Studium 12th October 2016
Session 1 9.15 – 10.15
Andrew French
The Ascent of Chimborazo, the World's Highest Mountain
The summit of Chimborazo, a massive 6310m dormant volcano in Ecuador, is the furthest
point from the centre of our planet. In this talk you will virtually ascend several volcanoes in
both Ecuador and Guatemala. There will be many gorgeous examples of geomorphology, and
a little bit of atmospheric physics. Dr. French is a Maths and Physics don.
School
Christian Schofield
Film-inspired Shakespeare: from the appalling to the sublime…
An in-depth exploration of modern films and novels purporting to be inspired by the Bard.
Prepare to sigh, groan and laugh as we delve into the murky world of modernised
Shakespeare with terrible twists. Why has Shakespeare been hi-jacked in so many different
ways? Christian Schofield is an English don and the Head of Learning Support.
Peter Krakenberger
The Salzburg Book of Gospel Reading
Handwritten and lavishly illustrated with over 50 large paintings around 1150, the Salzburg
Book of Gospel Readings is one of the supreme masterpieces of Romanesque painting. We
shall briefly consider the history of the book, and then turn the leaves of the book and look
at each of the paintings in turn. Peter Krakenberger taught Maths at Winchester College from
1973 until 2013.
Tim Mitchell
Cochlear implants – helping the deaf to hear
An overview of how cochlear implants work and the benefit that they can provide to people
who have little or no natural hearing. Coll 1978-1983. Training as an Ear Nose and Throat
surgeon in Oxford, London and Cambridge Appointed as Consultant ENT Surgeon in
Southampton in 2000.
Jennifer Gupta
The Invisible Universe
Gazing at the night sky with our eyes or telescopes reveals twinkling stars and far away
galaxies. But what we see is only a small part of the story. From radio waves to gamma-rays,
the Universe is aglow with ‘light’ that we humans just cannot see. Fortunately, we can detect
this invisible light, revealing a view of the Universe that is hidden from our eyes. In this talk I
will show you the Universe at other wavelengths. Dr Jen Gupta is an astrophysicist and
science communicator at the University of Portsmouth.
Luke Harding
Putin's polonium plot
Luke Harding talks about Alexander Litvinenko, the new Cold War, and being 'an
enemy of Putin' Luke Harding is a journalist, writer and award-winning correspondent with
the Guardian. The Kremlin expelled him from the country in the first case of its kind since the
Cold War. This was in part because of his reporting on the 2006 polonium murder of the
Russian dissident Litvinenko.
Flint Court C1
Andrew Sparkes
The role of a diplomat in preventing renewed conflict
The roots of conflict. The identification (sometimes creation|) of a duality- geographic,
ethnic/tribal, religious or all three- and its exploitation. The peace settlement: some
overcoming of the duality. The aftermath: involvement of the international peacekeepers: their
limitations and the problems they bring. How early democratisation can revive the duality
and how corruption can revive conflict. What can diplomats do to avoid these pitfalls? Role
of Ambassadorial watchdog committees, assistance with accountability, security sector reform
and the importance of perceived neutrality. Andrew Sparkes is a former ambassador and now
a don.
SLT
Flint Court B5
Flint Court C5
QEII
New Hall
Session 2 10.50 – 11.50
Liza Filby and Jack Blackburn
Mastering the Art of Public Speaking
This is a double session; you must attend both parts
It is often said that you can make more of an impact from what you say than from what you
write and yet statistics, most people fear public speaking more than death! Public speaking
will be an essential part of any career path you pursue and more importantly, can be learnt.
Drawing on acting techniques and rhetorical theory, this interactive workshop will teach you
how to write a speech and most importantly, how to deliver it. It will cover how to calm
nerves, voice projection, body language and the key components to speech writing. All
participants receive a pack outlining the content of the course. Dr Eliza Filby is an academic,
writer, businesswoman and currently a visiting lecturer at King’s College London. Jack
Blackburn is a professional actor and writer.
John Pilkington
Russia and Europe: What Next?
