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Meet the ANU student turning undergraduate research into a podcast
When Australian National University (ANU) undergraduate student and Tuckwell Scholarship recipient Chris Jackson moved from Melbourne’s inner west to Canberra, he was ready for something new.
Now in his fifth year, studying a double degree majoring in renewable energy systems and finance, he has taken every opportunity to explore and share the world of research.
His latest project, The Research Relay, is a podcast giving undergraduate students a platform to showcase their work and inspire others to get involved in research.
What is The Research Relay?
The Research Relay is a podcast dedicated to highlighting the research of undergraduate students at ANU. Each season features a different research area and each episode features a different student, giving them the chance to break down their research in a way that’s engaging and easy to understand.
The goal? To show current and future ANU students that research opportunities aren’t just for postgraduates—undergrads can also be at the forefront of discovery.
“You don’t have any graphs, you can’t point to anything—you just have to explain it clearly,” Chris says.
“It’s a great way for them to practise science communication and for listeners to discover what’s happening at ANU. Maybe someone hears an episode, finds a topic interesting and reaches out to a supervisor to get involved.”
Podcast guest and ANU student Zoe Crooke was interviewed about her honours thesis titled ‘Investigating the Molecular Response to Heat Stress’.
A podcast is born
Chris had always been interested in storytelling, having worked on podcasts through Woroni, the student newspaper at ANU and the Humans of Canberra media account. But it wasn’t until he started having conversations with fellow students that the idea for his research podcast took shape.
“I was chatting with mates in engineering, computer science, law and other disciplines and the research they were doing was incredible,” he explains. “But no one knew about it. And if you’re a high school student or even a first-year undergrad, you might not even realise what’s possible.”
That’s when he realised there was a gap that needed filling. The Research Relay bridges that gap by making undergraduate research more visible and accessible to a broader audience.
ANU student Sebastian Bland joined the podcast to chat about his honours thesis titled ‘Trick of the Trade: Reconstruction of Pacific Ocean Trade Wind Strength through the Middle Pleistocene’.
From ANU to the world
Chris’s time at ANU has been shaped by research. His own journey has taken him from undergraduate research projects to working with ANU academics, joining an Engineers Without Borders trip to Timor-Leste and even presenting research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.
“I did my first research project under Emma Aisbett at the Institute of Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions. We were trying to create a framework to prioritise industries for green industrial policy. So instead of governments randomly selecting industries, we built a method to choose those with the biggest impact,” he says.
That research was later submitted to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water and eventually adapted for a conference at MIT.
“I ended up at MIT for a couple of weeks last year,” Chris says. “Meeting world-leading climate and energy experts was pretty surreal.”
Through these experiences, Chris saw firsthand how impactful research can be. But he also saw how difficult it can be for students to access these opportunities without guidance.
Max Etherington, an ANU student, spoke on the podcast about his research paper ‘Effects of Ocean Coupling and Aerosol Perturbation on Developing Tropical Cyclones’.
What’s next?
The first season of The Research Relay focused on climate change and sustainability—an area Chris is passionate about. In 2025, he launched the podcast’s second season, shifting the focus to justice, in which he explores law, policy and the ways research is shaping these fields.
With new episodes in production, he’s continuing to grow his podcast project and highlight the diverse research happening at ANU.
“I’d love to get other people involved, especially to co-host episodes outside my expertise,” he says. “It’s something that should be bigger than just me.”
The bigger picture
For Canberra-based students, Chris says ANU is an incredible academic institution.
“Speaking from my experience in engineering, the practical experience and close-knit community make a huge difference. It might feel intimidating in the early years, but by third and fourth year, you’ll know so many people in your courses—it feels like high school again, in the best way.”
“And for students from outside Canberra—just do it,” he says. “Moving out of home was the best decision I’ve ever made. It forces you to grow, meet people from all over and develop independence.”
“Canberra is a fantastic uni town with everything you need. Even though I could have stayed in Melbourne and saved money, I’d make the same choice again, 100 times over.”
Through The Research Relay, Chris proves just how much is possible when students are supported to share their work—and their voice—with the world.
Listen to the latest season of The Research Relay and follow along as new episodes land each week.
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