HoW WILL WE TRAVEL

Podcasts

no one at the helm - autonomous sea travel

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guest: Iain Percy, CEO, Artemis Technologies (NI)

Guest Iain Percy is a four-time Olympian, three-time Olympic medallist and double Olympic champion. Passionate about protecting the oceans, the economics graduate founded Artemis Technologies in 2017, with a mission to see how America’s Cup technology could play a part in the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. He has overseen the company's transition from a sailing services provider to an applied technologies company focusing on green innovations for marine transportation.    

In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard talks to Iain about his motivations and the challenges he faced in his sporting career which led him to create Artemis Technologies. Ian believes the sea is a perfect place to start with full autonomy, and that domestic maritime transportation is where the UK can show leadership. As Artemis will soon launch their fleet of zero emission vessels, Iain argues how a green solution is more cost effective over time for operators, but work must be done to convince them to make the jump.

should we regulate space?

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guest: Professor Lord Martin Rees OM, FRS, FREng, FMedSci (Hon)

In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard delves into Professor Lord Martin Rees’ esteemed career and poses the question, ‘Should we regulate space before humans ruin it?’ This timely subject stems from many scientists’ concern that developments in human technology may soon pose new, extinction-level risks to our species as a whole. Such dangers have been suggested from progress in artificial intelligence, developments in biotechnology and artificial life, nanotechnology, and the possible extreme effects of anthropogenic climate change.  

The wide research interests of Professor Lord Martin Rees OM, FRS, FREng, FMedSci – Astronomer Royal, former Trinity College Master and University of Cambridge Emeritus Professor – spans space exploration, to black holes, galaxy formation, the multiverse, and prospects for extra-terrestrial life. Against the backdrop of recent commercial space enterprises, he shares his insights on what regulation should focus on, and governments’ shared responsibilities and areas of collaboration. 

reaching for the sky

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guest: Kirsty Murphy, Former Red Arrows Pilot, Royl Air Force (RAF)

Kirsty Murphy joined The Blades Aerobatic Team in 2016 following a 17-year career in the Royal Air Force (RAF). She was selected to be the first female pilot to fly with the world-famous Red Arrows – 

RAF’s Aerobatic Team— and had participated in more than 100 public displays and flypasts in about a dozen countries. She also served as a flying instructor after completing her flying training on the Tucano and the Hawk T1, and flew operational sorties in Iraq. She follows in the footsteps of many great female aviators amidst a still largely male-dominated career. 

In this podcast, host Rachael Everard explores Kirsty’s reasons for joining the military and the value of teamwork, diversity, and collaboration. Kirsty opens up on challenges she faced to reach the skies in her career, and how reliance and persistence to achieve goals helped her succeed. She also discusses her experiences as an ambassador, encouraging young women to take up flying, and as an engineer who promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in schools.  She shares her interests in innovations in aviation to help deliver a more sustainable mode of transport in the future.   

space exploration - taking great steps for humankind

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guest: Libby Jackson, Human Exploration Programme Manager, UK Space Agency

In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard meets Libby Jackson, currently the Human Spaceflight and Microgravity Programme Manager for the UK Space Agency, responsible for the UK's Human Spaceflight and Microgravity programmes at the International Space Station (ISS). Libby reflects on her time as a flight director and explains how she coped with the mental stress this role involved.​ Previously a flight director on space missions, she ensured that everyone worked together, and everything went according to plan. Flight directors talk to everyone involved – from the astronauts to the scientists on Earth, to the people who are responsible for making the rockets work. A flight director's most important tasks are to keep the astronauts safe, to check that all the planned experiments take place in space, and to sort out any problems that crop up. Though these things can happen, the flight director will always find the answer.  

are you sitting comfortably?

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guests:
- Neil Taggart, General Manager & Vice-President, Thompson Aero Seating and AIM Altitude
- Andy Morris, Vice President Commercial, AVIC Cabin Systems
- Jonny McGreevy, Head of Design and New Products, Thompson Aero Seating

Thompson Aero Seating is one of the leading suppliers of Business and First Class aircraft seating, with a worldwide customer base featuring many of the world’s top airlines including Delta and Singapore Airlines. With increasing market share and an evolving and expanding product portfolio Thompson’s seats are installed upon all major aircraft types from Airbus and Boeing including the A380 and Boeing B787 Dreamliner. 

In this podcast episode, Neil Taggart, Andy Morris and Jonny McGreevy join host Rachael Everard to discuss why Thompson Aero Seating is one of Northern Ireland’s most successful and fastest growing businesses. Currently, 1/3 of the world’s seats are manufactured in Northern Ireland, and Neil shares how Northern Irish manufacturers have developed their innovative and agile approach to design. They also discuss how the company works with airlines to produce interior products that customers won’t forget – from the look, feel, touch, functionality and ergonomics, as well as high-end experiences – while considering sustainability – from weight reduction and recycling at end of product life – in the process.  

THE WORLD'S GREENEST SPACEPORT

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guests: David Oxley, Director of Special Projects, Space Hub Sutherland

David Oxley is Director of Strategic Projects with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scotland’s regional economic and community development agency covering the North and West of Scotland. David and his team are behind the Space Hub Sutherland – a facility that would enable vertical rockets to launch small satellites into low Earth polar and sun-synchronous orbits.  

In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard chats with David as he shares his vision to develop the ‘world’s greenest spaceport’, the importance of such facilities being developed in the UK, and how the UK is well placed to accomplish this. He also expounds on sustainability – how the spaceport is taking the environment into consideration in its construction, and how HIE works with the local community to ensure that they part of the space port’s development as they should be. 

is an autonomous future inevitable?

Speakers include:
Host: Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce
Guests: Marek Reichman, EVP & Chief Creative Officer, Aston Martin

Marek Reichman has worked across some of the world’s most famous automobile brands. The 16 years that Marek has been with Aston Martin Lagonda have seen one of the most prolific periods of new model introductions for the British marque, as he led a period of intense innovation and creativity.   

In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard discusses with Marek the challenges around an autonomous future for a brand which specialises in designing vehicles for the driver’s pleasure. They will delve into what makes the UK a world leader in high performance car design and manufacturing and how sustainability impacts modern automobile design.  

e-commerce podcast: navigating a new path for 'returns'

Speakers include:
Host: Chloe Thomas, Founder, eCommerce MasterPlan
Guests: Al Gerrie, Founder & CEO, ZigZag

In this podcast episode, host Chloe Thomas meets ZigZag CEO Al Gerrie to chat about solutions that help reduce the carbon footprint of retailers and manage levels of production.​ ZigZag provides a retailer branded returns portal that links directly from the returns page on your website. The software makes intelligent decisions, knowing the most route-efficient ZigZag warehouse to send the return to, so returns can be consolidated, resold or re-fulfilled to another customer. By using the ZigZag returns platform, retailers save money on returns, customers get faster refunds, and stock flows back in the supply chain and available for sale more quickly avoiding waste.  

To learn more about Chloe Thomas and listen to more of her podcast, visit https://chloethomas.com/