Open lectures: Spring term 2023

Professor Bill Sheils presents the Sheldon Memorial Lecture 2023.

A discussion on the importance of indoor air quality, how exposure to pollutants occurs, and the University of York's efforts in understanding and improving indoor air. Find out about methods to reduce exposure and improve indoor air quality.

This term's lecture with psychoanalyst Adam Phillips

A talk and discussion on psychedelic welfare and harm reduction from the perspective of a Psycare UK Volunteer.

This panel discusses global human rights threats and ways to raise awareness through academia, art, broadcasting, and film-making. Commemorating the opening of David Kato College named after the late human rights defender and LGBTQ+ activist.

Can we see everything as it is, or do we make a best guess about reality? What can psychedelics tell us about how we perceive the world?

Barrister Sam Fowles discusses whether 'wokeness' and 'cancel culture' are really a dangerous form of decadence that suffocates academic freedom and freedom of speech.

A beginners guide to human rights and the law from Amnesty Society York, Lawyers without Borders and Student Action for Refugees.

Using a selection of computer vision projects that he has worked on at York, Nick Pears will attempt to convey why the field is interesting, challenging and important - and what it promises for the future.

Find out about the cadastral map of Saint-Domingue (Haiti) by René Phelipeau, which he dedicated to the comte de Vaudreuil, a prominent courtier and art collector whose father had served as governor of the colony.

Find out more about Jane Morris, the wife of William Morris, and her involvement in creating this family's radical household and the Morris&Co. company.

This event will highlight the prevalence and forms of sexual harassment experienced by Black and minoritised women, as well as structural, institutional and cultural barriers to disclosure and help-seeking.

Join Monica Mayer as she discusses The Clothesline Project (1978), and her role as a founding member of feminist art collectives in Mexico.

Join the School for Business and Society for a book launch of 'The War on Dirty Money' and a masterclass with one of the co-authors.

A discussion on the future of British business with Minister Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton.

York Society of Engineers present the story of tunnels - from Mesopotamia to the modern day.

Dr Giulia Smith discusses the paintings of Guyanese artist Aubrey Williams and how they addressed an ‘eco-crisis’ of planetary proportions and ecological challenges of the future more than 50 years ago.

What exactly is happening in Iran? What is the significance of the current demonstrations and what has the international response been? What events and factors have led to this moment?

An academic talks on how Psychedelics impact memory processing to produce long term effects, which may be beneficial in a clinical context.

Hear from Nature’s Lab about their journey developing a 3 dimensional organisational audit and how they’ve applied it to their business.

The Ukraine Society hosts a forum dedicated to the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mathew Bukhi Mabele gives a seminar on inequalities in the production and dissemination of biodiversity conservation knowledge on Tanzania.

A thought-provoking talk that will challenge our understanding of the intersection of ethics, AI, and society.

Discussing our ability as humans to intentionally alter the phenomenology of altered states of consciousness using different technologies.

This round table is devoted to the war in Ukraine and its wider ramifications for the international system. We are bringing together renowned experts from outside and within the University to discuss the implications of the war.

Join Luisana Barrios, Dave Arnott, Rebecca Thompson, Rob Marchant discuss nature-based farming in protected areas!

What does Land Law have to do with sustainability? Attend this talk from York Law School at the University to find out!

How can we ensure respectful, safe, ethical, inclusive, and sustainable sourcing for psychedelic plants and materials? Are there ethical and sustainable alternatives?

Learn about how this Carbon Negative Company achieved their sustainable practices and why it is important.

The Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union: 160+ years of recording biodiversity in Yorkshire

How can we break our addiction to oil? Join us for a screening of the new film The Oil Machine and conversation on our energy future.

Tune in to find out how you can help UK Biodiversity thrive in the Anthropocene!

Transforming our Senses for Nature Re-connection, Re-patterning and Hope.

Find out more on the abuse of our soils, and how our human impact has changed it!

Learn with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust about how they are working to make a wilder Yorkshire!

Learn from this interactive discussion about our land and sustainability from 11,000 years ago in Yorkshire!

Gordon Eastham will explore with us the re-wilding and biodiversity work that is happening on Campus East at the University!

Join Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse, co-writers and co-producers of the award-winning podcast, to hear more about the processes and research involved in creating this wonderful blend of history and comedy.

Fozia Bora examines the nuances of Ibn Khallikān’s method in writing one of the best known pre-modern Arabic compendia.

Join the University's Bridge Society for an interactive session on pre-emptive bidding and weak twos.

Project Director Leon Guyett and Project Manager Natalie Webster will provide an overview of the history of the project, an update on the £100m+ infrastructure and other work ongoing at the moment, and what will be happening next at York Central.

Oliver Burkeman explores what it might mean to live with a greater acknowledgment of our temporal limitations – and why this might be a path not only to greater peace of mind, but also to doing more effective work in the world.

Erica Bergstrom talks about the OU project that has captured individual and collective experiences of death and loss that occurred during the pandemic and considers how it impacted the ways in which we make sense of dying and bereavement.

This talk reviews different therapeutic modalities in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, relating to its use to treat neurological disorder.

Tatiana Liani sheds a light on Greek-Jewish heritage and antisemitism, sharing stories of desperation and despair, but also of hope and survival against all odds.

This seminar presents three artistic gardening practices that attempt to grow forms of resistance to apartheid and its afterlives in South Africa.

The panel will explore the ins and outs of drugs behind bars and illuminate how we might think about drug use and rehabilitating prisoners.

How can we make sense of our lives when we do not know where we come from? This was a pressing question for the youngest survivors of the Holocaust, whose pre-war memories were vague or non-existent.

Find out more about why '63% of businesses found it easier to attract and retain talent with a 4 day week.'

Do you remember the ‘Climategate’ email leak? Or the ‘Frankenfood’-style headlines about the perils of GM foods? What about the time the government sacked its own science advisor for challenging drug laws?

In this talk, Gez will review his project work from 2022 with case studies and outline his approach to conservation of our built heritage.