Alumni Weekend

Can Future Energy Needs be Met Sustainably?

28 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This Alumni Weekend panel discusses future energy needs and steps that must be taken to increase the chance that they can be met sustainably. World en...

Cultural Frontier: Early 20th Century Vienna

28 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Re-visiting the time of Freud, Klimt and Schönberg, the Alumni Weekend panel surveys and analyse this unique period in Vienna’s history and in West...

Quo Vadis Ukraine: The Conflict and Beyond

28 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Panel discussion of the Ukraine reviewing the current situation, exploring the context of the conflict which broke out in 2014, assessing its impact o...

Sacred Landscapes, Buddhist Temples: A case study from Central Tibet

11 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This talk illustrates how Tibetan Buddhism relates to the landscapes of the Tibetan plateau, to form a unique, truly Himalayan blend.

Choice or Accident? The outbreak of the First World War

04 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The causes of the First World War have long been controversial and remain so. The Warden of St Antony's College, Oxford, and author of The War that En...

The Commercial Evolution of Microfinance: From donor dependence to sustainable social investment institutions

22 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Ira Lieberman provides an expert analysis on the evolution of micro-finance institutions. Followed by Juan Guerra, founder of StudentFunder – a cas...

Oxford’s Global Leadership in Social Enterprise: A panel discussion

22 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Social finance and social investment is creating a global buzz, with estimates that the sector will grow over the next decade – an emerging trend th...

Innovation in Financing Human Well-being

22 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine and Will Hutton, Principal of Hertford, in conversation.

Why is Oxford Determined to Change the Way We Discover New Medicines?

07 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Chas Bountra, a popular speaker at the recent Meeting Minds: Alumni Weekend in Asia, will explain how Oxford is creating a new ecosystem for drug ...

Richard Nixon’s Reputation: 40 years after Watergate

07 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Nigel Bowles explores Nixon’s politics that achieved a synthesis of strategy, imagination, ideologies, and calculation rare among Presidents.

Richard Ovenden and Diarmaid MacCulloch in Conversation

06 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian and Fellow of Balliol, and Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church and Fellow of St Cross.

Richard Ovenden and Diarmaid MacCulloch in Conversation

06 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian and Fellow of Balliol, and Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church and Fellow of St Cross.

What Maths Really Does: From modelling the brain to modelling the climate

06 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How has mathematics emerged over recent decades as the engine behind 21st century science? Alain Goriely looks at this question and more.

Understanding Fracking for Shale Gas

06 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Cartwright provides a geological perspective into the exploration of shale gas reserves.

What is a Cyber-Attack?

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What constitutes a cyber-attack and who conducts them? What are the risks to society? Sadie Creese will discuss these issues and explain research unde...

The 2020 Vision for Engineering Science in Oxford

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Lionel Tarassenko, an alumnus of the Department and its new Head as of September 2014, sets out his vision for the Department for the next f...

Jenkin Lecture The Oxford RobotCar

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Newman talks about the UK’s first self-driving car – being developed at the Department of Engineering Science. He’ll explain the project’...

The Butterfly Defect: How globalisation creates systemic risks

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Globalisation has brought us vast benefits including growth in incomes, education, innovation and connectivity. Ian Goldin argues that it also has the...

The Butterfly Defect: How globalisation creates systemic risks

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Globalisation has brought us vast benefits including growth in incomes, education, innovation and connectivity. Ian Goldin argues that it also has the...

Living with Flooding: Science, democracy and the complex challenge of managing environmental risk

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Whatmore, who focuses on the interface between cultural geography, political theory and science and technology studies, will draw upon her r...

The Ottoman Front: The First World War in the Middle East

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Drawing on European and Middle Eastern sources, historian Eugene Rogan provides an overview of the Great War in the Middle East from both sides of the...

The Future of the Past: Dating archaeology using radiocarbon and particle accelerators

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Higham examines some of the projects the Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit has been involved with over the last few years; from dating the Neanderthal ...

Heroes, Villains and Victims: The dangerous politics of international migration

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This panel debate discusses key facts and fiction in international migration, and presents new ideas for a better politics of immigration.

Forbidden Crystal Symmetry: Mathematics and architecture

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

World-renowned mathematician Sir Roger Penrose, Oxford University, describes how crystalline symmetries are necessarily 2-fold, 3-fold, 4-fold, or 6-f...

70 Years On: My, how you’ve changed!

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Lord Patten of Barnes, Chancellor of Oxford University draws upon his experience at the highest levels in the public sector to share his unique persp...

