Thought provoking talks on geographical issues.
21st Century Challenges is the Society's discussion series that aims to improve public understanding of, and engagement with, some of the
big issues likely to affect our lives and society in the coming years.
The talks are held at the Society's headquarters in South Kensington, London, with all talks available to watch online along with additional information.
Coming up
Keeping pace with a digital revolution (fully booked)
- Wednesday 16 May 2012 from 7pm to 8.30pm
The internet is rapidly evolving to play a central role in society, transforming social, cultural, economic and political landscapes.
The benefits are clear, but are societies equipped to keep pace with the consequences of our increasing reliance on this technology?
Chair
- Rory Cellan-Jones - BBC News Technology Correspondent
Speakers
- Ben Hammersley - UK Prime Minister’s Ambassador to TechCity Editor-at-large, WIRED magazine
- Nick Harkaway - Author of forthcoming book The Blind Giant, examining technology’s influence on politics, society, commerce and the individual. Nick has previously written two novels The Gone Away World and Angelmaker
- Dr Aleks Krotoski PhD - Academic, journalist and host of the Guardian's Tech Weekly podcast, who writes about and studies technology and interactivity
Tickets: RGS-IBG members £7, non-members £10.
Venue: Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
This event is now fully booked.
* Due to unforeseen circumstances the previously advertised chair, Justin Webb, was unable to chair this discussion.
Global health in the 21st century
- Wednesday 7 March 2012 from 7.30pm to 9pm
Can societies strike a balance between combating the dangers of viral outbreaks and pandemics, while maintaining the hopes of eradicating established diseases, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, which claim millions of lives each year?
Discussion will be chaired by Fergus Walsh, BBC Medical Correspondent.
Speakers
- Dr W. Ian Lipkin M.D - Director of The Centre for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University, NYC. Internationally recognised for his work with West Nile virus and SARS, as well as advancing pathogen discovery techniques by developing a staged strategy using techniques pioneered in his lab. He finds needles in haystacks throughout the world of infectious diseases, and is on call on at least five continents. He recently worked as the senior technical advisor on set for Steven Soderbergh's thriller Contagion
- Professor Peter Piot M.D PhD - Founding Executive Director of UNAIDS and former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1995-2008. He successfully advocated for increased funding for and attention to the epidemic, overseeing the growth of global investments to fight HIV/AIDS from $250 million in 1996 to $10 billion in 2007. He is currently Director of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is a Professor of Global Health, co-discovered the Ebola virus in Zaire in 1976, and has led research on AIDS, women’s health, and public health in Africa
- Dr Marie Charles M.D - Widely regarded as one of the key innovators in global healthcare. Founder of Global Medic Force, a non-profit global leader that engages healthcare professionals to rapidly transfer their expertise on HIV care and infectious diseases to emerging nations
Read the full speaker biographies.
Tickets: available to buy from our events team on +44 (0)20 7591 3100 or on the door from 6.30pm.
Explore the Challenges and watch online: at www.21stcenturychallenges.org.