Passions are running high in Ukraine and the breakaway states of the Caucasus. Vladimir
Putin's adventures in Ukraine took the West by surprise. However, John thinks they followed
a pattern that goes back more than a century to the legendary 'Great Game' between Russia
and Britain in Victorian times. Since the Soviet Union's break-up, Transnistria, Abkhazia and
South Ossetia have become Russia's 'forgotten' satellite states - unrecognised and unheard of
by most outsiders. Now Donetsk and Luhansk have joined the list, and Russia has full control
of Crimea. In 2015 John met people on both sides of these disputed borders, and promises
some surprising insights.
Robin Mills
Somme 1st July – 18th November 1916
We shall learn:- How the Somme campaign fitted into the Allied Strategy for 1916; Why you
cannot understand the Somme without understanding Verdun; How the French (and the
British units next to them) triumphed on the first day; The fatal gaps in British Experience &
Weaponry; Why “Casualties” do not equal “deaths”; How it all came right, 2 years later east
of Amiens. Robin Mills (OW) served with a Royal Engineers. He now lectures to audiences of
Charities, Education and at Burford Festival.
Flint Court C5
James Menendez
Broadcast News in the age of social media: has Facebook killed off the bulletin?
My talk will look at the rise of social media as a means for delivering news and ask whether it
threatens the survival of traditional TV and radio news bulletins. Those bulletins are still
popular among older age groups, but attract very few young viewers and listeners. Will all
our news soon come via short clips on Facebook and Twitter or is this still a place for
traditional, crafted broadcast journalism? I am a presenter on the BBC World Service and BBC
World TV. I’ve worked for the BBC for the past twenty years.
Alex Fielding
The Trinity Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral: a window into the cult of Becket and Medieval Spiritual
Practice
The Trinity Chapel of Canterbury Cathedral, burial place and pilgrimage site for St Thomas a
Becket, is one of the most compelling medieval religious spaces in Britain. This talk reveals the
iconography of the chapel and its stunning ‘miracle’ windows, using it as the backdrop for a
discussion about medieval religious practice more generally. Alex Fielding completed her BA
in Modern History at Oxford University and then studied Roman Baroque Architecture at the
Courtauld Institute.
Roberta Gilchrist
Glastonbury Abbey:- archaeology, legend and interpretation
Glastonbury Abbey holds a unique place in English history and cultural identity. It is closely
bound up with the legend of King Arthur and it is popularly believed to be the earliest site of
Christianity in Britain, allegedly founded by the great-uncle of Christ. This lecture reveals
some key findings from archaeological excavations from 1904 to 1979. A recent research
project reveals new insights to the archaeology and legends of the abbey. Roberta Gilchrist is
professor of Archaeology and Research Dean at the University of Reading.
QEII
New Hall
Musa
Flint Court C1
Flint Court C2
Adrian Fisher
Patterns, Tilings and Tessellations
We live in a world of patterns. At the decorative level, tessellations are often used in
brickwork, wallpaper, and ceramic tiles. Mathematically, this only begins to scratch the topic;
the range of possible tessellations is far wider. In the 13th century, the Moors used 37 different
tessellations to adorn the Alhambra Palace at Granada in Southern Spain. How does one go
about inventing and pioneering new tessellations and tilings? Adrian Fisher has invented
several distinctive tilings, each aimed at a specific practical application and is the world's
leading maze designer.
SLT
Session 3 12.00 – 1.00
Chris Lubbe
My journey from Apartheid to Truth & Reconciliation
I share my story of life under Apartheid and will cover themes such as:- determination, fear,
equality, humanity, justice, rights, respect, responsibility, courage and forgiveness. After
finishing high school I actively opposed the system of apartheid, which brought me into direct
conflict with the government and spells in prison. After Nelson Mandela’s release, I was
involved in preparations for democracy.
Liza Filby and Jack Blackburn
Mastering the Art of Public Speaking
This is the second part of the workshop
Edward Watson
Studying with the brain in mind
During this interactive workshop we shall be conducting a series of experiments that will
allow us to demonstrate and discuss multitasking, the short term memory, procrastination, the
power of sleep and the human threat response. Edward Watson (C 1975-1980) read chemistry
at Oxford University and then joined the Royal Green Jackets. He is currently a founding
partner in InnerDrive which is a mental skills coaching company.
