Archive – Page 7 – IDEMS International Community Interest Company (CIC)

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175 – The PhD to IDEMS Postdoctoral Fellow Journey

July 15, 2025

In this episode, Lily and George discuss their journeys from their PhD to IDEMS’ Postdoctoral Impact Activation Fellowship. Lily also describes her transition to a permanent role while George describes what he imagines his transition might be like. An informal chat that reveals two different enough yet similar experiences joining IDEMS.

174 – Twenty Years of RMS for CRFS: Introducing Roger

July 11, 2025

In this episode, Lucie talks to Roger about his work in agricultural research methods. Roger shares his experience with CCRP, the shift from on-station to on-farm research, the role of farmers’ organizations, and advancements in data collection and analysis.

173 – Twenty years of RMS for CRFS

July 8, 2025

In this episode, Lucie and David discuss the 20th anniversary of the Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems’ Community of Practice in West Africa, and in particular the evolution of its Research Methods Support. The conversation underscores the impact of patient, long-term approaches and local capacity building in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, as an introduction to a series of upcoming episodes that will delve into the program’s history and learnings.

172 – Proxy Variables

July 4, 2025

In this episode, Lily and David discuss the concept of proxy variables and feedback loops. They explore the use of proxies when direct measurement is impractical, using examples from agriculture and education. The discussion includes the pitfalls of educational performance metrics and university rankings, demonstrating the complexities and potential misinterpretations involved in using proxy indicators.

171 – Building a Local Research Methods Support Team

July 1, 2025

Lucie and David discuss the recent progress and training in building a research methods support team in West Africa. The conversation highlights their efforts in providing various trainings, and the development of local teams capable of delivering these trainings. They also emphasize the importance of reflective learning reports, local capacity building, and moving towards more engaging pedagogical methods through a gradual, patient approach, aiming for sustained growth and effective collaboration.

170 – Marketing IDEMS: From R&D to Products

June 27, 2025

In this episode, George and Kate discuss the challenge of transforming deep R&D into tangible products. They explore the balance between simplicity and complexity, the need for early market validation, and the difficulty of securing private investment for ambitious long-term goals. The conversation touches on the unique product and funding strategies for social enterprises and highlights how IDEMS navigates these challenges while emphasizing the importance of impact over profit.

169 – Marketing IDEMS: The Website Redesign

June 24, 2025

In this episode Johnny and Kate discuss the intricacies of marketing IDEMS, emphasizing the challenges of presenting its diverse and impactful work. They highlight the importance of a well-structured website, balancing in-depth technical information with user-friendly content, and the need to showcase successes without overshadowing their collaborative nature. They also touch on the evolution of IDEMS’ marketing strategy, the role of design, and the aim to create a cohesive narrative that resonates with both experts and laypersons.

168 – Collecting Data for Community Research

June 20, 2025

Kate Fleming and Lucie Hazelgrove Planel discuss the complexities of collecting sensitive data from communities, emphasizing the importance of building trust and ensuring the data serves the community’s interests. The conversation touches on various examples, including work with West African farmers, stressing the need for sustainable, community-focused research models.

167 – “Moral Ambition” by Rutger Bregman

June 17, 2025

IDEMS Directors David Stern and Kate discuss the concept of “moral ambition”, prompted by the recent book by Rutger Bregman of the same name. David and Kate reflect on their own career paths, the societal expectations of younger generations, and the challenges they faced while carving out meaningful careers. They explore the interconnectedness of education, entrepreneurial spirit, and moral ambition while critiquing the simplistic hero narrative prevalent in startup culture.

166 – Solarpunk and Positive Visions of the Future

June 13, 2025

It feels like we’re surrounded by dystopian visions of the future. But what might a future look like where humanity, technology and nature harmoniously coexist? In this episode, Johnny McQuade and David Stern explore the concept of “Solarpunk”, a science fiction aesthetic that tries to envision exactly this. The conversation touches upon agroecology, renewable energy, and sustainable technology, as well as the role of global supply chains, the differences in technology innovation emerging from Africa vs elsewhere, and the challenges of balancing urban and rural food systems.

165 – Systemic Change

June 10, 2025

In this episode, Lily Clements talks to David Stern about how IDEMS aims to bring about systemic change. Key examples include work with National Met Offices in Zambia and Malawi to make climate data accessible and impactful, and digital interventions in parenting programs to reduce violence against children in Tanzania.

164 – Further Reflections on the ICMS Workshop

June 6, 2025

Lucie and Kate discuss their experiences at a workshop for PhD and postdoctoral mathematicians at the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Edinburgh. They reflect on the challenges mathematicians experience to enter into socially impactful careers, the sense of community the workshop fostered, and the importance of transdisciplinary collaboration.