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When Chanel Contos first hit post on an Instagram poll in 2021, she had no idea of the cultural reckoning she was about to unleash. She asked a simple question, “Have you or has anyone close to you ever been sexually assaulted by someone who went to an all-boys school in Sydney?”. But the responses were overwhelming. So much so, that she had to create a website to collect over 6,700 testimonies. This led to the founding of Teach Us Consent. Now, five years on Chanel has spearheaded an organisation at the forefront of dismantling sexual violence. She sat down with host Justine Rogers to discuss her journey from UNSW commerce and arts student to tackling consent in Australia and founding a grassroots campaign that has grown into an international movement. Please be aware that this episode discusses sexual abuse and trauma which may be distressing for some people. Resources and support can be found at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) . For more episodes from We built this thing, visit unsw.to/wbtt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raji Ambikairajah has had a very successful career. She was awarded NSW Woman of the Year for her work with Room to Read, she has a PhD in electrical engineering from UNSW, she’s been the CEO of several start-ups, and she’s been on company boards since she was in her 20s. But if you asked her right after graduating what she wanted to do, she wouldn’t have been able to tell you. In fact, she was one of the few graduates in her year without a job lined up. What makes Raji stand out has been a clear moral compass that has guided her across careers, companies and boardrooms. On this episode of We built this thing, Raji chats with host Justine Rogers about letting your moral compass guide your career decisions. Tune in to hear how she committed to donating her time, treasure or talent from the very beginning of her career. Don’t miss her advice for dealing with an uncertain future and building a career that may not be linear but makes sense to you. For more episodes from We built this thing, visit unsw.to/wbtt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 youth program. Daniel and host Jonathan Webb will also discuss enabling Indigenous communities to blaze their own trails through empowering programs like Raising Horizons.  For more UNSW Centre for Ideas podcasts, visit unsw.to/cfi-podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  In this compelling conversation with Michaela Kalowski, recorded live at Belvoir St Theatre, Upton discusses his debut novel, Krank Fuss – a modern-day fable set against the gathering darkness of Europe in 1937. Moving from the stage to the page, he explores the craft behind the novel, the inspiration that drives his work and the different possibilities that emerge when creating for theatre and fiction. Their conversation travels across creativity, culture, technology, power and freedom – and considers the enduring ability of storytelling to help us see familiar questions from entirely new perspectives.  For more UNSW Centre for Ideas podcasts, visit unsw.to/cfi-podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 inside the youth justice system. He’s now the CEO and co-founder of Praxis Youth, a non-profit that is translating big ideas into real action for young people.   On this episode of We built this thing, Michael chats with host Justine Rogers about what drove him to complete an education from behind bars, to graduate from high school, and pursue engineering at UNSW. As if he hasn’t accomplished enough in such a short time, they’ll also dive into Michael’s life as a CEO in his 20s and how he’s turned his life’s mission into an award-winning organisation.  For more episodes from We built this thing, visit unsw.to/wbtt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 and environmental impact to make more informed decisions, the same way food packaging provides nutritional information so that consumers can make more informed decisions. Now, she’s co-founded a start-up to help get sustainable investment a green thumbs up from the CFO. Her journey from UNSW environmental engineering graduate to UN advisor to start-up co-founder sounds like a perfectly executed career path, but none of it was planned. On this episode of We built this thing, Janet chats with host Justine Rogers about being a first-time founder in her 40s. From getting over imposter syndrome in the tech-bro universe to the benefits of breaking the mould from the traditional ideas of what a fintech founder, UN advisor or engineer should be. For more episodes from We built this thing, visit unsw.to/wbtt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 across Australia in the process. There are over two million Australians without access to fresh drinking water, but Shannon Lemanski intends to change that. On this episode of We built this thing, UNSW Canberra alumnus Shannon chats with host Justine Rogers about his uncertain path to becoming an award-winning founder. From his decision to swap his childhood plan of becoming a pilot to doing an engineering degree at uni, to the trials and tribulations of being a first-time founder, to finding out the secret sauce to start-up success isn’t the invention but the business plan. For more episodes from We built this thing, visit unsw.to/wbtt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 protection and youth detention systems to the inordinately high rates of incarceration, family separation and suicide, there has been an ongoing failure to address their health and wellbeing, justice and education. Commissioner Hunter has been clear - First Peoples’ children and young people deserve better.  In an evening of reflection and hope, Sue-Anne Hunter shares her vision for uplifting the lives and voices of Indigenous Youth in Australia. She discusses how this new agency, now given statutory powers to do its important work, will help to realise international and domestic commitments to human rights, address systemic failures in federal and state institutions, and enhance the safety, wellbeing and life chances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. Sue-Anne Hunter was joined in conversation by Isabella Higgins, host of ABC News' AM radio program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ongoing conflict between Iran, the US and Israel has not only led to the deaths of many thousands of people, it has destabilised the global world order. As a middle power, Australia is being drawn into the conflict amid global pressures and strategic resource dependencies. Closer to home, the conflict is having a destabilising impact on Australia’s economy and enhancing other ongoing issues, such as rising inflation and concerns of higher unemployment. UNSW’s Nalini Prasad explains how global and domestic trends in the economy are impacting the Aussie wallet, and your standard of living. She will explain how these trends are threatening an economic situation called ‘stagflation’, unseen since the 1970s and difficult to solve through traditional policy levers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Nila Ibrahimi posted a video of herself online, singing proudly in protest of the ban on girls over 12 singing in public, she hoped the music would inspire young girls to continue their education. It was 2021 and the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan had come down swiftly on women's freedom. The video went viral and the ban was reversed, sending a powerful message across social media – women of Afghanistan would not be erased from public life. The Taliban would, however, go on to prohibit female education and Nila and her family would have to flee her homeland. Undeterred, Nila continues to advocate for Afghan girls from Canada.Listen in to winner of the 2024 International Children’s Peace Prize Nila Ibrahimi in her first ever visit to Australia. In conversation with UNSW’s Verity Firth, they’ll unpack how peaceful grassroots activism can empower people of all ages to challenge authority and the importance of a right to education. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Karaitiana Taiuru is a leading global voice at the forefront of Māori data sovereignty and AI ethics. His practice draws on tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori to facilitate conversations about the ways emerging technologies must uplift, protect and empower Indigenous knowledge, culture and communities. Hear him in conversation with Dr Sue Keay, where he explores why protecting Māori knowledge as a living treasure is one of the most exciting and urgent challenges of our tech future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.