10 - About Town Planning

On the last episode for season 1, I spoke to Professor Karen Douglas, a Professor of Psychology for the University of Kent, all about the psychology behind conspiracy theories. What defines them? Why are they so attractive to some? What makes them gain traction? What is the best approach to deal with a friend or family member who has gone deep down the rabbit hole? This was a fascinating and very timely conversation. 

Tune in to my new podcast - She Is Legend, a podcast about amazing women who excel, amaze and inspire, launching on all platforms on 24/09/2020

I am joined this week by Dr Michelle Bovill and Jessica Bennett who both work in research in Indigenous Health, to talk about Closing the Gap. What does it involve? Why is it so important? How have past injustices impacted the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today? What can non-indigenous allies do to help? This is a really important conversation for anyone wanting more of an understanding of the differing and complex needs of First Nations' People, and why they are not being adequately met by the current structure of healthcare.

James Gage - an avid cycling fan, a half iron man competitor, general sports fan and mechanical engineer, who also happens to be my ridiculously good looking husband - joins me this week to chat all about Le Tour De France. The Tour is a BIG deal in our house, and James has been following it since he was a kid - I'm certain he rates the day he met Cadel Evans above our wedding day. This was the first episode I ever recorded and after re-listening to it, decided it was too good not to release. So buckle up for the podcast debut of the man, the myth, the legend that is my Husband - James Gage.

Kelly Varidel's life was turned upside down in November 2019 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since then, she has undergone an intensive treatment regime, including a double mastectomy, and is now cancer free. However, the journey doesn't end there - not by a long shot.

Kel joined me to share her experience of the physical, emotional and psychological toll that fighting cancer takes. She is one amazing lady and her story is one of hope, courage and resilience.

Dr Andy Thomas was the first Australian to fly in space as a NASA Astronaut. He completed 4 missions throughout his career, one of which involved a 141 day stay aboard the Russian Mir Space Station. He spent a total of 177 days in space over the course of his career, including a 6.5 hour space walk, outside the Mir Space Station. Dr Thomas is now retired from NASA and resides, with his wife and fellow NASA Astronaut, Shannon Walker, in Texas, USA. I spoke with Dr Thomas all about what it's like to be in space, how the training prepared him, how he coped with weightlessness - we even covered space movies! This discussion was an absolute thrill and I hope you enjoy it. It's definitely one I will never forget!

Jessie Ferrari and Jason Rimmer are both students at Melbourne University studying various aspects of Aboriginal Astronomy and Ecology of the Kulin Nation, and they joined me to share what they have learnt so far and their continued studies, under Associate Professor Duane Hamacher. This episode was a deep dive into a rich cultural history that is being restored and preserved after being damaged by colonization. You can learn more about the collective of researchers and their work at www.aboriginalastronomy.com.au

Ella Weisbrot is a Research Scientist from the Climate Council of Australia, and we chatted all about climate change. From how it's measured, to what actually is a carbon footprint, transitioning to clean energy and the effects that clean energy could have in the current economic climate. This episode is a really important one for anyone wanting to understand the current climate crisis and what a future with renewable energy would mean on an individual level, as well as for the country and the world. Find out more about the Climate Council at https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/ and donate if you can!

I chatted to Jen Bray this week, all about her turbulent fertility journey, which resulted in her and her husband being the recipients of a donor embryo, which enabled them to bring their daughter, Ivy, into the world to complete their family. Jen shared her very personal experience of the joyful highs and painful lows that she and her husband lived through in order to fulfill their dreams of having children. She also talks about some common misconceptions about donor recipient parents, and what she would like everyone to know about alternative paths to parenthood. This was a very honest and raw conversation with a woman who's strength and determination is nothing short of inspirational.

This week, I talked to Steph Atchison, a Molecular Microbiologist working predominantly in the field of HPV testing and research, who is currently working to process COVID-19 swabs and data collection for research. We chatted all about what happens once a swab sample is taken, how the testing works, how accurate it is and about how Australia is leading the way in HPV research and prevention, globally. This conversation gave some fascinating insight into the intricacies behind how a positive or negative test result comes to be.

This week I am joined by Alex Andrews - the COO and Co-Founder of Verve Super, to talk about all things superannuation. What is it? Why is it so important? How does it grow? What are some common misconceptions? Why do women generally have less to retire on than men?

This was a really interesting chat about something we really should all know about (kind of the point of the whole podcast, right?), and definitely left me with a lot to think about! 

You can learn more about Verve Super and find the resources Alex referred to in the episode at www.vervesuper.com.au