Sydney Ideas

2022 Michael Hintze Lecture with Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert British-Australian academic, Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, highlights the complex nature of state hostage taking, and outlines ways in which Australia’s approach can be refined to tackle this insidious and growing global problem. The use of individual citizens of a country as tools of diplomatic leverage in disputes between states is often referred to as Hostage Diplomacy, a form of arbitrary detention that involves the imprisonment and/or conviction of innocent foreign or dual-national visitors as a means of extracting concessions from their country of citizenship. In 2018, Kylie Moore-Gilbert was falsely charged with espionage and imprisoned in Iran for more than two years before being released in a prisoner exchange deal negotiated by the Australian government. As a victim of hostage diplomacy, Moore-Gilbert experienced first-hand the injustice of being reduced to little more than a political bargaining chip. Hear her unique insights into the Australia

Join Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Professor Peter Tuthill on a guided tour of the latest photos from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) – our Infrared Eye in the Sky. The JWST is NASA’s largest and most powerful space science telescope ever constructed and Peter Tuthill is the only Australian to have an experiment on it - a tremendous feat! See stars romancing and dancing, being born, growing up, dying and giving birth to new stars. The JWST might even answer the big question – “does life exist outside the Earth?” Through the lens of astronomy, we also explore fresh angles on planetary climates. The physics that control planetary atmospheres – temperatures and energy budgets for matter and radiation - is straight-forward. Our planetary siblings (Venus and Mars) started well, but ended hot and cold. On Earth, we humans have tipped the energy budget so that today, as compared to 1850, the Earth’s atmosphere takes in an extra 600,000 Hiroshima atom bombs of infrared heat from the Sun – each and every day! The g

Sydney Ideas welcomes back Professor Frank Pasquale (Brooklyn Law School), a leading author and academic on the law of artificial intelligence (AI), algorithms, and machine learning. He is joined by local experts to unpack the challenges and advantages of AI and how it is changing medical practice. The potential for AI and its ability to improve how healthcare is delivered is well documented. From supporting the patient experience and how they access healthcare services, to assisting practitioners in avoiding errors, AI can enable healthcare systems to offer better care to more people. However, we’ll only take full advantage of what AI has to offer, with wise policy choices. How can governmental and other authorities better support the development of quality AI for diagnosis and clinical decision making? Do we have the systems in place to make the meaningful changes needed for doctors and hospital administrators to take genuine advantage of the potential of AI? What are the challenges they face? Hear from

How will the new government deliver on its promises? Respected journalist Nick Bryant hosts this conversation with Sally Sitou, Member for Reid; Kylea Tink, Member for North Sydney; Constitutional reform expert; Anne Twomey; and political theorist Tim Soutphommasane. On being elected, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to create a government that doesn’t “seek to divide” and one that will “change the way” politics operates in Australia; to lead with integrity. With a record 10 women in his cabinet, a promise to enshrine a First Nations Voice to parliament and a commitment towards mitigating the impacts of climate change, the new government have set themselves strong targets. Can there truly be a reset in how politics is run in this country? How can this new government “bring people together” beyond the rhetoric and slogans? What do they need to get right before their first year is up and how can the new voices in parliament set a course for change? Hear from an expert panel including: - Sally Sit

Renowned environmental scientist, Professor Emma Johnston AO, the co-chief author of the 2021 Australian State of Environment Report and the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) is joined by her co-authors to discuss key findings of the report and what is in store for our environment and wellbeing. The extreme weather events from the past few years have shown that our future depends on healthy rivers, forests, soils and seas, which is why it is crucial to understand exactly what is at stake. The State of the Environment (SOE) report, a five-yearly independent review, commissioned by the Australian Government, is a critical piece in the puzzle. Its independent analysis from a team of scientific experts, offers a clear framework on how to address the myriad environmental issues we face and the projected future of our environment. Professor Johnston is one of Australia’s most distinguished environmental scientists, an elected fellow of both the Australian Academy of Science (AAS) and the Australian

Why are we a nation that has not yet recognised the First People, and what can we do to take action? Teela Reid, proud Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman, lawyer and the University of Sydney's inaugural Indigenous Practitioner-in-Residence, examines the hard questions that cut to the legitimacy of our democracy on the eve of the fifth anniversary of Uluru Statement from the Heart. Teela was joined in a conversation moderated by Billi FitzSimons, Editor of The Daily Aus. Professor Simon Bronitt, Head and Dean of Sydney Law School, introduced the event and a Welcome to County provided by Michael West from Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC). You can hear all of this in the full event, available on video via the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3x7mrJp

Hear from global leader Dr Kakenya Ntaiya, scholar, social activist and 2021/2022 Senior Fellow at Brown University. Kakenya is the founder of Kakenya's Dream, an international nonprofit organisation that seeks to educate girls, end harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, and transform her community. This Sydney Ideas event also features: – Peyian Kortom, final year Bachelor of Science and Liberal Arts student at the University of Sydney – Cynthia Naiyoma, first year Bachelor of Nursing student at UTS – Lisa McIntyre, Founder of Women for Change – Professor Renae Ryan (host), Academic Director of Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Program at the University of Sydney. This event was held on 19 May 2022. For more information, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3wOLeD7

