Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone

Averil Mansfield's career was in vascular surgery. A consultant surgeon at St Mary's Hospital in London, in 1993 she became the first female professor of surgery in the United Kingdom. In addition to her clinical practice, teaching and research, she has been a role model for women in surgery, establishing Women in Surgical Training (WIST). An accomplished pianist, in her retirement she has also taken up the cello. In this podcast we explore the challenges and satisfactions of her career.

A pianist by training, George Waddell's many interests include the evaluation of performance and the role of technologies in music education. Brought up in rural Manitoba (where his parents are both vets), he studied piano in Brandon before moving to London for his PhD in performance science at the Royal College of Music. He researches and teaches performance across domains of expert practice.

Professor Sara Rankin is a leading scientist in the field of stem cell and leukocyte research. Throughout her career she has crossed disciplinary boundaries, working with experts across medicine, science and the arts. She only recognised her own dyslexia and dyspraxia in mid-career. In our conversation we explore the drawbacks and benefits of neurodiversity alongside our shared interest in public engagement and story-telling.

In this podcast we discuss Merlin's work as an medical illustrator, exploring her fascination with narrative and the need to make sense of people's stories. Merlin's unorthodox career has moved from studying English and History at university to developing a widening array of skills around illustration, including drawing, painting, wax modelling and using digital technology. https://www.drawntomedicine.com/about

After training as a professional flautist in Canada, Terry Clark changed direction and entered the field of performance science. His doctorate exploring the role of mental skills in addressing issues around musical and sports performance laid the foundations for his current research in the evolving field of performance science.

Nicholas Cooper is well known for his books The Opulent eye: Late Victorian and Edwardian Taste in Interior Design and Houses of the Gentry 1480-1680 and for his extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of architecture and history. In this conversation we explore unexpected parallels between architectural history and medicine.

Joshua Byrne designs and creates men's jackets and suits. Starting from scratch with each garment he makes Joshua begins by identifying the needs of his customer. Each garment takes shape through a series of fittings, each depending on knowledge, skill and the Joshua's ability to improvise. This has illuminating parallels with the world of medicine. In this podcast we explore how Joshua's experience and mine shine light on one another's practices.

Stephen Birkill's career began as an engineer in the BBC transmissions section. In the following decades he made numerous technical advances in his field. He discovered a talent for solving practical problems in unorthodox ways and was instrumental in the development of tuning systems for satellite television, set-top boxes and digital radio. In parallel with his engineering career he has a longstanding fascination with the songs of Pete Atkin and Clive James and was responsible for the revival of Atkin's music in the 1990s.

In this podcast we discuss Anthony's work as a socially engaged artist who works extensively with people who have experienced homelessness. Through his work with assisted self-portraits he creates shared experiences with people in diverse communities. In this conversation we explore similarities and differences between our professional experiences.

Emma Kirkby is a distinguished soprano, well known for her pioneering performances and recordings of Renaissance and Baroque music. In this conversation we explore perspectives around music and silence, and how early music performances are a conversation between voices, instruments, audiences and space