2022 - 2023 Programme

Members Annual General Meeting and Recital

26 September, 2022 @ 6:45 pm – 9:00 pm

The Bardi Wind Quartet performing at the 2021 Members’ AMG

Members Annual General Meeting (NB 6.45pm start) followed by a recital by an ensemble from the Bardi Wind Orchestra, conducted by Mr David Calow.

The President’s Address: From smallpox to coronavirus: 150 years of vaccination

3 October, 2022 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

To be given by Professor Sir Kent Woods FMedSci

Professor Sir Kent Woods

Professor Sir Kent Woods FMedSci was, for twenty years, an honorary consultant physician at Leicester Royal Infirmary and was appointed Professor of Therapeutics in 1996.From 2004-2013 he was the first chief executive of the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the Department of Health, and later chaired the European Medicines Agency. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and was knighted for services to healthcare in 2011. In retirement he took the role of senior medical trustee of the British Heart Foundation.

Summary of talk: Epidemics of smallpox in the mid-19th century prompted legislation making smallpox vaccination of infants compulsory. Leicester became a focus of national protest; tens of thousands of people from over fifty towns demonstrated here in 1885. The law was later amended to allow conscientious objection. Ninety years later, smallpox became the first infectious disease ever to be eradicated globally by vaccination. Immunisation has proved its value against many other diseases, yet the questions raised by the Leicester Anti-Vaccination League must be rigorously answered for every new vaccine as we confront a growing list of health threats from infections in the 21st century. 

Art UK – Bringing together the nation’s art collection on one digital platform for the world to see

17 October, 2022 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

by Andrew Ellis, Director Art UK

Lecture in partnership with the New Walk Museum

Andrew Ellis

Summary: The talk will explore the benefits and challenges of bringing together the UK’s national collection of art on one digital platform. Art UK shows art by 50,000 artists, including approaching 10,000 living artists. Over 3,300 UK institutions are represented, making it one of the largest arts partnerships in Britain. Digitising artworks at scale; telling compelling stories about art and artists; supporting schools learning; providing income generating opportunities for museums; offering volunteering opportunities to the public; and running an art detective agency – are among the topics that will be covered. The talk will be illustrated with artworks from around the UK – many from lesser-known regional art collections alongside public sculptures from the charity’s recent national digitisation programme that has created an photographic audit of all these works.

The International Politics of the Arctic and Ukraine

31 October, 2022 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Caroline Kennedy Pipe
Professor of International Security & International Relations, Loughborough University

Photo: Tuomas Romu

Professor Caroline Kennedy Pipe has a First-Class Honours Degree in History, an MSc Econ in Strategic Studies and a D-Phil in International Relations. She was before joining Loughborough, Professor of War Studies at the University of Warwick and at the University of Hull as well as Professor of International Relations at Sheffield University.

Summary: The lecture is an analysis of how a warming Arctic has affected the geopolitics of that region. Great power rivalries now characterise what has traditionally been seen as a frozen region of harmony and cooperation. Ice melt allows for greater access to regions of the Arctic and its mineral and energy riches. Although Ukraine may seem a world away from the North Pole, the war in Europe has had many ramifications for Arctic states and the relationship with Russia in the High North.

Ernest Rutherford: from Kiwi farm boy to President of the Royal Society

14 November, 2022 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Mary Fowler, FRAS, FGS, FRCGS
Former Master of Darwin College, University of Cambridge

Professor Mary Fowler

Professor Mary Fowler, a geophysicist, was Master of Darwin College 2012-2020. More information about Professor Fowler is available here: https://www.darwin.cam.ac.uk/professor-mary-fowler-fras-fgs-frcgs

Summary of talk: Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937), father of nuclear physics, has much to teach us today, both in his extraordinary scientific insights, in his skills in reaching out to the wider community, in administration, and in his international outlook. He was born and raised in rural New Zealand and depended on scholarships for his post-primary education, first in New Zealand and then Cambridge. His great discoveries were made at McGill Manchester and Cambridge Universities. Awarded a Nobel Prize in 1908, he dominated early 20th century experimental physics. His study of radioactivity led to fresh insight on the age of the Earth and, with Soddy, the understanding of isotopes and the periodic table. His central discovery, the atomic nucleus, led to a much deeper understanding of the way matter is constituted which revolutionised both physics and chemistry. As a co-inventor of submarine detection by sonar, he helped save Britain. Throughout his career he created an extraordinary team of students and colleagues, and his last great work, with Einstein as his deputy, successfully rescued over a thousand, scientists, mainly Jewish, from Nazi Germany.

