Talk 200: Lecture and podcast series
A new lecture and podcast series to mark our bicentenary: 200 years of making a difference.
Listen on:
In 2024 we’re reflecting on our past, celebrating our present and looking to the future – and Talk 200 invites listeners to be part of the journey.
Released throughout 2024, the series will comprise four in-person and live-streamed lectures, and six recorded podcast episodes. Jump to those released so far:
Podcast episodes:
- Talking creative and culture: Manchester’s “anthropological soup”
- Talking digital and AI: An interdisciplinary approach
- Talking health innovation: Manchester as a living lab
- Talking fairness and equality: "We're not moving fast enough"
- Talking innovation: It's in Manchester's DNA
- Talking energy and climate change: "We don't have hundreds of years to sort this out"
Lectures:
- 'The unmaking of everything'
- 'The limits to equality – access to justice and scandal'
- 'Health inequalities past, present and future'
Our podcast host, Manchester aficionado, author and University of Manchester alumnus Andy Spinoza, will be joined by a diverse line-up of guests from our community – pioneering academics and notable figures, inspiring staff, alumni and students.
Topics will include health, digital and AI, climate change, equality and justice, and more.
All lecture and podcast recordings will be uploaded to this page in video format when released throughout the year, and audio recordings made available on all usual podcast channels.
Podcast series
Talking creative and culture: Manchester’s “anthropological soup”
Professor John McAuliffe, Professor Caroline Bithell and Keisha Thompson discuss Manchester’s role as a thriving hub of creativity and culture – and how we can protect it moving forward.
Host Andy Spinoza invites Professor John McAuliffe, Director of Creative Manchester, Co-Director of the Centre for New Writing, and Professor of Poetry at The University of Manchester; Professor Caroline Bithell, Professor of Ethnomusicology at Manchester; and Keisha Thompson FRSA, Innovation Fellow with Creative Manchester; to explore Manchester’s rich creative and cultural environment – and the University’s important contribution to it.
They consider how the city’s industrial past has helped to shape its cultural and creative landscape, highlighting key figures such as novelist Anthony Burgess and the formation of the University’s cultural institutions, including the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester Museum and more.
The group delves into the importance of investment in culture and how we can strive to make it more accessible to all, and eye our future goals in this ever-changing sector.
This podcast episode was recorded on 18 June 2024. Listen to the audio version on:
Find out more on:
- Creative Manchester
- Manchester Museum
- Jodrell Bank
- The Whitworth
- John Rylands Research Institute and Library
- British Pop Archive
- In Place of War: Supporting, developing and promoting artists from conflict zones
- The natural voice movement: Giving a voice to singers and cultures across the world
- Manchester Camerata x The University of Manchester
- Klezmer – The Michael Kahan Kapelye
- Universally Manchester Festival
- UNESCO Manchester City of Literature
- On Creativity: Practices and Perspectives (University College for Interdisciplinary Learning course)
Talking digital and AI: An interdisciplinary approach
Dr Riza Batista-Navarro, Dr Mauricio Álvarez and Dr Filip Bialy discuss the always-evolving fields of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) – and Manchester’s important role in their past, present and future.
Sitting down with host Andy Spinoza to talk all things digital and AI are Dr Riza Batista-Navarro, Senior Lecturer in Text Mining at the University; Dr Mauricio Álvarez, Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning; and Dr Filip Bialy, Research Associate here at Manchester, Assistant Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland, and Lecturer at the European New School of Digital Studies.
Our experts discuss Manchester technological innovation from the Industrial Revolution to present day, including the development of the Manchester ‘Baby’ – the world’s first electric stored-program computer – and Alan Turing’s pioneering work in AI.
They size up the ethical and political implications of AI and digital advancements and evaluate the University’s current position as a leading centre for progress in this field – aiming to drive innovation and leverage these powerful technologies for the greater good.
This podcast episode was recorded on 27 June 2024. Listen to the audio version on:
Find out more on:
- Digital Futures research platform
- The Institute for Data Science and AI (IDSAI)
- Centre for AI Fundamentals
- Turing Innovation Catalyst (TIC)
- Department of Computer Science
- Centre for Digital Trust and Society (CDTS)
- Digital Campaigning and Electoral Democracy (DiCED) – five-year, cross-national EU-funded project
- SpiNNaker computing platform – enabling brain-inspired AI
- AI – Should we be pessimistic or optimistic? – Alumni Association panel discussion on the future of AI technology
- Watch: Artificial intelligence at The University of Manchester
Talking health innovation: Manchester as a living lab
Professor Alejandro Frangi, Dr Louise Hunter and Raluca-Elena Valcescu discuss the challenges and inequalities around health – and the groundbreaking research and innovations striving to address them.
Host Andy Spinoza is joined by Professor Alejandro Frangi, Director of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute and the Bicentennial Turing Chair in Computational Medicine at The University of Manchester; Dr Louise Hunter, a Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology Gastroenterology; and Raluca-Elena Valcescu, Executive Officer for the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at The University of Manchester Students’ Union.
