On this episode, Shannon chats about pivoting your start-up after funding failure, committing to your mission and transforming lives in the process. 

On this episode, Shannon chats about pivoting your start-up after funding failure, committing to your mission and transforming lives in the process.&nbsp;

Not your average 9 to 5 job.

Life after school can feel more like a high wire act than a clear path forward.

From picking the right career, to saving for your first place, to figuring out who you are and what you stand for. A decade (or two) passes in the blink of an eye. And then what? You were meant to travel, see stuff. Be someone. And what about the environment? Is anyone doing anything about that? Won’t AI make us all obsolete in the next couple of years anyway? So many questions and just one life.

Enter We Built This Thing– a podcast series designed to share tips and bring a little joy to lead a more fulfilled life with host Dr Justine Rogers an Associate Law Professor and stand-up performer. 

Presented by UNSW's Centre for Ideas, We Built This Thingshares stories from founders, engineers and passionate creatives who aren’t following a traditional career path yet are achieving their dreams and living a life aligned with their values on their own terms.

Not your average 9 to 5 job.
Life after school can feel more like a high wire act than a clear path forward.
From picking the right career, to saving for your first place, to figuring out who you are and what you stand for. A decade (or two) passes in the blink of an eye. And then what? You were meant to travel, see stuff. Be someone. And what about the environment? Is anyone doing anything about that? Won&rsquo;t AI make us all obsolete in the next couple of years anyway? So many questions and just one life.
Enter We Built This Thing &ndash; a podcast series designed to share tips and bring a little joy to lead a more fulfilled life with host Dr Justine Rogers an Associate Law Professor and stand-up performer.&nbsp;
Presented by <a href="https://unswcentreforideas.com/">UNSW's Centre for Ideas</a>, We Built This Thing shares stories from founders, engineers and passionate creatives who aren&rsquo;t following a traditional career path yet are achieving their dreams and living a life aligned with their values on their own terms.

We Built This Thing

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

We Built This Thing Ep1: When solving the water crisis comes from thin air with Shannon Lemanski

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 this masterclass exploring how AI is rapidly disrupting work, trust, relationships and our sense of certainty. He offers practical strategies for managing uncertainty, protecting our critical-thinking skills and keeping human wellbeing at the centre of the transition.

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;
Join the world&rsquo;s first neuro-futurist, Joel Pearson, in this masterclass exploring how AI is rapidly disrupting work, trust, relationships and our sense of certainty. He offers practical strategies for managing uncertainty, protecting our critical-thinking skills and keeping human wellbeing at the centre of the transition.

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 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

We Built This Thing Ep1: When solving the water crisis comes from thin air with Shannon Lemanski

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