The Best of Bristol Lectures are organised by students to give fellow students, university staff and members of the public a chance to experience the best teaching Bristol University has to offer. Students vote online for their favourite lecturer, or for other lecturers they would like to hear.
Professor Levy, Professor of Endocrinology in the School of Clinical Sciences, will open the series by exploring what we know about the ageing process and examining recent medical innovations as life expectancy continues its upward trend and people are spending an increasing percentage of their lives in old age.
Bristol graduate Tom Corfield, who founded the Best of Bristol Lectures, is supported by a team of current students and said: “Following the success of our inaugural lecture series last year, we are all very excited to return in 2012 with five more thought-provoking talks from inspiring lecturers.
“I studied engineering, but spent a lot of my time at Bristol going to see my friends’ favourite lecturers in action. This turned out to be the most rewarding thing I did. I came up with the BoB lectures to allow other students to share this fantastic experience. Because they're at lunchtime, we also hope members of the public and University staff will be able to pop along and gain an insight into the great teaching that’s on their doorstep.”
The Best of Bristol Lectures have been confirmed as:
- Thursday, 2 February - 'Medical Innovation and the Philosopher's stone - why you don't have to get old,' Professor Andy Levy, Neuroscience
- Thursday, 9 February - 'Philosophy - why bother?' Professor James Ladyman, Philosophy
- Thursday, 23 February - Teaching Fellow Gervas Huxley, Economics (lecture title to be confirmed)
- Thursday, 1 March – Professor Jutta Weldes, International Relations (lecture title to be confirmed)
- Thursday, 8 March - 'Drugs of abuse - what do they do to the brain?' Professor Graeme Henderson, Physiology and Pharmacology
The lectures are free and no booking is required. They are held in the Victoria Rooms, starting at 1.10pm and finishing at 2pm.
More than 2,000 people attended the first lecture series, which proved so popular that it won the 2011 University of Bristol Union’s 'Impact and Innovation Award’ for providing members of the University and wider community with the chance to experience some of the University’s great teaching. Best of Bristol’s previous coordinator George Cave also won the 'Vice-Chancellor's Activities Award' for demonstrating outstanding commitment.
For regular updates, including a full lecture schedule, titles and lecture summaries, please visit www.boblectures.org.uk