What’s it really like to swap Malaysia’s sunshine for the UK’s famously unpredictable weather? MARA scholar Izz Irfan shares his honest take on adjusting to life at the University of Birmingham - from the cold and halal food hunts to making campus feel like home.
What happens when you ditch the "safe path"? Meet three Malaysian scholars at the University of Birmingham who took the leap. From science to philosophy to activism, they share candid stories of forging their own way without a clear map. As it turns out, getting a little lost might just lead you exactly where you need to be.
This is no joke — from cold-calling blood donors to becoming a surprisingly talented water filter salesperson, Devina's unconventional career path takes center stage in this April Fool's special. Join us as MABECS' Executive Director switches chairs and reveals how her quirky journey through odd jobs watered (pun intended) the seeds of leadership in education and publishing. Who knew selling water filters could lead you so far? ;)
What if the biggest breakthroughs in your career came from the paths you never planned? Professor Brad MacKay of the University of St Andrews didn’t set out to become a global voice in academia, but a research detour into Scottish independence changed everything. In this episode, he shares how embracing uncertainty and following unexpected turns can lead to lasting impact—and why your next career move might not be a straight line.
Journey through financial history with University College Dublin's Don Bredin as he unravels how economic crises shape our world. Drawing from his firsthand experiences as an Irishman navigating Ireland's tumultuous 1980s to today's dynamic global markets, he reveals how a deep understanding of historical financial trends can inspire innovative solutions, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable financial future.
From solicitor to professor, Paul McConnell shares invaluable insights on navigating legal careers globally. Join us as we explore how work experiences shape career decisions, debunk legal profession myths, and discover why your international background might be your greatest asset in the legal world.
From studying Alzheimer’s to decoding how our brain's "GPS" works, Exeter’s Dr Jon Brown’s research is on its journey to shape the future of neuroscience. Discover how his research seeks to improve these neuronal connections, potentially alleviating early symptoms of Alzheimer’s such as disorientation.
Is there a loneliest time in a person’s life? Can you be in solitude in a crowd? Dr Jennifer Lay from the University of Exeter discusses her niche research on solitude and loneliness, where she uncovers the intersection of solitude and loneliness in our hyperconnected world.
“History is not just about facts, figures and people - it’s about learning where we came from,” says Queen Mary lecturer in Cold War History, Dr Rowena Abdul Razak. Dr Rowena posits that history gives you that edge and ability to see forward because you know what happened before. Tune in to learn more about why history so fascinated Dr Rowena from young and why corporate companies are now recruiting history graduates.
The climate crisis is real, and it is already affecting our future, including the jobs it is creating and will create. The key to looking for a successful, sustainable career is asking questions that are environmentally related - as Dr Phil Murphy elaborates fascinatingly in this episode.
“I started off with no real clear direction,” Dr Eoin Jordan confessed about his career journey. But as we listen, his non-linear career journey is anything but unclear. What if clarity is really a process rather than a destination? That’s what we’ve learnt as we listen to Dr Jordan’s illustrious work journey across his travels in the UK, Canada, Japan and China.
If you’re an audiophile, you might have heard of Warwick Acoustics, which its director, Professor Duncan Billson claims to make the “world’s best headphones by a long way”. Duncan, a Professor at the University of Warwick, takes us through the highs and lows of his career, advising students to “always do something a little scary in life”.
Sacha Leong is no stranger to the global interior design scene, having designed global projects such as the Ace Hotel in London, Odette, a fine-dining restaurant housed in the National Gallery of Singapore, as well as Claudine, a fresh restaurant housed in an old chapel. But just how exactly does one get to this point? The answer, unsurprisingly, starts with a relentless curiosity and a sense of wonder from growing up in his 1980’s hometown Singapore that was so very different from what it is to...
“He’s abandoning his bright future to cook food for someone else,” Bo Li’s father said in dismay when Bo Li decided to drop out of his Master’s degree in Architecture at Deakin University. Discover how and why Bo Li embarked on a completely different career trajectory, even winning 2023’s best ramen in Victoria.
As young as nine years old, Laych experienced firsthand a lesson of humiliation and also kindness from an unpleasant classroom experience in Malaysia which she believed had shaped her view of empathy and compassion. From there, Laych went on to be a ‘rockstar’ journalist (in Devina’s words) for many years before retraining as a teacher in London while being owner and publisher of popular Malaysian parenting site Makchic. This is her story.
If you’ve watched Ili on screen, she’s always bursting with so much joy and laughter. The joy is real and permeates everything she does from her studies, to every career move, which includes serving at Will and Kate’s wedding (!). You don’t want to miss this episode!
