Event of the week
London’s Tube network is a complicated beast, whose safe operation is crucial for London’s economic success. On 10 October, David Waboso, Director of Engineering for London Underground Ltd describes the engineering challenges in running such a system – from cooling the Tube to maximising the efficiency of control systems to get the most out of Victorian infrastructure. The event takes place at the Royal Academy of Engineering and is followed by an optional dinner.
Public talks
Moth enthusiasts should flock to the Natural History Museum on 6 October. Hear how an NHM scientist took to the rainforest canopy of Madagascar in a giant balloon, to study exotic moth species. Give your brain a work out on 8 October, as Octavius Black’s Mind Gym comes to Millers Academy of Arts and Science in W2.
On 10 October, the Dana Centre invites climate-change sceptics to a discussion with with plant, animal and weather experts. The following day at the Wellcome Collection, a GP and brain consultant describe efforts to humanise the healthcare system by encouraging doctors to listen more to their patients’ stories and even write about their encounters.
Finally, on 12 October, the Royal Society celebrates its longstanding relationship with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Most of Kew’s Directors have been Fellows of the RS and the two bodies have often supported one another. Professor Simon Owens, Head of Strategic Projects at the Gardens, talks about ongoing collaborations.
Academic lectures
On 8 October, Gaia Scerif of the University of Oxford talks at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience on developmental disorders and what they reveal about the neuroscience of attention and control. On the same day, Alexandre Akoulitchev, also from Oxford, visits Imperial College to discuss the regulation of transcription by non-coding RNA.
Michael Dustin from the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine (New York) is in town on 10 October to deliver a Mill Hill lecture. His talk at the National Institute for Medical Research presents a dynamic view of the immunological synapse. On 12 October, UCL hosts National Institutes of Health researcher Jeff Diamond, who reveals how neuronal transporters limit synaptic activation of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus.
Meetings/conferences
The 15th Anniversary Biopartnering Europe event takes place on 7–9 October at the QEII Conference Centre. The event brings closer ties between biotech companies using an innovative ‘open house format’. A related event, the Biotechnology Business Exchange, takes place on 10 October around the corner at the DBERR Conference Centre. Sticking with the theme, the Fourth Annual Asia Pacific BioScience Forum takes place on 10–11 October at 30 Finsbury Square.
On 12 October, the Royal Astronomical Society hosts two parallel meetings, in opposite wings of Burlington House. Specialist discussions take place at the Society of Antiquaries of London, followed by an Ordinary Meeting across the courtyard at the Geological Society.
Workshops
The Wellcome Trust has organised a public engagement workshop for scientists, taking place on 7 October at their its Gibbs Building headquarters. Two days later, the Science Media Centre offers advice for scientists about working with TV series and documentary makers. On 11 October, a workshop at the British Library addresses the needs of “part-time research students”.
And finally…
UCL’s Grant Museum brings a rediscovered classic of film back to life on 11 October. The Lost World (1925) is a black and white dino-fest based on a story by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. UCL’s Historian of Science Joe Cain introduces the film and brings us back to civilisation afterwards with a free glass of wine.
