We Are STS u1v2u

Standard rule over us. We’re affected every day by decisions someone has made about standards. They determine the shape of our electrical plugs, the quality of our water, the signals used by our phones, and so much more. Standards don’t just happen. They’re decided. Sometimes one company does that. Sometimes it’s done by international deliberation, argument, and eventual compromise. Talking about standards is classic work in STS. Standards create the scaffolding on which science and technology builds. They constrain and they enable. It matters who gets to decide these things. Standards setting can affect our lives for generations, and they can cost us (or profit us) to the tune of many trillions of pounds. Luckily, here in STS we have an expert on standards. Dr Saheli Datta Burton is Lecturer in Science Policy. She’s recently co-authored some research trying to build a risk assessment for the way standards are being set these days across a huge range to subjects. She’s looking for patterns, trends, and general themes. The conclusions she reaches are, I’d say, profoundly worrying from the British perspective. Simply put: we do not have our act together in this area, and this is going to come back to bite. Saheli’s article is co-authored work: Nicholas Zúñiga, Saheli Datta Burton, Filippo Blancato, Madeline Carr, The geopolitics of technology standards: historical context for US, EU and Chinese approaches, International Affairs, Volume 100, Issue 4, July 2024, Pages 1635–1652, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae124 To summarise the piece, it explores how the US, China, and the EU are shaping global technology standards with different approaches. The US traditionally favoured a hands-off strategy, leaving standard setting largely to the private sector. China, historically top-down, is now blending private and government involvement to set tech standards globally. The EU seeks a balance between competition and cooperation to protect wider socio-cultural values. All three regions are increasing government involvement in standard-setting due to technology's growing geopolitical importance. The article emphasizes how control over standards can lead to economic benefits and power. The EU's newest strategy focuses on gaining a competitive edge while ensuring cooperation and preserving values like interoperability. Featuring Interviewee Dr Saheli Datta Burton is a Lecturer (teaching) in Science Policy (Responsible Research and Innovation) at UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS). https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/77672-saheli-datta-burton Host Professor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Spy Glass” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/4410-spy-glass Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Children as young as eight are targeted by influencers and rs towards anti-aging products, from skin creams and anti-wrinkle devices to “baby botox”. Maddy Ross (Human Sciences ’25) investigates how influencers and social media algorithms drive anti-aging anxiety to ever increasing levels while industry advertising markets solutions to ever younger people, especially girls. She identifies increasing concerns over risks that are physical, psychological, and social. Are young people being exploited without even knowing it? Influencers play a key role in these processes, especially impacting children’s consumption behaviours. Algorithms on social media platforms seek engagement by moving to increasingly extreme representations – anything to keep us connected and scrolling. Should we be worried about “baby botox” and its promotion? Yes, Ross argues. Its increase in popularity is only symptom of powerful industries who are constantly looking to sell you something. It seems such products have no serious resistance, regulation, or consumer protection and growing evidence suggests hidden costs and runaway risks. This is a report from the STSNewsRoom 2024.   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Maddy Ross (Human Sciences BSc) https://uk.linkedin.com/in/madeline-ross-4188b2287 Interviewees Dr Caitlin Shaughnessy (Researcher at UCL Department of Information Studies) Professor Afshin Mosahebi (Professor at UCL Department of Surgical Biotechnology and Consultant Plastic Surgeon) Host Professor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Ian Urbina’s 2019 book, Outlaw Ocean, brilliantly investigates hidden worlds of human activity on the high seas. From modern day pirates and traffickers to gargantuan fishing fleets to “freedom-loving” recluses and entrepreneurs, his stories build on the idea of oceans as lawless spaces well beyond the awareness of most people. He documents extremes of human behaviour. He also describes the extraordinary scale of extraction and exploitation that takes place off shore. In this world, who’s “free” and what are the consequences of “lawless” spaces? Outlaw Ocean is this year’s selection for the STS1Book programme. In this episode, Dr Michel Wahome talks about why she recommended the book for our community. She points to some of the many ways it can be used to explore key concepts in STS, such as actor-network theory and social-technical imaginaries. She also considers the relationship between lawlessness and entrepreneurship as a key theme in innovation studies and science policy. For more about the STS1Book programme: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme   Featuring Interviewee Dr Michel Wahome, UCL Lecturer in Science and Technology Studies https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/86440 Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Ecossaise in E-flat by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86-   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast  

What is dark matter? Mary Westover investigates, featuring insights from Dr. Joe McLaughlin and Dr. Marcello Messina. She visits the Gran Sasso Laboratory in Italy to understand how a research lab sunk deep into a mountain and holding a giant tank of liquid Xenon holds the promise of evidence for this most elusive substance. From the lab's mountain setting to the complex physics involved, this episode provides a deep dive into one of physics’ most perplexing questions. This episode is a practical project submitted by Mary Westover as part of her UCL degree, MSc Science Communication. She wrote, researched, produced, and starred in the production. For more about UCL’s Science Communication MSc, visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/science-communication-msc   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Mary Westover https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mary-westover   Interviewees Joseph McLaughlin https://www.hep.ucl.ac.uk/people/mugshot.shtml?id=joemcl   Marcello Messina https://www.gssi.it/people/professors/lectures-physics/item/12461-messina-marcello   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Mary used copyright-free music from Pixabay.   WeAreSTS Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast  

