Tuesday Conversations

Every Tuesday 5.15pm-6.30pm during term time @Griffin Bar

'That's how people change their world. One conversation at a time...'

Informal roundtable conversations inspired by big questions, over drinks & snacks. Exchange ideas, meet like-minded folk, and build a community of Changemaking practice. Special guests - authors, medics, journalists, artists, CEOs, academics, activists - will be joining us  throughout the year. It's a chance to meet experienced Changemakers & have an actual meaningful conversation away from the formalities of a lecture or seminar.

All are welcome (no booking required - just drop by). 

30 April - Rupert Baines

Rupert Baines is a serial entrepreneur and has a wealth of experience leading technology companies. He is currently the CEO of QPT, a company that is developing the next generation of electric motors.

In his previous role as the CEO of UltraSoC (recently acquired by Siemens), he led a successful spinout venture which pioneered a revolutionary approach to semiconductor technology, and won multiple business awards in the process.

He participates in the startup mentoring program of Cambridge Judge Business School, and is also the Entrepreneur in Residence at the Cambridge Innovation Capital.

From 2020, Rupert has been actively involved with Changemakers, giving pro bono talks and workshops; mentoring Catalyst Fund winners; and donating the ‘Ivan Baines Prize’ to one of the Catalyst Fund winners; as well as funding the Changemakers in the Community Initiative.

 

7 May - Susie Hart MBE

Susie is a Director at Artizan International.

She is a Social entrepreneur; pioneer; artist-designer; fundraiser; passionate about opportunities for differently-able people, particularly in the developing world.

 

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Previously...

Michaelmas 2023

23 Jan - Michelle Darlington

Dr. Michelle Darlington serves as the Head of Knowledge Transfer at the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation. In this role, she focuses on developing and disseminating best practices in social innovation. Her responsibilities encompass translating research for non-academic audiences, organizing academic and practitioner events, and creating blended learning materials. Additionally, Dr. Darlington is a co-founder of the Thinking Through Drawing project, an educational research network, professional development provider, and consultancy specializing in visual approaches to learning and research. She also contributes to teaching in the MSt in Social Innovation.

 

30 Jan - Theo Hacking

Before entering academia, Theo spent 15 years in industry and consulting, specializing in environmental management and sustainable development. Following his pHD joined Cambridge’s Engineering Department in 2008, as a Senior Research Associate, overseeing an industry-funded program on energy efficiency in the built environment. Later, I transitioned to the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, managing the development and delivery of business-focused, part-time graduate courses.

 

6 Feb - David Belin

David is a professor of behavioural neuroscience and director of studies for PBS at Homerton College. His work explores issues related to compulsion and addiction, with a particular focus on the role lead by the brain in neuropsychiatric conditions such as drug addition and obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

 

14 Nov -  Kevin Powell

Kevin was CTO at Mondelez International, ranked 108 in the Fortune 500 list of largest United States corporations by total revenue at the point Kevin left. Mondelez has an annual revenue of about $26.5 billion and operates in approximately 160 countries. Among other things, as CTO Kevin was responsible for the global production of Oreo! In the last couple of years he has de-corporatised and is now working with environmental groups and mentors social entrepreneurs. I will be buying Oreos to accompany our conversation.

 

7 Nov - Andrew Dickinson

Andrew is from Farsight Consulting - a consultancy working to bring digital transformation to the public sector. Farsight works with the Ministry of Justice, Department of Education, the NHS, the Home Office, the Department for International Development and other government departments. Andrew works primarily with the Department of Health.

 

31 Oct - Frances Rayner

Frances is Communications Lead for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland, an organisation dedicated to reprogramme the economy to put people and planet first. She has a great deal of experience in campaigning roles for social and environmental causes. Frances is Chair of the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland.

 

24 Oct - Esther Loukin postponed

Esther is a disability rights activist and co-founder of the disabled-led organisation Reasonable Access. She challenges and works with organisations to hold them to account on disability access.

 

17 Oct - Olu Orugboh

Olu is the CEO and Founder of Synergy Solutions, a specialist management consultancy practice, which helps companies face the challenges of an ever changing world. Olu is a mother to two wonderful children and is passionate about growing the impact of digital technology in underrepresented communities. She is also the Deputy Chair of Cambridge Wireless Board

 

10 Oct - Prof Maggi Dawn

Maggi is a songwriter, a theologian, and a Priest. She is based at Durham University and specialises in theology and the arts.

 

Easter 2023

20 June

Changemakers Summer Party - on the Griffin terrace! All students invited!

