Episodes

  • Coffee & Geography 6x10 Dr Anjana Khatwa (UK) The Whispers of Rock

    Coffee & Geography 6x10 Dr Anjana Khatwa (UK) The Whispers of Rock
    Jun 6 2026
    In this episode, Kit Marie is joined by Dr Anjana Khatwa — award-winning earth scientist, geologist, science communicator, TV presenter, and author of The Whispers of Rock. Their conversation begins with family, migration, and identity, tracing Anjana’s story from Slough to Rajasthan, Kenya, India, Dorset, and the Jurassic Coast. She reflects on how colonial histories, family upheaval, and community shaped her understanding of place and belonging. The episode then turns to the rock that changed everything: a piece of basalt Anjana picked up as a child at the Shaitani lava flows in Kenya, the moment she now sees as the beginning of “Jurassic Girl.” From there, she and Kit Marie talk about geology as story, about why rocks are so often overlooked in public conversations about nature, and about how The Whispers of Rock asks readers to see rocks not as dead matter but as part of the living world. They also discuss accessibility to nature, rural space, and belonging, including Anjana’s work at the National Trust on inclusion and equity, and why the issue is not a lack of connection to nature in global majority communities, but often a lack of access. 🔗 Anjana Khatwa – The Whispers of Rock / author website: https://www.anjanakhatwa.com/writing 🔗 Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site: https://www.jurassiccoast.org/what-is-the-jurassic-coast/ 🔗 The Geological Society of London – R H Worth Award: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/about-us/society-awards/r-h-worth-award/ 🔗 National Trust – commitment to inclusion and diversity: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/about-us/our-commitment-to-inclusion-and-diversity 🔗 Celestial Seasonings – Bengal Spice Herbal Tea: https://celestialseasonings.com/products/bengal-spice #CoffeeGeogPod #Geology #EarthScience #ScienceCommunication #JurassicCoast #WhispersOfRock #NatureWriting #InclusionInNature #NationalTrust #RockStories #GeographyEducation #PublicEngagement #DeepTime #ClimateCommunication
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    58 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x09 Nava Khorram Ahmad (Marianas/Latvia) Climate ed, Child of the Pacific

    Coffee & Geography 6x09 Nava Khorram Ahmad (Marianas/Latvia) Climate ed, Child of the Pacific
    May 30 2026
    Kit Marie is joined by Nava Khorram Ahmad, Executive Director of the Climate Education Centre, a newly established non‑profit developing holistic, action‑orientated climate education for young people globally. Nava shares how the organisation began (co‑founded with her mum) and why their curriculum aims to go beyond climate science to include climate justice, Indigenous ways of knowing, practical action, and emotional support for young people who feel overwhelmed. The conversation explores Nava’s geographic identity—growing up in the Mariana Islands (Saipan), moving to Czechia at 15, and living in Latvia—and how that shaped her values, priorities, and connection to nature. Nava reflects on community life on a small island, the region’s complex colonial history, and early experiences of environmental action through Beautify CNMI, including a childhood initiative to restore a neglected lighthouse. Listener questions take the discussion into climate education in different contexts (Pacific vs Europe vs US), how to foster climate awareness during geopolitical conflict, and the values underpinning climate concern. Nava also shares examples of young people driving climate resilience, including a Pacific‑islands‑led legal effort at the ICJ and youth action in Hawai‘i. 🔗 Climate Education Centre: https://climateducation.org 🔗 European Climate Pact: https://climate-pact.europa.eu/ 🔗 ICJ to Deliver Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: https://sdg.iisd.org/news/icj-to-deliver-advisory-opinion-on-climate-change/ 🔗 Beautify CNMI: https://www.facebook.com/beautifycnmi/ 🔗 Marianas Eye (March 28, 2008) Nava Khorram: Environmental Champion: https://marianaseye.blogspot.com/2008/03/nava-khorram-environmental-champion.html 🔗 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) overview: https://www.doi.gov/oia/islands/cnmi Connect with Nava via LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nava-khorram/ #CoffeeGeogPod #ClimateEducation #ClimateJustice #YouthClimateAction #IndigenousKnowledge #ClimateResilience #PacificIslands #Saipan #EducationReform #ClimateAnxiety #CommunityAction #ClimateCommunication #ICJ Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansounds.com
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x08 Aparna Bamzai-Dodson (USA) Climate adaptation, actionable science, gaming

