Fri 06 Feb 17:30: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Dr Ibrahim Baltagi, Lebanese American University
- Friday 06 February 2026, 17:30-18:30
- Venue: Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Avenue.
- Series: Darwin College Lecture Series; organiser: Janet Gibson.
Fri 30 Jan 17:30: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Dr Carole Pegg, University of Cambridge
- Friday 30 January 2026, 17:30-18:30
- Venue: Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Avenue.
- Series: Darwin College Lecture Series; organiser: Janet Gibson.
Wed 02 Jul 14:00: Rethinking Antarctic Polynya Productivity: The Impact of Ice-Adjacency Effects on NPP Estimates along Icy Coasts
Ocean color-based estimates of Antarctic net primary productivity (NPP) have indicated low nearshore productivity in ice-adjacent waters, contrasting with coupled physical-biogeochemical models. To understand this discrepancy, we assessed satellite records of polynya NPP by comparing field data with two satellite imagery datasets derived using different processing schemes. Our results indicate historical underestimation of chlorophyll a (Chl) for imagery obtained using default atmospheric correction processing within approximately 100 km of ice-covered coastlines due to adjacency effects. Using radiative transfer modeling, we find that biases in ocean color polynya observations due to adjacency effects correspond to the high albedo of ice and snow. When applying an atmospheric correction processing scheme more robust to adjacency contamination, estimates of NPP more than doubled in 65 % of polynyas, especially smaller eastern Antarctic polynyas. Adjacency effects should therefore be managed when analyzing spatial and temporal trends in Antarctic coastal primary productivity.
- Speaker: Hilde Oliver, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Wednesday 02 July 2025, 14:00-15:00
- Venue: BAS Seminar Room 1.
- Series: British Antarctic Survey - Polar Oceans seminar series; organiser: Dr Yohei Takano.
Wed 25 Jun 14:00: Stomatal mechanics: the role of wall structure and shape in cell function
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Professor Andrew Fleming, University of Sheffield
- Wednesday 25 June 2025, 14:00-15:00
- Venue: Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University Auditorium - 47 Bateman Street and online (contact events@slcu.cam.ac.uk for Zoom link).
- Series: Sainsbury Laboratory Seminars; organiser: Kate Wetherell.
Thu 26 Jun 13:00: Statistical physics for climate sciences: applications to wave turbulence, extreme heat waves, and extremes of renewable energy production
Climate changes impacts and the need for its mitigation and adaptation will change deeply many aspects of our society. Physicists can contribute decisively to this endeavor. Indeed, the theoretical aspects of climate science are a new and highly multidisciplinary field, with contributions from statistical physics, mathematics, data and computer sciences, as well as hydrodynamics and turbulence. Research In this field are performed at the forefront of many contemporary subjects connected to statistical physics: effective dynamics, inference of stochastic processes, and inference of causality relations, and of their connection with machine learning, large deviation theory, to cite just of few examples.
In this talk I will discuss several examples where statistical physics and large deviation theory can be useful to solve fundamental problems for the dynamics of the climate system. The first example will be a theoretical contribution to the kinetic theory of wave turbulence. Wave turbulence plays an important role for atmosphere/ocean physical exchanges and for mixing of the ocean interior. I will explain how large deviation theory allows to extend this classical theory to compute effects of typical and rare spontaneous fluctuations. I will explain how this can be used for stochastic parameterization for wave energy propagation.
A large part of the talk will be dedicated to extreme heat waves. Extreme events or transitions between climate attractors are of primarily importance for understanding the impact of climate change. Recent extreme heat waves, with huge impact, are striking examples. However, they cannot be studied with conventional approaches, because they are too rare and realistic models are too complex. We will discuss several new algorithms and theoretical approaches, based on large deviation theory, rare event simulations, and machine learning for stochastic processes, which we have specifically designed for the prediction of extreme heat waves. Using the best available climate models, our approach sheds new light on the fluid mechanics processes which lead to these events. We will describe quasi-stationary patterns of turbulent Rossby waves that lead to global teleconnection patterns in connection with heat waves and analyze their dynamics.
At the end of the talk, I will briefly outline current projects where we use the same tools to study extremes of renewable energy production and their connection with climate dynamics. Those rare events are key for the future of the European electricity system
- Speaker: Freddy Bouchet, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique
- Thursday 26 June 2025, 13:00-14:00
- Venue: MR13, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge.
- Series: DAMTP Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics; organiser: phh1.
Wed 18 Jun 16:00: Decadal changes in Southern Ocean Water Masses inferred from observations
In this talk I will present how using a combination of data-driven and machine learning methods we infer a slowdown of Antarctic bottom water (AABW) and an expansion and poleward shift of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). In particular, I will present analyses based on four decades of CFCs and SF6 observations to reconstruct global tracer budgets and infer decadal variability of deep ocean circulation and tracer ventilation rates.
- Speaker: Laura Cimoli, University of Cambridge
- Wednesday 18 June 2025, 16:00-17:00
- Venue: BAS Seminar Room 1.
- Series: British Antarctic Survey - Polar Oceans seminar series; organiser: Dr Birgit Rogalla.
Wed 02 Jul 14:00: TBD
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Hilde Oliver, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Wednesday 02 July 2025, 14:00-15:00
- Venue: BAS Seminar Room 1.
- Series: British Antarctic Survey - Polar Oceans seminar series; organiser: Dr Yohei Takano.
Wed 02 Jul 13:00: Bradford Hill Seminar – The Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS), aiming to help reduce the delays in cancer diagnosis using transaction data
The Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS), aiming to help reduce the delays in cancer diagnosis using transaction data
Professor James Flanagan, Professor of Cancer Informatics at Imperial College London
Register to attend: Please note this will be a free hybrid seminar, with the option to attend in-person (Large Seminar Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR ) or virtually (via Teams).
