, and provides a window into just how rewarding and impactful a career in secondary education can be!  We cover many issues across this episode and we hope you enjoy our chat!  In keeping with the focus of the conversation, this episode is edited by one of the Barton Peveril College students, Evan Kemp.Apologies for my host audio levels being lower than the guests - I had the mic turned down too low in the recording (as I'm generally too loud) and amplifying it in editing made it very 'hissy' - although some might argue I should always be nice and low in the mix, and it is definitely preferable having the guests louder and with higher quality sound........Episode guests: Kate Otto and Samantha James, Barton Peveril Sixth Form CollegeEpisode host: Prof Simon KempEpisode editor: Evan KempEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

It is with a heavy heart that we close the student takeover season of the Meliora podcast with an episode all about our amazing co-creators, editors and interns Lily Killner and Sophie Green who are about to graduate and leave us :(In this episode we chat about how Sophie and Lily applied for an internship that wasn't actually quite what they were sold, how clueless we were with everything when starting the co-creation of the podcast, what it's like to be a student intern whilst also completing their degree studies, and their plans for the future.  We then close with a sad farewell (for now).This episode marks the end of an era.  We wouldn't have even got to recording and releasing an episode if it wasn't for these two wonderful colleagues. I will be forever grateful, will really miss working with them, and they are obviously always part of the podcast team.Guests: Lily Killner (BSc Environmental Science Graduate) and Sophie Green (BSc Geography Graduate)Host: Prof Simon KempEditor: Lily Killner

In this Student Takeover episode of the Meliora podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI) at the University of Southampton we are joined by our SRI Work Placement student and guest editor Alisha Ashworth who discusses the work of the SRI and the future of our world with our Director Prof Craig Hutton. We address a wide range of topics from the perspective of young people going through school and college, along with views around our collective futures.Editor: Alisha AshworthGuests: Alisha Ashworth and Prof Craig HuttonHost: Prof Simon KempEngage with us on X & Instagram: @MelioraPodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Francois-Xavier Lecomte (MSci Marine Biology with Oceanography) to discuss his dissertation 'Relationships between top marine predators and oceanographic features in the Southern Ocean'. In the dynamic Southern Ocean, marine predators movement behaviours are intricately shaped by oceanographic conditions. This study utilized data from 17 top marine predators in the RAATD dataset spanning from 1991 to 2016 to investigate how environmental variables—including sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll a concentration (Chl), sea level anomalies (SLA), and sea ice—affect their spatial dynamics and habitat preferences. Using a Generalized Additive Mixed Model, we assessed how these factors influence predator interactions with ocean currents. Additionally, an integrated step-selection function analysis elucidated habitat preferences across species and their various breeding stages. Our findings highlight a significant correlation between movement directions and current dynamics, with species-specific preferences for oceanographic features such as eddies and frontal systems. While SST, SLA, and Chl consistently influence habitat selection across all species, only SST significantly impacts habitat selection across all breeding stages. Moreover, some species demonstrate avoidance behaviour toward areas with sea ice. These results underscore the importance of considering individual species ecological needs and behaviours in marine conservation strategies, especially given the rapidly changing conditions of the Southern Ocean. Our study emphasizes the critical role of sophisticated modelling techniques in understanding predator-prey dynamics and habitat utilization, which are essential for creating effective marine protected areas and management plans. Future research should focus on enhancing model resolution and integrating more comprehensive environmental data to better predict and manage marine predator populations within shifting global ocean conditions, thereby ensuring their long-term survival and ecological balance. Additionally, adaptive management strategies are needed to respond to unpredicted changes in habitat conditions and predators responses.The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.Episode Guest: Francois-Xavier Lecomte Episode Host: Prof Simon KempEpisode Editor: Libby KaleEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Aeronautics and Astronautics student Manisha Mahesh Kumar to discuss her dissertation 'Route Optimisation for Space Debris Removal'.Manisha discusses her unique approach for space debris removal and remediation with particular focus of SDG9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. She explains the current state of the space environment and major events that contributed to space debris accumulation. She elaborates on how a satellite moves through space and how the different manoeuvres it makes contribute to the algorithm design. Manisha details how the algorithm can be tailored by the user to suit the mission profile. We also talk about the comparison of this algorithm to existing heuristics with