Talks and shows

What is the next global threat?

Join a panel of experts discussing what is the next big global threat and how we can work to prevent it.

Arek Socha via Pixabay

Now we are learning to live with COVID-19, it is time to look to the future. What will be the next big threat?

Join our chair Ravi Gupta, joined by Luca BorgerDiane Ashiru-Oredop, Jim Watson and Nazia Habib as they discuss anti-microbial resistance, climate change, ecosystem and diversity loss, pollution and plastics. All of which have the capacity to change life as we know it.

The panel will explore what they think has the potential to irreversibly change our lives, and what can be done before it is too late.

This event is presented in collaboration with the Royal Society of Biology for Biology Week 2022. Biology Week 2022 is 1 – 9 October and showcases the important and amazing world of the biosciences, getting everyone from children to professional biologists involved in fun and interesting life science activities.

Event type

This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online. 

By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's event terms and conditions. You also agree to abide by our code of conduct, and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants. Please note that Eventbrite adds a small booking fee to the amount paid for each ticket option.

For any queries regarding this event please get in touch by phone 020 7409 2992 or email events@ri.ac.uk.

About Ravi Gupta

via Nick Saffell

Professor Ravi Gupta's background is in HIV research, but he and his team shifted to COVID-19 research during the pandemic. In Spring 2020 the team validated and introduced the SAMBA II point of care test into clinical practice at Addenbrookes for rapid diagnosis of COVID-19.

Ravi is a co-opted member of NERVTAG. The New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) advises the government on the threat posed by new and emerging respiratory viruses.

He was included in 2020’s Time100 list and was a guest lecturer for the 2021 Christmas Lectures.

About Luca Borger

A man with short grey hair is looking at the camera and smiling.
via Luca Borger

Professor Luca Borger is an ecologist, interested in quantitatively assessing environmental change impacts on local and global biodiversity and identifying the underlying individual- and community-level mechanistic processes (movement, traits, demography, interactions) to develop predictive models and derive policies for sustainable life on earth.

He holds a Chair in Ecology and Biodiversity, is co-Director of the Centre for Biomathematics at Swansea University, and is the Chair/Secretary of the Movement Ecology Special Interest Group of the British Ecological Society. Before doing science he worked as professional free-lance musician (french horn – classical music and some jazz).

About Diane Ashiru-Oredope

A woman with long black hair is smiling towards the camera.
via Diane Ashiru-Oredope

Professor Diane Ashiru-Oredope FFRPS, FRPharmS is Lead Pharmacist for healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at UK Health Security Agency and chair of the English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR). She is Honorary Chair and Professor of Pharmaceutical Public Health at University of Nottingham.

An antimicrobial pharmacist by background, Diane has led on several projects that have shaped national and international policy in tackling antimicrobial resistance, including creating the global Antibiotic Guardian campaign in 2014. From 2016 until March 2022, she was advisor and Global AMR lead for the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association.

About Jim Watson

A man with short black hair is smiling at the camera.
via Jim Watson

Professor Jim Watson is a Professor of Energy Policy and Director of the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources; and Research Director of the FCDO Climate Compatible Growth programme. He is also an Associate Faculty at SPRU, University of Sussex where he worked from 1993-2018.

From Dec 2008 to Jan 2013, he was Director of SPRU's Sussex Energy Group. He was also Research Director of the UK Energy Research Centre from Feb 2013, and was its Director from January 2015 until December 2019. 

About Nazia Habib

A woman is looking at the camera.
via University of Cambridge

Dr Nazia Habib, FRSA, is the Founder and Research Centre Director for the Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD). She is an Associate Professor with appointments at the Department of Engineering and Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge. Trained in political economies, she specializes on socio-dynamic systems design and action-research related to applied resilience in the domain of Sustainable Investment, Responsible Innovation and Good Governance. She focuses on emerging issues within economies and has worked with over twenty countries.

Nazia regularly presents and writes on how to scale up the complex global value chain by integrating environmental, societal and political values. She is also the Cambridge Sustainable Investment Partnership (CSIP) and the developer of the Sustainable Investment Markers (SIMS) which has been adapted by. Among her prestigious awards and fellowships includes Commonwealth Fellowship, Newton Fellowship, and Harvard Sustainability Science Fellowship to name a few. Currently, she is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and a founding board member to Carbonless Asia, the Harvard University’s Alumni Associations’ to Climate Group and several local NGOs in Asia.

Timing

Doors to the theatre will open at 6.45pm and the talk will begin at 7.00pm.

Accessibility

The event will take place on the first floor and there is step-free access from the street via lift.

The closest underground station is Green Park, which is step-free.

There is space at floor level in the theatre for wheelchair users.

Seating is usually unreserved for our events. If you and your group require seating reservations, please do let us know by emailing us at events@ri.ac.uk, and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Carers can receive a free ticket to an event by emailing events@ri.ac.uk.

Our theatre is equipped with an Audio Induction Loop. 

Covid guidelines

Face masks are no longer mandatory and wearing one in our Theatre and at other Ri events is at your discretion, however please do not attend the Ri if you are displaying Covid symptoms or, if you have tested, the result remains positive. Thank you for respecting other people and their choices, and for helping us keep all of our visitors and staff safe and well.

Event terms and conditions

Are you a patron of the Ri?

As a patron you are offered a number of complimentary tickets, please get in touch with your patron manager to discuss this.