The Knowledge Mill

Greg Joachim
  • 5.0 (1)
  • EDUCATION

The Knowledge Mill features PhD researchers and the work they do. Each episode is a longform conversation covering the guest's journey to doing a PhD, the nature of their PhD life, the ideas they're currently swimming in, and their non-academic passions.

  1. 26 // Leanne Sobel // Special Episode: Strategy, design and reflections on a journey into and out of PhD Studies

    12/10/2025

    26 // Leanne Sobel // Special Episode: Strategy, design and reflections on a journey into and out of PhD Studies

    Leanne Sobel is a PhD graduate from the University of Technology Sydney. Show Notes: https://www.theknowledgemill.com/episode26/ -- Leanne Sobel is a strategic designer, educator, and researcher. She is currently the director of strategic design at Snowmelt and an Adjunct Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney Business School. Leanne brings a wealth of experience to her practice, having worked on public and private sector projects over her 20 + year career including working in diverse domains such as design education, experiential design, place-based strategy, innovation, management consulting, organisational strategy and design thinking. Leanne holds a Bachelor of Design from Swinburne University, Master of Management from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and a PhD of Management from UTS in which she investigated the role of design in strategy. Leanne is an experienced training facilitator of executive education specialising in strategic design, strategy, complexity, and organisational change. She teaches in the UTS Executive MBA and has extensive experience in design-led workshop facilitation for strategy, organisational challenges, and innovation initiatives. She is also a member of the UTS Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience, UTS Change for Good, and the UTS Innovation and Entrepreneurship Collaborative. Leanne is the first repeat guest I’ve had on The Knowledge Mill and, more importantly, is a close friend and valued colleague of mine. Since she was featured in the second episode of the podcast - a conversation we recorded in November 2022 - she has completed her PhD and moved into her current roles with Snowmelt and UTS. To get a recording done before her PhD was conferred, we actually sat down to speak earlier in 2025 and I’ve held onto that recording so this episode could be the finale for 2025. The two years between drinks proved a valuable opportunity for both of us to reflect on how some things - like studies, projects, and jobs - change while other things - like friendships - hold steady. — This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded in my office at UTS on May 2, 2025.

    1h 10m
  2. 25 // Corey Cutrupi // Leveraging Major Female Sport Events to Create Sustainable Fan Engagement

    12/02/2025

    25 // Corey Cutrupi // Leveraging Major Female Sport Events to Create Sustainable Fan Engagement

    Corey Cutrupi is a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney. Show Notes: https://www.theknowledgemill.com/episode25/ -- Corey Cutrupi is part-time educator, part-time exercise scientist, researcher and full-time sport enthusiast. Currently, his research has taken him on a quest to better understand how organisations can effectively leverage major events in women’s football to create sustainable growth in Australian women’s football. The centrepiece of this study was the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, hosted in Australia and New Zealand. While it was no secret how the bandwagon of women’s football was full as a result of this event, Corey is on the pursuit to identify what strategies are most effective in making sure that bandwagon remains at capacity. Previously, Corey has worked at Tennis Australia, Football NSW, and has had various roles in health and sport following a sport and exercise science degree. Today, he teaches in the undergraduate and postgraduate Sport Management streams in the UTS Business School as he looks to conclude his PhD. Still finding time to work in the corporate health space, Corey enjoys the balance of combining his passions into a dynamic working week. Ultimately, sport is Corey’s biggest passion, and when he isn’t playing sport (likely due to his knack for an injury), he is living and breathing it as an educator, spectator and behind the scenes. Corey and I first met each other in 2019 when I was coordinating one of the subjects he took as part of his Masters course at UTS. At the time, I was at the same stage in my PhD that he is now at in his own PhD. Life goes around in funny circles this way. Corey and I have no difficulties talking about sport and the lives we both lead around it, but this time we decided to turn on the microphones. While we did manage to keep the focus on Corey’s PhD, we also unpacked a number of critical issues in the sport world – i.e., the things that keep us both engaged in this field of research and teaching. — This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded in my office at the University of Technology Sydney on November 21, 2025.

    1h 15m
  3. 24 // Lauren Wood // Learning from Wearable technologies: Investigating running asymmetries through machine learning and inertial sensors

    11/26/2025

    24 // Lauren Wood // Learning from Wearable technologies: Investigating running asymmetries through machine learning and inertial sensors

