This is the final episode of the first series of the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series, Ad lib.
Julie Barry has spent 25 years working in development, primarily in higher education. She has a BS in Journalism and an MBA and is currently Senior Development Officer at The Ohio State University. Julie's daughter graduated this July in Environmental Earth Sciences and plans to stay in Scotland. Julie also has a son who will be starting college in the US this autumn.
In this recording you will hear the voices of:
Julie Barry, Senior Development Officer at The Ohio State University.
Dr Catherine Dunford(BSc Biomolecular Science 2007; PhD Biology 2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Engagement Officer until July 2025.
You can access the full transcript for this episode on the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network blog: https://kan.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/listen-2/. Ad lib is available on other podcast platforms.
Credits
Recorded on 30 June 2025 at the Laidlaw Music Centre, University of St Andrews, Scotland, by Jonathan Kemp.
Audio editing by Kimberly Rampasan (MSc 2024).
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
***
This is episode eight (8) of the first series of the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series Ad Lib. You can access the transcript for the podcast on the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network blog: https://kan.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/listen-2/ . It is available on other podcast platforms.
Crispian Riley-Smith and Jade Mkparu developed their entrepreneurial talents while studying at the University of St Andrews. In this episode, they discuss their respective experiences of studying at St Andrews, entrepreneurship, creativity, and the importance of community.
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Crispian Riley-Smith (MA 1989). Crispian founded Katie’s nightclub while a student at St Andrews in the 1980s and has gone on to have a successful career in the art world. He is founder and CEO of Art Advisory Group.
Jade Mkparu (MA 2024) is a recent graduate and entrepreneur, who balances her day job as a management consulting analyst with growing her business, BRAIDAR.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Officer, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine held this new position from 2022 - 2025, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded online in Scotland and England.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan (MSc 2024).
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
* * *
This is a special episode of the first series of the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series Ad Lib.
Patricia Hill Collins, author of Black Feminist Thought (1990) was at the University of St Andrews in October 2024 to give a lecture as part of the Andrew Carnegie Lecture Series. During her visit, she spoke to some St Andrews students and recent graduates on various topics for this episode.
You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://kan.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/listen/
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Patricia Hill Collins, Distinguished University Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Charles Phelps Taft Professor Emerita of African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati. She was awarded the 2023 Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture and is the author of Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness and the Politics of Empowerment (1990).
Eden Igwe (MA 2023). Eden is a writer, filmmaker and artist currently working on projects for the Horniman Museum and at Orleans House Gallery in southwest London where she holds an artist residency. Eden is interested in notionsof identity, belonging and nature and the excavation/exploration of a black female gaze in British cinema. Her output largely consists of documentaries, poetry and narrative short films, with experiments in performed text and artist moving image on the horizon. As a writer, Eden’s poetry has recently been published through the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, as a participant of ICA Young Creatives.
Deborah - Adenike Shonibare (Class of 2025). Nike is a final year English and Social Anthropology student at the University of St Andrews. Passionate about Black diasporic advocacy, she has served as Alumni and Outreach Officer for the African Caribbean Society and manages a care-package initiative for South Sudanese mothers through Enactus UK. Her work spans editorial and media interests, with a focus on amplifying underrepresented voices. She has written on topics including hair politics, inner-city subcultures, and mental health. Nike recently worked with The Line, a public art trail in London, and hopes to pursue a career in publishing and media celebrating Black British culture.
Sally Mubarak, Graduate student. Sally is a PhD candidate in Classics at the University of St Andrews, researching war and trauma in the Roman Republic, with a focus on military expansion, identity, and marginalised groups. She aims to expand understandings of ancient warfare and trauma beyond Western-centric narratives. Her work critically engages with colonial research frameworks in the study of history. Her family background and lived experience shapes her distinct academic perspective.
Zahra Gueye (Class of 2025). Zahra is a final-year student of International Relations and Management, actively involved in student leadership at St Andrews. As president of the African Caribbean Society, she has spent three years championing diverse representation. She also served as Equality,Diversity, and Inclusion Representative for the School of Management, leading a curriculum decolonisation project and authoring a research-informed report. Her academic interests include Black and intersectional feminist theory, andAfrican and Caribbean development, with a focus on decolonial approaches. After graduation, Zahra will join Goldman Sachs in London, while continuing her independent research and writing on decolonial and postcolonial theory.