The group discuss Manchester’s storied history of medical and health-related breakthroughs and how these led to the city remaining at the forefront of medical innovations for over two centuries, and consider the University’s role today in advancing medical knowledge, driving positive healthcare and tackling global health challenges.
They also look to what the future might bring – and what impact digital technologies, AI and advanced materials could have on positive healthcare outcomes.
This podcast episode was recorded on 27 June 2024. Listen to the audio version on:
Find out more on:
- The University’s Healthier Futures research platform
- Our Cancer research beacon
- One in Two: a Manchester cancer research podcast
- The Christabel Pankhurst Institute for health technology research and innovation
- The Christabel Pankhurst Institute’s podcast Health Tech Matters
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB)
- Health Innovation Manchester
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
- Watch: Health research at The University of Manchester – revolutionising agriculture with microscopy
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Waiting for the Revolution (2024 Teddy Chester Lecture)
Talking fairness and equality: “We’re not moving fast enough”
Professor Colette Fagan, Aisha Akram and George Obolo discuss fairness and equality, the importance of diversity and inclusion in higher education and more broadly in society, and how we might improve it moving forward.
Joining host Andy Spinoza are Professor Colette Fagan, the University’s Vice-President for Research and responsible for leading our research and doctoral training strategy; Aisha Akram, University of Manchester Students’ Union Wellbeing and Liberation Officer; and George Obolo, a final year MBChB Medicine student at Manchester and award-winning social entrepreneur, leader, builder and public speaker.
They discuss fairness, equality, equity and the role of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plans in higher education for students and staff, and more widely in society. They highlight how the University has advanced equality and fairness through the impact of its research – from the past, through to the present and into the future.
From Manchester’s role in the Industrial Revolution and its ties to the global cotton trade, through to key figures in the University’s radical history, such as Christabel Pankhurst, Alan Turing and Arthur Lewis, the group chart the University’s EDI journey, examine our institutional commitment to EDI, and discuss how our research produces evidence and solutions to advance equality and fairness across the globe, as well as in our local community.
This podcast episode was recorded on 23 May 2024. Listen to the audio version on:
Find out more on:
- The University’s global inequalities research beacon
- Our EDI strategy
- Our EDI accreditations
- Creating a more equal world – case studies
- Cotton Capital: Slavery and The University of Manchester
- Healthier Futures platform
- Global Development Institute
- Work and Equalities Institute
- Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE)
- Manchester Urban Institute
Talking innovation: It's in Manchester’s DNA
Professors Richard Jones and Aline Miller discuss Manchester’s pioneering spirit through the ages and current and future landscapes for innovation, economy and commercialisation – here and beyond.
Professor Richard Jones, Professor of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy and Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, and Professor Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, join host Andy Spinoza to talk innovation, economy and commercialisation at the University and across Manchester – and discuss how we’re converting ideas into impact.
The group dive into the University’s remarkable history of path-breaking research delivering truly radical solutions – from world-changing nuclear breakthroughs at the beginning of the last century to kickstarting the computer revolution and artificial intelligence research around its middle, to the isolation of graphene at the start of the 21st century.
They consider how at Manchester today we bring together expertise across economics, politics, sociology, education, innovation and beyond to address the myriad of challenges that exist on a local, national and international scale; and how through our work in areas such as digital and AI, advanced materials and biotechnology – and the positive benefits delivered for the environment and health – our commitment to innovation and delivering real-world impact continues.
This podcast episode was recorded on 24 April 2024. Listen to the audio version on:
Find out more about the University’s innovative work and partnerships:
- Christabel Pankhurst Institute
- Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre
- Henry Royce Institute
- Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC)
- Sister (formally ID Manchester)
- Manchester Innovation Factory
- Masood Entrepreneurship Centre
- The Productivity Institute
- Turing Innovation Catalyst Manchester
- Watch: Quantum research at The University of Manchester
Talking energy and climate change: “We don’t have hundreds of years to sort this out”
Professor Alice Larkin, Dr Aneeqa Khan and Geography student Aidan Rhode discuss the solutions needed to address climate change and global energy challenges, now and in the future.
Host Andy Spinoza is joined by Professor Alice Larkin, Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in The University of Manchester’s School of Engineering; Dr Aneeqa Khan of the University’s Dalton Nuclear Institute, and Research Fellow in Nuclear Fusion in the School of Engineering; and Aidan Rhode, a Manchester third-year BSc Geography with Professional Placement Year student, currently on placement at the US Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington DC. He joins on a screen attached to a robot provided by the Autonomy and Verification Group from Manchester’s Centre for Robotics and AI.