Well, the wait is over. The time has come. Season 2 of WeAreSTS is on its way. This season we’ll feature some cracking projects from STS students. And we’ll have conversations with all sorts of folks here in the department. I’m gonna sneak in a few bonuses too, just to add that tiny bit of sparkle. WeAreSTS is your window into science and technology studies. You know that science and technology don’t live inside isolated bubbles. You know they’re shaped by all sorts of forces and constraints. STS explores that interplay between science and context. For some, it’s money and politics. For others, it’s geography and imagination. For others still maybe it’s social and cultural biases; the role of age, class and gender; or the way ideas give us certain world views that can be hard to shake. It’s a complex subject “science in context”. That gives us huge amounts to explore. WeAreSTS is designed to help you us in what we do. Maybe that’s science policy, innovation studies, or communication. Maybe it’s the hunt for social justice. Maybe you’re fascinated with history, or philosophy, or sociology and you’re looking for big themes to give it all some focus. For me, what works is “Darwin and Dinosaurs” but my-oh-my the big themes are changing fast, and let me tell you, some of those new ideas are mind-blowing. Season 2 of WeAreSTS begins soon. Listen out for the first episode in early September. Now’s the time to charge your batteries. To tap that subscribe button. And to tell your friends. Hey, even tell your mum: WeAreSTS Season 2 is on its way.

Hollywood chooses to portray experts in particular – sometimes peculiar – ways. Those choices have profound impacts on how audiences think about subjects as diverse as dinosaurs, robots, and climate catastrophes. But do those portrayals also change the way we think about the experts themselves and the process of expertise? Does Hollywood play some kind of under-the-table role in teaching us which experts to trust? That’s the theme for today’s podcast. Today, we listen in on a conversation between three experts here in STS who study science policy making as a process. They talk about a couple of films in which experts play starring roles. To get things going, they concentrate on two films: “Films like Don’t Look Up,” the star-studded 2021 Netflix film directed by Adam McKay. And, “2012,” the 2009 Sony Pictures apocalypse film directed by Roland Emmerich. In some ways, these films are very different. But in key ways, they’re remarkably similar. The conversation you’ll hear was organised and led by Haes Seung Chung, one of the students in this year’s STSNewsRoom. She keeps things moving, and she keeps our lists on their toes. In fact, she’s ready to go. So, I’m just hand the microphone over to her, and I’ll see you on the other side.   Featuring   Interviewer and researcher Haes Seung Chung, STS 2023 student in our integrated BSc programme   Interviewees Professor Jack Stilgoe, UCL Professor of Science and Technology Policy Dr Saheli Datta Burton, UCL Lecturer (Teaching) in Science Policy (Responsible Research and Innovation) Dr Stephen Hughes, UCL Lecturer in Science, Technology and Society   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits   Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Music within the episode Endless Dessert- Steven Beddall: Endless Desert by Steven Bedlam | Artlist.io   Podcast information   WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Ever heard of climate change comedy? Here’s the idea. The climate crisis dominates our news. But more and more, messages about action are ignored. Fatalism is growing. People seem frozen with the scale of the problem. It’s clear we need new ways to tackle these tough conversations. In this episode, STS’s very own Grace Tyrrell explores the growing niche of climate change comedy. With her guest Dr Matt Winning, an environmental researcher and comedian, Grace shows us how climate change comedy works and she explores the question of how these two ideas can fit together. Grace is finishing her master’s degree in science communication with us. After interviewing Matt Winning about the theory, Grace asks a set of fellow students about the practice. Does climate change comedy work? Do it inform the head? Does it engage the heart? Does it lead keep up momentum in climate action? Thanks to her guest, Dr Matt Winning and to fellow STS students Joe Woof, Steph Hawes, Megan Thomas, Gusti Ayu Ismayanti, Annabel Bourne for their time. Grace completed this podcast episode as part of the Podcast Sprint 2023, run by Professor Joe Cain for STS students.   Further information on climate change comedy Is climate change a laughing matter? (Carroll-Monteil 2021) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13504622.2022.2113764 Climate Strange - Dr Matt Winning, TEDx Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPCEqPdEY1A&t=281s   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Grace Tyrrell, UCL Science Communication MSc Class of 2023 https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracetyrrell/ @gracescicomm   Interviewees Dr Matt Winning, Senior Research Fellow at UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/sustainable/people/mr-matthew-winning https://mattwinning.com/about/   Science Communication MSc Class of 2023 Joe Woof, Steph Hawes, Megan Thomas, Gusti Ayu Ismayanti, Annabel Bourne   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits (show) “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Music credits (within the episode) “Accralate,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3336-accralate License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast Editing by Grace Tyrrell Post production by Professor Joe Cain   Listen to Science Refresh Science Refresh is a bi-weekly podcast bringing you a fresh take on the latest in science and technology. hosts Grace, Meg and Dom as they take you through the stories that you won’t have seen in the headlines. https://open.spotify.com/show/0aS44BehxWXfFLpm5FgrcM?si=fe84b76444ce45d2&nd=1