    Coffee & Geography 6x08 Aparna Bamzai-Dodson (USA) Climate adaptation, actionable science, gaming
    May 16 2026
    Kit Marie is joined by Aparna Bamzai‑Dodson, Assistant Regional Administrator at the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) within the US Geological Survey (USGS). Aparna explains how the USGS functions as the science arm of the US Department of the Interior and how the CASC network supports climate adaptation across public lands and resources. The conversation focuses on what “actionable science” looks like in practice: building partnerships, designing research questions with end‑users, avoiding stakeholder fatigue, and ensuring science is accessible in the format decision‑makers actually need. Aparna shares how she changed direction from physical climate modelling toward work that helps people do something with climate knowledge, and how she built her PhD research around improving stakeholder engagement processes—work that fed directly back into how her team operates. Kit and Aparna discuss why place matters in adaptation, how to “meet people where they’re at,” and the practical realities of balancing priorities across legislation, gateway communities, visitors, and Indigenous partners. A particularly strong example explores difficult decisions around protecting cultural artefacts threatened by future flooding, and how early science‑informed conversations can create time for communities to decide what they want. 🔗 Aparna's staff profile at the US Geological Survey (USGS): https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/aparna-bamzai-dodson 🔗 Scientist Spotlight on Aparna: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/climate-adaptation-science-centers/news/scientist-spotlight-finding-yourself-open-world 🔗 USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASC network): https://www.usgs.gov/programs/climate-adaptation-science-centers 🔗 US National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/ 🔗 Kashmiri “Kahwa / Kaffa” tea background (tea discussed; name varies by spelling): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahwah **Disclaimer: Our discussion on specific video games is based on Aparna’s personal views and does not represent a US federal government endorsement*** #CoffeeGeogPod #ClimateAdaptation #USGS #ActionableScience #ScienceCommunication #StakeholderEngagement #ClimateServices #PublicLands #EnvironmentalManagement #Geography #AppliedGeography #ClimateRisk #DecisionMaking #CASC Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansound.com
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    54 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x07 Pluto Liu (Aotearoa / New Zealand) Arts and science, Antarctica, capitalism

    Coffee & Geography 6x07 Pluto Liu (Aotearoa / New Zealand) Arts and science, Antarctica, capitalism
    May 2 2026
    In this lively and thoughtful episode, Kit Marie is joined by Pluto Liu, a marine scientist, artist, self‑described nomad, and PhD researcher studying kelp and Antarctic ecosystems from their home in Aotearoa (colonially “New Zealand”). The conversation ranges across identity, geography, creativity, capitalism, and the slippery boundaries between disciplines. Pluto reflects on growing up in China, moving through Hong Kong and Thailand, and eventually settling in Aotearoa, describing how each place has shaped their sense of self. They speak about linguistic belonging, their deep affinity with Latin America after spending time in Chile, and how identity becomes a patchwork: “a mixture of all different places I’ve been to.” Together, Kit Marie and Pluto discuss the limitations of Western scientific labels, the unnecessary separation of arts and sciences, and the importance of Indigenous and relational understandings of nature. Pluto shares insights into Antarctic policy, the tourism debate, and the realities of capitalism’s encroachment into polar seas. There are stories too — of tattoo artistry, surfing, learning to swim, nearly falling asleep during tattoos, and getting a diving certificate before being able to swim properly! Weblinks for Listeners: 🔗 Pluto's BlueSky account: https://bsky.app/profile/plutoxliu.bsky.social 🔗 Trade Aid Aotearoa: https://www.tradeaid.org.nz/ 🔗 Antarctic Treaty Secretariat: https://www.ats.aq/ 🔗 Baldwin Street – Dunedin: https://www.dunedinnz.com/insiders/baldwin-street2 Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansound.com
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    54 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x06 Deondre Smiles (Ojibwe - USA/Canada) Indigenous geographies, culture in the stars and more

