Sharing things

The University of Edinburgh

Sharing things is about people and what makes them tick. It’s about their stories. Each episode is a conversation between two members of our university community. It could be a student, a member of staff or a graduate, the only thing they have in common at the beginning is Edinburgh. Sharing things also starts with an object. A special, treasured or significant item that we have asked each guest to bring to the conversation. The conversations are sometimes funny, sometimes moving and always unexpected. Subscribe now and get to know our community a little bit better.

  1. Kim and Alan: Edinburgh roots, managing memories and education as transformation

    EPISODE 3

    Kim and Alan: Edinburgh roots, managing memories and education as transformation

    In our third episode of season 6, guests Kim Graham and Alan Addison talk about Edinburgh roots, managing memories and education as transformation. Professor Kim Graham was appointed as the first Provost of the University of Edinburgh in June 2022, having previously held the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Enterprise at Cardiff University. Kim is an internationally-renowned Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and co-author of award-winning book The Evolution of Memory Systems. Her research asks how variation in the structure and function of brain networks is linked to differences in human memory performance and how damage to these networks influences risk and resilience to dementia across the lifespan.  Alan is a published author and a retired literacy tutor. Before graduating from the university in English Literature in 1995, Alan had his own joinery business. He gave it up to pursue his love of literature, which stemmed from his uncle Bert Mackie, who was a writer and journalist, and encouraged Alan to study English. To enable him to qualify for university he went to a community college and was the first in his family to reach higher education. After graduating, he became a literacy tutor. By then he had been diagnosed with dyslexia and learned that this condition existed in his family. This led him to become a family literacy tutor supporting families in areas of multiple deprivation. Who are we? Season 6 is about who we are as individuals, what motivates us and why we do the things we do? But as it is Sharing things, it is also about where we overlap, where our experiences help us better understand others and why we are never alone. You can find more information on the Sharing things website. Graphic images designed by Chris Behr. They are part of his Nice Things icon set.

    35 min
  2. Niamh and Nathan: Rituals, ‘Friendsmas’, and writing your own narrative

    EPISODE 4

    Niamh and Nathan: Rituals, ‘Friendsmas’, and writing your own narrative

    In the third episode of season 6, guests Niamh Pinkerton and Nathan Oenardi talk about rituals, ‘Friendsmas’, and writing your own narrative.  Niamh loves dogs, nature, puns and being invited to be a guest on fun podcasts (thank you!). During Niamh's early high school years, she faced a sudden change of circumstances and was no longer able to attend school due to a neurological disorder. Niamh spent her exam years in inpatient hospital care. Despite this, she was determined she would improve enough to attend university. A year after Niamh left inpatient care, she attended a SWAP access course to allow her to apply to university. Currently, Niamh is going into her third year of Sustainable Development and Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh and is continuing to work on recovery.  Nathan is zoology graduate who is now a Talent Sourcer at Iconic Resourcing. He realised that his degree doesn’t define him and that his strengths and transferable skills can get him to new and more opportunities. Being mixed race, he feels a strong sense of responsibility to use his platform to represent and empower people with mixed race backgrounds and people in other minority backgrounds.  Who are we? Season 6 is about who we are as individuals, what motivates us and why we do the things we do? But as it is Sharing things, it is also about where we overlap, where our experiences help us better understand others and why we are never alone. You can find more information on the Sharing things website. Graphic images designed by Chris Behr. They are part of his Nice Things icon set.

    29 min
  3. Emily and Ed: Shapeshifting, storytelling and the politics of saying it out loud

    EPISODE 7

    Emily and Ed: Shapeshifting, storytelling and the politics of saying it out loud

    In the sixth and final episode of season six , guests Emily Aboud and Ed Patrick talk about shapeshifting, storytelling and the politics of saying it out loud.  Emily is a Trinidadian theatre director, writer and artistic director of Lagahoo Productions. As a Caribbean theatre maker, her work draws inspiration from the political community theatre she grew up making in Trinidad - a combination of music, movement, direct audience address and naturalism. Her most directing recent credits include BOGEYMAN (Edinburgh Fringe 2022), the award-winning SPLINTERED (Soho Theatre, also, writer), Pink Lemonade (Bush Theatre), Dolly (Park Theatre) and Chatham House Rules (Pleasance Theatre).  Ed is a comedian, author and NHS anaesthetist. As well as performing across the UK, Ed also hosts the Comedians' Surgery podcast where he speaks to other comedians about their health stories and experiences. His memoir Catch Your Breath: The Secret Life of a Sleepless Anaesthetist was published in 2021. Warning: This episode occasionally contains strong language.  Who are we? Season 6 is about who we are as individuals, what motivates us and why we do the things we do? But as it is Sharing things, it is also about where we overlap, where our experiences help us better understand others and why we are never alone. You can find more information on the Sharing things website. Graphic images designed by Chris Behr. They are part of his Nice Things icon set.

    33 min
  4. Sharing things again: Making spaces

    BONUS

    Sharing things again: Making spaces

    In this specially curated bonus episode from our season 6 podcast intern Hannah, we explore 5 seasons of Sharing things and pick out conversational snippets that explore identity, belonging and making spaces.  This special episode features guests from all five seasons of Sharing things. Ellen and Rachel: Dying and not dying, familial love and ketchup splatters - Listen and subscribeSJ and Mona: The flying frisbee of death, evocative smells and taking ownership of faith - Listen and subscribeSrishti and Abrisham: Self-expression, dangerous women and writing things down - Listen and subscribeBeth and Udita: Role models, women in leadership and voyages of discovery - Listen and subscribeRichenda and Amalie: New skills, impostor syndrome and sudden departures - Listen and subscribeCharles and Rianna: Woolly mammoths, deep sea gigantism and knowing your place in the family hierarchy - Listen and subscribeDaisy and Dalia: Childhood excitement, happy folders and love over hate - Listen and subscribeElias and Tomiwa: Internet culture, giving others a platform and Michael Rosen memes - Listen and subscribeLaura and Nicha: Lifelong friendships, belonging and painting with Bob Ross - Listen and subscribeDavid and Caroline: Escaping in nature, imposter syndrome and finding treasure (everywhere) - Listen and subscribeNuam and Olivia: Family ties, intersectionality and figuring out where home is - Listen and subscribeEach episode of Sharing things is a conversation between two members of our university community. It could be a student, a member of staff or a graduate, the only thing they have in common at the beginning is Edinburgh. We start with an object. A special, treasured or significant item that we have asked each guest to bring to the conversation. What happens next is sometimes funny, sometimes moving and always unexpected. Find out more at www.ed.ac.uk/sharing-things-podcast Images designed by Chris Behr. They are part of his Nice Things icon set.

    46 min
4.7
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Sharing things is about people and what makes them tick. It’s about their stories. Each episode is a conversation between two members of our university community. It could be a student, a member of staff or a graduate, the only thing they have in common at the beginning is Edinburgh. Sharing things also starts with an object. A special, treasured or significant item that we have asked each guest to bring to the conversation. The conversations are sometimes funny, sometimes moving and always unexpected. Subscribe now and get to know our community a little bit better.