Addressing Knowledge-Behaviour Gaps in Student Consumer Sustainability Awareness

Massimo Risoli: The Left Behind in Can Tho, Viet Nam: Smart Cities, Climate Change and Everyday Inequality

Massimo Risoli (BA Geography) joins us to discuss the research project "The Left Behind in Can Tho, Viet Nam : Smart Cities, Climate Change and Everyday Inequality" which is part of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (University of Southampton) and Mekong Institute (Can Tho University) research collaboration. In this episode Massimo discusses his dissertation, based on qualitative fieldwork in Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta in Viet Nam. Drawing on thirteen semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and an interview with a local NGO conducted in June 2025, the research explores how smart city development shapes everyday experiences of flooding, digital inclusion, and urban inequality.   Building on Ayona Datta’s (2018) concept of digital visibility, the research argues that digital legibility increasingly determines which places, people and problems receive political attention and investment. While every participant identified flooding as a defining part of daily life and almost all had experienced climate-related displacement, none associated smart city development with climate adaptation. Rather than reflecting a lack of awareness, this reveals a deeper governance logic in which digitally visible forms of development are prioritised over long-term climate resilience.   The episode highlights why placing local voices at the centre of sustainability and smart city policies is essential if urban development is to be genuinely inclusive. Key readings * Datta, A. (2018). The digital turn in postcolonial urbanism: Smart citizenship in the making of India’s 100 smart cities. * Hollands, R.G. (2008). Will the real smart city please stand up? * Heeks, R. (2022). Digital inequality beyond the digital divide. * Tran, T.A. (2020). From free to forced adaptation: A political ecology of the ‘state–society–flood’ nexus in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.    Guest: Massimo Risoli, BA Geography Host: Prof Simon Kemp Producer & Editor: Jack Dinham The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2026 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.

Sadie Entwistle: Why the UK needs to plant more seagrass and protect what we already have. Projecting carbon stocks and storage rates of a UK subtidal seagrass bed

We are joined by Sadie Entwistle (MSci Marine Biology) to discuss a fascinating research project "Why the UK needs to plant more seagrass and protect what we already have. Projecting carbon stocks and storage rates of a UK subtidal seagrass bed"  In this student takeover episode of the Meliora Podcast, Sadie joins us to discuss the hidden potential of seagrass ecosystems in mitigating climate change. We address how seagrass restoration as a nature-based solution can be used to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 14 (Life Below Water). The importance of the seagrass beds in storing atmospheric carbon for decades to centuries is explored, as well as why the UKs seagrass ecosystems are needing protection under a changing climate and increasing human disturbance. Sadie’s research project titled “Projecting carbon stocks and storage rates of Zostera marina beds, Studland Bay, UK” provides novel estimates of the amount of carbon stored per year, and across the entire meadow, at Studland Bay (Dorset, UK). She takes us through the rationale for the research, how the project was born, and the methods used to obtain results using the ICUN’s Blue Carbon Manual. We discuss how these results differ from the few existing studies found elsewhere in the UK, and what this may mean for the future of seagrass restoration. You can explore Sadie’s research further by accessing her Linkedin for a full PDF of the study. Sadie Entwistle - www.linkedin.com/in/sadie-entwistle-082673395 [http://www.linkedin.com/in/sadie-entwistle-082673395] For more information of the methods used, please follow the link to the ICUN’s Coastal Blue Carbon Manual: https://iucn.org/content/coastal-blue-carbon-manual [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fiucn.org%2Fcontent%2Fcoastal-blue-carbon-manual&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7Cc45f8bdcbfda4c5ae2d908ded1f498e0%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639179045712827549%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rWu6Ht3HbPEYVfRcnj87pO7WU7s426IVsmF76cW%2BGjM%3D&reserved=0] Guest: Sadie Entwistle, MSci Marine Biology Host: Prof Simon Kemp Producer & Editor: Jack Dinham The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2026 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.

