Jamie Agombar - the inspirational visionary leader who has transformed sustainability across the HE sector

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

Gabriel Westcott: Harm, moral status and the use of animals in biomedical research

Gabriel Westcott (BA Philosophy) joins us to discuss his research project "Harm, moral status and the use of animals in biomedical research". The practice of animal experimentation has been the topic of much discourse in the topic of Animal Ethics, in part because it poses a dilemma for those who oppose it and those who advocate for it alike. Whether we deem the practice of animal experimentation permissible or not, we perpetrate a great deal of harm. Part of task of discerning whether animal experimentation is permissible, resides in establishing whether it is the case that animals have moral standing, that is, whether animals matter in their own right. As, despite the great benefits that animal research yields, if we afford animals moral standing there will be some cases where morality mandates that we favour animal interests over human interests.  Episode guest: Gabriel Westcott, BA Philosophy Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp Episode producer & editor: Jack Dinham

Jess Cook: Power to the people - exploring the potential of community energy

Jess Cook (BSc Environmental Science) joins us to discuss her independent research project "Power to the People: exploring the potential of community energy". In this Student Symposium episode, we explore renewable community energy projects from the people's perspective and how they shape up as a feasible decarbonisation solution. We explore whether the challenges that communities face from policy and funding limitations outweigh the benefits successful projects find. we look at the people and places that get involved with projects like these and what makes a project more likely to succeed than others. The synergistic benefits these projects offer within sustainability are examined and the glimmer of hope they provide in these ever more extreme times is discussed. Sit down as we look at the future of community energy with the Government's release of the Local Power Plan and ask, is this a realistic solution to decarbonise our grid and reduce the cost of energy? Guest: Jess Cook, BSc Environmental Science Host: Prof Simon Kemp 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.

Aksel Conway-Forecast: Assessing in-person monitoring techniques for sustainable greenspace management

Aksel Conway-Forecast (BSc Environmental Science) joins us to discuss his research project "Assessing in-person monitoring techniques for sustainable greenspace management". In this student takeover episode of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI) at the University of Southampton, we discuss the means by in-person surveying to improve the efficiency of greenspace management for maintaining the natural sustainability of living systems and similar, whilst in financially and/or resource constrained scenarios. Public or private greenspace management is reliant on tip-offs and visual surveys on negative environmental factors, such as littering, risking inaccurate quantification and ineffectiveness within strategy measures. More effective monitoring can resolve uncertainty and keep management plans well-informed. Yet with the current crisis around funding cuts and other changes to our country’s environmental regulation and management, many greenspace managing bodies are affected by financial difficulties and staff shortages with limit their ability to utilise the best available technologies and techniques. In this episode, we address how to go about creating a reliable but inexpensive monitoring strategy by assessing several surveying techniques in a protected greenspace setting, focusing upon anthropogenic litter for this case study. To learn about the UK’s littering problem, we recommend visiting: (DEFRA, 2026) Statutory Guidance: Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse] To read more about the nature of this work and its implications, we recommend reading the following articles: ·      Barton, J. and Rogerson, M. (2017) ‘The Importance of Greenspace for Mental Health’, BJPsych International, 14(4), pp. 79-81. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1192/s2056474000002051 [https://doi.org/10.1192/s2056474000002051] ·      Browne, M.A., Underwood, A.J., Chapman, M.G. et al. (2015) ‘Linking Effects of Anthropogenic Debris to Ecological Impacts’, Proceedings: Biological Sciences, 282, pp. 1-10. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43602065 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/43602065] ·      Gyraite, G., Haseler, M., Balčiūnas, A. et al. (2022) ‘A New Monitoring Strategy of Large Micro-, Meso- and Macro-Litter: A Case Study on Sandy Beaches of Baltic Lagoons and Estuaries’, Environmental Management, 72, pp. 410-423. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00267-022-01755-z [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00267-022-01755-z] ·      Heravi, M.D., Haddadi, M., Nejad, F.K. et al. (2024) ‘A Comparative Study of Indexes used for Litter Pollution Assessment in Urban and Public Environments’, Heliyon, 10(3), article e24954. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24954 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24954] ·      Yao, X., Lin, T., Sun, S. et al. (2022) ‘Greenspace’s Value Orientations of Ecosystem Service and Socioeconomic Service in China’, Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 8(1), article 2078225. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/20964129.2022.2078225 [https://doi.org/10.1080/20964129.2022.2078225] Episode guest: Aksel Conway-Forecast, BSc Environmental Science Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp Episode producer and editor: Ellie Howell 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.

Jessica Morgan: To what extent does recreational scuba diving accelerate the degradation of Coral Reefs?

Jessica Morgan (BSc Geography) joins us to discuss her research project "To what extent does recreational scuba diving accelerate the degradation of Coral Reefs?" Coral reefs are experiencing unprecedented rates of decline under climate change yet the extent to which local recreational pressures compound climate stress remains contested. This study examined the extent to which recreational scuba diving accelerates coral reef degradation within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, where the effects of climate change exist. To integrate social and ecological dimensions, a structured online survey was carried out to capture self-reported diver behaviours, perceptions, and attitudes, whilst a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis quantified and compared spatial patterns of reef condition and recreational diving intensity between study sites in Cairns and the Far North of the Great Barrier Reef. Reef condition and diving pressure were found to be unevenly distributed, with comparatively poorer reef conditions observed where recreational scuba diving density was prominent. Survey findings revealed a 'knowledge–practice gap', as environmentally aware and experienced divers with training still reported routine behaviours that induce minor contact, capable of generating cumulative disturbance. Together, the results contribute to a growing body of research, indicating that concentrated recreational scuba diving activity can reduce local resilience and recovery capacity of coral reefs, resultantly accelerating climate related deterioration in high-use recreational scuba diving areas. Reef vulnerability is shaped not only by climate change but considerably by how local recreational pressure is organised, distributed, and regulated. This highlights the importance of structural management alongside improved diver education in a warming climate. Studies conclude between 19-45% of reefs have already been lost, and even if global warming is maintained at 1.5ºC, up to 90% of coral reefs may disappear by 2050. Episode guest: Jessica Morgan, BSc Geography Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp Episode producer and editor: Ellie Howell  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.