Discourses

SOLD OUT Discourse: Christmas Lecturer 2024

Join 2024 Christmas Lecturer Chris van Tulleken for the November Discourse

Chris van Tulleken looking inside a food rattan basket
Event image by Photo by Paul Wilkinson

Join us in the Ri Theatre for a first chance to hear from Chris van Tulleken, our eagerly awaited 2024 Christmas Lecturer, who will deliver our prestigious annual November Discourse. 

Chris van Tulleken is an NHS infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London, one of the UK’s leading science presenters and a New York Times bestselling author. He is currently an Associate Professor in the division of Infection and Immunity at UCL, where his research focuses on how corporations affect human health, especially in the context of child nutrition, and he works with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation. 

Following on from the success of his BBC One series ‘The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs’, Chris investigated the impact ultra-processed foods has on our children, in ‘What Are We Feeding Our Kids?’ for BBC One. In 2023, Chris published ‘Ultra Processed People’, which became an international bestseller and his corresponding talk at the Ri has over 1 million views on YouTube. 

Event type

This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online. 

By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's event terms and conditions. You also agree to abide by our code of conduct, and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants. Please note that Eventbrite adds a small booking fee to the amount paid for each ticket option.

For any queries regarding this event please get in touch by phone 020 7409 2992 or email events@ri.ac.uk.

About the Christmas Lectures

The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are a series of lectures covering a different topic each year. They have been held annually since 1825. The lectures present scientific subjects to a general audience, including young people, in an informative and entertaining manner. Michael Faraday conceived and initiated the Christmas Lecture series in 1825, at a time when organised education for young people was scarce.

Timing

Doors to the Theatre will open at about 6.50pm.

All attendees must be seated in the Theatre by 7.20pm. The Discourse will start promptly at 7.30pm.

A Pay Bar will be available from 6.00pm. It will open again after the talk, until 9.30pm.

 

Timing for the livestream

The livestream will go live at 7.25pm, and the introduction will begin at 7.30pm. If you register but miss the livestream, the video will be available to you via the same link for two weeks after the event date.

More about Discourses

Discourses are one of the Ri’s oldest and most prestigious series of talks. Since 1825, audiences in the theatre have witnessed countless mind-expanding moments, including the first public liquefaction of air by James Dewar, the announcement of the electron by JJ Thomson and over 100 lectures by Michael Faraday. In more recent times, we have had Nobel laureates, Fields medal winners, scientists, authors and artists – all from the cutting-edge of their field. Discourses are an opportunity for the best and brightest to share their work with the world.

Steeped in nearly two centuries of tradition, a Discourse is more than just a lecture. To keep the focus on the topic, presenters begin sharply at 7:30pm without introduction and we lock the speaker into a room ten minutes ahead of the start (legend has it that a speaker once tried to escape!). Some of our guests dress smartly for our Discourse events to add to this sense of occasion.

Find out more about the history of the Friday Evening Discourses on our blog.

Accessibility

The event will take place on the first floor and there is step-free access from the street via lift.

The closest underground station is Green Park, which is step-free.

There is space at floor level in the theatre for wheelchair users.

Seating is usually unreserved for our events. If you and your group require seating reservations, please do let us know by emailing us at events@ri.ac.uk, and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Carers can receive a free ticket to an event by emailing events@ri.ac.uk.

Our theatre is equipped with an Audio Induction Loop. 

Covid guidelines

Face masks are no longer mandatory and wearing one in our Theatre and at other Ri events is at your discretion, however please do not attend the Ri if you are displaying Covid symptoms or, if you have tested, the result remains positive. Thank you for respecting other people and their choices, and for helping us keep all of our visitors and staff safe and well.

Event terms and conditions