Credits
Recorded on 8 Oct 2024 at the Laidlaw Music Centre by Jonathan Kemp.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
Music by Cruen from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/city-streets
This is the sixth episode of the first series of the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series Ad Lib. A transcript of this podcast is available on the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network blog - here.
“If you can't think of a route to get from where you are to world domination, then you're not going think of it on the way” ~ Darran Milne
Darran talks to Akira about his journey from Scotland to the world. A self-described “huge quantum theory geek”, Darran shares his insights into bringing the AR/VR concept we’re so used to seeing in science fiction into the realms of science fact!
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Darran Milne (MPhys 2008, PhD 2012) is the founder and CEO of VividQ, a UK-based tech startup pioneering the integration of immersive 3D holographic display technology into every consumer device.
You can find out more about Darran on LinkedIn and about VividQ here.
Dr Akira O’Connor. Akira is a Senior Lecturer in School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews. He uses cognitive behavioural and brain-imaging approaches to understand episodic memory function. He is co-author of the book Colonised Minds, on the hidden origins of psychological thought that still influence how we teach and research the mind. Akira is also the institutional Race Equality Charter lead.
You can find out more about Akira on LinkedIn here.
Credits:
Recorded on 7 November 2024 at the Laidlaw Music Centre by Jonathan Kemp.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan MSc (2024).
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
Music by Cruen from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/city-streets
Elika Ansari, alumna of the School of International Relations and Dina Nayeri, Reader in the School of English – both published authors who have written about seeking refuge – speak to Dr Jeffrey Murer, Senior Lecturer on Collective Violence in the School of International Relations.
This is the fifth episode of the first series of the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series Ad Lib. You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/4pz54s79
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Elika Ansari, (MA 2012, MLitt 2014). Elika Ansari has spent the past 10 years of her life working and volunteering withrefugees and asylum seekers in Belgium, Greece and the U.K. She is the writer of 'The Five Stages of Moria: 'The Worst Refugee Camp on Earth’.
You can find and follow Elika on Instagram @elikaansari and on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryam-elika-ansari-56b5685b/
Dina Nayeri, Reader, School of English, University of St Andrews. Dina Nayeri is the author of several books, including The Ungrateful Refugee and Who Gets Believed.
You can explore Dina’s work further at www.dinanayeri.com/
Dr Jeffrey Stevenson Murer is the Senior Lecture on Collective Violence and the Founding Director of the Centre for Art and Politics in the School of International Relations. He is a prize-winning writer and teacher and has been awarded research grants from among others, the British Council, the Carnegie Trust and the Independent Social Research Foundation. In 2019 he was named a Founding Scholar of the British Psychoanalytic Council.
You can find out more about Jeffrey’s work by visiting https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/persons/jeffrey-stevenson-murer
Credits:
Recorded on online and at the Laidlaw Music Centre by Jonathan Kemp and Udayan Meshram.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan (MSc2024).
Produced by Catherine Dunford (BSc 2007, PhD 2012).
Music by Cruen from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/city-streets
Juno Lee chats with Dr Shruti Narayanswamy about a lifetime of entrepreneurship, identity, and serving in the marine corps. This is the fourth episode of the first series of the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series Ad Lib. You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/s98mzb8e
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Juno Lee (MA, 2018) co-founded the takeout restaurant CombiniCo on South Street in St Andrews. Listen to Juno’s podcast, Asian Change Makers.
Dr Shruti Narayanswamy, PhD (2020) is Head of Entrepreneurial Education at the University of St Andrews.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp and Udayan Meshram at the Laidlaw Music Centre.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan, MSc 2024.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
Music by Cruen from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/city-streets
* * *
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
Visit our website to find out more.
Steven Weathers and Lisa-Rose Moller are friends who both graduated from St Andrews in 1995. In this episode, they talk about Steven’s experiences of being a foreigner in Scotland and China and on building a career there in the entertainment industry.
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Steven Weathers (MA 1995 English Language and Literature). Steven is based in Shanghai, where he works as a television personality and executive coach.
Steven’s LinkedIn profile can be accessed using the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdweathers/
Steven’s website can be accessed using the following link: http://www.stevenweathers.tv/
Lisa-Rose Moller (MA 1995 International Relations and Social Anthropology). Lisa-Rose is a career coaching professional and works part-time as a Careers Adviser at the University of St Andrews.
