Podcast
Oxford Brookes Unscripted
Hosted by The Public Engagement Network, Oxford Brookes University · EN
This podcast series from the Public Engagement Network (PEN) at Oxford Brookes University is a platform for academics, across all faculties, to informally share, discuss and contemplate their research with the wider community
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Moving Through Menopause: How Exercise Supports Health, Confidence and Community
Jan 1300:46:26Summary readyMenopause is a natural part of life - but for many women, it can bring physical, emotional, and social challenges that are still rarely talked about openly. In this episode of Oxford Brookes Unscripted, we speak with Dr Anne Delextrat and Dr Adam Bibbey about their research exploring how exercise can support women through menopause - not just physically, but mentally and socially too. From Zumba Gold classes in local communities to innovative workplace-based exercise programmes, they share findings from studies that show improvements in strength, energy, mental wellbeing, motivation, and social connection - particularly for women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The conversation explores why community, enjoyment, and feeling safe and supported matter just as much as the exercise itself, how workplaces can play a powerful role in wellbeing, and why it’s never too late to start moving - even if exercise feels daunting. Whether you’re experiencing menopause yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in how research can improve everyday lives, this episode offers insight, reassurance, and plenty of inspiration.
SummaryCan Fashion Grow Without Costing the Earth? Rethinking Clothing Through Circular Fashion with Dr Rebecca Beech
Dec 1601:04:23Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Oxford Brookes Unscripted, Senior Lecturer in Marketing Dr Rebecca Beech takes us inside the world of circular fashion — and why the future of what we wear may depend on renting, repairing and rethinking our relationship with clothes. Drawing on her United Nations PRME research, cross-UK interviews, and comparative analysis of four rental fashion start-ups, Rebecca explores the motivations and barriers behind renting, the role of trust, and how stigma around sustainable choices still shapes everyday behaviour. We discuss the rise of flexible rental subscriptions, how technology like virtual try-on tools could close experience gaps, and why belonging, community and education are crucial to shifting mindsets. From microplastics to mending workshops, policy gaps to AI chatbots, this episode asks: What would a truly circular, sustainable wardrobe look like — and how close are we to getting there?
Transcribe →Laying the Foundations for Change: Building Skills, Curiosity and Community
Nov 1300:31:11Tap to summarizeConstruction is changing - and so is how we learn from it. In this episode of Oxford Brookes Unscripted, Morgan Sindall Construction and Oxford Brookes University discuss how their partnership is inspiring young people, empowering students, and embedding social value and sustainability into the heart of the construction industry. Featuring voices from Morgan Sindall’s team, Brookes students on placement, and those leading social value initiatives, this episode explores how industry and academia can collaborate to create real impact - building skills, confidence, and opportunities for everyone, and showing that there’s a place for all in construction.
Transcribe →FACT Episode 3: Fatigue after critical illness- looking to the future
Nov 1100:26:20Tap to summarizeIn this final episode of a three-part mini-series, Dr Louise Stayt, Professor Suzanne Bench, and Rebecca Langley discuss how the FACT intervention is being delivered and evaluated to support ICU survivors living with post-critical illness fatigue. The team explores the role of healthcare professionals, the importance of digital accessibility, and the value of both qualitative and quantitative feedback in shaping meaningful recovery. Looking ahead, they consider the potential impact of the study on future healthcare practice and how listeners can get involved in supporting this vital work.
Transcribe →FACT Episode 2: Co-producing an intervention to help people affected by fatigue after critical illness
Nov 1100:17:43Tap to summarizeHow can research help ICU survivors manage the long-term effects of critical illness? In this second episode of a three-part mini-series, Dr Louise Stayt, Professor Suzanne Bench, and Rebecca Langley discuss the development of the Fatigue After Critical Illness Trial (FACT) study - a co-produced, web-based self-management intervention designed to support people living with post-ICU fatigue. The team reflects on the inspiration behind the project, the challenges in existing post-critical care support, and how genuine collaboration between researchers, patients, healthcare staff and families has shaped this innovative approach to recovery.
