Sydney Ideas

Nanotechnology is unlocking new ways to understand human biology. Scientists expect discoveries in this field will completely revolutionise medicine, from detecting arterial blockages to neural disorders in the brain. Hear from researchers at the forefront of this space discuss the latest developments and applications.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR

– Introduction by Professor Benjamin Eggleton, Director of the University of Sydney Nano Institute. https://sydney.edu.au/nano/

– Keynote address by Paul Weiss discussing nano approaches to medicine and biology, and interdisciplinary collaborations (3.50)

– Anna Waterhouse and Shelley Wickham talk about their nanorobotics project, which involves building autonomous programmable nanorobots that can navigate the body to detect and prevent early heart disease (34.50)

– Conversation with Paul, Anna and Shelley, moderated by Julie Cairney (44.10)

THE SPEAKERS

- Professor Paul S. Weiss, nanoscientist and Professor at UCLA

- Dr Anna Waterhouse, cardiovascular researcher at the University of Sydney and co-lead of Grand Challenges - Nanorobotics for Health project

- Dr Shelley Wickham, chemistry and physics research at the University of Sydney, and co-lead of Nanorobotics for Health

- Professor Julie Cairney (Moderator), from School of Engineering at the University of Sydney

This event was recorded on Monday 17 February, 2020 at the University of Sydney. To learn more about the Nanorobotics project, further resources and speakers, visit the website: http://bit.ly/2SQb5oM

Do the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) outweigh the potential negative effects, in the context of social responsibilities for the entire human race? Will intelligent machines soon take over, turning us into their slaves or raw materials?

In his talk, Professor Mark Coeckelbergh shifts the conversation away from science fiction fantasies about AI and into the realms of real ethical issues and urgent policy challenges for development and use of artificial intelligence and robotics in society.

Mark is a Belgian philosopher of technology. He is Professor of Philosophy of Media and Technology at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Vienna and President of the Society for Philosophy and Technology.

Associate Professor Julia Horne, University Historian and Director of Sydney Social Sciences Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC), chaired this event.

This event was held on Wednesday 27 November, 2019. For more details, visit the website: http://bit.ly/2Dp0f1M

Australia and India have much to learn from each other, because while our economies are quite different, we face similar problems, particularly around energy and the future direction of our cities. Hear from three of the University of Sydney’s leading researchers from Business, Urban Studies and Chemistry.

Professor John Shields from the Business School suggests a need to rethink the nature of leadership and asks, what can we learn from Mahatma Gandhi in this regard?

Dr Tooran Alizadeh, whose research around smart cities is based in India, asks what is that we want from our cities, in an age of rapidly evolving technology?

Dr Girish Lakhwani will draw on his research in energy to explore the parallels and complementary differences between the Indian and Australian experience.

Tania Rhodes-Taylor, Vice-Principal (External Relations)at the University, chaired this event, with closing remarks by Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence AC.

This event was recorded on Friday 22 November, 2019 in New Delhi.

Award-winning filmmaker Genevieve Clay-Smith has channelled her passion for social justice and desire to equitise the film industry into the practice of inclusive filmmaking. Hear about Genevieve's passion for inclusivity and creative approaches to making innovative work with Bus Stop Films.

Joining Genevieve is emerging filmmaker Ricky Kremer, who is currently studying the accessible films studies program at Bus Stop Films.

Bushfires, hurricanes, life-threatening heatwaves and floods have ravaged our planet in recent years. There is a mounting pool of evidence that climate change, including global warming, is a major cause of these extreme weather events.

What we need to do to govern such disasters effectively? Who should govern environmental disasters and how? Hear from scholars working on environmental disasters from a range of disciplines, issue areas, and countries, including:

- Professor Linda Hancock, Deakin University

- Dr Francisco Molina Camacho, CIGIDEN

- Professor Susan Park, University of Sydney

- Chair: Professor Abbas El-Zein, University of Sydney

This conversation was recorded on Thursday 21 November, 2019 at the University of Sydney. For more details or to check out a reading list, visit our website: http://bit.ly/2OkPKTq

Indigenous children are still being removed from their families at increasing rates, despite the clear links to negative child health and education outcomes. Why and how is this still happening?

The University of Sydney’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services), Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver AM, moderated a conversation with Boe Rambaldini, Director of the University’s Poche Centre for Indigenous Heath; and filmmaker and lawyer, Professor Larissa Behrendt from the University of Technology Sydney.

This event was held on Tuesday 19 November, 2019 at University of Sydney. For more details about the speakers and this event, visit the website: http://bit.ly/2oOThQ8

In her talk, Professor Helen Byrne (Oxford University) explains how mathematical models are being used to understand how tumours grow and to predict how they will respond to treatments involving, for example, novel combinations of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Helen was joined by Professor Jennifer Byrne (University of Sydney) in a conversation to explore how maths and medicine can come together to improve research and outcomes.

This event was held on Tuesday 12 November, 2019 at the University of Sydney. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2MJYMHF

What does it mean to call a climate emergency? Military and security experts have warned that as temperatures continue to rise, so too will security risks, including in extreme cases, the risk of armed conflict.

Speakers:

- Professor Ole Wæver, University of Copenhagen

- Councillor Jess Miller, City of Sydney Council

- Associate Professor Charlotte Epstein, University of Sydney

- Olivia Arkell, University of Sydney

This conversation was recorded on Monday 11 November, 2019 at the University of Sydney. Visit the website for more details: bit.ly/33FWVuv

Andrew Denton and Dasho Kinley Dorji studied journalism together at Bathurst in NSW in the 1980s and have since made enormous contributions to the media landscapes in Australia and Dorji's home country of Bhutan.

Hear the two old classmates discuss Bhutan, the role of journalism in democracy, social media, Gross National Happiness, Crazy Wisdom, and more.

Dr Bunty Avieson, Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Sydney, introduced this event. This conversation was recorded on Thursday 7 November, 2019 at the University of Sydney. Visit the website for more details: http://bit.ly/320xweg

The world has gotten used to hearing 'America First', but is it ready for 'Asia First'? Leading global strategy adviser and international bestselling author Dr Parag Khanna makes a case for why we need to start looking at the world, and future, from the Asian point of view.

This event also featured:

- Welcome by Professor Duncan Ivison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research at the University of Sydney

- Introduction by Professor James Der Derian, Director of the Centre for International Security Studies

- Siobhán Moran-McFarlane led the conversation with Dr Khanna. Siobhán is a broadcast journalist and producer, and host of 'Another World' on Eastside Radio 89.7FM.

Dr Khanna is the keynote speaker for the 2019 Michael Hintze Lecture, co-presented with the Centre for International Security Studies.

This conversation was recorded on Tuesday 5 November, 2019 at the University of Sydney. For full details, visit the website: http://bit.ly/32bpqzq