Lisa’s LinkedIn profile can be accessed using the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-rose-moller/
You can find transcripts for all episodes of the podcast, including this one, using the following link: https://kan.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/listen/
Recorded online in St Andrews, Scotland and Shanghai, China.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan (MSc 2024).
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
With special thanks to Ran (Ellen) Wei (MLitt 2013), Asian and Taught Postgraduate Opportunities Manager, Careers Centre, University of St Andrews.
Ellen’s LinkedIn profile can be accessed using the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-wei-26a5297b/
Music by Cruen from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/city-streets
* * *
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
Tasnia Khandaker Prova discusses advocacy for street dogs, and the cross-section of migration and conflict issues experienced by street animals, wildlife and people.
Also mentioned in this episode:
Tasnia mentions Jack Baker (MA 2019). Tasnia and Jack Baker’s discussion about Bangladesh’s street dogs on Pangolin: The Conservation Podcast can be accessed using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/mt4djab6
The academic paper referred to in this podcast can be accessed using the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23315024231160153
Hoque, M. A., Ahmad, T., Manzur, S., & Prova, T. K. (2023). Community-Based Research in Fragile Contexts: Reflections From Rohingya Refugee Camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Journal on Migration and Human Security, 11(1), 89–98.
You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/4987nw4w
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Tasnia Khandaker Prova, MSc International Development and Practice (2020), University of St Andrews. At the time of publication, Tasnia works as a Research Associate at the Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University, working on issues related to migration and conflict.
Tasnia’s LinkedIn profile can be accessed using the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasniakhandaker/
Tasnia’s profile at BRAC University Centre for Peace and Justice can be accessed using the following link: https://cpj.bracu.ac.bd/member/tasnia-khandaker-prova/
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that inclusively celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded online in St Andrews, Scotland and Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan, Class of 2024.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
With special thanks to Dr Eleanor Burt.
Music by Cruen from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/cruen/city-streets
***
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
In this episode, Ryan Patterson discusses the significance of EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging) and the importance of both creating and sustaining diverse, fair and inclusive environments for students and alumni.
Ryan Patterson worked as a Careers Adviser, providing one-to-one advice to students and recent graduates until April 2023 when she returned to work in her home state of Oregon, US. While at St Andrews, Ryan was the lead adviser for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion initiatives within the Careers Centre and worked with those encountering barriers to their careers due to their identities, backgrounds or circumstances.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre
Produced and edited by Catherine Dunford.
*****
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
In this episode, Paul Gardner discusses how to think about inclusion and opportunity, and the importance of transforming lives through education.
You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/5n6krrmd In this episode you will hear the voices of:
Paul Gardner, Senior Lecturer (Education Focused), School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews. Paul is frequently involved in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience’s outreach activities. Prior to his 1992 arrival in St Andrews, Paul worked in mental health, anti-racism research, and in coal mining.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre, with thanks to Udayan Meshram.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan, Class of 2024.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
***
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
Rita Tojeiro speaks about the purpose of education, inclusivity in STEM and on understanding science’s human cost through examining the discipline in a wider context.
You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/3t4e559v In this episode you will hear the voices of:
Rita Tojeiro, Reader, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews. Rita’s research interests include the evolution of galaxies, professional development sessions for secondary school physics in Scotland, and attitudes towards inclusion in higher education.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre, with thanks to Udayan Meshram.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan, Class of 2024.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
***
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
Jonathan Kemp is on the production side of all our podcast episodes, but in this episode, he is also on the recording side! He chats to us about his current research in the physics of music, and producing music events at St Andrews.
You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/27phcbf6
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Jonathan Kemp is a Teaching Fellow at the University of St Andrews and has been with the University since 2004. He studied Physics with Music (1998) and a PhD in Acoustics (2022) at the University of Edinburgh, and among his current research interests is the physics of guitar strings.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre, with thanks to Udayan Meshram.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan, Class of 2024.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
* * *
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
In this episode, Bill Shackman discusses his role as interfaith chaplain at the University of St Andrews, how the chaplaincy brings the faith communities on campus together in interfaith dialogue, and his philosophy of radical acceptance.
Correction: This episode shares two insights from Pirkei Avot that were combined into one. "Judge everyone favorably" (1:6) and "Receive everyone with a smile" (1:15).