Wildlife in the Anthropocene: Environmentalism without nature

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This lecture by Jamie Lorimer explores new ways of thinking and doing environmentalism that need not make recourse to nature. The diagnosis of the ‘...

Black Land, Red Land: The Nile Valley and Egypt’s Western Desert

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Illustrated with photographs from previous trips, this talk by Professor Mark Smith contrasts the Nile Valley and the desert and explore how the relat...

The Biogeography of Madagascar: A Gondwanan island

02 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This lecture given by Dr Matt Friedman will look at the evolution of the unique flora and fauna of Madagascar and how it is intertwined with the geolo...

Healthcare 2030: Oxford and the Value of Human Health

23 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Panel discussion looking at healthcare in the future as part of the inaugural Oxford Alumni Weekend in Asia held in in Hong Kong.

Alumni Weekend in Asia 2014, Hong Kong - Highlights

02 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Between 21 – 23 March, Oxford University hosted the inaugural Meeting Minds: Alumni Weekend in Asia in Hong Kong. These are some highlights of the b...

Alumni Weekend in Asia 2014: Closing Speech by Chancellor

02 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Oxford University Chancellor Lord Patten of Barnes reflects on the offerings from academic sessions in Hong Kong as part of the inaugural Oxford Alumn...

The Num8er My5teries

02 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

With topics ranging from prime numbers to the lottery, from lemmings to bending balls like Beckham, this creative session with Marcus du Sautoy gives ...

Alumni Weekend in Asia 2014: Does the 21st Century belong to Asia?

02 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Will this be the Asian Century? Four leading voices from Oxford University debate this motion, moderated by the Chancellor, Lord Patten of Barnes. For...

Alumni Weekend in Asia 2014: Welcome and University Update by Vice-Chancellor

02 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Oxford University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton kicks off a stimulating day of academic sessions in Hong Kong for the inaugural Alumni Wee...

An Oxford Education

14 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Panel discussion led by Vice Chancellor Andrew Hamilton, with Mike Nicholson, Helen Swift, Priscilla Santos and Jenny Brennan. Each year, Oxford welco...

Medieval Romance and the Gift of Narrative

14 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Perkins gives a talk for the 2013 Oxford Alumni Weekend. Dr Nicholas Perkins curated the 2012 Bodleian exhibition 'The Romance of the Middle Ages'....

From the Arab Spring to the Syrian War: Regional, international and humanitarian impact

08 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

This session will examine the political and humanitarian dynamics behind the Arab Spring and the Syrian War. Starting with a long view of the events l...

Biotechnology: For better or worse?

08 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Marianne Talbot talks about the uses and dangers of the relatively new discipline of synthetic biology.

Fireworks Displays: The chemistry of explosive entertainment

08 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Fireworks consultant, author and former Oxford chemist Dr Tom Smith explains the basic chemistry and construction of fireworks, and their use in moder...

The Secret Mathematicians

08 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Marcus du Sautoy (New College), Charles Simonyi Chair in the Public Understanding of Science, author and broadcaster gives a talk for the 20...

The Secret Mathematicians

08 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Marcus du Sautoy (New College), Charles Simonyi Chair in the Public Understanding of Science, author and broadcaster gives a talk for the 20...

Measuring Global Poverty

08 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend 2013. What does 'b...

Physics in the 21st Century

07 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr John Wheater (Head of Physics Department), Emeritus Professor Derek Stacey and Dr Jay Watson (alumnus), give a talk about the Oxford Physics depart...

A Successful Strategy for Building Normal Brains - Nature or Nurture?

07 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Simon Butt (Keble), Fellow and Tutor in Neuroscience, gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend. The human brain is an amazingly complex organ, ye...

Against All Odds: Recovering the first climate data from the central Sahara

07 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Richard Washington, Professor of Climate Science at the School of Geography and the Environment; Fellow and Tutor in Geography, Keble Colleg...

Divided Nations: Why global governance is failing, and what we can do about it

04 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

In this lecture, Professor Goldin presents ideas from his latest book and focuses on issues such as the financial crisis, the internet, pandemics, mig...

Big Data and Drug Discovery (The Osler Discussion)

04 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

'Big data' in medicine is an emerging field with the potential to revolutionise healthcare research.This session will look at how Oxford is addressing...

Trust, Free Speech and British Pluralism in the 21st Century

04 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

With digital broadcasting increasing and newspaper readership falling, how should we respond in ways that ensure the free flow of information that is ...

