Podcast Series

Talking Diversity with Dr Tina Sikka

Dr Tina Sikka is a Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies in the Department of Media, Culture and Heritage at Newcastle University.

An academic with a passion for technology, climate change, health and food culture, here Tina presents a series of podcasts talking to minority ethnic members of the NINE DTP community, scholars and academics from a range of disciplines across the social sciences about the stories. Tina explores how individuals developed a passion for their subject, how they sought to pursue that passion, and how they navigated (and continue to navigate) the many hurdles and challenges that they face as they continue to strive for excellence in their field.

NINE DTP has great pleasure in presenting Dr Tina Sikka's Talking Diversity series and we hope you find the podcast informative and inspiring.

In this episode, Dr Tina Sikka talks to current NINE DTP student Augustina Pemu about her experiences of applying for NINE DTP funding, and the ways in which she has embraced the challenges of conducting a PhD - and excelled! A winner of the NINE DTP Impact prize, Augustina has demonstrated her capacity to deliver research which can really contribute to the goal of improving our selves and our society.

Augustina's profile may be found of the NINE DTP website here.

In this discussion, Tina talks to Tasnim Hassan. Listen as Tasnim describes her less-conventional path towards a PhD in Sociology, after starting in a different academic discipline and how she has navigated the various challenges she has navigated on her individual journey. Tasnim's research centres on 'Exploring underlying attitudes towards disabilities within black and minority ethnic (BME) informal support networks and its impact on young BME people in their transition to adulthood in the United Kingdom', and it is wonderful to hear Tasnim speaking about her research and PhD journey with such enthusiasm.

A recipient of a highly prestigous Joseph Rowntree Foundation Internship, Tasnim is a great example of a student excelling in their studies supported by NINE DTP funding.

Tina talks to Nafisa Insan, a student studying for a PhD with NINE at Newcastle University. Nafisa's research focusses on 'Maternal Depression in Rural Bangaldesh: a mixed methods exploration of the social determinants and their role in delivery and uptake of mental healthcare'. In this conversation we hear how Nafisa ended up studying a PhD in the Social Sciences, after completing an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science. After shifting her focus to global health, Nafisa found her passion and is now excelling in her doctoral studies.

Hear how she discovered her passion for research in public health, and progressed towards a PhD with NINE DTP funding.

Professor William Henry is a Professor of Criminology and Sociology at the University of West London.

Professor Henry has a wonderfully inspiring story - he admits to having a difficult time in formal education, leaving school and college with no qualifications of note but a passion for learning and teaching. Here, he talks about his extraordinary journey back into education, and his amazing success in completing his PhD at Goldsmiths before starting a career in academia.

Born in Lewisham to Jamaican parents, William is the British Reggae Deejay Lezlee Lyrix, a writer, a poet, a community activist, and excellent public speaker.

We hope you find Professor Henry's story both informative and inspirational.

Professor Carol Tulloch is a Professor of Dress, Diaspora and Transnationalism at the University of the Arts, London, she is a a writer and curator with a specialism in dress and black identities.

Professor Tulloch talks to Tina Sikka about how her academic studies have taken her from Doncaster, South Yorkshire to an academic career, working as a Fellow in the Research Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum, being Principle Investigator of the Dress and African Diaspora Network, all whilst authoring several monographs, curating several high-profile exhibitions, and more besides.

Dr Jason Arday is is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Durham University, Deputy Executive Dean (People and Culture) in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health, and is an expert on Race and Education, Class, Intersectionality, Cultural studies and Social Justice. He has written and published extensively, providing expertise for several BBC programmes, and publications such as the Guardian and Times Higher Education.

In this conversation, Tina and Jason talk about many issues relating to race within Higher Education - a topic around which both share a great and clear passion. We hope you are inspired by Jason's wonderful story, and informed and expert views on Higher Education.