regards to the computational power used and the optimality of the generated route. Finally, we explore her journey throughout completion of this project. To help listeners grasp the complexity of this issue, she suggests visiting AstriaGraph, a platform for visualizing all bodies, including debris, orbiting the Earth in real-time.AstriaGraph: http://astria.tacc.utexas.edu/AstriaGraph/The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Session where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate students.Episode Guest: Manisha Mahesh KumarEpisode Host: Prof Simon KempEpisode Editor: Libby KaleEngage with us on Instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium at the University of Southampton, we are joined by Hannah Portman (BSc Geography) for an exploration of her dissertation research titled: “The Rice Industry in the Mekong River Delta in a Changing Climate”.Rice is a vital commodity for ensuring food security as it is a staple food source for more than half of the world’s population and with a growing population the demand for rice is ever-increasing. Deltas are agriculturally rich, hosting some of the most important rice-growing regions in the world, such as the Mekong River Delta, which is known as the ‘rice bowl of Vietnam’.Climate change can adversely impact the rice yield, by changing precipitation and temperature regimes, more extreme events (e.g., drought and floods) and salinisation due to sea level rise, which creates a hostile environment for plant growth. In deltas, sea level rise and the resulting salinity intrusion poses the greatest ongoing risk to irrigated rice farming. Therefore, a rapid surge in diversifying farming systems or the complete transition to aquaculture has occurred in the Mekong River Delta. Although this transition is beneficial for farmers financial capital, their social capital diminishes. Rice cultivation has a long rich history with traditional culture and customs associated around the rice harvesting calendar, so if there continues to be this change in agricultural production there will inevitably be a shift in the social fabric of the community.There was limited research focussing on the past, present and future state of rice production in the Mekong River Delta. Therefore, I looked at the loss and gain of land cover from 1990 to 2020 in 10-year intervals focussing particular on the spatial and temporal dynamics of rice paddy extent, as well as aquaculture, to be able to understand the past and present state. Then I modelled potential sea level rise scenarios to understand the extent of rice paddies impacted in the future if we continue to warm the planet.Further reading:Park, E., Loc, H.H., Van Binh, D. and Kantoush, S. (2021), ‘The worst 2020 saline water intrusion disaster of the past century in the Mekong Delta: Impacts, causes, and management implications’, Ambio, 51, pp.691–699 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8800995/pdf/13280_2021_Article_1577.pdfThe Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.Guest: Hannah Portman (Third-Year BSc Geography Student)Host: Prof Simon KempEditor: Sophie GreenIf you are interested in engaging with more sustainability-related material take a look at both Instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium at the University of Southampton, we are joined by Isabelle Horrocks (BA Geography) for an exploration of her dissertation research titled: ‘Exploring the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on sustainable consumption practices among students’. Over recent years, the combination of stagnant wage growth and a sharp rise in inflation has driven a significant increase in the cost of living across the UK. In accordance, consumption behaviours have altered, especially among university students who are often on lower incomes. This research aims to provide a critical insight into how student consumption behaviours have been impacted as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, while simultaneously offering tentative suggestions into whether these practices have become more or less sustainable.  Throughout the episode we discuss the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on sustainable behaviours and consumption practices, highlighting the impact of economic pressures on making sustainable choices. The complexity of assessing sustainability is also examined, followed by a discussion of methodological considerations and key findings from the project. Further resources: A useful tool from The Office For National Statistics to visualise how the average price of goods are changing: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/shoppingpricescomparisontool/2023-05-03 The challenges associated with measuring sustainability: Sikdar, S. (2020) ‘Measures for Sustainability’, Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 22(2), pp. 279–280. doi:10.1007/s10098-020-01817-y. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10098-020-01817-y) Sustainable consumption and behavioural change:https://timjackson.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Jackson.-2005.-Motivating-Sustainable-Consumption.pdf The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students. Guest: Isabelle Horrocks (Third-Year BA Geography Student) Host: Prof Simon Kemp Editor: Lily KillnerEngage with us on Instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Holly Hoban (BSc Environmental Science) to discuss her Independent Research Project ‘Spotting Resilience: Measuring the Effect of Vegetation Turing Patterns in Dryland Ecosystems.’ Since the development of aerial photography, striking vegetation patterns such as spots, stripes and labyrinths have been identified and studied in drylands across the globe. They are examples of Turing patterns, self-organised features which emerge due to simple feedback processes. This dissertation project used satellite data to test whether these patterns make ecosystem productivity more stable over time, or more resilient to droughts. Results showed that patterned samples were more resilient than non-patterned samples and suggested that different types of patterns affect resilience differently, with the most efficient structures not always achieving the best outcome. If incorporated into management strategies, vegetation patterns could benefit conservation, restoration, and agriculture in regions threatened by desertification and climate change, as well as having implications for other areas of resilience research. This research relates to SDGs 2, 11, 13 and 15. Relevant articles for further reading: Evasion of tipping in complex systems through spatial pattern formation https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abj0359 Bridging ecology and physics: Australian fairy circles regenerate following model assumptions on ecohydrological feedbacks https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2745.13493 The global biogeography and environmental drivers of fairy circles https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2304032120 The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.  Episode Guest: Holly Hoban  Episode Host: Prof Simon Kemp Episode Editor: Sophie Green  Engage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Debjyoti “Deb” Sengupta (MEng Mechanical Aerospace Engineering) to discuss his Group Design Project 'Venus Specialised Exploration Rover (VESPER)'.As per the scientific community, there is a consensus that Venus, often referred to as Earth’s evil twin, may allow us to understand our planet in a way that could help us tackle climate change (SDG 13) whilst encouraging development of new technology. However, recent concerns with sustainability in space exploration (e.g., space debris and costs) and the political agendas of space powers such as the US, Russia, India, Europe, and Japan has introduced new dynamics and stakes to this scientific quest (or shall we say – new space race!) With NASA announcing two planned missions to explore Venus in 2031, a group of our students led by the speaker were chosen to deliver a functional proof-of-concept prototype for a rover to explore the Venusian surface, allowing everyone to research on topics ranging from geology to exoplanet identification to climate change mitigation. This group project caters to a variety of UN SDGs, with discussions on the innovative concept for a non-electronic mechanical spacecraft and its constituting systems (SDG 9), manufacturing requirements and reduction in silicon mining (SDG 12) and the opportunity for space to become a mainframe economic sector (SDG 8). Our host and our guest speaker also talk about the project serving as a platform for upskilling and inspiring upcoming generations (SDG 4) while emphasising on the need for international collaborations to ensure any form of space exploration is peaceful and does not become a front for conflicts in this new era of astropolitics (SDG 16 and 17). In the words of our guest – “The project serves as a platform for true change while serving as a reminder that mankind must learn from its past mistakes with technology. If space were to become unsustainable or a front for future wars, then the day will come when mankind would stop admiring the night sky and curse the work of the pioneers of space exploration, just like the nuclear community.” ”The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students. Guest: Debjyoti SenguptaHost: Prof Simon KempEditor: Jack Dinham

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium at the University of Southampton, we are joined by third-year BSc Environmental Science student Sarah Ait Mouhoub for an exploration of her dissertation research titled: "Exploring Algeria's Offshore Wind Potential for Sustainable Energy Development." Sarah's dissertation explores the potential for deploying offshore wind farms off the coast of Algeria by assessing a set of technical, environmental and socio-economic criteria. The use of MCDM allows for the criteria to be evaluated while accounting for their relative importance and GIS provides the tools and a visual aid in site selection. Algeria, along with many lower to middle income countries, must begin reducing their reliance on fossil fuels to not only contribute to reducing greenhouse emissions, but to also secure their energy sector in order to provide a reliable and sustainable supply. The project is directly linked to SDG 7 but during the episode, it is also highlighted how it can support the progression towards meeting targets of other SDGs.  Further reading: Taoufik, M. and Fekri, A. (2021). GIS-based multi-criteria analysis of offshore wind farm development in Morocco. Energy Conversion and Management: X, 11. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2021.100103. Uyan, M. (2013). GIS-based solar farms site selection using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in Karapinar region, Konya/Turkey. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 28, pp.11–17. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2013.07.042. Díaz, H. and Guedes Soares, C. (2020). Review of the current status, technology and future trends of offshore wind farms. Ocean Engineering, [online] 209, p.107381. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107381. The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students. Guest: Sarah Ait Mahoub (Third-Year BSc Environmental Science Student) Host: Prof Simon Kemp Editor: Lily Killner