Ronnie Lam: Analysing the intersection between music education and young people in care

We are joined by Ronnie Lam to discuss a fascinating research project "Analysing the intersection between music education and young people in care" along with many wider important issues. In this episode we address the important question "In What Ways Can Institutions Increase Access to Music for Looked After Children for Them to Have the Benefits of Music Education?" There is little research on the intersection between music education and young people in care. The barriers are individualistic to broad, with placement, support and funding being some examples, with impact from Progress 8 and the removal of the English Baccalaureate to current ongoing reforms in the children’s care system. Even though some music hubs and institutions are providing music provisions to young people in care, there are problems in knowledge of these provisions and relationships to the local authorities. Conducting interviews, looking at policy, statistics and quotes from people who are care-experienced, I display what current issues there are and what approaches we should take to bridge the gap. Guest: Ronnie Lam, BA Music Host: Prof Simon Kemp Producer & Editor: Jack Dinham Further reading: Biddulph, Max. ‘Failed by the System: The Views of Young Care Leavers on Their Educational Experiences, Barnardo’s Policy and Research Unit, and Supporting Children in Public Care in Schools. Pastoral Care in Education 24, no. 4 (2006): 49–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0122.2006.00390.x [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0122.2006.00390.x]. Bull, Anna. Class, Control, and Classical Music. Oxford University Press, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190844356.001.0001 [https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190844356.001.0001]. Carrie Wilson. ‘How I Am Fighting the Stereotypes of Looked after Children’. Social Care Network. The Guardian, 18 May 2012. https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2012/may/18/looked-after-children-care-system [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsocial-care-network%2F2012%2Fmay%2F18%2Flooked-after-children-care-system&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643296413%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=eU%2BY%2BKVE3Xg7FQltFPMprSw2Z5YCtaszUQrNhqhE%2Fic%3D&reserved=0]. Children’s Commissioner. The Big Ask - The Big Answer. September 2021, 58. Coles, Thomas. ‘Why Are Looked After Children Fixed Term Excluded from School? Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to Understand the Process’. Ed.D., University of Exeter, 2012. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1654741660/abstract/820815F28BDE4829PQ/1 [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F1654741660%2Fabstract%2F820815F28BDE4829PQ%2F1&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643335052%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3l5zHnzJgv3pcu%2FK7AFM%2FqwvKPH0tOKLPDqsdv58vDA%3D&reserved=0]. Frogley, Catherine, Mary John, Ruth Denton, and Dawn Querstret. ‘“They Don’t Meet the Stereotypes in the Boxes…”: Foster Carers’ and Clinicians’ Views on the Utility of Psychometric Tools in the Mental Health Assessment of Looked after Children’. Adoption & Fostering 43, no. 2 (2019): 119–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308575919841752 [https://doi.org/10.1177/0308575919841752]. Gumble, Daniel. ‘Major Victory For Music Education as Government Scraps EBacc’. UK Music, 10 November 2025. https://www.ukmusic.org/news/major-victory-for-music-education-as-government-scraps-ebacc/ [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukmusic.org%2Fnews%2Fmajor-victory-for-music-education-as-government-scraps-ebacc%2F&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643359050%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7TW4QTcN0d34yJ3u%2BWe7MFT209%2F92vDQk1f9qSrlgZg%3D&reserved=0]. Hibbard, Shannan, and Erin Price. ‘Trauma: A Compassionate Lens for Music Teaching’. In The Oxford Handbook of Care in Music Education, OUP, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197611654.013.35 [https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197611654.013.35]. Hugman, Catriona. ‘Misrecognition or Recognition? A Critical Discussion of Care Experience as a Protected Characteristic’. Critical and Radical Social Work 13, no. 2 (2025): 214–30. https://doi.org/10.1332/20498608Y2024D000000067 [https://doi.org/10.1332/20498608Y2024D000000067]. Humphrey, Ryan David. ‘Music Making and the Potential Impact for Looked after Children’. MA, York St John University, 2018. https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/3539/1/Humphrey%20Ryan%20David%20Final%20Thesis.pdf [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fray.yorksj.ac.uk%2Fid%2Feprint%2F3539%2F1%2FHumphrey%2520Ryan%2520David%2520Final%2520Thesis.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643379888%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CffpvgVzZYoIDkj5lafTbdBfyesJhQ95kEt2FsHg8UU%3D&reserved=0]. Murris, Karin. ‘The Epistemic Challenge of Hearing Child’s Voice’. Studies in Philosophy and Education 32, no. 3 (2013): 245–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-012-9349-9 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-012-9349-9]. O’Donnell, Chloé, Rachel Sandford, and Andrew Parker. ‘Physical Education, School Sport and Looked-after-Children: Health, Wellbeing and Educational Engagement’. Sport, Education and Society 25, no. 6 (2020): 605–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1628731 [https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1628731]. ‘Rethinking “Bad Behavior” : A Compassionate Response to “Acting Out” in Music Education’. In Trauma and Resilience in Music Education. Routledge, 2021. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003124207-1 [https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003124207-1]. ‘Should Care Experience Be a Protected Characteristic?’ Children’s Commissioner for England, 26 October 2023. https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/blog/should-care-experience-be-a-protected-characteristic/ [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk%2Fblog%2Fshould-care-experience-be-a-protected-characteristic%2F&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643400692%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Bl60yvqr0qNwB2cfPRAnTprZgg06FKLT4HDOTlz1jc8%3D&reserved=0]. Terry Galloway. ‘Latest List of Councils to Have Passed the Protected Characteristics Motion for Care Experienced People’. 17 September 2025. https://www.careleaveroffer.co.uk/blog_articles/5277-latest-list-of-councils-to-have-passed-the-protected-characteristics-motion-for-care-experienced-people [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.careleaveroffer.co.uk%2Fblog_articles%2F5277-latest-list-of-councils-to-have-passed-the-protected-characteristics-motion-for-care-experienced-people&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643425273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=p4wRMAW8Srvw5onK0wvEsuY024Ilb0ms2XXp01BfbDg%3D&reserved=0]. Terry Galloway. Letter to Housing Minister Regarding Discrimination in the Planning System. n.d. Accessed 30 April 2026. https://www.careleaveroffer.co.uk/blog_articles/4125-letter-to-housing-minister-regarding-discrimination-in-the-planning-system [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.careleaveroffer.co.uk%2Fblog_articles%2F4125-letter-to-housing-minister-regarding-discrimination-in-the-planning-system&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643448469%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OuTJfP0Q2yYJjaTXVmilt037BEUl819Gm2d1pnHO7yo%3D&reserved=0]. The Centre of Social Justice. Survival of the Fittest? Improving Life Chances for Care Leavers. The Centre of Social Justice, 2014. https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CSJ_Care_Report_28.01.14_web.pdf [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F03%2FCSJ_Care_Report_28.01.14_web.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CS.Kemp%40soton.ac.uk%7C4dd4c6a357174be4343408ded38f14b1%7C4a5378f929f44d3ebe89669d03ada9d8%7C0%7C0%7C639180808643472100%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L%2Br8Am6E3xb9iQxeIggzs8BtkmI0RSVN6COqgEzF130%3D&reserved=0].

