Hey, Did You Know? - An AUT Podcast

With Dr Mel Johnston. In this episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Mel Johnston, Head of Department, Sports Leadership and Management at AUT, chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about major sporting events, the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the changing role of sport in Aotearoa New Zealand. They discuss whether the Commonwealth Games are still relevant, why they matter for athlete development, and what a future New Zealand-hosted Games could look like. Mel also talks about the politics and economics of mega-events, including FIFA’s huge revenues, dynamic ticket pricing, sport washing and the growing influence of broadcasting. The conversation also explores community sport, including rising costs, volunteer shortages, access for children and the need for clubs to adapt to changing expectations. Mel shares insights from the National Sports Club Survey, including concerns about affordability and participation. They also discuss integrity in sport, gender equality, the growth of women’s sport, and how events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup can create momentum for participation, visibility and investment. MAIN TOPICS AND DISCUSSION Sport Leadership and Management at AUT - https://www.aut.ac.nz/study/study-options/sport-and-recreation National Sports Club Survey - https://sprinz.aut.ac.nz/areas-of-expertise/sport-leadership-and-management/national-sport-club-survey Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui - https://sportintegrity.nz/ FIFA World Cup 2026 - https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026 Commonwealth Games - https://thecgf.com/ COMMUNITY CALLS AND ACTION Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: Tell us what you want to know about next:CREDITS Host – Mike KilpatrickEditors – Mike KilpatrickProducer – Mike KilpatrickExecutive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton WatkinsDesign – AUT Brand Team

With Professor Caryn Zinn.In the thirteenth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Professor Caryn Zinn from AUT's School of Sport, Exercise and Health, chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about differing aspects of food and how they relate to health.As well as ultra-processed foods, they talk about the new inverted food pyramid, carbohydrates and the importance of protein - as well as the things that should be in the lunchboxes of school kids.They also discuss insulin resistance, why dietary guidelines designed for healthy populations don't necessarily fit the needs of everyone and introduces a new AUT app.The app - CHIPS - is AI-driven and designed to help people make better food choices. They also touch on diets, including veganism and how to select the right protein powder.Caryn also reveals which actor would play her in a movie of her life!MAIN TOPICS AND DISCUSSION New dietary guidelines from the US stir the pot - https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedetail/586936/new-dietary-guidelines-from-the-us-stir-the-potReversing Type 2 diabetes - https://www.aut.ac.nz/news/stories/new-research-on-reversing-type-2-diabetesUltra-processed foods are taking over our diets - https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/11/19/ultra-processed-foods-are-taking-over-our-diets-expert-reaction/COMMUNITY CALLS AND ACTION Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/⁠Tell us what you want to know about next: ⁠[email protected] ⁠ CREDITS Host – Mike KilpatrickEditors – Mike KilpatrickProducer – Mike KilpatrickExecutive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton WatkinsDesign – AUT Brand Team

Spiders with Dr Leilani Walker. In the twelfth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Leilani Walker chats to host Susan Strongman about why she once had 30 giant-jawed spiders living in her garage, sexual cannibalism in praying mantises, necrophiliac penguins... and why we should care about any of these things.Dr Walker (Te Whakatōhea) is a senior lecturer in environmental science at AUT and curator of entomology at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. As a behavioural ecologist, she uses terrestrial invertebrate models to study sexual selection, intra-specific competition and evolution. Dr Walker’s research interests also encompass entomology and arachnology more generally, as well as equity in higher education and science.MAIN TOPICS AND DISCUSSION The man who invented day light saving time Sheetweb spiders  The global spread of (mis)information on spiders 'Sexual depravity' of penguins that Antarctic scientist dared not reveal  COMMUNITY CALLS AND ACTION Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/⁠Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] ⁠ CREDITS Host – Susan StrongmanEditors – Susan StrongmanProducer – Mike KilpatrickExecutive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton WatkinsDesign – AUT Brand Team 

