HP Science Lectures - Archives

The Hewlett-Packard Science Lectures were instituted in 1996 as a forum for improving the public understanding of science. Held at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol, they provide an opportunity for the public to hear distinguished lecturers discuss a broad range of scientific topics, from current research to the interaction between science, technology, art and society. The lectures are widely publicised to schools, colleges and universities and to other companies. The lectures are aimed at an audience which has an interest in science but is not necessarily expert in any branch.

Note: If you have missed a lecture and would like to enquire about its availability on DVD please contact the webmaster.

2011

Wednesday 30th November 2011
Chris Sperring MBE
What to Look For
A look at the countryside of 50-60 years ago, not through rose-tinted spectacles, but through the delightful drawings and descriptions of the day as captured in Ladybird book series ‘What to Look For in Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter For further information, click here
Cabot Auditorium, 5pm

Wednesday 5th September 2011
Dr Siavash Mahdavi
3D Printing & Lattice Structures
During this lecture, Siavash will cover the state of the art in additive manufacturing whilst diving into some exciting applications of this revolutionary design and manufacturing technique such as medical, aerospace and tooling.
Lecture Abstract

2010

Tuesday 18th May 2010 at 5pm (09:00 PST)
Andy Green
RAF Fighter Pilot and World Land Speed Record Holder
Project BLOODHOUND - An Engineering Adventure

Wednesday 17 February 2010 at 5pm (09:00 PST)
Brian Duerden CBE
Inspector of Microbiology and Infection Control,
Department of Health

2007

Wednesday 26 September 2007 at 5pm (09:00 PST)
R S J Sparks FRS - Department of Earth Sciences,
University of Bristol
Eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano Montserrat: spectacle of Nature and Human Catastrophe
Abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 4 July 2007 at 5pm (09:00 PST)
John Daugman OBE - Cambridge University
Abstract, Biog & related links

Wednesday 18 April 2007 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Dr Mark Lewney - 'FameLab winner 2005'
Rock Guitar in 11 dimensions: Strats, Strads & Superstrings
Abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 24 Jan 2007 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Alan FT Winfield, Associate Dean (Research), HP Professor of Electronic Engineering, UWE, Bristol
Walking with Robots: a new kind of engagement between humans and robots"
Abstract, biography and related links

2006

Wednesday 18 Oct 2006 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics, University College
London
Why Creationism is Wrong and Evolution is Right
Abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 21 June 2006 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Dr Hugh Hunt, Senior Lecturer
Department of Engineering, Cambridge University
Fellow of Trinity College
"Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls & other Spinning Things!
Abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 1 March 2006 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00
PST)
Prof James Hough FRS, Director
Institute for Gravitational Research, Glasgow University
Ripples from the dark side of the Universe
Abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 25 Jan 2006 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Dr Tilly Blyth, Curator of Computing & Information, Science Museum, London
Computers as Instruments for Social Change
Abstract, biography and related links

2005

Wednesday 5 October 2005 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Dr Andrew R Parker, Senior Research Fellow
Dept of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, London
Ancient vision and the cause of the Cambrian explosion
abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 13 July 2005 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Prof J Roy Sambles, Thin Film Photonics, School of Physics, University of Exeter 
Lasers, Light and Liquid Crystals
abstract, biography and related links

Wednesday 27 April 2005 at 5.00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Dr David Saunders, Scientific Officer, The National Gallery, London 
(Not) scratching the surface: digital imaging techniques for examining paintings
Abstract, biography and related links

2004

Thurs 28th October 2004 at 5.30 pm GMT (9.30 PST)
Professor Stephen Hoskins - Director, Centre for Fine Print Research, UWE
"Why we do what we do The surface, aesthetic and tactile qualities of printed artefact"
Abstract, biography and related links

Weds 20th October 2004 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Dr Iain Gray - Managing Director, General Manager and Head of A380 Wing, Airbus.
"Designing and building the world's largest commercial aircraft - the Airbus A380"
Abstract, biography and related links

Weds 9th June 2004 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Professor Jos Engelen - Chief Scientific Officer & Deputy Director-General of CERN
"Science and challenges of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) programme"
Abstract, biography and related links

Weds 17th March 2004 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Adam Hart Davies - Freelance photographer, writer and broadcaster
"My favourite heroes of science and invention"
Abstract, biography and related links

2003

19 November 2003 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)

Anton Zeilinger Director of the Institute of Experimental Physics at the University of Vienna

Of Cats and Entanglement: From Schrödinger to Quantum Information

Abstract, biography and related links

8 October 2003 at 5:00pm BST (09:00 PST)
Marcus du Sautoy
Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge; Royal
Society Research Fellow
Title, Abstract, biography and related links

30 April 2003 at 5:00pm BST (09:00 PST)
Michael Berry
Royal Society Research Professor, Department of Physics, University of Bristol
Making Light of Mathematics
Abstract, biography and related links

5 February 2003 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Artur Ekert
Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford
Quanta, Ciphers and Computers
Abstract, biography and related links

2002

27 November 2002 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST and 12.00 noon EST)
Simon Singh
Author, Journalist and TV Producer
Cracking the Cipher challenge
Abstract, biography and related links

23 October 2002 at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Colin Pillinger
Professor of Planetary Sciences, The Open University
Head of Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute
Beagle 2 - Searching for life on Mars
Abstract, biography and related links

15 May 2002 at 5:00pm BST (09:00 PST)
Rodney Brooks
Director of Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and
Fujitsu Professor of Computer Science, MIT
Flesh and Machines
Abstract, biography and related links

2001

2 May at 5:00pm BST (09:00 PST)
Geoffrey West
Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory
The scale of life; a unified view from molecules and cells to whales and ecosystems

2000

8 November at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Felice Frankel (link: http://web.mit.edu/felicef/)
Project Director - Envisioning Science
MIT
Making Good Science Look Good

13 September at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Persi Diaconis
Professor of Mathematics
Stanford University
Mathematics and Magic Tricks

26 July at 5:00pm BST (09:00 PST)
Gerald Jay Sussman
Matsushita Professor of Electrical Engineering
MIT
The Legacy of Computer Science

31 May at 5:00pm BST (09:00 PST)
Sir John Kingman
Vice-Chancellor
Bristol University
Are Universities Obsolete?

22 March at 5:00pm GMT (09:00 PST)
Lawrence Lessig
Berkman Professor of Law
Harvard Law School
The Constitution of Free Code and Free Society<