Open lectures: Semester 1 - 2024-25
Every semester, the University organises free open lectures on a wide variety of topics and aimed at a general audience.
Most require tickets (available on individual event pages) but some do not. Look for the 'Book tickets' button on the web page.
Upcoming events
Past events
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York’s Medieval City Walls
Rediscover York’s medieval city walls with archaeologist Barry Crump, who might make you see our city’s iconic landmark in a new light.
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Exploring Indian Ocean connections in Iron Age-Early Historic Southern India
The Department of Archaeology and University of York in collaboration with the Society of Antiquaries welcomes everyone to our annual Winter Lecture.
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Novel catalytic technology to convert CO2 into sustainable aviation fuel by 1-step process
The aviation industry, responsible for 2.5% of CO2 emissions, targets net-zero by 2050 using SAF innovations like OXCCU’s catalyst.
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"Be Holy!" (1 Peter 1.16): The challenge and scandal of sanctity in times of anthropological crisis
It is often said, and rightly, that the crucial question of our time is the question of man: what is the human being?
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Designing New Materials with Quantum Mechanics
Phil Hasnip explains how a clever theorem can allow us to predict material properties, and even design brand-new materials.
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How can activists get better at driving change?
How Change Happens explores social and political change, combining research and activism insights, with updates on digital activism and populism.
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The Contemporary History Play: New readings, new audiences
Benjamin Poore and Rebecca Benzie broaden the definition of history plays, examining how recent works reflect diverse perspectives, feminist discourse, and historiography.
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Prosthetics and Assistive Technology in Ancient Greece and Rome
The Paralympics highlighted assistive technology, but Jane Draycott explores its historical roots in classical antiquity prosthetics.
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Feminist Knowledge Struggles: Telling stories differently
A public lecture by Professor Clare Hemmings, celebrating York's Centre for Women's Studies 40th Anniversary.
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Border crossings: Winifred Nicholson and Li Yuan-chia in Cumbria
This talk explores friendship as an art historical method, focusing on Winifred Nicholson and Li Yuan-chia's relationship in 1960s Cumbria.
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Enhanced Audio Description (EAD): Sound design and integrated access
This presentation covers Enhanced Audio Description (EAD) as a form of accessibility for film and television for visually impaired audiences.
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Capturing the Paralympics: A photographer’s story
Join us as we hear from Ian Rice, one of the Paralympics official photographers, about his Paralympic story and how he approaches his art creatively to capture some of the most iconic sporting images of the summer.
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From Inequality to Future Wellbeing: Unlocking human flourishing and planetary health
As we think about moulding the future, what are the key solutions that can safeguard our planet and guarantee wellbeing?
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Chiral molecules and next generation technologies
The quantum revolution faces scaling challenges, but interdisciplinary collaboration and chiral materials can unlock its potential in advanced technologies.
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Between Women: Franki Raffles, feminist activism and documentary photography
Our speakers will be discussing the research for their current collaborative project on the feminist documentary photographer Franki Raffles, whose work is currently showcased in a major exhibition at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.
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Co-designing community resilience to online child sexual exploitation
This webinar will share findings from research that took a community-led approach to address online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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Star Carr ‘Life After the Ice'
Star Carr, a Mesolithic site in North Yorkshire, revealed Britain's earliest house and significant artefacts through innovative archaeological research and public engagement.
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Dancing DNA
Agnes Noy reveals high-resolution images of DNA’s dynamic structure, showing how cellular stress alters its shape, impacting sustainable genome applications.
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Festival welfare and psychedelic crisis interventions
In this talk, Amanda Guzinska, the Senior Manager of PsyCare UK, will discuss festival welfare, psychedelic harm reduction, and the critical importance of psychedelic crisis intervention.
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The Power of Rap in Promoting Social Justice as told by a Nigerian Musician
Eedris Abdulkareem is a well known music activist in Africa. He is one of the pioneers of Nigerian hip hop, and he is regarded as one of the most influential Nigerian rappers of all time.
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Kimberly Campanello: Circling translation
What happens when we translate poetry? What decisions and negotiations do we make as translators and readers? How does translation affect one’s own writing?
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Remembering Richard Rowland: A mini-conference
A mini-conference to honour the life and work of Dr Richard Rowland.
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William Bowes ‘Bill’ Morrell, 1913-1981: 'For the Common Good'
William Bowes Morrell expanded York Conservation Trust, founded York Common Good Trust, and promoted environmental conservation in York.
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Dehumanisation, annihilation and failures of UK drug policy
Join York's Drug Science Society for a talk on the pressing challenges and shortcomings of drug policy in the UK with Dr Geoff Page
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The Loyalty Trap: Civil Servants’ competing loyalties under the Trump administration
Most civil servants complied with the Trump administration, balancing professional duties with occasional resistance based on local conditions.