Romantasy with Dr Yael Cameron. In the eleventh episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Yael Cameron chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about romantasy, the book genre that’s taken the world by storm. During their chat Yael explains what romantasy is and talks about popular romantasy author Sarah J Maas’s popularity.She also discusses the idea that because romantasy books tend to be queer and women friendly there may be snobbery or misogyny when it comes to talking about the genre. That doesn’t mean romantasy is perfect, though, and Yael talks about some of the common tropes that are seen in these books as well as great examples of where those tropes are turned on their head. They also talk about popular Netflix show Heated Rivalry and how important it is for people to see sports people represented as queer and the impact that can have. That leads to a discussion about the Superbowl half-time show and how powerful Bad Bunny’s performance was for representation – but also why it was a political statement. Yael finishes talking about poetry and then shares some suggestions for books to read if you’re new to romantasy. Warning – there may be spoilers for Sarah J Maas books in this podcast. Yael is a Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education in the Faculty of Culture and Society Using a queer and feminist lens, Yael’s work traces social, religious and mythological representations in popular culture as a way of understanding the world we live in.   She has written about influential works like Dune, Mad Max, Finnish Noir, and Russian Resistance Poetry and also on legendary figures like Frankenstein, Medusa, and Eve. MAIN TOPICS AND DISCUSSION @sarahjmaas - The Instagram page for the author of A Court of Thorns and Roses  Bad Bunny’s Superbowl half-time show -Watch the full show on YouTube Heated Rivalry - The Wikipedia entry on the wildly popular Canadian TV show Radiance by Grace Draven- The official website of the author of Yael’s recommended readCOMMUNITY CALLS AND ACTION Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected]  CREDITS Host – Mike KilpatrickEditors – Mike KilpatrickProducer – Mike KilpatrickExecutive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton WatkinsDesign – AUT Brand Team 

Science with Professor Allan Blackman. SummaryIn the tenth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Professor Allan Blackman chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about science and chemistry and just how important it is in today’s world. During their chat, Allan reveals which television show got the science correct and why one lab incident he witnessed ended with an emergency hospital trip.  He also talks about why scientists need to be precise in the language they use and why he thinks chemistry is cool and is going to save the world. Allan is a Professor of Chemistry in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at AUT. He got his PhD from the University of Otago. He is dedicated to good science communication and chemistry education and is a regular on RNZ, talking about science in the news.He is the co-author of a widely used science textbook and a YouTube series called Chemistry Matters. Throughout his career, his students have acknowledged his talents in chemistry education by selecting him for several teaching excellence awards. His own research is focused on the synthesis, structure, and reactivity of coordination complexes, especially those containing substitution-inert metal ions. Main Topics & Discussion The most boring chemical element The most boring chemical element episode of Elemental | RNZ Perchloric Acid The world’s scariest acid? A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson The book that explains science brilliantly Chemistry Matters – the YouTube series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsnOmf9_1yc Community & Calls to Action Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/ Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] CreditsHost – Mike Kilpatrick Editor – Mike Kilpatrick Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola Hopkins Music – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team

Theatre, professional wrestling and Donald Trump with Professor Emerita Sharon Mazer. In the ninth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Professor Emerita Sharon Mazer chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about her background in theatre and how US President Donald Trump’s rise to power has a connection to professional wrestling.  They also speak about performance and whether it teaches us who we are as well as why the act of going to see a theatre performance is so important. She also offers up some of her favourite theatres in Aotearoa you might want to check out as well as discussing the reciprocity between those on stage and the audience. They finish their conversation talking about the role of Māori theatre. Sharon is a Professor Emerita of Theatre and Performance Studies in Te Ara Poutama, the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Development at AUT.  After working as a theatre director in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland she earned her PhD at Columbia University, writing about Middle English drama.  She has published multiple books, and you may have seen her on your screens as an expert in the Netflix documentary series Mr. McMahon. She is also an ongoing contributor to the Wrestling Darkness podcast series. Main Topics & Discussion  World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly the WWF ⁠https://www.wwe.com/⁠  Kayfabe – what does it mean? Sharon uses the word ‘kayfabe’ - ⁠what does it mean?⁠  The Battle of the Billionaires ⁠It all went down at WrestleMania XXIII⁠  Te Matatini – traditional Māori performance art  ⁠https://www.tematatini.co.nz/ ⁠ Community & Calls to Action Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/ Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] CreditsHost – Mike Kilpatrick Editors – Mike Kilpatrick Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola Hopkins Music – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team

