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By On Think Tanks

OTT Podcast brings you interviews and discussions with leading thinktankers. Follow us on onthinktanks.org
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Rethinking how we publish our research

OTT PodcastJul 14, 2022

00:00
20:33
The small think tank trap

The small think tank trap

Can small and mid-sized think tanks survive the mounting challenges they're facing and the increasing costs of overcoming them? OTT Talks to Simon Maxwell about alternative think tank models and markets.

Nov 28, 202334:02
Candid talk about funding: Dana Schmidt, Echidna Giving

Candid talk about funding: Dana Schmidt, Echidna Giving

OTT Talks to Dana Schmidt, Programme Director at Echidna Giving about her role - the skills and values needed to be a funder, the power dynamics between grantees and funders, and the personal impact of the role.

Sep 25, 202345:49
Watchdog think tanks

Watchdog think tanks

OTT Talks to Liliana Alvarado, Executive Director of Mexican think tank Ethos, on what happens when think tanks have to take on a government watchdog role.

Aug 29, 202330:22
Thinktanking in the Caribbean

Thinktanking in the Caribbean

OTT Talks to Dr. Damien King, Executive Director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), to explore the think tank sector in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region.

Jun 14, 202328:34
Supporting evidence use in the Parliament of Ghana

Supporting evidence use in the Parliament of Ghana

OTT Talks to Dr. Abraham Ibn Zackaria, Deputy Director of Research in the Parliament of Ghana, shedding light on how evidence is used in Ghanaian policymaking.


[Please note that the sound quality in this episode is not optimal. Nonetheless, we believe the insights shared by Dr. Zackaria make it well worth listening to!]

Apr 18, 202323:47
Exploring diversity, equity, and inclusion in think tanks

Exploring diversity, equity, and inclusion in think tanks

OTT Talks to Grant Dalton, researcher at the Institute for Government (IFG), a leading British think tank, about the findings of a diversity and inclusion sector report he co-authored and published last year.

Mar 08, 202328:26
Supporting evidence use in government

Supporting evidence use in government

Guests: Kuranda Morgan, Evidence Lead in the evidence and experimentation team at Nesta; Mohammed Awal, Team Leader - social accountability and SDGs workstream at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development; and Abeba Taddese, Senior Program Director - evidence for decision making at Results for Development.

Feb 20, 202332:03
Candid talk about funding: David Sasaki, Hewlett Foundation

Candid talk about funding: David Sasaki, Hewlett Foundation

On Think Tanks Director, Enrique Mendizabal talks to David Sasaki, Program Officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation about the need for more accountability in the philanthropic sector; what the job involves; and what it takes to do it well. 

Jan 16, 202334:03
Think tank funding: the outlook

Think tank funding: the outlook

Luis Orlandi, OTT Growth Manager, talks to Enrique Mendizabal, Founder and Director of OTT, about the challenges and opportunities for think tank fundraising.

Nov 21, 202228:20
From think tank to government

From think tank to government

Julia Pomares, Chief Advisor to the Government of the City of Buenos Aires and former CIPPEC Executive Director, talks to Emily Hayter, OTT Associate, about the shift from generating to using evidence and share recommendations to inform decision-making.

Sep 27, 202228:05
Think tanks innovate amid COVID19
Sep 14, 202222:21
Young people, politics and change

Young people, politics and change

To celebrate International Youth Day, OTT Talks to Ibrahim Faruk from Yiaga Africa and the ‘Not too young to run’ movement in Nigeria, and Neringa Tumėnaitė, from  Humanity Consulting about how youth can shape and participate in politics and change. The conversation is hosted by Cristina Bacalso.

Aug 12, 202218:56
Rethinking how we publish our research

Rethinking how we publish our research

In this new OTT Talks, Joe Miller, Director of Soapbox Washington Studio, talks to Louise Ball, OTT Communications Director, about his new book Screens, research and hypertext.

Jul 14, 202220:33
10 years strengthening Indonesia's knowledge sector

10 years strengthening Indonesia's knowledge sector

Enrique Mendizabal, OTT Founder and Director, talks to Irene Pingkan Umboh from RTI International and Widjajanti Isdijoso from SMERU Research Institute. They look back over the last 10 years of the Knowledge Sector Initiative’s support to 16 think tanks in Indonesia.

