Past events

Information about the past few years' lectures are listed below.

If you have a query about a lecture given earlier than 2013, please contact the office and they can consult the Society's archives.

2019

Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing exhibition tour - Members Only

We are delighted to offer our members an exclusive tour of the 'Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing' exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery followed by refreshments. The exhibition marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci and there are 12 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal collection on display.

Ness of Brodgar – the heart of neolithic Orkney

Nick Card

Off the northernmost tip of Scotland lie the Orkney Islands; it is said that if you scratch its surface Orkney bleeds archaeology. This is nowhere truer than in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site that is renowned for some of the most iconic prehistoric monuments of Atlantic Europe.

Section AGMs

This year, the four Annual Section Meetings (the 4 sections being Arts, Science & Technology, Social Philosophy and Young People) will be held sequentially over a one-hour period, lasting a maximum of 15 minutes each, starting at 5.30 p.m. on 28th March.

Genomics - the power to revolutionise healthcare

Professor Bill Newman

In this lecture Professor Bill Newman will discuss the technological advances in genomic medicine that now allow us to undertake whole genome sequencing for an individual in a time frame and at a cost that make it feasible as a test within standard healthcare.

Magic Lanterns

Dr Jeremy Brooker

A lecture-entertainment devised by Dr. Jeremy Brooker, renowned magic lantern performer and current Chairman of the Magic Lantern Society.

Polio - the Rocky Road to Zero

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson

Many people think that polio is gone from the world. Only those now over 70 years old can remember the devastating paralysis it caused in childhood. The introduction of a vaccine was transformative and swept the disease out of most affluent countries of the world very quickly. Over time, the battle against the disease was won in low- and middle-income countries too.

Battery and electrical storage technology: harnessing the grid

Dr Greg Offer

Almost every week a paper is published describing a new battery technology that is going to revolutionise the world and provide a step change in battery performance. Yet, this never appears to happen...but why? And can we expect the rate of improvement to change significantly?

Molecular Surgery with CRISPR-Cas9

Professor David Hornby

The field of Genetic Engineering was born out of fundamental research into bacterial defence mechanisms against viral infection (termed restriction and modification). During the 1970s companies such as Genentech (Genetic Engineering Technology) in Silicon Valley and Biogen in Europe began to translate these discoveries into pioneering medical applications.

Film Poetry: Humphrey Jennings and British wartime propaganda

Dr Alan Sennett

Lindsay Anderson called Humphrey Jennings “the only true poet of the English cinema”. This lecture asks whether propaganda can be poetic through an exploration of two of Jennings’ GPO and Crown Film Unit productions from 1940 and 1942, London Can Take It and Listen to Britain...

Intergenerational Learning: why older adults and younger children can help each other

Dr Zoe Wyrko

The programme ‘Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds’ was an experiment in which a group of children carried out their usual nursery activities in a retirement community with a group of older volunteers. The impact of such intergenerational learning often had surprising results...

Building a Knowledge Economy

Jane Davies OBE

We are told that the Knowledge Economy holds the key to the future prosperity of the UK, an economy where knowledge has replaced capital, land and labour as the main resource. What does this entail? What is Manchester's approach to building a knowledge economy? Will it act a leveller for the wealth gap or widen it?

2018

Predictability Beyond the Weather Forecast?

Professor Adam Scaife

Weather forecasts are one of the great unsung triumphs of science. These predictions can even warn of impending extreme weather and this aids many areas of society, but can we go further?

Women Artists – their emergence into the light

Christine Musgrove

In 1992, art critic David Sylvester said “I always thought women couldn't be painters….That's just the way it has always been”. This lecture will chart the place of women in art from medieval times to the present day, considering the means by which women have emerged into the light, as artists, curators, art historians and policy makers.

Air Pollution and Public Health: emerging hazards and improved understanding of risk

Professor Frank Kelly

Despite past improvements in air quality, very large parts of the population in urban areas breathe air that does not meet European standards let alone the health-based World Health Organisation Air Quality Guidelines...

A Social History of Women between the Wars as seen through the Archives of Universal Aunts

Angela Bebb

Established in 1921, Universal Aunts is much the same now as it was – the calls have hardly changed through the decades; Universal Aunts still endeavours to rise to any challenge, however unusual, and the remarkable history of the company is added to every day...

Osteoarthritis: how new ‘precision medicine’ will cause a revolution in the management of an old disease

Professor Tony Freemont

Despite being the most common non-infective disease in the world, we really know remarkably little about osteoarthritis. This talk will discuss the history, cause and features of the disease and how revolutionary new medical technology will change how we diagnose, investigate and treat it.

Art on Death Row

Mary Vaughan

The link between prison and artistic endeavour has a long history. There are currently over 3,000 people facing many years on Death Row in the US, a large proportion of whom have experienced trauma, mental health issues, and poor legal representation. This lecture will talk about their art, their inspiration and their difficulties in obtaining suitable materials & outlets.

The Elimination of Cervical Cancer by 2050 – reality or blissful thinking?

Professor Margaret Stanley

Every two minutes somewhere in the world a woman dies of cervical cancer – a preventable disease. There are some big challenges ahead, but can cervical cancer ultimately be eliminated in our lifetime?

Solid, liquid, vapour - Where do you draw the line? [day-time seminar]

Dr John Proctor M.Inst.P.

The first day-time seminar to be organised by the Science and Technology Section will be presented and lead by Dr John Proctor. His talk will describe his current and recent work on the nature of liquids and solids under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure.
Members Only

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking – the mass exploitation of misery

Sir Peter Fahy

We are seeing the greatest mass migration ever, driven by conflict, population growth & economic inequality. This lecture will highlight the impact of global forces on communities & vulnerable individuals, and how this misery is exploited by gangs & the indifference of the developed world.