The moral panic of novels and video games with Dr Tof Eklund.In the eighth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Dr Tof Eklund chats to host Susan Strongman about moral panic, what parents and caregivers should actually worry about if their kids are into video games, and whether the hype around generative AI is just that; hype. In between, they discuss Dungeons and Dragons, Dr Eklund’s most watched film, and which fictional character they admire the most.  Dr Tof Eklund earned their PhD in English at the University of Florida with a thesis on time and narrative in etching and printmaking, comic books, and video games. Now a lecturer at AUT’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities, their research interests lie at the intersection of the theoretical, the subcultural, the digital, and the creative. A queer parent, philosophical anarchist, videogame and tabletop RPG designer, zine comics creator, speculative fiction writer, and former wine steward, Tof is "interested in everything," with the possible exception of team sports. Main Topics & Discussion Moral panic – from novels to video games. Do videogames make people violent?  Gamergate to Groypers: should parents and caregivers be worried if their kids are gamers? Is concern around generative AI the latest moral panic?  Community & Calls to Action Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/ Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] Credits: Host – Susan Strongman Editor – Susan Strongman Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola Hopkins Music – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team

The workplace and its impact with Associate Professor Rachel Morrison.In the seventh episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Rachel Morrison chats to host Susan Strongman about the impact of toxic masculinity on future workplaces, how open plan offices affect women and minority groups differently, and whether a plastic plant can make you feel better.   An associate professor at AUT’s Business School, Rachel has a background in psychology. Her current research primarily focuses on the place we all spend, on average, about 22 percent of our time, work. Main TopicsTe Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa National Council of Women of New Zealand 2025 Gender Attitudes SurveyAmy Wrzesniewski and Jane E. Dutton’s Crafting a job: Revisioning employees as active crafters of their work. How women’s life‑long experiences of being judged by their appearance affect how they feel in open‑plan offices by Rachel Morrison Get out of my face! We’re more antisocial in a shared office space by Rachel MorrisonCommunity and calls to actionRate & Review on your chosen podcast appFollow the show on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/⁠Tell us what you want to know about next: ⁠[email protected]⁠CreditsHost – Susan StrongmanEditors – Susan StrongmanProducer – Mike KilpatrickExecutive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton WatkinsDesign – AUT Brand Team

Journalism and its future with Dr Greg Treadwell. In episode six of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Greg chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about journalism, how media has become a tool for the powerful, and the impact AI and social media are having on both journalism and then next generation of journalists.They also speak about the importance of what Greg has coined ‘the new community journalism’ when it comes to rebuilding trust in the media.Greg is a senior lecturer in the School of Communication Studies at AUT. He previously worked as a reporter, photographer and newspaper editor before becoming a journalism lecturer in 2005.His PhD was on the loss of freedom of information experienced by public-interest journalists in Aotearoa New Zealand.Main TopicsThe 2025 Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand 2025 report produced by the AUT research centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy (JMAD)How to Rebuild Trust in Journalism by Tim WatkinThe Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan KarunatilakaAI, journalism and news media in Aotearoa New Zealand by Dr Merja MyllylahtiWaiheke Gulf NewsCommunity and calls to actionRate & Review on your chosen podcast appFollow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] – Mike KilpatrickEditors – Mike KilpatrickProducer – Mike KilpatrickExecutive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton WatkinsDesign – AUT Brand Team