Mandy dives optimistically into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on education as we know it. Think ChatGPT and all those related tools called generative AI. Along the way, we touch on some fundamental and relevant concepts from science and technology studies - including the Turing Test and technological determinism - that can help us gain a more nuanced understanding of emerging technology and big tech. With insights from UCL experts and others in Silicon Valley, we explore the incredible potential of AI to enhance university education, plus we dip into some of the challenges AI ultimately poses to human value. This is an episode from the STSNewsRoom 2023.   Featuring Interviewer and researcher Mandy Huynh https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhuy/   Interviewee Dr Rich Osborne https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mathematical-physical-sciences/education/meet-team/richard-osborne   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Resources Deg assessment for an AI-enabled world (latest assessment modification suggestions from UCL) What if… we really wanted to prepare young people for the age of artificial intelligence?(Rose Luckin, UCL IOE, speaks on a ) AI in the Classroom | Greylock (Reid Hoffman’s interview with ChatGPT) Inside OpenAI, the Architect of ChatGPT | The Circuit (Emily Chang interview with Reid Hoffman) How AI Could Save (Not Destroy) Education | Sal Khan | TED Is AI Our Future Teacher? | AI IRL   Music credits (episode) Chasing by NEFFEX Lawrence by TrackTribe From the YouTube Music Library   Music credits (show) Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast   Correction Mandy said she took Professor Agar’s module in 2023. In fact, she took it in 2022.  

The assignments students do in STS modules today are nothing like what they used to be. These days, they build portfolios with all sorts of things: short writing, long writing, posters, blogs, in-class presentations. Add to these, projects like podcasts, film clips, campaign strategies, briefing papers, debates, and full-on project proposals. Research of different kinds. They all require hard work, creativity, and rising to the challenge. We diversify our curriculum because we know the future holds work as varied as we do ourselves each day. We want our students skilled up, practiced, and ready to go. Today’s episode samples from this year’s student-made podcasts. You’ll hear projects from our undergraduate science journalism module, run by Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon. The assignment is straightforward: create a three-minute news feature about a recent piece of research at UCL. The piece must be suitable for use on as a news segment for radio or podcast. Students start with a recent press release, and they go from there. The piece must include a short interview segment with a researcher. They have a tight deadline, and they have to work pretty much with the tools they have through a laptop and their phone. This is real world work and pace as a freelance journalist. For you, I’ve brought together eight of the ones I like a lot. They’re varied, and they deliver the assignment is different ways. We’ll take a quick break in the middle, but I want to leave the students to deliver their work as they presented it. Links to all the detail are in the show notes. The whole syllabus for HPSC0107 Science Journalism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/sites/sts/files/hpsc0107-science_journalism-syllabus_2022-23.pdf Tracks TRACK 1. People Over 50 Often Sleep Better | Lydia Yallop TRACK 2. Natural Language Modelled and Printed in 3D | Daphne Sarkany TRACK 3. Link Between Daily Active Movement and Better Cognition in Mid-life | Emile Stuglyte TRACK 4. We’re Ignoring Impact of Long Covid | Mandy Huynh TRACK 5. Importance of Breastmilk Bacteria for Healthy Gut in Babies | Omar Al Hashimi TRACK 6. Time in Nature Can Improve Wellbeing | Isobel Hutt TRACK 7. Fast-lived Invasive Species Pose Greatest Challenge | Federico Citterich TRACK 8. Doctors of the Earth: Seismologists Sense the Earth’s Pulse | Andrea Lekare Details about each track are available on the episode page: https://profjoecain.net/27-top-stories-in-science-journalism-from-sts-students-wearests Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain/ Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro Both are available on the website: filmmusic.IO Music in intervals is a loop created in GarageBand. Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast

Women in the History of Science brings together primary sources that highlight women’s involvement in scientific knowledge production around the world. Drawing on texts, images and objects, each primary source is accompanied by an explanatory text, questions to prompt discussion, and a bibliography to aid further research. Arranged by time period, covering 1200 BCE to the twenty-first century, and across 12 inclusive and far-reaching themes, this book is an invaluable companion to students and lecturers alike in exploring women’s history in the fields of science, technology, mathematics, and medicine. While women are too often excluded from traditional narratives of the history of science, this book centres on the voices and experiences of women across a range of domains of knowledge. By questioning our understanding of what science is, where it happens, and who produces scientific knowledge, this reader is an aid to liberating the curriculum within schools and universities. In this episode, Professor Joe Cain talks with the sourcebook’s FIVE co-editors. Each recently completed a PhD in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies. We talk about the book, how readers might use it in teaching, what their favourite chapters are, and how they’re using their own skills to improve the subject of history for everyone.   Book information Women in the History of Science: A sourcebook Edited by Hannah Wills, Sadie Harrison, Erika Jones, Rebecca Martin, and Farrah Lawrence-Mackey 2023 UCL Press ISBN 9781800084155 Open Access PDF Free ; Print also available https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/211143   Featuring Interviewees Hannah Wills is R&D Producer at Royal Holloway, University of London. https://royalholloway.academia.edu/HannahWills   Sadie Harrison is Honorary Research Associate at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, UCL and works in the environment sector.   Erika Lynn Jones is Curator of Navigation and Oceanography at Royal Museums, Greenwich.  https://erika-jones.org   Farrah Lawrence-Mackey is re-training to practice law.   Rebecca Martin has been Research Fellow in the Centre for History in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Caird Research Fellow at National Maritime Museum, Royal Museums Greenwich. https://dr-rebecca-martin.com   Each also is an Honorary Research Associate in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS).   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast  