Lord Lexden
Should the House of Lords survive?
The focus will be on the merits and demerits of the current Upper House, inviting the
audience to decide whether it should remain, be replaced or abolished. Lord Lexden has been
a Conservative peer since 2011, political historian, author of a work on modern British political
history and a regular contributor to Lords proceedings.
Howard Falcon-Lang
Antarctic fossil forests: back to the future for climate change
One hundred million years ago at the height of the age of the dinosaurs, the Earth was in the
grip of a runaway Greenhouse Climate. All the polar ice caps had melted, sea level was
standing more than a 100m higher than at present, and temperate forests grew at the poles. In
this talk, Howard Falcon-Lang will explore Ancient Antarctica and explain what the past
could mean for the future. Howard Falcon-Lang is Deputy Head of Earth Sciences at Royal
Holloway.
Tim Mason
The Polio Story
From the mid 18th century to the mid 20th century Poliomyelitis went from a “rare disease not
noted by medical writers” to one which struck fear into the hearts of the parents of most
children. Within 50 years, it was hoped to be eliminated. Tim Mason is a Microbiologist,
working in a discipline which includes the study of Bacteria, Viruses, Vaccines and Antibiotics
Martin Deahl
Battle for the mind; shellshock, trauma and the military
Illustrated with video footage, the talk will explore the changing pattern of stress reactions
displayed by soldiers following the trauma of combat, how these have evolved over time and
the possible mechanisms that might account for this. It will demonstrate that mental
symptoms are not fixed but can be shaped by cultural and social factors. Martin Deahl is a
consultant psychiatrist and a Colonel in the Reserve Forces.
SLT
Flint Court C5
New Hall
Musa
Music School
New Hall
Seminar Room
QEII
Peter and Christopher Pyemont
The History of Skiing
The talk starts in10,000 BC (is the ski older than the wheel?) and covers cave drawings from
2,000 BC, Norwegian skiing of the medieval era, Nansen's crossing of Greenland, the
development of Alpine skiing, Scott v Amundsen in their race to the South Pole, the "Winter
War" of WW2, Telemark heroes through to contemporary ski racers, extreme skiing and the
Sochi Winter Olympics. Peter and Christopher Pyemont have been lucky enough to ski from
their early years in many of the main resorts of Europe and America.
School
Session 4 4.00 – 5.00
John Parrington
Genes, genomes and the new genetics
New studies of the human genome are revealing an unexpected level of complexity, involving
layers of regulatory elements controlling and coordinating the switching on and off of genes;
the impact of the genome’s 3D geometry; the epigenetic changes influenced by the
environment and life experiences that can make identical twins different and be passed on to
the next generation. We must rapidly come to understand genome editing if we are to direct
its huge potential to the good of humanity and the planet. John Parrington is an Associate
Professor in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at the University of Oxford.
Nigel Biggar
Rhodes, Race, and Empire
In its recent campaign, the Rhodes Must Fall movement took the late nineteenth century
tycoon and unashamed advocate of the British Empire, Cecil Rhodes, as typical of Western
imperialism and accused him of being 'South Africa's Hitler'. Careful consideration of the
historical evidence, however, shows this charge to be groundless. It also suggests that not all
assertions of cultural superiority are racist and that empire wasn't always imperialist. Nigel
Biggar is the Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford,
where he also directs the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life.
Jamie Cameron
Science in Archaeology: New Light on Old Questions
This talk will provide a broad overview of some of the scientific techniques that are available
to the modern archaeologist. Examples include the chemical analysis of bones from
Winchester's medieval leprosy hospital of St Mary Magdalen to study ancient diet, the
radiocarbon dating of a preserved head of hair in Romsey Abbey, and ancient DNA analysis
and radiocarbon dating of St John the Baptist relics from churches and museums across
Europe. I am a Research Assistant at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford.
Alex Hibbert
Crevasses, Polar Eskimos and Piteraqs - a young polar traveller's decade in the Arctic
From his teenage years, Alex Hibbert has made it his mission to explore, travel across, and
understand more about the Arctic, its wilderness, wildlife and people. He will seek to
communicate his passion, and the life lessons often forced upon him during a formative
decade of expeditions and journeys. Alex Hibbert is the world record-holding polar
traveller who has skied further on an unsupported Arctic journey than anyone in history.