Christmas movies from an academic (and non-academic) point of view with Dr Rebecca Trelease.It’s tiiiiime for a Christmas special! Love them or hate them, Christmas movies are everywhere you turn at the moment.We welcome back Rebecca for a Christmas Special of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast.Rebecca (Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi) chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about the characteristics of Christmas movies, and they dissect Christmas Karma, a new Christmas movie from Gurinder Chadha out now on Netflix. She also brings the academic receipts to settle the question – is Die Hard a Christmas movie?They finish by talking about a potentially problematic favourite of the genre, and then share what they love most about the Christmas period.Rebecca is a senior lecturer in the Critical Media Studies Department at AUT. Her research field lies primarily in television, with her PhD thesis conducting case studies into four global entertainment reality television formats. Main Topics & Discussion - Official trailer for Christmas Karma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGGC5YCTNaQ A Muppets Christmas Carol - Michael Caine playing Scrooge alongside The Muppets – watch on Disney+ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNo-Q0IDJi0 Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas Movie - Nathan Scoll, University of Pittsburgh -https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14775700.2023.2277073 A slight correction to Rebecca’s story of Chrishell Strauss’ name: - The Correct Story of Chrishell Strauss' Name is Even Better! Community & Calls to Action 1. Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app 2. Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/3. Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected]:Host – Mike Kilpatrick Editors – Mike Kilpatrick Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola Hopkins Music – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team

AI and its impact, authenticity and bias with Senior Lecturer Justin Matthews.In the fourth episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Justin chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it’s having on our lives. After a random fact that gives context to how short our lives are, they begin chatting about one of Justin's earlier publications on Judge Dredd and why the satirical point of the comic has been missed. They then talk about generative AI, authenticity, bias, and other ethical issues around its use, with Justin highlighting the good and bad from his point of view and why he thinks it’s transformative. The duo then discuss bringing back performers from the dead via AI as well as ABBA’s decision to ‘tour’ using ABBAtars and the rise of deepfakes. Justin is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Communication Studies at AUT.  Before joining AUT, Justin had an extensive career in the commercial sector specialising in digital media and communication.  His teaching covers a wide range of topics related to digital media, including cutting-edge technologies and their role in enhancing communication experiences.  Main Topics & Discussion - Who is Judge Dredd and why it matters that media invoke the cartoon character Judge Dredd is satirical – not an instruction manual! https://theconversation.com/who-is-judge-dredd-and-why-it-matters-that-media-invoke-the-cartoon-character-124412  - Holograms and AI can bring performers back from the dead – but will the fans keep buying it? Fan longing, ethics and AI – Justin Matthews and Angelique Nairn dissect holographic performances and bringing artists back from the dead with the ABBA Voyage concerts showcasing ABBAtars. https://theconversation.com/holograms-and-ai-can-bring-performers-back-from-the-dead-but-will-the-fans-keep-buying-it-202431 - Generative AI and copyright - AI startup Anthropic agrees to pay $1.5bn to settle book piracy lawsuit https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/05/anthropic-settlement-ai-book-lawsuit  - Robin Williams' daughter [Zelda] pleads for people to stop sending AI videos of her dad https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r0erqk18jo  - Four Thousand Hours book (not Five Thousand as Mike said during the episode!) - https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/four-thousand-weeks-9781784704001Community & Calls to Action 1. Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app 2. Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/ 3. Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] Host – Mike Kilpatrick Editors – Mike Kilpatrick Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team 