Chances are you’ve had something to do with “mindfulness” recently. Maybe you’ve been sent to “mindfulness” training. Or, perhaps you’ve been listening to a mindfulness podcast. Or, perhaps you’re using a “mindfulness” app, such as HeadSpace. In this episode, Franziska Link investigates the growing use of mindfulness therapies at universities, such as UCL, in their provision for student and welfare. What good are they? What do they involve? What are the pros – and the cons – of this approach. Franziska interviews four people with quite different relationships to mindfulness therapies. She works to separate the hype from the research. This episode is part of the STSNewsRoom 2021. Franziska also contributed to STSAlchemy2021. Additional sources on mindfulness UCL Student and Wellbeing UCL self-guided materials on mindfulness Ronan Mccoy (2022). Mindfulness. UCL School of Management Mindful Society, Student’s Union UCL UCL Hospital NHS has mindfulness advice For UCL staff: UCL HR has mindfulness advice and training Featuring Interviewer and researcher Franziska Link, UCL Class of 2023 https://www.linkedin.com/in/franziska-link-0701b1171 Interviewees Bodhilila Young, Chair of the West London Buddist Centre https://westlondonbuddhistcentre.com/teachers/bodhilila/ Professor Andrew Steptoe, Professor of Psychology and Head of the Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health https://www.ucl.ac.uk/obesity-policy-research-unit/andrew-steptoe Professor Miguel Farias, Associate Professor Experimental Psychology, Coventry University https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en/persons/miguel-farias https://miguelfarias.co.uk David “Davy” Tennison, doctoral student, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) https://www.linkedin.com/in/avy-tennison Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin McLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Ecossaise in E-flat,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86- Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Alex Hancock explores how research about museum collections is helping to connect British museums with more of the publics they claim to . His emphasis is on decolonisation, engagement, and white European power. Ultimately, how do structural inequalities manifest in our museums, and how do we move to a new set of relationships? Alex undertook this project for the STSNewsRoom in summer 2021. His reporting focused on two specific events. First, Alex discusses with Tannis Davidson the “Displays of Power” exhibition at UCL Grant Museum of Zoology, which explores legacy of empire through objects in the museum and other natural history collections. Objects in these collections have complex histories of collection and ownership. We need to move past merely celebrating the collector and collecting, the exhibition argues, and instead highlight issues of power and control, removal and appropriation, privilege and the ability to ignore. Second, Alex discusses critiques of representation and engagement in museums with Professor Emily Dawson in light of Black Lives Matter campaigning. Professor Dawson has a long history working with groups from many communities to explore what museums mean to them and how museums serve different groups. For some people, museums just aren’t welcoming places, Professor Dawson explains. Alex asks the straightforward question: where are these movements leading the future of museums? Is change likely in the near future?   Featuring Presenter and researcher Alex Hancock, UCL Class 0f 2021 Alex also contributed to STS Alchemy 2021   Interviewees Tannis Davidson, Curator of UCL Grant Museum of Zoology Professor Emily Dawson, UCL Professor of Education, Science and Society   In the break, you heard Jasmine Charkravarty, also part of the STSNewsRoom2021.   Additional materials   Professor Dawson’s papers regarding the social exclusion of groups in museum spaces include: Dawson, E. (2014). “Not Designed for Us”: How Science Museums and Science Centers Socially Exclude Low-Income, Minority Ethnic Groups. Science Education, 98(6), 981-1008. Dawson, E. (2018). Reimagining publics and (non)participation: Exploring exclusion from science communication through the experiences of low-income, minority ethnic groups. Public Understanding of Science, 27(7), 772-786. The study mentioned by Dr. Dawson regarding Indigenous curatorial practices and how their artefacts and artwork are cared for in museums: Nagam, J., Lane, C., and Tamati-Quennell, M. (Eds.). (2020). Becoming our future: global indigenous curatorial practice (Winnipeg, Canada: ARP Books)   Host: Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor in History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Ecossaise in E-flat,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86-   In the episode, Alex also uses this music: Young Logos, “Papov”, YouTube Audio Library Bad Snacks, “Wallflowers”, YouTube Audio Library   Podcast information “WeAreSTS” is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, and to leave about the show, visit us online: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast STS Students and staff also can find on the website information about how to get involved with our programme. “WeAreSTS” producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS  

