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2025 - 2026 session
Lecture Programme:
Lectures, of approximately an hour, are held at 7:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month from October to May inclusive.
The first lecture of the year will be held at the
Earth Sciences Department, University of Bristol.
Then by Zoom until April.
Members - WEGA members will be sent a Zoom link by email when the lecture is by that means. Events will be recorded when possible.
Non-Members - should book in advance through Eventbrite for a fee of £2 plus small handling charge
14th OCTOBER 2025 7:30 pm - in University
Crinoids and J.S. Miller
Debbie Hutchison - Curator of Natural Sciences, Bristol Museum
Abstract - link to article
In Rm G25 Earth Science Department, University of Bristol
Non-members can buy a ticket via Eventbrite or pay the fee of £2 on the evening. Members and Students free.
11th NOVEMBER 2025 7:30pm - Zoom
Geology as a route to developing self-awareness and well-being - Zoom
Dr. Ruth Allen Geologist and Psychotherapist
How connection with nature can improve and mental wellbeing
Abstract
In this talk, geologist turned psychotherapist, Ruth Allen will discuss her geologically-inspired book Weathering. Exploring how we can all learn lessons from the ground beneath our feet when it comes to enduring the erosion of our human lives during times of change, transition and grief, when resilience is needed most. She will also outline the many ways she seeks to connect people with rock for their general health and wellbeing, offering a hopeful vision for how we can better live in the substance and depth of our lives inspired by her home in the Peak District National Park.
9th DECEMBER 2025 12:30pm
Christmas Lunch at The Swan, Tockington - click here for details.
13th JANUARY 2026 7:30pm - Zoom (Eventbrite link for non-members)
Replacement Speaker
Life in the early Palaeolithic: environmental change and early humans in the Breckland
Prof. Simon Lewis Professor of Quaternary Science at Queen Mary University of London
Abstract
This talk will explore the rich and varied record of early humans in the Breckland region of East Anglia. From the work of 19th century antiquarians and the emerging discipline of Palaeolithic archaeology to the science-based research of present-day archaeology, the Breckland has played an important role in understanding the ebb and flow of human populations in response to the major changes in climate over the last million years. From the earliest archaeological evidence some 600,000 years ago, the Breckland offers remarkable insights into the early human occupation in Britain, and the changing landscape and environments that they inhabited. The talk will explore the major technological and cultural developments that occurred during the Hoxnian interglacial some 400,000 years ago, including the evidence for early human use of fire.
10th FEBRUARY 2026 7:30pm - Zoom
Dr. Liam Gallagher - GA President
Calcareous Nannofossils - Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
10th MARCH 2026 7:30pm - Zoom
Dr. Jasper Cook B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., C.Geol.
has over fifty years of professional experience primarily in the fields of infrastructure development, capacity building and research management. Over 30 years of this time has been spent on projects with emerging nations in Africa and Asia, most notably with UKAID-DFID, World Bank and Asian Development Bank on engineering geological and geotechnical aspects of rural road network development. He is currently advising the World Bank on climate resilience and road engineering issues for transport projects in South East Asia.
Abstract
Sustainable rural transportation is a key driver of increased poverty eradication, increased food security, hunger elimination and social integration and therefore plays a vital role in supporting progress towards many of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Engineering Geology, through its inherent wide-ranging and inclusive approach to earth science, has an important role to play in providing holistic and cross-sectorial frameworksto meet SDG challenges. Engineering Geology encourages cost‐effective approaches to achieving SDG and at the same time identifying options for countering the impacts of climate change and the prioritisation of locally appropriate options. This presentation focuses on this vital role that Engineering Geology plays in proving sustainable rural transport through a series of examples from S E Asia. Dr Cook uses his work on projects in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to illustrate the relevance of geological principles to issues such as construction materials, slope stability, bioengineering and flood mitigation. These studies will also demonstrate the cost-benefits of applied engineering geological research in an environment where funding of overseas aid is coming under increasing pressure. The illustrative examples are taken from recent and ongoing projects funded by the UK Department of International Development (DFID), the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Kreditanstaltfür Wiederaufbau – the German Development Bank (KfW).
14th APRIL 2026 7:30pm at G25 Earth Science Building
PhD Student talks - date and topics TBA
12th MAY 2026 7:30pm at G25 Earth Science Building
19th MAY 2026 7pm
The AGM will be held over Zoom. Start time is 7pm and it will be followed by a talk.
The talk will commence at approximately 7:30pm.
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