Massimo Marengo
Massimo Marengo is currently a Filmmaking Master's student at the University of Sussex. He is Irish, Italian and British. He was born in Instanbul and was brought up in various countries around the globe. He is passionate about the stage & screen, focusing mainly on directing, writing and sound. Other interests of his include comedy/satire, politics, philosophy, nature, rock climbing & food. His episode will be exploring the current geo-political tensions between the physical and cultural borders of Ukraine and Russia.
Mariam Abdel-Akher
Mariam is a Canadian international student studying a Masters in Media Practice for Development and Social Change at the University of Sussex. As someone who enjoys culture, travelling and the odd adrenaline rush, she would like to use her degree to work in the charity sector overseas, working specifically with radio development organizations. Her podcast will focus on her own struggle to identify within a border as a child of Egyptian immigrants and to understand the significance of these invisible borders on her life and the lives of others who have shared similar upbringings.
Gabby Nowell
Gabrielle, or Gabby/Gabs to her friends and family, is a budding actress, filmmaker and writer with a passion for the arts and wildlife. Though her nationality is British, She was born in Abu Dhabi and grew up in Cyprus. Because of this, Gabby considers herself to be a global citizen and wants to see more of the world. Currently studying for a MA in Filmmaking, she hopes to inspire people through stories, whether that be written, audio or visual. Her podcast episode will be looking into cancel culture and the borders between your past social media self and your present
Siyi Zhang
Siyi is a Chinese international student studying a Master's Degree in Digital Media at the University of Sussex. She is interested in photography and film editing and now self learning more techniques and editing skills. She loves life and enjoys traveling and making new friends. Siyi is also a fan of watching movies and listening music, which she does in her spare time.
Maritza Masiello
Maritza is a self-confessed juggler. A writer, student, business owner, parent, wife and passionate about equality and the art of communication. She is a currently studying a Master's Degree in Media Practice for Development and Social Change at the University of Sussex and loves the art of podcasting and the ability to deep dive into different topics at your own pace. Her episode will be exploring the different ways we learn and why schools are still teaching in the same prescriptive methods that have been around for many decades, despite our extensive knowledge that children learn in very different ways.
Haocen Hou
Haocen Hou, also known as Floyd is a film maker and an international student from China. He majored in Film as an undergraduate and has directed two short films. Currently, he is pursuing a Master's Degree in Filmmaking at the University of Sussex.
Anqi Zhu
Anqi Zhu is a digital media postgraduate student at the University of Sussex. She has a strong desire to explore the world and likes challenging things. The planning direction of her podcast is semiotics, hoping to understand different cultural symbols and further explore the development history of world culture hidden behind the mysterious semiotics by studying various cultures around the world. With this knowledge, she hopes to create a personal microfilm studio in the future.
Chaitanya Hari Gaur
Chaitanya Hari Gaur, also known as Hari is an international student from India who is currently pursuing his Master's in filmmaking at the University of Sussex. He is passionate about filmmaking, editing and modelling. He loves to travel and explore new places and is always keen to share his experiences of his travels. He also has a keen interest in spirituality, which has fascinated him for many years. In his spare time he practices art, listens to classic, old songs, and sometimes plays sports to remain energetic and fit.
Olajide Adelaja
Olajide is a film maker and a media content creator, who also loves art. He is a Nigerian currently studying MA filmmaking at the University of Sussex, with core interests in screenwriting, directing and producing.
Pooja Chowdhary
Pooja is a development communications practitioner working on issues intersecting social development, conservation, and sustainability in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, she is pursuing MA Media Practice for Development and Social Change at the University of Sussex.
Sam Hayler
Sam, known as Disco by friends, is a screenwriter, musician, student and bartender. Born and raised in Brighton, he's a little bit sick of the place but couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Mental health awareness is a cause very dear to his heart as well as his head, which is the reason he's chosen to focus on it for his podcast episode.
Olajumoke Adeleke
Olajumoke is a digital journalist with Nigeria's International Broadcasting Corporation. Ola is also an advocate for gender equality and disability inclusion. A current Chevening scholar on MA Media Practice for Development and Social Change. Her podcast episode will focus on experiences of international students with disabilities in the UK.
Ella Boon
Ella is originally from Plymouth but has spent five years in Brighton studying at the University of Sussex. She has an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and is currently completing her master's in Media Practice for Development & Social Change. Ella is passionate about creating journalism that explores how pop culture and digital technology shape our modern world. A vegan and trying to live as sustainably as possible, the causes closest to Ella's heart are animal rights, environmentalism and human rights.
Brandan Crooke
Brandon is a current MA Digital Media student. He is a gay mixed race male who enjoys playing rugby. Brandon is very much interested in the lives of minority groups and how they navigate their way in today's world. He wants minority groups to have a platform to help challenge reductive stigmatising ideologies so everyone can have a positive space in this world