    Lauren Wood is a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney. Show Notes: https://www.theknowledgemill.com/episode24/ -- Lauren Wood is a researcher and educator exploring how wearable sensors and artificial intelligence can help us better understand human movement. With an interdisciplinary background spanning sport science, engineering education, and design, Lauren is passionate about shaping the future of sport and health technology through design thinking and data analytics. Lauren has collaborated with elite sporting organisations as a research assistant to integrate digital tools into high-performance environments to improve usability and support holistic wellbeing from grassroots to the elite level. She also teaches engineering design and innovation at UNSW Sydney, leading student teams in human-centred design, prototyping, and technology development. Lauren aims to always take a systems approach that connects the athlete, coach, and researcher to make wearable data meaningful, ethical, and actionable Lauren is currently completing a PhD at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), where she focuses on detecting subtle running gait asymmetries using wearable inertial sensors and machine-learning models. Her work brings together biomechanics, data science, and design to translate complex sensor data into practical insights for athlete wellbeing, rehabilitation, and performance. Lauren and I came into this conversation knowing we shared a mutual interest in design, but we’re also both very interested in wearable tech. As a result, this conversation takes a few novel turns, including a discussion of how Lauren has had to teach herself coding even while undertaking her PhD - something I think will fascinate you as much as it did me. -- This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded on the Moore Park Campus of the University of Technology Sydney on July 17, 2025.

    1h 2m
  4. 23 // Emma Petancevski // Exploring how augmented feedback shapes motor skill learning in sport

    11/20/2025

    23 // Emma Petancevski // Exploring how augmented feedback shapes motor skill learning in sport

    Emma Petancevski is a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney. Show Notes: https://www.theknowledgemill.com/episode23/ -- Emma Petancevski is a researcher, educator and sport scientist investigating how augmented feedback can enhance motor skill learning and performance in sport. With a background in sport and exercise science and experience across elite rugby league environments, Emma integrates applied performance insights with academic research to improve athlete development and coaching practices. She has led sport science programs for professional teams in the NRLW and Women’s Indigenous All Stars, and currently works as a research assistant on a project examining the return-to-sport decision-making process among stakeholders following athlete injury. Her work is driven by a commitment to aligning scientific evidence with the practical demands of high-performance sport, ensuring that research outcomes are both relevant and impactful for athletes and practitioners. Emma is currently completing a PhD at the University of Technology Sydney where she explores how augmented feedback influences motor skill acquisition, with a focus on producing research that is rigorous, transparent, and reproducible. She is passionate about generating research that is not only methodologically robust, but also directly applicable to real-world sporting environments, empowering coaches and practitioners to make informed decisions that enhance athlete learning and performance. Emma and I met for the first time just before recording this episode, but immediately fell into an easy conversation. Her enthusiasm for her work and doctoral project will be apparent to all listeners and might perhaps serve as inspiration for those of you trying to balance work and study. -- This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded on the Moore Park Campus of the University of Technology Sydney on July 17, 2025.

    50 min
  5. 22 // Tijana Sharp // Prescriptive considerations and outcomes of High-Intensity Multimodal Training

    11/12/2025

    22 // Tijana Sharp // Prescriptive considerations and outcomes of High-Intensity Multimodal Training

    Tijana Sharp is a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney. Show Notes: https://www.theknowledgemill.com/episode22/ -- Tijana Sharp is an Associate Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science. She is a UTS Sport and Exercise program alumna, having completed B Sport and Exercise Science and B Sport and Exercise Science (Hons), and is currently completing her PhD. Her current research focuses on the health and fitness outcomes of combined high-intensity aerobic and resistance training. Tijana practices as Accredited Exercise Scientist (ESSA) at an exercise physiology and pilates clinic where she has worked with a team of allied health professionals to develop and implement a range of rehabilitation programs for various pathologies and concerns. She also has a strong passion for professional development for allied health professionals and is a co-founder of The Active Education Program, which offers educative courses specific to pilates based exercise interventions. This episode is a fun milestone for the podcast, as it marks the first time I’ve spoken to a former student of mine. Tijana and I first met when she undertook the subject Sport and Society in the first year of her undergraduate studies. As I’ve just outlined, she’s kept herself busy in the time since! It’s always a great pleasure for me to see my students succeed, and getting up to speed on Tijana’s work was no exception. -- This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded on the Moore Park Campus of the University of Technology Sydney on July 17, 2025.

    52 min
  6. 21 // Xianxian Jiang // Understanding the distributed innovation process: How do organisations and individuals coordinate through sensemaking?

    10/29/2025

    21 // Xianxian Jiang // Understanding the distributed innovation process: How do organisations and individuals coordinate through sensemaking?

    Xianxian Jiang is a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. Show Notes: https://www.theknowledgemill.com/episode21/ -- Xianxian Jiang is a PhD candidate in Management at the University of Queensland Business School. Her research investigates the process of coordinating for distributed innovation in innovation ecosystems, which represent a unique collaborative context in many technological and professional fields. She is specifically interested in how inter-organisational and interdisciplinary actors and their work for innovation are organised in such contexts. Empirically, Xianxian has primarily been focusing on complex innovation processes in the healthcare sector with a backdrop of digital technologies (e.g., AI) and digital infrastructure building. Prior to her current academic career, Xianxian was a research development and innovation partnership manager in the medical imaging industry and higher education for over a decade. Xianxian and I met on a warm Queensland afternoon, so the windows to her office were open throughout our conversation. The effect of this is one of what you might call ‘campus ambience’ that would have been hard for us to create on purpose. A happy accident, then, and one that adds another layer of calm to a winding and free-flowing conversation that I’m sure will draw you in as it drew me in on the day. -- This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded at the University of Queensland in Brisbane on June 12, 2025.

