Centenary line-up announced

The University's Wills Memorial Building

Press release issued: 9 September 2009

The University of Bristol has announced the final six free public lectures in the highly successful series it has organised as part of this year’s centenary celebrations. The University was granted its Royal Charter in 1909.

Peter Steele, a doctor who has practised medicine in some of the world’s great wildernesses, from the Yukon to Everest, will talk about his adventures on October 19.

Lord Ronald Oxburgh, whose career has included periods as Chairman of the Shell Transport and Trading Company, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence and Rector of Imperial College, will speak about energy and climate change on October 26.

On October 29, Lord William Waldegrave, who was a Conservative member of parliament from 1979 to 1997 and is now Provost of Eton College, will ask 'Do we get the politicians we deserve?'

Dr Graham Spittle, a Vice-President at IBM and Chair of the UK Technology Strategy Board, will give a lecture on November 2 about the latest innovations in digital technologies and draw inferences for the future.

On November 4, Steven Rose, Emeritus Professor at the Open University’s Department of Life Sciences, will talk about neuroscience, the brain and the mind.

Sir Nicholas Kenyon, Managing Director of The Barbican, Europe’s largest arts and conference venue, and former Controller of BBC Radio 3 and Director of the BBC Proms, will speak on nurturing human creativity on November 24.

All the lectures start at 6 pm and take place in the University’s Wills Memorial Building. Admission is free, but places must be reserved in advance. Easy online booking is available via the University’s centenary website.

Professor David Clarke, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University and Chairman of its Centenary Celebrations Project Board, said: ‘The 11 centenary lectures we put on earlier in the year were an overwhelming success. We look forward to welcoming many more members of the public to our autumn series.’

The lectures are part of a broad programme of celebrations, most of which have been aimed at the public as well as University staff and students. The centenary garden next to the tower of the Wills Memorial Building, the honorary degrees that were awarded to four Bristol citizens in July and the major piece of public art that will be unveiled in Royal Fort Gardens next month are among the University’s centenary projects for the whole community.