Alumni Weekend

Fireworks consultant, author and former Oxford chemist Dr Tom Smith explains the basic chemistry and construction of fireworks, and their use in modern fireworks displays.

Professor Marcus du Sautoy (New College), Charles Simonyi Chair in the Public Understanding of Science, author and broadcaster gives a talk for the 2013 Oxford Alumni Weekend. From composers to painters, writers to choreographers, the mathematician's palette of shapes, patterns and numbers has proved a powerful inspiration. Often subconsciously artists are drawn to the same structures that fascinate mathematicians, as they constantly hunt for interesting new structures to frame their creative process. Through the work of artists like Borges and Dalí, Messiaen and Laban, Professor du Sautoy will explore the hidden mathematical ideas that underpin their creative output and reveal that the work of the mathematician is also driven by strong aesthetic values

Dr Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend 2013. What does 'being poor' really mean? The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, or MPI, is an international measure of acute poverty covering more than 100 developing countries. Assessing poverty at the individual level, it complements traditional income-based poverty measures by capturing the severe deprivations that each person faces at the same time with regard to education, health and living standards. It also reveals how poverty is falling: whether there is a smaller number of people experiencing poverty, or whether the share of deprivations faced by poor people has dropped. Join Sabina Alkire to hear how the method that underlies the index, developed at Oxford University, is being applied by governments.

James Benmore (Kellogg), Samantha Shannon (St Anne's) and Sam Thompson (St Anne's) talk about their work as writers. Chaired by Dr Clare Morgan (Kellogg), author and Director of the Master of Studies in Creative Writing. Whether you're an aspiring author or simply a fan of contemporary fiction, join us for this engaging session as our panel of Oxonian authors share their stories, motivations and top tips on getting published. This event will celebrate three talented local debut authors. James Benmore's first novel, Dodger, was published by Heron in 2013 and follows the story of Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist. Samantha Shannon has recently completed a degree in English language and literature at Oxford and signed a book deal with Bloomsbury in 2012. The Bone Season is the first in a series of seven novels. Dr Sam Thompson is a lecturer at St. Anne's College, whose first novel Communion Town was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2012.

Dr John Wheater (Head of Physics Department), Emeritus Professor Derek Stacey and Dr Jay Watson (alumnus), give a talk about the Oxford Physics department and the study of physics today.

Dr Simon Butt (Keble), Fellow and Tutor in Neuroscience, gives a talk for the Oxford Alumni Weekend. The human brain is an amazingly complex organ, yet at the moment of conception we are formed of a single fertilised egg, the potential of which will be sculpted over the years ahead by a variety of genetic and environmental cues to emerge as the brain that defines us as individuals today. In this lecture, Simon Butt will explore how his research over the last few years has focused on elucidating a genetic bar code to identify nerve cells and relate their activity to behaviour - a strategy that has significant implications for our understanding of a wide range of neurological disorders

Professor Richard Washington, Professor of Climate Science at the School of Geography and the Environment; Fellow and Tutor in Geography, Keble College, gives a talk for the 2013 Oxford Alumni Weekend. In summer the central Sahara is a brutally hot and inhospitable place largely devoid of people. But it is also a critically important part of the climate system controlling the West African Monsoon and driving the largest dust emissions on the planet. Yet we have no observed data to quantify the behaviour of this system. This talk will explore how the Fennec project aimed to do the impossible and recover those all-important observations from the core of the remote desert.

In this lecture, Professor Goldin presents ideas from his latest book and focuses on issues such as the financial crisis, the internet, pandemics, migration and climate change, in order to highlight the need for urgent global action.

'Big data' in medicine is an emerging field with the potential to revolutionise healthcare research.This session will look at how Oxford is addressing some of these research opportunities and challenges.

With digital broadcasting increasing and newspaper readership falling, how should we respond in ways that ensure the free flow of information that is essential in a pluralist society?