We sampled undergraduate projects in a previous episode. Now, it time for the Master’s students. Today’s episode offers a sampler of student-made podcasts. These were created by Master’s students in our science journalism module, run by Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon. The assignment was straightforward: imagine you’re working for a news magazine. Create a three-minute feature about a recent piece of research at UCL. The piece must include a short interview segment, and it must make sense within the context of the show. They have a tight deadline, and they have to work pretty much with the tools they have through a laptop and phone. The goal is to mimic real-world work as a freelance journalist. The assignments students do in STS modules today are nothing like what they used to be. These days, they build portfolios with all sorts of things: short writing, long writing, posters, blogs, in-class presentations. Add to these, projects like podcasts, film clips, campaign strategies, briefing papers, debates, and proposals. Research of different kinds. Creativity. And Challenge. We diversify our curriculum because we’re training for a flexible future: a world of work that is as varied as we can imagine. For today, I’ve brought together eight of the student projects that appeal to me. They’re varied, and they deliver the assignment is different ways. Think of this as a sampler. Details about each track are in the show notes. The whole syllabus for HPSC0122 Science Journalism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/testing/postgraduate-modules-draft/science-journalism-hpsc0122 Tracks Track 1. Tackling Far-Right Extremism Online, Thorin Bristow For this newscast I interviewed CianO’Donovan on his recent research published in the Journal of Peer Production titled “Collective Capabilities For Resisting Far-Right Extremism Online And In The Real World”. We discuss the problem of far-right extremism in the digital sphere, and Cian’s associated work with the Far Right Observatory in Ireland. The intersections of digital technologies, tech firms, and society are explored, following Cian’s harms-first approach to research. Track 2. Planetary bodies observed for the first time in habitable zone of a dead star, Bharadwaj Vangipuram The podcast gives the audience a brief introduction of what white dwarf stars is and how relevant their study is to our solar system and the universe. With the stage set with what white dwarfs are and the research mentioned, the podcast dives into the procedure of the discovery which included: Identifying recurring patterns, Habitable zone, Inference from debris to planets. The podcast also gives the audience an insight into what are the difficulties faced by the team during the discovery which included constrained resources (Telescope time) and the luck involved in it. Track 3. Is it healthy for children to follow plant based diets?, Sophie Reich-Michalik This podcast is framed as a weekly occurring feature about sustainable living, targeted primarily at families. This week's episode is about the health effects of plant based diets for children. Professor Jonathan Wells is interviewed about his recent study “Growth, body composition, and cardiovascular and nutritional risk of 5- to 10-y-old children consuming vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore diets.” In the episode, he explains how his study was conducted, his findings and his suggestions for parents with children interested in following a plant based diet. Track 4. New research in UCL on sex differences reveals the urgency of mental health gendered medicine, Eve Barro The newscast highlights the implications of a new paper Freya Pentice published a few months ago about sex differences in cardiac interception, the ability to feel internal cardiac signals. We explore together what impact such research can have on personalised mental health intervention and the importance of conducting and communicating properly about gendered medicine related topics given the particularly sensitive topics sex and gender currently are in our society. Track 5. Covid-19: Misery for Care Home Residents and Staff Continued, Qitian Mao Although our communities have paid much attention to the pandemic, there is much less importance placed on those most vulnerable populations living and working in care homes. Led by UCL Professor Laura Shallcross at the Institute of Health Informatics, a national study, VIVALDI, is launched to investigate COVID-19 infections in care homes. Professor Laura Shallcross is invited and interviewed online; and she indicates a much higher Covid infection risk for people in care homes and a continued efforts to protect them. The background music used in this podcast is the Newsroom Intro. Details to come. Track 6. Impact of climate change on global food production and the role this plays in widening the inequality gap, Hania Tayara ‘The Climate Society’ podcast explores the role of climate change in exacerbating existing social inequalities. I speak to UCL’s Professor Paul Ekins about his research on the impact of climate change on global food production, and the role this plays in widening the inequality gap. We discuss how localised food shortages due to weather events have disproportionately impacted poor countries and poorer people in rich countries, and whose responsibility it is to mitigate this as the climate crisis worsens. Track 7. UCL’s COVID-19 Social Study is the largest scientific research on the psychological and social impact of the pandemic in the UK, Paula Munoz Arriaza This episode highlights the UCL COVID-19 Social Study, the largest scientific research on the psychological and social impact of the pandemic in the UK. Therefore, it analyses why mental health has become a concern for research, the most vulnerable social groups during the pandemic, how much mental health rates have changed in the UK, and what actions could address this issue. Track 8. The neurodevelopmental condition known as stammering, along with the mental health of children and young adults who have a stammer, Flo Cornish I explore the relationship between stammering and symptoms of anxiety. The positive correlation between the two may not be an inherent result of the stammering condition, but rather a result of how society perceives those who stammer. This in turn affects the lives of stammering people, both in of human relationships and the treatment they receive. I spoke with clinical speech therapist and UCL PhD candidate Ria Bernard to gain some valuable insights. Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Interval music “Laconic Granny,” by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3960-laconic-granny Both are available on the website: filmmusic.IO Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