Writers, artists, and the memory of trees

28 November, 2022 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Fiona Stafford, FBA, FRSE
Professor of English Language and Literature, Fellow of Somerville College, University of Oxford

The Arthur and Jean Humphreys Lecture

Fiona Stafford

Fiona Stafford is professor of English Language and Literature and a Tutorial Fellow at Somerville College, Oxford. More information about Professor Stafford is to be found here: https://www.english.ox.ac.uk/people/professor-fiona-stafford

Summary of talk: Trees are a perennial source of inspiration for poets, artists and storytellers. The lecture will range through some of the trees that feature in poems and paintings, exploring their roots in the lived experience of their creators.

Net Zero – how can science help policy?

9 January, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Paul S. Monks BSc, DPhil, FRMetS, FRSC
Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy

Sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry

Professor Paul Monks is the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). As BEIS CSA, he delivers independent and impartial scientific advice to Ministers and policy makers across the BEIS portfolio.  The BEIS CSA portfolio spans a wide range of policy areas, including energy (such as nuclear (fission and fusion), geothermal and hydrogen), climate change, electric vehicles, medical radionuclides, space and national security. His role also covers advising on current and ongoing issues faced by UK businesses and industry, with recent focus on the critical role of science in supporting sustainable, resilient and measurable Net Zero and the challenges of delivering national and global decarbonisation.

Prior to joining the department, Professor Paul Monks was Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, where he remains a Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry and Earth Observation Science. 

Summary: Achieving Net Zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 requires an economy-wide transformation.  The talk will explore the basis for Net Zero and challenges for both science and policy in framing a sustainable and resilient pathway to it.  It will show that a systems of systems  approach is required to deliver Net Zero in a timely and cost-effective manner.

AI: Reality and myths

23 January, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Nick Jennings CB FRS FREng
Vice Chancellor and President, Loughborough University

Sponsored by Loughborough University

Professor Nick Jennings

Professor Jennings is Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University. Professor Jennings was the Vice-Provost for Research and Enterprise at Imperial College London, the UK Government’s first Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security, and Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton

Summary: In our increasingly connected world, computation is everywhere and we are generating ever more data about everything. These trends will profoundly change the ways in which we work with computers. Specifically, we need the machines to be smarter and more helpful. Central to this vision is the means by which we can forge effective partnerships with such artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Until now, humans have generally been the masters and technology the slave. This needs to change. Today’s AI systems can act on high-level human commands and achieve complex goals in a flexible manner. But, while such systems are good at solving narrowly defined tasks, they don’t know how to collaborate with humans or how to operate as part of a problem-solving team. This talk will explore how humans and AI systems can work together. In such partnerships, the humans and the AI systems complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, leading to a rise in the humans, as well as in the machines. Drawing on multi-disciplinary work in the areas of AI, autonomous systems, machine learning, crowd sourcing and the internet of things, this talk explores the past and the present of such systems through a number of case studies. Looking to the future, the limitations of current AI systems are discussed, as well as the associated ethical and societal implications of their widespread adoption.

Diabetes, ethnic minority groups and COVID-19: an inevitable storm

6 February, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, CBE, FRCGP, FRCP, MD, PhD, FMedSci
Professor of Primary Care Diabetes & Vascular Medicine, University of Leicester

Sponsored by University of Leicester

Kamlesh Khunti is Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, UK. He has led a programme of work during the COVID-19 pandemic and is a member of UK Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and Chair of the SAGE Ethnicity Sub-panel.