In the lead up to the federal election, as the parties vie for voter’s attention, Sydney Ideas brings together a panel of experts to examine some of the key policy issues that are shaping this election, such as the economy, climate change, and more. FEATURING: – Professor Anika Gauja, Australian politics specialist – Antony Green, ABC's Chief Election Analyst – Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill, political economist – Professor Duncan Ivison, political philosopher – Kishor Napier-Raman, politics reporter for Crikey – Moderator: Fran Kelly, journalist and political correspondent The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas event, presented in collaboration with School of Social and Political Sciences, on Thursday 28 April, 2022. This event is the first part of our 2022 federal election series. Stayed tuned for Part 2, after the election. For more information and resources, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3LFO3v1

In the aftermath of devastating climate disasters like Australia’s recent east-coast floods, how do communities – those at the centre of the crisis and those on the periphery – support each other emotionally during times of climate distress? Hear from climate emotions experts and residents of Lismore. – Maddy Braddon, community organiser – Professor James Bennett-Levy, mental health expert – Aidan Ricketts, academic and environmental activist – Samuel Savage, emergency services coordinator – Jeanti St Clair, journalism lecturer and storycatcher – Moderator: Dr Blanche Verlie, social scientist The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas online event, presented in collaboration with Sydney Environment Institute, held on Thursday 21 April, 2022. For more information and resources, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/395MYOC To connect with research, news or join upcoming events at the Sydney Environment Institute, visit https://sei.sydney.edu.au/

How can artificial intelligence help us solve tough mathematical problems? Delve into the surprising ways that AI can enhance our human intuition with esteemed Australian mathematician Professor Geordie Williamson and MC Adam Spencer. To see the beautiful images and graphs Geordie refers to in his talk, watch the video here: https://bit.ly/3qcTKrE The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas event that was held on Tuesday 15 March, 2022. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: www.sydney.edu.au/sydney-ideas

Hear from young people and academic experts, including a leading US researcher, who are driving research that is changing the out-of-home care system, using creative methods for social change. FEATURING: – Billy Black, Fostering Lifelong Connections Advisory Group – Expert by Experience – Professor Amy Conley Wright, University of Sydney – Bobby Hendry, Fostering Lifelong Connections Advisory Group – Expert by Experience – Professor Peter J. Pecora, University of Washington – Tegan Whittaker, Fostering Lifelong Connections Advisory Group – Expert by Experience – Host: Professor Judith Cashmore AO, University of Sydney The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas public talks event that was held virtually on Thursday 10 March, 2022. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3CMnCjP

What can the 24 hour economy look like and how might it help future proof the city? FEATURING: – Michael Rodrigues, 24 Hour Economy Commissioner – Sara Saleh, writer and poet – Jess Scully, author, curator and City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor – Carla Theunissen, Senior Manager, Place Activation and Strategy for Sydney Olympic Park – Steph Harmon (host), Culture Editor of Guardian Australia The recording for this podcast is from a live Sydney Ideas public talks event that was held virtually on Wednesday 2 March, 2022. For more information and resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website.

2022. It's a new year yet the same-old. Off the back of the pandemic, there was talk of a Great Reset, a chance to turn a crisis into an opportunity. But looking at the state of play today – in politics, human rights, climate action and widening inequality – has this vision for a paradigm shift fizzled? To get some perspective, we bring together leading thinkers from a range of fields to share their take on how the world might change – or could change – for the better, by the end of year. FEATURING – Dr Arianna Brambilla, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Co-chair of the cluster Building Efficiencies of the Smart Sustainable Building Network – Associate Professor Melody Ding, epidemiologist and population behavioural scientist working at the intersection of physical activity, epidemiology and chronic disease prevention – Dr Arunima Malik, Senior Lecturer in the Integrated Sustainability. Her expertise is in big-data modelling to quantify sustainability impacts at local, national and global scales – Janan

Hear from researchers at the University of Sydney Nano Institute (Sydney Nano), who are working at the cutting-edge of nanoscience. Professor Zdenka Kuncic shares how the research team is delivering cures for neurological diseases by rethinking interventions in the nervous system. Dr Shelley Wickham is working on a project building autonomous, programmable robots that can detect disease early for treatment and prevention. Professor Chiara Neto talks about developing a low-cost method to capture water in the air, to tackle the impacts of drought. Associate Professor, chemist and science communicator Alice Motion is our host, with opening remarks from Sydney Nano Director, Professor Benjamin Eggleton. This recording was from a live event on 25 November, 2021. For links to further resources, including the transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3li5Zk7