It’s one of those fundamental tenets taught to every student: science is international; it’s the same everywhere, it respects no borders; the work is the same no matter where or when you are. Assessing this idea is a core task in STS. Our philosophers, historians, and sociologists work overtime on case studies to explore internationality. Our policy and communication experts grapple with variations and work to understand where there is consensus and where there’s consensus.   In this episode, Beatrice Han (BSc Sociology and Politics of Science student) investigates science and internationality. As an international student, Beatrice is very familiar with borders and different systems in different places. She brings together three others in STS with similar experiences to talk about internationality and science: Dr Tiago Mata (Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies), Isabel Lim (UCL Class of 2022), and Andrea Lekare (UCL Class of 2023, and another member of the STSNewsRoom2022). They each bring an international background when they talk about their experiences of scientific policies and knowledge in different countries. The conversation considers possible explanations for these differences. They also discuss whether its better to keep or eliminate outside factors. Is there value in preserving variety?   This is another contribution from the STSNewsRoom2022. Here in STS we want to give students work experience in science communication, so each summer we set up as many paid internships as we can, and we work with students to create content for publications, like our annual magazine, STS Alchemy. We also ask them to create a podcast episode. On any subject they choose. We want about 30 minutes. We want interviews. We want something STS. But most of all, we want ideas and creativity.   Featuring   Reporter and original research Beatrice Han   Interviewees Dr Tiago Mata, Associate Professor in Science and Technology Studies Isabel Lim, UCL Class of 2022 Andrea Lekare, UCL Class of 2023   Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology   Music credits   Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5   Interval music Midnite Dialog Short   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Is AI sentient? Do machines have souls? I’ve got an even better question: are these questions the most important ones we should be asking? Headlines claiming machines could be alive are definitely eye-catching. But hype does not come unaccompanied: misinformation, fear, and fake news are close friends with sensationalism. They target audiences who probably know enough about the topic, but not enough to critically analyse the information fed to them. Understanding the role the media plays in opinion-making about new science and technology is vital when we are dealing our own decision making over risk, harm, and benefit. Further information on Hype, Chatbots, and AI Gemma Milne, 2020. Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How To See Past It (listen to our episode interviewing Gemma) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/world/siri-alexa-ai-gender-bias.html https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2022/06/dangerous-fallacy-sentient-ai The full conversation between Google engineers and LaMDA is available online. Featuring Reporter and researcher Andréa Lekare Kun Interviewees Dr Stephen Hughes, Lecturer in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) Dr Amanda Rees, Professor in the Sociology Department at the University of York Dr Nina Seppala, Deputy Director (Academic Affairs) of the School of Management at University College London Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Interval music “Andréa’s theme” by Michael Sansbury Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Did you know that in March 1967, the British government bombed an oil tanker stranded on rocks off Cornwall? Dan Sharpe certainly didn’t when he began to dig into the life and career of the Britain’s first Chief Scientific Adviser, Lord Solly Zuckerman. He advised prime minister Harold Wilson during this environmental catastrophe and recommended the bombing. Dan as he traces the life and career of one of the most influential British science advisers of the 20th century from arriving in the United Kingdom as a young adult, to observing primates at ZSL London Zoo, to pioneering a novel approach to science policy advice in government via the second world war and much more. Along the way he hopes to answer the question of how science came into the heart of government and what STS scholars can learn by looking back at the history of science about its use in policy decisions. Dan thanks Jonathan Burt, Professor Jon Agar and Dr Elliot Honeybun-Arnolda who generously provided their time. This episode was a project in the STSNewsRoom2022.   Want to learn more? These articles provide more depth: News report about SS Torrey Canyon disaster: https://www.britishpathe.com/video/seven-stones-oil-tanker-disaster-aka-torrey-canyon Journal article by Jonathan Burt about Solly Zuckerman’s primatology career: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369848606000203 Book by Professor Jon Agar including Solly Zuckerman as Government Chief Scientific Adviser: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/109467   Featuring Reporter and researcher Dan Sharpe, UCL Class of 2022 Interviewees Professor Jon Agar, UCL Professor of Science and Technology Studies Elliot Honeybun-Arnolda, University of East Anglia Jonathan Burt, author and historian Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology Additional voices Andrea Lekare, UCL Class of 2023   Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 “Ecossaise in E flat 86,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86-   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Scientific knowledge has evolved over the past few centuries in various political and socio-cultural contexts. There is seen to be a substantially disproportionate legacy of European thought in scientific education. How the fingerprints of colonialism continue to shape the way academic institutions function and teach science is a question of utmost value in the process of ensuring diversified knowledge sharing. While the subject of decolonising raises several questions on institutional privilege and power, it is worth noting that this is also a subject deeply personal and resonant amongst the respective of a community. Here we explore the meaning it holds for different of the STS family at UCL. We speak to an undergraduate student, a PhD candidate, an early career lecturer, and one of the co-heads of department for STSUCL. This episode of WeAreSTS was created by Roha Ali Khan, a Master’s student, as part of the STSNewsRoom2022.   Featuring Reporter and researcher Roha Ali Khan Interviewees  Stephanie, Undergraduate Student, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Dr Michel Wahome, Lecturer in Science, Technology and Society, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Dr Benjamin Weil, formerly a PhD Candidate now complete, UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Prof Emma Tobin, Professor of Philosophy of Science and co-Head of Department (with Professor Jon Agar), UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Music within the episode “Serious Documentary” by AShamaleuvMusic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x9xVwpWo7k&t=66s   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