Jun 21, 202221:32
Scientific advisory systems to address global health challenges
Apr 07, 202217:07
OTT Talks with Andrea Ordoñez, Fiona Moejes and Shannon Sutton to mark International Women's Day

OTT Talks with Andrea Ordoñez, Fiona Moejes and Shannon Sutton to mark International Women's Day

For International Women's Day 2022, we have an OTT Talks about women in think tank leadership roles with Andrea Ordoñez, Director at Southern Voice, Fiona Moejes, Interim CEO at Mawazo Institute and Shannon Sutton, OTT Consultant.

Mar 08, 202224:17
Bob Wekesa, Director of the African Center for the Study of the United States

Bob Wekesa, Director of the African Center for the Study of the United States

In this episode of the OTT Podcast, Bob Wekesa tells us about the work he has been doing at the African Center for the Study of the United States, an institution dedicated to studying the impact of US political, economic and trade relations with African countries. He talks about the organisation’s research agenda, building partnerships with institutions across Africa and his vision for the Centre’s future.

Dec 28, 202118:45
Annapoorna Ravichander on supporting policymaking capacity at scale

Annapoorna Ravichander on supporting policymaking capacity at scale

OTT Talks episode with Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander, executive director of the Public Affairs Foundation in India, and OTT associate. In this episode, Annapoorna talks to Enrique Mendizabal about a new project to support the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) in Mysuru. ATI is a public training centres with the potential to reach civil servants at significant scale. By helping to strengthen ATI, the Public Affairs Foundation and the Public Affairs Centre are, in essence, contributing towards strengthening policymaking as a whole.
Sep 27, 202123:56
Chukwuka Onyekwena on think tanks in Nigeria

Chukwuka Onyekwena on think tanks in Nigeria

OTT Talks episode with Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena, executive director of CSEA, in Abuja. Dr. Onyekwena is a member of the steering committee of the West African Think Tank Network (WATTNet), a member of the African Policy Circle (APC), Global Economic Governance Africa (GEGAfrica) and Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme (GARN) both at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).
Aug 04, 202128:52
Rose Abdollahzadeh on the role of imagination at Chatham House
Jun 22, 202126:17
Gala Díaz Langou on taking over the leadership of CIPPEC

Gala Díaz Langou on taking over the leadership of CIPPEC

OTT Talks episode with Gala Díaz Langou, CIPPEC's new executive director, on the challenges and opportunities that think tanks face today. Gala reflects on her career at CIPPEC and her new role. 

May 07, 202139:26
Oswaldo Molina on the new Peruvian think tank: Redes

Oswaldo Molina on the new Peruvian think tank: Redes

OTT Talks with Oswaldo Molina about the new Peruvian think tank: Redes. Redes is a networked think tank that focuses on translating and communicating existing research to relevant policy audiences.
Mar 20, 202134:44
Safa Ghnaim on the Data Detox Kit at Tactical Tech

Safa Ghnaim on the Data Detox Kit at Tactical Tech

OTT Talks with Safa about Tactical Tech's work on data privacy, digital security, how the internet and digital technologies affect our lives, and what we can do about it.

Mar 10, 202121:40
Wailea Zülch on engaging volunteers at Swiss think tank foraus

Wailea Zülch on engaging volunteers at Swiss think tank foraus

OTT Talks episode with Wailea about foraus' grassroots model, their engagement with volunteers across Switzerland, and their work with interns and volunteers adapting to the COVID-19 crisis.
Feb 23, 202127:48
Johannes Linn on scaling science

Johannes Linn on scaling science

A conversation with Johannes Linn on scaling. This took place in the frame of a 11-week long scaling X change supported by IDRC and hosted by OTT. In the first part of the conversation Johannes presents a very clear introduction to scaling. The second part includes a reflection by Enrique Mendizabal on how this connects to other research uptake and policymaking discussions.
Jan 19, 202113:09
Denisse Rodríguez on Voceras

Denisse Rodríguez on Voceras

OTT Talks episode with Denisse Rodríguez from Voceras, an initiative to help women in think tanks and academia gain greater visibility in Peruvian media.
Jan 18, 202114:22