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‘I am tired of earnestly placating him’: Women's folk songs about patriarchal oppression among the Guji of southern Ethiopia
This talk examines Guji women's folk songs as tools to challenge patriarchy, convey stories, and foster feminist solidarity.
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'Our peculiar northern antiquity of speech': Mary Powley of Langwathby (1811-1882), the Vikings in England, and Local Dialect
Mary Powley was a pioneering dialectologist, contributing to Victorian dialectology and Viking studies in Cumbria, especially local culture.
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Challenges and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation: From an ecosystem services perspective
Join a panel of experts from the University of Eswatini and the University of York as they discuss biodiversity conservation through the lens of ecosystem services.
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Viewpoints on vulnerability as a focus for policing and public services
This webinar presents research on vulnerability in policing, highlighting varied perspectives on responses to harm and ways to improve service support.
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In conversation with Julian Richer
The Company of Merchant Adventurers is delighted to welcome Julian Richer — retail entrepreneur, campaigner, philanthropist ,author, Sunday Times columnist and Company member — to the Merchants’ Hall.
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Epiphanies
A philosophical ethics centered on epiphanies explores their significance, impact, and appropriate responses, as Sophie will discuss.
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Sustainable Futures Forum: Building for Good
A celebration of business-led initiatives for sustainable and resilient development.
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The Searchers: Five Rebels, Their Dream of a Different Britain, and Their Many Enemies
Andy Beckett discusses his book 'The Searchers' - a study of Diane Abbott, Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn, Ken Livingstone and John McDonnell.
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Sewing Discord: Shirts, men, and war in a transnational renaissance
This talk examines foreign men's linen shirts in Renaissance Italy, highlighting fashion's influence on authority, allegiance, and identity.
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Vulnerability: Prevention between Social Policy and National Security
What do policymakers mean when they use the language of vulnerability?
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Creating a digital zine - LGBTQ+ parents' and carers' stories of adversity, love, joy and hope (Event two)
Research about solutions to perinatal loneliness identified that LGBTQ+ parents and carers experienced discrimination and exclusion, which resulted in feelings of loneliness.
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Meaningful Business: The story so far in York and North Yorkshire
Are you ready to take your business beyond just profits and create lasting value for your employees, customers, stakeholders and the wider community?
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Still City: A Diary of an Invasion - book launch
This collection captures survival, mourning, and hope amid violence, drawing from media, history, and personal experiences of invasion.
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Creating a digital zine - LGBTQ+ parents' and carers' stories of adversity, love, joy and hope (Event one)
Research about solutions to perinatal loneliness identified that LGBTQ+ parents and carers experienced discrimination and exclusion, which resulted in feelings of loneliness.
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Let’s talk about birth and antenatal education
We will share highlights from recent research on childbirth, including anonymised real-world examples, to show how decisions are made about birth between midwives, women and their birth partners.
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Past It? Digging up the radical evolution of menopause and the archaeology of women
The Department of Archaeology present a talk for World Menopause Day.
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Audacious Hope: An archive of how democracy is being saved in India
Indrajit Roy's Audacious Hope explores acts of resistance in India, highlighting democratic struggles against authoritarianism, casteism, and majoritarianism.
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100 days of Labour: Are we any closer to solving inequality?
Fifteen years after The Spirit Level, social scientists discuss inequality's ongoing impacts and future, focusing on child poverty and hope.
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Early Modern Paper
Professor Helen Smith will give a short talk on early modern paper, a substance that was both commonplace and remarkable.
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On Resistance
The Department of English and Related Literature present the first of Adam Phillips' talks this semester.
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York and the North: The Black Death, 1349-1373
The 1349-1350 Black Death killed nearly half of northern England, with new bio-sciences reshaping our understanding of its impact.
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Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder (AHP)
SSE Thermal and Equinor's Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder project combines hydrogen production, storage, and power generation to advance UK energy transition.
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Interdisciplinary research to investigate leafy greens food supply chain in Ghana
This talk looks at addressing the challenges in Kumasi's leafy greens supply chain, emphasizing the need for training, financial support, and sustainable practices.
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Rethinking climate resilience planning by understanding the legacy of interventions in food production systems
This talk will examine how African communities engage with introduced climate adaptation interventions, focusing on their responses, contexts, and local agency.
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Plays, poems, politics and protest: Why Joost van den Vondel matters
Professor Nigel Smith discusses Joost van den Vondel - a significant Dutch author, who used his plays to critique power and societal risks.
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Urban agriculture as a strategy for building climate resilience: Evidence from Accra, Ghana
Explore how urban agriculture in Accra, Ghana can enhance climate resilience, highlighting policy challenges and proposing recommendations for improvement.
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The organised irresponsibility of artificial intelligence
Professor Jack Stilgoe discusses 'Responsible AI' amidst growing elite interests and emerging AI safety research.