Most of us have heard of peer review, but how does it actually work? After more than a century, is it still fit for purpose? This episode explores the state of peer review in academic publishing. With guests from within the field, we hear what it means for researchers, publishers, and institutions like UCL. As the tide of open access publishing gains momentum and more research is made freely accessible, what will peer review look like in the future? How will academic publishing evolve more widely? In the future, can we still value anonymity over acknowledgement of reviewers? In this episode, Olivia Kehoe explores the peer review process with a critical eye, discussing how other trends in publishing, such as open access and data publishing, soon might re-shape activities such as peer review. She highlights two alternatives to the current system: UCL Press’s open peer review system and a -organised initiative called “Peer Community In” founded by scientists, for scientists. Understanding what’s inside the “black box” of peer review is of huge value to STS. Can we trust the process? How could we improve it? Thanks to her guests, Sunbul Akhtar, Denis Bourguet, and Catherine Sharp for their time, patience and expertise in helping Olivia tackle some of these questions. Olivia completed this podcast episode as part of a summer studentship project with Professor Joe Cain. This project was funded by UCL Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MAPS) as a careers-building initiative. Thanks Olivia! Great work.   Featuring Reporter and researcher Olivia Kehoe, 4th Year UCL Natural Sciences and summer intern for ‘Science and the Publishing Industry’ project in STS Interviewees Sunbul Akhtar, UCL Press Journals Coordinator Denis Bourguet, Director of Research at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment in (INRAE) Catherine Sharp, Head of UCL Open Access Services   WeAreSTS Host Professor Joe Cain, Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Music within the episode “Accralate,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3336-accralate License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing by Olivia Kehoe Post-production by Professor Joe Cain. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

The assignments students do in STS modules today are nothing like what they used to be. These days, they build portfolios with all sorts of things: short writing, long writing, posters, blogs, in-class presentations. Add to these, projects like podcasts, film clips, campaign strategies, briefing papers, debates, and proposals. Research of different kinds. Creativity. And Challenge. We diversify our curriculum because we know the future for our students holds work as varied as we can imagine. Today’s episode offers a sampler of student-made podcasts. These were created by year 3 undergraduates in our science journalism module, run by Dr Jean-Baptiste Gouyon. The assignment is straightforward: create a three-minute news feature about a recent piece of research at UCL. The piece must be suitable for use on as a news segment for radio or podcast. Students start with a recent press release from the UCL Press Office, and they go from there. The piece must include a short interview segment with a researcher. They have a tight deadline, and they have to work pretty much with the tools they have through a laptop and phone. This is real world work as a freelance journalist. For today, I’ve brought together eight of the ones I like a lot. They’re varied, and they deliver the assignment is different ways. Think of it as a sampler. The whole syllabus for HPSC0107 Science Journalism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/sites/sts/files/hpsc0107-science_journalism-syllabus_2022-23.pdf   Tracks   TRACK 1. New X-ray Tech Promises Better Diagnostics for Heart Disease, Gracie Enticknap This newscast introduces a new-to-research x-ray technology called HiP-CT which images organs at multiple scales with better clarity than previously achievable. I discuss HiP-CT with a researcher who is using it to study the evolution of congenital heart disease in blue baby syndrome and children with one heart ventricle. We discuss the aims of his research, and eventual clinical application and hospital usage of this technology, which could have revolutionary benefit to the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases. Interviewee: Professor Andrew Cook, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Zayed Centre for Research Credits: Stock Media provided by baldwinphilly / Pond5   TRACK 2. Covid-19 Impact on Gut Microbiome, Marcus Chow It is well established that the digestive system, its microbiota, and the immune system are linked and influence each other. With COVID-19 coming to an endemic, much of the research interest now lies in how it can shape the microbiota and how the microbiota can influence the patients’ symptoms and long term effects. Wong et has investigated how COVID-19 interact with and in the gastrointestinal tract to better understand the implications of disease management, transmission, and infection control. In this article, we review the important gastrointestinal aspects of the disease. Interviewee: Sunny H Wong, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Credits: None   TRACK 3. Marketing Infant Formula against Breast Feeding, Nadya Rauch Let’s take a critical look at infant formula marketing, which the WHO recently condemned for misleading parents and undermining breastfeeding. Breastmilk has key benefits for infants that can’t be replicated in formula milk, such as stems cells and antibodies that help protect infants from infection. We talk to infant formula expert Dr. Fewtrell from UCL’s Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health to debunk some myths on whether infant formula can improve cognitive outcomes for children. Interviewee: Dr. Mary Fewtrell, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health Credits: Intro/outro music produced by Leo Daiji Waltmann  “The Wonder of Baby SMA PRO Follow on Milk," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RDGFnermSc&ab_channel=LacaraChildModelandTalentAgency   