UNSW Centre for Ideas
UNSW Centre for Ideas
An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas is a thought-provoking program of events and digital content from the globe's leading thinkers, authors and artists.Social links:
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Daniel Joinbee: Indigenous aerospace trailblazer
From a family story rooted in Yarrabah, to the lawns of the White House in Washington DC, hear the incredible story of Daniel Joinbee, a proud Gunggandji man, Royal Australian Air Force veteran, and founder of Australia’s first and only 100% Aboriginal-owned aerospace consultancy and Indigenous you…
1:05:23
Andrew Upton: From stage to page
What happens when a master of the stage turns to the page? Acclaimed playwright, screenwriter, artistic director and now novelist Andrew Upton has never been one to stay in his lane. Across theatre, film, television and fiction, his many creative pursuits are united by one calling: storytelling. …
1:11:41
We built this thing Ep3: From incarcerated to CEO: driving change in youth justice from the inside-out with Michael Kwan
During his first night in prison at 16 years old, Michael Kwan knew it was time to take accountability for the choices he’d made. Now, Michael wants to share the opportunities he made for himself - an education, a part-time job, a place to call home - with other at-risk youth and those already insi…
25:40
We built this thing Ep2: The competitive edge as a first-time founder in your 40s with Janet Salem
After 17 years at the United Nations, Janet Salem was growing frustrated with the gap between the sustainability data she was gathering, and the information businesses were using to make investment decisions. She saw an opportunity to give business’s crucial insight into their resource consumption …
30:48
We built this thing Ep1: When solving the water crisis comes from thin air with Shannon Lemanski
As a veteran, Shannon thought his business idea, a machine that filters water from the air, would be a no-brainer for the military. But when the first round of funding fell through, he had to pivot. His next move led Shannon all the way to Buckingham Palace and is transforming countless lives acros…
37:19
Human vs Machine: Joel Pearson on staying optimistic about the intelligence revolution
The development of AI has brought humanity to the cusp of a seismic change the likes of which has never been seen before. Workforces of the future will be dramatically different, as some jobs become obsolete and people scramble to learn new skills and ways of working. But just as this intelligence …
21:56
Human vs Machine: Barbara Wilby and Joel Pearson in conversation
The development of AI has brought humanity to the cusp of a seismic change the likes of which has never been seen before. Workforces of the future will be dramatically different, as some jobs become obsolete and people scramble to learn new skills and ways of working. But just as this intelligence …
51:37
Women on Top
Statistics can sometimes paint a rosy picture. Women now make up half of federal parliamentarians in Australia, more women graduate from university than men, and over 60% of Australia’s Winter Olympic team in 2026 were women. But the reality of gender equality and progress is disappointingly stag…
1:14:02
Whistleblowers: In defence of truth
Most whistleblowers are unknown and ordinary people shedding light on corruption and misconduct. They rarely make the front page; many pay a devastating personal price. Australia’s whistleblowing protections are failing them. Hear two of the foremost experts in Australia on protecting and defendi…
55:17
Sue-Anne Hunter: Our kids deserve better
Following the historic appointment of Sue-Anne Hunter as the inaugural National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, Australia finds itself on a new journey but an old and critical road to mend. From the over-representation of Indigenous kids in child…
1:04:37