Noticeboard
Darwin Day
The Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine is holding a Darwin day on 24 November 2009 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species. Four lectures on the theme of modern genetics, against the background of evolutionary theory, will be given:
- Dr Gordon Chancellor (UK Data Archive), also associate editor of darwin-online.org.uk, discusses ‘Charles Darwin, his life and his science’.
- Professor of genetics Steve Jones (University College London), asks, ‘Is human
evolution over?’ - Professor Sydney Brenner, Scripps Institute, USA, was awarded the Nobel Prize
for Physiology or Medicine in 2002. He talks on ‘The reconstruction of the past: reading the human genome’. - University of Leicester’s Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys discovered DNA fingerprinting 25 years ago. He looks at ‘DNA fingerprinting and the turbulent genome’.
Limited tickets are available for the Clinical Sciences Building Lecture Theatre. To reserve a ticket contact Michelle Taylor m.n.taylor@leeds.ac.uk
A live video link of the talks will be available at the following venues: Level 3 Seminar Room, Wellcome Trust Brenner Building; St James’s University Hospital Seminar Room, Cancer Genetics Building; St James’s University Hospital, Clarendon Wing Lecture Theatre, Leeds General Infirmary.
Disciplining the Social Sciences? Conference on inter-disciplinarity, impact and a strategy for the future
Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Arthur will open this conference on 12 January 2010, providing an opportunity for social scientists across the University to debate and envisage a strategy for the social sciences in relation to: the changing research funding landscape; the increasing emphasis upon tackling grand societal challenges; and – demonstrating the impact of research on society.
Professor Ian Diamond, Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Professor Dame Hazel Genn and Professor Mike Savage are keynote speakers.
Postgraduate research (PGR) students will continue discussing these issues at a colloquium the following day. The conference is organised by the Faculties of ESSL, LUBS, M&H, Environment, PVAC and Arts. For full programme of speakers and further details see http://lssi.leeds.ac.uk/events/83 or contact a.j.suckall@leeds.ac.uk
Art off the record
Record sleeves ranging from the 1950s to the 1990s are on display at the Clothworkers’ Centenary Concert Hall Foyer, School of Music, until 12 December.
Curators Laura Robinson and Paul Whittle, from the Audrey & Stanley Burton Gallery, have put together an exhibition surveying the development of the record sleeve from its original purpose of identification to becoming an art form in its own right. The exhibition includes record sleeves from a diverse range of performers from Cream in 1968 to the Pixies in 1990.
Winter nights at the opera
Opera North’s new winter/spring season opens on 15 January with performance of one of Puccini’s most dramatic and popular works, La Bohème. A revival of Phyllida Lloyd’s production from 1993, revived by Peter Relton, it is set in the slightly grimy, tumultuous Paris of the 1950s.
January also sees the first of 12 performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore, which opens on 30 January. Sung in English, this witty burlesque Victorian melodrama shows distinct Opera North freshness, whilst fully respecting the spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan’s topsy-turvy invention. John Wilson, who has an enviable reputation as a conductor, arranger and orchestrator for small and big screen, makes his Opera North dèbut and direction is by Jo Davies.
For full programme details see www.operanorth.co.uk
Natural Fibres – A World Heritage
Silks from Qing Dynasty China, shawls of cashmere, Mediterranean embroideries of linen and silk and Javanese batik cottons are just some of the fabrics on display at a new exhibition being staged by the University of Leeds International Textile Archive (ULITA).
The exhibition celebrates the International Year of Natural Fibres and highlights the use of natural fibres – of plant or animal origin, which can be spun into yarn, thread or rope – in fabrics from across the globe.
The exhibition runs until 26 February 2010 at St Wilfred’s Chapel, Maurice Keyworth Building. For more information visit http://www.naturalfibres2009.org/ and www.leeds.ac.uk/ulita