Transcribe →FACT Episode 1: Fatigue After Critical Illness - a Hidden Burden
Nov 1100:07:40Tap to summarizeFatigue is one of the most common - and least understood - challenges people face after surviving a critical illness. In this opening episode of a three-part mini-series, we speak with critical care researchers Dr Louise Stayt, Professor Suzanne Bench, and patient co-applicant Rebecca Langley about the hidden impact of fatigue on recovery and daily life. Rebecca shares her personal experience of rebuilding strength and confidence, while the team explores why awareness of post-ICU fatigue has become even more important in the wake of COVID-19.
Transcribe →From One Generation to the Next: Stories of Motherhood with Professor Tina Miller
Nov 401:00:45Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Oxford Brookes Unscripted, we sit down with Professor Tina Miller to explore how the journey into motherhood has evolved across generations - and how some pressures never quite disappear. Drawing on her groundbreaking books Making Sense of Motherhood and Motherhood: Contemporary Transitions and Generational Change, Tina discusses what her research reveals about gender practices, family lives, and the enduring cultural expectations placed on mothers - and by association, fathers.
Transcribe →Balancing acts: A life that changed the way we work - Part 3
Oct 3000:20:02Tap to summarizeJoin Professor Simonetta Manfredi and Joanna Foster CBE for a powerful new mini podcast series exploring the evolution of work-life balance and equality in the workplace through the lens of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Drawing on Joanna’s remarkable career — from chairing the EOC to shaping national work-life policies — this series reflects on pivotal moments of change and considers their lasting impact on the world of work. Across the episodes, listeners will hear first-hand insights from Joanna, along with thoughtful discussions on work, care, leadership, and the continuing pursuit of equality. As we look back on decades of progress, this podcast asks: Have we truly achieved equality in the world of work? In episode 3, Joanna discusses milestones such as the Equality Act 2010 and the rise of flexible and hybrid working, the setbacks caused by austerity and the pandemic, and the ongoing challenges women face in the workplace. Joanna shares insights into the shifting dynamics of parenting, pay equity, and the future of equality in an age of AI and rapid technological change—closing with a powerful reminder of the need to protect and build on the progress achieved.
Transcribe →Balancing acts: A life that changed the way we work - Part 2
Oct 3000:22:54Tap to summarizeJoin Professor Simonetta Manfredi and Joanna Foster CBE for a powerful new mini podcast series exploring the evolution of work-life balance and equality in the workplace through the lens of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Drawing on Joanna’s remarkable career — from chairing the EOC to shaping national work-life policies — this series reflects on pivotal moments of change and considers their lasting impact on the world of work. Across the episodes, listeners will hear first-hand insights from Joanna, along with thoughtful discussions on work, care, leadership, and the continuing pursuit of equality. As we look back on decades of progress, this podcast asks: Have we truly achieved equality in the world of work? In episode 2, Joanna shares how media, legal reform, and international collaboration drove progress in flexible working, childcare, and equal pay — and recounted powerful stories from boardrooms, hospitals, and even the Royal Albert Hall. From dealing with political resistance under Margaret Thatcher, to championing family-friendly workplaces that paved the way for today’s wellbeing culture, Joanna offers insight into how social change is built — conversation by conversation, policy by policy, across generations.
Transcribe →Balancing acts: A life that changed the way we work - Part 1
Oct 3000:18:44Tap to summarizeJoin Professor Simonetta Manfredi and Joanna Foster CBE for a powerful new mini podcast series exploring the evolution of work-life balance and equality in the workplace through the lens of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Drawing on Joanna’s remarkable career — from chairing the EOC to shaping national work-life policies — this series reflects on pivotal moments of change and considers their lasting impact on the world of work. Across the episodes, listeners will hear first-hand insights from Joanna, along with thoughtful discussions on work, care, leadership, and the continuing pursuit of equality. As we look back on decades of progress, this podcast asks: Have we truly achieved equality in the world of work? In Part 1, Joanna reflects on pivotal moments — working alongside political figures, developing family-friendly employment policies, and building bridges between business, government, and women’s networks — all while balancing her own personal and professional demands. The conversation also explores how social attitudes toward gender, care, and workplace equality have evolved, what lessons remain urgent today, and how Joanna’s work continues to influence policy and culture decades later.
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