We. Love. Heat. Bring on the summer! Right? But as each month sees another heat record broken, should we start thinking about heat differently?

What’s happening on a local and global level to prepare us for extreme weather events – and for a much sweatier future?

This episode features: 
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick – Professor of Climate Science, ANU
Lan Ding – Associate Professor of Built Environment, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture  
William Craft – Sustainable Design Researcher, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture
Shayne Gary – Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, UNSW Business School
Giovanni Cunico – PhD Candidate, UNSW Business School
Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW Engineering
Tim Howlett – Team Leader Growth Planning Projects, Dubbo Regional Council

Preppers is created by the UNSW Centre for Ideas. 

We. Love. Heat. Bring on the summer! Right? But as each month sees another heat record broken, should we start thinking about heat differently?
What’s happening on a local and global level to prepare us for extreme weather events – and for a much sweatier future?
This episode features: 
<ul>
<li>Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick – Professor of Climate Science, ANU</li>
<li>Lan Ding – Associate Professor of Built Environment, UNSW Arts, Design &amp; Architecture  </li>
<li>William Craft – Sustainable Design Researcher, UNSW Arts, Design &amp; Architecture</li>
<li>Shayne Gary – Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, UNSW Business School</li>
<li>Giovanni Cunico – PhD Candidate, UNSW Business School</li>
<li>Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW Engineering</li>
<li>Tim Howlett – Team Leader Growth Planning Projects, Dubbo Regional Council</li>
</ul>
Preppers is created by the <a href="https://unswcentreforideas.com/">UNSW Centre for Ideas</a>.

In the popular imagination preppers are eccentric, hoarder types with a fondness for tinned pineapple and a belief that ‘the end of the world as we know it’ is on its way. But as we move into an era that marks time by the rate and severity of disasters – with a pandemic in the rear view and more black summers out ahead – isn’t it about time we all started to prepare? 

 As heat records break and the weather becomes wilder, are we preparing hard and fast enough for the climate changes that are coming? And what’s happening at UNSW and beyond to get us ready? Investigative humorist and climate action enthusiast Dan Ilic, presents Preppers, a new podcast by the UNSW Centre for Ideas. 

Are you getting ready?

In the popular imagination preppers are eccentric, hoarder types with a fondness for tinned pineapple and a belief that ‘the end of the world as we know it’ is on its way. But as we move into an era that marks time by the rate and severity of disasters – with a pandemic in the rear view and more black summers out ahead – isn’t it about time we all started to prepare? 
 As heat records break and the weather becomes wilder, are we preparing hard and fast enough for the climate changes that are coming? And what’s happening at UNSW and beyond to get us ready? Investigative humorist and climate action enthusiast Dan Ilic, presents Preppers, a new podcast by the <a href="https://unswcentreforideas.com/">UNSW Centre for Ideas</a>. 
Are you getting ready?

Preppers

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.

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.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Idea…

UNSW Centre for Ideas | All Episodes

UNSW Centre for Ideas

Preppers Episode 4: Meltdown

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 revolution has called into question the role of humans, could it be the catalyst for more purposeful leadership and smarter working? Could the very essence of being human – empathy, creativity and collaboration – become skills more important than ever as AI increasingly takes over dull, dirty, difficult and dangerous tasks?   

Join the world’s first neuro-futurist, Joel Pearson, in conversation with leadership coach and transformation expert, Barbara Wilby. Hosted by the ABC’s Tegan Taylor, Wilby and Pearson will examine how we can respond to AI by actively using it to enhance decision-making, amplify human strengths and lead through uncertainty. 

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 revolution has called into question the role of humans, could it be the catalyst for more purposeful leadership and smarter working? Could the very essence of being human &ndash; empathy, creativity and collaboration &ndash; become skills more important than ever as AI increasingly takes over dull, dirty, difficult and dangerous tasks?&nbsp; &nbsp;
Join the world&rsquo;s first neuro-futurist, Joel Pearson, in conversation with leadership coach and transformation expert, Barbara Wilby. Hosted by the ABC&rsquo;s Tegan Taylor, Wilby and Pearson will examine how we can respond to AI by actively using it to enhance decision-making, amplify human strengths and lead through uncertainty.&nbsp;

Human vs Machine: Barbara Wilby and Joel Pearson in conversation 

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 stagnant if not downright regressive and concerning.  From the alarmingly high prevalence of gendered violence online and in relationships, to the burden of the mental load in household chores, to the uneven playing field in which women are promoted and paid. When even the most accomplished women are exposed to everyday misogyny and double standards, the question must be asked: is this the kind of progress the feminist foremothers had in mind?  

Join authors and leading women’s advocates, Hannah Ferguson and Jane Caro alongside journalist Farhana Dawood as they explore the reality of gender equality. Women on Top will be a candid conversation about feminism in the age of the manosphere, the real and perceived gains and losses in Australia and globally, and how we can confront the truth.

Explore more events from the UNSW Centre for Ideas 👉 unsw.to/cfi

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&rsquo;s Winter Olympic team in 2026 were women.&nbsp;
But the reality of gender equality and progress is disappointingly stagnant if not downright regressive and concerning. &nbsp;From the alarmingly high prevalence of gendered violence online and in relationships, to the burden of the mental load in household chores, to the uneven playing field in which women are promoted and paid. When even the most accomplished women are exposed to everyday misogyny and double standards, the question must be asked: is this the kind of progress the feminist foremothers had in mind? &nbsp;
Join authors and leading women&rsquo;s advocates, Hannah Ferguson and Jane Caro alongside journalist Farhana Dawood as they explore the reality of gender equality. Women on Top will be a candid conversation about feminism in the age of the manosphere, the real and perceived gains and losses in Australia and globally, and how we can confront the truth.
Explore more events from the UNSW Centre for Ideas 👉 unsw.to/cfi

Women on Top

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 defending the rights of whistleblowers, Kieran Pender and Gabriel Shipton alongside leading commentator and former editor of Guardian Australia, Lenore Taylor. The event also includes an account from a whistleblower on a harrowing case of wrongdoing they exposed in the prison system.

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&rsquo;s whistleblowing protections are failing them.&nbsp;
Hear two of the foremost experts in Australia on protecting and defending the rights of whistleblowers, Kieran Pender and Gabriel Shipton alongside leading commentator and former editor of Guardian Australia, Lenore Taylor. The event also includes an account from a whistleblower on a harrowing case of wrongdoing they exposed in the prison system.

Preppers Episode 4: Meltdown

Preppers

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