Summary: The risk of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is two to four-fold higher in ethnic minority populations compared to white populations and is also associated with increased risk of certain macrovascular and microvascular complications. Additionally, T2DM has an earlier onset in ethnic minority groups occurring 10-12 years earlier. The exact reasons for the higher prevalence are unclear but include the complex interplay of biological, lifestyle, environmental and socioeconomic factors. This is further compounded by the disparities in care received by ethnic minority populations. UK was the first country to report on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority groups. Diabetes is also a major risk factor for severe COVID-19 and the combination of ethnic disparities in diabetes care has been a significant contributor to the disparities in COVID-19 outcomes for ethnic minority populations with diabetes including disproportionate hospitalisation and mortality.

Major ethnic disparities in diabetes care in US and UK, especially intermediate outcomes and diabetes complications, were evident prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed these pre-pandemic health disparities for ethnic minority populations with diabetes. Similar to the higher risk of T2DM in ethnic minority populations, the exact reasons higher risk of COVID-19 are in minority ethnic groups are also complex and include comorbidities, risk factor control, exposure to risk, deprivation and access to care including wider structural issues. As we now plan for recovery, it is imperative that those delivering diabetes care urgently address the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on ethnic minority populations. Reducing these inequalities will require a greater understanding of the causes.

The F. L. Attenborough Lecture: Unearthing the ‘Rutland Sea Dragon’ – The UK’s Most Complete Jurassic Giant

20 February, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Dr Dean Lomax, Palaeontologist (Visiting Scientist), Author, & Science Communicator. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester.

Palaeontologists working on the Ichthyosaur skeleton found at Rutland Water August 26 2021 Matthew Power Photography www.matthewpowerphotography.co.uk 07969 088655 matthew@matthewpowerphotography.co.uk @mpowerphoto

Dr Dean Lomax is an internationally recognised multi-award-winning palaeontologist, author and presenter

Summary: In January 2022, news broke of one of the greatest finds in British palaeontological history, a 10-metre-long giant ichthyosaur found in Rutland. Dubbed the ‘Rutland Sea Dragon’, this remarkable fossil is the largest skeleton of an ichthyosaur, or any prehistoric reptile ever found in the UK. In this fascinating talk, excavation leader and world ichthyosaur expert, Dr Dean Lomax, will take us on a Jurassic journey and talk about the discovery and excavation of this exceptional Jurassic giant.

Medieval and Tudor entertainments in Leicester

6 March, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Katie Normington
Vice Chancellor, De Montfort University

Sponsored by De Montfort University

Professor Katie Normington joined De Montfort University as Vice-Chancellor in 2021 from Royal Holloway, University of London, where she was Deputy Principal (Academic). She is a Professor of Drama. Her research focuses on theatre history – in particular, medieval English drama and contemporary theatre practice. She has published six books in these areas.

Summary: The late medieval and early Tudor world was one where entertainment played a key role. This was also the case in Leicester where the Guildhall hosted visits by over 56 acting companies in the 16th century, including one which was associated with Shakespeare, meaning it was likely he visited Leicester. But the late medieval world saw a host of entertainment from formal drama to informal parades, feasts, public punishment rituals. This talk will outline the range of performances that occurred in late medieval Leicester and the function that it served for citizens.

Compassion, selflessness, and creativity – the secret of creating 21st-century garden cities

The Peach Lecture

13 March, 2023 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

This free lecture will be held in Lecture Theatre 2 in the Bob Burgess Building (Freemen’s Common) at the University of Leicester and will be followed by a drinks reception.

Dr Wei Yang, FAcSS, FRTPI
Past President of the Royal Town Planning Institute 2021, Chair of Wei Yang & Partners, Honorary Professor at UCL

Dr Wei Yang is an internationally renowned town planner and urban designer who champions a place-based whole systems approach to tackle the grand challenges of our times. She is an influential thought leader and a powerful advocate for climate actions, nature-based solutions, health & well-being, and social equality. Wei was President for 2021 of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Wei is a lead figure in researching, promoting, and implementing 21st Century Garden City and green & low-carbon development approach worldwide. She is co-author of a bestselling book, Humanistic Pure Land and Garden Cities (Shi & Yang, 2021). Wei is also co-founder and co-chair of the Digital Task Force for Planning and co-author of A Digital Future for Planning – Spatial Planning Reimagined (Batty & Yang, 2022) which outlines blueprint for digital transformation of spatial planning and the sector’s future. She is a Fellow of Academy of Social Sciences, a Fellow of the RTPI, a Member of Chartered Institute of Highway and Transportation (CHIT), a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Client Advisor, and an Honorary Professor at the Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London.

