2014 line-up
January
A century of symmetry discovered: a crystallographer’s tale
Prof Judith Howard, Department of Chemistry, University of Durham
February
The neuroscience of memory – travels through space and time
Prof Eleanor Maguire, Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London
March
Too much of a good thing?
Aoife McLysaght, Trinity College Dublin, Molecular Evolution Lab
April
The science of laughter
Prof Sophie Scott, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London
May
Resisting temptation - the biology of appetite
Prof Sadaf Farooqi, Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge
June
Atoms in action
Prof Pratibha Gai, The York JEOL Nanocentre, University of York
September
Mysteries of matter at the LHC
Pippa Wells, CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics
October
Powering ahead with solar energy
Prof Lesley Yellowlees, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry
November
Topology, geometry and life in three dimensions
Prof Caroline Series, Warwick Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick
Our Friday Evening Discourses always take place on the last Friday of the month except for July and August.
News
Since 1825 we have welcomed some of the world’s greatest scientific minds, including 50 Nobel Prize winners, to our lecture theatre to share their latest research with the public.
In 2014 we are pleased to celebrate the achievements of women in science today with our first ever all women line-up for a year of Friday Evening Discourses.
Over the course of the year, leading scientists from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland will give a Friday Evening Discourse – a traditional monthly lecture open to both Ri members and non-members - on cutting-edge science in areas as diverse as crystallography, molecular evolution, the neuroscience of memory, genetics and obesity, geometry and electrochemistry.
Our 2014 speakers include Lesley Yellowlees, the first woman president of the Royal Society of Chemistry; Pratibha Gai who was named the 2013 European Laureate in the 15th annual L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards; and Sophie Scott, well-known neuroscientist, columnist and stand up comedian.
Gail Cardew, Director of Science and Education, said: “I am delighted that in 2014 we will showcase some of the world-class scientific research being carried out by women.
“My favourite aspect of the Discourses is that our members and the general public are able to hear from the scientists in person and learn about such a diverse range of intellectually fascinating areas of science in the intimate setting of our historic lecture theatre.
She added: “Our mission is to encourage everyone to think further about the wonders of science and so I am very pleased that a selection of these 2014 Discourses will be made available online on our video platform, the Ri Channel, so that anyone anywhere in the world will be able to benefit too.”
The first woman to present a Friday Evening Discourse at the Royal Institution was British archaeologist Joan Evans (1893-1977) on 8 June 1923, whose lecture was entitled 'Jewels of the Renaissance'.
Other well-known women who have given a Discourse at the Ri to date include zoologist Jane Goodall in October 1965; Barbara Ward, an early pioneer of sustainable development who spoke in 1973; and Kathleen Lonsdale who presented twice about crystallography in 1949 and 1961 and returned in January 1970 to talk about women in science.
Full details of the first four Friday Evening Discourses of 2014 taking place between January and April can be found in our What's On section.
We will also host this year's Ada Lovelace Day on 14 October.
Ri blog
To coincide with the Ri’s 2014 calendar of Friday Evening Discourses, Frank James, the Ri’s Professor of the History of Science, will publish a monthly blog on the Ri website to highlight the scientific and other achievements of the many women associated with the Ri over its 215 year history. His first entry profiles Kathleen Lonsdale; the X-ray crystallographer, Quaker and pacifist whose research at the Ri was conducted under the shadow of World War II.
Please visit www.rigb.org/blog to find out more.