Darwin's Fish: Evolutionary controversies in the fossil record

04 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

See how modern analyses of the fossil record, genetics and development provide a new understanding of flatfish evolution, and how this bears on both t...

Socrates and 'The Hemlock Cup'

04 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

This lecture, based on the recent biography by Bettany Hughes, looks at Socrates' life, following in his footsteps across Greece and Asia Minor and ex...

Exploring the Universe

04 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Rana Irshad, University of Oxford, gives a brief whistle-stop tour of the exciting initiatives Oxford has running in exploring the vast expanse of ...

The Arrogance of Power: Senator Fulbright's Concept and Today's World

03 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Sir Adam Roberts, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at Oxford, gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend 2013.

What the World Needs Now from the Environmental Movement

03 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend 2013. Some have described the current momen...

Colliding Continents

02 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Geologist Mike Searle gives a beautifully illustrated talk on his expeditions and field research in many remote locations, over 25 years.

Where will Tomorrow's Food Come From - and What will be the Consequences?

30 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The St Anne's Gaudy Seminar explores the topic of food security, focusing in particular on sustainability, supply and demand, and aid and trade. How w...

The Oxford English Dictionary: From Victorian venture to the digital age endeavour

30 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Fiona McPherson, Senior Editor, Oxford English Dictionary, explores the OED's journey through the last century, from paper to screen, and how the digi...

The Battle for the Black Vote: Findings from the Ethnic Minority Election Survey

30 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Anthony Heath (Nuffield), Emeritus Professor of Sociology, presents findings from the ESRC-funded Ethnic Minority British Election Survey.

The Fraud of Forgiveness without Reconciliation in Economic Life.

30 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Michael Black (Blackfriers Hall) speaking at the 2013 Oxford Alumni Weekend.

Reporting Education

30 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Reeta Chakrabarti, BBC Education Correspondent, gives the third annual Oxford Education Society lecture. She looks at changes in education policy unde...

Spain and Europe, Old Myths and New Realities

22 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

W.H.Auden described Spain as "...that arid square, that fragment nipped off from hot Africa, soldered so crudely to inventive Europe". This discussion...

The Spanish Golden Age

22 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A session chaired by Dr Frances Lannon that examines this period of flourishing arts and literature in Spain, which coincided with the political rise ...

Shakespeare's Fools

11 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Professor of English, Katherine Duncan-Jones, discusses the real life characters and contemporaries of Shakespeare that inspired, shaped, and on occas...

Physics in the 21st century - an exciting Time for Physics at oxford

14 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Dr John Wheater, Chairman of the Department and other members of the Oxford University Physics team about all the latest projects and ideas that they ...

Mystical Northern Lights

14 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Rob Simpson from Zooniverse talks about the awe-inspiring aurorae, the Northern Lights, and other effects the sun can have on the earth. Find out w...

Zooniverse: what to do with half a million scientists?

14 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Chris Lintott and Dr Rob Simpson explain using 'citizen power' to expand our knowledge of the Universe.

Social Mobility - The Greatest Challenge of our Time?

07 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Sir Peter Lampi, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust (which aims to improve social mobility through education) and founder of the Education Endow...

How the West Got it

17 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Richard Jenkyns, Oxford University's Public Orator, looks at where what we call classical antiquity came from, whether it differed from othe...

Hard words, best words words in use, writing the inventory of english

09 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

English, as its vocabulary confirms, is constantly on the move - both words and meaning act as witnesses to time and change, revealing the diverse pat...

How to eat an Elephant: Why Climate Change Policy is in a Mess and How to Fix it

09 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

For more than two decades, Professor Steve Rayner has led interdisciplinary research programmes on science technology and environment, specifically on...

Going into Politics? Tales from an Academic in Westminster

09 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Marc Stears reflects on his experiences. Marc Stears is a Professor of Political Theory and fellow at University College. He is the author o...

The Constitutional Issues surrounding devolution in the UK

09 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Iain MacLean, Professor of Politics and fellow of Nuffield College, the British Academy and the Royal Society Edinburgh, has published widely on const...

Revolutionising 21st Century Healthcare Through Technology

04 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A panel discussion on new techniques and applications in the emerging field exploring the boundaries between man and machine in medical imaging, drug ...

End of Life: Should Physician-Assisted Dying be Legalised?

03 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A debate on the whether the choice to end their own lives could be safely offered to some people with terminal illnesses.

American election Prospects and Consequences: 2012 and Beyond

02 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Director of the Rothermere American Institute Dr Nigel Bowles' intellectual interests lie in American political history and, in particular, in the his...