    Coffee & Geography 6x06 Deondre Smiles (Ojibwe - USA/Canada) Indigenous geographies, culture in the stars and more
    Apr 18 2026
    In this rich and expansive conversation, Kit Marie is joined by Dr. Niiyokamigaabaw Deondre Smiles, an Ojibwe geographer based in Victoria, British Columbia. Together, they explore identity, movement, Indigenous geographies, the meaning of place, and how our relationships with land — and sky — shape who we become. Deondre shares how his Black, Swedish, and Ojibwe heritage, together with his moves across Minneapolis, Ohio, and now Canada, have influenced his sense of self. He discusses the migration history of Ojibwe peoples and explains how Western cartographic boundaries differ deeply from Indigenous understandings of territory, kinship, and relational land connections. The conversation journeys through NativeLand.ca, the role of stars and constellations in Ojibwe governance, the creation story of Turtle Island, and the responsibilities humans carry as “the least important part of the ecosystem.” Kit Marie and Deondre also bond over the cold of Minnesota versus the wet cold of Victoria, Brexit, decolonisation, nationalism, and the Prime Directive in Star Trek, and discussions about music, memories, and joy — from viola to percussion to the household’s many tarantulas. A thoughtful, gentle, humorous episode that blends Indigenous knowledge, personal geography, and cosmic belonging. Weblinks for Listeners: 🔗 Dr. Deondre Smiles – personal website: https://deondresmiles.com/ 🔗 Native Land Digital / Native-Land.ca: https://native-land.ca/ 🔗 Anishinaabe Astronomy and Identity: https://ojibwe.net/anishinaabe-astronomy-and-identity/ 🔗 Star Stories: Ojibwe Indigenous Star Map - An Artist's Rendition: https://www.zhaawanart.com/post/star-stories-part-9-ojibwe-star-map 🔗 Ojibwe People’s Dictionary: https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/ 🔗 Star Trek's "Prime Directive": https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Prime_Directive #CoffeeGeogPod #IndigenousGeographies #Ojibwe #DecolonisingGeography #HumanGeography #PlaceIdentity #TurtleIsland #NativeLand #GeographyEducation #IndigenousKnowledges #Cosmology #StarStories #CulturalGeography #environmentaljustice Theme music: 'Sparks of Inspiration' by Silvermansound.com
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    55 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x05 Sustainability at East Norfolk Sixth Form with Dr Catherine Richards (UK)

    Coffee & Geography 6x05 Sustainability at East Norfolk Sixth Form with Dr Catherine Richards (UK)
    Apr 4 2026
    In this on‑location special, Kit Marie travels to the east coast of England to spend a spring morning at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, speaking with Principal Dr Catherine Richards about the intersection of community, place‑identity, and sustainability. The conversation blends human geography with practical leadership: the real challenges of Great Yarmouth, the spirit of its people, the region’s shift towards renewable offshore wind, and the ways education can anchor a community in hope rather than decline. Catherine shares how ENSF has become a model for college‑level sustainability — from solar‑panel investment and curriculum change, to innovative food‑chain choices, water‑awareness projects, student‑driven ideas, reprographics reform, composting strategies, and the upcoming near‑net‑zero new building. But the heart of the episode lies in community pride. In the belief that young people in coastal towns deserve world‑class futures. And in the idea that climate education is not separate from subject teaching — it’s woven into each discipline’s responsibility to the future. This episode is a love‑letter to Great Yarmouth, a celebration of local leadership, and a blueprint for what educational institutions can be. Interesting links: 🔗 East Norfolk Sixth Form College: To explore EN’s programmes, ethos, and sustainability work. https://www.eastnorfolk.ac.uk 🔗 Virtual Campus Tour: https://www.eastnorfolk.ac.uk/Applicants-Students-Parents/Virtual-Campus-Tour 🔗 Water Resources East (WRE): Referenced in Catherine’s discussion of water security and the region’s future challenges. https://wre.org.uk 🔗 Peel Ports – Port of East Anglia (Great Yarmouth): Relevant to Catherine’s comments about port redevelopment and regional economic strategy. https://www.peelports.com/marine/our-ports/port-of-east-anglia/ 🔗 Scroby Sands offshore wind farm https://uk.rwe.com/locations/scroby-sands-offshore-wind-farm/ 🔗 Norfolk FWAG (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group): Referenced regarding sustainable food choices, deer management, and local ecology. https://www.norfolkfwag.co.uk #CoffeeGeogPod #Sustainability #EducationLeadership #FurtherEducation #ClimateEducation #GreatYarmouth #RenewableEnergy #OffshoreWind #CommunityEmpowerment #PlaceBasedGeography #NetZeroColleges #ukcoast Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Shane Ivers (silvermansound.com)
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    37 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x03 Dr Robin Hayward (UK) Rainforests, trees, identity, sci-comm

