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In this podcast for National Mental Health Awareness Week, Dr Sandra Walker urges us to approach anyone we suspect to be suffering from a respectful curiosity. She discusses how mental illness is not something to recover from, but can be a way of discovering who you will next be, and the community's role is to give care and support, to bear witness, rather than try to fix things.

In a new podcast, Dr Nizar Ibrahim talks about all things dinosaur and why we are still fascinated by these animals, millions of years after they became extinct. The first annual DinoMAYnia, a month-long celebration of all things dinosaur from National Geographic Kids, is underway. Dr Nizar Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer in Palaeontology in our School of the Environment, Geography, and Geosciences and spokesperson for the event, talks about what is happening during the coming weeks. In the podcast, we learn about Dr Ibrahim’s passion for palaeontology and hear about his recent discoveries, including Spinosaurus, the first aquatic dinosaur, and revealing the most dangerous place in the history of planet Earth. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/prehistoric https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/discovery-shows-giant-predatory-dinosaur-was-an-aquatic-river-monster https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/palaeontologists-reveal-the-most-dangerous-place-in-the-history-of-planet-earth

In this episode, we speak with the University of Portsmouth alumnus Godfrey Atuahene Jr BA (Hons) Business Studies & HR Management ’11 about his work as Secretariat Task Force lead at the Cabinet Office. Having joined the Cabinet Office during the pandemic, Godfrey was immediately thrown into the midst of the Government response. Now working on the vaccine rollout, the roadmap out of lockdown, as well as projects around mental health, diversity and inclusion, it is Godfrey's desire to help and support people that gets him out of bed in the morning. Discover more about our Alumni at Portsmouth: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/alumni

Professor of Palaeobiology, David Martill, talks about discovering the incredible secret to the success of the flying pterosaur with a neck longer than a giraffe.

In this episode, we speak to the University of Portsmouth alumnus Rosaria Barreto, Personal Trainer and founder of VitalityHub, a health and fitness movement encouraging people who find exercise difficult to move more. With a dream of transforming communities through the benefits of better physical and mental health, Rosaria has been working with the most isolated and lonely members of society - an effort that has proved even more vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover more about our Alumni at Portsmouth: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/alumni

In this episode, we speak to the University of Portsmouth alumnus Nida Malik, Teaching Fellow and founder of Dental Adventures, A UK based charity offering free dental camps in Nepal. Inspired by research she undertook as part of her Master’s Degree, Nida is using her dental skills to empower people in rural areas of developing countries by providing vital healthcare and education, an effort that is inspiring her students at Portsmouth. Discover more about our Alumni at Portsmouth: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/alumni

In this episode, we speak with the University of Portsmouth alumnus Mark Cheeseman about his work as Professional Lead for Medicines Information in the Midlands and East NHS regions, part of the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS). With a career spanning more than 20 years, Mark has been witness to major advances within the world of pharmaceuticals. Now, in the time of COVID, his skills have been pushed to navigate unseen challenges. Discover more about our Alumni at Portsmouth: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/alumni

In this episode, we speak with the University of Portsmouth alumnus Lawrence Mottram about his work for international NGO Action Against Hunger, and how a Business and Finance degree led him there. A world away from the structure and perks of the corporate world, Lawrence instead has found himself working on projects and humanitarian emergency response to crises in developing countries across the globe. Channelling his valuable skills and experience into his work, Lawrence is testament to the fact that sometimes the perfect route is the untraditional one. Discover more about our Alumni at Portsmouth: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/alumni

International scientists from around the world are warning that chemical pollutants in the environment have the potential to alter animal and human behaviour.

Today is World Water Day, an annual UN observance day that celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. In a new podcast, Dr Fay Couceiro, a Biogeochemist in our School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, talks about how we can better protect this vital resource. The theme of this year’s World Water Day, which takes place on 22 March every year, is ‘Valuing Water’ The value of water is about much more than its price – water has enormous and complex value for our households, food, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. If we overlook any of these values, we risk mismanaging this finite, irreplaceable resource. Dr Couceiro examines some of the global challenges we face and how we can safeguard this critical resource for the benefit of everyone.

Dr Emma Maynard, Senior Lecturer from the School of Education and Sociology, gives advice and reassurance about going back to school.

Film historian Dr Alexander Sergeant - an expert on the history and theory of fantasy cinema - shares his thoughts on all things fantasy in this 20-minute podcast.

Vodka distilled from grain and water sourced in a nuclear disaster zone? Normally when alcohol inspires world-changing ideas, they don’t turn out that well, but this University of Portsmouth Professor is clear-headed about how to help kick-start Chernobyl’s economy. Professor Jim Smith explains his findings after years of studying the impact of radiation upon wildlife and the food chain in nuclear exclusion zones. It turns out that people living in semi-evacuated areas aren’t experiencing life-limitations as a result of radiation as much as the limited economic opportunities. In Life Solved, Jim battles the myth of Chernobyl as exacerbated by popular culture, and explains how his safe, good-tasting and high-quality vodka is the first consumer product to come out of the area since the 1986 disaster. He argues that land is now safe to grow crops and plans for 75% of the product's sales to go back into the local community and wildlife conservation projects. It’s his hope that the Chernobyl Spirit Company’s Atomik Vodka will be the first of many innovations to change the fortunes of people living in the area, and showcase the real Chernobyl to the wider world. https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/podcasts/life-solved/episode-1-atomik-vodka

Jac Reed and Dr Nick Pamment from the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies at the University of Portsmouth, discuss their alternative approach to using long-standing forensic methods to help wildlife crime investigators around the world.

Dr Reuben Shipway, from the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Marine Science, talks about the extraordinary and very competitive sex lives of the shipworm, a species much maligned for its voracious appetite for eating wood.

Dr Karl Bell, reader in cultural and social history at the University of Portsmouth and director of the Supernatural Cities project, has a special interest in the supernatural. In this podcast, he discusses why people love ghost stories at Christmas time and shares a few spooky tales from the historic maritime city.

With renewable energy predicted to grow, we talk to University of Portsmouth expert Dr Amitava Roy about the different types of renewable energy, how it can be used to combat climate change and the UK government’s pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Faults in the Earth's crust result from huge plate tectonic forces, cause earthquakes and act as conduits for fluids that can create ore deposits. But how do we know when faults were active throughout geological time? Dr. Catherine Mottram joins us to discuss her recent work in the Yukon, Canada, which is helping to change the way we look at these important processes. To find out more, visit https://www.port.ac.uk/SEGG

Dr Andrew Williamson from the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation talks about gravitational waves, how they're detected and what these new findings mean for science and our quest to study the Universe. https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/bumper-crop-of-black-holes-in-new-gravitational-wave-paper

The figures are shocking - 14% of all murders are committed by a current spouse or partner; with former partners responsible for one in seven murders. “Meet Marry Murder” is a new TV series starting this week on Crime+Investigation – exploring some of these devastating crimes with the help of Dr Brian Frederick, a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Policing at the University of Portsmouth. Now, in a short podcast from University of Portsmouth, Brian explains more about spousal murder, the cases that have most shocked him and what, if anything, could be done to spot the signs and give help to people before they become victims. https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/meet-marry-murder https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/brian-frederick