Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Welcome to the Green Gown Award winning Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton!
This podcast explores the greatest and most wicked problem that is sustainability, whilst looking at how we are collectively addressing this critical global challenge.
Sustainability needs to be addressed by understanding how the economy, society, culture, politics and environment intersect, and this is the focus that informs each episode of the Meliora podcast.
In each episode, host Professor Simon Kemp and guest hosts are joined by a variety of guests, including academics, students, staff, researchers, alumni, community groups and business leaders.
The aim of the podcast is to shine a light on the vast range of topics surrounding sustainability and to allow listeners to learn about the critical challenges we face, as well as how they can be part of the solution. We also ensure our fantastic students have the opportunity to share their brilliant work with the world.
Podcast host: Professor Simon Kemp, Deputy Director of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute, University of Southampton
Podcast editors: Jack Dinham, Ellie Howell, Mya Harvey, Lily Killner, Sophie Green, Libby Kale, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton
Podcast communications: Tyler Domone-Hollands, Hannah Parish, Alexander Ayerst, Maya Stevens, University of Southampton
Please do get in touch to discuss this podcast and any of the issues we raise by emailing sri@soton.ac.uk
Follow us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast
Episodes
127 episodes
🧟♂️ The Zombie Apocalypse and the Sustainable Development Goals - part 1 🧟♀️
We know you often ask ‘if there’s a Zombie Apocalypse, how on Earth will we achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?’. So, we have recorded a special double 🧟♂️ episode addressing this very question! The brilliant Jack D...
Charlotte Bonner, Chief Executive of the EAUC
We're thrilled to welcome the wonderful Charlotte Bonner, Chief Executive of the EAUC and one of the true leaders of the Sustainability Education sector onto the Meliora Podcast! ...
Careers in Sustainability: Bronwyn Lee on early career opportunities in the global environmental response industry
We are delighted to welcome the excellent Bronwyn Lee, Consultant at Oil Spill Response Ltd onto the podcast to learn about she has managed to build a sustainability career as a recent Masters graduate.Bronwyn discusses her early love fo...
Careers in Sustainability: Michelle Papayannakos on seizing opportunities for leadership and impact
Michelle Papayannakos is a widely recognized and highly respected leader in the sustainability world, and someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for. With a career that spans the media (BBC, Paramount), rail industry, safety, and M...
Riba Rocks - celebrating art, culture and sustainability in Catalunya and beyond
We are delighted to welcome Sarah Misselbrook, Director of the award-winning not-for-profit Riba Rocks association in Catalunya, Spain to this episode of the Meliora podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University o...
Sport & Sustainability with Emily Cole - part 2
Welcome to the second part of 'Sport and Sustainability' with Emily Cole, where we continue our chat exploring the complexity, joy, challenges and wellbeing benefits in this fascinating area of sustainability on this episode of the Green Gown A...
Sport & Sustainability with Emily Cole - part 1
We are joined again by Sustainability Teaching Fellow, PhD student and regular Meliora guest Emily Cole to discuss the complexity, joy and challenges in sport and sustainability on this episode of the Green Gown Award winning Meliora podcast fr...
Social Impact Lab: The journey of Kick4Life F.C. and co-founder Steve Fleming MBE
The Social Impact Lab, hosted by the Meliora podcast, is delighted to be joined by Steve Fleming MBE to discuss the inspirational work of Kick4Life F.C., a football club dedicated to social change. Kick4Life is a multi-award-winning chari...
Introducing the Social Impact Lab and Director David Light
The Meliora podcast is delighted to share that we have partnered with the Social Impact Lab (SIL) at the University of Southampton to release episodes all about their wonderfully transformative work. In this introductory episode we chat w...
Southampton Climate Action Network (SoCAN) and the work of Rebecca Kinge & Izzy Sargent
We are delighted to be joined by the brilliant Rebecca Kinge and Izzy Sargent of the Southampton Climate Action Network (SoCAN) to discuss the crucial work they and community collective colleagues are conducting across the city of Southampton. ...
DRAGON-Mekong Institute and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute Research Exchange Programme - episode 3
In the summer of 2025 the DRAGON-Mekong Institute at Can Tho University Viet Nam and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton UK worked together on a research exchange programme for undergraduates, masters ...
DRAGON-Mekong Institute and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute Research Exchange Programme - episode 2
In the summer of 2025 the DRAGON-Mekong Institute at Can Tho University Viet Nam and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton UK worked together on a research exchange programme for undergraduates, masters ...
DRAGON-Mekong Institute and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute Research Exchange Programme - episode 1
In the summer of 2025 the DRAGON-Mekong Institute at Can Tho University Viet Nam and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton UK worked together on a research exchange programme for undergraduates, masters ...
Team Meliora at the Green Gown Awards 2025, Reflections & Ramblings
This is just a bit of fun. Not a serious sustainability research, education or careers episode, this is an informal recording of some of the Meliora team chatting before, during and after the 2025 Green Gown Awards. We reflect on t...
Prof Denise Baden: sustainability academic, fiction author, leader and innovator
We are delighted to welcome the inspirational and all round wonderful sustainability expert Professor Denise Baden to what is now the 'Green Gown Award Winning' Meliora podcast from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute at the University ...
Careers in Sustainability: Jenny Abery from the Hawk Conservancy Trust on her conservation education career, studies, and lifelong relationships
The Meliora podcast is back for a new academic year, and we're joined by the brilliant Jenny Abery (Principal Educator) at the wonderful Hawk Conservancy Trust (https://www.hawk-conservancy.org/) ...
Billy Weir: Assessing the impact of Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) reintroduction on fish populations in Plymouth, England
Billy Weir MSci Environmental Science joins us again for his episode, this time on his Masters research project "Assessing the impact of Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) reintroduction on fish populations in Plymouth, England".Abstract - R...
Nurulhuda Gumay Riswandi: How can we explore and compare health infrastructures and delivery of healthcare services of two regions affected by conflict and political instability?
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 instabil...
Joelle Foster: An investigation into music engagement in adults in the UK and its relationship with general levels of nostalgia and mental well-being
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 liste...
Jack Carter, Shaska Nicholson, Montasir Ahmed: ‘The Use of GenAI in Higher Education’
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...
Joseph Gray: Exploring how international visitors perceive the sustainability of transport at Milford Sound & the role of COVID-19 in reimagining travel at the site.
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: E...
James Machay: The Catalyst for change - exploring sustainability and pressures in non-league football
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 ...
Sophie Vokes: Does Crymlyn Bog follow the traditional theory of hydrosphere wetlands?
Sophie Vokes, BSc Geography joins us to discuss her research project "Does Crymlyn Bog follow the traditional theory of hydrosphere wetlands?"AbstractThis study employed macrofossil analysis to investigate environmental c...
Eleanor Toppin: A Comparative Study: Exploring Student Consumer Perspectives on the Transition from Non-Ethical to Ethical Fashion Purchases
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...
Sam Atkinson: Is the Siberian Boreal Forest nearing a Tipping Point?
Sam Atkinson, BSc Geography, joins us to discuss his research project "Is the Siberian Boreal Forest nearing a Tipping Point?"AbstractIncreasing air temperatures, drought and wildfire is impacting the health of the Siberi...