Adchaya Apputhurai: A sparkling problem in our aquatic environments - a study on glitter pollution.

Adchaya Apputhurai (BSc Environmental Science) joins us to discuss her dissertation "A sparkling problem in our aquatic environments: A study on glitter pollution". Despite being a prevalent microplastic of a highly complex structure, glitter is overlooked as a pollutant. This study links particle size, short-term biological impact, and sediment transport for red PET glitter. The commercially available glitter was split into three size fractions, then Artemia sp. were exposed to these for 72 hours and mobility was quantified in a sediment column experiment that simulated episodic rainfall. The results show that fine particle glitters are persistent, mobile, and carry potential for physical harm to organisms, making their exposure risk greater. It is argued that glitter should be explicitly considered in microplastic regulation and monitoring frameworks, whilst also bringing more awareness to the public about its harm. Consumers are encouraged to make active choices when buying items including glitter to prevent pollution of sensitive aquatic environments.  Episode guest: Adchaya Apputhurai, BSc Environmental Science Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp  Episode producer and editor: Jack Dinham

Jamie Robinson: Salinity rising - the hidden crisis threatening the Mekong delta

Jamie Robinson (BSc Environmental Science) joins us to discuss his research project 'Salinity rising: the hidden crisis threatening the Mekong delta' which is part of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (University of Southampton) and Mekong Institute (Can Tho University) research collaboration. Salinity intrusion is increasingly threatening the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, a region vital for global rice production. In this episode, Jamie Robinson explores how rising salinity, driven by climate change, sea level rise and human activity, is impacting both the environment and local communities. Using fieldwork and long-term data, the research shows clear increases in salinity levels, especially during dry seasons, placing pressure on crop yields, water security and livelihoods. The episode highlights that this is not just an environmental issue, but a complex challenge requiring coordinated, sustainable solutions to protect the delta’s future. The Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2026 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students. Episode guest: Jamie Robinson, BSc Environmental Science Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp Episode producer & editor: Jack Dinham