In this episode, hosts Dr. Lauren Siegel and Dr. Rami Shamseen speak with Dr. Agnieszka Rydzik(University of Lincoln) and Dr. Maria Gebbels (University of Greenwich) about their forthcoming book, Central and Eastern European Women Academics in the UK: Making Britain Home (out 20 March 2026). Originating from reflections on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU expansion and stereotypes about Eastern European women, the project gathered 29 first-person chapters by 30 authors, spanning PhD students to professors, to “give voice” to personal yet political experiences of migration, academia, language, and belonging. Contributors use diverse formats beyond essays, including poems, photography, collage, paintings, soundscapes, and dialogue.

01:27 Origin Story and EU Migration

02:49 A Personal Political Anthology

05:52 Trust and Writing Vulnerably

06:51 Authors' personal stories

15:25 Creative Formats and Methods

23:12 Language Identity and Accents

24:06 Diversity Across Backgrounds

26:19 Surprises Hope and Belonging

29:20 Who the Book Is For

30:22 Closing Thoughts

In this episode, Dr Lauren Siegel and Dr Chen Yang speak with Dr Ewa Krolikowska-Adamczyk and Dr Robert Arnett Robson about drama-based teaching techniques for higher education. They define drama-based techniques as using elements from acting—such as voice, body, classroom space, props, humour, and performance skills—to enhance teaching and student engagement, emphasising that attention is a key resource for lecturers. Ewa outlines three focal techniques from their work: sketches (short humorous scenarios), soliloquies (voicing a character’s internal thoughts aloud), and storytelling delivered with dramatic elements to create a memorable “wow factor.” They stress inclusivity by depicting relatable scenarios that do not alienate diverse students and explain their focus is primarily on lecturers using these techniques rather than requiring students to perform. Ewa shares her drama and theatre undergraduate background, while Rob describes an informal performance interest developed through corporate training and his doctorate in education on drama-based techniques; they explain how they connected with colleague Kevin Williams and now collaborate as “Act One Education.” They discuss applicability across disciplines (including nursing, science, engineering, and medicine), advise hesitant or introverted educators to start with small performance tools and remain authentic. They position drama as one tool within a broader teaching toolkit and plan to write more due to a gap in higher-education-focused research, and future research on barriers and fears that prevent educators from adopting these techniques.

01:09 What Are Drama-Based Teaching Techniques?

01:46 The Real Reason Drama Works: Winning Student Attention

03:05 The Big 3 Techniques Explained: Sketch, Soliloquy & Storytelling

05:39 Do Students Have to Perform? ‘Acting for the Non-Actor’

06:34 Workshop Storytime: The Skit That Hooked the Room (No More Death by PowerPoint)

08:23 How Ewa, Rob & Kevin Found Each Other (and Built Act One Education)

11:32 From Corporate Training to Global Classrooms: Drama Across Cultures

14:39 Can Drama Work in Any Subject? Real Classroom Examples

16:50 Nervous or Introverted? Start Small with Props, Space & Baby Steps

22:30 Making Learning Memorable (and Not Over-the-Top): Drama as One Tool in the Toolkit

26:39 Workshops Beyond Greenwich + Building a Community of Practice

28:59 What’s Next: Future Research, Barriers & Spreading the Word

In this episode, Dr. Lauren Siegel and Dr. Rami Shamseen are joined by Dr. Elisa Pannini to discuss labor unions, employment legislation, and workplace conditions. Dr. Pannini shares her journey into labor market research and talks about the significance of platform work as a major shift in the labor market. The conversation explores how unions are adapting to represent precarious and marginalized workers, the evolving landscape of labor regulations, and how technology is influencing labor dynamics. Dr. Pannini also highlights her upcoming research on the use of AI and algorithmic management in call centers and its implications for workers.

01:06 Dr. Pannini's Research Journey

03:02 Impact of Platform Work on Labor Markets

04:19 Union Efforts in Organizing Precarious Workers

05:15 Challenges and Opportunities in Worker Organization

10:08 Education and Workers' Rights

17:48 Global Labor Market Dynamics

21:40 Unions and Democracy

24:12 Future Research and Conclusion