The group discuss the past, present and future of energy challenges and the crucial, ongoing interdisciplinary work at Manchester to provide the solutions needed to deliver rapid carbon emission reductions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
At Manchester, our commitment to addressing global energy challenges is unwavering. As one of the world’s leading research institutions, we’re at the forefront of providing innovative solutions to mitigate climate change while transforming our energy systems – to enable a just and prosperous future for all.
Our research and engagement work extends across the whole energy system, from technological innovation through to societal interventions that tackle inequalities, health and environmental sustainability.
This podcast episode was recorded on 11 March 2024. Listen to the audio version on:
Find out more about the work of:
Watch Professor Alice Larkin’s 2015 TED Talk: ‘Climate change is happening. Here’s how we adapt’.
Watch Dr Aneeqa Khan discuss the science behind the ITER project on Sky News.
Watch our video on net zero research at Manchester: 'How can the music industry help us reach net zero?', featuring Massive Attack.
Lecture series
‘The unmaking of everything’
Professor Mike Shaver’s lecture places a focus on plastics and asks: how can we address the sustainability challenges of our material world?
This lecture was recorded on Tuesday, 17 September 2024 at the Jarvis Hall in London and is the third live instalment of the Talk 200 lecture and podcast series.
Professor Mike Shaver, Professor of Polymer Science and Director of Sustainable Futures at The University of Manchester, discusses the complex nature of our material world, with a particular focus on plastics. He examines our presumptions around plastic packaging waste, the complexity of these materials in essential objects – from credit cards to conveyor belts to cars – and the interrelationships between these materials and sustainability.
Professor Shaver explores how to recover value by unmaking these systems at end-of-life, and why unpicking this complexity is essential for a more sustainable future.
The event also included a question-and-answer session with members of the audience and those joining online, as well as a panel discussion led by Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research at Manchester, and including Dr Helen Holmes, Deputy Director of Sustainable Futures; Dr Rosa Cuéllar-Franca, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering; and Dr Ciaran Lahive, a Research Fellow at the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub.
Listen to the audio version of this lecture on:
‘The limits to equality – access to justice and scandal’
University of Manchester Chancellor Nazir Afzal's lecture examines inequalities in access to justice and how treatment in the legal system could be made fairer for all.
This lecture was recorded on Friday, 7 June 2024 at the Martin Harris Centre as part of Universally Manchester Festival. It is the second live instalment of the Talk 200 lecture and podcast series.
Nazir Afzal, Chancellor of the University and former Chief Crown Prosecutor for north-west England, discusses inequalities in access to justice and a vision for fairer treatment across the legal service.
During his legal career, Afzal prosecuted some of the highest profile criminal cases in the UK. Here he talks about limits to equality and the many issues that exist within our current legal system. Cutting across ethnicity, gender, economic status, age and health, he explores what is being done – and what more should be done – to combat these challenges.
The event also included a panel discussion, chaired by Claire McGourlay, Professor of Legal Education at Manchester and a National and Principal Fellow of the HEA. Against the backdrop of recent injustices both in the UK and globally, including the ongoing Post Office scandal, the panel considered disparities in access to justice and how we might chart a path towards fairer treatment within the legal sphere.
She was joined by Tom Hedges, sub-postmaster at Hogsthorpe Post Office near Skegness from 1994 until he was unjustly sacked in 2010, aged 57, after being wrongfully accused of false accounting; barrister and advocate Thalia Maragh; and Suzanne Gower, PhD researcher, lecturer in Law and former Managing Director of legal charity APPEAL.
Listen to the audio version of this lecture on:
Find out more about:
- The University’s research in global inequalities
- The University of Manchester Justice Hub
- Manchester Innocence Project
- The Innocence Podcast series
- Prosecuting Rap research
- Racial Bias and the Bench report
- Policy@Manchester article on the Westminster Commission on Miscarriages of Justice report
‘Health inequalities past, present and future’
Professor Sir Chris Whitty’s lecture considers the main drivers of inequalities and disparities in health, how these have changed over time and why addressing them remains a major public health priority:
This lecture was recorded on Tuesday, 13 February 2024 at the Whitworth and marked the launch of the Talk 200 lecture and podcast series.
Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, the UK government’s Chief Medical Adviser, and head of the public health profession, discusses how as a society we face the hard truth that the more socio-economically disadvantaged someone is, the higher their risk of poor health. The world’s greatest killer is not any one individual disease, but the unequal way in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.
In Greater Manchester, our unique health and social care ecosystem means we can rapidly drive innovation and translate breakthroughs into real-world solutions – which can be scaled-up and replicated across the globe. We have the opportunity to create real and lasting change.
The event also included a question-and-answer session with members of the audience and those joining online, as well as a panel discussion led by the University’s then President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell and including Professor of Nursing Dame Nicky Cullum and Jane Pilkington, Director of Population Health NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership.
Listen to the audio version of this lecture on:
- Find out more about how The University of Manchester is addressing health inequalities – creating fairer healthcare systems and healthier lifestyles.