Lumley's Children? The Nepali Community in Britain

02 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Nepali community is one of the newest minorities in the UK, but already numbers more than 100,000, with the biggest concentrations around Farnboro...

Creating a 'John Lewis' economy? - encouraging Corporate Diversity for Sustainable Growth

02 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The Coalition Government is committed to greater corporate diversity in the financial services sector, and are promoting 'John Lewis' style mutuals to...

Party Games: Coalition Government in British Politics

02 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Hawkins will look at the history of coalition government in British politics over the past 200 years and discuss some of the constitutional ...

The Flexible City: overcoming Lock-In and Path-Dependency

02 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Cities are epicentres of creativity and innovation but are also easily locked into patterns of infrastructure and behaviour that may not serve them be...

How Hollywood Votes and Why it Matters

28 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Using 2012 as a starting point, Dr Tim Stanley goes back into history and considers the different ways that Hollywood has influenced US elections.

Wobbles, warbles and fish the brain basis of reading difficulties

24 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

John Stein gives a talk for the 2012 Oxford Alumni Weekend.

Ebooks, Reading and Scholarship in a Digital Age

24 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Niko Pfund, President of Oxford University Press (USA), discusses the ways in which technology affects reading, scholarship, publishing and even think...

Has the West Had It?

20 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

In his keynote lecture at Alumni Weekend 2012, Lord Patten of Barnes attempts to shed light and his particular perspective on whether "the West has ha...

Vaccines for Global Health

19 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Adrian Hill gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend 2011 on the past, present and future of vaccines against diseases.

Governing the 21st Century: Oxford's new Blavatnik School of Government

21 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

With a generous donation from Len Blavatnik, the new Blavatnik School of Government has been set up. Professor Ngaire Woods explains the history and p...

Towards a Fairer Society

20 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Sally Mapstone, Hugh Dent MBE, Professor Fiona Caldicott and Peter Quinn discuss the issue of equality and diversity specifically within the Univer...

The Ethics of Climate Change

14 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Professor John Broome discusses the moral and ethical issues that coincide with the whole topic of climate change and challenges us as to how we shoul...

Justice Between Generations

12 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Philp, Simon Caney and Adam Swift discuss the issue of intergenerational justice and ask questions like how do we allocate resources intergenerat...

Earthquake Science in the 21st Century

11 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Richard Walker talks about the science behind earthquakes and the methods used to study them by giving examples from recent global disasters.

900 years of making a difference: the history of philanthropy at the University of Oxford

11 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Day reflects on how generous philanthropic support from organisations and individuals has inspired the success of the University of Oxford.

900 years of making a difference: the history of philanthropy at the University of Oxford

11 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Day reflects on how generous philanthropic support from organisations and individuals has inspired the success of the University of Oxford.

The Population Paradox

11 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Professor David Coleman, Dr George Leeson and Dr Nando Sigona discuss the global issues relating to the world's rising population at the Alumni Weeken...

New Cells for Old Members: The Science of Stem Cells

11 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Francis Szele gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend on Stem Cell science and looks at how they could be used in repairing brain disease and in...

The Changing Character of War

10 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Robert Johnson, lecturer in the History of War and Deputy Director of the Oxford Program on the Changing Character of War gives a talk for the Oxfo...

Twirling the Kaleidoscope: The Byzantine Empire

10 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Frankopan, Director of the Centre for Byzantine Reseach, gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend.

Food, Health and the Future

06 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Should we cut meat to three meals a week? Why are so many UK men predicted to become obese by 2020? Why might high yield crops in Asia hold the key to...

Global Humanities Showcase

05 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Shearer West, Rana Mitter, Helen Wanatabe-O'Kelly and Eugene Rogan give presentations showcasing the research being done in the Oxford Humanities Divi...

A New era for Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Oxford

05 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

David Watson leads a panel discussion on the future of Oxford as a leader for higher education. With Mike Nicholson, Nick Rawlins, Ben Plummer-Powell ...

Geoengineering: Fantasy or Feasible Future?

03 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Darton gives a talk for the 2011 Oxford Alumni Weekend on the developments in the science of Geoengineering and looks at how close we are to b...

Why Robots Play Football

03 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Cameron gives a talk for the 2011 Oxford Alumni Weekend on robotics and new technological advances in the field.

What is Public in the Digital Age?

03 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Use of the internet has raised major public issues around the definition of public and priavte information. Director of the Oxford Internet Institute ...