Does fashion matter, or is it just frivolous? Also, what does a museum and archaeology expert do when she gets more confused from visiting Nepal’s Narayanhiti Palace Museum? Dig deep into all these and more as we chat with Professor Bryony Whitmarsh, Professor of Heritage and Museum Studies; as well as Amanda Bragg-Mollison, Deputy Head of School (Education) at the University of Southampton.
Wole Talabi’s curiosity has taken him places. At nine, he read his parents’ entire collection of encyclopedias because he enjoyed the process of finding things. Later, as a chemical engineer, he went to Imperial College to pursue a Master’s degree in Reservoir Engineering because he was so frustrated at the uncertain numbers given to him to design facilities for the oil and gas company. When given negative feedback on his writing as a new writer, he took it as a challenge. He continued to write ...
The word ‘text’ originates from ‘textile’ - which means woven together. To Dr Dibyadyuti Roy, this was the single most accurate way of describing his journey from literature into digital humanities. To him, his foray into media studies digital humanities was about looking at texts in the largest possible dimension. Listen to discover how digital humanities and media studies will be a core partner to help students retain skills necessary for jobs in the next ten years.
“It won’t work,” people told Kim when she first bounced the idea of a blowdry bar. “You’re going to get eaten alive by the big fish.” Kim, the perennial lover of challenges, set out to prove everyone wrong. Here’s her story of starting Malaysia’s first blowdry bar to mind-blowing success.
Straight from the heart, Dr Ria Dunkley revealed that she didn’t know what she wanted to do at university. Her tutor encouraged her to study tourism. She thrived at university and became a lecturer in tourism - then dedicated her life to ecopedagogy after she worked for the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK. Learn about her struggles with imposter syndrome, working part-time jobs while pursuing her doctorate, and how you too can play a part in the climate crisis right where you are.
Shari’s teacher would complain to her parents, “Shari’s just a daydreamer, she should really focus more in class.” But being a daydreamer had grown her observation and reflection skills, which in turn, she put to writing and illustrating. Today, Shari is a sought-after multi disciplinary creative who has worked for local and international brands, from Monki, Uniqlo, to local brands such as U Mobile.
“There was always an action at the workplace,” Southampton University’s Assistant Professor of Marketing, Dr Tugra Akarsu shares. She confesses that growing up with her working parents had sown the seeds of sales and marketing in her from her early years. Discover how her food engineer parents’ influence had made her emotionally mature, resilient and took her to the heights of her career today.
“I’ll just sell my car - that will do our salaries for a while, and we can just walk to meetings,” thought Carl Hewitt when his co-founder Reece Matthews and him first started their little-known media agency. Discover how these 18-year-old’s rose against all odds and gave their all to build an award-winning digital marketing agency.
“We won’t be able to send you to university anymore, we couldn’t afford it. You got to think for yourself,” Venon Tian’s mother told him as he finished high school. Amazingly, Venon (who is now COO at ZUS Coffee) went ahead with university and even funded his own law degree in the UK. Tune in to find out how Venon overcame his financial challenges, secured a job in the UK and went on to preach and breathe operational excellence at work.
When James Barton broke his leg as a teenager, his dreams of being a professional rugby player had to take a dramatic shift. Looking back, the mishap literally ushered him into a new ‘stage’ of his life: acting and Indiana Jones (yes) were part of that stage. Tune in to discover how it all came together for James who is now a renowned ambassador of UK education and a successful public speaker and actor.
Julian Brimmers grew up in unassuming Straelen, Germany where he “yearned for the exciting stuff”. He went on to be a journalist, filmmaker and podcaster whose works have been published by the BBC, the Paris Review, and many more. For Julian, the path that led him there was all about “going through the stories”. Tune in to find out more.
Prof. Manuel Barcia’s first day of work at a museum archive changed his life forever. “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” he thought to himself. Tune in to find out what’s in the museum archives and how he journeyed from Cuban history to global history at Leeds.
Annette Lee started off as a receptionist before rising the ranks to be the Head of Press & Communications at 4AD, one of the world’s most respected indie record labels. Learn how Annette’s self-starting aptitude helped her to make the most out of the receptionist role as the only person of colour at the UK office, armed with her degree in Music Industry Management and Marketing.
You’ve probably visited museums, but have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in a museum? More specifically, being a museum curator? In this episode, Corinna Gardner shares her unique journey as a museum curator and how it’s like working at the V&A in London, the world’s leading museum of art and design.