Summary: The talk will review the origins of the modern planning profession – the Garden City movement, it’s pioneers and their spirit. It will introduce the concept of 21st Century Garden City model which captures the essence of the original Garden City ideas, but adapts them to a more complex, 21st century context, promoting sustainability, tackling climate change and utilising smart technologies. The talk will also explore how to modernise the planning profession by forging a common sense of purpose with the wider society thus to create a balanced system for people, nature and society to co-exist in harmony.

Understanding the importance of soil health

20 March, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Dr Felicity Crotty
Senior Lecturer in Soil Science and Ecology at the Royal Agricultural University

Natural History Section Joint Lecture

Dr Felicity Crotty

Dr Felicity Crotty is a Senior Lecturer in Soil Science and Ecology at the Royal Agricultural University. She has been researching soil biology and soil health for the last fifteen years focusing on understanding the linkage between sustainable agriculture and soil health. Utilising her expertise within soil biology (earthworms, springtails, mites and nematodes), and how agriculture has an impact on this in relation to soil quality, physics and chemistry, within both livestock and arable sectors.

Summary: This lecture will aim to provide an overview of the fascinating life found within the soil, how soil management changes the structure, chemistry and biology of the soil, and overall what this means in regards to “soil health”. This talk will also include how changing land use and climate change will have an impact on healthy soils, maintaining food security and improving biodiversity within the soil habitat.

The Geology Section Joint Lecture: Flood Risk Management, Past Present and Future

3 April, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor Lynne Frostick, CBE
Emeritus Professor, Energy & Environment Institute, University of Hull

Professor Lynne Frostick, 

hull.ac.uk

Formerly a Professor of Physical Geography at the University, Professor Frostick CBE’s work in the aftermath of the 2007 floods in Hull played a vital role in shaping UK flood policy through the national Pitt Review. She remains an Emeritus Professor at the University of Hull’s Energy & Environment Institute today, and is committed to enhancing opportunities for women in STEM careers.

Summary: Climate change is already impacting on the rivers and coasts of our country. River flow records are exceeded on a regular basis and sea level rise is accelerating. Even if the world population agreed to stop emitting carbon dioxide today there is at least a hundred years of embedded change already in progress. This lecture will outline past and present trends in flood risk and then suggest ways society can adapt become resilient to the threat of flooding.

Bach and Handel – what’s the difference?

24 April, 2023 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Professor John Butt, OBE, FRSE, FBA
Gardiner Professor of Music, University of Glasgow, Visiting Professor at Princeton, and Musical Director of the Dunedin Consort.

John Butt with the Dunedin Consort (Credit: Jen Owens Images)

John Butt is Gardiner Professor of Music at the University of Glasgow and musical director of Edinburgh’s Dunedin Consort. As an undergraduate at Cambridge University, he held the office of organ scholar at King’s College. Continuing as a graduate student working on the music of Bach he received his PhD in 1987. He was subsequently a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and a Fellow of Magdalene College Cambridge, joining the faculty at UC Berkeley in 1989 as University Organist and Professor of Music. In autumn 1997 he returned to Cambridge as a University Lecturer and Fellow of King’s College, and in October 2001 he took up his current post at Glasgow. His books have been published by Cambridge University Press: these include Bach Interpretation (1990), a handbook on Bach’s Mass in B Minor (1991), Music Education and the Art of Performance in the German Baroque (1994). 

Summary: The two greatest composers of the early eighteenth century often engender their own devotees, but very little attention is given to what actually divides them. Given that the two come from very similar backgrounds, their careers went down radically different paths. At a technical level they inevitably share many characteristics, but the differences in mindset, musical hearing and narrative musical consciousness might well reveal much about the sheer breadth of early eighteenth-century thought – right on the cusp of the modern world.