Vision impairment affects millions of people worldwide. Dr Michael Crossland, a Senior Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology, joins Professor Philip Schofield to discuss his research on how cutting-edge AI technologies can offer immediate support for those with low vision. They also explore how art, such as the work of visually impaired artist Luka Kille, provides a powerful way to express the lived experience of vision loss.

Credits:
Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 00:16:02
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Dr Michael Crossland
Producer: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL) Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL) Producer: Stevie Doran

In this episode, Professor Philip Schofield sits down with Dr Jane Gilmour, Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist, to debunk the myths around the condition. Dr Gilmour offers a fresh perspective on Tourette's: sharing insights into treatment, and championing how society should not condemn what causes no harm.

About the series How much do we understand the human mind? This question is at the heart of Beautiful Minds- The Greatest Good. Uncover facts about the mind as our expert speakers challenge misconceptions of autism, clear up common myths about Tourette's Syndrome and propose strategies for making our society more inclusive.

Credits:

Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 00:29:11
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Dr Jane Gilmour
Producer: Stevie Doran
Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL)

Commissioners: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL)

As the number of children diagnosed with ADHD and autism rises, Professor Philip Schofield sits down with Dr Emily Midouhas, Associate Professor in Psychology, to explore how best to support neurodivergent children. Dr Midohas highlights the emotional and behavioural challenges neurodivergent children face, and offers fresh ideas on how to support neurodivergent students. About the series How much do we understand the human mind? This question is at the heart of Beautiful Minds- The Greatest Good. Uncover facts about the mind as our expert speakers challenge misconceptions of autism, clear up common myths about Tourette's Syndrome and propose strategies for making our society more inclusive.

Credits:
Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 22:06
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Dr Emily Midouhas
Producer: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL) D Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL) Producer: Stevie Doran
Podcast owner: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL)

Can music unlock memories for people with dementia? In this episode, Professor Philip Schofield and Dr Jess Jiang, Senior Research Fellow in Neurodegenerative Diseases, draw on cutting-edge science as they explore the links between hearing and dementia. Dr Jiang explains how music not only supports treatment and emotional connection but also helps track disease progression for drug development. About the series How much do we understand the human mind? This question is at the heart of Beautiful Minds- The Greatest Good. Uncover facts about the mind as our expert speakers challenge misconceptions of autism, clear up common myths about Tourette's Syndrome and propose strategies for making our society more inclusive.

Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 19:26
Language of episode: English
Guests: Dr Jess Jiang
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL) Producer: Stevie Doran

Does neurodivergence shape the way that we sleep and dream? In this episode, Professor Dagmara Dimitriou, Professor of Sleep Education and Research, draws on two decades of research to explain why standard sleep advice often falls short for neurodiverse individuals. From infant dreams to nightmares – take a deep dive into the strange world of sleep and the brain.

Date of episode recording: 2024-12-01
Duration: 24:45
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Professor Dagmara Dimitriou
Commissioners: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL) Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL) Producer: Stevie Doran

Date of episode recording: 2025-10-23
Duration: 26:38
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Dr Michael Woodrow
Producer: Justin Hardy
Podcast Owners: Dr Paul Ayris, Margaret Stone, Lara Speicher, Helen Carney, Alison Fox

Creating more inclusive environments is key to innovation and success, but how can we do this? Dr Michael Woodrow, Lecturer in Engineering Education, joins Professor Philip Schofield to discuss how dyslexia’s image-based, big-picture thinking fuels engineering creativity. Dr Woodrow dives into his research on the vital roles of choice and autonomy in inclusive spaces, and critiques the prevalence of 'one-size-fits-all' solutions.

Credits:
Date of episode recording: 2025-10-23
Duration: 26:38
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Philip Schofield
Guests: Dr Michael Woodrow
Producer: Justin Hardy
Names of the podcast owner and those who have vetted this content to be ready for publishing:

Dr Paul Ayris, Margaret Stone, Lara Speicher, Helen Carney, Alison Fox

Professor Philip Schofield sits down with Dr Luciano Rila, from the Department of Maths, to delve into the history of the UK’s first university-affiliated Gaysoc, founded by Jamie Gardiner in 1972, at UCL. Dr Rila discovered archival materials in UCL’s Special Collections revealing that though the society was initially met with backlash, UCL’s liberal tradition prevailed, and the movement gained momentum, slowly leading to nationwide improvements in the lives of queer students.

Host: Professor Philip Schofield (Director of the Bentham Project, UCL)

Guest: Dr Luciano Rila (Department of Mathematics, UCL)

Commissioners: Professor David Docherty OBE & Dr Paul Ayris (Pro-Vice-Provost LCCOS: Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science, UCL)

Director: Justin Hardy (IOE - Culture, Communication & Media, UCL)

Producer: Stevie Doran

Date: 4 November 2024

Duration: 25:22