Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone

Robert Kirby trained as an actor at Rose Bruford College. With support from The Prince's Trust he established People People, a company which brings techniques from the theatre into other areas of professional practice. We discuss our experiences of changing career direction and discover unexpected parallels. https://www.people-people.uk/the-who/

Dr Paul Haidet's work crosses multiple boundaries. As Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Public Health Sciences and Humanities at Penn State University, he is fascinated by crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries. His lifelong passion for jazz has a profound influence on his clinical practice. In this conversation we explore unexpected parallels and similarities between our own professional experiences.

Dr Sam Guglani and I explore how his work as an oncologist is interwoven with his lifelong fascination with writing and the arts. Sam describes how he established Medicine Unboxed more than a decade ago, how it has developed in surprising directions and how it will take place again in May 2023 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/medicine-unboxed-matter-tickets-511287904887

Ana Silvera's work defies orthodox categories, spanning folk, jazz, pop, classical and many other traditions. In addition to her recordings she works in ballet and theatre and collaborates widely. She is also an interpreter of Ladino song. anasilvera.com

Ash Ranpura's career has moved between experimental neuroscience, internal medicine, clinical neurology and hospital redesign. In this conversation we compare our experiences of moving between fields and across interdisciplinary boundaries and explore how our experience of clinical practice has shaped our beliefs.

As Principal Curator of Crustacea and Cnideria at the Natural History Museum, Miranda Lowe is responsible for the museum's vast collection of marine invertebrates, dating back over two hundred years. In addition to her own research she is passionate about inspiring and mentoring young people and increasing diversity. She has also written about the museum's collection of 182 glass sea creatures made by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka in the late nineteenth century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miranda_Lowe

Ian Skelly is a well-known music presenter on BBC Radio 3. A familiar voice at the BBC Proms, Ian has a wide range of interests including photography, film making and writing. In this conversation we discuss his approach to radio broadcasting and explore how the art of telling stories lies at the heart of his work. Along the way we examine how his ideas around improvisation and performing resonate with my experience in the world of clinical medicine. https://www.ianskelly.co.uk

Harry Collins is Distinguished Research Professor at Cardiff University. For over forty years he has been writing on the sociology of gravitational wave physics. A prolific author, his ideas around interactional expertise have been both influential and controversial. In this conversation we explore some of the implications of his work.

Vis specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, an eye disease where pressure on the optic nerve leads to impaired sight. As a surgeon he performs operations of the utmost delicacy and precision; as a teacher he passes on his wisdom to less experienced surgeons; as a statistical geneticist he researches the scientific basis of eye disease. In this conversation we explore the interplay of these many perspectives across his career.

Peter Randall-Page is internationally known for his carvings in stone, often at massive scale and in public places. He is fascinated by connections between ideas, metaphors and the natural world. Much of his work is inspired by nature and underpinned by mathematics. https://www.peterrandall-page.com His current exhibition at the Pangolin Gallery in London runs from 16 November 2022 until 14 January 2023 https://www.pangolinlondon.com/exhibitions/115-peter-randall-page/works/