You can access a transcript of this episode using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/592k3vks
In this recording, you will hear the voices of:
Bill Shackman, Assistant Chaplain (Interfaith, Environmental, Digital), University of St Andrews. Originally from Nebraska, USA, he attended New York University and Northwestern University before coming to St Andrews.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre, with thanks to Udayan Meshram.
Audio editing and transcription by Kimberly Rampasan, Class of 2024.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
***
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
In this episode, Lesley Caldwell shares how she represents the University in the wider community, moving away from the 'town and gown' divide, and supporting sustainable and diverse projects across Fife.
In this recording you will hear the voices of:
Lesley Caldwell, Community Engagement and Social Responsibility Officer at the University of St Andrews. Lesley studied Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College in Dundee before embarking upon a career in the charity sector. Her role at the University spans all aspects of community engagement, from contributing to the Race Equality Charter to managing project funding and sitting on the board of Transition St Andrews and the Sands International Film Festival. Lesley sits on the Cultural Working Group, amongst others.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world.
Credits:
Recorded by Jonathan Kemp in the state-of-the-art Laidlaw Music Centre
Produced and edited by Catherine Dunford.
******
By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
In this episode, organists Michael Koenig, Jonathan Pinto (MLitt 2022) and Chris Bragg share their experiences and study of the organ in contrasting cultural environments. They explore how this beautiful instrument has been adopted outside of Europe for different forms of worship in East Africa, West Africa and India. The conversation provides a thoughtful perspective on how the organ, originally exported from Europe in the 19th century, has been adopted and embraced by communities in these areas.
In this recording you will hear the voices of:
Jonathan Pinto, MLitt (2022), Visiting Music Tutor in piano at St Leonards School, Administrative Assistant at the Laidlaw Music Centre, University of St Andrews. Jonathan is an accomplished pianist, organist and choral musician, and recent graduate of the MLitt in Sacred Music at the University of St Andrews. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he completed his Masters dissertation at the University of St Andrews on the restoration of a British Raj organ in present-day Mumbai and the implications of this in the post-colonial era. Jonathan is passionate about the cultural heritage of liturgical music and educating children and young people in sacred, and western music and regularly conducts church services.
Michael Koenig, Graduate Organist at Exeter College, Oxford and DPhil candidate in Music and Global History at the University of Oxford. Michael’s previous musical affiliations have included St Paul’s Knightsbridge, All Saints Fulham, St Alban’s Anglican Church Copenhagen and Holy Trinity Jesuit Church in Innsbruck, Austria. In Vienna, he earned degrees in organ performance and music education and travelled extensively as a visiting organ teacher and recitalist to Kenya and Nigeria. He later studied for MA degrees in African Studies at Copenhagen University and World History and Cultures at King’s College London. He is now a prize-winning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (RCO) in London and a recipient of the Silver Medal of the Musician’s Company. Michael has also enjoyed producing lively webcasts for the RCO Organ Show in 2021 and 2022.
Chris Bragg, Head of Programming at the Laidlaw Music Centre, University of St Andrews. Chris led the re-housing of the historic 1868 T.C. Lewis organ in the McPherson Recital Room. He is also Artistic Director of St Andrews Organ Week, organist of the Saint Salvador's Episcopal Church in Dundee and is active as a performer, teacher and translator. An extensive writer on matters relating to organ design and history, he contributes regularly to the Rheingold Journal, Choir and Organ, and is the founder and project leader of Sowne of Organe which seeks to document in sound and image, and to curate events around the dwindling collection of historic organs in Scottish churches.
Catherine Dunford, BSc (Hons) 2007, PhD (2012), Alumni Relations and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Engagement Coordinator, Development, University of St Andrews. Catherine took up this new position in 2022, with the main goal of creating an alumni network that celebrates the ethnic and cultural diversity of St Andrews graduates around the world. By highlighting the wide range of ethnic and cultural experiences and expertise in the community, we hope to celebrate achievements and, at the same time, provide inspiration for past, present and future students.
Recorded at the Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews with thanks to Chris Bragg and Jonathan Kemp.
Edited by Chris Bragg and Michael Koenig.
Words by Rebecca Galbraith and Catherine Dunford.
Produced by Catherine Dunford.
Find out more about Kaleidoscope Alumni Network and connect with us and each other using the following link: https://bit.ly/sta-kan-get-involved