    57 min
  7. 20 // Amanda Van de Paverd // Unleashing the Maverick organisation: Transforming the Public Sector to improve adaptability and innovation

    10/22/2025

    20 // Amanda Van de Paverd // Unleashing the Maverick organisation: Transforming the Public Sector to improve adaptability and innovation

    Amanda Van de Paverd is a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. Show Notes: https://theknowledgemill.com/episode20 -- Amanda Van de Paverd is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Queensland, building on an extensive career as a consultant and with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Amanda’s research explores the practice of maverickism, applied at the organisational level to improve innovation, learning, and adaptability in public sector organisations. She has completed her final review and just a few weeks ago submitted her thesis for examination. During her tenure with the RAAF, Amanda specialised in personnel management, organisational design, and workforce optimisation. Her exemplary service included operational duties, earning her a commendation for her significant contributions to the International Campaign Against Terror. Beyond her PhD research, Amanda has publications in Defence industry outlets such as The Forge and the Propel Her Australia series. Since transitioning from full-time military service, Amanda has worked as a Management Consultant, focusing on leadership, change management, and organisational design. She has successfully led reviews, large-scale projects, and cultural change initiatives across diverse sectors, including NGOs, government, health, energy, and resources. Amanda is a proud mother of two daughters, who inspire her continuous pursuit of knowledge and professional growth. Currently, Amanda serves on the Board of Directors at Family Services Australia (NFP), where she chairs the Human Resources and Governance (HRG) Committee. She is also a Director at Prax Studio, overseeing business operations and management. My conversation with Amanda folded over onto itself a couple of times in ways I think listeners will find very satisfying. Her journey to and through her PhD candidature will serve as a valuable reminder that being purpose-driven in your life and work will take you further than maybe you think you can go. -- This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded at the University of Queensland in Brisbane on June 12, 2025.

    58 min
  8. 19 // Afrouz Shoghi // The real lives of professional working mothers with children in their early years: A work, family, and community resource perspective

    10/15/2025

    19 // Afrouz Shoghi // The real lives of professional working mothers with children in their early years: A work, family, and community resource perspective

    Afrouz Shoghi is a PhD candidate at Griffith University. Show Notes: https://theknowledgemill.com/episode19 -- Afrouz Shoghi is an Organisational Psychologist with over 15 years of leadership and practitioner experience across a wide range of departments and organisations within the health, social services, and education sectors. In particular, Afrouz has led various early childhood education and development strategies across Australia and has overseen and managed research, policy, and programs aimed at enabling workforce, community, and systemic change to promote the importance of early childhood development. Building on this experience and her own personal experience navigating early motherhood and work, Afrouz is currently finalising her PhD investigating the real lives of professional working mothers with young children. Integrating the principles of Psychology, Social Science and Business, Afrouz’s PhD is aimed at understanding the realities of professional working mothers’ lives from a socio-ecological perspective - where the role of work, family, and community resources are explored in their impact on individual psychological well-being and workplace, community, and family outcomes. While finalising her PhD research, Afrouz is also now translating her research and her extensive work experience, in designing a social impact venture aimed at supporting working mothers navigating work, career, and family in the early years of parenting. This new venture, workHers, is currently in the co-design phase with various stakeholders and local partners and advocates. Overall, Afrouz’s personal passion and professional intent is to unlock system capabilities to better support working mothers, and to also empower working mothers to best manage their roles at work and in life. Now raising two young daughters, aged seven and six, Afrouz’s ambition is to continue to facilitate and inform research to understand and better respond to the modern needs of working families, as well as to build communities and resources to support working families navigating work and life during the early years of parenthood. Afrouz and I found a lot of common ground in this conversation, as we are both navigating the dual worlds of parenthood and academia. Anybody out there who is considering starting a PhD will come away from this conversation with a handful of great places to start, as Afrouz and I pulled at many threads while unpacking her research. -- This episode of The Knowledge Mill was recorded on the Nathan Campus of Griffith University in Brisbane on June 9, 2025.

    55 min
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About

The Knowledge Mill features PhD researchers and the work they do. Each episode is a longform conversation covering the guest's journey to doing a PhD, the nature of their PhD life, the ideas they're currently swimming in, and their non-academic passions.

Information

  • Creator
    Greg Joachim
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Greg Joachim 2023
  • Show Website
    The Knowledge Mill