TRACK 4. New guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, Sofia Sancho The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology have recently released 200 pages of new, comprehensive guidelines for the diagnosis of endometriosis. A major change in the new version is that laparoscopy is no longer deemed the gold standard for diagnosis, which will lead to more patients being accommodated for, and hopefully the long wait for diagnosis being decreased. I speak to Dr Ertan Saridogan, who co-authored the new guidelines, about their significance and how they can lead to improvements in endometriosis research. Interviewee: Dr Ertan Saridogan, UCL Hospital and UCL Institute for Women’s Health Credits: Cool Jazzy Brass & Vibraphone by M33 Project, licensed under CC BY 4.0   TRACK 5. Minimally invasive image-guided ablation (MINIMA), Yingnan Chen Proof-of-concept for MINIMA is recently published. Compare to traditional ways of removing tumours, MINIMA is not as invasive and has fewer side effects, hence, the patients can recover quicker. Moreover, MINIMA can preserve the function of infected organ as much as possible. I have invited the lead author, Rebecca Baker, to talk about how MINIMA works and its potential as a cancer treatment. She also discussed the limitations and what needs to be done before moving on to clinical trials. Interviewee: Rebecca Baker (PhD Student at UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging) Credits: Inspiring Electronic https://elements.envato.com/inspiring-electronic-BHYUADP. License Code: 9WXPUERVK7   TRACK 6. Covid’s impact on student experience at UCL, Juwairiyah Aftab The podcast explores a research study conducted by Dr Waugh, alongside other individuals, titled ‘Impacts of the Covid‐19 pandemic on the health of university students’. The study, based at University College London (UCL), explores the physical and mental health consequences of the pandemic on students, with mention of the importance of this study and its relevance. Furthermore, the study mentions cases of racism and discrimination, followed by an evaluation of how trustworthy the research is and brief future recommendations. Interviewee: Dr Mark Waugh, UCL Department of Education, Division of Medicine, UCL Faculty of Medical Sciences Credits: Statistics from the National Student Survey (NSS) https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/1480/insight-brief-10-nss-finalforweb.pdf Background music (no copyright) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ6gUSJARIA   TRACK 7. How Do We Slow Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Eloise Jarvis Dr Toryn Poolman talks about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), leading cause of liver transplants that effecting up to one-third of the British population. It’s a medical condition that’s on the rise owing to changes in diet: more sugar, more alcohol, and more processed foods. He explains what NAFLD is, what it can progress to, what the causes are, and how it can be avoided or reversed. Interviewee: Dr Toryn Poolman, Department: Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL Division of Biosciences Credits: Bensound.com   TRACK 8. Applied Linguistics studying pain descriptions associated with endometriosis, Dan Sharpe Listening more carefully to the words patients choose to describe their symptoms can help doctors identify more complex medical conditions, says Zsófia Demjén. She reports on new research into specific patterns of words patients use to describe their symptoms. This might lead to earlier diagnosis of endometriosis and other serious chronic conditions. Just listening more carefully can make all the difference. Interviewee: Zsófia Demjén, Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics Credits: Details to come   Host Professor Joe Cain Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 “Silly Intro,” by Alexander Nakarada https://filmmusic.io/song/4786-silly-intro License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Both are available on the website: filmmusic.IO   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS

You’ve heard of Plato. He’s one of those philosophers from Ancient Greece. Think in the time range 400-350 BCE and you’re in the right range. Plato wrote core works in the Western canon: The Republic, The Timaeus, and so much more. One of his lesser known texts is The Gorgias. That’s this year’s STS1Book. It’s a work massively relevant today. At its heart is a key question for communication: should we prefer people who are truth tellers in society, or should we prefer sweet-talking rhetoricians? This is a question that cuts right to the heart of so much in politics, society, and the way we talk with each other. If you’re a regular listener to the podcast, you’ll know about the STS1Book programme. Each year, we chose one book for all students and staff to read and talk about. It’s something that helps glue us together as a community. Last year, we had Gemma Milne’s book, Smoke and Mirrors, about hype in the the tech and innovation industries. This year, it’s Plato’s Gorgias. Here in STS we have an expert on Plato and his philosophy, Professor Andy Gregory. I put in a call to Andy to ask him about this book. I wanted to know what I should be looking out for, and what he thought was important. Who are the main characters? What are the main themes? For me, Gorgias reads like a play about some of the political characters we all know and watch today. The words in this book sound as though they’re coming from today’s headlines. Amazing and eye-opening.   Featuring Interviewees Professor Andrew Gregory Professor of History of Science https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/gregory Professor Gregory also is the organiser of the long-running London Ancient Science Conference: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/people/sts-academics/gregory-andrew/london-ancient-science-conference Host Professor Joe Cain Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain   Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Interval music “Busted Flat Blues,” by anonymous GarageBand public domain   Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave about the show: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast This site also includes information for how STS students and staff can get involved with our programme. Editing and post-production by Professor Joe Cain, unless otherwise noted. WeAreSTS producer is Professor Joe Cain. Twitter: @stsucl #WeAreSTS