How adaptable are our big city birds to the urban environment and what impact we humans are having on them? Discover some significant citizen science projects and how you can get involved. Drawing on the latest research, in this Sydney Ideas event you will hear powerful short talks about our local birdlife. Featuring: – Professor Dieter Hochuli, ecologist at the University of Sydney, on the brush turkey; – Dr Holly Parsons from BirdLife Australia on the powerful owl; – Dr John Martin, research scientist at Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, on the much-maligned ibis; – Professor David Phalen (University of Sydney), who talks about a new study that aims to identify the causes of a devastating disease affecting Rainbow Lorikeets; – Dr Lucy Aplin from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behaviour, explains the unique bin-opening behaviour of clever sulphur-crested cockatoos, and; – Associate Professor Kurt Iveson, urban geographer from the University of Sydney, moderates this event. Visit the Syd

As Australia looks to reopen, and in the week NSW emerges from lockdown, we examine the path to reopening and how we can rebuild Australian society looking forward. Drawing upon the work of the Open Society, Common Purpose taskforce hosted at the University of Sydney, we ask: What do we need to get right? Featuring: – Professor Catherine Bennett, epidemiologist, Deakin University – Dr Nick Coatsworth, infectious disease physician, ANU – Dr Luara Ferracioli, Senior Lecturer in Political Philosophy, The University of Sydney – Professor Adam Guastella, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney – Professor Fiona Russell, paediatrician and epidemiologist, The University of Melbourne – Mark Rigotti, Senior Adviser at Herbert Smith Freehills and Chair of the Open Society, Common Purpose taskforce – Professor Tim Soutphommasane, political theorist, The University of Sydney – Professor Marc Stears, Director of Sydney Policy Lab, The University of Sydney This conversation was reco

How do changes to our sleep and body rhythms affect our health, wellbeing and diseases of the brain? In the lead up to Mental Health Month, discover some fascinating new research emerging from the University of Sydney and beyond. Fran Kelly, Breakfast presenter on ABC Radio National, moderates an expert panel featuring: – Associate Professor Sean Cain, circadian rhythms expert from Monash University – Dr Jacob Crouse, post-doctoral research fellow with the Youth Mental Health & Technology Team at the Brain and Mind Centre – Professor Sharon Naismith, clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Sydney This discussion was recorded on 23 September, 2021. For more information and resources, including a transcript, visit the Sydney Ideas website: https://bit.ly/3CFlfOn – this is where you can also find our music playlist of tracks to wind down to, as recommended by the panel.

After being involved in two decades of occupying the country, what responsibilities does Australia owe to the people of Afghanistan? What more needs to be done by the Australian and other allied governments? This conversation brings together Afghan Australians Mujib Abid who recently escaped from Kabul with his family, and Shukufa Tahiri, former Policy Officer with the Refugee Council, as well as leading academic experts to share their insights. Hear from our panel including: Mujib Abid, University of Sydney alumnus (Master of Peace and Conflict Studies) and PhD candidate at the School of Political Science & International Studies at University of Queensland. Professor Mary Crock, Co-Director of the Sydney Centre for International Law. Her expertise spans immigration and refugee law, and she is regularly cited in the media, research papers, and in Australia's Federal Courts and High Court. Professor William Maley AM, Professor in the Department of International Relations at ANU, barrister and Vice-President

A philosopher, an improv comedian, a psychologist and an economist walk into a Sydney Ideas webinar... to discuss happiness. Can we find ways to be happier than we were before, while in the face of ongoing uncertainty and a global pandemic? Happiness. There are entire industries dedicated to helping us find it. Endless social media advice, self-help books and gurus promising health, wealth and happiness if only you do that one thing. But it can be hard to feel happy in the face of a pandemic – extended lockdowns, the chaos and uncertainty of working from home, of home-schooling, or simply feeling like everything is just relentless. What are we really chasing, and why? What is the difference between being happy with your life compared to being happy in your life Featuring: – Rebecca De Unamuno, award-winning improviser and comedian – Dan Nahum, economist with the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work – Dr Tim Sharp, Australia's very own 'Dr Happy', at the forefront of the positive psychology movem

Vaccines offer a way out of COVID but its success is not without challenges. How do we overcome the gaps in understanding so that we’re backing the best chance we have in keeping ourselves and the community safe? Facilitated by ABC’s Tegan Taylor (co-host of Australia's chart-topping health podcast, Coronacast), this discussion is grounded in the science, with insights from experts from the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, including: – Professor Cheryl Jones, paediatric infectious diseases physician and Head of School and Dean of Sydney Medical School, who is also an ATAGI member; – Professor Kirsten McCaffery, Principal Research Fellow at the Sydney School of Public Health; – Professor Ramon Shaban, Professor of Infection Prevention and Disease Control; – Mustafa Dhahir, a current Doctor of Medicine student and Pharmacy graduate, with experience in community vaccinations and he uses social media to empower the public's understanding of health. We hope this discussion will help