During my year in the Narrative Futures: Art, Data, and Society postgraduate programme at Edinburgh Futures Institute, I was exposed to a huge variety of creative research. But more than that, I was also encouraged to think beyond the traditional lines often drawn in the sand between art and academia. Being exposed to a wide variety of professors, guest lecturers, and group projects with the rest of my cohort helped me build my confidence in the academic space and beyond.
My Futures Project, “Pods and Prose: A Sonic Speculation on Podcasting as a Storytelling Tool with Appalachian Podcasters,” explored how podcasting can be used as a research method and a storytelling medium, particularly within the 13-state region in the United States, Appalachia. As part of my research, I created a speculative piece of writing and a podcast series called “Pods and Prose,” where I interviewed podcasters in the Appalachia region about their experience podcasting in Appalachia and their relationship to the dominant narratives of the region.
I was lucky enough to tap into my passion for audio storytelling when I joined the eLearning company Assemble You last year as a Content Coordinator. I work with the rest of the team to develop podcast-style audio lessons that are used by organisations across the UK and beyond, with the aim of improving employees’ skills and knowledge. I also help produce Assemble You’s L&D Challenges podcast. I am about to launch my own Podcast, L&D101, which is a podcast where I interview experts in the L&D industry about foundational topics in the Learning and Development industry for an audience of newcomers to the L&D world. I am keen to continue exploring the world of podcasting from new angles and bring my passion for audio storytelling into my work.
