Hear from our international network of guest speakers
The colloquium is a public distinguished lecture series sponsored by the Faculty of Engineering.
Each lecture will see distinguished guest lecturers from around the world present a one-hour talk about their work, followed by a Q&A session. University students and research staff are encouraged to attend these colloquia.
New lecture topics will be added regularly throughout 2022. To be notified of upcoming Distinguished Lectures from the Faculty of Engineering, please register your interest.
Professor Gregory Deierlein from Stanford University presented key advancements through an application looking at earthquake risk for the large inventory steel-framed buildings in downtown San Francisco.
Professor Christos Harilaos Papadimitriou, the Donovan Family Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University, introduced the Assembly Calculus, a computational system and programming framework which appears to be a promising bridge between neurons and cognition.
Professor Michael Levin: Vannevar Bush Professor, and Director, Allen Discovery Center & Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University
Modern biology has made great strides in uncovering the molecular hardware of cells, but major gaps remain in our ability to control large-scale form and function. The next revolution in biomedical and information sciences will concern the software of life.
In this presentation, Professor Michael Levin explained how his group is using new approaches to understand the collective intelligence of cells. Using a range of computer modeling and molecular physiology approaches, they are learning to crack the bioelectric code that guides embryogenesis and regeneration. He described efforts in natural and synthetic living organisms to understand cognition and drive advances in the regenerative medicine of birth defects, traumatic injury, and cancer.
Professor Andrew Davies: RM Phillips Freeman Chair and Professor of Innovation Management, Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School
Large, high-value infrastructure projects – or "megaprojects" – are difficult to manage because they involve exceptionally complex, uncertain and rapidly changing conditions.
Professor Andrew Davies shared how his research over the past 15 years has helped to create a movement for innovation – in new ideas, practices, organisational structures and delivery models – in London’s ecology of megaprojects (e.g. Heathrow, London Olympics and Crossrail).
Professor Hoon Sohn: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Displacement measurement is critical to understanding the real behaviour of civil infrastructure systems. However, effective displacement-sensing remains a challenging task.
Professor Hoon Sohn (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) presented a real-time displacement estimation technique combining acceleration and GNSS measurement, demonstrating its commercial applications.
Professor Ron Hui: Nanyang Technological University and Chair Professor, Imperial College London
Wireless power was pioneered by Nicholas Tesla a century ago, but found no commercial applications in the early half of last century. However, after its revival in recent years its market size is expected to increase from US$ 3.9 Billion in 2019 to over US$ 13 Billion by 2026.
During this lecture Professor Ron Hui explored the past, present and future of wireless power transfer (WPT), addressing the latest research and future trends.
