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Overview

An opportunity for Fellows to meet and socialise whilst discovering and sharing science. Hosted by Professor Jonathan Ashmore and Professor Christl Donnelly.

Research weekends at Chicheley Hall are part of the Fellows' social programme. These relaxed weekends allow you and your guests to socialise and take part in informal discussions and talks on a range of scientific topics.

Join hosts Professor Jonathan Ashmore and Professor Christl Donnelly for the next Fellows’ Research Weekend on 9-10 March 2019. Each day will feature a series of relaxed talks, lively discussion and opportunities to enjoy the surroundings of Chicheley Hall.

The full programme, including speakers, will be available shortly. In the meantime, if you would like any more information please contact the Scientific Programmes team at fellowship@royalsociety.org.

Organisers

Schedule

13:30-13:45
Welcome by hosts

Speakers

13:45-14:35
Human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity threaten sustainable development

Abstract

While normally considered environmental issues, human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity are economic, development, social and security issues, threatening the ability of countries to achieve most of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially poverty alleviation, food, water and energy security, and a healthy, equitable and conflict-free society. 

The vast majority of countries have acknowledged the importance of these issues by endorsing the Paris climate agreement and the 20 biodiversity Aichi targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Unfortunately, the world is not on course to meet the Paris target of 2oC, let alone the aspiration target of 1.5oC, and most of the twenty Aichi targets will not be met anywhere in the world. The current country pledges under the Paris agreement place us on a pathway where the world will on average warm by 3-4oC. 

Technologies, policies and practices do exist to achieve the Paris targets but would require unprecedented changes in the production and use of energy and land-use management. Loss of biodiversity at the genetic, species and landscape level is projected under literally all plausible futures due to the conversion, fragmentation and over-exploitation of ecosystems, pollution, invasive alien species and human-induced climate change, which in turn adversely impact the material, regulating and non-material contributions of nature to people. 

The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity require transformational changes, facilitated through more integrated multi-sectoral policies, financing, appropriate technologies, and behaviour changes, coupled with more inclusive, participatory and decentralized governance systems at the national, regional and global level.

Speakers

14:35-15:25
Science and policy responses to the global decline of biodiversity

Abstract

Biodiversity decline is continuing across the world and is of increasing concern to ecologists, earth system scientists and indeed to the general public. Increasing rates of species extinction and loss of population abundance across many groups of species are continuing despite efforts from conservationists, and in the face of many international and national-level policy commitments dating back over 30 years. One important reason for a failure to even slow the rates of loss seems to be that successful biodiversity conservation and restoration will not be achieved by conservation actions alone. System-level interventions are needed, especially in the food system but also related to patterns of urban growth. Georgina Mace will describe recent work to create a plan to ‘bend the curve’ of biodiversity loss and to galvanise international biodiversity recovery after 2020. This involves learning from other related areas such as climate change and disease eradication that set ambitious goals over long time periods, and respond adaptively to new information.

Speakers

15:25-15:55
Tea
15:55-16:45
Handling change: lessons from bacteria

Abstract

It can be argued that bacteria are the Masters when it comes to coping with change, and the molecular mechanisms that underpin their success on earth are fascinating.  Our understanding began a century ago with the discovery of enzyme adaptation, but the ensuing molecular biology and genomics revolutions have successively changed our view of our oldest neighbours, who, occasionally, become our adversaries.

Speakers

16:45-17:35
Why is everything so bell-shaped?

Abstract

The famous bell-shaped curve is ubiquitous in statistics. It also occurs in geometry. But why? How can it be that whenever you add small independent random quantities the sum always has a bell-shaped distribution? The usual mathematical proofs establish the fact but don't really give an intuitive idea of what causes this astonishing phenomenon. Professor Ball will explain in elementary terms how the physics of heat transfer leads to just such an intuition.

Speakers

10:00-10:15
Welcome by hosts

Speakers

10:15-11:05
Let there be light: The observational quest for the earliest galaxies

Abstract

The first billion years after the Big Bang is widely regarded as the final observational frontier in assembling a complete picture of cosmic history. During this period early stars and galaxies formed and the universe became bathed in light for the first time. Hydrogen clouds in the space in between galaxies transformed from an atomic gas to a fully ionized medium consisting of detached protons and electrons. How and when did this 'cosmic reionization' occur, and were early star-forming galaxies the primary agents? Recent progress has raised the exciting prospect that we will soon be able to directly witness this dramatic period when the universe emerged from darkness and the first galaxies began to shine. Professor Ellis will review the rapid progress being made with current facilities and the prospects with upcoming ones, including the James Webb Space Telescope and extremely large ground-based telescopes now under construction. The motivation is fundamental: the origin of starlight begins the process of chemical evolution which ultimately leads to our own existence in this remarkable universe.

Speakers

11:05-11:55
Talk 6
11:55-12:15
Close of meeting

Speakers