 

13 June

With Changemakers Student Ambassadors

 

6 June Dr Edge WatchornDeputy Director of the Westminster Abbey Institute

Edge is Deputy Director of the Westminster Abbey Institute, which works with the public service institutions around Parliament Square to revitalise moral and spiritual values in public life. She is also a Non-Executive Director and a Justice of the Peace. For 13 years she was an executive and strategist at the House of Commons, UK Parliament, leading on participation, education and people development. She has also been Chair of Trustees for the Young Citizens Charity. She has demonstrable interests in citizenship, active participation in public life and social change.

 

30 May Dr Alison Wood, Changemakers Academic Director 

 

16 May 'London Recruits' - A private screening of Gordon Main's new film

We were delighted to host this event that included a panel discussion with the director Gordon Main; producer Colin Charles (AfroFuturist Arts); 'Recruit' Steve Marsling; and two special guests, Ronnie Kasrils and Amina Frense.

Ronnie was Minister for Intelligence Services in South Africa between 2004-8. He joined the ANC in the 1960’s and was a central member until 2007. He has since been critical of the ANC under Zuma’s leadership. Ronnie has dedicated his life to anti-apartheid struggles. He features in the film as the main recruiter of the ‘London Recruits'. Amina was a journalist covering South Africa's liberation struggle and was Associate Producer of the film 'Mandela Son of Africa'. 

 

2 May Dr Una McCormack, Feminist Science Fiction writer

Una is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling science fiction writer who continues to mentor writers, particularly those working towards completion of their first novel.

Lent 2023

31 January  Prof Kamal Munir  Pro-Vice-Chancellor (University Community & Engagement) and Professor of Strategy and Policy at the University of Cambridge.

Kamal  has published several articles on issues ranging from organisational inequality to institutional change in leading organisational and management journals. He has also published in economics, history and policy journals. 

 

7 February  Pedro Gil  Architect, Founder + Director of Studio Gil Ltd

Pedro was appointed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, on the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, a group of fifteen community and arts leaders tasked with influencing positive change in London’s public realm that truly reflects the city’s diverse constituency.

 

14 February Dr Sofia Singler  Junior Research Fellow in Architecture

Sofia's research interests lie in the history and theory of modern architecture, with particular focus on ecclesiastical architecture, Nordic modernism and Alvar Aalto.

 

21 February  Prof Alan Blackwell Professor of Interdisciplinary Design at Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge

Alan is also Director of the Crucible network for research in interdisciplinary design and Co-Director of Research for the University of Cambridge Global Challenges Initiative. Crucible is a research network within and around the University of Cambridge. Its purpose is to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration of technologists with researchers in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

 

28 February Rosie Dawson BBC correspondent

As a journalist and documentary maker, with more than 25 years experience with the BBC, most of Rosie's time was spent with the Religion and Ethics department, where she won many industry awards for her work.

 

7 March Dr Samara Linton, award-winning writer and multidisciplinary content producer.

Samara's work includes The Colour of Madness: Mental Health in Race and Technicolour (2022) and Diane Abbott: The Authorised Biography (2020). She previously worked as a medical doctor and has written for platforms including gal-dem, Metro, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. She is a University of Cambridge and University College London graduate.

 

Michaelmas 2022

18 October Professor Charlotte Sleigh Author, Academic, Historian of Science

'Charlotte Sleigh was one of those kids who could never make up their mind between science and the arts at school. Born in London and educated at Cambridge, she is now an honorary professor at UCL and writes mostly about science from the point of view of history, literature and the arts. Besides doing research and writing, she is also a freelance editor, teacher and speaker.'

 

25 October Dr Susi Hunt, NHS medic and founder of the pioneering Doctors-for-Doctors

Susi established frontline clinician support at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her work supports, promotes and defends the wellbeing of NHS clinicians, both medics and non-medics. It's pioneering, human-centric, psychologically astute, and essential. 

 

8 November Deborah Curtis, artist & Gavin Turk, artist 

Deborah is an artist, creative, activist and maker of imaginative educational experiences. She's recently founded The Great Imagining, a place for collaborative, public learning adventures on analogue & digital hybrid platforms, inspired & initiated by young people.

Gavin is an international artist known for his pioneering, bold forms- his Adrianne Unwrapped is installed outside Cambridge Train Station. You can find more on his work on instagram; and see his current exhibition at the Heong Gallery, an exhibition to coincide with the permanent installation of Adrianne Unwrapped in Cambridge.

 

Curated by Dr Robin Bunce & Dr Alison Wood

 

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