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium at the University of Southampton we are joined by Tazmin Jeffreys to discuss her independent research project titled: “Rural vs Urban: Differences in consumer clothing habits and attitudes towards fast fashion”In recent years fast fashion has become one of the main polluters in the world due to its major environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas contribution, waste water production and landfill. With the help of government policies, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, producers can limit their contribution to the fast fashion crisis. However, producers need to balance this with their understanding of consumer habits. Recent literature has looked into habits and attitudes of consumers towards fast fashion, however there is limited evidence about whether location impacts this. Therefore, this study looks into the comparison of rural and urban participants’ clothing habits and knowledge of fast fashion. Further Reading:Harnett, D.S. (2011) Fashion and Shopping Orientation of Rural vs. Urban UW-Stout Students. Master’s Thesis. The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout. Available at: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=48ac8de1c148032e040 70506ddf8f592b198243f United Nations (2018) UN Helps Fashion Industry Shift to Low Carbon | UNFCCC, United Nations Climate Change. Available at: https://unfccc.int/news/un-helps-fashion-industry- shift-to-low-carbon (Accessed: 30 November 2023). Zhang, B., Zhang, Y. and Zhou, P. (2021) ‘Consumer Attitude Towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK’, Sustainability, 13(4), pp. 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041646 The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students. Episode guest: Tazmin Jeffreys Episode host: Prof Simon KempEpisode editor: Lily KillnerEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by final-year MSci Biology and Marine Biology student Finola Kirrane who dives into her dissertation about the use of animal-borne devices to unravel the feeding habits of Chinstrap penguins in Antarctica.Our discussion begins with Finola sharing her experience processing the mountains of data collected by colleagues at the British Antarctic Survey to paint a holistic picture of penguin foraging strategies. She then walks us through how she constructed a model which can predict the number of prey items caught by penguins based on their dive patterns, describing some new discoveries about the behaviour of peckish penguins. Finally, we consider the future applications of this approach through a conservation and sustainability lens, touching on the importance of Antarctic environments to human societies.Finola's passion for penguins shines bright throughout the episode, so we hope you enjoy listening!Episode guest: Finola KirraneEpisode host: Prof Simon KempEpisode editor: Jack DinhamThe Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.Engage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Final year undergraduate Philosophy student Roux Davies to discuss his dissertation ‘Misrecognition, Repression & Detransition: An Account of Gender as Ideology’. Roux discusses Philosophy’s unique approach to sustainability issues with particular focus of SDG 5: Gender Equality. He outlines what ideology is and the way it functions in gender. He talks about the role his personal experience of detransition played in forming his dissertation. He talks about the responsibility he feels he shares with academics to produce work which is mindful of its effect on the world. We also hear the perspective of a humanities student on the need for humanities in sustainability. Finally, we discuss the way popular media discusses and often stands as an obstacle to achieving SDGs.The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.Episode Guest: Roux Davies Episode Host: Prof Simon KempEpisode Editor: Libby KaleEngage with us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast

In this episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton, we are joined by Joe Hattersley (BSc Environmental Geoscience) to explain why you should care about mine waste.  We discuss how strange fluids draining from huge mine waste piles in the mountains of Cyprus relate to Carbon Dioxide removal, circular thinking, and a variety of SDGs. Plus, the episode offers some advice and insights from Simon and the university experience.Very good journal article on enhanced weathering and tailings: Frontiers | Global Carbon Dioxide Removal Potential of Waste Materials From Metal and Diamond Mining (frontiersin.org)Article on the waters of the Troodos Mountains, Cyprus. A little geochemical and geology heavy but great context: Active near-surface mobilisation of slab-derived geochemical signatures by hyperalkaline waters in brecciated serpentinites - ScienceDirect Small and friendly article on the asbestos mine (less  complex geology): https://www.visitsolea.com/amiantos-asbestos-mine/?lang=enThe Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2024 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.Guest: Joe Hattersley (Third-Year BSc Environmental Geoscience Student)Host: Prof Simon KempEditor: Sophie GreenIf you are interested in engaging with more sustainability-related material take a look at both Instagram and X: @meliorapodcast