New Zealand infrastructure and the future with Professor John Tookey.In the third episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, John chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about infrastructure and what Aotearoa should be doing to ensure the best bang for our buck in infrastructure builds. They talk about new houses on floodplains, the need for housing intensification, the importance of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge and why running rail under the Waitemata Harbour isn’t an easy thing to do. There’s also a mention of poos and pees as some areas of Auckland can’t deal with waste in the way we’d expect. And, while they know summer has arrived in Aotearoa, they finish with some tips on how best to prepare your house to ensure everyone stays nice and warm next winter. John is the AUT programme leader for two postgraduate programmes - the Master of Construction Management (MCM) and the Master of Engineering Project Management (MEPM) as well as being the director of international for the School of Future Environments. He is a go-to expert for media in Aotearoa because he can talk about the complexities of the built environment and make it more accessible for a wider audience. Main Topics & Discussion Auckland Council approves homes on floodplains Auckland Council approves 4000 new homes on floodplains since 2023  Intensification around Auckland’s light rail stations Auckland's train station developments: Is the Govt overstepping?  A new crossing for the Waitemata Harbour? Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed second harbour bridge may cost billions, expert says  Tips for making your home warm in winter Four ways to make your home feel warmer this winter Calls to Action Rate & Review on your chosen podcast app Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/ Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] CreditsHost – Mike Kilpatrick Editors – Velvl-Kai Ryder, Mike Kilpatrick Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team

International law, Palestinian statehood and the UN with Dr Myra Williamson.Note: This episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast was recorded on 8 October 2025.  In the second episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, public international law expert Dr Myra Williamson chats to host Susan Strongman about Palestinian statehood, the role of the United Nations, New Zealand’s foreign policy, and whether international law really is law. Dr Williamson is a senior lecturer at AUT with a broad range of research interests. She’s published extensively on terrorism, the use of force by states, human rights, gender equality and justice, renters’ rights, seabed mining, genocide and more. Dr Williamson previously taught law at Waikato University, at universities in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and at an international school in Aleppo, Syria. In the 2023 general election she ran, unsuccessfully, for the Labour Party in Hamilton West, where she was born, raised, and currently lives. Main Topics and Discussion Palestinian statehood & foreign policy  - A UN finding of genocide in Gaza adds pressure on NZ to recognise a Palestinian state: https://theconversation.com/a-un-finding-of-genocide-in-gaza-adds-pressure-on-nz-to-recognise-a-palestinian-state-265473   - The World Court says Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is illegal: 4 steps NZ can take now: https://theconversation.com/the-world-court-says-israels-occupation-of-palestinian-land-is-illegal-4-steps-nz-can-take-now-235878  - New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters addresses United Nations General Debate, 80th Session: https://youtu.be/yQvYd5rgR6U?si=sNBZUbhheFE96S1f Calls to Action 1. Rate and Review on your chosen podcast app 2. Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/⁠ 3. Tell us what you want to know about next: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Credits Host – Susan Strongman Editors – Velvl-Kai Ryder, Susan Strongman Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team  

Reality television and sexist critiques of entertainment with Dr Rebecca Trelease.In the first episode of Hey, Did You Know? An AUT Podcast, Rebecca (Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi) chats to host Mike Kilpatrick about television and particularly Rebecca's experience on reality TV, when she appeared on season two of The Bachelor NZ.They also speak about sexism inherent in critiques of entertainment and of Taylor Swift and her new album as well as The Swiftposium 2024 and Oceania’s first ever Taylor Swift summer school programme.They finish with a reality television recommendation.Rebecca is a senior lecturer in the Critical Media Studies Department at AUT. Her research field lies primarily in television, with her PhD thesis conducting case studies into four global entertainment reality television formats.As an academic, fan, and former participant, Rebecca offers a unique viewpoint into the reality television genre. Main Topics and Discussion Rebecca Trelease’s exit from The Bachelor NZ Season 2 - "I was on the show for love. I hope he saw (that)."- Is reality TV harmful?Taylor Swift - The Swiftposium 2024 - Inside Australasia's first university course studying a pop megastar The Humungous Fungus - Malheur National Forest in Oregon is the home the Humungous Fungus, an occurrence of Armillaria ostoyae. It's believed to be the largest single organism on Earth, according to the Oregon Encyclopaedia. Calls to Action 1. Rate and Review on your chosen podcast app 2. Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autuninews/ 3. Tell us what you want to know about next: [email protected] Credits Host – Mike Kilpatrick Editors – Velvl-Kai Ryder, Mike Kilpatrick Producer – Mike Kilpatrick Executive Producer – Nicola HopkinsMusic – Clinton Watkins Design – AUT Brand Team