No registration is required to attend in person.
Register in advance to attend this seminar online at:
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9d02ab32-b2e7-4bdb-9b33-ad126d573679@49a50445-bdfa-4b79-ade3-547b4f3986e9
Abstract: The first Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS) project revealed that ovarian cancer patients begin buying over-the-counter medications months before seeing a doctor, suggesting a missed opportunity for earlier diagnosis. This research opens new conversations about how everyday data might support earlier cancer detection, and what it takes for the public to feel comfortable sharing that data.
About Professor Flanagan: Dr James Flanagan, completed his PhD in 2002 at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, and has pursued postdoctoral work in Cancer Genetics, Epigenetics and Cancer Epigenetics. He was awarded a Breast Cancer Campaign Scientific Fellowship (Imperial, 2009-2014) and Senior Lecturer (2014-2019) and is now Reader in Epigenetics (2019-present) in the Division of Cancer, Dept. of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London.
He was awarded the British Association of Cancer Research Translational Researcher Award in 2011 and the prestigious DataIQ award in 2023 for his work using Shopping Loyalty Cards for early detection of ovarian cancer.
He is the principal investigator (PI) for the OCA funded programme “Risk and Prevention” and PI of the CRUK funded project “Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS)” In 2021 he was appointed as the Director of the MRes Cancer Biology.
About the Bradford Hill seminars: The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.
- Speaker: Professor James Flanagan, Imperial College London
- Wednesday 02 July 2025, 13:00-14:00
- Venue: Large Seminar Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site Robinson Way Cambridge CB2 0SR..
- Series: Bradford Hill Seminars; organiser: Paul Browne.
Wed 18 Jun 16:00: Decadal changes in Southern Ocean Water Masses inferred from observations
In this talk I will present how using a combination of data-driven and machine learning methods we infer a slowdown of Antarctic bottom water (AABW) and an expansion and poleward shift of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). In particular, I will present analyses based on four decades of CFCs and SF6 observations to reconstruct global tracer budgets and infer decadal variability of deep ocean circulation and tracer ventilation rates.
- Speaker: Laura Cimoli (University of Cambridge)
- Wednesday 18 June 2025, 16:00-17:00
- Venue: BAS Seminar Room 1.
- Series: British Antarctic Survey - Polar Oceans seminar series; organiser: Dr Birgit Rogalla.
Mon 21 Jul 14:00: Starve or Share? Legume phosphate status is fundamental for root nodule symbiosis
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Dr Oswaldo Valdes-Lopez, Functional Genomics of Legumes UNAM. Mexico
- Monday 21 July 2025, 14:00-15:00
- Venue: Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University Auditorium - 47 Bateman Street and online (contact events@slcu.cam.ac.uk for Zoom link).
- Series: Sainsbury Laboratory Seminars; organiser: Sainsbury Laboratory.
Thu 12 Jun 12:00: How to study the tropical atmospheric dynamics with a shallow-water model?: Gill and Lindzen-Nigam formulations
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Jun Ichi-Yano, Météo-France
- Thursday 12 June 2025, 12:00-13:00
- Venue: MR12, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge.
- Series: DAMTP Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics; organiser: phh1.
Fri 06 Jun 16:00: Numerical simulations of multiphase flows with various complexities
Multiphase flows are of central importance to a wide range of industrial applications and environmental settings. Examples of these include mixing in stirred vessels and static mixers, flows in micro-channels and microfluidics devices, falling films for CO2 capture, and aerosol formation via bubble bursting through interfaces in the oceans. Some of these flows feature the presence of surface-active agents (surfactants), present either by design or as contaminants. Furthermore, multiphase flows are often punctuated by topological transitions related to the coalescence of dispersed drops or bubbles, and the breakup of threads or ligaments. Here, we provide a few examples of interest to the JFM community but focus on drop impact on hydrophobic substrates in the presence of surfactants above the critical micelle concentration. Our model accounts for the spatio-temporal evolution of the surfactants along the interface and within the bulk; the bulk and interfacial species are fully-coupled via sorptive fluxes. Micellar formation and breakup are also accounted for, and the surfactant dynamics are coupled to the flow through the dependence of the surface tension on the local interfacial surfactant concentration. Our numerical procedure is based on the use of a hybrid interface-tracking/level-set approach. The results of our parametric study help identify the various physical mechanisms underlying the observed flow phenomena.
- Speaker: Prof Omar Matar, Imperial College London
- Friday 06 June 2025, 16:00-17:00
- Venue: https://cassyni.com/s/fmws.
- Series: Fluid Mechanics (DAMTP); organiser: Professor Grae Worster.
Wed 04 Jun 13:00: The Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP) Biogeochemistry Project: Understanding the changing Southern Ocean carbon cycle
The Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP) is focused on understanding the nature and impacts of Southern Ocean Change. The Biogeochemistry Project, one of the seven complementary initiatives within the AAPP , combines observations, models and data syntheses to understand changes in the Southern Ocean carbon cycle. This work is undertaken in collaboration with other government agencies, national infrastructure programs, and academic institutions, and highlights the use of essential ocean observations and models to improve understanding and deliver impact. An overview of recent field programs will be presented, along with new work to quantify the uptake and storage of anthropogenic CO2 in the ocean, to validate estimates of ocean carbon export from autonomous platforms, and to improve model representation of air-sea CO2 exchange.
- Speaker: Elizabeth H. Shadwick, CSIRO Environment
- Wednesday 04 June 2025, 13:00-14:00
- Venue: BAS Seminar Room 1.
- Series: British Antarctic Survey - Polar Oceans seminar series; organiser: Dr Birgit Rogalla.