    Coffee & Geography 6x03 Dr Robin Hayward (UK) Rainforests, trees, identity, sci-comm
    Mar 7 2026
    In this joyful, wide‑ranging conversation, forest ecologist and science communicator Dr Robin Hayward joins Kit Marie for a celebration of trees, identity, science, and storytelling. Robin shares how growing up on Dartmoor shaped their love of horizons, how Malaysian rainforests revealed the long‑term impact of selective logging, and why hugging trees is both a scientific method and a source of soul‑level joy. Other themes include: • Measuring rainforests, from canopy lizards to multi‑decade seedling studies • How restoration succeeds (or doesn’t) across generations • Whether tropical or boreal forests should be prioritised — a playful debate • Star Trek, Thunderbirds, and the magic of weaving sci‑fi into teaching • The social camouflage queer scientists navigate in fieldwork • Creative science communication: live shows, art, code, and cake • Building inclusive fieldwork environments and resources for LGBTQ+ geographers Find Robin everywhere online via https://canopyrobin.com/links, including Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Mastodon and LinkedIn. 🔗 Leeds Ecosystem, Atmosphere & Forest (LEAF) Centre: https://leaf.leeds.ac.uk/gairwood 🔗 Inclusive Fieldwork at University of Leeds: https://inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk 🔗 ESC (Ecological Site Classification) for UK Tree Suitability GIS tool: http://www.forestdss.org.uk/geoforestdss/ 🔗 South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP): https://www.searrp.org/ 🔗 SAFE Project, Malaysia: https://atlas.smartforests.net/en/logbooks/safe-project/
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    56 mins
  • Coffee & Geography 6x02 Omar Regalado Fernandez (Mexico) Decolonising Paleobiology, Citizen Science

    Coffee & Geography 6x02 Omar Regalado Fernandez (Mexico) Decolonising Paleobiology, Citizen Science
    Feb 21 2026
    In this rich and eye‑opening conversation, Mexican paleobiologist Omar Regalado Fernández joins Kit Marie to explore how paleontology has been shaped by colonial legacies — and how the field can move toward justice. Omar shares how growing up in the Cuautitlán-Pachuca Valley (with its unexpected Cornish connections!), studying in London, and now working in Germany have shaped his identity as a global citizen. They discuss the difference between paleontology and paleobiology, the mythologised history of the Bone Wars, and how scientific institutions often retell “great man” narratives that hide violence and exclude other ways of knowing. The episode also explores: • Why renaming species (like poinsettia) is more than cosmetic • Why Western science treats Indigenous knowledge as “folklore” • How colonialism functions like an “eldritch horror” • The shift toward qualitative and community‑rooted science • Routes into paleontology for neurodivergent young people • Museums, citizen science, and making science accessible Connect with Omar via Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mathchaos.bsky.social and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-rafael-regalado-fernandez/ Links for further exploration: 🔗 Natural History Museum (UK) – Citizen Science Projects: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/citizen-science.html 🔗 Senckenberg Natural History Museum (Frankfurt): https://museumfrankfurt.senckenberg.de/en/ 🔗 The Bone Wars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_Wars 🔗 Our past creates our present: a brief overview of racism and colonialism in Western paleontology: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/our-past-creates-our-present-a-brief-overview-of-racism-and-colonialism-in-western-paleontology/79248D87425C01E9D388DA2EFED92866 🔗 Poinsettia/Cuetlaxōchitl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poinsettia 🔗 UNAM – National Autonomous University of Mexico: https://www.unam.mx 🔗 500 Queer Scientists: https://500queerscientists.com/ #CoffeeGeogPod #Paleobiology #DecolonisingScience #STEM #ColonialHistory #Taxonomy #IndigenousKnowledge #CitizenScience #GeographyPodcast #Mexico #Germany #UKScience #GlobalIdentity
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    1 hr