John Witheridge
The Art of Biography
'My God, ' asked a vexed Virginia Woolf, 'how does one write a Biography?' The talk tries to
answer this and other questions. What makes life-writing such an enduring and popular
genre? What are its origins and history? Should biography contain warts an' all? Is there
room for fiction as well as fact? The Revd John Witheridge, FRHIstS, was Headmaster of
Charterhouse 1996-2013 and is now Honorary Chaplain at Christ Church, Oxford. He is the
author of two biographies and is writing a third on a Victorian Archbishop of Canterbury.
A.R. Design
A blank sheet of paper
This is a double session; you must attend both parts
‘A blank sheet of paper’ is an exciting talk and architectural workshop that focuses on the
process employed by an architect on a daily basis. Transforming a blank canvas into a great
piece of architecture requires a rigorous format that needs a thorough and methodical
approach. The workshop will be a hands-on and engaging event that will turn all those
involved into intrepid designers and provide an insight in to the life of an architect. Andy
Ramus is the Director of AR Design Studio, an award winning architectural practice based in
the heart of Winchester.
School
SLT
Flint Court C5
Music School
Blackwell Room
Physics
Department
Charlie Micou
From sand to server - How to build a computer from scratch
This talk explains how computers work: how we translate abstract logical concepts into the
physical world. We start with the invention of transistors in the early 20th century, and how
they can be used to create the fundamental building blocks of a computer logic system. We
combine these building blocks to make a primitive computer architecture, and explain how
these primitive logic systems can be abstracted to complex logic. Charlie was a Wykehamist
who went on to read Engineering at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He is now a software
engineer working on Improbable’s SpatialOS project.
Shakespeare’s Soldiers
Shakespeare’s Soldiers - Richard III
This is a double session; you must attend both parts
The Combat Veteran Players are a group of ex-service personnel who have been injured
mentally and/or physically in various conflicts including Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Falklands
and Northern Ireland. They have used drama to help them recover. This year they put on
Richard III at the Swan Theatre in Stratford upon Avon. Who better to convey the darkness
and danger of Shakespeare’s most compelling villain, that “bottled spider” and “hunchbacked toad”, and his entourage of scheming, battle-hungry courtiers than a troupe of armed
forces veterans with first-hand experience of active service? Come and find out about the plot,
see the soldiers perform a scene and then have a go yourself.
Ian Partridge
Singing masterclass
You may come to either, or both, of the two sessions.
Ian Partridge was one of Britain's leading lyric tenors. His wide repertoire has encompassed
the music of Monteverdi, Bach and Handel, the Elizabethan lute songs, German, French and
English songs and first performances of new works. He appeared regularly as soloist with
major choirs and orchestras in Britain and throughout the rest of the world, and in recitals he
was frequently accompanied by his sister, Jennifer Partridge. He recently visited Russia for the
first time and gave classes in Moscow and St Petersburg. He is a professor at the Royal
Academy of Music, and was awarded the CBE in 1992 for services to music. He will be doing s
singing masterclass. Come and listen.
New Hall
Probably
cancelled
Music School
Recital Room
Session 5 5.10 – 6.10
Alistair Hignell
Control the Controllable
Tackling 18-stone forwards, facing 90 m.p.h. fast bowling without a helmet… Once upon a
time I could rely on my body to do extraordinary things. Now, I struggle to button up my
shirt…In searching for a way of dealing with an uncertain future, I discovered that the answer
lay in my past. And what was true for me is true for all of us…Everywhere we look there are
role models to follow, examples to copy to help us become the best versions of ourselves. As a
sportsman, Alastair Hignell played rugby for England and cricket for Gloucestershire. As a
broadcaster, he commentated on over 200 internationals, worked at 6 World cups and
reported on 4 Lions tours. Since taking medical retirement with Multiple sclerosis, he won the
BBC’s Sports Personality Helen Rollason Award for achievement in the face of adversity and
was awarded the CBE for services to charity and sport.
