Obesity, eradicating poverty in the 21st century, the future of commercial aerospace and the progress on Crohn’s disease are just some of the themes of a series of free public lectures starting this week by Bristol University academics and leading people in their field.
At the first talk, October 7, Brain and fat, blood and guts: breaking the grip of obesity, Professor Gareth Williams, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, will reveal how obesity has become a major threat to health around the world, especially among children.
Poverty is currently the world’s largest source of harm. David Gordon, Professor in Social Justice, will explain all on October 18, Eradicating poverty in the 21st century: when will social justice be done? He will also explain why poverty continues to persist and grow when governments and the United Nations have repeatedly committed themselves to first alleviating and then eradicating poverty for the past 50 years.
On October 21, as part of the Bristol Festival of Nature, Professor Wendy Gibson will talk about how single-celled organisms in Size isn’t everything: how protozoa have shaped our world. She will tell how, despite their microscopic size, they’ve achieved some amazing things. Some good, like building the White Cliffs of Dover and some bad, like killing a million children every year through malaria.
Professor Greg Heath on October 27 will explain all about CERN’s newest accelerator in New physics at the world’s highest energy accelerator: what to look for, and how to look for it and its enormous potential for advancing our understanding of matter.
Dr Maarten Raven at the National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden, will give the Amelia Edwards Memorial Lecture, The tomb of Meryneith at Saqqara and its surroundings on October 28.
Behind the eyes – before the mind, is the title of the Long Fox Lecture on November 10 by Emeritus Professor of Neuropsychology, Richard Gregory, FRS.
The Brunel Lecture, The future of commercial aerospace – the A380 and beyond, will be given by the managing director of Airbus UK and Head of the A380 wing development programme, Iain Gray on November 11. The Airbus A380 will be the world’s largest commercial aircraft when it enters into service in 2006 – a full-length double deck aircraft seating 550 passengers. Iain Gray will discuss the new technologies and how they are being implemented.
Rodney Sampson, Professor of Romance Philology, will talk about The (un)changing sounds of Romance on November 23, discussing the evolution of the Romance languages.
Historian and biographer, Antony Beevor, will give the E. H. Young Memorial Lecture on November 25, entitled Stalingrad and Berlin – researching the reality of war.
Finally, on November 30, Chris Hawkey, Professor of Gastroenterology, will give the John Taylor Memorial Lecture, on Progress of Crohn’s Disease: mechanisms, myths and medicines. Scientific investigation has recently revolutionised the understanding of Crohn’s Disease. Professor Hawkey will discuss what is known about the disease and the advancements in science. The talk will be of particular interest to sufferers of Crohn’s Disease.
The public lectures are organised by the University's General Office. A full list together with venue details and times can be found by clicking on the General Office link. The lectures are free and open to the public. Unless otherwise stated no pre-booking is necessary.