Alternative activities to try at home

Free Gresham College lectures: Chris Whitty, Edith Hall, Leslie Thomas QC (for 16+) – continues online in 2021

Gresham College's free public lectures (running since 1597) will be continuing online in January 2021 until Easter.

Their lectures are delivered by world-class experts in fields ranging across the arts and sciences, and they include lecturers like Professors Chris Whitty who is speaking about vaccination (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/vaccination) on 10 February, Edith Hall (Classics), Leslie Thomas QC (Law) and Joanna Bourke (Cultural History).

You can sign up for monthly email updates here: gres.hm/schools

2020-21 Lectures taken from their website:

ASTRONOMY

A series called Cosmic Vision (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/cosmic-vision/) by Astronomy Professor Katherine Blundell, and another by Visiting Professor Roberto Trotta, The Unexpected Universe (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/the-unexpected-universe/).

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

A series on The Psychology of Finance (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/psychology-offinance/) by Business Professor Alex Edmans; a series on Intergenerational Justice (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/intergenerational-justice/) by Visiting Professor Martin Daunton.

CLASSICS

Great Thinkers series (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/great-thinkers/) includes Plato and Aristotle, by Visiting Professor Edith Hall.

ENGLISH

The Powers of the Novel (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/novel-powers/) by Visiting Professor John Mullan, a series on 'classic' film, Exploding the Film Canon (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/film-canon/) by Visiting Professor Ian Christie.

GEOGRAPHY

Two short series about the environment, Our Connected World (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/our-connected-world/), and How to Build a Just and Prosperous Planet (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/how-to-build-a-just-and-prosperous-planet/) by Professor Jacqueline McGlade.

HISTORY

A fascinating series on Evil Women (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/evil-women/) in history by Professor Joanna Bourke; a series on England’s Reformations (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/englands-reformations/) by Professor Alec Ryrie; a Black History Month (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/black-history-month/) series; a series about Darwin (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/darwins-descent/) and his impact by Visiting Professor Jim Endersby (may also be useful for Science); a series on Great Tudor and Stuart Houses (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/the-great-houses-of-tudor-and-stuart-courtiers/) by the Provost

Simon Thurley (architecture history) and lots of one-off lectures.

IT

Great Ideas from Computer Science (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/great-ideas-from-computerscience/) by Professor Richard Harvey, which includes algorithms, data, programs and networks; a lecture on Al and Humour (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/ai-humour) by Visiting Professor Yorick Wilks.

LAW / POLITICS / CITIZENSHIP

Death, the State and Human Rights (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/death-state/) by Professor Leslie Thomas QC will discuss police restraint and inquests into deaths in custody (Black Lives Matter); The Politics of the Courtroom (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/the-politics-of-thecourtroom/) by Visiting Professor Thomas Grant will weigh the balance between politicians and the courts.

MATHEMATICS

Gresham Professor Sarah Hart will look at Mathematics in Music and Writing (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/maths-music/), Professor Kevin Buzzard will ask Will Computers Outsmart Mathematicians (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/smart-computers), Dr Kit Yates discusses The Maths of Life and Death (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-andevents/maths-life).

MEDICINE

Major Debates in Public Health (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/public-health/) by the Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty will include a lecture on Vaccination (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/vaccination); and Performing Medicine (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/performing-medicine-performing-surgery/) by Visiting Professor of Medical Education Roger Kneebone includes a lecture on knife crime (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/tackling-knife-violence)

MUSIC

Russian Piano Masterpieces (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/russian-piano/) by Music Professor Marina Frolova-Walker with pianist Peter Donohoe; 100 years of BBC Radio (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/bbc-radio-100/) by Visiting Professor Jeremy Summerly; Dr Xenia Pestova-Bennett will look at Toy and Cyborg Pianos (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/professorsand-speakers/xenia-pestova-bennett/).

ARCHIVE LECTURES

Recent highlights in the archive include a career-relevant series on Business Skills (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/business-skills/) by Alex Edmans, which includes lectures on your CV, time management etc; and two series by Sir Jonathan Bate on Classic Shakespeare (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/classic-shakespeare/) and Wordsworth and the Romantics (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/wordsworth-and-the-romantics/); we also have a strong series on the applications of Mathematics (https://www.gresham.ac.uk/series/mathematics-and-themaking-of-the-modern-and-future-world/) for example, in the film industry, the maths of climate change, etc by Professor Chris Budd.

Free Speakers for Schools - virtual talks w/c 11 January 2021

Speakers for Schools will continue to run live broadcasts this year for young people learning online, at school and at home.

DATE SPEAKER INFO

Thurs 14 Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Join us to hear Shai Weiss share insights into his January Atlantic Airways for KS3-5/ own career journey and discuss how he became 5-6pm S1-6 CEO of Virgin Atlantic. Shai will focus on the importance teamwork, resilience and maintaining mental clarity during difficult times.

Speaker bio:

https://www.speakersforschools.org/speakers/shai-weiss/

HOW TO JOIN THE LIVE BROADCASTS

1. 2. 3. Join 10 minutes before the broadcast to be ready You can join without needing an account – https://vimeo.com/418436143 For full speaker descriptions visit the broadcast schedule (https://www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/upcoming-vtalks/)

Watch pre-recorded broadcasts from the Speakers for Schools library https://www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/vtalks-video-library/