Angela Findlay
Germany’s post-WW2 culture of apology and atonement
Relatively little is known in this country about Germany’s fascinating efforts to find artistic
forms to remember the victims of one of history’s darkest periods. All traditional memorials
were deemed irrelevant and inappropriate and instead German artists were faced with
questions of apology and atonement: How does a nation of former persecutors mourn its
victims? The idea behind counter memorials is to keep the memories and lessons of the past
alive in the individual psyches of the people. The results are extraordinary, brave, and
inspiring. Angela is a professional artist, accredited lecturer and writer with a long career of
teaching art in prisons both in Germany and England.
School
Music
school
David Allen
Forever Changes – English cricket in the contemporary world
Even in the midst of Euro 2016, it seems that young popular music fans were content to ignore
muddy conditions to play the game which has a history reaching back over hundreds of years.
In my recent book Forever Changes I have argued that over the past 50 years cricket has ceased
gradually to be embedded in English culture, and has subjected itself to constant changes in
search of new supporters and ‘customers’. Is it finding the answer in newer, shorter forms like
T20 or is it sacrificing its integrity in the search for economic stability? Dr Dave Allen is a
Hampshire man. He is a retired teacher and university lecturer. He has been involved actively
in Hampshire Cricket for many years and is currently their Archivist and one of their
historians.
Peter Frankopan
Writing a new history of the world: challenges and opportunities
The sun is setting on the Western world. For centuries, fame and fortune was to be found in
the west – in the New World of the Americas. Today, it is the east which calls out to those in
search of adventure and riches. This region, the true centre of the earth, is obscure to many in
the English-speaking world. Yet this is where civilization itself began, where the world's great
religions were born and took root. The Silk Roads were no exotic series of connections, but
networks that linked continents and oceans together. Along them flowed ideas, goods, disease
and death. This was where empires were won – and where they were lost. As a new era
emerges, the patterns of exchange are mirroring those that have criss-crossed Asia for
millennia. The Silk Roads are rising again. Peter has been a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford
since 2000.
A.R. Design
A blank sheet of paper
This is the second part of the workshop
Robin Dunbar
Why Facebook won’t get you any more friends.
The rise of social media like Facebook brought with it the implicit promise of opening up new
social vistas for us. By cutting through the limitations of the face-to-face world, you would be
able to have thousands of friends scattered across the globe. But has the promissory note on
the tin can turned out to be true? I shall try to convince you that it hasn’t. The reason lies in
large part in the way we create our friendships: it seems that nothing substitutes for meeting
face to face and seeing “the whites of their eyes”. Robin Dunbar is Professor of Evolutionary
Psychology at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Magdalen College.
Adrian Sindall
What Happened to the Arab Spring ?
Why the movement failed....why Political Islam moved centre stage...and the political
challenges that now face the Arab World. Adrian Sindall is a former senior British Diplomat
who served as British Ambassador to Syria and British High Commissioner to Brunei.
Shakespeare’s Soldiers
Shakespeare’s Soldiers - Richard III
This is the second session
Archie Bott
Plasmas, laboratory astrophysics and inertial fusion: how high-energy lasers can be used to study the
cosmos (and save the world!)
The construction of numerous state-of-the-art laser facilities has opened up the possibility of
studying a whole range of physical phenomena previously inaccessible to laboratory
experiments. In particular, the ability to apply large bursts of energy to small areas on nanosecond timescales allows for the creation of hot plasma, a so-called ‘fourth state of matter’.
Such plasmas, typically composed of a seething mass of charged particles, are thought to
constitute ninety-five percent of visible matter in the universe: yet much is still not understood
about their dynamics. In this talk I will explain how laser-produced plasmas can be used to
explore situations as diverse as supernovae, planetary interiors, high-energy cosmic rays, and
the universal generation of extra-galactic magnetic fields. Archie Bott (OW) is a DPhil
candidate at Merton College, Oxford, working with Prof. Gianluca Gregori and Prof. Alex
Schekochihin.
Ian Partridge
Singing masterclass
You may come to either, or both, of the two sessions.
Flint Court
C5
Musa
Physics
Department
QEII
SLT
Probably
cancelled
New Hall
Music School
Recital Room